KARACHI, Nov 13: A number of buyers in Karachi are still complaining of late delivery of the newly booked cars. Assemblers, despite increase in the production by over 60 per cent, still seek more time for bringing the delivery period on an average two months.

Many people have been protesting over the dilly-dallying tactics, adopted by authorized dealers of assemblers. “They are not giving a firm date of delivery.” As per government’s instructions they have to deliver car in two months. In some high engine capacity cars, consumers have to wait for over six months.

For instance, Dr Zubair Suleman Vohra of International Fisheries Pak Private Limited was assured by the authorised dealer for the delivery of Honda Vti Oriel in first and second week of January 2004 after booking on October 7. The dealer assured him that he would get a letter within eight to 10 days from the company with exact date of delivery.

After a gap of one month, the company sent a letter to Zubair, saying that car would be delivered by end of April 2004. He again contacted the authorized dealer who said the letter had some printing error and the delivery time is January 2004. After contacting on November 12, he said he finally got the delivery time of February end, which contradicts the lofty commitments of assemblers for timely car delivery.

Market sources said that many customers had sent letters to various newspapers, pointing out the deviation of auto assemblers from their commitment to timely deliveries.

The sources said that many customers of Toyota Corolla and Suzuki complained about cars being low in quality, like sound in the dash board and bumper, door locks and having starting problems.

Some cases have also been reported in specific Suzuki models specially in Baleno JXL super deluxe models, causing hardships to the customers in getting timely delivery on account of short shipments of some parts from Japan.

“Yes, there was a problem of late delivery on a specific model owing to late shipments of parts from Japan,” confirms General Manager Marketing, Ashfaq Hussain of Pak Suzuki Motors.

“The deliveries have now started to the consumers from Thursday as shipments from Japan have reached. Situation will come under control by end of this month,” he said claiming that customers have faced this problem on only JXL model which enjoys hardly 10 per cent of total production of various Suzuki models.

He claimed that there is virtually no problems like late deliveries in other Suzuki models since the production is being run on extended shifts.

“By end of December, the delivery period will reach to an average two months for every versions as compared to two-three months depending on the models,” he said recalling that consumers had to wait four to five months to get a car at the start of this year.

On issue of premiums, he reckoned that the menace still lingers on but the rate has been falling since the supplies from the production plants have gained momentum.

Market sources said that despite drastic cuts in the premium in the last six months, black marketing is still flourishing. Dealers are still charging Rs20,000-25,000 as premium on Alto 1000cc followed by Rs10,000-20,000 on Mehran 800cc. The on rate on Baleno and Cultus is Rs15,000 and Rs25,000 respectively. Premium on Toyota Corolla still ranges between Rs50,000-70,000.

Ashfaq Hussain said that premium rates will further plunge in future and may disappear for ever as soon as supplies from the plant intensifies.

He hoped that car production would cross over 100,000 units in 2003-2004 from 2,073 units in 2002-2003 if the current buying euphoria persists in future.