Changes to look forward to with a booming auto industry

When I go out with friends, the single ones would always say there is a shortage of eligible males in Manila. The good ones are either married, gay or in a relationship. These claims are further strengthened with urban legend population ratio which said that men are outnumbered by women 3 is to 1, which can justify the legalization of polygamy to give chance to others. The married ones would always say that “no, when the right time comes… you will find your dream guy, there are so many fish in the sea.” While the others will say it’s time to bang your head, wake up to reality and decide to stop dreaming.

I remember the time when the motoring public was just dreaming of Ferraris, Lamborghinis and BMW M race cars. It was back in the days where you can put an M badge and nobody can tell you it’s fake as long as it’s on a BWM (Google wasn’t invented yet.) The supercars and better models are seen only in the movies or posters.

But at the current motoring scenario, these once-exotic cars have become regular sightings during weekend mornings at the Skyway. Not only have the supercars come, the other mid-range brands have decided it is more fun in the Philippines. This year alone, we have seen the arrival of Lamborghini and Bentley, brought in by PGA Cars, which together with Porsche and Audi, completes an ultra-luxe team. The Columbian Group just recently relaunched French brand Peugeot, banking on its diesel expertise to fill in the gap between the mass market and premium vehicles.  Columbian group also counts BMW and fast rising Kia as sisters, mirroring SM’s “We Got It All For You” mantra. The Soongs officially launched the Maserati and Ferrari dealership along with their fast-selling Jaguar and Land Rover Models, another high-end match up. Mazda re-emerges with a Malaysian Berjaya after their bridesmaid stint with Ford. Another big player coming is the Ayala-led Volkswagen. Which is a match made in car heaven, the second largest car company in the world and one of the biggest and respected conglomerates’ in the country.

With so many fish on the road what good will more choices do to us?

Usually in the laws of economics, when competition arrives, the market shifts into a buyer’s market. Since the Philippine economy is emerging, interest rates are low, banks are more willing to lend money, the usually cash-tight middle class becomes the blue ocean of the usually reserved for upper-class vehicles. Now money and information (through the internet) are in abundance.

Entry-model luxe vehicles now goes head to head with the high-end nameplates: A Volvo C30 that retails for about P2.045 million can go head to head with a Toyota Camry 3.5Q (P2.082 million). Yes it’s not an “apples to apples,” but if you are brand conscious and not particular with the engine displacement you might opt with the Volvo. Of course, the price of maintaining both vehicles and resale value is a different story.

Can we expect better service and value? This should follow. Each vehicle offers more or less the same proposition, extended warranty, free insurance, discounts, free leather seats, etc.,  and the list goes on.  But something that would really hinder a person from buying a well-priced vehicle that promises the moon is of course the experience of owning the brand. Although some brands still offer status quo, but the focus now is on worry-free ownership and added value. Ferrari has its seven-year manufacturer’s warranty. According to Danny Isla, president of Lexus Manila, its claim to fame has always been going the “extra mile in customer satisfaction.” Lexus owners have 48 hours after-sales parts the delivery. BMW provides select customers with exclusive destination drives. More and more car brands are looking into educating their consumers on how to properly enjoy their vehicles to increase brand loyalty.

Of course, there are still horror stories and exaggerated price tags on casa service. But we should see this get better in a few years. Not only will the car companies vie for the initial sale, they would also want to control the whole brand experience including service—after all this is one of their biggest cash cows. For a “who you know mentality” Philippines, the moment that quality service becomes blind, is when we realize that our nonexistent customer service has matured.

One thing I am looking forward to besides cheaper price and better product lineup maybe is the improvement of the transportation scene per se. There are still a lot of cars that I have seen and ridden abroad that I would like to see in the country. Although limitations of bringing these vehicles are road conditions (with our numerous potholes and instant water forms), it would be nice to see with the sophistication of the automotive market comes the upgrade of its government counterparts.

There are still lots of work ahead. Having these cars is a good sign that there is money here, hence improvement should come soon. Now if only getting a partner was as easy as choosing a particular make and model from a sea of big, small and medium fish… see what fits you, take it for a test drive and bam!, a relationship made in heaven. Yes, there will be some repairs and works involved to make it a lasting relationship. But the good thing about cars though is that when it doesn’t work out you can pass it on to somebody else, with an acceptable resale value.

For comments and suggestion, please feel free to e-mail me at [email protected], follow me on Twitter @chicdriven or ‘like’ my page www.facebook.com/chicdriven. I would like to thank Ruel Cayamanda for correcting me on Cito Beltran’s restored Mustang. It is 1967, not 1957 as written in last Wednesday’s column.