Hindustan Motors Slashes Lancer Spares Price Tag By 20-50%

Hindustan Motors (HM) has slashed the cost of spare parts for Mitsubishi Lancer by 20-50 per cent following negotiations with the Mitsubishi Motor Corporation, the Japanese auto major with which it has a license agreement for selling the Lancer.

The move is aimed at improving the sales of the Lancer by reducing its maintenance costs. Also, HM is planning to commence exports of Mitsubishi Lancer to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, two of the three countries to which it is authorised to export the Lancer.

The company is preparing to export around 80-100 units of the premium mid-sized car to these markets from October this year. Nepal is the third country to which the company is authorised to export the Lancer.

S Vasudevan, general manager (sales and service) of HM, said, "We have been in talks with Mitsubishi Motors to reduce the price of the spare parts, as there are already around 22,000 Lancers on Indian roads. As a result, we have slashed the price of spare parts for the Lancer by almost 20-50 per cent. We are also trying to improve the localisation content in the car from the present 42 per cent."

The rationalisation in spare part prices is expected to correct the high cost of spares, which so far resulted in higher maintenance costs for customers. Some of the parts whose price has been reduced are element air cleaners (price cut from Rs 2,533 to Rs 660), tie rods (Rs 3,133 to Rs 1,324), clutch discs (Rs 5,254 to Rs 2,575), combination lamps, and mirror and holder sets.

This is also the first time since HM has signed a license agreement with Mitsubishi Motors that it will be exporting the Lancer.

The company is currently waiting for the Automotive Research Association of India clearance for launching the Pajero, Mitsubishi's high-end sports utility vehicle, in India, Vasudevan said.