Car lovers prefer to import cars as it is cost effective despite the import duty; large number of buyers from adjoining villages
Even as many foreign car brands have moved their production units and opened showrooms in India, the craze for imported cars is far to come down in Pune.
As compared to 99 cars imported by Puneites in 2011, the number stood at 440 cars in 2013 and 2012.
What’s even more interesting is that a large number of buyers of the imported vehicles are people from adjoining villages and outskirts of Pune.
Regional Transport Office (RTO) officials said that the market is even better for imported second-hand cars.
Deputy regional transport officer, Anil Valiv, said, “The imported cars being registered are those that come under the CBU category i.e. completely built unit. Besides new vehicles, we even see people getting second-hand vehicles being bought and imported. Even though one expects the numbers to drop, we see a consistency in these numbers and a healthy market in Pune.”
Asked on what interests one to buy an imported car, when most of the uber-luxury brands are now available in India, car owners cite two reasons - one the novelty and second the price.
Model Colony resident and businessman Ratham Jadhav (31) said he preferred to import his Range Rover as even after the steep import duty, it worked out cheaper.
“I had a contact in USA who could get me cheaper hi-end luxury second-hand cars and even after the import duty, I found it worked out cheaper than buying it in India. Hence I chose to import it,” he said. Manas Mahajan decided to import his Mini Cooper Countryman from USA as it not only worked out cheaper but he could get better variety and the cars were in much better condition than India. Valiv added that as far as the revenue that RTO received from registering an imported vehicle is concerned, bulk of it is shared between the Centre and the state government like import duty and road tax.
“After getting customs clearance, the vehicles need to be registered with the RTO otherwise a penalty can be charged against the owner,” he said.
Imported vehicles
Total number of two and four wheeler at Pune RTO in the last five years.
Year/Four wheelers
2011: 99
2012: 222
2013:218 (till January).
Total number of imported vehicle from 2011 to 2013 (January)
Mercedes: 67
Pajero:60
Audi:56
Range Rover:48
Chevrolet:47
BMW:41
Jaguar:40
Mini cooper:39
Volvo:38
Prado/Cruiser:35
Toyota Carmy:35
Honda:28
Porsche: 03
Rolce Royce:02
Total :539
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