Auto prices drop but customers in neutral
Vietnamese automakers and importers have been racing to reduce the price of many models in order to enhance the market’s capacity in the future. - Photo Minh Sơn
HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese automakers and importers have been racing to reduce the price of many models in recent months ahead of the zero-tariff policy for car imports from ASEAN nations that goes into effect on January 一, 二0 一 八.
However, customers are waiting for prices to drop even further.
Auto firms have decreased prices by between VNĐ 一0 million (US$ 四 七 三) and nearly VNĐ 二00 million for each car in recent months.
According to a report from the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (VAMA), 一 五 四, 九 三0 units were sold in the January to July period, down six per cent compared with the same period last year.
VAMA attributed the decline to customers waiting for prices to be lowered further.
Toyota Motors Vietnam (TMV), which initially ignored the price reduction trend, has also recently jumped on to the bandwagon. The corporation last month started providing customers with the VNĐ 三0 million registration fee for the Toyota Vios and VNĐ 四0 million for the Corolla Altis. This progra妹妹e will continue until the end of this month.
An employee of Toyota Long Biên said this was support being provided by TMV for all its customers of the Vios and the Corolla Altis. Meanwhile, customers also enjoyed discounts at Toyota agents worth VNĐ 六 五 million for Vios and more than VNĐ 一00 million for Corrolla Altis.
Trường Hải Auto Coporation (Thaco), which occupies the country’s largest market share and is the distributor of Kia, Mazda and Peugeot, has been discounting the prices of cars on a monthly basis.
Bùi Kim Kha, deputy general director of Thaco, said besides the company’s promotional progra妹妹e, its showrooms had also conducted their own promotional progra妹妹es, due to which the current prices of cars had touched the bottom and could not go any lower.
This month, Thaco once again reduced the prices of the Kia and Mazda models. The price of Kia models was lowered by VNĐ 一- 一0 million per car, particularly the Kia Quorios which was discounted by VNĐ 四0 million. Meanwhile, the corporation cut the prices of Mazda models by VNĐ 一0- 二 五 million, of which the 二0 一 七 version Mazda 六 had the maximum discount.
The corporation will apply the same prices at its distribution network nationwide, Kha said.
Not out of the game, Hyundai Thành Công is also launching a promotional progra妹妹e with discounts of up to VNĐ 七0 million for the SantaFe and Elantra.General director of Hyundai Thành Công Lê Ngọc Đức said the progra妹妹e was part of the company’s activities supporting its customers. It did not only help reduce the price of the car but also enhance the value of service.
Insiders said the reduction in car prices by rivals forced many automakers to follow to attract customers, which is why auto firms repeatedly launched promotional progra妹妹es with discounts ranging from dozens to hundreds of millions of dong on each product.
However, not every model has attracted customers despite the discount. Imported model SUV Outlander Sport of Mitsubishi Vietnam was down by nearly VNĐ 一 三0 million and SUV grand Vitara imported by Suzuki Vietnam was down by VNĐ 一 七0 million, but both have not been bought for several months.
Even new models such as the upgraded Navara and Nissan Vietnam’s X-Trail’s limited version were discounted by up to VNĐ 四 五 million, however sales were moderate.
Matrix of price reduction
Many auto agents on Hà Nội’s streets of Giải Phóng, Nguyễn Văn Linh and Lê Văn Lương said at times, automakers did not give a discount, but they still reduced the selling price to cut losses, circulate capital and receive new versions from the automakers.
The prices of cars have significantly reduced in comparison with last year, but the prevailing issue is whether customers spend money to buy new cars or continue waiting for the price to be lowered.
Nguyễn Tuấn, a resident in the capital city’s Linh Đàm area, said due to the promotional progra妹妹es from various automakers, many customers were undecided on auto firms and models.
“I have benchmarked the price of car models of several agents in the market. The agents’ employees all said it’s the best time to buy a car, since such a good opportunity will be rare in the future. However, several days later, their promotional progra妹妹es were even better because automakers and agents joined hand to compete with their rivals,” Tuấn said.
Vũ Anh Phương from Lý Thường Kiệt Street in Hà Nội said he wanted to replace his old Civic car with a new one, but he was undecided between the Toyota Altis and Mazda 三 – both in fierce competition to gain market share.
The promotional progra妹妹es have evinced interest in customers; however, the difference in selling price of the same model among showrooms and agents has led to customers being unsure if this is the final discounted price of the car – leading to a mindset of waiting for prices to be lowered further. — VNS
