Harley-Davidson's dealers association on Thursday demanded a "fair deal" of compensation from American cruiser bike major, before it exits the country
Automobile dealerships are cautiously optimistic, expecting flat or moderate growth in the festive season after suffering twin blows of demand slowdown due to macroeconomic challenges and the pandemic
The policy is expected to encourage customers to go in for new purchases which will be backed-up by government incentives in lieu of their old vehicles
Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) is taking this step so that the members can elect the best candidates from the states to represent their issues, it said in a statement
The sector, which had a production loss of about 750,000 units, currently has unsold inventory worth Rs 20,000 crore
Supply chain glitches and unavailability of labour also a deterrent
Former FADA President and President Automotive Skills Development Council ( ASDC) Nikunj Sanghi said OEMs have given support packages that were already due to the dealers
They say the 10-day extension given for the sale of these vehicles will serve no purpose as consumer sentiment is not likely to revive after the lockdown is lifted
Such a situation will mean "many of them will face financial hardships which could even threaten the existence of their business."
Auto sales have been declining for 13 straight months as a broader slowdown in the economy has crippled demand across the country
What dismays automakers the most is the government's failure to take measures to kick-start growth
In the last three months, around 2 lakh jobs have been cut to reduce the impact of dip in sales