Is there really a ‘lemon’ car?

"There are more than 30,000 parts that make up the modern day motor vehicle and having one or several of these parts not working the way they are supposed to or what may be considered "defective" is not highly improbable. But this situation does not make such vehicle a "lemon". Now, if these more than 30,000 parts do not all work properly and are all found in one single vehicle, then that’s a "lemon". But in as much as it is highly improbable, if not, impossible to have such a situation, then there is no such thing as a "lemon car".

This was the gist of what Mr. Kenji Otaka, outgoing president of HCPI, Honda Cars Philippines Inc., graciously yet cautiously put forth to the question of Al Mendoza of the Inquirer, during the farewell breakfast that HCPI hosted two weeks ago.

I, myself welcomed the probing question in order to find out the car manufacturers’ stand on this issue, considering that I occasionally get letters from readers of this column and viewers of our TV shows regarding it.

I don’t know about Al, as I elect not to speak for him despite being my friend, but to a very large extend, I find Otaka-san’s view on the issue very logical and sensible. He maintains though that the manufacturers, if convinced that the parts that may be in question were indeed defective, would be willing to replace them at no cost, but would find the replacement of an entire car with some defective parts, a bit unreasonable.

Risking the ire of possibly some of my readers and viewers, I tend to believe that some buyers are inclined to stretch a little bit too far their rights as consumers. There are those that believe that once they buy a vehicle, they immediately acquire the birthright to demand, repeat, demand anything from those they bought from, up to the extent of having an entire vehicle replaced just because of certain defective parts, or in some cases, just because they were not serviced fast enough as they wanted to be.

There are really many legitimate demands, but there are also those that are unreasonable or are already bordering on being opportunistic.

For those who have been reading this column for some time now would agree that I advocate consumer protection, especially those who may have had the knowledge of a case where this writer had helped a consumer in having a highly defective unit replaced. I totally believe in fairness but opportunists, even among my peers, are definitely out of my book.

For our automotive industry to be strong, it needs to be treated fairly by both the government and its consumers. And a strong industry would definitely protect its caring market. Let’s all work together and help this country get moving.

Changing of the Guards at Honda Cars Philippines

Mixed emotions indeed prevailed in last Friday’s Despedida / Bienvenida Party at the Hotel Intercontinental in Makati hosted for the local automotive industry and media by Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI)

Mr. Kenji Otaka, with a heavy heart leaves his many new friends in the Philippines after being HCPI president for three years having a hefty share of its golden days. Although now assigned to the much bigger automotive market of Indonesia and therefore replete with a lot bigger challenges, Otaka-san confides that he will miss most the friendship that this country generously offers, the kind he does not see in other countries including his own.

The reins of HCPI are now in the hands of its new president and general manager, Mr. Mitsunari Takano. In a short chat with the new top Honda executive, we learned that his biggest sports turn on is basketball, being a competitive player himself in school. He plans to catch up with his golf though, knowing that most of his peers in the local automotive industry and those from the media find the close-to-nature greens and fairways as their favorite haunts.

Mr. Arnel Doria, the highest ranking Filipino executive of HCPI, sees no major changes in the running of affairs of the local Honda affiliate but assures of the continuing management and marketing philosophies advocated by its parent company, Honda Japan.

We bid our friend Otaka-san farewell and wish him good luck in his new assignment as we welcome Takano-san to the Philippines and congratulate him in his new position as president of Honda Cars Philippines.

Drove, Driven and Smitten

Toyota Motor Philippines top marketing honcho, Danny Isla, made good his promise to give me the first crack for a test drive of the all-new Toyota Camry. This he gentlemanly did despite a slew of glasses of red wine at that popular Larry Cruz hangout of local and "expat" execs, the Havana Café in Malate, during a "spur-of-the-moment" casual get together between Toyota "gulpers" and some members of the "Fourth Estate" covering the motoring and motor sports beats.

Although launched a couple of months ago, motoring journalists have been clamoring to see what makes this Camry tick, but to no avail, simply because our friends from Toyota couldn’t hold on to a unit long enough as market demand for it was unprecedented. But I guess the whole night’s ribbing bore fruit as there is now finally a unit that the local print and broadcast deadline beaters can submit to some "demanding’ exercises before anything can be written or said about the new market offering.

Well, this all-new fifth generation Camry indeed is of bolder styling, with a more luxurious interior and a more powerful new engine compared to its similarly much-desired predecessor.

I was fortunate enough to experience the Camry in various driving and road conditions. I was in it in "stop and go" traffic situations on weekday trips to the office and back home and also on a trip to Tagaytay City and I can describe the experience simply by saying, "I drove it, was driven on it and I was smitten with it.

Motoring Today Sampaguita Rally Runs Again

The motor sport most favored by many simply because it is so safe and so inexpensive to participate in yet so challenging, hits the roads again this November 30.

The Sampaguita Rally, the top motor sport of the 60s when racing icons Pocholo Ramirez, Dante Silverio, the late Dodo Ayuyao, to name a few, were the names to reckon with, has had several successful staging made by AAP (formerly PMA) and STV, Sunshine Television Ventures through its flagship TV show, Motoring Today. The most recent was the 2nd Dodo Ayuyao Sampaguita Rally held in September while the most successful was in May when a historic record-breaking starting grid of almost 60 cars with more than 180 participants, never before seen even during the sport’s glory days, was run in Subic.

Expected to participate again are teams formed by the different automakers and car firms. Honda, with a record participation of a 20-car team made a 1-2-3 sweep of the awards during the last staging. Toyota is expected to field the same number in the coming event with Isuzu, Ford, Nissan, GM, PGA and CATS Motors definitely coming in together with the regular privateers.

Privateers are encouraged to register early as there will definitely be a cap in the number of participants by calling the STV offices at 724-39-39 or 722-47-74.

New sponsors would be welcomed to participate in this wide-based motor sport event that shall be covered by STV and aired on the TV show Motoring Today.

Happy motoring!!!

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