Tata Motors dealership needed in Udupi (Only booking counter opened)

Feb 2021 Update: Automatrix has opened a booking counter in Udupi at Gundibail. 3 months since opening, Tata Motors Udupi showroom still doesn't have a stockyard, service center, mechanic, accessory shop or anything else deemed part of an automobile showroom. Only a sales counter is opened in Udupi with no mechanics, hardly any demo cars and nothing much. Vehicles are taken to Mangalore by truck via Udupi from Sanand/Pune- won't stop truck and offload Udupi cars here- they don't have a stockyard in Udupi, PDI is done in Mangalore and then driven by road to Udupi only after customer pays money. Udupi showroom has limited space so they need to check space before moving a car between two cities. All service support has to come from Mangalore-Udupi showroom has once a week service tie up with Shama Honda. My experience with Tata Motors Udupi isn't going really well- updates here and here

--------------- Original Post ----------------------------------

Tata Motors is India's 3rd largest car seller as per September 2020 figures. In recent few years Tata Motors has launched several wonderful products. I had the opportunity to attend media review of Tiago, Tigor, Nexon and Hexa. For Harrier & Altroz we were not invited. Most of these cars have excellent safety ratings, lots of cool features, nice modern design and have won hearts of potential customers. But Tata Motor's limited dealership network is surprising. Even with existing dealership there's lots of negative comments online about the service levels.

Some fun with Nexon, Clicked by Indrani Ghose

Tata Motors hasn't bothered to establish enough dealerships or service centres in coastal Karnataka. I stay in a village 25 kms from Udupi. Udupi is a district capital and is popular as a tourism, education and business centre (Educational institutions & banks in Manipal, temples and beaches are very popular). As I evaluated buying a Tiago, I realized that nearest Tata Motors dealership is in Mangalore, 100 kms away from my home. This was the deal breaker because visiting Mangalore from my home requires 200 kms round trip journey that costs (200 km @ 16 kmpl * INR 90 per litre) 1200 Rs in fuel, crossing 3 toll booths- about 200-250 Rs in toll, totaling INR 1500 expenditure and almost a full day of time wasted in all these.

Image from https://www.autopunditz.com/indian-car-sales-figures-september-2020/

Udupi has dealership and service centres of following car brands.

1. Maruti Suzuki (Abharan Motors)
2. Renault
3. Hyundai (Kanchana Hyundai)
4. Mahindra (Karnataka Agencies, they have an outlet in Kundapura also)
5. Honda cars (Shama Honda, Ambagilu)
6. Kia (ARM Kia, Katapadi)
7. Toyota (United Toyota)
8. Ford (Kauveri Ford)
9. Volkswagen

Out of top 10 OEMs, 8 have their dealership in Udupi. Only Tata Motors and MG don't have dealership.  MG is a new brand with few expensive models, so their non existence doesn't matter much. Nearest Tata Motors showrooms are in Mangalore, Puttur, Shivamogga, Sullia, Sirsi and Sagara. Nothing in Udupi, Kundapura, Karwar etc. Mostly because of this majority of people in Udupi end up buying WagonR, Swift or other Maruti cars, or mostly Hyundai/Renault budget cars for their needs. 

Tata Motors have Aravind Motors in Kundapura, who sell commercial vehicles. It is Ok if they don't build large showrooms- at least proper service centres should be setup. For purchase we can go to Mangalore one time, but it is pain to go there for every small issue or service needs.

There was a Hanuman Motors in Udupi which closed down recently, reportedly due to fraudulent practices.

Update: I am told (by an Tata Motors staff) Automatrix will be opening a showroom in Udupi soon. This is a good news. Looking forward to the same. A good dealership and service centre will boost sales of Tata cars in coastal Karnataka area. (Hasn't happened so far, let us see if they do anything about it at least by end of 2020)

Related: Experience visiting Tata Motors dealership in Shivamogga *