Stuttgart, Germany  - Repairing a defect in your car not only means expensive costs, but you may find that the part that needs replacement is unavailable or costs a small fortune. Motorists tend to overlook that in many cases, recycled or reconditioned car parts are a real alternative.

Reconditioned parts are not as risky as used parts and not as expensive as an original, new replacement part. Reconditioning of defective or used parts is often undertaken by professionals at the firms that originally manufactured the accessory.

"Our experience is that more and more workshops are asking for just such parts," says Ulrich Dilchert from the German auto industry association (ZIV) based in Bonn.

The country's biggest car maker, Maruti Suzuki India suffered a sale decline of 27 per cent in November. It sold 47,103 units as compared to 64,885 units in the same month last year. The automobile sector is facing the heat of the global slowdown and the data posted by Maruti Suzuki vindicates the fact. Low demand due to global financial crisis has forced the companies to cut their sale targets and employ cost cutting measures, including retrenchment of staff.

Country’s third largest two-wheeler maker, TVS Motor Company on Monday reported a 12.7 per cent decline in the sale of two wheelers in November, 2008 at 98,402 units compared with 112,766 units in the corresponding period last year.

In a statement released by the company, the sales of the motorcycle dropped 20.7 per cent in November to 45,276 units from 57,113 units a year ago.

“General inflationary trends, liquidity crunch and the continuing adverse impact of high interest rates with restricted availability of retail finances affected sales,” added the company release.  

The plans to increase the stake in the Indian two wheeler venture by Suzuki Motorcycle India were reveled recently by the Suzuki Motor Corporation of Japan which owns 74% in its Indian two wheeler venture Suzuki Motorcycle India. As of now, the remaining % equity is owned by Mr Satya Sheel and family.

It was informed by Mr Katsumi Takat, joint MD of SMIPL at the launch of the company's first super premium motorcycle brands Hayabusa and Intruder M 1800 R that discussions are on to raise their stake.

Japanese major Suzuki Motor has launched two hyper sports bikes including Hayabusa and Intruder M1800R in the Indian market.

Suzuki expects that newly launched imported bikes would add more power to the company’s brand value and create excitement among Indian youngsters.

Both priced at Rs 12.50 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), Hayabusa features a 1,340-cc engine, whereas Intruder comes with a 1,783-cc V-twin engine.

Tokyo - Japan's major carmakers on Thursday announced declines in their October exports.

The nation's leading automaker, Toyota Motor Corp, saw its October exports fall 13.7 per cent from the same month a year earlier while exports at Nissan Motor Co dipped 3.2 per cent and Honda Motor Co's exports fell 0.2 per cent.

Toyota's global car production declined 14.7 per cent to 700,146 units and overseas output also dropped 12.5 per cent to 358,198 units.

Its domestic output sank 17 per cent to 341,948 units, and domestic sales dipped 13.7 per cent to 119,999 units.