Skoda BSS - BEFORE Sales Service by Auto Bahn Mumbai!

[ponjo]

I own a Skoda Octavia 2.0 for the last 4 years and wanted to upgrade and purchase a new car in the next 3 months. Skoda Laura was one of the choices.

I had spoken to Autobahn Bombay for a test drive a few Saturdays back, but they told me that the car had gone to the director as he had some personal work with it .

Anyhow, I called them on Saturday the 11th again but they said it was not possible as test drive appointments were on till the end of the day. I asked him if it was possible for a Sunday test drive, to which he said yes. I confirmed with the fellow 3 times that the car would be available, and all 3 times without any hesitation he told me to come down!

When I reached the showroom I heard another gentleman talking to the sales guy saying that he had an appointment for the Laura and the car was not there, he was very calmly saying that he would just go to Auto Graph Skoda in Andheri and buy the car from there, he just left without a fight.

My turn...... I asked what the deal was, and why the car wasnt there, and if the car was not going to be there why wasnt I informed? They didnt have too many answers, but I kept insisting until a few calls were made and finally I was told this - The directors daughter wanted the car on Saturday night and it had not come back !!!!!!!!!!

And just to let you know, when I bought my Octavia from Nummer Eins 4 years back, the test drive car that came to me was complete with DVD screens, leather seats, tons of accessories (at that time only the Ambiente had been launched). So I asked the driver and sales person why all the frills? They replied saying that the owner of the showroom uses the car a lot and thats why he added all those things!

I mean ***! Does Skoda know that the dealers are using these test cars for their own personal use? Or is it actually their personal car which they give out for test drives whenever they feel like? Did they not want to spend on a separate test car?

This leaves me with Autograph Skoda (since I dont think I want to work with the above 2), any experiences with them anyone?

I have seen a lot of threads complaining about ***, but wondering if anyone has had any BSS problems!

Ponjo

[v12]

The test cars are "bought" by the dealer. I dont think they are allocated to them free of cost. Since the dealer has bought the car, he can very well use it for his personal use.

[ajmat]

Sounds very unprofessional. In Bangalore, Mandovi, Whitefield, Southen motors, Advaith have specific test drive vehicles and these are available on appointment.

[ghostrider4385]

The cars being bought by the dealer themselves is fine. But then using it to the extent of damaging the showroom's goodwill by not making it available for a testdrive, and affecting its sales in turn, just doesnt cut it now, does it?!

Godspeed.

Alok.

[GTO]

Have heard too many sob stories about Auto Bahn. Its about time that they pull their socks up when catering to a premium segment. Such unprofessionalism is disgusting.

If anyone called me to the showroom and the car did not happen to be there, I would have torn their roof off.

GTO

[revharder]

i dont' think that test-cars are bought separately.
i guess they sells it whenever some unaware buyer comes to purchase a car and they treats themselves with a newer test-car!

i think so, because it seems highly unlikely that a dealer will purchase a separate car for every model manufactured by the company.

but if they buys them for every model, then i am very much interested in having some information regarding how they gets off with such a huge unsold "test-drive-stock", since every model comes with numbers of variants!

[2L8uLoose]

Originally Posted by ponjo

And just to let you know, when I bought my Octavia from Nummer Eins 4 years back, the test drive car that came to me was complete with DVD screens, leather seats, tons of accessories (at that time only the Ambiente had been launched). So I asked the driver and sales person why all the frills? They replied saying that the owner of the showroom uses the car a lot and thats why he added all those things!

When I went to Nummer Eins and test drove the same ambient, IT RAN OUTA DIESEL ON THE DRIVE!!!
I guess all these dealer's are the same...need a nice wake up call from their customer's

[manson]

A test drive of the RS from JMD Auto, vashi was a pleasant experience . . .
the test vehicle reached my warehouse within an hour from when i called. And they seemed to be calm about things even on palm beach road.

manson.

[karthik247]

Besides all this BSS and *** issues, the Skoda sales are still going fine. There are a lot more Skoda than other cars in its segment. How is it possible!!!

[hrag]

I remember reading that a Skoda dealer (don't remember which city) gives out his personal Octavia for customers' test drives. A car that has 30K or more on the clock. He tells them that it is his personal car and uses it as an example of how well-built the car is, etc.

An act like this can be read two ways, can't it?

[navin]

I had no problem at autobahn. this was some time back (about 18mts ago). the test drive vehicle was there. but i was told that the test car is the director's car. when asked they told me that the dealer has to buy the test car. that means the dealer has to buy a RS, Ambiente, Elegance, Rider, Laura, Superb, etc... ouch. Honda dealers would have to cover City, Accord and CRV variants!!!

[GTO]

I remember reading that a Skoda dealer (don't remember which city) gives out his personal Octavia for customers' test drives. A car that has 30K or more on the clock.

That was an Autocar article on the Sardarji from Nummer Eins. His car had done 80K plus km.

GTO

[revharder]

Originally Posted by hrag

I remember reading that a Skoda dealer (don't remember which city) gives out his personal Octavia for customers' test drives. A car that has 30K or more on the clock. He tells them that it is his personal car and uses it as an example of how well-built the car is, etc.

An act like this can be read two ways, can't it?

yes.
even i read that. it was about some Skoda dealer (a Sardar-ji) in Delhi (West, i guess).
and his car had more than 80K (and not 30K!) on his personal Octavia's odo. and he gives test drive to his customers in that car only!

superb innovative style of winning customers' heart.

[2L8uLoose]

Originally Posted by karthik247

Besides all this BSS and *** issues, the Skoda sales are still going fine. There are a lot more Skoda than other cars in its segment. How is it possible!!!

Just proves one thing.. bad dealer's can't keep a good car from selling

[navin]

2L8, the Fiat Palio lost sales due to poor dealers.