Nummer Eins Skoda Service - PATHETIC !

[normally_crazy]

This is a review that I wished to write a long time back but I thought let me observe these guys for a few times and decide.

And Im not at all sorry to say - These guys are the PITS.

A few points that I have always observed during my visit to them -

Attitude
The staff is always late.Least bothered about anything.They give me an appointment for 0930 hrs - twice I reached on dot only to be met with an empty reception with the cleaners talking away on phone. The staff pours in post 0945 hrs only and then they go to freshen up and are on work in another 10 mins. On telling them I have an appointment , I find that Service Engineers are even more lazier and report after 0945 hrs only. And most of them cant speak broken english too - guess they have to only deal with drivers who come to drop off cars.

Today I reported at 0945 hrs for a 0930 hrs appointment - again I walk into an empty reception area which has been redesigned with more sofas and space (Thank GOD). But then I came to know this was done so that customers atleast have a nice decent place to relax waiting for the staff to come and work.

The Service engineers are OK. You have to talk to them and clearly explain the problem. Helps if you show them that you know a bit about the vehicle and its mechanisms and working. Once they scratched my rear bumper while reversing - I got them paint the whole bumper free of cost.

Talking to the Managers and stuff is no good. Once I had a long talk with the manager - he gave me good service for that particular day (my car was getting serviced that day) and promptly were back to thier own ways.

When I go to pick my car up after the service, I have to wait for 30-45 mins minimum even when I tell them that I need the bill urgent. Heck even informing them on phone 2 hours earlier - I still go and find the bill not ready.

The Service Centre
Located in a small bylane which anyone can miss - the roads leading to the service centre have potholes that even the MOON would be ashamed of. And one Service engineer jokingly tells me - they dont ask for repairs on the road because they get to test out the shock absorbers and suspension. needless to say I blew him up royally.

The Service centre is very small - about 12-15 cars can be taken in and they have about 5 service bays. Rest of the cars parked outside on the road - in danger of being hit by tankers that lean precariously due to the potholes.

The reception is very small. The display of items in the reception area lacks vision. Really depressing.

The only PLUS in their favour is - the feedback calls they keep making asking if things are right - that gets annoying too after a while.

The Octy's gone for service today - 68000 kms on the odo.
The Left indicator assembly replacement - 1500 Rs
The key remote battery replacement - 25 Rs
Left door lock problems - to be checked and they have agreed to call me before repairs
Regular Servicing.

Will keep you guys updated.

ps- did you guys know - I just casually inquired how much a lighter costs. Answer - we dont sell the lighter seperately - the whole assembly will be replaced and cost will be 3000 Rs

[F50]

Well, well, well ... suddenly Skoda is going from Hero to Zero. They are taking a beating in every part of the country. Still this wont affect their sales. But they seriously need to learn. I was seriously thinking of a 2nd hand Skoda in 8 months time but with this happening, its a BIG NO NO.

If you buy a Skoda then :
1. At your own risk (as satya and Vj said)
2. Have patience to deal with these morons.
3. Go to some outside garage for maintenance.

P.S. Cant compare but im really happy with Hyundai Service. They are lazy too(sometimes) but once you give them nice verbal beating... it works ... they give my car in half an hour instead of keeping whole day.

[Floyd de Souza]

I think this is the same group which own/owned Pilot-Daewoo, Angad-Fiat. If it is the same group then I am not surprised. There are two reasons why the Octy sells 1. diesel 2. build. If Toyota launches a diesel Corolla, Octy sales will nose-dive except for those die-hards who will buy it for its build. If their A.S.S. does not improve in both quality and price, the Fabia is going to have a hard time.

[jazzyb]

Dude i absolutely agree with u.NUmmer Eins sux big time.From the time that i have taken delivery from them i am repenting.They promise to deliver the car on a certain date and keep postponing it after that.They really drive u mad.The service centre is pathetic.It feels as if the car hasnt been serviced at all.The mechanic who took a test drive of my car is now a floor supervisor there as everybody else who works there has quit.I have now shifted to JMD auto and they are much better.Get the job done ontime and their attitude is very good.Hope it stays that way and they dont go the Nummer eins way.
Cheers.

[2L8uLoose]

Its not Skoda per se.. its the damn dealers they have chosen.Before I bought my Skoda from Autobahn, I went to Chembur to test drive the Skoda with Nummer Eins.After walking around the car, we get in and I start her up.. see the fuel indicator is reading ZERO. Was told by the sales rep that the gauge has been disconnected, and there is fuel in the vehicle.OK.. so I take it out of the showroom go 200 meters from there and lo and behold... guess what happens.. THE DAMN CAR RUNS OUT OF DIESEL.What a bunch of MORONS those guys are..Just my 3 cents worth!

[normally_crazy]

Originally Posted by normally_crazy

The Octy's gone for service today - 68000 kms on the odo.
Left door lock problems - to be checked and they have agreed to call me before repairs

Just got a call from the service centre - the door and window winding mechanism at fault - needs to be replaced - 12600 Rs !!

GOD HELP ME !!!!

[da MotorHead]

Its not Skoda per se.. its the damn dealers they have chosen.
I agree here. These delers have no fear of getting burnt from Skoda if they don't treat customers right. Anyway, the ashtray clip broke in my car today, whole thing has to be replaced for 2750. That's still tolerable. And IMO if you look at a used skoda, look more at the driver. If he's ok, the car could turn out just fine.

Cheers,
dMH

P.S We discuss this topic every three days Skoda has become the Team-BHP post fav i guess....

[ritik123]

- the door and window winding mechanism at fault - needs to be replaced - 12600 Rs !!

Now we know why the Skoda ads were comparing the Superb to the E Class.

[satyamenon]

Man, this sucks big time. Skoda is screwing around with it's customers and getting away with it...

For the sake of all the existing Skoda owners out there, I can only pray that they wise up and quick.

[iraghava]

Originally Posted by normally_crazy

Just got a call from the service centre - the door and window winding mechanism at fault - needs to be replaced - 12600 Rs !!

GOD HELP ME !!!!

Indeed you need all the help you can get if the Spares are priced like that. IMHO don't get it fixed there, simply go to a good independent workshop he'll probably fix it without replacing anything and will be WAY cheaper.

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by iraghava

Indeed you need all the help you can get if the Spares are priced like that. IMHO don't get it fixed there, simply go to a good independent workshop he'll probably fix it without replacing anything and will be WAY cheaper.

We've begun doing that with most of our cars. Our Palio and lancer are handled from outside even though the Lancer is within the warranty period, the people outside do a much better job.
Cheers

[iraghava]

Originally Posted by lamborghini

We've begun doing that with most of our cars. Our Palio and lancer are handled from outside even though the Lancer is within the warranty period, the people outside do a much better job.
Cheers

I know I've had to resort to these measures too after bad experience with Honda dealers. The independents give you personalised service, good attention to details and also value for money. And if you find a real nice garage the quality of work at times is WAY better than the authorised morons.

And the best part is if something that they did doesn't work properly they fix it without playing pass the buck.

But have to warn people that such independents are few, most of them are still fleece jobs bent on making a quick buck and not customer satisfaction & loyalty.

[normally_crazy]

Well,

Nummer Eins does it again.

Quoted from Mid-Day dated 29th April 2008.

That one extra day this leap year, proved unlucky for Andheri resident Harish Kanchan. On February 29, Kanchan, a businessman, met with an accident on the Nasik-Mumbai highway. His Skoda (MH 06 AF 6115) hit a dead bull and went off-road and the undercarriage was damaged. Kanchan sent his car to dealers Nummer Eins Motors workshop, the authorised Skoda dealer in Ghatla, Chembur, the same evening. Kanchan got his car back 45 days later with several original Skoda parts replaced by duplicate parts. His initial suspicions were aroused after he suspected that the side mirror was not the original one and the car was vibrating with the engine missing a beat. He pursued the matter with the Skoda head office in Aurangabad.

Says Srinivas Sudhir, customer care, after sales, from the office, “Yes, certain parts have been replaced. We are contemplating serious action against the dealer.” Added Ramkrishna Surabhi, Skoda engineer, “Yes, certain original parts have been replaced with fake parts. This is very unfortunate and we will take firm action.”

The Nummer Eins Chembur accident department in-charge Raghu Kochar claimed he was unaware of any parts being replaced with duplicates. “I do not know of this incident. Kanchan was satisfied with our service.”

Kanchan says, “Nummer Eins is playing with people’s lives by tampering with original Skoda parts and replacing parts with duplicate spares and billing them as originals.”


Tampered parts


Fuse Box
Radiator Fan
Brake Disc
Fly Wheel

Horn Setting
Headlight Motor

The article is here - Mid-Day - Article

[iraghava]

How can Horn Setting be replaced? Is that a special part on Octavia's??

But yes, Nummer Eins does it again!

[anandpadhye]

Friends,

What I am amused at is - how can you guys take all the Skoda attitude so lightly!

I have been reading all the Skoda related threads for a long time and not a single customer seems to have the real urge or resolve to straighten things up with Skoda!!!

You guys seem to be extremely rich (too rich to take a Rs.10 to 16 lacks car too seriously) and Skoda seems to have observed this and they are making merry...

Of all the Skodas running on the Indian roads, majority carry a VIP or special number plate while very few have the regular numbers!!! The ratio is exactly opposite in case of Honda....speaks a lot about the kind of customer base both the companies have (in spite of the fact that both are considered up-market brands in India) and to me seems directly proportional to the quality and attitude of the service offered by the two...

I am extremely curious to find out more about the thought process of people owning and maintening a Skoda.

No offence meant to anyone.