Skoda dealer changes parts in my car = Consumer Court = Car not returned in a YEAR!

[alpha1]

Where is the red skoda on our home page?

[harishv]

Originally Posted by amit_mechengg

salute a brave man like you harish. well i remember i had seen a episode on either ""the car and bike show" or " autocar" or "chakke pe chakka" some or the other shows that come on the respective news channel. they had shown a white skoda with many problem and many negative things. it was long time back.

my case was featured by zee tv in halla bol few months ago. will try and put the video here.

[asr245]

Originally Posted by Sidz

As an official mark of protest from Team-BHP, we can probably take off the red Skoda which has been adorning the TeamBHP pages all this time.

Red Skoda can be brought down but not for a protest. What good is a protest which goes unnoticed by almost everyone?

I think a better idea would be that team-bhp members who support this cause send a protest email to senior Skoda-India officials (Harish who probably tell us who) all on the same pre-decided date. 100+ (i am hoping) might force them to do something about it.

[amit_mechengg]

Originally Posted by asr245

Red Skoda can be brought down but not for a protest. What good is a protest which goes unnoticed by almost everyone?

I think a better idea would be that team-bhp members who support this cause send a protest email to senior Skoda-India officials (Harish who probably tell us who) all on the same pre-decided date. 100+ (i am hoping) might force them to do something about it.

good idea. we will flood their mail boxes.

[thedreamcatcher]

God almighty. This is unbelievable.

These kind of instances are not remote. It is quite common for dealers to do this and we need to fight this.

Even I had a bad incident with a Skoda dealer, which has now completely changed my attitude towards ever purchasing a SKODA.

This happened before i bought my Accent in June 2008. I was shortlisting cars and the Fabia was one of them. My wife and me make a visit to the showroom to inquire.

Apart from us there was only one more customer who was buying one of their 20L range model.

Not one person bothered to even come to our assistance even after 10 minutes of our entry. We then shouted out for some one and even then a puny chap came along hal heartedly to brief us of the car. They were onyl showing us onle model and not even bothered to show us or describe their other variants.

Disgusted, we walked out of the shop,

Dude, please go ahead and sue them.

[sgiitk]

I know which brand I am definitely not buying. I think we customers must vote with our feet and mouth (make noise).

[scarlet.fever]

This absoultely insane crazy!
Of the many horror stories I have read till date this one takes the cake
Boy! how can somebody go down to such levels.

Harish must say you are a brave man !
The way you are chasing this is unbelievable even I may have given up till now
Your stand inspires us all to continue this forward and make sure the manufacturers do not take us for granted.

My best wishes to you for the case which will be in your favour.

Forgot to mention I will never ever buy a SKODA in my life.

SKODA you have lost so many potential customers and the number is still counting so get ready to pack up and go out of INDIA soon unless there is some drastic change.

[harishv]

friends,

i will remind you all here, the one thing that affects skoda more than anything else is publicity about their misdeeds. i am sure money is of no concern for them.

at the height of my media campaign against skoda, i received a call from mr. gullubhai menda, owner(director) of jmd auto. he expressed his desire to see me. he also stays at lokhandwala, andheri where we met.

he wanted me to meet ashutosh dixit, gen mgr skoda and settle the matter. although he might not agree now, he told me - ad verbatim - ' khatam karo yaar, bechne me taklif hoti hai '. i agreed and we met at the coffee shop, j.w.mariott at 12 noon on 19th august 2008 for 1 hr and 10 mins.

here in all fairness i would like to add that gullubhai, his son dhrupad and the entire staff of jmd auto were very courteous and extremely helpful and sympathetic towards me during my entire ordeal. however, being a dealer of skoda, gullubhai and jmd have their limitations in helping me and corroborating my story.

also, after my meeting with ashutosh dixit, i came out with the feeling that he sounded sincere until he tried to give me a receipt for the spurious parts, saying -

As discussed with you there have been parts found spurious/non genuine in your car at the time of our investigation. However we would like to mention that the parts found spurious/non genuine cannot be ascertained that they have been fitted at our dealership. As a special gesture and goodwill we at Skoda keeping in mind customer satisfaction would like to inform you that the below parts have been replaced in your car free of cost. We at Skoda would be retaining the replaced parts for further investigation.

despite having inspected and confirmed by their engineer ramakrishna surabhi, that the parts were put by their dealer, nummer eins, skoda wanted me to accept this statement in the receipt thereby weakening my case in the consumer forum, also implying if the dealer has not put the parts who else but i have done it.

i refused to accept this statement in the receipt. they refused to release the car.

here are some of the comments made by ashutosh dixit during our meeting. i have a recording of the entire conversation.

19th August 2008
From 11.58 a.m. to 1.10 p.m.

We met at the Coffee Shop, JW Marriott , Juhu, Mumbai

Ashutosh Dixit (AD), General Manager, Skoda Auto India Pvt Ltd
Gullubhai Menda (GM), JMD Auto
Dhrupad Menda (DM), JMD Auto
Harish Kanchan (HK)

Excerpts of the meeting - Mr. Dixit’s statements –

12.05.00
AD
I would say first of all on a special this thing, I would say. I would apologize on behalf of everything. I do not know what is. I would not go into things to find you know or play a blame game here. I would say that simple apology on behalf of everything, whatever happened, I do not know whether it was right, wrong, or somebody was doing his job or somebody was not doing his job, I do not know. I would say that as a customer that is something I can say anytime.


12.07.51
AD
Honestly, this whole episode you know while it has been a lot of inconvenience for you, lot of bad publicity for us, but you know I am also a person who likes to look at the brighter sides has brought in so much awareness inside and so much strengthening in our internal process.

12.09.05
AD
See honestly we have taken it so strictly right now and I think I do not want to say this but you will see some very serious repercussion on the people who are not doing the things in a right way and as a company I cannot afford to have these kind of practices.


12.10.32
AD
In fact that is what I am saying that from our side, from that point onward. One thing which has definitely which has happened is that we are focusing so much on our internal process so that we do not have a chance for our dealership. So on so much that there are lot of new things which have been now incorporated in terms of….. There is ad hoc audit which is done by now the team here and it will happen more frequently without any information.





12.13.52
AD
I think the good thing that should have been there and I do not know why it has happened, it should been that the part should have come to us. We are replacing these parts free of cost, whosoever is paying for it is our internal thing right and we will decide whether these parts have been replaced in our workshop or outside our workshop, what is the quality of these workshop, where these parts are coming from because tomorrow it can happen with anyone.

12.15.10
AD
There are certain realities that we all know and there are certain things which you will see clearly how it is changing. I would say in a way you have done good to us by honestly, I would accept it, unofficially that it is a good that you have brought in a point which is I do not know whether people are involved or not involved but it will definitely ensure that in future there is no involvement. because I can vouch one thing on behalf of management 100% that this group of people who are heading today in Skoda are definitely do not have any kind of intention for our dealers to get into this kind of thing. They have absolutely no thing.


12.16.09
HK
What action have you taken against Nummer Eins?

AD
Lots. Unfortunately lots. You will not believe. that is what I am trying to say, even he(jmd auto) is affected, even the third guy(other dealers), anybody because today process part is getting more and more strong to insure that there is no possibility of and I am now insisting on getting every job card and it will happen. Insisting on getting every job card which is getting signed for and I will also tally against the off take of my spare parts. Then apart from that the regular audits and other things whatever, because it is not only for you, it is for me also. Please understand it is a business for me also, the spare parts. When he is not buying a spare part from me and from the market, I am also losing a business.

12.19.01
AD
But even if there is if would say any laxity or any deficiency anywhere in the system, believe me I am a person and other management person on behalf of whom I am asking, we are the people and I am saying that let us get first our house in order to start blaming others. So what we are first doing is that from our side there are 100% correct passes and then we are going to crack down one by one by one to insure there is not even a possibility of somebody doing this thing. I am not even saying that somebody is doing or not doing, there is not even a possibility of somebody doing this. We cannot afford it.


12.24.32
AD
I think let us do it in a way. For your satisfaction with your car is most important so that is one part I would like you to check and tell us that you are now completely satisfied with the repair of the car.


12.25.00
AD
I would say still you check. The second part is that I have absolutely no problem in giving you in writing that we are taking these parts back in Skoda custody inspect and take action against anybody who is involved.


12.35.03
AD
I think one feedback I definitely take it back with me in which I have to discuss it in my level with other people like our sales, service and marketing is that we need to honestly probably strengthen our customer care division a little bit in a more clear cut process but I can also tell you one thing on behalf of may be Karthik and I know you have not had a very good experience, but I do not think he was intentionally doing anything. It was just his judegment of the thing which could have been wrong. Could have been wrong

HK
I have only one issue, why do these parts go back to Nummer Eins?

AD
No it should not. I am telling you.


12.32.04
AD
I promise you this that once we resolve it peacefully, I will ask you to meet, Mr. Thomas Kuehl once, together. We will meet him together on these issues.


12.49.13
AD
Fight this case against Nummer Eins but do not highlight that also in media. I can only request you because in some way Skoda again comes back in the picture. The moment you go to the press.

HK
You mean to say that six months of this what he has done to me and this crime that he has done, I let this pass.

AD
Can I make a statement there? If you are not satisfied in 45 days, then you do whatever you want.




HK
Done. I will do nothing for 45 days, whatever is pending I will put it on hold and if anybody calls me I will ask them, request them, to put it on hold. One or two might go off the block which I am not promising you, but from my side I promise you in 45 days I will not start it. I will not start anything fresh


12.50.05
AD
Woh bolte hain na jitna aap khodoge, utna aur ganda niklega.

12.50.21
AD
For everything in the past, you accept my apology.

12.52.07
AD
Very simple. They will also give you a letter which we have got from them. You give him this car, you give him this letter and you take sign on that letter whatever may it be and by 6 o’clock, you can close everything. finished. Removal of the parts cannot be in writing. For us it is in writing, but what else we are also agreeing that we will not pursue this against Skoda or against Nummer Eins in next 45 days. Skoda is out of it anyway. Against Nummer Eins for the next 45 days and just for you to see that what is the kind of action that Skoda is taking on this issue across the dealers and it is not against one guy but it is across the dealer and when you are satisfied with that, go personally and finish it off because even I would say that you have my word for it. I cannot afford to have this kind of customer satisfaction from any dealers. I am very clear.

[ac 427]

harish pm me i might be able to help you in this case with a few numbers of influential people in and out of skoda.

this hopefully will help your case.

Cheers,
AC

[k_ajay]

Harish,

Such a shame Skoda had to treat you this way, after spending your hard earned money on one of their models...

I hope justice seeks you, on this case now...

@ all: I somehow subscribe to someone's idea here, for many members to send a pre-drafted memo to all email ids at Skoda India's management, regarding Harish's case, and also other members who have had a problem with their dealer/or Skoda themselves.

Amongst 40000 members, even if 200-400 members consider taking 15 mins out of their schedule and send a mail to all the identified email ids, on the same day, Skoda should take notice of the 200-400 memos that would flood their mailboxes.. More the members, greater the effect..

To multiply the effect, a different draft could be sent to media persons, media houses, etc regarding the same issue[s]..

Just a thought, but a powerful one.. Shame again... I own a skoda vehicle...

[hamletisacigar]

harish,

you are doing something that very few of us do in this country, i.e. stand up for what's right. i salute your determination and persistence. you are an example to us all.

[magikrider]

maybe if possible you can write directly to the top level in czech with all the proof and newspaper cuttings! maybe that might make the issue an even bigger one. and also I had seen some shows on some business channel which was entirely on consumer complains where the channel takes the matter in hand and gets the answer from the company on behalf of the consumer. I think it was a hindi business channel. maybe cnbc awaaz. I am sure any channel with a show on consumer complaints would highlight this incident and show on their show. this would scare the company a little bit more. also try approaching newspapers like samna and see.

all said and done. shame on skoda! I mean hadh hai yaar!

[asr245]

Originally Posted by k_ajay

Amongst 40000 members, even if 200-400 members consider taking 15 mins out of their schedule and send a mail to all the identified email ids, on the same day, Skoda should take notice of the 200-400 memos that would flood their mailboxes.. More the members, greater the effect..

Just a thought, but a powerful one.. Shame again... I own a skoda vehicle...

I think all Skoda owners on forum should be a part of this. It could happen to them too if Skoda is in the picture.

[Ravveendrra]

I write in connection with Harish's post of today.

I presume that the following paragraph came out of the covering letter from Skoda:

"As discussed with you there have been parts found spurious/non genuine in your car at the time of our investigation. However we would like to mention that the parts found spurious/non genuine cannot be ascertained that they have been fitted at our dealership. As a special gesture and goodwill we at Skoda keeping in mind customer satisfaction would like to inform you that the below parts have been replaced in your car free of cost. We at Skoda would be retaining the replaced parts for further investigation."

If so, it is absolutely in order. If does not jeopardise Harish's case for damages. The above passage cannot be read to mean that Harish is certifying that the parts were not put in by the dealer. In any full-blown investigation no statement is ever taken at face value therefore Mr. Surabhi's statement could not be taken as true at that point in time. This is in anticipation of a situation where duplicate parts were sent out from the source and Mr.Surabhi is trying to pass the buck on to the dealer! Sounds preposterous, but possible and every possibility has to be examined and ruled out. The "as a special gesture" etc. etc. are also standard boiler-plate and their lawyers will insist on it. In other words Harish was wrongly advised that the above letter/receipt was prejudicial to his interests - he should have signed in acknowledgement and taken his car back.

Further reading the transcripts of the recording, I find that AD has admitted that Harish has been wronged and has apologised unconditionally. He has also undertaken to rectify the car FOC. The issue of damages arises only when responsibility of the dealer/Skoda is established. It is only the responsible party who will be liable to pay damages, if the dealer did it - he should pay hte damages, likewise if Skoda did it, Skoda should pay the damages. Here it seems that Skoda and Harish agree that it was the dealer has done it, but I do not think that the dealer has either confessed to anything or undertaken to pay the damages etc.

IMHO it is a bit much to expect someone's head on a platter. As long as the car is made ship-shape and returned and the suit for damages is not compromised, it is a decent way out.

Cheers,

[Rohit26]

Its amazing for me that such big car dealers do such things. Please post/pm mail-ids to flood. For similar reasons I do stand nearby my vehicle fulltime for 5-6 hours(Autolinks-delhi,Sterling-noida). Even though they would complain me every 5 mins ,"Sir,pls wait in customer lounge/Come with your service advisor". I shamelessly say ok,ok. Now i have stopped using TASS/any authorized service stations,instead find a good mechanic in ghaziabad who has worked for TASS 3 yrs. He even checks your safari with laptop in his small shop.