From Bad to Ugly to Good! - Team-BHP

amtak · 19th January 2008, 22:36

The Bad:

Every Saturday i go to the temple (this isn't bad actually!). As usual, took a quick shower and headed to the temple soon to realize while driving that my car's clutch is dead (cannot describe the exact problem, but if you had a bicycle during your childhood and know how the pedal is when the chain is removed? Exactly that way!). Pulled over immediately to call the Maruti helpline. Oh yeah! forgot to mention, I am a very satisfied maruti customer (Zen LXi, 2005)

The Ugly:

I have the Maruti helpline number pasted on the windshield of my car and also stored in the cell phone. Dialled the nos and promptly a lady attended to the call and informed me that she would ask a technician to call me.

In the next 10 mins I got a call from Navnit motors technician and he asked me where I am? I promptly informed him that I am in Mira Road and he then told me that he was going to bhiwandi when he got this request from maruti. Asked me what's the problem and told him that seems like the clutch is damaged...he then told me he'll take at least 1.5 hrs to come to see the problem and he'll come with a towing vehicle to take my car to "Thane". I then asked him why Thane? why can't he come and take my car to borivali or even at Laxmi cars in mira road itself and he informed me that Spectra cannot pick my car as I am beyond the Dahisar checknaka limits and all other sectors beyond dahisar in thane district are given to navneet.

I then asked him if he take my car to Thane (27 kms away!) would i be getting a back up car for my commute back home? The answer, no! I then asked him why to take my car then...That too that far! Told him that I don't need his service and hung up the phone.

Called the helpline again, and explained to them the whole scene, and they were adamant that Spectra cannot pick my car. Result, hung up the phone again on their face.

Now I again called up the Spectra guys personally (my car's under AMC with them). explained to them the whole situation again but they said that they cannot tow my vehicle from mira road but were helpful enough to give me the person's contact nos who does the towing for them.

Called the gentlemen who has been a great help in this "journey" of mine, Mr. "Uncle" as what everyone calls him (his co name is Uncle Towing). Bargained the price of towing and he said he would be there in 1 hour. 2 hours past, no sign of him or the towing van! Finally he arrived and we started our journey towards the Service Center.

PS: I tell you all, driving a car which is being towed away attracts a lot of female attraction!!!

experienced it today!

The worst factor here was that I could not take the car from checknaka as there I was informed that I would have to pay 4.5% Octroi on the original price of the car if its being towed away inside the city limits

The only way to cross the car via pushing it across the naka and avoid the Octroi! What to do now was something that came to my mind.

The Good:

The "Uncle" told me let's go to laxmi cars then (its the closest to my house). Since I had no option I said Yes! Slowly we reached there and realized that they are having a free checkup campaign and though why only today!!!! Went in and got a service adviser who has been very helpful and despite all the mad rush they had today was very polite, offered me tea/water and analyzed that car inside out, made estimates and informed me that I would not get the car today.

All this happened between 9.30 AM to 1.00 PM. Exactly at 4.00 PM, again I got a call from him and he told me that clutch is gone and needs replacement. Asked him the price and then confirmed the order to change it. Immediately realized that my car is under Extended warranty and called back the laxmi guys and asked for "my service adviser". He wasn't available, so left a message for him to call me back. In the next 14 mins, i get a call from him asking if any other assistance is required from his end. Man! that was the moment i decided once my AMC is over with Spectra, I am going to Laxmi for all my car services!

I'll be getting the car tomorrow, and will keep you posted on how the work has been done on it.

In the meanwhile, I have started echoing with how Spectra and Maruti has changed in the last few years and why I should consider buying some other car model from another company!

hmishra83 · 22nd January 2008, 18:53

A good review there Amtak. I have encountered a similar issue with a friends OLD Indica V2. We were stranded on the border of Delhi-Gurgaon and though this guy had an extended warranty, he couldn't get through the telephone numbers of his dealer.
Fortunately, we grabbed a towing-truck on the highway itself and asked him to tow our car to his dealer (20 kms from where we stoof). The results were very bad - both for the dealer and my friend's trust in TATA.

Just another case how a bad dealer can bring bad name to a good car manufacturing company.

19th January 2008, 22:36	#1 (permalink)
amtak BHPian Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Fulltime Mumbaikar...Yippie!!!! Posts: 782 View My Garage	From Bad to Ugly to Good! The Bad: Every Saturday i go to the temple (this isn't bad actually!). As usual, took a quick shower and headed to the temple soon to realize while driving that my car's clutch is dead (cannot describe the exact problem, but if you had a bicycle during your childhood and know how the pedal is when the chain is removed? Exactly that way!). Pulled over immediately to call the Maruti helpline. Oh yeah! forgot to mention, I am a very satisfied maruti customer (Zen LXi, 2005) The Ugly: I have the Maruti helpline number pasted on the windshield of my car and also stored in the cell phone. Dialled the nos and promptly a lady attended to the call and informed me that she would ask a technician to call me. In the next 10 mins I got a call from Navnit motors technician and he asked me where I am? I promptly informed him that I am in Mira Road and he then told me that he was going to bhiwandi when he got this request from maruti. Asked me what's the problem and told him that seems like the clutch is damaged...he then told me he'll take at least 1.5 hrs to come to see the problem and he'll come with a towing vehicle to take my car to "Thane". I then asked him why Thane? why can't he come and take my car to borivali or even at Laxmi cars in mira road itself and he informed me that Spectra cannot pick my car as I am beyond the Dahisar checknaka limits and all other sectors beyond dahisar in thane district are given to navneet. I then asked him if he take my car to Thane (27 kms away!) would i be getting a back up car for my commute back home? The answer, no! I then asked him why to take my car then...That too that far! Told him that I don't need his service and hung up the phone. Called the helpline again, and explained to them the whole scene, and they were adamant that Spectra cannot pick my car. Result, hung up the phone again on their face. Now I again called up the Spectra guys personally (my car's under AMC with them). explained to them the whole situation again but they said that they cannot tow my vehicle from mira road but were helpful enough to give me the person's contact nos who does the towing for them. Called the gentlemen who has been a great help in this "journey" of mine, Mr. "Uncle" as what everyone calls him (his co name is Uncle Towing). Bargained the price of towing and he said he would be there in 1 hour. 2 hours past, no sign of him or the towing van! Finally he arrived and we started our journey towards the Service Center. PS: I tell you all, driving a car which is being towed away attracts a lot of female attraction!!! experienced it today! The worst factor here was that I could not take the car from checknaka as there I was informed that I would have to pay 4.5% Octroi on the original price of the car if its being towed away inside the city limits The only way to cross the car via pushing it across the naka and avoid the Octroi! What to do now was something that came to my mind. The Good: The "Uncle" told me let's go to laxmi cars then (its the closest to my house). Since I had no option I said Yes! Slowly we reached there and realized that they are having a free checkup campaign and though why only today!!!! Went in and got a service adviser who has been very helpful and despite all the mad rush they had today was very polite, offered me tea/water and analyzed that car inside out, made estimates and informed me that I would not get the car today. All this happened between 9.30 AM to 1.00 PM. Exactly at 4.00 PM, again I got a call from him and he told me that clutch is gone and needs replacement. Asked him the price and then confirmed the order to change it. Immediately realized that my car is under Extended warranty and called back the laxmi guys and asked for "my service adviser". He wasn't available, so left a message for him to call me back. In the next 14 mins, i get a call from him asking if any other assistance is required from his end. Man! that was the moment i decided once my AMC is over with Spectra, I am going to Laxmi for all my car services! I'll be getting the car tomorrow, and will keep you posted on how the work has been done on it. In the meanwhile, I have started echoing with how Spectra and Maruti has changed in the last few years and why I should consider buying some other car model from another company! __________________ E V O L V E D!

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22nd January 2008, 18:53	#2 (permalink)
hmishra83 BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: New Delhi Posts: 201	A good review there Amtak. I have encountered a similar issue with a friends OLD Indica V2. We were stranded on the border of Delhi-Gurgaon and though this guy had an extended warranty, he couldn't get through the telephone numbers of his dealer. Fortunately, we grabbed a towing-truck on the highway itself and asked him to tow our car to his dealer (20 kms from where we stoof). The results were very bad - both for the dealer and my friend's trust in TATA. Just another case how a bad dealer can bring bad name to a good car manufacturing company.