[moralfibre]

"We are sorry Sir, you cannot do your own insurance on a new car purchase, it is against our company policy."

I was one of the first to book the Gen 3 Maruti Suzuki Swift as far back as in March 2011. Without looking at the product, its price, the equipment level, I was convinced that this is the car I would want to replace my Palio 1.6. So I payed Rs. 5,000/- as booking amount and informed the sales rep that I would ONLY like delivery of the new Swift whenever launched.

Somewhere around July, bookings for the Gen 3 Swift had started and my sales rep informed that I need to make an additional payment of Rs. 5,000/- and a signed letter requesting a move to the new model. I promptly paid the amount and asked the sales rep to inform me as soon as they know my waiting period.

Cut to 17 August 2011. The new Swift was launched and I was pretty excited. I had been driving a Maruti 800 as a stop gap arrangement until the new car arrived. I was all eager to know when deliveries would start. Assuming that many people would have just started booking the car I was pretty sure that I would get one of the first few cars. My sales rep informed me that the waiting list is being handled by MSIL and they have no say in it. They will be able to let me know the wait list number only by last week of August. I kept following up repeatedly and they kept stating that they were unaware of the delivery time.

One day I was told that I wouldn't be getting my car until October or November since my wait list number was 150! I was shell shocked to know that there were 149 others who had booked their Gen 3 Swift before March 2011. It was highly unlikely. There was a time in June 2011 when I was offered the old Swift since my wait list number was 1! I refused to accept this and blasted my sales rep rejecting his claim of the long waiting list. He said he'll get back to me soon. I wrote to Maruti customer care about this ill treatment by the dealer and a possible scam in the allotment of new Swifts. They replied by saying I'll have to sort my issues with the dealer itself and they wouldn't be able to do much about it.

__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ ____________________________
date Mon, Aug 22, 2011 at 2:12 PM
subject RE: Delivery for new Swift VDi CRM:0075000011026
Important mainly because of the people in the conversation.
hide details Aug 22
Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for the email.

We regret the inconvenience caused to you. We wish to inform you that regarding this query you may contact the same Maruti dealer with whom you have made the booking of your car as they would be able to help you in this regards.

Please feel free to revert in case of any query or clarification.

Regards,
ANY TIME MARUTI
(Call- 9910202020 or Toll Free-1800 1800 180)
International Toll Free Numbers:
1866 527 5698 (From USA and Canada)
0800 0852247 (From UK)
Please Visit us at <http://www.marutisuzuki.com>
009
==============================
From: xxxxxxxx@gmail.com
Received: 8/22/2011 10:58 AM
To: ATM Queue
Subject: Delivery for new Swift VDi


Hi,

I had booked a Swift VDi back in March 2011. I had specifically requested to keep my booking for the New Swift since I didnt want to buy the previous version. I was promised that my booking would be retained and moved over to the new Swift as soon as it was launched. I have been constantly following up with Sai Service to check on the estimated delivery and have been told that they are unsure when they can deliver the car to me. I am also told that the waiting list is being prepared by Maruti and they have no say in it. Today the sales rep said that my car delivery would take at least 2 months since my number is 35 It is hard to believe that the "New" Swift had so many takers since March 2011 and my number in queue is as far back. A couple of my friends who booked as late in June from other dealers are getting delivery as early as in September. I am expecting some transperency in this deal. Please confirm what my delivery date would be and I can make a call whether I should move to some other car brand for an earlier delivery. Awaiting a reply in anticipation.

Thanks,
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ ____________________________

I made a visit to the dealer and they said that they have a consignment of cars coming in but will only be able to allot the car after I make a full payment. I knew that there was no consignment coming since they factory was dealing with strikes and a production shutdown. I knew very well that the car was in the stockyard and they would be delivering the car as soon as I make a payment. The sales rep tried to push car detailing products like underbody coating, engine wax, etc. I refused to avail of any of these services since I wasn't interested one bit in them. Additionally, the weather in Pune isn't detrimental to cars. There is no issue of rust due to bone dry conditions in this region.


Now comes the interesting part, I asked the dealer if they have insurance services from Tata AIG. They said that Maruti has authorised Royal Sundaram as their insurance partner and they will be able to give me a comprehensive insurance from them. I said I would like to stick to Tata AIG since they have transparent policies and are easier to deal with. Their insurance package is class leading with 0% depriciation available with clear policies of what is covered and what isn't. Going by the reviews on the forum I would like to stick to this Insurance company. The sales rep saw his commissions going down since I didn't opt for their worthless detailing packages which amounted to about Rs. 6,000/- odd. I wasn't taking insurance from them and neither did I opt for their dealer supplied warranty. He was quite hurt there so I decided to let him add dealer warranty on the car for Rs. 6,990/- just to comfort him a bit. They mentioned that Maruti doesn't permit insurance from other vendors and they will have to get an approval from MSIL for the same.

I was surprised at this but let them go ahead and get their required approvals. Interim, they kept asking for the balance payment for alloting the car. Their managers were pressurizing them to get full payment and have the car delivered. I kept following up for the insurance bit but they did not respond. I was told by my family to take delivery before Saturday 10Sep'11 since the following couple of weeks were inauspicious. So I called up the sales rep and informed him about the balance payment I made yesterday. No sooner did I make the balance payment, I received a call from them stating that the company has refused to let me get insurance on their own. I was flabberghasted. Their insurance costs me Rs. 17,000/-. They were not willing to transfer my no claim bonus from the Palio. They didn't have any discounts. I was losing Rs. 4,000/- on insurance and had to buy a policy from a company that I did not completely trust.

I went last evening to the dealer and met their manager Mr. Anand Deshmukh. I asked them if it was indeed MSIL that rejected the claim or was it some dealer policy. They mentioned that it was dealers policy to not permit customers to do insurance on their own for the Gen 3 Swift. I demanded an explanation for the reason why I cannot do that and I kept hearing the same response to all my queries "Sorry sir this is a dealer policy and there is nothing we can do about it." I told them that I was feeling cheated after paying the entire amount to hear about this development. He said there was little he could do. Only assurance he gave was that he'll give me a better deal on the insurance after adding my existing No claim bonus from the previous car. I threatened to opt out of dealing with Sai Service for maintaining my car and cancelling my request for the dealer supplied warranty. He was least interested and told me to go ahead if I felt to do so. This really did it for me and my car buying experience had turned really sour.

I had half a mind to ask him to return my money but I was helpless, I need a car. If I were to go to some other dealer, I will have to wait more than half a year again. Plus, I'll lose out on some money which the dealer will steal. I asked my sales rep to give me a quote for insurance early morning and let me know the amount I need to pay. I am just getting delivery of my car and never ever ever entering the premises of Sai Service Station Limited. Even if my car breaks down in their doors, I'll call for a flat bed to tow it to another competent Maruti dealer. They lost a customer for life.

Folks who are in the market for the Gen 3 Swift, please be careful and take this as a genuine experience of a customer who waited 6 months to take delivery of his new car only to be half as interested anymore.

P.S. I did a PDI of the car last evening and the car looked satisfactory in their godown. The car had a date of 30Aug'11 marked on the dashboard. This date was the actual date the car entered their storage so it is confirmed that the sales rep was dishing out lies of car being in transit. Additionally, the cup holder had broken bits which I have asked the sales rep to fix. I am just hoping that I am not delivered a car bearing brunts of venegance by MSIL workers who are involved in acts of sabotage.

I just did a search on this forum for thread titles containing Sai Service. Here are some links on their service:

Link 1.

Link 2.

Not for Maruti but same organization:

Link 3.

New development on 07Sep'11 noon. The sales rep called back stating that their GM made a special gesture on behalf of Sai Service and I should be able to get insurance on my own. Finally!

[Technocrat]

That's really sad to know, Back in 2005 when I had bought my Alto, A lot of my friends advised against Sai Service & recommended Chowgule & I am glad that I listened to them, neither I nor my friends face any issues.

I hope you get the car soon with no more troubles

[mayankjha1806]

Sad to read about the experience, not sure how after so much negavite publicity how come they continue to be in business. They are known to be bad, as when we were in Pune for a short duration and i had to give my Baleno for service i was advised by my friends not to give it in Sai and i followed it. Looks like did a good thing by staying away from them

At the same time, don't fret, you might have lost some money but have got a product which is good and looking at the waiting period i would say still worth it. Also i am sure in the first year you would not have to use the insurance and can always move to your preferred insurer from next year onward.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by moralfibre

New development on 07Sep'11 noon. The sales rep called back stating that their GM made a special gesture on behalf of Sai Service and I should be able to get insurance on my own. Finally!

Sorry to hear about your experience, Moral. The Mumbai Sai Service has an equally shoddy reputation. And upselling is rampant too. A friend's Maruti 800 frequently saw Rs. 5,000 bills for basic services until I made her see better sense.

It's unfortunate that dealers, with their unethical practices, can ruin an experience which is supposed to be special. After all, for the typical Indian family, a car is the second largest expense outflow after a house. It's a big deal for us and a day we look forward to. I'm glad that you were aggressive with them and they finally relented.

Buying your own insurance is a car buyer's right; the dealer's job is to merely sell the car and not all the extras that come with it.

In addition to this thread which will spread awareness, complain against Sai Service's practices to:

Maruti (they take these things VERY seriously)
:: Grievance Redress Mechanism in Government :: (many are surprised with the action taken)

[libranof1987]

Is this Sai Service Deccan or Phugewadi?

I've found the guys at Phugewadi much much better than the ones in Deccan. (maybe being in the city makes them extremely arrogant)

Originally Posted by mayankjha1806

Sad to read about the experience, not sure how after so much negavite publicity how come they continue to be in business

1) they have a HUGE setup
2) it is owned by Suresh Kalmadi (thru' a proxy)

[Racer_X]

I had a similar experince when I used to get my old M800 serviced from Sai Service Deccan. The staff is completely arrogant and they charge a bomb for normal services.

So when I decided to buy the 3 gen swift I promptly ignored the calls from Sai and booked from Mahalaxmi on SB road, Pune. The staff is well mannered and not pushy about the extras and delivered my ZDI on the promised date.

[amitwlele]

@moralfibre - Congrats on the New Swift. Is this the first on T-BHP?

Not surprised with the your experience with Deccan Sai Service. While i was shopping for a hatchback a couple of years back had visited them and they seemed to be least interested in listening to my requirements and trying to push their product.

Anyway it did not affect me later as i chose a Vista and possibly a dealer which could give Sai Service a competition in being inefficient.

Originally Posted by libranof1987

2) it is owned by Suresh Kalmadi (thru' a proxy)

Yup. As i mentioned i had been there a couple of years back during the General Election time and all the employees were sporting a button with his photo on their shirt.

[sajo]

I had a similar pathetic experience in pre-sales with Sai Service when I was in the market for a hatch last year. Heres what I had posted about them in some other thread last year:

Now I am pretty underwhelmed by the cold-response the dealer gave me, yet again. Dont know what may have prompted them to assume I am not a serious buyer. They did not have a TD car, or heck, even a showroom piece for me to feel and touch, nor were they much interested. Got some bull like "Sir, BS4 norms have come into effect, so no test car/showroom car. Why dont you go for Ritz instead". Not even estimates given for delivery times. They didnt even know when they were going to get a TD car, or maybe they have one but just didnt want me anywhere near it.
I just walked out of there , and told them because of this, there is no point in even having a discussion with them, because if I wanted to see pictures of the swift, I can see much better ones on the internet.

Thanks to the clout the promoters have, large companies buying company cars give them ample business.

[moralfibre]

I must make a mention here that the sales representative in particular appeared to be bound by company policies (business decisions by the manager). But, he made every effort to keep me updated. Unfortunately, the top of the pyramid at Sai Service management seems to be ego struck with their showroom location and the amount of business they get.

What really pushed me over the edge was the adamant behaviour of their sales manager Mr. Deshmukh. He acted as if he was doing me a grand favour by selling me the car!

[pjbiju]

Kiran, good that you have shared this experience with all. Even when I bought my swift (old gen), I opted not to go with Sai Service seeing the attitude of the sales rep, even though they were offering me the car at an additional discount of Rs. 1k.

We all know who Sai Service belongs to. And I did not want to enrich his coffers in any way.

Congratulations on the car. I hope you have an enjoyable experience with the car.

[Thar4x4]

Originally Posted by moralfibre

[i]"

New development on 07Sep'11 noon. The sales rep called back stating that their GM made a special gesture on behalf of Sai Service and I should be able to get insurance on my own. Finally!

Very sorry to hear your experience and yes the Sai Service is known for its bad sales and service.

I have brought my Zen Estilo from them in 2008, done all free as well as paid service till last month from them, every time they keep some work pending and I have to take delivery because of time constraint.

Last month I saw new Maruti showroom by Chowgule Industry near my home so went there for free check up and then for paid servicing and what a shock they asked me if my car is on my name and some other details about purchase and servicing, I told them that I brought a CAR from Sai Service and then they said "Oh ok, that's fine".

I asked them resone behind "that's fine" and if they have centralized database by Maruti but they told me (with big smile) that all other showrooms have except Sai Service, and no other showroom can get details of CAR sold and serviced by Sai Service.

BTW Sai Service charged me for under body coating without doing the job on delivery, I took delivery late evening and I haven't checked that however on first servicing there adviser asked me if I want to go for under body coating, I was about to kick the sales guy. I went to sales manager and got the job done on 1st servicing.

Thanks,
Vishal

[selfdrive]

Originally Posted by moralfibre

What really pushed me over the edge was the adamant behaviour of their sales manager Mr. Deshmukh. He acted as if he was doing me a grand favour by selling me the car!

Unfortunate but quite common experience with Sai Service. I guess the only dealer which is worse in Pune is Kothari Hyundai. And imagine how these two would be if they are said to be worse than Pandit Auto who are up to no good either!

Nevertheless, I guess the said manager is frustrated due to the whereabouts of his owner and his arrogance is being shown to customers directly.

[amit_mechengg]

@ Moralfibre - my experience with SAI has been very good. Key to success- form a good network with the team.

with the good network i have got lots of things done to my car free of cost too. some people are highly skilled and are very competant.

earlier i had a big problem where sai service had bullshitted me. i created such a big issue out of it that the Service DGM along with 5 maruti gurgaon people and top bosses in SAI had to come to my home with free fuel vouchers and what not.
since that day they treat me very royally.

nowdays i have been seeing that all service centres, be it hyundai or maruti or tata or bata, everyone is ruthless. all are frustrated and so are the customers.

let me know if i can help you tagging to the right people at SAI service , deccan as well as phugewadi.

My CAR is also next to worst.

[Swanand Inamdar]

Kiran, absolutely aghast after reading this! Never did I expect Sai Service to behave in this manner. After all, they are the oldest Maruti dealer in town. Looks like, the success has gone to their head.

Insurance can certainly be done on your own, the dealer has no say whatsoever in that. Of course, that means the sales rep may lose his commission from the insurance company. Hence the psychobable from Sai Service, I suppose.

My Swift had a battery issue, which they promptly fixed - heck even offered me some goodies to keep it under wraps. The problem was, they had sold me a 2 year old battery with a new car. When I found out, I made an issue, threating to write to higher authorities in MSIL. They did promptly replace my battery with a brand new one, but this small act (of cheating) has resulted in me losing my trust in them.

EDIT: @Amit: MyCar is probably the worst dealer in town. I wouldnt even buy a tricycle from them, if they sold one.

[honeybee]

Originally Posted by moralfibre

New development on 07Sep'11 noon. The sales rep called back stating that their GM made a special gesture on behalf of Sai Service and I should be able to get insurance on my own. Finally!

If the dealer pulls a fast one like this, you can actually lodge a complaint against the same with the MRTP commission. I am sure as per law no dealer can stop you from getting the car insured from an insurance company of your choice. You can pull out all sorts of legal threats and actually execute them too. Just check with a lawyer regarding the same, in case someone else faces the same treatment.

And enjoy the new Swift!