[Clouseau]

Originally Posted by Hayek

Coming in late on this thread. This is a surreal experience. I was aware that auto dealers cannot be trusted but I never thought someone would try to pass off one car model as another. This is far worse than Harish's experience with Nummer Eins Skoda. The only saving grace is a relatively quick response from Renault. Wonder what they will do with the 85 ps car though - it is no longer new but I presume they will palm it off to some unsuspecting customer. Not going anywhere near Renault after this.

Just want to make a small point that may/may not have come up: if some happy customer is able to pick up that 85 with proper regn, ins etc at a discount then why not. Some people would prefer that to waiting 3 months for another one per their proper allotment time.

Originally Posted by Skyline GT-R

The error was surely at Renault plant. Dealer cannot invoice a 115 as 85 or vice versa because the software does not allow that. Dealer accounts/billing guy just picks the chassis no: from SAP or similar software & there is a limit on price variation that can be entered in the system (accounting for variations in regional taxes, VAT, duty, octroi etc etc).

The one's to be @$$ kicked are the personnel at final check in the Renault assembly line & the PDI technician/in charge of GenNext, since this glaring difference must have been noticed by them.

Renault top officials calling you is a give-away that dealer is not at fault. Anyway i feel that the entire episode was managed well by Renault.

Skyline: Do consider this...for a customer the manufacturer and dealer are part of the same experience - the dealer is the front end. BEFORE giving the car to the customer the dealer has to ensure that the right car (model, variant, colour etc) is being given or all hell will break loose. If there is amismatch the dealer needs to sort it out with the manufacturer and inform the customer of a further delay. In the end the accountability lies with the dealer even though the manufacturer's rep also gets tarnished. Renault could easily have said to the dealer - buddy this is your problem you go figure but its good they decided to get involved for their brand's sake.

Note From Team-BHP Support-Staff: Please use the 'EDIT' and 'MULTI-QUOTE' functions instead of putting-up consecutive posts. Read the Announcements before proceeding. Thank you for your anticipated cooperation.

[Skyline GT-R]

Generally manufacturers do not get involved directly with the customer, if the sole wrongdoer is the dealer.

There are atleast 4 such examples in this forum itself.

[harshaguduru]

Originally Posted by mohandasnikhil

Earlier in this year, we had purchased a Renault Fluence E2 in our company for one of our Directors, and were very happy with the car.

firstly congratulations on your new car and congrats for getting a MAJOR problem resolved satisfactorily .

indeed rather appalling behaviour by the dealer.
considering that you are an old customer that is really sad on behalf of the dealer especially when choices are plenty in the market.

do not settle for just the registration, depot fee reimbursement . Both the dealer and renault know that should this get public it will be a PR and marketing nightmare.
please have the last laugh.
and a simple way to calculate the compestation is already with you
the 3lakh should be sufficient

this brings into light a much larger issue that Indian customers generally tend to get the short stick in terms of customer service.
in other countries where renault operates, such a big blunder and the immediate attitude by the dealer would end with the buyer getting half the dealership.*grins*

recently i had troubles with my figo AC and it has been mentioned in every log during the regular services (6 till now) from day 1 of buying the car. they have always said they fixed it. couple of weeks ago i took the car again with the same complaint and they said that there is a hole in the a/c system and i have to pay about 18k in total for replacement. after a verbal argument they finally saw that the issue was mentioned from day one. i refused their apologies and threatened to file a case. only backed down after they agreed to fix the AC and replace the rear suspension under goodwill warranty.

my long winded point is that dont settle easily and dont empathize with the dealer. BECAUSE as a NEW car buyer you pay a premium for the sales/after sales/service and you deserve to settle only for the best.

Note From Team-BHP Support-Staff: Only TWO smilies allowed per post.

[speed crusader]

Originally Posted by mohandasnikhil

....
The dealership is clearly involved in practices which amounts to fraud and cheating. We are frankly very irritated by this entire experience and feel we can find recourse only through the Consumer Court.

Hi Can you please PM me your number. My bro-in-law has booked a Duster and read your post while googling reviews and wanted to talk to you regarding the experience...he is a bit nervous now

Regards

SC

[mohandasnikhil]

Originally Posted by speed crusader

Hi Can you please PM me your number. My bro-in-law has booked a Duster and read your post while googling reviews and wanted to talk to you regarding the experience...he is a bit nervous now

Regards

SC

You do not seem to have the PM service for me to msg you my number.

[supertinu]

OMG, what a harrowing experience this has been. All the new car excitement probably went for a toss. But I am glad that you didn't take all the BS that the dealership gave you lightly and made everyone within the Renault management know about it. Now that you have the car that you actually booked, dont let the dealer let go easily. Make sure you have them pay a compensation so that they dont easily forget what they attempted here.

But seriously, I wonder if the dealership were so dumb that they thought they could actually get away with something like this.

On a lighter note you are the 1st guy who has been handed over 85ps model in place of 110ps, so far on Tbhp i have been reading otherway around since 85ps production has been slow.

[Enigmatic]

Hi mohandasnikhil ,

I wanted to reply to this thread earlier but could not , however in the interim Renault seems to have done the right thing . But this does not mean that they can wipe of their hands clean from such an act .

Here is what the legal position stands as of now, hope it helps:-

Firstly the dealer has committed FRAUD with you on the following grounds :-

I) As the dealer sold you a different vehicle than what you had had paid for , hence it is apparent that this act of the dealer falls in the category of FRAUD according to the Indian Contract Act 1972 .

Section 17 defines "Fraud". It means and includes any of the following acts committed by a party to a contract, or with his connivance, or by his agents, with intent to deceive another party thereto his agent, or to induce him to enter into the contract.

Further Section 17(1) :- States the suggestion as a fact, of that which is not true, by one who does not believe it to be true

Section 17(2) :- The active concealment of a fact by one having knowledge or belief of the fact.

As the dealer was trying to mislead you into a contract of buying a vehicle which he knew was not yours, he has committed a FRAUD. The act of the dealer is in conformity with the above mentioned provisions .

II) Further it is your legal right to get a Pre-Delivery Inspection of the Vehicle :-

Section 41 of the Sales of Goods Act 1930 , speaks about Buyer’s right of examining the goods . Which states the following :-

1) Where goods are delivered to the buyer which he has not previously examined, he is not deemed to have accepted them unless and until he has
a reasonable opportunity of examining them for the purpose of ascertaining whether they are in conformity with the contract.

This clearly establishes that you have all the right to demand for a PDI , hence the Dealer also did a breach of the above mentioned law.

It is good to know that Renault India has tried their best to cover up the issue by getting you the new car , however do not let the dealer take "Undue Advantage" of you . Unless and untill you as a consumer will not take a stand , the dealer will go on to make a fool out of some other unsuspecting buyer as well .

P.S. Please note , I am not a lawyer but a 3rd year Law Student .

[IndianGuardian]

I am impressed by the fact that you ended up purchasing the car in the end from the dealer. I would have just asked for a full refund and approached another manufacturer (since there is no other Renault dealership from what I understand).

Peace of mind is important. In my view, what stops a dealer from changing your cars parts to duplicates in the next servicing (aka the Skoda experience) when the dealership can stoop as low as changing the car model (and misguiding you when you called stating only the top variant as a 6 gear box, no response from GM etc etc).

[motomaverick]

Wow!....just read this thread and it has certainly set a new benchmark on how low Car dealership has gone. For a company that is trying to create its name in a new market is just plain foolishness in not keeping a tight leash on its product sale. Also since Duster is one of its important launches.

But anyhow, its good to know that all has ended well but I would still urge you to utilize your company lawyers to pursue this further so that it sets a good example for other manufacturers to be vary of such malpractices. I am sure the news would spread to others over time.

[praful]

While it is a good thing that you got what you paid for after the initial mess. But I am really worried about how would your future servicing go on at this place.

I personally would be very wary about servicing a vehicle after having such a show down with a dealer.

Just a thought!

But congratulations on getting the 110 :-)

[mayankjha1806]

Shocking to read, someone getting a lower spec car in-spite of paying the full amount of the higher spec car, and i can clearly see problems at both ends (The dealer and the Manufacturer).

While it must be painful to go through the process and painful to read as well, what i liked is Renault apologetic approach and an intention to fix problems and not just brush them under the carpet. More instance like these (Eagerness to fix problems and not hide them, at the same time support customers) will go a long way in making the brand Renault well known for customer care in the potential customers mind.

[SafeDrive]

This is a most unfortunate experience.
For the members of the forum, I have a few questions which might help others if they get into the same trouble.
1. Will filing an FIR now, after getting delivery of the 110 help? Would it have been considered more severe by law if it was done before getting the 110?
2. If a FIR had been filed before getting the 110, would the 85 have been confisicated by the cops as evidence? This would leave him with out a car and probably also ruin a nice car.

Can someone please help verify these?

[Joy]

Oh my God ! are these dealers and manufacturers think that the people here in India, so dumb.

@Mohan: Glad to know you got your car you booked, ultimately.

Please don't let these fraudsters get away so easily. You might have connection and contacts (as mentioned by you) to lodge an FIR and let them suffer. But just imagine the plight of a common man will face to just file an FIR (because they are creamy and influential people, owning so many dealership and you know how police works).

A cheating is a cheating, whoever have done this? Might be it was a mistake, might be intentional (now passing it off as a mistake). If we, don't stand up to this now, they will be more encouraged to take this sort of chances.

Do think and act for the betterment of whole community. Thanks for highlighting the issue. People will get more aware about all these fraudsters.

[srgntpepper]

Originally Posted by mohandasnikhil

2.The Registration Charges of the Vehicle: From our calculations the Registration Charges of the Vehicle was amounting to Rs. 1,25,631/- but the Dealer in his Proforma Invoice had quoted 1,33,131/- for the same which was nearly 7,500/- more than the actuals. We suggested that we do the registration of the vehicle by ourselves but the Dealers wouldn't even talk to us about it.

This inflated registration fee is . The ex showroom price for the 85PS RXL O is 996749/- . Registration tax for diesel vehicle below 10 lac the tax should be 11%. The dealer is asking for 12%. Have asked them to clarify, and have not recd a reply yet. 1% is almost 10K. Are not allowing me to use my own agent.

Pls note they are charging also additional amt of about 7K over the 12% as agent fee/rc book fee/toll etc

No waiver of depot charges either.

However, they said we can get our insurance, which might be a fallout of this case.

[CRtorquefan]

That's really a sad & unfortunate incident, indicating how these duds are handling the cars in the dealerships & selling them them haphazardly with such huge blunders.

Although its just another type of business but a business has to be atleast Authentic & ethical(though the last word seems to be a bit off the track in the unethically managed country).

Even customer needs to be quite aware of what he/she gonna buy & what he/she is getting.

But it good that in the end this shocking dispute is handled at the earliest.