[CRV2010]

I have recently booked Vento at Apple Auto though I haven't taken the delivery yet. The booking process was smooth and even the discounts were better compared to other dealers. Their offer was comparatively better as they matched other dealers prices and offered better discounts along with freebies.

I haven't even visited the showroom still. Test Drives, Bookings all were done at my home.

I will update the delivery process as soon as i take the delivery.

[shetty_rohan]

I also have booked a Polo GT TSi at VW Whitefield on 14-Sep.Though I had to wait for around an hour for the test drive, I had a pleasant experience with the booking process.

SA(Nithin) was courteous enough to return my calls, getting me a pretty long test drive and clarifying my queries.

Even the Insurance Executive(Sandhya) helped me in understanding the process of transferring the "No Claim Bonus".

Below is the email from the Insurance Executive, which explains the the process of transferring the NCB

Dear Sir

As per your old policy, you can transfer the NCB of your old vehicle to the new one. It can be done with the NCB transfer certificate from the Insurance company where you have taken the Previous policy.

We have tied up with Bajaj Allianz and Bharti Axa General Insurance Company. Kindly find the attached details of both the insurance service providers. The premium would be as per the Price list provided to you.

Initially you have to pay the Insurance Premium as per Price list. Then after the submission of the NCB Transfer certificate, the NCB amt will be refunded by the Insurance Company.
Thanks & Regards,

Sandhya Rani G / Prashanth
Insurance Executive

[CRV2010]

Originally Posted by shetty_rohan

I also have booked a Polo GT TSi at VW Whitefield on 14-Sep.Though I had to wait for around an hour for the test drive, I had a pleasant experience with the booking process.

SA(Nithin) was courteous enough to return my calls, getting me a pretty long test drive and clarifying my queries.

Even the Insurance Executive (Sandhya) helped me in understanding the process of transferring the "No Claim Bonus".

Good to know that. What is the delivery time they have quoted for GT TSI ?

[shetty_rohan]

Originally Posted by CRV2010

Good to know that. What is the delivery time they have quoted for GT TSI ?

SA told me that there is a waiting period of three months, however he would try to deliver the vehicle within 45 days.

[CRV2010]

Help !!

I wanted to do PDI as per Tbhp list before registration however the SA says they cannot allow me to check interiors however they say I am free to check the exteriors for any scratches.

Please let me know If anyone faced same issue at this dealership and did they allow you to do PDI ??

I am planning to carry out PDI tomorrow.

[shetty_rohan]

Originally Posted by CRV2010

I am planning to carry out PDI tomorrow.

Congratulations for your new ride. I have also booked a vehicle with the same dealer, and would appreciate your feedback about the dealer.
Were you able to do the PDI? Can you please let us know your experience on the same?
Did you take the insurance for the dealer? or from outside?
Are you planning to upgrade your tires? if so, which one?

[CRV2010]

Originally Posted by shetty_rohan

Congratulations for your new ride. I have also booked a vehicle with the same dealer, and would appreciate your feedback about the dealer.
Were you able to do the PDI? Can you please let us know your experience on the same?
Did you take the insurance for the dealer? or from outside?
Are you planning to upgrade your tires? if so, which one?

Thanks! Congratulations on booking a brand new car.

I did carry out PDI as per Team-BHP checklist at their stockyard which is in the 3rd floor (Terrace) of their showroom. Though initially my SA avoided me doing the PDI but talking to their Manager helped me.

I didn't get the insurance from them as it was nearly 12k more than the market price.

Though initially I had plans of upgrading tyres, I dropped it since I was suggested to use the OEM Apollo Acelere tyres itself as it was as good as others (thanks to Nikhil from Madhus)

[shetty_rohan]

Originally Posted by CRV2010

I didn't get the insurance from them as it was nearly 12k more than the market price.

Thanks CRV2000.
Can you please let me know details about the insurance policy (which insurance, and the premium, is it zero-dep policy)?

[CRV2010]

Originally Posted by shetty_rohan

Thanks CRV2000.
Can you please let me know details about the insurance policy (which insurance, and the premium, is it zero-dep policy)?

I have got quotes from HDFC Ergo with 0 dep at 32k for IDV 947,000 and Bajaj Allianz with Drive Assure at 38k for IDV 950,000

[Nikhilb2008]

Originally Posted by CRV2010

Thanks! Congratulations on booking a brand new car.

I did carry out PDI as per Team-BHP checklist at their stockyard which is in the 3rd floor (Terrace) of their showroom. Though initially my SA avoided me doing the PDI but talking to their Manager helped me.

I didn't get the insurance from them as it was nearly 12k more than the market price.

Though initially I had plans of upgrading tyres, I dropped it since I was suggested to use the OEM Apollo Acelere tyres itself as it was as good as others (thanks to Nikhil from Madhus)

Glad to hear you got the PDI done finally. Any dealer who says PDI cannot be done is clearly trying to hide something!

[CRV2010]

Originally Posted by Nikhilb2008

Glad to hear you got the PDI done finally. Any dealer who says PDI cannot be done is clearly trying to hide something!

Thanks to you Nikhil. There were no issues with the car after I did the PDI (touch wood).

[anand_hc]

Last year in December 2013 gave car for 2nd servicing. SA named Chetan got assigned after multiple followups. Since then my troubles started. I had asked him not to do anything without confirming with me, he agreed.

Went about doing things he had decided. They did normal servicing. Put in a glass cleaning shampoo for 400 Rs. Did not do wheel alignment & balancing as part of the service. I had specifically asked not to wash the car but they did.

Worst case was post a month when I went to my hometown. I was cruising on highway and had to break suddenly & felt vibrations when I hit breaks.

Realized that something is wrong with breaks - I drove carefully ensuring I did not create a situation to break hard.

After a week I noticed a squeaking noise. Break pads worn out. Except the long drive I had hardly driven much after service.

I go to Raghavendra Sai services near by, get them checked. The "left side" break pads have worn out & "right side" has another 10 K left on them.

How during re-installation of break pads (part of service) did mechanics not notice differential wear out of break pads. Did not bother to inform or replace them.

I have decided not to go there again. I am fine to risk my car servicing with other service centers who allow me to see what is being done rather than VW centers which keeps you out and are not even ready to discuss.

Why such a differential wearing of break pads can happen? Any ideas..

[nowwhat?]

What is it that can make a proud German car maker fall down on its knees? Indian car dealers, that's who.

My travails with my purchase of my wife's Volkswagen 1.6 have been well documented on my thread -> My Reflex Silver VW Polo 1.6

Long story short, we purchased our Polo 1.6 from Volkswagen Downtown Bangalore as soon as it was launched. My wife was in touch with Volkswagen Corporate since she had done the corporate tie up of her employer, a software MNC, with them. When ownership reports surfaced on Team-BHP, we contacted Volkswagen Corporate only to find out that our car had been lying in their Chakan plant for more than a month.

Everything back then was a struggle. We had paid excess money to Volkswagen Downtown during purchase of the car and it took close to a year to get it back. The Extended Warranty similarly took close to a year to materialize. During the first service, Volkswagen Downtown charged us for tyre balancing and alignment without tyre rotation, but thankfully after complaining to Volkswagen Corporate someone from the dealer visited us and gave us a refund.

For a car that requires servicing only once a year, service is still the one pain-point that causes me to tear my hair out with frustration. The first time I called Volkswagen Downtown for service, I was shocked to hear that I would have to wait 2 months. Since the service indicator was already informing us about the service day in and day out, I called up Volkswagen Downtown a few times every week until I was finally able to squeeze in a service appointment.

The next time I called Volkswagen Downtown for my second service, I was told that since they had recently shifted their service center to Hosur Road, I must now wait 4 months instead. Unable to wait that long, I called around and was lucky to get an immediate appointment with a then new Volkswagen dealer, Volkswagen Whitefield aka Apple Auto.

After the second service, the car felt brand new and I happily wrote about my experience to Volkswagen Corporate naively thinking that my dealer woes are finally over. Not so fast...

Now before the third service, I had this problem where the nitrogen would start leaking from the front left tyre obviously due to a puncture. This being my wife's car, I mentioned it to her numerous times but she would fill it with nitrogen every time she filled up the gas and both she and I let it slide. When the driver from Volkswagen Whitefield came to pick up the car for the third service, I ensured that the puncture repair for that tyre was included in the service request. The driver and the Service Manager was much more interested in their 3M Interior Cleaning service for which they harassed me to the point where I acquiesced.

After the 3rd service, I found the interiors in the same shape as before despite the 3M Interior Cleaning, the car no longer had the "new" feeling while driving like I felt after the second service and I was disheartened. I checked whether the puncture had been fixed and they replied they had. However a couple of weeks later, I was shocked to see that the same front left tyre was slowly getting deflated.

Deciding that enough is enough, I got in touch with Nikhil from Madhus and decided to take the car there to find out what is wrong and to replace the tyres if necessary. At Madhus, they removed all four tyres only to find out that the front two tyres were completely bald whereas the rear two still had a lot of life left. According to them, no tyre rotation was done in the 4+ years we had the car. Rather than replace the front two tyres, I decided to upsize all four with Michelin Primacy 3ST.

I then got in touch with Volkswagen Support and briefed them of my experience and requested that I would like someone from Volkswagen to take a look at my car. Now here is where it gets interesting. I always felt that Volkswagen Support was responsive, but when it came to the dealers they all behaved like hardened criminals.

Shibhu who heads Volkswagen Whitefield's service called me in response to my complaint and the conversation seemed to be a bit like a witch-hunt. He primarily wanted to know why I replaced all four tyres when two could have sufficed.

At short notice, I was told by Volkswagen Support that the Volkswagen Flying Doctor for the South would be coming to Bangalore in a couple of days and I drove my car over to Volkswagen Whitefield to meet with Rajath Lal from Volkswagen and Shibhu. I later learnt that Rajath is based out of Bangalore. Rajath took the car for a spin on the ORR and I think he just took a cursory look at the car as he probably expected me to detail everything that was wrong with it rather than he determining the condition of the car which is what I had originally sought. I mentioned to Rajath about a faint jingling sound when you drive which he didn't hear, but that sound has only got louder now. Nevertheless Rajath certified that the car is as good as new and that I need only service it regularly for the next 2 years. Shibhu on the other hand was least interested and he left for home abruptly in the middle of our conversation. Rajath said the person who failed to do the rotation had been fired which came as no comfort to me especially since Volkswagen Downtown had missed it once and Volkswagen Whitefield had missed it twice indicating a much more widespread problem. I then asked Rajath if Volkswagen Whitefield would reimburse me for the services they had tacked on such as tyre rotation, wheel alignment, etc. which they obviously did not do. He then took me to their Accounts Manager who said that they would send someone to my residence with the refund.

Earlier while waiting for Rajath, I had expressed my desire to test drive the Polo GT Tsi since I was planning to buy one for myself since last year but had somehow not been able to make the time to head to the showroom. So Rajath and the Sales Manager accompanied me to a Sales Executive. Now this also was an interesting conversation since the Sales Executive was hell-bent on dissuading me from buying the Tsi. He said I will have to wait 6 months and that the car has lots of problems. Since I wanted to beat the rush hour traffic on the ORR, I left with the promise that he would come to my residence on the next working day, but he failed to show up.

Though this entire ordeal, Volkswagen Support called me numerous times. After my trip to Volkswagen Whitefield, they asked me a few times if I received the refund and I replied each time in the negative. Apparently Volkswagen Whitefield wanted to pay me a token compensation of Rs. 300. Finally after the 4th call, Volkswagen Support too lost interest and gave up.

[vivekkp]

Dear members this incident happened to my colleague. He owns a VW Vento Highline (P) 2013 model. He had dropped his vehicle for customary annual service on September 15'th at apple auto (VW Whitefield). He drops the vehicle at morning 8 am to service advisor Mr. Kiran. At around 3pm my colleague gets a call stating that the vehicle is ready and can be picked up. He goes to the service centre and sees a bill of approximately 14k and is informed that all the issues reported has been taken care of.

The next day morning when my colleague is on the way to office (Doing around 40km/hr) in Koramangala just after Ayyappa temple, madiwala there is a screeching sound from the front left wheel assembly and he notices that the vehicle is decelerating pretty quickly without pressing the brake. He somehow manages to bring the vehicle to the side and inspects the problem. Since we are automotive engineer he quickly finds out that the brake assembly that was removed for cleaning was missing couple of bolts that hold them together with the disc. He then calls Kiran and tells him about the issue, the SA quickly tries to wash his hands off saying the servicing was done properly and he doesn't know how the bolts went missing. At this time i loose my cool and gives a peace of my mind and i escalate the issue to Kalpana, their CRM head. She then asks me if it is possible to bring the vehicle to the showroom to which i give reply negatively.She then sends a mechanic from KR Puram to repair the vehicle. They then reach madiwala after couple of hrs and fix the missing bolts. Once the necessary work is carried out i ask them how can this be missed during service to which they reply "Sir we don't know who did the servicing". We asked them to escalate this issue to their managers.

Now this is a very scary incident. It would have been catastrophic had this happened in a highway. My colleague would want to escalate this issue to VW higher ups. So if anybody has any contact request you to PM me the details.

PS: Request everybody to be extra cautious when you are dropping your vehicles for normal service. This can happen at any service centre.

[technicalytuned]

Service centers are usually not company owned and the people working in service centers get commission on the service bill paid by the customer. So this leads to low quality of work by the service centers.

My suggestion on the basis of my experience are as follows:
1. Always get your car serviced in front of you (person servicing the car will do it more carefully)
2. Always take your car for service on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, since the rush are usually less on these days.
3. Always do a pre-delivery inspection of your car such that everything is perfect in your car
4. Take a short test drive with service advisor if any changes to major parts are done e.g. Brake servicing, engine tuning

I have discussed these in another forum http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...ml#post3800686