[yogibear007]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

All this, just because I insist they do their job properly.

That sounds like a good practice Chetan. I think everybody should do that as these aspects are present in all the service centers more of less irrespective of the brand you are using. This will also make sure that there are no unexpected surprises while taking the car back. Do you have any list of such points (on the lines of PDI list) which we should usually take care of while giving the car for servicing ? I'm sure it'll be useful to quite a few people on this forum. Usually nobody does this systematically and end up with a few disagreements/heartburn afterwards.

[ACM]

JMD actually was the best of the lot in Mumbai for Skoda and since their Andheri centre burnt down the Bhandup one was in my view the best among the JMD centres.

I have had mixed experiences with JMD. Some times total satisfaction and have even seen them going out of their way to help me out by trying to repair stuff which is not normal policy.

Yet on other occasions with specific service advisors have seen them trying to just shoot up the bill simply to make more profit without some actions being required.

The senior guys are indeed more experienced and quite skilled but the juniors are quite dumb as well.

Once a Service Advisor informed me that the standard service would cost Rs. 15,000, I asked him why since the pervious one was at Rs. 10,000. His response was that they also have to make money.

They check and recheck bill to the extent that almost 20mins extra is spent compared to other brand service centres just to get the billing completed so while others may take 15 mins JMD would take 30-40 mins for the same process. This actually shows the lack of faith in workers skills and ethics that cases their management to recheck the same bill with so many heads. The same process at Hyundai takes less than 10 min. - Not that Modi Hyundai at Thane does not attempt to overcharge the customers with extra service / labour items that are not required or should be free of cost.

Knowing the Service Advisor as a Friend helps in Skoda and Raising the voice helps at Hyundai. That is the approach that I take.

I think in the case that this thread is about following up with Skoda will help get the problem resolved as yet. They really are slow and yet this should get done. They don't want more -ve publicity around the launch of the new Octavia / Laura replacement.

[anandpadhye]

Originally Posted by ACM

Knowing the Service Advisor as a Friend helps in Skoda and Raising the voice helps at Hyundai. That is the approach that I take.

Having an SA as a friend works everywhere. The SA at Hyundai is a good friend of mine now and I call him the family doctor of my Tucson. The Skoda dealerships here in Pune are designed/built in such a way that there can be no trust/friendship in the atmosphere

But may be one day...


@Bomi - coming to the particular case, when LHS low beam stopped working some 6 months ago, I changed the bulb myself. Then 2 months ago, entire RHS lamp cluster stopped functioning, so I opened the fuse box and saw a blown fuse, which I replaced with one from the spares kit that came with the car and all was OK. Taking the headlamp cluster out was very simple, unplugging the wiring harness took some time. Changing fuse was a few seconds job.

Why don't you give it a try? And what actually happened to the bulb can be found out. Try looking for the manufacturing date or any other serial number on the right and left xenon, it should reveal.

Good luck and do let us know what you find.

[dkaile]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

I always refuse to leave my car in the service bay and go sit in the 'customer lounge', though everyone and his uncle insists on it every few mins.

All this, just because I insist they do their job properly.

Bingo! You hit the nail on the head. Whether its a Skoda or a Toyota, if you can give your personal attention to your car that alone will solve 90% of the grievances on this forum. I have reiterated this point quite often in my various threads.

Can't we just give 1 day to our car for peace of mind the whole year round. If more people follow this practice and stop blaming others, most problems will be solved. At the end of the day we have to remember the work ethics is 'Indian' and 'chalta hai' attitude exists in all ASC's whether it is of the best or worst of the brands.

[anandpadhye]

Absolutely.

Every time they tell me "Sir, customers are not allowed in the workshop", I tell them "Sir, it's a car I bought from my hard earned salary, I am going to stand right here, else give me a copy of the CCTV footage that clearly shows what all was done".

And it also helps if the customer is hands-on with basic things.

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by dkaile

Bingo! You hit the nail on the head. Whether its a Skoda or a Toyota, if you can give your personal attention to your car that alone will solve 90% of the grievances on this forum. I have reiterated this point quite often in my various threads.

Can't we just give 1 day to our car for peace of mind the whole year round. If more people follow this practice and stop blaming others, most problems will be solved. At the end of the day we have to remember the work ethics is 'Indian' and 'chalta hai' attitude exists in all ASC's whether it is of the best or worst of the brands.

Absolutely. For us it's our beloved machine bought with hard-earned money. For them, it's just a +1 on their daily worksheet.

I always go for all services personally, and hang around the service bay. No home pick-up/drop and 'sitting in the customer lounge with free wi-fi' for me.

Also, as Anand said above, knowing the basic stuff about your car helps a lot, if they do try to take you for a ride.

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by yogibear007

That sounds like a good practice Chetan. I think everybody should do that as these aspects are present in all the service centers more of less irrespective of the brand you are using. This will also make sure that there are no unexpected surprises while taking the car back. Do you have any list of such points (on the lines of PDI list) which we should usually take care of while giving the car for servicing ? I'm sure it'll be useful to quite a few people on this forum. Usually nobody does this systematically and end up with a few disagreements/heartburn afterwards.

There's no structure per se, but these are the steps I follow for every visit to the A.S.S. (some steps may not apply to short visits for specific issues):

Long post alert.


1. Always take a service appointment. That way, you can always demand to be attended properly. Walk-in customers are usually rushed through. I'd recommend taking a day off to get your car serviced personally. Your car deserves the attention. Not to mention, you'd be horrified to see how most pick-up/drop mechanics drive customer cars.

2. Always make a note of all known issues before-hand. This ensures nothing is forgotten at the A.S.S. If there are demonstrable issues (like rattling sounds or other noises, for example), insist on a pre-service test drive with the SA. Especially important these days as all service centers are over-crowded, and the SA is usually in a hurry to file your job card and move on to the next guy.

3. Refuse to be rushed through the pre-service inspection. I either write down notes myself, or ensure the SA writes them down in clear, legible handwriting. Verify and sign.

4. If you have specific demands (like I don't want any additives in my car's fluids), ensure it's noted on the job card.

5. Get your assigned mechanic to do a preliminary inspection (most usually do) and tell you what parts need replacement. Verify if those parts really need replacement, or are even the culprit for the problem identified. Knowing your car's basics helps in such cases. If in doubt, ask someone knowledgeable or even better, Google it You'll be amazed at the kind of info available with simple online searches.

6. Hang around the car, talk to the mechanic. Don't interfere with the work or become troublesome. Show genuine interest in what's being done to your car and most mechanics are eager to impress you with their knowledge/workmanship. If you notice something amiss, do not hesitate to notify the SA immediately. Much better than taking a 'wait and watch' approach and end up with issues or damage later.

7. For all fluid changes (Engine oil, transmission oil, coolant, brake fluid, power steering fluid etc.), ensure correct grade & volume are being provided for your car. If in doubt, refer your user manual or look-up online.

8. Ensure the engine bay isn't pressure washed. It's very easy to mess up sensors in modern cars with water/moisture. Plastic/fiber head/tail lamp clusters can easily develop hairline cracks if hit directly with pressurized water jets. Pressurized air is the way to go.

9. Take a relaxed test drive (as long as required) with the job card in the car. Mentally check-off all issues you'd reported earlier. If something's not fixed, point it out to the SA.

10. DO NOT sign the 'satisfied with service and vehicle delivered' section on the job card unless you're actually satisfied with the job done. Most A.S.S. ask customers to sign even before they're allowed a pre-delivery test drive. Don't fall for it. I usually get them to put the car on the lift for a pre-delivery underbody inspection. I've caught an improperly tightened oil drain-plug more than once (in different A.S.S.). You can never be too careful.

11. Before payment, insist on verifying the itemized bill statement. I've caught many an unwanted items billed to me, and it's easier to get the bill corrected before payment. Most A.S.S. are VERY reluctant to refund money post-billing, even if they accept their fault.

12. Make a note of the SA/mechanic who attended your car. Always helps if there are repeat complaints, or if you need to escalate. (During my last service, the air-intake resonator on my car was left loosely attached and later fell loose in the engine bay, which could've caused a major accident if it had slipped down and got stuck to the LHS steering rod assembly. The A.S.S. was reluctant to admit fault, but I gave full details (including my complaint# to Hyundai and the dealership MD) and they backed off and admitted their fault, and fired the mechanic. I got a personal apology from the Service GM too).


Hope this helps. Paying attention and asking questions (rather than trusting the A.S.S. blindly) is the key to a satisfactory service experience.

End result: My car just turned 7 (with 65000+ kms on the odo), and still drives & feels like the day we brought it home

[TNAWAYAJ]

Horrifying.

I was seriously considering a Laura TDI but it's these accounts of fellow BHPians who have suffered at the hands of Skoda A.S.S. that really make we want to find an alternative. What is Skoda doing about all this, especially with the launch of the new Octavia around the corner? I read somewhere that they've got a new executive (Pawe Szuflak) to head their Sales and Marketing function in India, in time for the new launch. If only they'd give the same kind of importance to their A.S.S. too, and give that a much-needed overhaul and win back trust from customers.

Shame, Skoda. I am sure there are plenty of potential customers like me who love your cars but hate your service.

[yogibear007]

Originally Posted by TNAWAYAJ

Horrifying.

I was seriously considering a Laura TDI but it's these accounts of fellow BHPians who have suffered at the hands of Skoda A.S.S. that really make we want to find an alternative.

If you really want to have a Skoda, wait for the new Octavia instead of thinking about existing Laura. The Skoda cars do have exceptional built and drive characteristics and if you are a careful driver, nothing happens for the initial four years. ASS is horrible as mentioned & regrettable. I myself have suffered as a Octavia owner but loved the car. Hopefully the new team may look into the horrible ASS reputation.

[amitabhrout]

I went to service my car today, they made a bill of 11k. When I confronted them, the SA started blaming the technicians and changed it to 6k after I escalated it to the manager.

So the best way to save yourself from the fraud they are doing is to take a day off and stand next to your car when the service is going on.

Thanks to everyone on the forum for there reviews, which helps us in a great way.

day to end.