[katchkamalesh]

Source:
http://www.mumbaimirror.com/mumbai/o...w/22826903.cms

When Thane resident P Jayaram sent his Mahindra XUV 500 to an authorised service centre for servicing, he was expecting to get back his SUV in a few days. But the experience turned out to be a nightmare, thanks to poor response by the repair centre. It was only after the intervention by Anand Mahindra, chairman of the automobile company, that Jayaram got some relief.

Jayaram, a senior executive in an infrastructure firm, said his vehicle went missing from Global Gallarie Agencies Private Ltd at Manpada on August 30, a day after it was sent there. The centre staffers told Jayaram that his driver must have taken it.

After the centre official failed to explain him how the car could have been taken out without their knowledge, Jayaram made his driver register a complaint with Kapurbawdi police station the same day. Six days later, he sent a legal notice to Global Gallarie. On September 16, he wrote an email to M&M chief. On September 18, Jayaram received a reply from Anand Mahindra, assuring him that his concerns would be looked into. It was only then the agency officials sprung into action and offered him a standby car.

[sumithb]

This is just shocking. Mumbai Mirror reports that an XUV given for service at Global Gallarie Agencies Thane has gone missing. The shocking part is that the service centre tried to wash off its hands off the entire episode at first. Anand Mahindra had to intervene

More details here.

Just when I am thinking of going in for an XUV and thought that we had reasonably good service centre in Thane

[sdp1975]

Vehicles given for service have little security. When I give my car for service in KHT Motors, the vehicle is kept with the keys inside the car, in an open field just outside the service center.

They can at least keep they car keys with them.

There's a security guy , but he hardly cares . It's quite easy for someone to get in the vehicle and drive it off.

[SDP]

This is shocking to say the least, especially because this is the same service center where my XUV gets serviced.

As if it was not enough that a vehicle in their custody got stolen, what is even more outrageous is the Golobal Galerie VP's statement - "contact M&M officials for a response". As if its M&M top-boss's responsibility to have armed guards stationed outside each service center.

I hope the Police get to the root of this soon and the vehicle is restored to the rightful owner without any further hassles.

[raj_5004]

I share the same feelings with SDP. Even I give my car to Global Gallarie every time. But the past few experiences with them have been sour. Just few days back, I had a talk with a senior official there over my concern and I vowed that I would never ever take my car back to Global Gallarie.

The support of the A.S.S. after the theft has been pathetic. How can someone wash their hands off a theft which happened in their premises so conveniently?

[parsh]

What a glitch and what a response from the authorities.

The way I have seen it taken care of (at Toyota dealerships):
1. Key is always tagged and securely kept at the security gate post after locking the car if at all the car is parked outside the premises

2. Anybody taking the car key has to sign or marked in the register first and is issued the key

3. Only if the car is kept within premises the key is always kept in the car to be able to mobilize it anytime anyhere within the premises only. Any attempt to take out the car without the gate pass or making entry at gate post is stopped at the gate post duly even if for a Test Drive outside the premises by the dealership mechanic.


The only way it could happen is by way of leaving the car key in car while it was driven out and parked in open. The dealership driver must have forgotten to take out the key and submit to the security and security failed to check if the car keys were deposited back or not. Seems like a mess due to complete miss of the dealership driver and security gate post in this case and in turn lapse of security on behalf of the dealership which it tried to cover up. A little bit of considerateness and customership would have helped gain some goody points for the dealership inspite of the situation.

This car missing is a big thing. But there are other damages that can happen when parked outside, like some other car bumping into it, tyre damages, panel scrapes, windshield crack etc which the dealerships can just try to wash hands off without any substantial proofs.

However, I do have doubts if any other car dealerships would not behave in such way if faced with such a grave situation by hiding the security logs just to protect themselves, Toyota included. Especially, I have seen the whole road in Wagale Estate, Thane wholesomely blocked by Millennium Toyota to park its customer's vehicles where anything can happen.

It will take quite a patience to get the insurance liabilities received in this case after due processes and a own vehicle after that. Hope the owner is supported well by the dealership atleast now.

Something to learn from.

[SedatedDrive]

This is most likely a job with insider help. Police should start with the night security and the dealer driver who parked the car inside when it was sent the first time. A thorough investigation of others present during the twilight hours who may have last seen the vehicle parked inside. Corroboration of their accounts should be carried out and anyone with a different story to tell should be probed further. Calls placed during the night - incoming and outgoing should be matched with those probed. Mr Jayaram should hope for the best - that the vehicle is still in a single piece and that it has not been painted over yet.

Unless the dealer is clinically retarded, they need to understand that these kind of incidents can ruin their business in the long run. M&M can take a hit in its sales charts if it puts up with such dealers.

[i74js]

Yes, on face of it, this seems to be some kind of collaboration between the security and service staff of the dealership and the investigation should start from there.

1. The dealership should have been more cautious and also should have been responsive to the client instead of M & M chief's intervention to make things moving.

2. Difficult working conditions and space crunch at the service centers can also be attributed as the main cause of such negligence, which could have been avoided by exercising proper control at the work sites.

3. The customer should seek replacement of the stolen vehicle with a new XUV and the dealership should bear the difference between IDV settlement and the on-road price of replacement.

4. The whole episode is horrible and should be a lesson for this dealership as well as others, taking customers for granted has been the industry norm (barring few) @ service centers and now even taking customer's vehicles for granted seems to be the new standard.

Too Bad!

[amitk26]

Clearly a security lapse , This kind of vehicle lifting is very easy at any dealership. No dealership asks for any kind of identity proof at the time of delivery. Most of the times it is up to memory of the SA but suppose if a vehicle is parked for couple of days and shift of original SA is over it is too easy. If you are decently dressed and just tell them registration number they will raise an invoice and give you gate pass once you settle the bill.
So a smart thief just need to bear the service cost and can pick up any vehicle left for couple of days from service centre.

Originally Posted by raj_5004

I share the same feelings with SDP. Even I give my car to Global Gallarie every time.

Originally Posted by SDP

This is shocking to say the least, especially because this is the same service center where my XUV gets serviced.

Probably now your vehicles will be safer as they will be on their toes. I think they can't afford to have multiple hits in short duration and need to enhance the security.

[sandeepmohan]

Something similar happened to my HR Managers i10. I had reported it here. Being a third party account, the thread could not stay on for long. HR Manager gives his i10 for schedule service, service advisor nicks the car and sells it to some conman. The car has been recovered but it was a harrowing experience for my HR Manager. As with just about anything that involves the cops, a certain amount of unaccounted money had to be paid to recover the car and close the case.

[aka_iitd]

Originally Posted by amitk26

So a smart thief just need to bear the service cost and can pick up any vehicle left for couple of days from service centre.

This is a reason they ask for counter foil they gave you after the job card creation. May be ID can be a good option. Keep a scan copy while taking car and return after seeing the original.

[jaygeetee]

Originally Posted by aka_iitd

This is a reason they ask for counter foil they gave you after the job card creation. May be ID can be a good option. Keep a scan copy while taking car and return after seeing the original.

I think checking the counterfoil should be enough. Make sure the counterfoil is tamper-proof.

If you keep an ID that would mean that no one else can go pick up the car which isn't very convenient. And I am sure it would face the same fate as counterfoil in the long run.

Scary issue actually. Once caught, the modus operandi should be made public so everyone knows.

[S.MJet]

Originally Posted by aka_iitd

This is a reason they ask for counter foil they gave you after the job card creation. May be ID can be a good option. Keep a scan copy while taking car and return after seeing the original.

Yes they do give counter foil but all dealers do not ask for it.
I have experienced this with Fortune Nerul and Balaji Thane.
Not even once did they asked for counter foils of all my visits till date.

[amitk26]

No one ever asked me for counterfoil in Bangalore, some of the A.S.S I remember are listed below.

1. Dakshin Honda
2. Whitefield Honda.
3. Green Cars Koramangala - Maruti.
4. Concord - Tata
5. KHT - Tata
6. Prerana - Tata.

Out of these Green Cars and Concord people know me by face but I was totally new to the others. On the other hand I have observed that motorcycle service centres religiously check the counterfoil.

[MaxTorque]

Really shocking news. I think there will be an organized team behind such a crime. Probably a combination of a security guard and a service adviser or a technician might have committed this crime.

I drop my car at Deccan Honda, Pimpri, Pune for service, the guards used to ask for gate pass. But when I went to Planet Ford, Nigdi for EcoSport test drive, they did not ask for the gate pass.