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-   -   Booked Skoda, paid in full, showroom shut down! Now what? (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-dealerships/170595-booked-skoda-paid-full-showroom-shut-down-now-what-2.html)

Very unfortunate experience. Personally, I love VW cars and hate their dealers.
The centralised customer care is even worse. When I bought my VW Vento I had the bank issue a demand draft for the loan amount in favour of the dealership and handed it over once billing formalities and PDI were completed on the day of taking delivery.
This may be a better alternative instead of the bank transferring the money by RTGS/NEFT to the dealer as the customer retains control of the funds.

SKODA should actively intervene in the matter. Also if the dealership was in the process of being closed skoda should have posted some of their guys at the site to ensure no such (and other) frauds could happen.
Instead they simply turned a blind eye to a dealership in the process of being closed!!!
Reeks of connivance.

Extremely scary. In usual scenarios, no credible bank will lend loan if there is a slightest hint of hassle in repayments. So I do believe someone at the Bank is playing foul along with the dealer because they have had complaints about the dealer before.

Not sure how Bank and dealer relationship works, but I believe there has to be some kind of receipt for the money being paid and the purpose? If the Bank has one, wouldn't that be a valid proof against the dealer as the product is not delivered? Then how could the Bank wash their hands off?

Thanks
Anand

This is a clear case of fraud. There was intention of never delivering a car from the beginning.

Manufactures have deposits of these dealers with them. I do not understand why Skoda is delaying this. They can use that money to fund the cars of the cheated customers. Throw in a higher variant, dealer will lose his money, not Skoda. I am sure their dealership contracts will be iron clad and dealer can't really sue them.

Skoda and the entire VAG group need to be blacklisted. They seem to find newer innovative ways to rip off customers time and again. Even though I love their cars, I will never buy their products. The way they handled Harish's case showed their propensity to cheat, and I have not forgotten that bitter lesson.

Really wish people realise that it's only a matter of time before they fall victims to these scamsters. It doesn't only happen to others. The next victim could be you. Avoid Skoda and VAG.

Yes. Though they'd withdraw all that before decamping.

In this case I'm sure the customer will get his car from another dealer. VW have had enough misery to let this pass.

Don't bother with Indian ops. Contact the Czech plant. Or even better contact skoda uk. Fill out the form on their contact page.

I'm sure they will twist the tails of Indian ops and get the car.

And the banks behavior is why the nation has so many NPA's in general. I don't there is any hanky panky, but the sales guys merely wanted to meet the monthly quota.

When you do get the car, don't give them the RC copy or endorse their name. Let them run around for a couple of weeks.

But then, Skoda needs to have some control over their dealers which as far as I think & have experienced, they don't have. Mod Anshu's sentiments are the same as well IIRC.

Yes, some caution money/security deposit is made. But maybe, he had more stock than the deposit, who knows...

I would wait for Skoda to revert then adding further fuel to this fire.

http://www.carwale.com/m/forums/4085...re-you-bu.html
This dealer seems to have been a fraud right from the start. There's a rapid owner who's recently been cheated, is that your relative or some other guy who fell in this trap?
Vw's future in India is quite pale from where I'm looking now.

Just tweeted about this incident. Let the word spread far.

After reading this thread the reaction of my son, who is 9:
"Skoda, simply clever!"

On a serious note, what can a layman assume from the inactivity / reluctance of Skoda to take a concrete stance in matters like this? Skoda too is planning to take a leaf or two from this dealer's book and shut their India operations altogether? :Shockked:

Guys, Peugeot did something like that 15 or so years back. Remember the 309? Remember the TUD5 engine?
Edit: I too shared this thread in FB, taking a leaf from LandCruiser's book...

They are already a bruised brand in the eyes of many (read in the eyes of informed people like this community)

There are however, a few who are still willing to go through the pain of owning a skoda just because their cars are great. I love their cars and I wanted one badly but their attitude made me stay clear of their cars. They will continue to sell and also fail to quickly remedy issues with their customers. There are many who are unsuspecting because not all do a lot of research before purchasing cars.

Buy from a reputed brand in India and buy from a stable dealer. Do your research diligently and execute things as best as possible. Obviously skoda is not the only company that makes and sells good cars in India. We have plenty of options!

I too feel the bank played foul here. For them it's business and once the loan was disbursed, they are attempting to wash off their hands in this matter. If they had known about this problem before, why did they release the payment? It needs to be asked when they came to be aware of this problem with the dealer and why they let go the money.

Layman should assume that they are a brand that is not open and honest in their dealings. Anyways, since Skoda has contacted the OP it remains to be seen what remedy they will offer to the OP. Going by Harish's case, it could also turn out to be a good compromise which is unlikely to be disclosed.

Wow this is just so insane!! The person from the link you posted, named Yogesh had booked the car (read: rapid) in May 2015, and the person related to this thread had booked the same car, Rapid, in September 2015. There is a gap of almost 4 months in the middle!! Mr. Yogesh had informed Skoda India about the dishonored cheque and yet nothing, no action taken! I mean how could a manufacturer be so careless about its dealers? Skoda: Simply Stupid!
This is so absurd. All blame to Skoda, they are largely responsible for this.
The bank definitely knew about the con, this is just so unbelievable.

EDIT: Sorry folks, my bleeped up brain missed that the car booked in May, 2015 was Skoda Superb by Mr. Yogesh and was not Skoda Rapid.

1. What kind of documentary evidences are in possession of your relative.
2. What has been done by Police after the FIR has been registered (I hope its FIR and you have a copy of it).
3. Was the after sales / work shop operating out of same location or different, if it was different, has it also been closed?
4. Have you raised it to higher ups in Skoda India, try connecting with people over Linkedin.
5. I have witnessed a TML dealership closing down in South Delhi (Hauz Khas) as they have not paid to Tata's for vehicles sold for almost 2 years after commonwealth games; I was told they got away with more than 50 Crores of outstanding payment, the case is in courts now. This could be similar case where the dealership has payment outstanding towards the manufacturer and not the other way round.

This is clear cheating, please don't wait and start action. Check the receipts of payment made, if its a company (pvt. ltd.) - you can also report it to registrar of companies, and expect some action as well as guidance to support you.

All the best.

Sharing on FB. This is outrageous.

I am shocked but not totally surprised to hear about this unfortunate incident. Skoda is now frustrating customers not only after-sales but also before. I cannot understand why the parent company could not intervene and warn people of this imminent closure of the dealer's showroom. Obviously, they would have been aware of it.

I cannot understand where the VAG group is heading. After the emissions debacle, now you have something like this. No wonder their sales are dwindling. Now only if everyone driving a vehicle was a TBHP member, the VAG group would have probably sold only a handful of cars.

I sympathize with the person whose money has been put on the line. And I hope he gets his money back and action is taken against the dealer/Skoda.

The owner for Senator and AVK is the same person (Mr. Puneet Lalit Kumar)
Reference: https://www.quickcompany.in/director...et-lalit-kumar. Autobahn is owned by another person called Mr. Harshil Choksey.

Skoda has removed Senator's name from their website. JMD and Autobahn are the only ones that remain in Mumbai. AVK however continues to operate as a Ford dealer.