[parag.agrawal]

I wanted to share an experience which I am going through after purchasing a Tata Nexon from Concorde Motors, Tathewade Pune.

I booked a Nexon on 13th November 2017, with intention to get delivery of the car by 16th Jan (my daughter's first birthday). I was informed about a vehicle being allocated to me on 15th December, which was received by Concorde motors in yard on 23rd Dec. I quickly did the PDI and made the complete payments which was deducted and settled by Jan 4 2018. I had made it clear that I cannot take delivery of the vehicle without completing the Registration process. Now starts the horror story.

After making the payments, I started receiving calls from Concorde motors forcing me to take delivery of the vehicle by 13th as as per TATA motors policy a vehicle which has been allocated to a vehicle cannot be kept in stock beyond 15 days. I kept following up for my vehicle's registration number through the entire first and second week of January. I kept getting assurances that the vehicle road tax is processed and the number allotment is taking time because of RTO.

Since I had to take delivery of my car before 16th, I was persistent on getting the number allocated. While discussing options, I was recommended that I should opt for a 'fancy number' as that gets allocated immediately. I made a cash payment of 5000 Rs to the sales executive for the same. However, the executive could not get the fancy number on 12th because of some problem with RTO. As a result, I opted out of the fancy number and just wait for a normal number which I was promised will be done in the next 2-3 days. It would help me save 5000 Rs.

Finally I took delivery of my car on 13th January (instead of 16th, and also without registration number) with a TC number, with the assurance from Concorde that I will receive the number in 1-2 days time.

I kept following up with Concorde's representative on a daily basis, with assurances of the next day. Finally, I contacted a friend in RTO to check status of my registration. I was asked to get the tax payment receipt from Concorde motors so that the same can be looked into. I called up Concorde motors at 3 PM on 23rd January to enquire for the tax receipt. They agreed to provide the same. However, they kept stalling it and finally sent me a screenshot of the receipt around 6:30 PM. When I checked the receipt and also checked the transaction details online, I realized the payment for the road tax was made on 23rd Jan 2018, 3:19 PM. Which means, that the road tax was paid after I requested for the receipt, 10 days post delivery. I was asked to drive off a vehicle from a showroom for which the road tax itself was not paid. I am horrified as this basically means that all these days, I was in possession of a vehicle which should not have been taken off the showroom floor and made party to an illegal activity.

On 23rd Jan, 7:30 PM, I received SMS from Vaahan (RTO) with details of my registration number.

Update 24th Jan:
===============
The Customer Relationship Manager visited me today in my office to afix the number plate on my car. I was originally planned to visit the dealership for the same, however I received call from the CRM insisting that they will come and meet me at my place.

During the visit, they explained to me the process for FASTTAG and the corresponding delays in the procedure which they have been witnessing. I explained and showed them the details of my FASTTAG which was generated on 9th Jan itself, and they also agreed that the vehicle check post fixing FASTTAG which is done by RTO was also conducted before 12th itself. They mentioned that post this check, the dealer needs to make a payment to RTO for the road tax, after which RTO provides with the registration number and corresponding processes. During the entire conversation, they failed to explain why the tax payment was not made between 13th to 23rd January. They showed me a warning letter which has been issued to the Sales Executive who sold me the car for providing me with false commitments. I have the copy of the same.

I have asked the CRM that I would like to speak with someone from TATA motors itself and get an understanding on the following points for which I seek answer:
- Why the payment was not made between 13-23rd January inspite of all related and dependent processes already completed.
- Why was a car provided to me for which road tax was not paid. As per my understanding, to which they too agreed, is that a vehicle can only move out of showroom floor once the road tax has been paid. It is the dealer's responsibility to only let the vehicle out post payment of the tax.
- During the conversation, they agreed that there is no such policy of only keeping the car in the yard for 15 days. So, why was I asked to take delivery of my car on 13th itself, without any delay else it would go back in queue and I will have to wait for my car.

I have been assured that a TSM will be reaching out to me to address the concerns.

I have raised the complaint to TATA Motors customer care via call, TATA Motors via social media channels, Concorde Motors via the feedback form of their website, Concorde Motors Sales Manager and Customer Relationship Manager, Pune. Representatives from Concorde Motors - the SM and CRM - have responded back as of now.

While I absolutely love the car, and have been only spreading positive things about it to everyone who asks, the experience has left me shattered and scared. How do I trust TATA motors and Concorde Motors with my car when they knowingly conducted an illegal act of Fraud and made me a party to it by giving me false assurances?
I put hard earned savings in buying a TATA car, and the very first encounter with Tata lead to me getting cheated.

I do not seek to gain any personal gain out of this. I want Tata Motors to lead me to trust them again. I really want to, I already did and purchased my first new car from them. I also want to prevent a similar fraud from happening with others. I need advice on what should be my next steps and expectations out of this entire experience.

[blackwasp]

Originally Posted by parag.agrawal

I wanted to share an experience which I am going through after purchasing a Tata Nexon from Concorde Motors, Tathewade Pune.

- Why the payment was not made between 13-23rd January inspite of all related and dependent processes already completed.

- Why was a car provided to me for which road tax was not paid. As per my understanding, to which they too agreed, is that a vehicle can only move out of showroom floor once the road tax has been paid. It is the dealer's responsibility to only let the vehicle out post payment of the tax.

I need advice on what should be my next steps and expectations out of this entire experience.

Thanks for sharing your experiences. I will try to answer your queries in point form.

1. Lack of funds could be a reason, or your file getting lost in the loads of files at the counter for data entry. While lack of funds is possible, it should affect many people, not just one. File getting lost or someone forgetting about it is more likely.

2. Technically, you either need a temporary registration (not to be confused with the dealer's TC plates) or permanent registration to get the car out of the showroom. Just paying tax is not enough. Case in point - you can pay tax, but number is allotted only when your papers are verified. So before you have the number, best to postpone delivery.

3. I would say first to be happy that nothing untoward happened and you now have the registration number in hand. Usually after the full payment, the invoice, insurance and RTO tax is done in order. Not sure how it was missed. You can approach Tata folks, like you have done for a solution on this. One more way is to write a letter to the RTO about this incident and asking them for guidance. Note - Guidance being the key word here, as most govt. guys like such cases where they can write off a letter or even penalise a dealership for flouting rules.

What we can take from this incident - Politely yet firmly tell the sales person to not insist for delivery without the number being allotted. If at all they force you to take it citing absurd reasons like parking, etc. Ask them to flat bed the car to your premises and keep it there unused till number is allotted. This is assuming they furnish you with at least the tax paid receipt of the road tax (e-Challan).

[GTO]

Sucks to hear about the experience but, as blackwasp said, I'm glad nothing untoward happened.

1. Sit back & enjoy your car. Don't let this take away from the ownership pleasure of a new car. Put it behind you and go out for a drive this long weekend .

2. Good you raised the complaint with Tata Motors. Also send it to the Traffic Police with supporting documents, a link to this thread etc. These steps are just to ensure that the dealer is more careful in the future.

Originally Posted by blackwasp

While lack of funds is possible, it should affect many people, not just one. File getting lost or someone forgetting about it is more likely.

Agreed. Carelessness is more likely as Concorde is a subsidiary of Tata Motors & won't have cash problems.

[parag.agrawal]

Thank you Blackwasp and GTO for the measured and sound advice. I have been with the car for 10 days now, and actually heading out on a long trip this weekend. It was long planned, the reason for my final desperate attempt to get the registration sorted on my own this week itself. I really look forward to spending some quality time with the car and let the dealership issues be just a faded memory.

Just to update, yesterday evening I had a pretty long call with the TSM, Tata Motors. He informed that there was a manual error by one of the personnel, and that the issue has been taken up very seriously across the higher management of Concorde. As per him, with Concorde motors, there are strict processes and feedback loops, so such a lapse should not have happened, but since it occurred the issue has been noticed and all steps and warnings are underway to ensure there is no repeat event.

After the call, I decided to let this be the closure of this issue. I would like to trust the sincerity of the call yesterday and hope such a thing is not repeated with anyone in the future.

I have since received multiple calls from TATA motors call center, since I had raised a complaint and from Concorde Motors Pune to follow up on the complaint. I would assume that this certainly shows to an extent that Tata does take complaints logged in with their call center with some sense of seriousness else Concorde Motors would not have been following up with me in such manner to ensure I am satisfied.

The learning for me and all car buyers would be to be more patient while taking delivery of the car and not get persuaded otherwise.

Hope to share a travelogue from the weekend trip and ownership experience with the wonderful community soon as I return.

[dkamath]

Firstly, a registration at the RTO cannot take place without a vehicle being physically present, since the respective imprints have to be taken by the RTO staff. Sorry if I'm missing reading it, but your car was not recalled by the dealer for this purpose. It is most likely a procedural delay at the RTO, and the dealer will have completed the RTO procedure from their end before handing over the car to you. +1 to GTO's comment on enjoying your drive. This incident need not be related with the ownership of the car, which I strongly hope, you will cherish and write more happy things about

[parag.agrawal]

From what I am told by the higher ups at TATA, the procedure with the RTO of physical inspection was completed before delivery. After that, the dealer was supposed to pay the road tax to RTO for further processing, which they failed to do. As per the receipt which I have, this payment was made by the dealer to RTO only after I escalated the issue.

I came across this tweet. Seems I am not the only one affected by this incident and possibly Concorde Motors Tathewade are a repeat offender.

https://twitter.com/vinit290/status/960935315811782661

Got the vehicle with temporary passing but its been 50+ days and the vehicle is not yet registered! I keep calling them everyday and now they don't even answer the calls! #TataMotors #tatanexon #tata