[styx71]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

It's still not late - assuming the car hasn't been fiddled with during the additional days spent there. Enough of this armchair based conversations and emails.

+1 to this.

Considering the car will be completing 5 years in October - meaning out warranty or going out of warranty soon, your friend should have taken the car out of the service centre after Ajay changed the initial assessment.

Going by my own experience replacing Battery on my previous ride(1st gen Verna), Hyundai's price was higher and they won't even take back the old battery - so why give your Business to these jokers - any car battery shops can do this. If it's for regular servicing (oil, filters), even Shell petrol bunks can do these without any labour cost.

Nothing like if you can take a day off to ensure whoever is servicing the car do only what you need and not take you for a ride.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

I find the primary fault (shared) with the OP's friend - why didn't he just head over to the workshop once the servicing was done (irrespective of Ajay's lack of a proper response)? A mask and maintaining social distancing norms for a short duration will be sufficient to handle the current situation risks.

Sorry, some people either don't have the time (I don't) or the inclination (I don't) to personally visit the workshop. A tight work schedule means every hour of my working day is calculated, and weekends are strictly family. Also keep in mind that workshops in big cities are located in the far suburbs which can be quite a distance for those living in the proper city area. In the last 5 years, I have perhaps visited a car workshop once.

Additionally, because I have a senior citizen at home, I refuse to visit any crowded place, including a car workshop. It's my personal choice & I am just not comfortable with a crowded place.

Saying that the "fault" of such blatant fleecing lies with the car owner is pushing it. There is no such rule that one HAS to visit the workshop and audit everything himself. What next? Blame fake parts on the owner because he didn't check each unit with a magnifying glass? There is a reason why we send the car to authorised dealer workshops & pay their higher fees. The reason = TRUST. If we have to be cheated by an authorised Skoda workshop, then there is no difference between him and a fly-by-night roadside garage operating out of a temporary shed.

[PrasannaDhana]

Well, I am just thanking my lucky stars, sitting inside my ever so reliable, utterly cheap to maintain tin can for not taking the plunge and buying the rapid Ambition 1.5 MT last December, when it was given with a lucrative 2.2 lakhs discount.

While I myself have recommended Rider 1.0 TSI to so many friends offlate, experiences such as this one makes us question whether it is wise for a middle class family to risk peace of mind over build quality and German driving dynamics.

This, coming from a guy who has a 1,70,000 km run 6 year old Skoda rapid in the extended family. It should be luck or our friendship with the service floor guys that we haven't been fleeced, YET.

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by GTO

Sorry, some people either don't have the time (I don't) or the inclination (I don't) to personally visit the workshop.

...
I refuse to visit any crowded place, including a car workshop. It's my personal choice & I am just not comfortable with a crowded place.
...
Saying that the "fault" of such blatant fleecing lies with the car owner is pushing it.
....
The reason = TRUST. If we have to be cheated by an authorised Skoda workshop, then there is no difference between him and a fly-by-night roadside garage operating out of a temporary shed.

Fact 1 : Skoda and the dealership are known to be fleecing customers, especially once the car is out of servicing. The owner knows it, as mentioned in the (language of the) first post.

Fact 2 : the vehicle was known to be fine, except for the battery and normal servicing related wear and tear. Something that was discussed and agreed upon after the first check by the SA

Fact 3 : This is Skoda, not Maruti. The owner realises the service advisor / dealer is fleecing him after the first round of delays, but still expects things to be sorted out just by repeated calling and follow-ups.

Point is what you have mentioned wrt 'trust' is long gone for Skoda. Everyone knows that. Heck, I didn't have it for my VW service centers, so didnt many on and off this forum.

If one doesnt have the time or inclination to visit the service center in such situations where he is clearly being fleeced, then avoid them like the plague. @GTO - you mentioned your preference, but I don't see you advising anyone to buy a Skoda. So it's not the same above with the other hypothetical examples.

My point of the previous and current post is the world is not perfect. Hoping for improvement is great, by whatever means. But take action (preventive or reactive) when one can.

If I understand correctly, the owner's car is STILL in the workshop as of now. If he can't go on his own, get the vehicle towed to a FNG or back home. There are alternatives. But understand his decision also make a difference. And there also lies the part of ownership of the fault, not wrt the core issue (Skoda) at hand but elongating it.

If I know a puncture (or any service guy) guy next door is known to fleece customers, and I still go to him again and again, it is partly my fault too.

[JojyKerala]

As a Skoda owner, I have always dreaded the horror stories featured here on T-BHP. Fortunately, they never happened to me.

Unscrupulous Service Advisors are a blot not just for Skoda but for any car brand. In my case, I deal with only one Service Advisor - the seniormost. And yes, he says it's time to change the steering rack (he is correct but the car can manage without this update for a while) and the timing belt (again he is correct but I will wait for a little more time) but I always say no after asking how long the car can wait without these updates.

My car's battery went kaput last year and I bought a new one from a retail shop. Saved around Rs. 2000.

Regarding the horror story shared by GranvilleDsouza, the least Skoda can do is offer a proper assessment and some discounts to soothe the owner's nerves. Somebody should bring this post to the notice of Zac Hollis so that the concerned dealer and SA is penalised.

[robbie_KL]

From the account its pretty certain that Skoda hasnt done any work on the car. Irrespective of the other issues being real or not, its obvious the battery needs to be replaced. The owner should just buy a compatible battery, go to the service centre, install it and see for himself what the issues are. If the car can be driven (which I am sure it is), he should just drive out of there and go to an independent garage and have the car checked out for his own satisfaction. The car is 5 years old and once the warranty is over such cars are treated as cash cows by the service centres.

[nandacr]

Reading such stories that how MNC can come to India and cheat us. I feel we must stop buying SKODA. Let us hit them where it hurts them the most. There are many many other cars which perform much better than SKODA and customers are respected at their service centre.

[vredesbyrd]

Well, this thread just helps me reconfirm that I will never ever go for a Skoda again. Besides, 7k for a Rapid's brake pads? My Superb cost 6k at TAFE Hosur Road. All Skoda workshops fleece customers and display horrible quality of work but this just takes the cake.

P.S. I asked them to do a headlight adjustment. Car came back with the left headlight looking for alien spaceships and the right one looking at earth's core

[low_rider]

A learning from this incident, which I would also like to reiterate from my experience is that battery and tyres are best replace by their dealers or multi-brand shops and NEVER from the authorised service centers of any car company.

In addition to charging a higher price, the lack of options and useless arguments given to sell the models of batteries and tyres in stock are a total put-off.
Some of the gems which I have heard first hand and also overheard sometimes are "A higher capacity battery will make AC more effective at idling speeds", "Since you start your car everyday, take this lower capacity battery, it will increase alternator life".

A good local battery dealer will arrange your specific battery model in a couple of days rather than make a fool of himself with such arguments.

[shobhit.shri]

Originally Posted by GTO

There is a reason why we send the car to authorised dealer workshops & pay their higher fees. The reason = TRUST. If we have to be cheated by an authorised Skoda workshop, then there is no difference between him and a fly-by-night roadside garage operating out of a temporary shed.

If the Skoda were a restaurant, it will serve tasty food with a 50% probability that you will get diarrhea. People with weaker stomachs, like OP's friend, will even get in ICU.

I owned a Skoda Rapid from 2012-16, and though I still miss its drive, the service experience always had this sinking feeling that sooner or later I will also be hit with a crazy scam. Though I still lust after Octavia but man, is the Honda City the epitome of a virtuous woman .

I have my sympathies for Zac Hollis's efforts though.

[Sebzgeo89]

I still can’t get over the fact that the regular service cost is 18k!
Either way this is just an appalling service experience. As many mentioned he should get his car out of that service station and get it repaired or checked at an independent FNG!

[SidR]

Someone has already shared this post with Zac and he said they are following up diligently. I seriously hope the owner gets some relief asap.

[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by SidR

Someone has already shared this post with Zac and he said they are following up diligently. I seriously hope the owner gets some relief asap.

I hope he does. But more than that, the dealership needs to see some sort of action from Skoda. Just intervening and solving this individual case doesn't solve the real issue. How many people would be able to reach the top guy and out of them, how many would he really be able to help? They need to start forcing dealerships to fire employees. At the least make a start even though the whole dealership must be involved right from the owner. But I understand you can't change dealers so easily. But insist on these 2 chaps getting fired. As a result, the dealer would get the message that Skoda is watching.

Edit: Not relevant but still worth mentioning. My Ecosport's 3rd year/30k kms service costed me 4400 Rs!

[AtheK]

Originally Posted by Sebzgeo89

I still can’t get over the fact that the regular service cost is 18k!
Either way this is just an appalling service experience. As many mentioned he should get his car out of that service station and get it repaired or checked at an independent FNG!

Vento had a service cost of around 13.5k for 4th year service, so that seems near about, if they added a few more extras.

Skoda suddenly springs such surprise when the brand was actually on it's way up, would be interesting to see how this episode pans out and how does the management under Zac handles this, a good chance to set an example and walk the talk. T

[SidR]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

But I understand you can't change dealers so easily. But insist on these 2 chaps getting fired. As a result, the dealer would get the message that Skoda is watching.

Can't agree more. An example needs to be set by Skoda. Else, all that's been done by Zac or the vision of Skoda 2.0 will go down the drain. There has to be some strong action.