[gpa]

Hello TBhp-ians,

Having joined this forum earlier this year, I just wanted to share my experiences on the service quality at the Advaith Hyundai Authorised Service Centre at Rajajinagar in Bangalore.

I have been a customer to this service station since March 2005 when I took the car for its first free sevice. What I have noticed is that their servce quality has steadily deteriorated over time. The culprit being a small service station in terms of size and too many cars to service. I have narrated my most recent experience below.

My Santro (Feb 2005-XG Model) was due for its 50,000 kms service and promptly I booked the service slot on Dec 23 at 9.00 am. When I reached there, I was promptly attended by the SA, who asked me about the problems that the car was giving me. Since it was the 50,000 kms service, I mentioned that I want the following work done:

1. Engine oil+oil filter and air filter to be replaced.
2. Engine decarbonization
3. Check the rear suspension that tended to bottom out when the car was loaded with 5 people.
4. Overhauling of the A/C system (as i had noticed a drop in performance over the past 6 months)
5. Interior Cleaning
6. Emision test certificate

He mentioned that since the AC overhauling would involve removal of a lot of parts, I would be able to get the car only the following day. He gave my an estimate of Rs. 7,000 for the whole job and promised me that the car will be ready by 11.30 am on Dec 24.

On Dec 24, I got a call from him at 10.30 stating that the car was ready. I reached the service station at 11.15 am and was promptly given the bill with the amount and told that whilst I pay up my car would be ready.

I waited for 20 minutes in the service area as my car was not ready (I didn't want to pay up without seeing the car) onlooking pure chaos that was unfolding. The service station is small and not built to handle the number of cars there. Customers who brought their cars in for minor repairs also had to wait as there weren't enough technicians to look into their problems. The drive in area is filled with accident cars due to be repaired and the final cleaning (tyre and exterior black trim dressing) is done with the vehicles parked out on the open dusty road in the sun.

Mechanics who take the cars on test drives just barely manage to squeeze in between the parked cars in the drive-in area to get into the service station. This is a sure sign of an accident waiting to happen in the future.

After about 25 minutes of waiting my service advisor walked up to me and made small talk about wanting to buy a second hand laptop from me if I had one. He asked me if I paid the bill, and took it from me to explain the work done and quietly tore off the stapled customer feedback form and proceeded to explain all the charges. As I was witing for over half an hour I proceed to pay the amount and leave as soon as my car was handed over.

Finally after waiting for almost 40 minutes, the car emerges but had white hard water streak marks all over the windshield and body panels. I opened the bonnet and checked if the oil was changed and filter was replaced.

I opened the car doors and to my shock found the interior in a pathetic state, to say the least. The floor carpeting was filthy and the small nooks and crannies of the dashboard had thick dust sitting in them. The interior door panels and fabric trim were dirtied with the greasy fingers of the mechanics.

Furious, I probed even further and even found a dead fly in the cubbyhole below the parking brake lever. I have clicked photos of all of this and will post them here for proof.

Livid, I went back and called the SA to the car and asked him why he charged me Rs. 650 towards interior cleaning when all that they have done is dirty the interiors. He had no valid reasons and proceeded to apologize and make up stories about why the interior was left in such a filthy condition. Sensing my growing anger, he quietly took the car back and yelled at the service guys who were responsible to cleaning the car. Following this outburst of his, the guys scrambled and vaccumed the dirt of the carpet and started hurriedly cleaning the door panels and dashboard.

While this cleaning was going on, I asked the SA for the customer feedback form and he said that he's already deposited it in the box. I asked him how he could do it without me even filling it up. He apologized and offered to give me a fresh one which I declined.

Furious and frustrated with these excuses and his bull****, I told him that this was the last time that I would be giving my car for a service to Advaith-Rajajinagar.

It was now 1.00 pm and I had spent almost two hours in the service station waiting for the car to be delivered. As I was leaving, he mentioned that the emmision test certificate was in the glove compartment of the car. As I was in a hurry I didn't check this, but just drove away.

On reaching home, I realized that the emission certifcate was missing and that they had already charged for it on the bill.

Yesterday (Dec 29) I got a call from the service advisor asking me if the car was functioning well. I said that I had no problems since the last week and promptly told him about the missing emission test certificate. He apologized and mentioned that I could come down there and pick it up-which I don't think I will be doing.

Mechanically, the car is fine. The engine is smooth and the A/C is performing brilliantly. All the minor squeaks and rattles from the doors have been ironed out as well.

Guys, the question I ask is, does Advaith Hyundai only cater to the mechanical needs of a vehicle during a service? After this shoddy job, I am never going back to this service station again.

This service station is the classic case of the service quality deteriorating when there are just too many cars to be serviced on the same day.

Attached are the following photos:

1. Bill copy of the service
2. Fly found in central console
3. Dirty floor carpeting

I urge fellow Bhp-ians to share their experiences and comment on my experience as well.

Cheers,
gpa

[Steeroid]

Advait has always been pretty infamous for bad service - pretty rare for a Hyundai A.S.S setup. I've had good experiences with Trident in the past (dont know the situation now) and so have several other members here.

[Eddy]

Look at the good part. At least they did everything else pretty well. But all in all, not a pleasant experience.

And overcrowded service station seems to be a common problem with Maruti, Hyundai and TATA

[gpa]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Advait has always been pretty infamous for bad service - pretty rare for a Hyundai A.S.S setup.

Yes, If Hyundai wants to catch up with MUL, it better iron out these instances fast.

[gpa]

Originally Posted by Eddy

Look at the good part. At least they did everything else pretty well. But all in all, not a pleasant experience.

Yes, thankfully I have not had any problems with the mechanicals of the car. Everything is in smooth working order and the car is smooth even after 50,000 kms which is a testament to the build quality to Hyundai vehicles.

Cheers,
gpa

[snaronikar]

Not only yours, I have couple of bad experiences with MSIL dealerships (RNS Motors-Y'pur & Mandovi-V'nagar) when I was owning WagonR. These are the classic cases of volumes increasing conditions deteriorating i.e., the workshop area remains same, no. of people remain same (no recruitments) but they have to cater to higher no of vehicles for servicing everyday. The same is the case with Ford dealerships. I h ad couple of bad experiences.

I feel this is the case with all the auto manufacturers in India.

[girish.r]

If this is the one located in Industrial town, then it looks like most of the vehicle service is carried out on the roads as most of time the cars are parked on the roads. Amidst this dangerously parked vehicles there are movements of industrial trucks/mini-trucks negotiating the turns.

Edit: It is indeed Industrial town location as per your bill.

[gpa]

Originally Posted by snaronikar

Not only yours, I have couple of bad experiences with MSIL dealerships (RNS Motors-Y'pur & Mandovi-V'nagar) when I was owning WagonR. These are the classic cases of volumes increasing conditions deteriorating i.e., the workshop area remains same, no. of people remain same (no recruitments) but they have to cater to higher no of vehicles for servicing everyday.

Hi snaronikar,

I agree. Most service stations are understaffed to handle the increased number of vehicles that need to be serviced. One way out of this problem is to go and spend your time at the service station when your vehicle is being serviced. But time like that is a rare luxury for us working folks

[snaronikar]

The only solution for these kind of problems is increase the infrastructure & manpower at dealerships for 3S (Sales, Service and Spares). But with recession creeping in, how many of them will be interested now. Ultimately, the customers will be the sufferers.

I have seen this dealership at Rajajinagar Industrial Town (Behind Padmavathi Kalyana Mantapa). For some cars, the servicing / repairs are done at the roadside and not even inside the workshop. Hence there is accumulation of dust and fly in your vehicle.

[gpa]

A big thank you to Team-Bhp!

This I say because the unthinkable happened. Within a few hours of my posting on this website about the shoddy service of the Hyundai A.S.S, I received a call from the Works Manager of the service station. He had read my posting and tracked down the bill concerned.

He called me on my mobile phone and mentioned that he had read my posting on this website and aplogized for the lapses that happened on the day the car was given for service and mentioned that he would have looked into the matter if he were not on leave on the day concerned.

He asked me to bring the car in again and offered to clean the interiors of the car once more free of cost. As I am not free this week, I mentioned that I will bring in the car sometime next week.

My thanks to T-Bhp. As the posting my opinions here on this website have led to prompt response from the Works Manager of the Hyundai A.S.S.

Last but certainly not the least, my sincere thanks to the Works Manager at this Hyundai A.S.S for reponding so promptly.

Cheers,
gpa

[Eddy]

Can we please send T-Bhp site details to all NCR authorised service station heads ?

[gpa]

Originally Posted by Eddy

Can we please send T-Bhp site details to all NCR authorised service station heads ?

I think that's a fab idea Eddy!

If the service heads of the service stations of all the car manufacturers read T-Bhp, I am sure their service will improve and that customer satisfaction will increase by leaps & bounds!

Cheers,
gpa

[snaronikar]

Wow...I feel this is a first on tbhp atleast considering the response time. Couple of things I would like to mention, firstly, pls put a sticker on to your car of this website and secondly as akk the dealerships to visit this site atleast once in a day so that they will come to know what are the flaws in the servicing.

@gpa: Did he by any chance ask you to edit/delete the posting here in this forum...

[sammyboy]

Awesome, its really nice to have Service managers with actual service mentality.

[Nikhilb2008]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Advait has always been pretty infamous for bad service - pretty rare for a Hyundai A.S.S setup. I've had good experiences with Trident in the past (dont know the situation now) and so have several other members here.

Actually no.

Advaith have always done a good job. There dont seem to be too many complaints. Apart from this one, there was a recent thread regarding their service which was also taken care of as soon as the top guys got to read the thread.

I am saying this because if it comes to Advaith, I have my ears and eyes open. I generally forward any links to them if I come across it on T-BHP.