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Old 10th January 2009, 22:31   #16
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Originally Posted by speedzak View Post
The reality of Fiat and it's dealers comes out in the open. Now that Tata is involved, it's easy to blame a lot on them too.

Even before Tata stepped in, Fiat dealerships were a pain. I don't think we need somebody from those times to drop in here with a similar thread to explain that. TVS dealerships were horrific to the core.

If Fiat wants to go anywhere ahead in India, they better fix up their dealerships and A.S.S game right.

Thanks for the insider story, Muneem.
Knowing your well known anti-Fiat bias, I am least surprised with your comments. Rather I expected such remarks the moment this thread sprang up (Especially coincidentally when Linea is getting launched). It is so very convenient to blame Fiat for all the issues, even though many issues really appear like dealer issue (who is a Tata dealer and anyway notorious about the service).

If it is any other brand (Tata, Honda, Maurti etc), any customer service issue is always dealer problem and not manufacturer. But the moment Fiat is involved, it suddenly becomes a Fiat issue and no more dealer problem.

Another observation that I have, most of the sworn Fiat haters come from Kerala, while the customers in Bangalore/Mumbai/Pune/Hyderabad is either okay or happy with Fiat service. May be it has something to do with past Fiat dealers in Kerala.

Muneem, thanks for sharing the story, but I am rather disappointed that you also were a party in trying to sell a lemon to unsuspecting customer. May be you were more concerned about your job at that time.

Last edited by RX135 : 10th January 2009 at 22:32.
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Old 10th January 2009, 23:28   #17
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Thanks muneem for taking time to put this down here. I should be writing my RF experience soon - as soon as we are able to undo all the damage they inflicted on the vehicle, which should be sometime this week.

Hold on to your thoughts & debates, folks - there's more to come and what you saw in that first post is only the curtain-raiser.
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Old 10th January 2009, 23:41   #18
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Originally Posted by Steeroid View Post
I should be writing my RF experience soon - as soon as we are able to undo all the damage they inflicted on the vehicle, which should be sometime this week.
I sincerely hope that, the vehicle in question is not your latest addition in stable. That one is too cute to be messed up in any way.
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Old 11th January 2009, 00:17   #19
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A good writeup. Curiously waiting for the next episode.

However, the thread isn't an eye opener of any sorts. It happens like this in our country, where we get technicians, who in most cases, can't even read or write properly, let alone be proficient in the technical aspects (like mechanical/electrical electronic) aspects of a car.

Apart from some manufacturers who follow some thumb rules, cars from other manufacturers who follow designs/processes specific to them, face the unfortunate fate of having to endure unqualified clueless individuals doubling up as "experts".

As far as the affected car is concerned, its an example of an incompetent incorporation of some additional acessories on it.

We need dealership/workshops to be mandated the need to go through some process audits and workshop competency management could/should be a core area defining how they choose their technical "experts", whats their minimum technical certification etc. But then would the Junta be able to pay the higher price that service would call for?

Another big factor are the sales men, fantastic individuals who build castles in the air, without even a clue of what can be achieved or and what not. Incompetency everywhere.

God save buyers.


Waiting for more.

Last edited by 1100D : 11th January 2009 at 00:20.
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Old 11th January 2009, 00:20   #20
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Originally Posted by RX135 View Post
I sincerely hope that, the vehicle in question is not your latest addition in stable. That one is too cute to be messed up in any way.
The latest addition to the stable is by no stretch of anybody's imagination "cute"...but it is also a Tata vehicle in a way.

Nope this is my poor Safari which has been inflicted with a lot of damage by a couple of dozen different drivers in my absence - I find some new damage, a scratch or a broken lamp or a screwed up clutch every time I come back home. I religiously took it to RF every time I found something wrong, and therein lies a very long tale.

The truck has been through too many hands in the past 9 months or so - its now in a sort of rehab where Chikku (nikkibike) and I have been bring it back to shape slowly - its nearly there, just a couple of minor issues to be sorted out before it gets back into showroom condition again.
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Old 11th January 2009, 00:59   #21
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Ah! So it finally appears here!! Wonderful!



Quote:
Originally Posted by RX135 View Post
Knowing your well known anti-Fiat bias, I am least surprised with your comments. Rather I expected such remarks the moment this thread sprang up (Especially coincidentally when Linea is getting launched). It is so very convenient to blame Fiat for all the issues, even though many issues really appear like dealer issue (who is a Tata dealer and anyway notorious about the service).

If it is any other brand (Tata, Honda, Maurti etc), any customer service issue is always dealer problem and not manufacturer. But the moment Fiat is involved, it suddenly becomes a Fiat issue and no more dealer problem.

Another observation that I have, most of the sworn Fiat haters come from Kerala, while the customers in Bangalore/Mumbai/Pune/Hyderabad is either okay or happy with Fiat service. May be it has something to do with past Fiat dealers in Kerala.

And in every FIAT thread one can see the poor FIAT Fanboys trying to save this company with excuses that even you guys know is absolute Bull! Come On!! Accept it guys! FIAT Sucks!!

Everybody blames Fiat for everything because the only things these idiots sell are stuff that no other country would touch with a barge pole!

The pailo in Brazil has been through 3 facelifts and 2 interior changes, and its only after the current 'stile' look was stopped elsewhere did we get it. And they still haven't changed the interior after all these years.

Heck! These nutjobs cant even make their own MJD engine perform as well as the swift D!

Why cant they just shut shop and go?? Oh wait! they still have the linea to market and fail again right?? Way to go fiat!
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Old 11th January 2009, 01:22   #22
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Thanks Muneem for sharing your experience. i am afraid that this thread is going to be another "Fiat bashing" thread. IMHO, this can happen with many manufacturer. We have come across similar experiences on this forum for cars from Honda and Ford.

Its very unfortunate for the poor guys with whom these incidents happen and the trouble they go through.
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Old 11th January 2009, 02:18   #23
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I dont know about fiat bashing or whatever.but in Kerala ,it is a sadist happiness of driving/riding a new vehicle roughly to have either engine already broken(in case of bikes) by the so called "experts"(mechanics).I had one suzuki fiero rejected 7 years back after the local tvs franchisee mechanic rode the bike "enough" to make it a junk from edappally to muvatupuzha. :x How bad!

the same is with service centres too.the lakhs worth cars can be ruined by the jealous employees who unfortunately works for the A.S.C 's.

But I want to point out Bikes especially ,where the new bikes are rode roughly by the franchisee's mechanics to distant towns from cochin -for eg to angamaaly or muvatupuzha.this sucks!and bikes especially because they are not engine break proof!.

Why no one dare to speak against Popular Hyundai(Kerala) ?I am sure lot of bakra's are there with their long streching dealerships in even remote towns in kerala.
--
at the end ,Media must expose this behaviour of dealers in Kerala who dont have even test cars!wants to destroy unsuspecting customer's cars!
Hardly any customer questioning the multi million rupees groups owning dealerships in kerala in the likes of popular,indus,RF,koyenco,peninsular,AVG etc.
Earlier ,it was a customary practice in our places to buy new cars from coimbatore or bangalore or pondychery.now I know why! I am sure the dealerships outside kerala are NOT that bad as ourselves.the arrogant ones.

Last edited by deepclutch : 11th January 2009 at 02:20.
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Old 11th January 2009, 03:54   #24
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Now, FiAT should stop selling cars in Kerala. Or to all mallus who are spread thru out the world :
But if that will save this one big comedy called FiAT India, then... Please!

It's a very lame excuse to blame Kerala and it's dealerships alone for problems present almost everywhere in the country/world.
Right now, I'm in Nigeria. A country where any thingy with wheels will be repaired and made to run for ages to infinity. Peugot, Ford, Datsun, Merc, Volvo, Bmw etc... (ie.. Cars which aren't that easy and cheap to maintain normally) are repaired by local garages and roadside mechanics with very ease and are often seen on the road running in wierd conditions. But I was surprised not to see Fiats in this whole country (I've travelled almost more than 5000 kms here). My fiat sightings here from the last 50 days is less than what I can count in my fingers. I was curious about this and asked some of my car crazy friends here in many occasions about this and the answer was always the same: "Huh! Horrible to maintain, buddy! It doesn't hold itself in a piece for long." "But if ford and other european makes can be repaired and run even when tied up in ropes and what not, why not Fiat?"
"FIAT is FIAT" the chorus still lingers in my ears and I can see the despair in their faces.

A car manufacturer is responsible for it's dealers. It's not a case of 3-4 incidents which can be ignored. It's been a punishment from the day FiAT India restarted operations in our country.
No matter how many times an ostrich tries to bury it's head on the ground, the blot will remain out for everybody to see.
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Old 11th January 2009, 04:42   #25
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Oh, I see, its kerala's fault for having lousy FIAT service! Its all clear to me now. Maybe all the other companies in kerala have lousy service too? Wait- Thats not true- I get a swift and a Hyundai serviced every few months painlessly.
Maybe they know we are fiat bashers and purposely give us bad service?
 
Old 11th January 2009, 07:19   #26
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Thanks Muneem for the insider story- another team-bhp first. This would save quite a few gullible souls from falling prey into the hands of these.

Wonderful write-up! Looking forward to reading episode 2.
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Old 11th January 2009, 08:08   #27
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Well written insider story about a dealership!

But, Is it not the same situation in most of the dealerships in India. If we had one insider from every other A.S.S of different manufacturer we would hear similar horror stories.

There is a thread active about a Honda dealership selling an year old Honda Accord to its customer. And its not a 5 Lakh rupee car!

The demo car thing is something I am aware of.

I hope this thread doesnt become a paradise for the Fiat haters & bashers & I also hope Fiat sees a big change!

Last edited by anachronix : 11th January 2009 at 08:12.
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Old 11th January 2009, 08:11   #28
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Good thread Muneem. Fiat will never do good in our country unless they get their dealership and A.S.S act right. Another manufacturer would always give step motherly treatment to the Fiat vehicles, Tata-Fiat MoU A.S.S is just not good enough for the customer. I feel sorry for the poor chap who was sold a lemon.
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Old 11th January 2009, 08:25   #29
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These are terrible state of affairs at RF motors. I sincerely hope that someone who has been cheated by them take them to the court and dent their reputation. Also, is there a way that this thread be shown to Tata/Fiat officials? At least they might warn these guys to mend ways.
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Old 11th January 2009, 08:52   #30
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I am surprised at the ridiculous fiat bashing in a thread where it should be about a SPECIFIC dealership. Yet motherhood statements abound.

surprised no one else is bringing the tata factor into the equation.

Tata dealerships (even non fiat) have been scum even before Fiat committed themselves to that murderous MoU instead of actually having the guts to rebuild the network sensibly.

And yes, bringing in the previous dealerships is just as useless an argument. This thread is about Muneem's experience at RF, period. Why can't people leave their regular prejudices/previous horrors at the door?
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