Prerana Motors Old Madras Road . Will I go again ? I used to be a regular customer for Prerana Motors Old Madras Road for my 6r old Indigo.My service was due in March, but then I couldn't find time to drop the vehicle and hence I carried on. Then came our plan to drive to Ooty for Easter weekend and hence, I decided to get my vehicle serviced as it was more than 6 months since my last service.
Called up Prerana, got an appointment for wednesday (April 8). Dropped the vehicle for servicce at around 9 AM, mentioned my issues that needs to be attended to. The service advisor promptly jotted down all of them and even entered them in the job card .Promised me that vehicle will be ready by 5 PM.
Time 5 15 PM: I reached the workshop, found the SA and went on to check the vehicle.To my surprise, 2 of the major things that I had asked for was not even attended to.
Then, he had to call one mechanic and then he started doing the stuff (it was related to the window glasses) and after some 30 mins, finished the stuff.
Had a finalcheck, went for a trial run and then settled the bill. It was a paid service which included oil change,vehicle checkup and stuff.
Drove the vehicle to the Shell bunk, filled up ( as we had to travel next day early morning to ooty).
Next day morning, woke up at around 5 AM, got ready, packed the bags and then went to my cousins place as they were our company for the trip.We left their place at around 6 30 Am and soon were crusing the mysore road at around 80.
We would have covered close to 80 KM and reached a place called channapatna. I was slowing down to negotiate a speed breaker and had comfortably reduced the speed to around 10 kmph and then the applied some more break to stop it further and then it happened...
My break pedal just went inside.I am left with no brake and my vehicle hit an Innova that was almost getting out of the speed breaker.
I was shocked.. I didn't knew what to do as it was the first time that I am experiencing a situation in which my brakes failed.
Slowly, I steered the vehicle to the left and parked it there.
The innova also stopped. They came out and inspected their damagae and then came to us.
Now, I am not sure how to thank those generous family who were travelling in the Innova. Once I told them that my brakes failed and that is why i hit them, they were enquiring whether we are OK in our car.
Now , I would call that as something out of the world that some one can show to anyone. Thanks to those unknown gentlemen for the generosity that they have shown. I know, if it was some one ese, they would have thrashed me and my car for what has happened.
Well, the story doesn't end here. I got hold of a mechanic and he found out that the break fluid cable had got cut
One should remember that this was a vehicle that got serviced the previous day.
On inspecting the damaged fluid cable, mechanic told that the fluid cable was getting rubbed against some mechanical component and the damage had been happening for some time.
After some 45 minutes of stoppage, we continued our journey with a replaced fluid cable.All the time, I wanted to go back the service station and vent my anger on that person who had inspected my vehicle..
After we returned from Ooty, next day, I shot off an email to Prerana Motors, Tata motors explaining about what has happened . Evening, I got a call from the workshop manager, enquiring about the issue and requested me to come down to the workshop to see the issue.
Though i didn't have the damaged cable, I went to the workshop to show the damage that has happened out of the impact with innova. My headlamp assembly was damaged and bonnet was not getting closed properly.
On reaching the workshop, found the works manager (Mr Karthik). He immediately took the vehicle to the service bay, lifted the vehicle and inspected the underbody.
He saw the replaced cable (front right)and then went to check the other cable (front left side cable).
And we could see that the front left cable also had a similar damage happening and it too was waiting to get broken.
How can I not thrash those people who do vehicle checkings.Then, I asked them how they do a normal paid service and he showed me their checklist for service.
One line item in that was " check break fluid cable for any damage". I just shouted at them whether they had actually did this check and to my surprise, he told me that they will do visual inspection to see such issues.
How on earth one can see whether the damage is there by just visualising an item ? When we ran our hands against the tube, we found the damage and hence if the mechanic had paid some attention while checking, this entire episode of accident would have been averted.
Anyways, the dealership offered to bear 50% of the service cost for repair and hence I dropped the vehcle,got it repaired and as promised, they took 50% of cost on their side.
Still, if some one asks me whether I will go again to prerana, my only answer is a BIG NO as now, I know how people over there do service.
Now, the situation might be same across all dealerships, but, since I had a very bad experience with them, I will try my best to avoid them in future. |