[sgiitk]

Originally Posted by aargee

@Sgiitk Sir - What happened after writing to Honda Cars India? Did Honda or Pusp Honda dealer come back to you? Did you get your car?

After an ack sms from Honda on the 4th May nothing. I know they referred my mail to the dealer - who claims to have shot back saying that this problem is at the corporate end and not the dealer's end. This was on the 7th.

Silence since then. I was out and came back yesterday. Wrote to Pushp Honda (Sahani). Just got an e-mail that I should expect a reply in a day or two from Honda.

Bl**dy efficient. They cannot give a delivery date in two weeks? The other things could have taken their own time.

[SinghBHP]

Hi Guys ,
After reading all the posts above I found that it's an opinion that this is not Honda's Fault rather a Dealer's or Salesman's Fault. I would like to disagree over this point as I think that Dealers and Salesman are the Face of companies, for us it's Honda's showroom/dealer from where we buy our car.During the complete buying experience we talk to various people from dealerships. These people will always talk to you and pose as an employee of a Brand Company(ex. Honda, Skoda etc.) and not like an employee of Dealer. If we consider the horror stories of Skoda here we will find that most of the people were cheated by dealers and then further when it was reported to company they also did not respond well to the call. Hence, due to companies attitude to not to fix dealers, a long list of Dissatisfied Skoda customers on Team-BHP. Change of salesman/Manager's should not effect the promises made by dealer/company to its customers. I go to buy a car because it is Honda/Maruti/FIAT etc. not because it is sold at/sold by certain XYZ dealer or by an ABC salesman. I believe Honda while selling its dealerships always make it clear the scope of promises which dealers can make. If a dealer had to stretch the scope then they have to do it at the cost of their own profit margin.

In Wild Phoenix's case it seems that a fake promise was made at the cost of dealer's margin just to make a sale. However, as a customer I am least concerned at whose cost was it made. For me I was promised something by HONDA while bying Brand Honda and I want that to be fulfilled by them.
So I would say that if Wild Phonix's case is not taken care of then it will clearly be a fault of HONDA as a company. For me its a commitment broken by HONDA brand just like we blame SKODA brand for all faults I would blame Honda for it and would like them to talk to dealer and get it fulfilled.

[rjvora_2000]

Originally Posted by navin

Consumer Grievence Body (or equivalent).

PM me if help required on this issue to your friend.
I hope he don't need this help.

[sgiitk]

I got an e-mail from them. Please read my original mail and compare their response to that. I am also attaching my reply to that.

Their reply:

This is with reference to your letter dated 04th May'10 addressed to our President & CEO Mr. Takashi Nagai regarding your concern on availability of BS-4 certified Honda Civic at our dealer M/s Pushp Honda, Kanpur.

We have gone through the contents of your letter and regret to learn of your feedback.

However, while following up on your concern with our Dealer M/s Pushp Honda, Kanpur and our Mr. Rakesh Negi, we have been given to understand that the sales deal was shared with you and with respect to the availability it was submitted that we would check the production plan for the month of April and will confirm the availability based on the same. No commitment with regards to a specific delivery date were made during the entire deal. The same was also shared with you by Pushp Honda, Kanpur. Further to your query regarding a BS-3 car being supplied in place of BS-4, it was clarified during your interaction with Mr. Negi (as also mentioned in your letter that all cars manufactured before 31st March 2010 are BS-3 certified and BS-4 cars will only be manufactured after that.

With regard to your concern regarding availability BS4 specified car, we wish to inform you that BS4 certified car will be available in June'10.

We regret the delay in availability of the car on your desired date & time and assure you that we will be able to deliver the car positively by the last week June'10.


We value your patronage and wish to assure you of our best services at all times.
Regards,
Ajay Kumar
Customer Relationship Managment
Honda Siel Cars India Ltd.



My response to them (I have removed the quoted text)


I am in receipt of your mail and my comments are as follows:

I think you are very good a paraphrasing what I have written. Just to remind you:

I clearly wrote that Mr Negi indicated the exact date for BS4 will be known only in early April, with the 14th as an indication. Also, when the Expected date of delivery was pushed back to 3/4 May I never complained. Only on 29th April when it was pushed back to June I complained.

Now I find 1st week of June as assured by Mr Negi to Mr Sahani in my presence is pushed back to end of June. Why this further delay?

Also, by your own statement BS4 cars are being manufactured starting April. So then why the 3 month delay.

The issue about May 3/4 delivery of the BS4 car remains un-addressed?

I must complement you on trying the defend the indefensible, and your colleague.

I have never seen such craftily worded deceitful reply, just this side of outright falsehood in my life.

If this is the way Honda wishes to start a relationship, then God help Honda, you and Mr Nagai. May you meet your Waterloo soon!


Obviously someone is being economical with the truth!

[sparkplug]

Without doubt I love my Car and probably my next would also be a Chevy,

But its just for the splendid performance I enjoyed with Spark which has clocked 45000+ Kms.

Here goes my experience with Udit Motors, Thane (then Chevrolet Dealer).

I booked and purchased the Chevrolet Spark LT towards June 2007. I think the car was launched just a month before in May. Was a very proud owner of the Car just for a week. Seven days post my purchase, Chevrolet offered an flat 50,000 discount on Spark! And 2 months later, they offered 3 Year free maintenance and 10,000 corporate discount.

Felt that I was robbed in daylight. I wudnt have imagined this to happen and ask Udit Motors why was I not preinformed of such offer coming and I would have happily postponed my purchase. So they had promised an huge discount on my next purchase if it was a Chevy. I left out then and kept paying (and still pay) for service while seeing other Chevys getting it for free.

So when Cruze was about to be launched, I planned to discuss of the discount for an Optra or Cruze while I was to visit Udit Motors for a regular service. Was surprised to know that the dealership was closed.

I wrote to GM about this and someone was supposed to get back to me in 48 hours. I reminded them twice and the received an response that the sales team from west would get in touch with me. Its been more than 6 months and no response thereafter.

Spark is no doubt the best amongst the small cars I have owned (zen, santro, wagonr).

I haven't made my purchase of second car yet. Perhaps someone at Chevy reads this and would want to retain one customer (high hopes)

Originally Posted by Wild Phoenix

What does everyone from Team-BHP thinks about this? Has anyone faced similar issues?

[NevGin]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

I got an e-mail from them. Please read my original mail and compare their response to that. I am also attaching my reply to that.

Dear Doc. Ask for your monies back and book another brand of car. Let Honda keep defending their prisoners on death row. My suggestion is to go ahead and get yourself something else.

PS-Ensure that money is returned at average market return rate

[sgiitk]

Looks like a happy ending

Mr Sahani the GM Sales of Pushp Honda got in touch with higher ups in Honda Corporate and told them that he stands 100% with my letter. Finally got them to agree to ship the car as per the last communication from Mr Negi to Mr Sahani. I saw the car yesterday (VIN has EA, i.e. May 2010 manufacture). I am collecting it today afternoon.

Not surprising the accessories ordered, namely, 5th alloy and illuminated sills have not been shipped. I am assured that these will come before the first service.

So hopefully, the story should have a happy ending.

[echo77]

This in Goa - Coastal Honda: I have 2 friends with the NHC bought within a few months of each other, about 3 years back, one of them got a discount (after some haggling) and the other did not (he just wanted his dream car). The one who got a discount is being charged about Rs 1,000-1,500/- more per servicing than the one who did not get the discount. The last time he told me that they charged him that much more for injector cleaning, though it was not mentioned in the work sheet given to him when he gave the car for servicing. So, if you get a discount at purchase point, try to see that they don't overcharge you in servicing to make up for it.

Also I find it surprising that a car as reliable as the City needs a 5000km/6 month servicing plan.

[aargee]

@sgiitk - Congratulations Sir. Your reply back to them have probably done the magic. So pls do keep us posted on the car delivery experience. Pls watch every movement of the dealer as he may try to act crooked in the last moment. Good Luck.

[sgiitk]

Originally Posted by echo77

Also I find it surprising that a car as reliable as the City needs a 5000km/6 month servicing plan.

Once upon a time Honda had a 5000km/3 month service schedule incl. oil change. After some flack, incl from yours truly, and more likely FIAT making a big noise about the 10,000/once a year service schedule, and Toyota switching to the same, Honda have gone to at least six months/5000km. All my cars for the past decade plus (once out of warranty) have lived happily with once a year / 10000km service and oil change schedule. Coolant & brake fluid are changed once every two years.

Also, I will almost certainly go for something like Magnatec on the first change (I will provide it). Will switch to a full synth only after a year/10000km point. The manual only calls for API-SL while Magnatec is API-SM. I do not like a super oil (as a synth) until the running in is done. Incidentally, Honda OE oil is from Idemitsu.

[echo77]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

Once upon a time Honda had a 5000km/3 month service schedule incl. oil change.

Yes, I have another friend with the OHC who had extended warranty and they used to keep calling him every 3 months saying that the extended warranty would get void. He was so relieved when the extended warranty period finally got over.

One would like to think the other way round

[sgiitk]

Got the vehicle. The best experience I had in picking up a car. Everything was ready and in shape. No staff begging for bakhsheesh either. As mentioned the accessories should be fitted at the first service. Also, Mr Sahani and his staff took time to try and explain the vehicle fully to us. The only minor bug I caught - the fuel efficiency card was for the MT while I bought at AT. RTO was busy with BS3 work in yesterday's date, so the RC should come tomorrow. Plan to replace dealer supplied plates by Utsav plates. Normally, I do not allow any dealer stickers on my cars - let them put one!

[echo77]

Congrats Sir! Looking forward to some pics and reviews.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

Got the vehicle.

Congratulations Sir

Originally Posted by sgiitk

The best experience I had in picking up a car. Everything was ready and in shape.

See I told you, your words & email did the magic

Originally Posted by sgiitk

No staff begging for bakhsheesh either.

I don't know what you meant, but it made me

Originally Posted by sgiitk

As mentioned the accessories should be fitted at the first service.

I hope you don't need to make umpteen calls & keep reminding them.

Originally Posted by sgiitk

Also, Mr Sahani and his staff took time to try and explain the vehicle fully to us.

His beatings from Honda should've evened him out!!!

Originally Posted by sgiitk

Plan to replace dealer supplied plates by Utsav plates.

Good choice; they're very prompt, neat & very professional in their service. I'd ordered one for my motorcycle & they did a great job. I'm planning one for my car too.

Anyway, Hearty Congratulations Sir

[HKap]

Originally Posted by Wild Phoenix

My friend got his Honda City in December '09. In order, to win over a probable customer, the salesman and dealer made false promises about few goodies alongwith the car, which they still haven't delivered till date. And my friend keeps calling them in order to get what he was promised but of no avail.

Here's the very email that he sent to the customer relationship manager of Honda Automobiles (India) taking the matter up to the company itself inorder to get the issue resolved.

--------EMAIL---------

Dear Sir,
I, Nikhil (vehicle registration no. MH 02 ** ****) would like to bring to your notice the problems faced due to your dishonest dealer.
I booked the HONDA CITY VMT in December, 2009 from Solitaire Honda, Mumbai. The promised freebies were as follows : Mattings, Mud Flaps, Mirror Locks, 50% off on Rear Sensors, Teflon Coating , Anti Rust Coating and a cash discount of Rs. 31,000. Out of the promised freebies, I insisted that Anti Rust and Teflon Coating be done during the 1st service of the car which was agreed upon by Solitaire Honda. All other freebies were provided during the delivery of the vehicle.
I got the car delivered on 9th Jan, 2010. Till date there have been no problems with the car at all. I am very happy with the performance of the car. After a month of buying the car when the 1st service was scheduled, I called up the sales person named Ajay asking him to intimate the workshop for the free Anti Rust and Teflon Coating as promised. He agreed upon that and I gave my car for service expecting that Anti rust and Teflon coating would be done. But when they delivered the car to me , they told me that only Teflon coating has been done and they could not do the Anti Rust treatment due to shortage of staff (this was not told me when I gave the car for service). So I decided to wait until the 2nd service and then avail of the free Anti Rust treatment. So when my second service is scheduled I call up Ajay once again asking him to intimate the workshop for the free Anti Rust treatment. To my horror, he just blatantly refuses to acknowledge that he had promised me a free Anti Rust treatment. I spoke to his senior named Mr. Sujit Das Gupta and showed him the paper where Ajay had written the freebies promised to me. After seeing that, Mr. Sujit Das Gupta and Ajay both agree that it was their fault, but still say they cannot provide me the free anti rust treatment on that day as they had to update some file which was in another office. I felt this was highly unprofessional on their part. He again promised me that within 3 days they would pick my car from my home, get the free Anti Rust treatment done and drop it back to my home. I waited for 3 WEEKS but nobody from Solitaire Honda called me. I'm tried to call Ajay again but he'd just refuse to receive my call. At this point I had lost my patience and rushed to the showroom to talk to the Sales Manager , Mr. Avinash Bhardwaj. I told my whole story to Mr. Avinash Bhardwaj and expected he would address to my sorrow right away. But no, that did not happen. He again asked me for some more time to discuss this matter with his directors. I feel I have been cheated by Solitaire Honda. Although the car has given me no problems, I'm not very happy buying a HONDA due to such poor service and would not recommend it to anybody.
I would like to bring to your notice one more incident, where in the front right tyre of my car got torn unfortunately. I went to Solitaire Workshop and showed it to them. They told me that it has to be replaced which I agreed upon and told them to replace it right away. Upon that, the Service Advisor named Chandrashekhar Konga, tells me that the tyre is not in stock!! Upon discussing the tyre changing process with him he tells me that they do not have the machine for removing the tyre from the rim and fitting the new tyre on the rim. And he would be taking my wheel outside of the workshop (to some local mechanic) to do this job. My question to HONDA is when I pay a premium amount for the genuine spares why should the job done from the local mechanic??
I am very disappointed by the laid back attitude of Solitaire Honda. Your dealer is tarnishing Honda's image severely, and even though I like the car and the brand, but due to such pathetic service, I don't think I'll be recommending Honda to anybody if it continues in the same way.
I request you to take appropriate action against Solitaire Honda at the earliest. I hope to get justice. Awaiting your reply. Thanking you in anticipation.
Regards,
Nikhil.

-----------------------------------------------------------

From last heard, he got a call from Honda's customer service dept. and an official heard the whole story and promised him that he'd look into the matter and would demand an explanation from Solitaire Honda (Mumbai) and get back to him by soon.

What does everyone from Team-BHP thinks about this? Has anyone faced similar issues?

Hi,
I bought my car a Honda City VMT (named Oliver thereafter) from Solitaire Honda and the whole experience was nothing short of a nightmare. It was just a casual lunch at a restaurant near Solitaire Honda in Andheri. I had been pushing my dad to get rid of one of our old cars and get the new City. We had checked it out at Linkway before that and had almost booked it but Mom wanted to wait for a few more months (which turned out to be a good thing because now I had a better model -- the VMT). For some reason dad agreed to check out the deal offered by Solitaire. After some nego solitaire agreed to a deal which was 15k off and mud flaps, sun film and teflon. With the old gen just about to go end of sale, he had just one white SMT left. Not being sure of how much the increase in price for the SMT will be we decided to book it right then. We signed the papers, and they came home and collected the 50k booking amount. It was the "shradh" period so we couldn't pay the complete amount and take delivery. Meanwhile Honda announced the new lineup of SMT and VMT with a very minor price increase. However, my nightmare with Solitare started even before this. There was absolutely no followup from Solitaire. Insurance from Solitaire was for 33k and an independent quote from Bajaj, ICICI was around 16-17k which is why i insisted on getting insurance myself. Solitaire refused to let me do that and I refused to buy the car from them (stating that the govt regulations require me to have insurance and dont require me to buy it from the dealer). They kept telling me that they would call back and they would never call me. This went on everyday for two weeks. After that I finally went to the showroom where I was introduced to the showroom manager Mr. Avinash Bahadur. This man is the most arrogant sales guy I have ever seen. When told about the insurance amount difference his exact words were "mujhe pata nahi tha ki isne aisa deal uthaya hai varna main deal ko naa bol deta". At this point I just lost it. I got up and asked him to refund my money since there was Arya who was giving me a better deal on the new city and also my old car (I had a buyer for my getz at 3.05L. Since I didnt want to do the paperwork myself I was willing to give the dealer a cut for doing the paperwork for the customer that I found). He refused to do that. My dad didnt want to stretch this too much so we just upgraded to the VMT and walked off. Delivery promised within 15 days. The awesome sales guys at Solitaire "forgot" to do all the paperwork. My dad used to work out of Mumbai at that time and had to fly back for just half an hour so that Solitaire could take his signatures (there was one missing). That alone cost me 10k for which they were not even sorry. Finally the day of delivery arrives. We reach the showroom bang on time for the 10 am delivery. We bring Oliver home. I had ordered the front windshield sun film and mirror locks along with the rest of the accessories that were part of the deal). Solitaire conveniently "forgot" to install the mirror locks and the front windshield sun film. This was not brought to my attention (also the missing warranty card for the sun film). I reached home and noticed that the mirror locks were missing. I called them and they said that because of the rush they forgot to install it and also forgot to do the teflon coating. I was completely ok with that except the fact that they didnt tell me at the time of delivery and would probably not have done it had I not noticed it. Also I had told them not to put ANY stickers on the car. This was clearly written on the order forms. However, my car was full of Solitaire Honda stickers and the annoying "loving and caring for you always...." sticker. They said I could come back on the following weekend and they would do the teflon and also remove the stickers. I had noticed the stickers at the time of delivery but dad didnt want to create a issue during the "happy occasion". Issues sorted out in a week. Time for the first service. I drop the car off at Solitaire and they promise a drop off. The car gets dropped off as scheduled. I get back home from work and check the car. I start the engine and notice that there is a quarter tank of fuel missing. The fuel economy which was showing 12.8 when i dropped off the car is now reading 4.5. I was mad to say the least. It wasn't about the 500 Rs of fuel. Such instances was the only reason why I hadn't purchased the Octavia. The odometer reading was around 8kms more than what it was when I had dropped off Oliver. Thats roughly the distance between the workshop and my house. So clearly someone had left the car idling with possibly the AC on. I brought this to their attention right then. I sent them some pictures as well. After refusing to accept it initially, the pictures were proof enough that something was wrong. They said we are sorry. I said its not about being sorry. How do I know for sure that they weren't replacing parts like some of the Skoda dealers? I threatened to call Honda and complain. Their reply was "please go ahead". I will inform my manager. So I did exactly that. Within a day of the logging the complain, Solitaire's customer sat division calls me and the issue is settled. Meanwhile, my issues with Solitaire showroom are still going on. It had been over a month and the old getz had still not been transferred to the new buyer. I was worried because the buyer was still learning how to drive and the last thing I wanted was my dad's name on a moving missile!! This was the whole point of letting the dealer complete the formality of RC change "in a matter of 5 days" as they proclaimed. This issue along with the other issues was brought to the attention of the owner Mr. Sailesh Kachalia. He was angry to say the least that his customer was being treated like this. This was the third car (along with two Hyundais) that we had bought from his dealerships. However, even he couldn't get the used car issue solved. Again I got on a call with Honda and this time the conversation turned ugly since I had had enough and I got Mr Kachalia on a conference call with Honda. I wont get into the details of the call but finally after over 40 days, my issues with Solitaire were solved!!

I am very happy with the car and Honda's (parent company) customer sat but Solitaire sucks to say the least!!