[CARDEEP]

The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) directed Maruti Suzuki Ltd to pay Rs. 3 lac as compensation to one of its customers for selling him a defective car 10 years ago.

This is, however, a modification of orders of the State & District consumer Foram of Karnataka, which had directed the car manufacturer to replace the WagonR car with a new one and pay compensation of Rs 17,000.

More details here:

http://www.indiatvnews.com/news/indi...car-28725.html

[kdp95]

Justice served. Even after a decade. I admire the complainant's persistence and willingness to not give up.

[TSIched'Out]

Rs. 3 Lacs to be paid after 10 years is hardly any justice. Time has come to penalize the manufacturers severely so that they are afraid of cutting corners. Imagine what Rs. 3 Lacs would mean to a behemoth like Maruti Suzuki. There should be a mechanism of penalty of lets say 100 times the compensation amount which can go to road safety fund. Otherwise, these incidents will keep on repeating.

Originally Posted by CARDEEP

The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) directed Maruti Suzuki Ltd to pay Rs. 3 lac as compensation to one of its customers for selling him a defective car 10 years ago.

This is, however, a modification of orders of the State & District consumer Foram of Karnataka, which had directed the car manufacturer to replace the WagonR car with a new one and pay compensation of Rs 17,000.

More details here:

http://www.indiatvnews.com/news/indi...car-28725.html

[CARDEEP]

Even I feel the order passed by the State & District consumer Forum of Karnataka was the one that made sense, but what can be done now.

... Justice Delayed as well as Justice Denied

[needforspeed88]

Justice should be prompt and speedy. Just imagine the ordeal of the complainant in the last ten years attending all those hearings not knowing when the verdict is going to arrive. Hats off people who are willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that the car manufacturers are penalized for selling defective vehicles to unsuspecting consumers.

Originally Posted by TSIched'Out

Rs. 3 Lacs to be paid after 10 years is hardly any justice. Time has come to penalize the manufacturers severely so that they are afraid of cutting corners. Imagine what Rs. 3 Lacs would mean to a behemoth like Maruti Suzuki. There should be a mechanism of penalty of lets say 100 times the compensation amount which can go to road safety fund. Otherwise, these incidents will keep on repeating.

I Agree with you. 200 %

The 3 lakhs is peanuts to the owner after a decade of fighting. I think, Suzuki would be laughing at our governments rules. Isnt it. Judgement after 10 years and that too, not covering the complete vehicle cost.

Government should change our laws as soon as possible. If the Company is found guilty, it should be made to pay 100% penality to government. And another 50 -100% to the owner.

I am pretty sure that, with such a law, many advocates will try to make money by filing (gets filed on behalf of his clients) complaints against manufacturers. In order to control such mob. There should be another law under manufacturers protection, such that, if the individual / owner of vehicle couldnt prove fault in his automobele, he should be made to pay 50% of the vehicle cost to government.

[amitoj]

Calling this a justice is a travesty in itself. The original decision by the State and District Consumer fora of Karnataka was the right one. The decision by NCDRC decision does not state anywhere why it has modified that decision. Calling 3 lakhs a "handsome compensation" for eight years of misery is a joke.

[Chetan_Rao]

If this is what you get after following 'due process', I'm ashamed of the redressal systems in our country.

No wonder manufacturers treat us as a dumb bunch and take us for a ride at the first opportunity. If (rather when) something goes wrong, they know they'll appeal away to a stalemate, or get away with something that makes a slap on the wrist sound like a draconian punishment in comparison.


Edit: From the article in the OP, the commission also considered the fact that the car has been driven 1 lac+ kms till date while the case went on to arrive at the compensation amount. What is the user supposed to do? Park it for a decade and wait for 'justice'?

[rawnak]

Another example, manufacturers would be loving india.

1) Consumers who treat basic models around the world as premium cars (e.g. civic, corolla), basic features like airbags are premium here.

2) Pay double the price for same or even in some cases scaled down car which they sell in use

3) poor service standards

4) no Govt. safety requirements, no need for crash tests

5) In case of lemon car, consumer will 1st of all not file court case due to slow justice system. Even he gathers courage to file one, drag it court and most probably consumer will wear out. If he is steadfast in his resolve at end of it a ll provide him small sum.

In Hindi there is a saying "Paanch Ungliya ghee main" i.e. they have a goldmine in their hands.

Here is the lemon law in massachusetts state
"If your vehicle qualifies as a lemon and the manufacturer offers you a replacement vehicle, it must be one that is acceptable to you. You are free to reject a replacement vehicle and demand a refund. "
http://www.mass.gov/ocabr/consumer/a...lemon-law.html

When will we mature to get to that level?


--rawnak

[amitayu]

the poor customer must have spend over 3 lakhs in fighting the case for 10 years!!!

Is this 3 lakh over and above the legal expenses??

[lurker]

Why are Indian consumer forums giving off miserly and small pittance of amounts that hardly deter a manufacturer and call it justice ?

[ecosport]

The gist is carefully hidden away in the last paragraph of the article.

The NCDRC relied on the report of the institute as well as the numerous repair records of the car to conclude that the car was defective, but as it had travelled more than one lakh km during the period from 2003 till date, the bench directed that lump sum compensation of Rs three lakh be paid to Shetty.

So, the buyer uses the car for 10 years / 1L kms, gets 3L in compensation, and gets to keep the car too. Not a bad deal, if you'd ask me.

[fine69]

Originally Posted by ecosport

So, the buyer uses the car for 10 years / 1L kms, gets 3L in compensation, and gets to keep the car too. Not a bad deal, if you'd ask me.

I don't think anyone would be happy to get a lemon, fight a case for 10 years and then be content that he got 3 lakhs rupees and the lemon itself back.

Now when the justice has been served it might not look that bad a deal (though it does to me) but imagine that person's plight for these 10 years when he wasn't sure what the judgement could be.

Even 10 lakhs for 10 years of such agony isn't justice if you ask me!

[ecosport]

Originally Posted by fine69

I don't think anyone would be happy to get a lemon, fight a case for 10 years and then be content that he got 3 lakhs rupees and the lemon itself back.

Now when the justice has been served it might not look that bad a deal (though it does to me) but imagine that person's plight for these 10 years when he wasn't sure what the judgement could be.

Even 10 lakhs for 10 years of such agony isn't justice if you ask me!

Sorry, but a lemon cannot be driven for 1L kms.

[fine69]

Originally Posted by ecosport

Sorry, but a lemon cannot be driven for 1L kms.

Why not? Get the parts changed at whatever cost and drive it like a new vehicle. Even the engine can be replaced for that matter. A lemon doesn't necessarily mean that none of its parts work.

Usually the owner gives up after he incurs significant repair costs or sees too many parts being changed. After all its a machine with several smaller parts performing different functions. I think a lemon is workable with repairs, may be too frequent repairs in case of too many faults but still workable.

PS: May be what the media posted is completely opposite to what was the actual condition of the car but I'm only going by the article here.