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-   -   Ichibaan Honda Service (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-scene/25192-ichibaan-honda-service.html)

I got my OHC in October 2005, and since then the car was serviced at the gas station close to my place, and repairs were taken care of by a nearby extremely skilled garage.

I am far from being the extremely caring car owner, and very often have neglected minor things as my car is almost always on the move.

After all this time, i thought the car should visit an authorised service centre for a complete detailed service apart from the usual wash and oil change.

So I call Ichibaan as they are not too far away from my place, first thing i hear from them is thay they can offer a pick-up and drop service only 7 days later, having realised the car is in desperate need for a service i inform them that i will drop my car the next morning at 9.00 a.m.

This is where i get a hint of the lack of professionalism, the lady at the reception asks me what i am here for, after gathering i am there to get my car serviced she complains that i am 30 minutes late, apparently the lady on the phone scheduled my appointment to 8.30 a.m. and asked me to get there by 9.00 a.m.
After this, the lady at the reception asks me to wait in the lounge as there are quite a few customers already waiting for the executives to open a job card.

After much delay (55 minutes if i recall correctly), a service advisor Alpesh comes around to prepare the job card for my car, some basic instructions are given to him about my filter, a couple of pointers, am told the car should be ready by around 4 p.m. and i hurriedly take off as i am already very late to work.

As told, i get a call a little later than 4.00 p.m. that day, but i cant make it, so i inform Alpesh i 'll pick the car up the next morning.

Reach Ichibaan, am directed to the payment counter, make the payment, am taken to car. Things look ok, the advisor assumes his job is over, and goes back inside to assist other customers.

Pop the hood, and i discover a dusty engine bay to say the least.
I immediately call for Alpesh (who is extremely busy to act promptly), and question him about the same, the man is clueless of what to say to that and insists i let him get his people to clean it one more time.
I am already sort of late, and this making things worse.

I simply ask him what are the things that are covered in a basic service, and hand me over a copy of the same in written, for which he again is extremely blank.

A service manager (who is already getting a thrashin from another customer) assists the situation shortly.
He insists the the car wash is not mandatory, and is just an added benefit the service centres offer (?), this time he makes me go blank for a moment.
I simple insist that the labour charge of 975 rs. to be refunded as i cant trust what they have charged me that for. Obviously he does not agree on that, and takes me to the GM, MR. Prashant, who is practically of no use except the slight thrashing he obliged his subordinates with.

We talk for a while, discuss the matter, i insist that if something as simple as a 'car wash' has not been executed well, how could i trust them with other stuff that they said they had performed on the car. Btw, everytime i asked them what they covered in a service, they said they check this this this, but dont rectify that that that, etc, basically they had no firm reply to the same.

After some more useless talk, the GM insists i leave my car for a detailed wash, or drop it off sometime whenever i am free for a wash again, which i feel is of much inconvience for me, so i let the offer pass.

On my way out, i discover some silver paint marks on the left side rear door and window. This time i am obviosuly furious about it, literally lead the service manager to the car, who later calles the GM once again.

They tell they do not know how the marks have sprung up, and their paint booth is on another side e.t.c and they 'll surely have it cleaned e.t.c, but all i wanna know is how it even got there in the first place to which none of them had a reply to. After this i gladly left the place and i doubt i will have anything to do with Ichibaan in future.

Now through all this, the sevrice personnel seemed occupied all the time i needed them to come inspect something, i clicked enough pictures of the engine bay and the paint marks which i am sort of lazy to upload.
Mind you, by the time i left the placeit was close to 12.45 p.m. the service turned out to be inconvenient and useless to say the list, and all this for a little less than 3,000 rs. that i paid them.

The only benefit from the service was that i got a list of what the Ichibaan people thought was wrong with the car, have handed over a copy of this to my mechanic and he's rectifying everything that needs attention.

Btw, the list included the follwing,
One broken engine mount to be replaced,
Wiper linkage broken, needs complete replacement, yeah right lol
Some clutch part needed to be replaced, mech says to replace clutch soon.
Exhaust pieces need to be replaced as they are not original Honda parts
I am probably missing a thing or two here.

This is just to point out the incompetent, unprofessional and laid back attitude of Ichibaan Honda which from what i saw was universal and almost every customer there was seen nagging.

manson.

Bad experience. How about reporting here: Honda Feedback

Does it help?

To add, last week another lady called for feedback, gave her a brief bit on my experience, and she said she'd call back in 10 mins, it been a while since then.

Am going to mail this link to the GM tomorrow, so Mr. Prashant if you're reading this, you have really surprised me that you have actually troubled your arms and fingers to make a few clicks to look up this link.

manson.

hey manson,
that should be called as joke for the day!!
can anything be more hillarious than this? the full service includes payment for wash too (engine bay included)
one tight slap wud the right treatment to this guy

I am very surprised that a Honda authorized service centre has such unprofessional and laid back attitude.



Hellcat

If i may add again (there's just so much to it), after the first bit with prahsant, the service manager insisted i let the boys do a quick engine bay wash, i agreed.
Throughout the 20 minutes while this happened, there was no service personnel around to check what the labour was doing, this is when i noticed the paint marks, and the service advisor, manager and GM (who had to be conviced by the manager to come out and have a look) made an appearance.

manson.

Ichibaan already has a reputation I guess. GTO, I think had some problems while sourcing an Accord - later VTEC, correct me if I am wrong. How are the other Honda dealers. And it makes me wonder if it is really worth paying that premium (real or imaginary) that Honda cars carry.

OT: Compare this to a maruti A.S.S where the work begins after a through car wash! may be maruti guys don't want to get their hands dirty! in and all I am very sad to hear this abt the Honda A.S.S and ichibaan means No. 1!

Need not be. Maruti A.S.S can be as bad as Honda A.S.S.

Ref: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ic-people.html

It basically boils down how much they love their work and respect the customer.

Manson, this is shocking but only until you see Ichibaans name in the picture. They are amongst the worst Honda dealerships in Mumbai not only for service but also for sales. One of the reasons that I bought a Lancer in Y2000 and not an Old Honda City was the indifferent attitude of the sales staff. Havent you read the Ichibaan horror stories on Team-BHP?

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I have been hearing some good things about Arya Honda, and have had a good experience with Shaman Auto (parent group) for my Indigo. I suggest you try them. Even Linkway has an "acceptable" level of service. Not brilliant but acceptable.

Manson, knowing the horror stories of Icchiban on the forum you should not have gone there in the first place. Youshould have given Arya a try.

My car goes to Linkway at Goregaon and so far they have done a decent job on my car everytime. Pretty punctual too. They take my car in at around 8 AM and promptly return it serviced and washed at 1 PM. I found them quite professional.