[Thad E Ginathom]

No idea. I see that, yes, it is his MD's car.

Somehow I dreamt up the father from somewhere!

[dipen]

Sam,
Autobahn's reputation as a dealer is/was not good as the archives suggest.
Why not get a second opinion from JMD. N_C knows them very well. Your MD should try this option first before anything else.

[Insane Devil]

Personally owning the Laura from past three years on this date, i see that the quality is not good in it. Skoda's ad about Obsession with quality is just rot. My cousin's car has had problems with the FlyWheel recently @ 40,000kms and he had to replace it at Rs.35k. also, the chrome plating on the inside door Handels are coming off in my car, and on the exterior rear view mirror's adjustment knob, the black sticker has peeled off which shows the L,R, and other symbols!

Have to bear it for next 2 years and then goodbye to skoda forever, hopefully!

[Xeno]

I don't have much to add but,

- Sameer sir , I hope the MD has all the documents of exchange about the "Flywheel is not going to be replaced under warranty" and etc etc. Any valid proof of interaction between the consumer and skoda guys will be useful and probably make the consumer courts rule in the consumer's favour.

A well presented case with no hidden facts by the consumer will see a clear proceeding. I do hope the MD's is 100% truthful on his part.

any progress so far ?

OT - p.s
my dad's previous car, a 1988 Padmini Premier never botched up any major part for the 1.2 lakh kms it ran (only it had wires chewed every monsoon by rats) ... and that was sold for 10000rs in 1997.. so im am aghast at such responce by the SKODA dealer that deals cars above 10+ lakhs. *wow*

[Dose]

Originally Posted by Ravveendrra

We do understand what you said in your post, but cannot fathom the reasons for it. Have you had any bad experiences with German vehicles and good experiences with Japanese vehicles? If so please share them with us in the forum instead of making sweeping statements.

My sweeping statements are based on the past 16 years of experience with German and Japanese vehicles owned by family and friends, matching this experience with a) the JD Power 3-year VDS surveys for US-market cars and b) the problems reported by enthusiasts on internet car forums.

BMW (besides the ones from M-divison) seems to be the only one consistently above the industry average and within spitting distance of the Japanese over the last five years of VDS surveys:

2008 Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) | J.D. Power and Associates

2007 Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) | J.D. Power and Associates

J.D. Power Dependability results are out - Autoblog

J.D. Power and Associates | Studies and Awards | Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS)

J.D. Power Asia Pacific, Inc.

Originally Posted by GTO

1) In that case, I'd suggest you spend a little more time with us or go through our archives in detail. I could tell you of how Ichibaan paid 25,000 + free repairs for damaging an OHC Vtec, or how a customers car was replaced after 3 years of ownership (and well beyond its warranty period) or how GM had to refund the entire ex-showroom price because of their claim that the Astra was German engineered (when it wasn't)

2) In recent time, I also recollect a thread where a gentlemans car was replaced primarily because he got a car that was manufactured 6 months earlier than it should have (but still didn't have any defects).

3) Are you recommending legal action or not? Earlier you didn't. However, this quoted post of yours seems to suggest that legal action is the way to go if a goodwill gesture has been denied.

4) Judgements have ruled in the manufacturers favour DESPITE the car being in warranty,

5) If the warranty period was the be-all and end-all, not a single manufacturer would be offering extended warranties for up to 5 years right now.

6) Did you even read the opening post of this thread? Sam already made it clear that Skoda WAS contacted. And knowing Sams flair for the language, it couldn't have been any more polite. They have ALREADY denied a goodwill replacement. Again, whats the point? Do you actually have any sound advice to offer him?

7) Yup, you are mistaken. A lot of the significant problems started AFTER the warranty ended. In fact, our first point of contact with Mercedes was well after the warranty had expired as well.

8) WRT politeness versus otherwise, you really ought to look up my thread on the matter and find me an ounce of the P in there.

1) Ichibaan damaged your City and tried to hide it. You did not have much to lose by talking to them the way you described and it was not a warranty matter.

On the case of replacing the car after three years, I'm assuming you are talking about your C-class, the car was clearly giving plenty of trouble during the warranty period so you had a case though you did not describe any of the conversations you had with MBIL. So you have not told us if you had politely demanded a new car based on the bad service history and they agreed or if something broke the camel's back after the warranty period, you lost your temper and started demanding impolitely with emotion and threats which had an remarkable effect on them.

For the case of the "German" Astra, again it gave plenty of trouble during the warranty period and the judges (perhaps Aussie fans?) did not like the fact that Australia was not mentioned in the brochure:

NATIONAL CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL COMMISSION

It took him a few years of fighting, eventually landing up at the national/supreme consumer court where they ruled in his favour. No mention was made of the manner or tone of the customer's demand.


2) This seems to be the best example you cited:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ml#post1121058

The customer is said to have had a long harsh conversation with the dealer. Add to this the fact that the Accord was not registered yet and they gave him a more recent car even though the previous one did not have any major problems, just the suspicion that it had been on one too many unofficial test drives.

3) I am not suggesting legal action yet. Also, I am not sure if it is wise to go to court over a flywheel.

4) Please give a link to a case.

5) What do you mean? I do not understand.

6) Maybe I misread the opening post but I thought Sam's MD wrote the email and not Sam. I have read from other people's experiences and know from my own that a dealer has more influence than the customer with the manufacturer. The fact that Skoda waited for a reply from the dealer before denying goodwill means their decision to deny was based on the dealer's input. Which is why I meant that even though Skoda has said "no," the MD should try once again to present his case to Skoda by asking the dealer to do it, providing the MD and the dealer are on good terms and the car has been faithfully serviced there. If even the dealer cannot get Skoda to goodwill the part and labour or just the part, then polite negotiation has failed. As you have said in your article, polite firm negotiation is step 1:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/owning...ctive-car.html

I believe it is better to have the dealer approach the manufacturer first before writing to customer service since the dealer usually contacts specific powerful people rather than the generic, bottom-of-the-ladder customer service. And as someone once joked in an article I read, it seems as if a company's customer service is trained to automatically say "no" to any requests. One has better results skipping customer service and going straight to the highest management possible first and the dealer should have better access to the management.

7) What significant problems happened after the warranty expiration?


8) The strange thing about your thread is that you listed the problems and said there would be hell to pay and then the thread was parked. No mention of what happened after that in either that thread or any new threads. A chunk of events and description is missing between the time you went public and the time where you said they offered you a replacement car. Without describing the negotiations, we cannot know what tone, what threats and how many ounces of P you used when dealing with MBIL. Was a lawsuit actually filed and then they settled or did they settle before a suit could be filed? Please elaborate if possible or was a nondisclosure agreement part of the deal?

[ECM]

This I posted earlier,have a look-
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-t...-overhaul.html

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by Dose

My sweeping statements are based on the past 16 years of experience with German and Japanese vehicles owned by family and friends, matching this experience with a) the JD Power 3-year VDS surveys for US-market cars and b) the problems reported by enthusiasts on internet car forums.

Eye opening isn't it? For 2008, Lexus (Toyota, tops for 14 years running), Mercury, Cadillac, Toyota and Acura (Honda) take the top 5 spots. Makes you wonder what the German claim to quality, especially with the reknowned marques like Mercedes and BMW, is all about. IMHO the fancy electronics (heated lumbar massager or infrared pedestrian warning system, anyone?) let those machines down. Oh when will we ever learn.

Cheers,

[Max]

i know at least 8 people who sold or did not go for skoda due to expensive spares. They choose honda because its maintenance is very low.

Skoda should learn something from honda otherwise they will be forced to shut shop in India in few years.

I feel only rich people for whom money is not buy skodas.

[Invinsible]

JMD is the one who never has any stock and they take ages to get them. Autograph sucks big time, rude and arrogant.
Autobahn well I don't know what others have experienced but I have always had good experience and prompt service. Also, I happen to know the senior service advisor who is the Head, who joined Autobahn couple of months back. He personally takes care of any issues I have with my car without any waiting.
Sam, incase your MD wants to have word with him personally let me know.

[tsk1979]

The car is out of warranty. There is no legal obligation from skoda to fix this under warranty. However, out of warranty also means you can safetly go and get this from outside market Expect 10-15K price outside for the same part imported from Europe

[Ravveendrra]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

The car is out of warranty. There is no legal obligation from skoda to fix this under warranty. However, out of warranty also means you can safetly go and get this from outside market Expect 10-15K price outside for the same part imported from Europe

I am sorry to disagree with you TSK.

If it is a manufacturing defect the manufacturer has to rectify it, whether the defect was discovered during the warranty period or later. The logic being that the manufacturer was obliged to sell a zero defect product in the first place and, the seller cannot take the specious plea that the warranty/guarantee has lapsed. This is the stated view of the various State Commissions and the National Commission set up under the Consumer Disputes (Redressal) Act (Consumer Courts).

[tsk1979]

Its very difficult to prove manufacturing defect after 3 years of ownership. The legal battle will cost much more than the part.

[shineshine]

Dear SAM,

Please look for a second opinion from any other guys. ORANGUTTANS can better diagnose than the so called SKODA specialists.

Let me give one example, One of my friend owns a SKODA Octavia 1.9 TDI who gives his vehicle for RENT A CAR!!! Imagine the abuse it takes everyday.

It also had a similar noise once, which the SKODA mon**** blamed as FLYWHEEL problem. But it was actually because of the issue with the AIRMASS meter which gone faulty and because of that the TURBO got messed up.

One symptom is that, IT IS SO EVIDENT IN LOW RPMs. Once you raise the car beyond 2000rpm the engine becomes normal. It was some sort of screatchy noise which is so similar to flywheel noise.

[ajmat]

He decided to bless the car. Actually, car went around a bend too fast, went through a railing and launched of an embankment

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Sam and his father should, if the polite approach fails, shout as loud, and as public, as it takes.

I am sure you are referring to Sahil's father, not sam's.
But I doubt any amount of shouting will break Skoda's cold attitude.