[jigbarai]

Originally Posted by Max

I was considering buying Volkswagen car but after reading this thread, i will never ever buy skoda or Volkswagen and have strongly pressured my friends not to buy skoda or Volkswagen (parent company i guess?) brands.

I sent link of this thread to my cousin in pune who already own 2 skoda's and he was shocked and surprised because he never have any major problem with his skoda dealer.

Your second statement itself contradicts your theory of the first one. There are many customers who are either happy or fairly okay with what they get from VW / Skoda - product or service. Agreed they are not the best but liveable with to quite an extent.

It is manufacturers moral responsibility to accept actions of its dealers and compensate client for any mis conduct. If similar incident had happen in USA skoda would have already paid at least million dollar to him in out of court settlement.

US markets function quite differently from the local ones. No point in comparing what would happen if something similiar would have happened elsewhere.

With regards to car sales - have a look at the monthly sales charts threads. Might be an eye opener for you to note some of their products are segment leaders for months now. Some of VW cars have a waiting periods which even the Swift hasnt seen so far.

If I was skoda, i would have generously gave this guy brand new skoda and million rupees compensation with apology letter and apology to whole team bhp community to improve its image. But hey skoda don't care about consumer.

Which is exactly why manufacturers dont do this things. Give it to one person and you will have several hunderds out there filing claims - many false ones as well. Do you expect the manufacturer to oblige ? They are here to do business, not charity.

Again, we are with Harish here for all his issues he has faced (primarily with the dealer and some also with the manufacturer) and he should get his due justice.

But people need to bake in some mature thinking instead of random emotional outbursts in their posts.

[sgiitk]

@jigbarai: If it was the US they way Skoda/VW has behaved they would have been sued out of existence. They lost the case and then have gone in appeal. Also, they seems to have dscontinued Nummer Eins as a dealer!

[navin]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

Also, they seems to have dscontinued Nummer Eins as a dealer!

Not only did they (SKoda) cancel the Nummer Eins dealership but did Skoda India not take Nummer Eins to court as well.

In any case the final responsibility of the product lies with the manufacturer (Skoda India) and if a dealer mis-behaves it is also the responsibility of the manufacturer (at least in spirit) to ensure that the customer (who is buying a car brand not a dealer's brand) gets a fari deal.

In this case Skoda clearly has not.

Originally Posted by discoverwild

Just check if you will have a court hearing on December 28th, Harish. My guess is since it is Christmas holidays, you will have a new date proposed again.

This is the same thought that crossed my mind when you mentioned a date so close to Xmas.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Another word of support for December, Harish . I hope the case goes ahead, and that all the parties turn up, and that you win on the strength of your case. Winning because they don't turn up will only lead to them saying they may have lost, but it was a technicality.

[SAS]

Originally Posted by navin

Not only did they (SKoda) cancel the Nummer Eins dealership but did Skoda India not take Nummer Eins to court as well.

Navin, slightly OT, I've been somewhat smitten by the new Fabia and it looks like a good car. But I'm not sure about their dealers. I spoke to Autobahn and they seemed decent, but I plan to visit them and see the reality and of course research before plonking any money because I keep my cars for >5 years. Can anybody share any experience with the other Skoda dealers in Mumbai like JMD and Autobahn? Are they the lesser of the evils?

p.s. I did a search but got too many results, hence this question.

Harish, I really must say, kudos to you for pushing this through. My sincere wishes for you to win this case. I know it might go into appeals and all that jazz, but still a victory is a victory. And hope this gets the publicity it deserves so that manufacturers change their unethical practices.

Other manufacturers really pull up their dealers if you complain, like Maruti and Tata. Hope Skoda learns something from this.

[Max]

Originally Posted by jigbarai

Your second statement itself contradicts your theory of the first one. There are many customers who are either happy or fairly okay with what they get from VW / Skoda - product or service. Agreed they are not the best but liveable with to quite an extent.



US markets function quite differently from the local ones. No point in comparing what would happen if something similiar would have happened elsewhere.

With regards to car sales - have a look at the monthly sales charts threads. Might be an eye opener for you to note some of their products are segment leaders for months now. Some of VW cars have a waiting periods which even the Swift hasnt seen so far.



Which is exactly why manufacturers dont do this things. Give it to one person and you will have several hunderds out there filing claims - many false ones as well. Do you expect the manufacturer to oblige ? They are here to do business, not charity.

Again, we are with Harish here for all his issues he has faced (primarily with the dealer and some also with the manufacturer) and he should get his due justice.

But people need to bake in some mature thinking instead of random emotional outbursts in their posts.

I am not posting out of emotion. When customer drags company to court and articles are published about it in newspaper and there is threads about it with 1+ million views on nations top most car community then it become their moral responsibility to compensate their customer. I assume they do realized their dealership was at mistake hence they terminated their dealership. Now why skoda customer should suffer? We are talking about $30,000 car !!

btw, we regularly do that in our business, when we see unhappy customer (even when he is wrong) we give him few months free service just to prevent him from posting wrong stuff on internet. Happy customers very rarely post good news on internet but unhappy customers will make sure he post about you everywhere.

btw, I test driven VW vento and I really liked it but I am keeping my fingers crossed till next year to see company and product performance and make sure they don't treat their customers like skoda. In between if i found another nice diesel then i will say bye bye to vento, i don't have courage and time like harish to fight in courts.

[shatrughna]

Originally Posted by SAS

Navin, slightly OT, I've been somewhat smitten by the new Fabia and it looks like a good car. But I'm not sure about their dealers. I spoke to Autobahn and they seemed decent, but I plan to visit them and see the reality and of course research before plonking any money because I keep my cars for >5 years. Can anybody share any experience with the other Skoda dealers in Mumbai like JMD and Autobahn? Are they the lesser of the evils?

p.s. I did a search but got too many results, hence this question.
.

While really empathise and wish Harish wins the case, I own a Skoda Laura AT for almost 2 years now and run 28K kms so far. There were 2 things that had gone kaput. 1 - skoda logo on one of the alloy wheels- scratched, a small dent on the boot lid and 2. a dimmer switch (instrument panel- which also switched off the music system lights. The dent was removed at no extra cost after I had placed an order for full internal polish and cleaning at around 6K with taxes.

during second service (recently), they have changed the logo at wheel and dimmer switch under warranty without any fuss.

Only grouse I have that when booking the car, the sales staff had categorically mentioned that we will get free pick up and drop but now they are charging me 300 /- which so far I have paid twice. This time since it was a work under warranty and I had paid earlier for service ( spare dimmer was not available) so they settled for 150/- with an offer that they will adjust it in my next bill( so can be treated free).
Team at service centre ( JMD , Nerul) seem to be customer friendly but its no more a premium car and workshop is usually full and crowded with cars/ drivers. I had bought it from JMD, Thane.

Overall JMD seem to be a good dealer and after sales experience has also been good. Car is good. Spares are costly but so far ( touch wood ) no need for any spares to be paid.

First and second service - charges paid average approx Rs. 8000/- for oil etc.

Other workshops experienced at Pune and Bangalore- got prompt attention and service as I was in transit. Once, oil level had gone down and other time due to a huge crater, wheel alignment had gone for a toss.

[kartikk]

Hats off to your efforts and paitence, I just got a spine chilling thought what if I had to go through all this? Really this is an eye-opener. All the best for your 28th Dec date Harish

[flyingkolors]

This is one of the most inspiring tales. I feel extremely sorry for all the pain you've been going through. Hats off to your patience and perseverance. All the very best for your next hearing. Hope you'll soon get the justice.

[harishv]

Skoda absent.

Nummer Eins absent.

Me and JMD Auto present.

My legal representative absent, since he had to attend a family medical emergency.

Next date 15th February.

[sudev]

S H I T
This really takes the cake. What happened to legal provision of the Consumer Protection Act that says that the cases will be decided without lawyers present and within 60(?) days???

[Thad E Ginathom]

In British English, takes the biscuit --- but hey, we are saying the same thing . This has turned into a complete nonsense.

With neither of the other parties there, shouldn't they just find in your favour? Not that that is the best way to win.

[sgiitk]

The jokers will just go in appeal to the High Court and then back to Square One.

[mac187]

Hats off to your patience and perseverance Harish. We all are with you on this one. This is a lesson to us, who choose the easy way out which in turn only makes these so called MNC's treat Indian customers like dogs.

I have personally ensured that two of my friends didn't buy Polo and choose Maruti Swift/ Ritz instead.

[jassi]

will this ever end! Harish you have great perseverance!!