[harishv]

Harbir

Originally Posted by harishv;1207834
From: Sudhir, Srinivas [mailto:Srinivas.Sudhir@skoda-auto.co.in


Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2008 1:03 PM
To: h.dee@skodajmd.com
Subject: FW: Mr.Harish Kanchan's vehicle inspection report.

Dear Mr. Dee,

Kindly call for Mr. Harish Kanchan’s vehicle and provide us with the list of components to be replaced, so that these parts will be made available to you. The labour chargers for the job work will be paid by M/s. Nummereins. Your cooperation and understanding in this matter is solicited,

Thanks &

Best Regards

Srinivas Sudhir
Customer Care
After Sales

SkodaAuto India Private Limited
Plot No:A-1/1,Shendra
Five Star Industrial Area,MIDC
Aurangabad-431201
Tel :+91 240 6631256
Fax :+91 240 6631277
E-mail : Srinivas.Sudhir@skoda-auto.co.in

From: Ramesh, Karthik 
Sent: Thursday, April 24, 2008 4:19 PM
To: 'shammivijan@yahoo.com'
Cc: Srinivas, Satya; Sudhir, Srinivas
Subject: Mr.Harish Kanchan's vehicle inspection report.

Dear Mr.Shammi,

Kindly find enclosed report with regards to Mr.Harish Kanchan’s car. Request your feedback with regards to the report and the course of action from your end to rectify the customer’s vehicle.

Thanks & Regards,
Karthik Ramesh | Business Development
ŠKODA AUTO India Pvt. Ltd. | A-1/1, Shendra, Five Star MIDC | Aurangabad - Mahrashtra | India
Tel: +91 240 663 1206 | Fax: +91 240 663 1299 
karthik.ramesh@skoda-auto.co.in | ?koda Auto - Homepage | ?koda Auto - Homepage

Vehicle particulars;
Model: Octavia/1.9 TDI/66KW/Rider/MT/White.
VIN No: TMBCGK1U56A012587.
Engine No: ALHE15272.
Reg.No: MH-06AF-6115.
Present KMs: 33,756.
I have inspected the said vehicle at M/s.JMD Auto, Bandup workshop, Mumbai on 23rd, April 08 as per the customer’s grievance lodged at Customer care cell, SAIPL. The inspection details are enclosed below;


Initially, the said vehicle was reported to M/s.Nummer Eins, Chembur workshop for accidental repair work in the month of February.
- Please refer carefully the enclosed photographs of the said vehicle and extent of damage at the time of accident was occurred. The accident was taken place at only front LH side.
- The enclosed photographs are received from the Insurance Surveyor.
As per the customer’s apprehension and as per the final invoiced parts list, all the replaced parts have been inspected for their originality.
- Please carefully refer the enclosed photographs of inspected parts by me; all the replaced parts are Non Genuine (substandard spares which are available in grey-market).
Apparently there were some unjustified/unnatural repair works also carried on the vehicle along with accidental repair jobs, the details follows as;
- V-belt with belt tensioner assembly was replaced without any reason.
- Electric magnet clutch of AC compressor was replaced without any reason.
- Original battery fuse box was swapped and fitted with damaged/burnt fuse box is fitted on vehicle.
- Original battery was swapped and fitted with underspecified voltage and substandard (make AMRON) battery was fitted without battery clamp.
- Original radiator fan was swapped and fitted with a damaged fan.
- In the month of January 14th, 08, the said vehicle was reported for periodic service and during that service schedule the dealer had replaced both front brake rotors (brake discs), but within a month period the customer has faced concern about brake juddering, as per the customer apprehension, I have inspected the replaced brake discs, found the same are Non-Genuine parts (substandard spares which are available in grey-market).

Highlighted in bold is the tepid, matter of fact, lack of shock, 2 line response from the Head of Consumer Care, Skoda, a subsidiary of Volkswagen, to his dealer Shammi Singh Vijan of Nummer Eins.

Please note, Mr. Karthik had just now been informed by his own Engineer that spurious parts worth 4 lakhs plus have been discovered in a customer's car.

Shouldn't his reaction been more like -
' What the heck? What do you think you are doing? Where did you get these bogus parts from? Since when has this been going on? Mr. XYZ at Skoda wants to see you immediately at Aurangabad. Please be present here tomorrow without fail.'

On the contrary his laid back reaction reads like -
' Okay Guys, the customer has come to know. What are you going to do about it? Are you paying him off? Are you settling him off with a new car or are you sending the boys?'.

[vineethvazhayil]

Originally Posted by harishv

Figure out the nexus. Sacked dealer starts new venture with ex-MD of Skoda.

Now we have another organization whose reputation needs to be spread! Roadworks!

[diffsoft]

@ Harbir: Harbir, having gone through the ordeal with Skoda / their dealer (like GTO mentioned) I am convinced that they (both Skoda and the dealer) have malafide intent and actively indulge in malpractice.

Skoda's aim was to pass off a late 2006 Combi - which was wasted in their godown because it never sold as much as they thought and here they found a bakra in me. The dealer sales guy told me it is new, it came in the showroom in Nov 2007 and I trusted him. When I confronted Skoda later with the VIN from where I decoded it was made in late 2006 - they did not respond! Bloody funny right.

However the Security Guard at the dealership told my driver - who told me much later, "Brother, tell your owner this is an old car, and tell him not to take it". I ignored it to my peril because I loved the Combi.

The car was damaged, rear left door appeared to have been refitted poorly. It was certainly repainted at the B pillar as there was a shade difference I could make out in the sunlight (not inside the showroom) and at one place the paint was chipped and I could see the metal. I was shell shocked, I paid 16 lakhs for this!

Any other dealer would have felt bad for me but TAFE was really cool - they said, we registered our car (when I hadn't signed the Form 20 for registration). They said, "Sir anyway in Bangalore every car has a dent you will adjust to it after a while". Such attitude was displayed through out my interaction - except when 6 policemen, led by a police woman entered the showroom.

Their behavior was like doing things wrong, lying to a customer and fooling him is business. It just went so much against my grain I felt they are really evil - and I feel so even now when I pass their showroom at St Marks Road. And I mean it Harbir.

And what did Skoda do? The GM Mr XXXXX was sacked - his lawyer since told me TAFE asked him to go. TAFE has since opened a dealership in Mangalore and another showroom on Hosur.

What did Kuehl promise me in his regret letter: "We have taken your feedback very very seriously" Is this how seriously he took it? I think his letter was meant more for Fred Kappler who was the Global Head of Skoda Marketing and not for me (Fred K was also copied on the letter)

When I then booked a Verna I became very cagey, I started thinking of all possible ways in which I can be fooled, went to the warehouse about 25 kms from Bangalore, looked at the VIN etc etc, and the sales guy was like, "Sir looks like you have had a really bad experience?" You bet. I had just walked out of hell mate.

Which is why I am willing to go the whole distance to support Harish and Kapil - I don't know them other than exchanging posts / mails but can empathise with their experience; just like some BHPians did with me.

Let me tell you another incident: I was cheated at a BPCL Petrol Pump, their modus operandi was to feign they heard you wrongly and then say sorry the tank is already filled and bill you for it. I got cheated for Rs 150 once. I wrote to the Managing Director then. I immediately go a call from their local sales manager asking me for details, and then a follow-up call saying that the entire team there is sacked. He asked me to go check it and it was! I sent him a thank you note and I still fill diesel there. So you see how this experience of mine was.

That's how we expect things to be, especially if the amount at stake is so large!

Cheers,

[navin]

Originally Posted by Harbir

Skoda took the position that it could not be proved that those parts had been fitted to your car by its dealer and asked you to pay again for the parts, though you had already paid Nummer Eins for the parts when the car was originally repaired.

Originally Posted by harishv

8. It wasn’t anybody from Nummer Eins. It was Skoda Engineer Yogesh Vaidya under direct instructions from Head of Customer Care, Karthik Ramesh, who tried to smuggle the spurious parts out and tried to hand it over to Nummer Eins, and that too clandestinely, after I left the workshop. I had demanded they be handed over to the Police.

I do not think Skoda did me any favor by rectifying my car.

I would like to remind you that my accident took place because of the existence of spurious brake discs and pads in my car.

Figure out the nexus. Sacked dealer starts new venture with ex-MD of Skoda.

Harish. Who was the MD of Skoda when your car was being repaired by Nummer Eins?

Originally Posted by harishv

Please note, Mr. Karthik had just now been informed by his own Engineer that spurious parts worth 4 lakhs plus have been discovered in a customer's car..

Going by Skdoa car parts prices that would not ammout to too many parts!

ok it is a bad joke in poor taste considering the graveness of this issue but it just popped in my head.

[harishv]

Originally Posted by navin

Harish. Who was the MD of Skoda when your car was being repaired by Nummer Eins?
.

Mr. Karsten Bugon was the MD along with Jean Marie Lagey as another MD handling a seperate section.

[diffsoft]

Originally Posted by harishv

Harbir
Shouldn't his reaction been more like -
' What the heck? What do you think you are doing? Where did you get these bogus parts from? Since when has this been going on? Mr. XYZ at Skoda wants to see you immediately at Aurangabad. Please be present here tomorrow without fail.'

On the contrary his laid back reaction reads like -
' Okay Guys, the customer has come to know. What are you going to do about it? Are you paying him off? Are you settling him off with a new car or are you sending the boys?'.

Exactly Harish - 100% understand:

That former is what we expect. That was what I expected when I told the Skoda Sales Rep that my registration was forged. He said, "Oh, OK! I will get back" And that was end of it - Skoda then insisted I take delivery of the vehicle because it was registered.

After all what I read and my own experience, I feel giving Skoda any benefit of doubt is like patronising a poisonous snake - with due respect to the snake.

Cheers,

[kb100]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

I have approached Skoda (Czech Republic) on previous occasion, asking them to intervene or help Skoda India resolve technical affairs with a customer and I have recieved this as the official reply. I quote:

We would like to advice the fact that the company SKODA AUTO INDIA Private Limited (SAIPL), Aurangabad is fully independent manufacturer as well as an exclusive importer for sales and services of Skoda vehicles on the territory of India and is entitled to resolve any customer claim within its own competence. We, as the manufacturer in the Czech Republic, are not entitled to influence the process of resolving claims in another way than by providing technical advice if it is requested by the respective importer.

Why do we punish ourselves by expecting Skoda International to jump in and save the situation. Hands are washed off quite clearly. This is an Indian problem, for Indian consumers to handle themselves.
Skoda International contents itself with revenue generation and sales performances in India.

And we're the poor sods that provide this.

Now this HAS to be a FIRST - the Parent company washing their hands off all acts of the subsidiary - with nary a thought about their own brand image - or perhaps that brand image is already so shot to pieces there that everyone is beyond caring?!?!?


If THIS is the attitude of the parent organisation, then its customers are well and truly doomed! (unfortunately!)


.. but I see a TREMENDOUS business opportunity for setting up an independent workshop for all European vehicles - parts in any case are available outside - and for considerably lesser I'm told!

[leadf00t]

Originally Posted by kb100

.. but I see a TREMENDOUS business opportunity for setting up an independent workshop for all European vehicles - parts in any case are available outside - and for considerably lesser I'm told!

unfortunately that is exactly what Roadworx.in have seem to found out.
Look at the brands they plan to service.
Merc
BMW
Audi
VW
Skoda
Honda
Toyota
Ford
GM.

I guess most of them have costlier spares and also high labour charges as compared with high volume brands like Maruti, Hyundai. Which would give them a better chance to work and spread their financial gains.

Anyways spares would be freely available for them from swapping with spurious parts at A.S.S. of each of these brands.

THese dealships can soft pass on the buck in the name of lower level workers / mechanics but Though it can be confidently said that such sustained malpractices cannot happen without the knowledge of higher management .

From HarsihV's post.

The Directors of Roadworx are :

Imran Hassen (Ex-Skoda MD)
Ravneet S. Medi (NummerEins)
Frank Lischewsky (Roadworks, Germany)
H.S. Vijan (NummerEins)

No offense meant to generalise however I have somehow have lost respect for reputed German brands in India due to their pathetic Indian counterparts who are just here to pull money rather than live up to the brand name with excellent service.

[vineethvazhayil]

Originally Posted by leadf00t

unfortunately that is exactly what Roadworx.in have seem to found out.
Look at the brands they plan to service.
Merc
BMW
Audi
VW
Skoda
Honda
Toyota
Ford
GM.

Must admit, their website is neatly done! The presentation of the website what will lure unsuspecting customers to them, and they will rip off the good parts and put spurious ones instead! How pathetic!

[thundergod]

Hey Harish,
I know i'm very late but good going man. I really appretiate your stand. Most people would have settled for a new car.
Fortunately i don't own a skoda ( can't beleive i'm sayin it) but i do happen to know some one who's skoda caught fire on a highway with his entire family sitting in it. The worst part: it had just come off from a routine service at nagpur's dealer workshop.
As it is i was very reluctant on suggesting skoda's ( except the VRS ) now after hearing your story i'm totally against skoda.
Your case is a real kick in the rear end of companies who take indian customers for fools. They should atleast respect the fact that it is only because of the indian customer that their brand which by the way is very down market in many countries, has got a decent standard somewhere in this world.

Good Luck.

[ajmat]

Diffsoft

To rub salt in the wound. I drove on Hosur ROad, only to find a swanky new TAFE ACCESS showroom next to Dakshin Honda. The issue has certainly been forgotten

[Vid6639]

Originally Posted by ajmat

Diffsoft

To rub salt in the wound. I drove on Hosur ROad, only to find a swanky new TAFE ACCESS showroom next to Dakshin Honda. The issue has certainly been forgotten

Yeah a pretty big showroom 2buildings before Dakshin Honda.

There's another one on the opposite side near Hosa road junction. I don't know which showroom it is. Looks pretty swanky.

[shibujp]

The Emperor(Skoda) has no clothes but continues walking as if he has them on!!

Attaboy Skoda - if this isn't customer service then what is??

Drive on,
Shibu.

[diffsoft]

Originally Posted by ajmat

Diffsoft

To rub salt in the wound. I drove on Hosur ROad, only to find a swanky new TAFE ACCESS showroom next to Dakshin Honda. The issue has certainly been forgotten

Yeah Ajmat - I guess once they found a willing scape goat in Mr XXXXX, everyone was covered and things could go on as normal.

What surprises me is how does Tafe make economics work for it - selling enough cars to make a decent return. Skoda sold about 16,200 cars in 2008 across 60 dealers making it about 20 - 25 cars at a dealer monthly. Maybe a BLR dealer sells 30 cars. @ 10% margin for an average of Rs 12 lakhs / car would mean revenue of about Rs 4 crore a year.

A typical investment in a showroom is (as I understand given swanky ness etc) is 10 - 15 crores, meaning even at 12% post - tax return I need to recover atleast 1.2 - 1.8 crores annually, which I can bet cannot be managed with with 4 crore nett revenue. I guess that puts abnormal pressure to recover money through spares / labour and forgery (?) .

On top of it given that, Vinayak has taken away a chunk of A.S.S (going by the number of Skodas where I see Vinayak stickers, atleast 3 / 5); that would add pressure on Tafe.

Sorry for going OT, I am waiting to see how events unfold

Cheers,

[harishv]

Originally Posted by diffsoft

What surprises me is how economics work for it - selling enough cars to make a decent return. I guess that puts abnormal pressure to recover money through spares / labour and the rest.

Recovery is done in the following manner. Very simple my friend.

SPURIOUS PARTS WORTH RS. 4,39,247 INSTALLED IN MY CAR BY NUMMER EINS.

A. Accident parts replaced with duplicate parts

Lower Arms
Ball Joints
Tie Rods
Knuckle
Connecting Link
Radiator Assembly
A/C Condensor
Drier A/C Condensor
Condensor Fan
A/C Compressor Pully
Fan Relay
Headlight Assembly


B. Accident parts replaced with faulty/sub standard/spurious parts

Shock Absorbers
Engine Support Cross Member (Sub Frame)
Stoneshield
Bumper Assembly with all grills
Radiator Support Front Lock Carrier
Alternator Belt
Wheel Rim


C. (Not related to the accident), Original parts stolen/ tampered with faulty/ sub standard/spurious parts

Steering Rack
3rd Injector
Battery
Fuse box
Brake Discs
Clutch Assembly
Radiator Fan
A/C High Pressure Pipe
Charge Air Cooler
Dicky Lock
Rear Glass Light
Oil Sump
Horn
Power Steering Pipe
High Pressure A/C Pipe