[marlinspike]

One of the key reasons I ruled out Fabia when was looking to buy a car end of last year was the parts issue I read on this forum and also what I used to hear from friends on their or some one they know whose cars are stranded at the dealerships for weeks due to non availability of parts and the parts higher propensity to fail and the cost of parts on Fabia being in the realm of other Skoda vehicles.
Cost of ownership and perception on after sales service effectiveness were key in ruling out what looked to be a good choice.

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

I am sure that the skoda guys are squirming in their seats. Or are they itching to sue?

Whatever, I am proud to be a part fo this community, just look at the number of posts where people are wondering whether the threat is really from Skoda.

Skoda, we, as consumers, are still are giving you the benefit of doubt. Do not firtter away that advantage.

[kkr2k2]

Originally Posted by marlinspike

One of the key reasons I ruled out Fabia when was looking to buy a car end of last year was the parts issue I read on this forum and also what I used to hear from friends on their or some one they know whose cars are stranded at the dealerships for weeks due to non availability of parts and the parts higher propensity to fail and the cost of parts on Fabia being in the realm of other Skoda vehicles.
Cost of ownership and perception on after sales service effectiveness were key in ruling out what looked to be a good choice.

+1.
I convinced my uncle not to buy the fabia for the same reasons as above. When I showed him the spare parts cost as written in one of the threads, he got scared not to look towards skoda any time "sooner"!!! If I show him this thread, the word would be "never".

[hoomdo]

The post from Skoda Corporate (Meghna) is not only in poor taste but also extemely ill written. The typos/grammaticals really raise a question regarding its claim of being a Corporate communication.

The post threatens of consequences but fails to substantiate anything. It is signed off with a first name, without mentioning any designation or in what capacity the same has been issued.

Spelling Harish's name as "Mr.Harsih" does really point towards the exteme callousness with which the post has been written where even the name of a customer is not spelled correctly.

To me - this post paints an even poorer picture of Skoda than what was painted before by the main incident.

@ GTO - can't we escalate this. I believe we must have some BHPians who can give a legal opinion on this. Can this post be construed as an attack on the autonomous functioning of the community? Believe you me sir, we should be sending signals that our arms are not to be twisted.

[RedOne]

Originally Posted by Rudra Sen

Perfect. We're doing whatever has to be done. What we need to move, we'll move.

On that note, I changed the skin to "standard - Blue" and haven't seen any car there since.

Gears,
red-One.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Harbir

We have to keep in mind that the most of the grievances against Skoda have been a response to the actions of Indian people and business associated with Skoda. THis Meghna is an Indian. the lawyer advising her on making these threats to TBHP is an indian. the employees of the dealership and of Skoda accused by HarishV are Indians. Jingoistic statements against Skoda are neither fair nor helpful.

That is not to say that VAG hasn't contibuted to the issue by offering cars of low reliability or that it wasn't their responsibility to build a state of the art customer service organization. None the less, it does not behoove us to denigrate the Czech Republic while denigrating Skoda, or making jingoistic statements against Skoda like "leave India", "we don't want you here", etc. ... ... ... So lets demand that. but lets not make ugly "foreigners, get out" type statements;

Absolutely true.

India is, so far as customer service and consumer power is concerned, way behind many other countries in the world.

Take my Bosch pressure washer. Traders talk with pride about the six-month warranty, when the international manufacturer's standard is 12 months, and many UK dealers give 24 months.

Recently I bought a DVD drive which failed within one month. Of course, I expected this to be replaced with a new one --- but, no, it had to go to service. Yes, I got it back, fixed, in a few days, but the point is that, having made a sale, traders are utterly unwilling to participate in any further risk.

Shop-soiled clothes, in my country, are reduced by a large percentage. Here, I am told, "You can wash it".

The motor industry is hardly known for altruism the world over; here they are entering a country where The supplier is king and will not easily relinquish that power. Every thread like this is a move towards making the customer the king, regardless of if the supplier is German, Czech, Japanese, British ...or Indian. I applaud that movement absolutely.

The companies that think differently stand as a beacon...

Originally Posted by amit_mechengg

One fine day the battery in my new maruti alto leaked and the acid fell over all the parts corroding them. when i went to the dealer he said we need to take up with exide.
A simple letter was sent to MUL Gurgaon regarding the dealer diverting me. within 4 days the MUL service people gave me a ring and visited my house with 2 people from the dealer side.
The Service manager apologised me and said that when you have brought the vehicle from the dealer the dealer will fix the issue.
They took my car to the service station, replaced the alternator and the battery, took the engine off, painted the whole engine bay and changed each and every part that got corroded.
When i went to pick up my car i was greeted well with a sandwich and coffee. when i saw the work order and the work done on my car i saw two extra components:
1. Engine Treatment and COATING - FOC (Free Of Cost)
2. One tank = 30 litres FUEL Voucher - FOC

This all service was for a small 3.2 lacs car.

I too have had good, personal service from Maruti, and, as I said in another post, these threads make me almost ashamed to be wanting a "posher" Skoda or Honda.

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

Seriously guys, I am sure the Team-BHP support has got your suggestion and your collective desire to remove the Skoda car on the masthead. ... ... ...

We should really move on and talk about other important things than the removal of the car up there ^^. Please.

Very true.

Perhaps it is too much to expect newcomers to this (and its brother) thread to study so many posts in each, but GTO has said that this is being attended to. Posts that ignore that do not help.

But hey, everybody wants to express their support --- and repetition is, therefore, going to be inevitable.

[tajender]

It seems Skoda is absolutely obsessed with quality

Just went through this one

Skoda Complaints - Defective Superb

A superb with leather garnishes falling apart. What a quality being offerred by Skoda to its customers buying cars that compete with Merc C class and likes.

Kudos to Skoda for shooting themselves right in their heads yet again.

[iraghava]

Originally Posted by RedOne

On that note, I changed the skin to "standard - Blue" and haven't seen any car there since.

And I use Standard - Red and see no car either.

[Scooby STi]

Hey all,

I own two Skoda's, both of which I've had trouble with.

One is a Laura, Reg no. AP28 7779 and a Fabia, Reg no: KA43 2525. Call it stupidity or what you will that I bought the Fabia even after the ordeal with the Laura. I have to admit that I bought both cars for the diesel economy and build quality ( after all they are VWs underneath), not that i'm a fan of or for the 'snob value' of a Czech brand.

The sad part is, I was under the impression that Bangalore and Hyderabad, the cities where I run the cars have the worst (scum of the earth) Skoda dealers in the country, i.e. TAFE in Bangalore and Mahavir in Hyderabad. After going through this thread, i've realized thats this is an affliction that seems to affect all SKODA dealers.

1. The A/C in my 20 lakh DSG Laura refused to work for two years, and Mahavir motors (after 15 visits at least in two years!) had the audacity to tell my sister who uses the car that SKODA air-conditioning is made for Europe and is'nt effective in India. I was out of the country for two years, I came back last december and got on their case. It took a lot of cajoling, threatening and abuse to make them aknowledge there was a problem. The 'ineffective' AC now works fine after the long overdue replacement. I was told by other unfortunate souls that denial is a Mahavir Motors speciality, even at their Mercedes dealership in Hyderabad!

2. Coming to the Fabia, the power window switch on my 'premium' hatch haven't worked from day I took delivery. I've been waiting for the 'spare parts' to show up from god knows where for a year now. I figured out recently that it must be a ploy to make me pay for parts that should normally fall under warranty. Another long winded threatening phone call and visit later, I have managed to get it in writing that the switch will be replaced under warranty irrespective of when the job is done.

The SKODA rep in this forum should realize that the company seems to have hand-picked the worst possible dealership network across the country. Whether this was done on purpose as part of some grand rip off scam to cut costs or was just plain bad luck (customers') is open to conjecture. But, it will seem to any third person looking at this thread that it might actually be company policy to deny service and rip off customers given the existance of so many low grade dealers, too much of a coincidence one might think! Maybe YOU can change this pathetic scenario for which you sure as hell have a moral obligation!

-Vamsi

[SS-Traveller]

And none of us is seeing Meghna /Skoda Corporate lately either...

[jasher26]

Originally Posted by Scooby STi

Hey all,

I own two Skoda's, both of which I've had trouble with.

One is a Laura, Reg no. AP28 7779 and a Fabia, Reg no: KA43 2525. Call it stupidity or what you will that I bought the Fabia even after the ordeal with the Laura. I have to admit that I bought both cars for the diesel economy and build quality ( after all they are VWs underneath), not that i'm a fan of or for the 'snob value' of a Czech brand.

The sad part is, I was under the impression that Bangalore and Hyderabad, the cities where I run the cars have the worst (scum of the earth) Skoda dealers in the country, i.e. TAFE in Bangalore and Mahavir in Hyderabad. After going through this thread, i've realized thats this is an affliction that seems to affect all SKODA dealers.

1. The A/C in my 20 lakh DSG Laura refused to work for two years, and Mahavir motors (after 15 visits at least in two years!) had the audacity to tell my sister who uses the car that SKODA air-conditioning is made for Europe and is'nt effective in India. I was out of the country for two years, I came back last december and got on their case. It took a lot of cajoling, threatening and abuse to make them aknowledge there was a problem. The 'ineffective' AC now works fine after the long overdue replacement. I was told by other unfortunate souls that denial is a Mahavir Motors speciality, even at their Mercedes dealership in Hyderabad!

2. Coming to the Fabia, the power window switch on my 'premium' hatch haven't worked from day I took delivery. I've been waiting for the 'spare parts' to show up from god knows where for a year now. I figured out recently that it must be a ploy to make me pay for parts that should normally fall under warranty. Another long winded threatening phone call and visit later, I have managed to get it in writing that the switch will be replaced under warranty irrespective of when the job is done.

The SKODA rep in this forum should realize that the company seems to have hand-picked the worst possible dealership network across the country. Whether this was done on purpose as part of some grand rip off scam to cut costs or was just plain bad luck (customers') is open to conjecture. But, it will seem to any third person looking at this thread that it might actually be company policy to deny service and rip off customers given the existance of so many low grade dealers, too much of a coincidence one might think! Maybe YOU can change this pathetic scenario for which you sure as hell have a moral obligation!

-Vamsi

amazing scooby, and that it happens twice with two different cars exposes this scam

[chakri400]

As someone already pointed out, why not change the car on this screen as a mark of protest?

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by iraghava

And I use Standard - Red and see no car either.

Me too. Just can't change that.

Originally Posted by Scooby STi

1. The A/C in my 20 lakh DSG Laura refused to work for two years, and Mahavir motors (after 15 visits at least in two years!) had the audacity to tell my sister who uses the car that SKODA air-conditioning is made for Europe and is'nt effective in India.

How do simple fellas who join this skoda suddenly become supreme and talk about 'INDIAN' conditions ? Perhaps it is imbibed in their training process. When someone plonks some serious money into a car, the AC is all important. I can feel your pain vamsi.

[greenhorn]

I dont know. When GTO's merc horn kept failing, the excuse they gave was, that apparently in europe , horns are not used to the same amount as they are here. If mercedes can use that excuse , why not a mercedes wannabe

[kkr2k2]

Originally Posted by greenhorn

I dont know. When GTO's merc horn kept failing, the excuse they gave was, that apparently in europe , horns are not used to the same amount as they are here. If mercedes can use that excuse , why not a mercedes wannabe

Tell me that was a joke.
My god what these folks think that Indian consumers are such gullible people. Are we(I am referring the majority of the car buyers)??