[evo]

Update on Skoda`s so called Waking Up

I still havent got written confirmation of what they told me on the phone- That they`ll repaint my car and replace the LCU.

I hope they now also have the decency to get me a spare key which I`ve been asking about for really long and to service the car.

But no written confirmation as yet.

[amit]

Read this in TOI online today

From that news report:

the manufacturing company and dealer stated that though they were not responsible for repairs due to wear and tear

So what exactly are Skoda and their dealers responsible for? They are not responsible for wear and tear repairs, they are not responsible for what happens in their dealerships, they are not responsible for spurious spares being used in their dealerships, the parent company is not responsible for what happens in India so what are they responsible for?

Food for thought for Skoda: If one customer complains about your product and your dealers, he is wrong. Two customers do it both of them are wrong. Ten of them do it, all ten customers are wrong. But when the eleventh customer complains, then there has to be something wrong with your and your dealers isnt it?

Unreliable cars, pathetic dealers, couldn't give a damn company. It amazes me that Skoda has survived here for so long.

Compared to this 'we are not responsible for anything' company, Fiat is an angel (and their cars are infinitely more reliable too!) My Palio runs flawlessly even at about 70,000kms. And yes, it's running on the original timing belt and clutch too.

I just hope that VW products and dealers do a better job then these Skoda guys.

Normally for an auto enthusiast, any car maker that exits our market isnt something to be happy out. As it is we have very few car brands avaliable in our market. Unfortunately, I hope Skoda packs their bags and goes back.

I would rather buy a boring Corolla then a exciting Octavia VRs.

[tinnieboy]

I have started to hate the S-kooda car picture on the top of our forum page. Mods is not there any way we can either modify the picture to either have a skull and cross bones watermarked on the picture or else some other car on the forum all together. Why are we still having a the red S-kooda still posing on the top of the page.

On the other not Harish I am not sure how many of us can join you in person for the fight but I surely think we can all do our bit in contributing in pen and green if required to keep this fight alive. Just let us all know how and when do you think we can help and we will.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Nobody is responsible for wear and tear except the car owner. That is not unreasonable.

Unless, of course... it wears and tears far faster than it should, due to quality issues.

[amit]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Nobody is responsible for wear and tear except the car owner. That is not unreasonable.

True. Owner is responsible for wear and tear.

But, Skoda has claimed that they are not responsible for repairs of wear and tear items. Mind you, that's chargeable repairs. Forget stuff like brake pads, even Engine oil is changed every service because it is exposed to wear and tear isnt it? Am I missing something here? I don't see how Skoda is not responsible for repairs of wear and tear items.

I have owned Daewoo's, Hyundai's, Fiat's and Maruti's. None of these companies and their dealers ever said that!

[kkr2k2]

Originally Posted by diffsoft

Read this in TOI online today

Rs 20,000 to be paid as compensation - Chandigarh - Cities - The Times of India

Skoda Poda

Cheers,

free repair was done for the sake of good customer relationship.

Ayyo! the same statement!!

I guess that is their punch line, which is taught to them from the day they join Skoda.

[Perakath]

I just realised what a business opportunity there is here for someone to start a Skoda A.S.S. and run it to the expectations of this community! Now, where's all that capital I had lying around...

[janitha]

Originally Posted by Perakath

I just realised what a business opportunity there is here for someone to start a Skoda A.S.S. and run it to the expectations of this community! Now, where's all that capital I had lying around...

Where will be the source of spares for you? The spurious ones from Skoda?

Will my post amount to "instigation"?

[johnjacob]

Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR

Skoda India - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

BaCkSeAtDrIVeR, that is brilliant. I added a link to your article from the main Skoda Auto wikipedia page.

[diffsoft]

@harish: Truth will prevail to those who persevere for it. Do what is right and the consequences will take care of themselves.

You have the force of Team BHP with you.

Cheers,

[diffsoft]

Originally Posted by blacmagic

that, Backseatdriver, is SWEET! will need to wait and watch if the mods let that article remain or merge it with Skoda's international article. if this remains, I guess we can use this for all future activity.

@ blacmagic:

Can you add this link in Skoda Auto / Skoda India wikipedia to cite again an instance of poor dealer network?

Rs 20,000 to be paid as compensation - Chandigarh - Cities - The Times of India

Cheers,

[rajiv.kulkarni]

Originally Posted by amit

From that news report

I hope Skoda packs their bags and goes back.

I too hope that they leave soon, however they will NOT go back UNLESS the CONSUMER teaches them a lesson which they will not forget in their life time. Its high time the end user gets affirmative and demands service rather than being at the mercy of the DEALERS and such spurious manufacturers.

[blacmagic]

diff, the article is not specific about the problem and mentions that the court decided to award the customer 20K as a token compensation. it would have been better if the article had been more specific about at least a few reasons why the customer had to go to the service center again and again.
in my opinion, that article would not make a good citation. however, Ill still add it if you insist.

Originally Posted by diffsoft

@ blacmagic:


Can you add this link in Skoda Auto / Skoda India wikipedia to cite again an instance of poor dealer network?

Rs 20,000 to be paid as compensation - Chandigarh - Cities - The Times of India

Cheers,

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by amit

... ... ...Forget stuff like brake pads, even Engine oil is changed every service because it is exposed to wear and tear isnt it? Am I missing something here? I don't see how Skoda is not responsible for repairs of wear and tear items.

Sorry, Amit, I have missed the point somewhere on this one (So many posts!) and I'm confused.

I think that if a company puts it big brand name all over the premises of albeit-legally-independent dealers then it should take responsibility for what they do, for its own sake, because they are doing it in the company's name. It makes basic marketing sense for them to do so, never mind any higher thinking like ethics.

However, I've find an ever widening gap between what I call common sense, and the way that businesses actually do things. I'm also convinced that my common-sense way would, ultimately, be more profitable.

But hey... it's easy to sit here and type <Blush>

[navin]

Originally Posted by evo

I still havent got written confirmation of what they told me on the phone- That they`ll repaint my car and replace the LCU.

I hope they now also have the decency to get me a spare key which I`ve been asking about for really long and to service the car.

as long as they follow through on their commitments it does not matter if the confirmation is written or verbal.

BTW what happened to your spare key?

Originally Posted by rajiv.kulkarni

I too hope that they leave soon, however they will NOT go back UNLESS the CONSUMER teaches them a lesson which they will not forget in their life time. Its high time the end user gets affirmative and demands service rather than being at the mercy of the DEALERS and such spurious manufacturers.

rajiv, getting Skoda or Honda or any car manufactruer to leave is not the solution. The object here is to get fair and reasonable service at a fair and reasonable price within a fair and resonable time frame.

Skoda India

On many an occasion your representatives have quoted J.D Power. Well today in the TOI I read a report by the same J.D Power that by 2011 car sales in India are expected to almost double from 1.4-1.5 million cars today to 2.6-2.8 million car in 2011.

This means your market will double sales in 2 (at best 3 years). Which other market are you operating in with this growth rate?

Marketing 101 will teach you that the value of the word of mouth of your consumer cannot be replaced by any other from of marketing.