[diffsoft]

True Evo, it existed even in the earlier site that got revamped recently to match the Skoda Global Site.

In fact it looks like they have outsourced the call center / CRM to a local party in Aurangabad (checkout ::.....Welcome to Misupport.....::, to which domain all the queries are directed)

[kb100]

Skoda Auto sucks - threatens users describing their service

DUGG!

C'mon folks! Digg it!!

[himanshugoswami]

Doesn't Skoda realise that they are fighting a losing battle on the Internet. there is no way their PR/corp comm team can keep up with the innumberable fora that netizens can expose their mis deeds on.

Cmon Skoda - Wake up! there is an old adage in business- cut your losses and move on.

[vineethvazhayil]

The war spreading out of T- BHP! Looks like we have a big battle on our hands!

[loving_alaap]

Originally Posted by himanshugoswami

Doesn't Skoda realise that they are fighting a losing battle on the Internet. there is no way their PR/corp comm team can keep up with the innumberable fora that netizens can expose their mis deeds on.

Cmon Skoda - Wake up! there is an old adage in business- cut your losses and move on.

Thats the beauty of cyber war, and the power of awaken youth.

[condor]

Bouncer : Skoda Auto India Private Limited has published this notice in newspapers today.

Source: Daily Sakal, Pune edition dated April 07, 2009.

So, in who's intrest was this advt published in ?

And what is Skoda trying to say here? Was this ad supposed to mean anything ?

[GTO]

Originally Posted by blacmagic

also,have a peek at this article that talks about the JD Power survey Srinivas Sudhir was referring to:
Indian Cars: SKODA tops the JD power sales satisfaction!!
the interesting thing to note here is that the survey was aimed at people who had ther vehicles for between 2-6 months. if Skoda's first service is at 10000 km - please correct me if Im wrong - most people would not even have seen a service center. no wonder they are satisfied!
lets see how Skoda does if JD Power comes out with an after sales service ranking.

Hit the nail on the head, blacmagic. I recommend JD to initiate a survey of Skoda owners who have completed 50,000 - 75,000 kms of running in their cars. Only then will the results be of any value. I fail to see the point in asking someone with a 2 month old car of how happy he is? Of course, he will be happy!

Originally Posted by ajayr

The page seems to be in existence atleast since 28 Mar, most likely even longer. Source MSN cache: Å*koda Auto - Concern

Admittedly, a small step ahead. Lets wait and watch if this form has any substance (read : someone at Skodas end actually resolving customer problems) or is yet another one-way road. This is NOT ENOUGH, Skoda, though a small step in the right direction.

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

One more Big Minus Point to Skoda's marketing/PR team. They seem determined to draw negative attention to themselves in every possible way. What will they put their collective foot in next, I wonder?

How many websites will they stop? The internet, due to its nature, is uncontrollable for someone who wants to restrict information from being spread. It is not too difficult for a thousand websites overnight to go live with complete details on these two issues. That said, Skoda still has a chance to resolve these issues and move on. I'm afraid if they don't set things right in the near future, things will go out of hand.

Originally Posted by Venkat

OOOps...I voted wrongly. I misunderstood the question, my attention was elsewhere and I bit the NO option when what I really meant was to chose the YES button.

Venkat

No problem. Your clarification is enough. Thank you.

Originally Posted by spadival

Maybe we can modify those BBC Top Gear t-shirts that says "I am the STIG" to "I am the inSTIGgated"

This is classic!

This is Banwari from CarWale.

Good to see you in our neck of the woods, Banwari! Welcome to Team-BHP.

Team-bhp too has rules and regulations and never allows exceptions. I remember one incidence.........I genuinely wanted to give chance to young writers and I did too but Team-BHP never helped me. Rules never allowed them to let me post such thread.

Of course I remember. You will understand that these are two extremely dissimilar matters. The example you've given is where one automotive website is looking for writers from another automotive website!! I don't think any website would allow such an article, thread or discussion due to inherent conflict of interests.

However, the Skoda incident is NOT about helping Team-BHP or Carwale. It is about standing up FOR THE INDIAN CAR ENTHUSIAST. You will understand that few, if any, advertisement-dependent magazines will ever stand up in this manner for the rights of an Indian car customer. Heck, I don't remember any one of them highlighting Skoda's terrible after sales standards in any Skoda car review or comparo shootout. On the contrary, you have magazines shouting out from the rooftops of what a success the Fabia is, when in fact sheer numbers prove that it was the worst selling hatchback of the month. Why? Simply because it is the advertisements that pay the bills, not the subscription / magazine stand income. A flawed model if I ever saw one.

It is at such times that websites like ours play a crucial role; that of providing transparent unbiased information on the Indian car scene. User generated content is simply invaluable.

If the person who posted in CarWale forums had described the problem then and there itself, trust, the thread would have existed. And if he would have asked for help, CarWale would have helped too. Today, we are in position to fight with manufacturers and get things sorted for our customers.

Banwari, you've seen how the Team-BHP Mod Team has stood up in support of a fellow car enthusiast and a body of Skoda owners. This thread itself was started by me. If you say that the carwale thread was taken off only because it provded a mere link (and nothing else), we understand and will take your word for it.

Butttttttttttttttttttttt, now that you are well aware of the entire story, I guess we can expect a similar thread in the carwale forums? A thread that highlits the ordeals that Harish went through, or how Skoda is threatening the netizens right to freedom of speech? This is a high priority matter to Team-BHP, carwale and each & every website out there. I'd be more than happy / willing to withdraw my previous statement back if a thread on these two incidents is published on carwale, since you insist carwale is unbiased as well. I'd love to see your support in this matter. After all, we are all standing up for the Indian car owner & enthusiast.

2. Regarding allegations of being commercial. Now, what's wrong in that?

Nothing at all. I'd appreciate your going back to an earlier post of mine, where I stated exactly this.

[SS-Traveller]

There's a 4th member now, I notice since this morning, who's voted for T-BHP not to stand for the truth. Is this election fever catching up? We shall be greatly obliged if the 3 gentlemen explain in a little more detail why they voted the way they did. Venkat already admitted a mistake, so can the vote be corrected by the mods to reflect the same?

[pranavt]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

There's a 4th member now, I notice since this morning, who's voted for T-BHP not to stand for the truth. Is this election fever catching up? We shall be greatly obliged if the 4 gentlemen explain in a little more detail why they voted the way they did.

Troll (Internet) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Don't feed them

[greenhorn]

the 4th person has already posted saying that it was a mistake. do read all the posts

[ajayr]

Originally Posted by GTO

If you say that the carwale thread was taken off only because it provded a mere link (and nothing else), we understand and will take your word for it.

This was the entire text of my post in the CarWale forums about this issue:

Originally Posted by ajayr

Hi all,

Source: Team-BHP, a popular Indian automotive forum. Link to thread

Looks like Skoda India has lost it all. First, their dealers provide consistently bad service. Yes, they have even gone to the extent of replacing spares of their customers' cars with spurious ones, thereby putting their customers' lives in danger.

Internal e-mail circulated between Skoda and its dealers:

Next, their mothership, Skoda Czech Republic completely washes its hands off the matter:

Then, Skoda India threatens members of Team-BHP with legal consequences for voicing their opinion:

The sole purpose of an internet forum is to allow its users to discuss freely. Skoda's statements threaten our freedom of expression.

I have vowed never to purchase any Skoda product. If you feel strongly about this, please pass on word to your friends.

Please decide for yourself whether it provides just a link to Team-BHP.

[blacmagic]

looks like Skoda is hell bent on getting itself shafted. first they try to scrub the whole section and now they are giving chapter and verse to Wikipedia.
if Skoda wants it, who am I to refuse?
do check out the updated article which is more in line with Wikipedia's rules and more damning to Skoda.
Ampersand - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
User talk:IanManka - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

as a side note, I see a lot of edits and comments from unsigned IP addresses. would people please create a Wikipedia account first and then edit? unless of course you want to be tracked down by IP address and "instigated".

Harish, could you send me a picture of your crashed car if you have any?

[penpavan]

Originally Posted by blacmagic

looks like Skoda is hell bent on getting itself shafted. first they try to scrub the whole section and now they are giving chapter and verse to Wikipedia.
if Skoda wants it, who am I to refuse?
do check out the updated article which is more in line with Wikipedia's rules and more damning to Skoda.
Ampersand - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
User talk:IanManka - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

as a side note, I see a lot of edits and comments from unsigned IP addresses. would people please create a Wikipedia account first and then edit? unless of course you want to be tracked down by IP address and "instigated".

Harish, could you send me a picture of your crashed car if you have any?

Hey blac, Nice work. However, I feel before you give the link to the thread, a line or two enlightening the credibility and popularity of TBHP would be better. Will bring more weight to the link. This is IMO.

[blacmagic]

Originally Posted by penpavan

Hey blac, Nice work. However, I feel before you give the link to the thread, a line or two enlightening the credibility and popularity of TBHP would be better. Will bring more weight to the link. This is IMO.

Pavan, that would look like needless self-publicization. one click on any of those links will automatically show the clicker the popularity of this forum. if somebody canhowever add something about tBHP there in a way that does not detract from the topic, please feel free to do so.

[harishv]

Originally Posted by blacmagic

Harish, could you send me a picture of your crashed car if you have any?

thanks bud. i appreciate your effort.