[Surprise]

Originally Posted by GTO

Skoda will continue to lose thousands of potential customers; customers who run in the opposite direction out of fear of being skinned by their lousy attitude. Do we really need that kind of crap after paying 10 lakh rupees of our own hard-earned money?

Exactly that is where we need to hit them. Tell the world the way Skoda India operates & take the case of Harish to other forms of external world to the best extent possible. Challenge is to stick and keep moving forward in this war

If required we can form a private (team-bhp) team to take up this case on a private sub thread

"First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win." -- Mahatma Gandhi

[HotChillyPepper]

Good to hear that finally Skoda came down to earth and decided to listen to the customer. Though I doubt it was just an eye washer since they know very well that the meeting report will come on the furum and so that the poor Indians will think Skoda is taking care of after sales service very seriously now.

As mods said let them walk the talk and we belive you guys.

[Nitronium]

My friend owns an Octi-rider.

According to him, it ran without a glitch for 4 years. Then one fine day, it just refused to start- turn the key and nothing.

The car has been in the garage for the past month, and they've sent him a bill of a LAKH!!

This is an Octi, which has far less electrical components then a Laura or a Superb. I shudder to imagine what kind of electrical problems they would give.

IMO, while Skoda's are wonderful cars, the mechanics at most workshops are poorly trained, and you'd be better off going to a private garage.

[dockap]

Originally Posted by Nitronium

According to him, it ran without a glitch for 4 years. Then one fine day, it just refused to start- turn the key and nothing.

The car has been in the garage for the past month, and they've sent him a bill of a LAKH!!

4 years old car-did your friend check the battery
i believe it should cost less than rs 6,000/- so whats the extra rs 94,000/- for
keeping the car for 1 month and changing the battery?

[Eddy]

Unfortunately, some of the crucial working parts would have already been replaced. Damage would have been done now.

[BIKeINSTEIN]

All the best to everyone.
I have been reading this intermittently and i am deeply saddened at how inconsiderate, deceiving, unethical ... and inhuman we humans can get for a lil more money.

So long and no results yet is simply disgusting.

If one is fair and just and of good intent, will it take so long to amend the wrongs done?
I guess it only needs some b@ll$ to accept the mistake/s and make amends.

One of my friends had some handling issues with a brand new HH Karizma purchased from a top dealer+workshop in Mumbai.
The works supervisor wanted to begin with trueing the forks (on a brand new crash-free motorcycle) and i had a fear, doubt and personal checkup reports from some knowledgable friends (and some unofficial report) that the chassis wasn't right to begin with- and not on one but maybe several batches.
All this trial and error wasn't acceptable to me.
The joy of owning a new motorcycle, after paying a sizeable amount which is quite big for a fresh grad, would have been lost.
Buying a used one and restoring it fully would have vandalised it far less.
Plus a local 'motorcycle' dealership, i doubt could manage the same level of fit and finish a vehicle fresh of the assembly boasts of.
He even got calls from some manager in a bigger workshop in Pune who tried to assure that they had the technical skills and tools to do a factory-level job.
That would mean a lot of trial and error till they finally zeroed in on the chassis as that is the last thing anyone would want to change.

We wrote a nice, long but polite mail to some top HH officials, requesting them to look into the matter.

After some weeks and maybe after some more calls from the supervisor and manager insisting we opt for repairs, my friend was notified that a new Karizma was ready for delivery with a new number.
The dealer wanted him to pay for the registration amd insurance but we insisted on not paying as the earlier bike's registration+insu was paid for and we shouldn't be charged for no fault of ours.
Finally he did get a whole new bike with no issues with a new number and it also was of a newer series with different decals.

The long wait after having paid and receiving themotorcycle and the thought that handling issues could have been fatally dangerous in an awkward situation was torture enough.

My memory is a bit weak now and the narration may not be exactly as it was then and the whole process may have taken some months but HH did give him a new bike.

Moral of the long, boring story-
If the true intent to do good or make amends is there, it shouldn't take so much time.

Delaying justice is trying to deny it imho. :(

[driving_smartly]

Skoda officials attitude is like they are ready to chop their head but not ready to bent infront of customer in terms of service and realibilty they should offer.

Good skoda your setting right path for yourselves to loose potential customers

[jassi]

the problem here is not to do with skoda losing money to make ammends, but the fact that if they give in, it means they admit they are screwing up in the back-end. Again its the ego of the people running their India operations that prevents them from doing so.
What they don't understand is a simple act like handling Harish' and other cases correctly will give them more positive publicity than this whole delaying tactic.
If Skoda is reading - Admit the mistake, show the same by solving immediate issues of harish and others, and rectify the loopholes for long term customer satisfaction. No marketing/pr spins or legal stuff needed here

PS - if skoda spends 20-30 lacs INR to solve the cases of these members, they get highlighted here at tbhp and skoda get more positive publicity and restored faith than they ever would by paying crores to marketing/pr people. CHeap deal -ehn, what say skoda?

[harishv]

In September 2008, the Hon. District Forum had ordered Skoda to bear the cost of repairs and release my car.

Skoda had appealed to the Hon. State Forum against the order.

Today, the Hon. State Forum set aside the order of the Hon. District Forum citing a technicality.

However, it directed the Hon. District Forum to dispose off the case within 90 days.

Skoda lawyer filed an application to restrict me from speaking about the issue. The Hon. State Forum refused to entertain the application.

There was no representation from Nummer Eins and JMD Auto. No lawyers, no representative.

I continue to pay the EMI of Rs. 21,299/- for keeping my car in Skoda custody for the 14th month.

[sudev]

Errr...what technicality? I do not think discussing that would constitute any breach/subversion of legal process. This is not good.

My take:
Good that 90 days has been directed and their application to stop you from speaking was thrown out. The absence of two other parties is disturbing as it can be used again to appeal to national forum that they were not given enough chance. Typical corporate legal tricks.

[evo]

ADVICE NEEDED

The Jia Auto man calls me today and says that he can sand off the entire paint, apply the base coat again and paint the car. However, he suggests that instead of doing that, he`ll just put on a fresh coat since that will be more durable.

Any truth in that or are they upto cheap tricks again?

Would be grateful for advice since work on my car is stuck till I confirm what I want.

[blacmagic]

Evo, you are being told now what they should have done in the first place. the durability part is hogwash.
I think he is making these statements to make YOU say that you just want a paint-over, not a refinish.
if he says the paint will not be durable, he does not know how to paint. and I fear that to prove himself correct, he will do a lousy job and say "see I told you so" once the paint starts to come off. he just wants to get over with this quickly by putting you in a tight spot.
I suggest you take this statement from him in writing and fax a copy over to Skoda proper. also, manage to take a professional painter with you when he next makes this statement.

[ajaygupte]

Absolutely Disgusting
Instead of taking the complaints on board the Skoda guys are threatening you.
Its time they get serious about their customers.
I am out of the country, likely to return in a year or so. Skoda was very high on my list of cars to pick up.. After reading this.. not a chance..
Cheers..

[Thad E Ginathom]

So, no change in Skoda's attitude to Harish, then.

Looks like they have fallen at the first hurdle.

I'm not so sure about Evo's paint job, I don't know too much about car paint, but I don't think that any paint shop, even at a dealer, is going to achieve the quality of the original factory paint. Isn't it baked on?

Sanding the top (colour) coat off without disturbing too much of the base layers might be a little too much to ask?

Big "?"s on that --- but I have been wondering about this as his story unfolded.

[aaggoswami]

Originally Posted by harishv

Today, the Hon. State Forum set aside the order of the Hon. District Forum citing a technicality.

However, it directed the Hon. District Forum to dispose off the case within 90 days.

Skoda lawyer filed an application to restrict me from speaking about the issue. The Hon. State Forum refused to entertain the application.

There was no representation from Nummer Eins and JMD Auto. No lawyers, no representative.

I continue to pay the EMI of Rs. 21,299/- for keeping my car in Skoda custody for the 14th month.

1) This again proves that there is complete lack of information flow in Skoda India.

2) In this country that is world's largest democracy, everyone has a right to speak, how come that lawyer even think of putting an application for not allowing you to speak ?

3) Is Skoda really thinking what is happening and when its confirmed that they are present in TBHP as a user, why dont they update about this issue here on this very thread ?

I think its time we conclude that Skoda India's attitude wont improve. Earlier in this thread I had posted that there was some hope, but in reality there is not ray of hope. On one side they meet the mods ( who spend their own time for this cause , and go there with positive attitude ) and on the other end they dont know what is actually happening to the person who brought the whole thing up here ?

How many more wake up calls they need ?