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View Poll Results: Should Team-BHP stand up for its right to the freedom of speech? For the TRUTH?
YES 3192 99.35%
NO 21 0.65%
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Old 15th August 2009, 13:59   #2116
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@Thomas, also bear in mind that Skoda dealers replaced brakes with fake ones. While car was in warranty!! You be the judge, on how important brakes are to a car.
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Old 15th August 2009, 16:13   #2117
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Quote:
Originally Posted by akj53 View Post
SKoda does not test their cars for Indian conditions properly which leads to complications like poor engine performance (Fabia) or frequent parts failure.

2. Skoda do not seem to have any dealer training and monitoring system in place.
I dont know about the Fabia but I think all other cars were tested well before being sold. I knoew the Fabia was going to be a dud the minute i heard of which powerplant they intended to power it with.

Skoda remember you are a niche player. As a niche player you are not going to compete with the likes of Maurti (Ritz) or Hyundai (i20) or even the Honda (Jazz). As a niche player the best you should do is fulfill that niche well. the Fabia vRS with 6 speed auto was a well tested machine. It would have atleast garnered you sole position in the "HOT HATCH" segment (you have competed against a dated Palio 1.6 and a poser of a SRV). Marketing 101. Be #1 or #1 in your segment.

Monitoring is the key. Skoda needs to (a) monitor their dealers more closely and (b) follow up with Skoda cutomers (any customer who had a major job done) with a satisfaction survey.

Skoda if we (TBHP) did not care if you lived or died we would not be so forthcoming with suggesstions. Suggestions that the PR company that represents you and your marketing dept should have come up with to begin with.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ImmortalZ View Post
Let's see a Laura run the same kilometers without major part replacements.
Let's see a vRS do 230k km.
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Old 15th August 2009, 16:13   #2118
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Skoda dealers did it right? did skoda do it.??
i talk for myself and not anyone else. just because some bad dealer did it in a car doesnt mean that skoda as a company is bad??

as long as i am happy with the skoda vehicles in my family i am good.

@r2d2. dude you have right to your own views. so lets leave it at that.
and the tin box thing. well in case of high speed stability and crash situations i still prefer an European cars. Fiat included. you should be in one crash and then you will appreciate the tank like build!!

@immortal dude. did i argue that all parts in a car are to replaced as a set?? nope!! there are certain parts which should be changed as a set. lets leave that out of this discussion.
but for a fact the european manufacturers follow the replacement procedure. ( the logic i have already mentioned. the dealers are out to get a quick buck thats why the cars are first shown outside so that we know the problem and get only that done from the dealer.) and if its indeed as easy as you told. then why doesnt any other dealer come up for Skoda in cochin or trichur. isnt it true that through out kerala marikar is the dealer for Skoda? are there other choices?. if yes then let me know. i will sure give them a try. i will go with those who do better service

and just a simple question? if indeed Skoda is as bad as described here then why does it outsell the accord?? or is it that skoda buyers and team-bhp members doent intersect just like the ANHC and jazz buyers??

here in team-bhp its as evident as daylight that no one will recommend a skoda to anyone and i can easily make out that the members do all that is possible to make a customer go away from skoda and in case of honda or toyota its obviously a big yes to go for an accord or camry!! . and yet their Superb outsells the accord??
so after the whole team-bhp community giving a big no no to skoda, still they are here!!

i can vote a yes and stay with the truth. but then that would mean i am against skoda. which i am not!! afterall everyone has his right to freedom of speech. so i choosed the lonely path!!
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Old 15th August 2009, 16:19   #2119
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomas8700 View Post
Skoda dealers did it right? did skoda do it.??
No but Skoda did nothing about it (or their dealer) after it came to their attention.

It was only after the dealer was sued and Skoda implicated as well that any action was taken; the the first action they took (if you follow Harish's case) was to ask another dealer to fix the car and then try to remove the evidence of the fake parts from JMD's workshop. That was in Harish's case some 2 years ago.

The Fabia case (by Marikar) is more recent. Has SKoda contacted the customer? Have they assured the customer that the dealer will be repremainded and that the customer will get a new engine. What exactly have Skoda done in the Marikar-Fabia case?

Often it is not what SKoda has done but what it has NOT done that attracts this kind of reaction on TBHP.
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Old 15th August 2009, 16:37   #2120
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Thomas persists in his incredibly insular point of view: he's ok, so all must be fine with the world.

Not much point in arguing.
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Old 15th August 2009, 16:39   #2121
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Quote:
and just a simple question? if indeed Skoda is as bad as described here then why does it outsell the accord?? or is it that skoda buyers and team-bhp members doent intersect just like the ANHC and jazz buyers??
This one is easy
1. Ignorance - Not everyone read's team bhp.
2. Diesel. It's the diesel skoda's which outsell the accord. Not too sure if the petrol skodas outsell the accord now
3. the car itself. The car is still a great car, notwithstanding the faults of the A.S.S
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Old 15th August 2009, 18:08   #2122
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomas8700 View Post
Skoda dealers did it right? did skoda do it.??

@r2d2. dude you have right to your own views. so lets leave it at that.
and the tin box thing. well in case of high speed stability and crash situations i still prefer an European cars. Fiat included. you should be in one crash and then you will appreciate the tank like build!!

i can vote a yes and stay with the truth. but then that would mean i am against skoda. which i am not!!
A mfr is supposed to have control over their dealers. There is clear evidence on TBHP that Skoda have actually turned a blind eye to their dealers' misdoings despite several complaints. In the end both the dealer and company (Skoda) suffer. Look at Skoda's latest financials they tell you all you need to know about their health. Skóda's parent company in Czechkoslovakia have washed their hands off their Indian subsidiary's anti customer behavior.

Let me give you an example of how I see customer service from the parent company - I had an enquiry which I posted on my car mfr's website and I received a call in 45 minutes (yes that's not a typo) from the company to answer my queries. They also directed me to the dealer for additional help. Now THAT is what I call customer focus.
The day Skoda responds with a rapidness seen above and fixes its dealerships, is the day I will call Skoda a customer friendly company. I do not deny that their cars are good but everything else about them is bad.

I do have a right to my own views as do you, but the difference is that I am a great believer in the saying ' the truth shall prevail'. As for tank like build, Jap car mfrs also meet applicable crash and safety standards. That is good enough for me.

And to be honest I am surprised with your devotion to Skoda. If Skoda Corporate is peering around maybe they could use your enthusiasm for the brand to try boost their sales.

Cheers!

PS - Skoda sells because its a diesel and not petrol. Look around to see if a petrol Skoda retains its sales value. It goes down faster than a dead weight dropped in the middle of the ocean.

Last edited by R2D2 : 15th August 2009 at 18:17.
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Old 15th August 2009, 18:11   #2123
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You know what? I've never seen such passion for one's car in a while now. +1 to your passion Thomas. I think that Thomas8700 obviously loves his Skodas and that's something I can quite relate to at one level.

Voting for freedom of speech is one thing but the real question that the poll asks is obvious. Should TBhp continue raising awareness on Skoda's bad after sales and other issues or not? The unbiased guy's answer might be yes but when you're crazily in love, you'll never want to hear a word against your baby. Its passion on a level that few of us (even us enthisiasts in this forum) will reach. I reckon this is along those lines. So let it go guys. When we fall in love with a car, it'll probably happen to us too.

Last edited by McLaren Rulez : 15th August 2009 at 18:21.
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Old 15th August 2009, 19:34   #2124
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomas8700 View Post
Skoda dealers did it right? did skoda do it.??
i talk for myself and not anyone else. just because some bad dealer did it in a car doesnt mean that skoda as a company is bad??
Agreed that a company cannot be totally blamed for one bad dealer. However, the reality of it here is that :
1. Its a lot more than just ONE dealer. There is clearly something lacking in terms of quality of A.S.S from Skoda, as well as honesty of service - which the parent company is responsible for.
2. The poll question has nothing to do with dealerships, it deals with (a representative from Skoda India) Skoda Corporate 's interactions on our forum at the time.
(I suggest you read the key parts of this thread and others on our forum to get a better picture of the going ons)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomas8700 View Post
and just a simple question? if indeed Skoda is as bad as described here then why does it outsell the accord??...
In addition to what other members have said :
Most Team-BHPians agree that its a GREAT car. There is no doubt about that - and you can't expect everyone to know about terrible A.S.S from Skoda. Add to that - there are some excellent skoda service centers, not all of them are poor quality or crooked.

Skoda India should be working to fix the bad/crooked ones. Thats all we are saying here. (and yes, its Skoda India's responsibility to manage their dealers and keep them in check).

Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomas8700 View Post
here in team-bhp its as evident as daylight that no one will recommend a skoda to anyone and i can easily make out that the members do all that is possible to make a customer go away from skoda
Not true. Members have been singing praises of the Superb and other skodas in various threads - but always with warning the prospective buyer of the A.S.S issues they might face.

Also, you clearly seem to have been offended by some comment which you seem to have read as "all skoda buyers are rich / fools" - which i can assure you is not true and probably not what the poster intended (?). Many mods and members here own Skodas, and the same statement doesn't seem to have offended them, so please do a re-read and perhaps consider a different interpretation.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomas8700 View Post
...afterall everyone has his right to freedom of speech. so i choosed the lonely path!!
Then, isn't it ironic that you voted "NO" to a question that asked "Should Team-BHP stand up for its right to the freedom of speech? "

Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomas8700 View Post
as long as i am happy with the skoda vehicles in my family i am good.
You're definitely entitled to your opinion and i appreciate the way you have put forward your points.
I'm glad skoda dealers haven't stolen anything from you and you're happy with your ownership experience. That's the way we are saying it should be for all Skoda owners!


Can we agree on that and get this thread back closer to the topic?


cya
R

Last edited by Rehaan : 15th August 2009 at 19:43.
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Old 15th August 2009, 21:46   #2125
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lets all chill guys.
yup maybe the fact that i encouraged the purchase of three skodas and the fact that all the owners tell me thanks for suggesting them the same thing since these guys do a lot of travelling and the mileage these guys get are really good. i heard another thing today from the dealer. they say that south indians are crazy about diesels and gasoline finds few takers this part of the country while the north guys usually go for petrol??
he said it like this here only cars with "adipoli" mileage fetches better resale value and also sells.

to be true to you guys there is no skoda which is a gasoline in my circle so i dont know about them, their reliability, resale and wont commend on it since i dont know.

lets get back to the topic at hand. as Mclaren pointed out my point of understanding is as put by him.

so back to sqaure one.
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Old 15th August 2009, 21:58   #2126
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OT: Well i also heard this for long, south india does sell more diesels. But i think its changing fast, after the launch of new gen diesel engines. They have become reliable, cheaper to maintain and longer service intervals.
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Old 15th August 2009, 22:14   #2127
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Thomas, could you shed more light on this European part replacement policy please?
if old parts 'interfere' with the functioning of new parts and hence warrant replacement, shouldn't the service center simply be junking an entire car and giving the customer a brand new one instead?
after all, I wouldn't want my old tail lamp 'interfering' with my defective turbocharger, would I?

about the bit where you insist that Skoda didn't do it, the dealer did, let's see somebody defending himself by saying "Judge, I did not slap this person, my arm did it. my brain cannot be held responsible for the actions of my arm..."

Last edited by blacmagic : 15th August 2009 at 22:16.
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Old 15th August 2009, 22:44   #2128
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Quote:
Originally Posted by blacmagic View Post
Thomas, could you shed more light on this European part replacement policy please?
if old parts 'interfere' with the functioning of new parts and hence warrant replacement, shouldn't the service center simply be junking an entire car and giving the customer a brand new one instead?
after all, I wouldn't want my old tail lamp 'interfering' with my defective turbocharger, would I?

about the bit where you insist that Skoda didn't do it, the dealer did, let's see somebody defending himself by saying "Judge, I did not slap this person, my arm did it. my brain cannot be held responsible for the actions of my arm..."
I was in splits for almost half an hour after reading this, SO TRUE MATE.
Agreed the dealer is wrong in doing what he did, but after getting skodas attention is it not skodas duty to see to it that the car is on road asap with all the original parts repaired and rectified free of cost or a new car given to the user asap. In fact skoda should be sending an apology letter with freebies for the rest of its 7 lives for such acts. Dealer did it cannot be an excuse to not blame skoda.

If it was a maruti or a hyundai, the dealer would be made to fall to his knees and wacked day in day out and the user be given whatever his demands were, WHY ? becaue they value customers and they know that cars are more of an emotional member of the family than a mere tin box.

To know what is service u really have to own a maruti, really once in your life time a maruti. Faulty parts even if sensed or 1% doubt that they are faulty are replaced without a thought,
IMAGINE i have had my clutch set replaced with the flywheel on a 12 thousand km run car because of a faulty pressure plate which they could have easily shrugged off as user abuse on a swift which sells like no ones business and they would not care a rat if they lost a future customer in me.

When a 5 nd half lakh car can give you and treat u like a king why cant skoda when you are paying more than double of that.
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Old 15th August 2009, 23:01   #2129
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In fact, its seems that the average premium/Luxury brand car buyer seems to be more likely to recieve substandard service and/or get ripped off in the process than the buyer of an car from a more mass market brand.

Only In India
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Old 15th August 2009, 23:44   #2130
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thomas, great that your skodas have run well.

but you ask a question " Did skoda do it? " and its the skoda dealers that have done this.

who are skoda dealers? what is skoda india? a customer cannot go and directly buy from skoda india or from their factory. every manufacturer or say any company has various departments like accounts, hr, admin etc.
dealership is a department of the company which sells and services the cars.

tomorrow when you buy a new car and you see the head or the block has holes everywhere, then too you will say its not skoda. its the supplier who manufactures parts for skoda. right?

Skoda is solely responsible for training the dealership people and maintaining some rules and regulations. here they have no control on their dealerships, in other way round looking at harish's case and many others i can say skoda itself is a theif as its defending the dealerships at the first stance.

if skoda is not responsible then they should start a counter in the factory itself to sell cars and service them in their shops or bays etc.

if a dealer has cheated ITS SKODA INDIA WHO HAS CHEATED

Last edited by Rehaan : 16th August 2009 at 12:18. Reason: gr8 = great.
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