[sbkumar]

I would even consider buying the car when the dealers are not upto the mark. But it is difficult to make that decision when I come to know that the company itself is not worried about the customers. That the company has scant respect for the customers is quite obvious from the threads I see here. It is a sad situation as I really liked Fabia and was even willing to compromise on the engine front as the interiors are totally best in class.

[Sexy_Scorcher]

This thread really made me sit up! - after my recent freaky and terrifying experience with my Honda car (faith in Honda is shaken...) , I was seriously looking at Laura/Jetta even though was never a great fan of Skoda .This information from BHP has definitely changed my mind. It is wonderful to get all the handy information in this forum - KUDOS to TEAM BHP for their work !!

[liner4u]

Guys I currently own a Skoda Fabia 1.4 tdi. You will be quite amazed at the number of problems I have faced with the car. Fed up I decided to go the press and thankfully Autocar India published my problems on the complaints section in their Feb 2010 issue.

I will never recommend a Skoda to anyone. Given below are the problems I faced.

Within two months of purchase there was a rattling noise from the dashboard on the left side. I had to take the car four times to rectify the problem, which was eventually found to be blower motor fan problem. The compressor of my air conditioner was changed along with the radiator fan and this process took around two weeks. My remote locking system on the driver door did not work because it failed to recognize that there was a door!! And it had to be replaced. The battery died within the stipulated two-year period that it was supposed to work and had to be replaced. The power window on the driver door came out of its alignment and had to be rectified. The horn stopped working one fine day and I had to take the vehicle to get that rectified.

And now the left speaker on the front door has a mind of its own and works in intervals. I have taken the car to the dealership three times. The first time the problem was identified and it was suggested that the speaker was faulty and had to be replaced. So I had to wait 20 days for the product to be delivered from Skoda. After the speaker came nobody from the dealership informed me that it had arrived and I had to call and inquire and find its whereabouts. Finally I made a booking with the dealership on a Saturday afternoon to change the speaker and on my arrival I was informed that the necessary tools (Rivet Gun) needed to change the speaker was not available. I had to come back on Monday afternoon but all the dealership did was to remove the door pad, wait for the tools (Rivet Gun) which had not yet arrived and have internal talks with Skoda on whether the speaker can be changed on warranty or not. Photographs were taken and all sorts of nonsense was done but still the issue is not resolved. I have visited the dealership 3 times for a faulty speaker and I was asked today to leave the vehicle for a day tomorrow to resolve the issue because Skoda requires more photographs of the speaker and what not.

Basically all that the people at Skoda and the dealership do is R&D with my vehicle at the cost of my valuable time. To be very honest I am irritated and frustrated for purchasing a Skoda. The vehicle is good but the service is pathetic. No issue can be sorted out within reasonable time because for even changing a clip under warranty the dealer has to sought permission from Skoda. A maruti dealer would probably laugh his head off if I tell him that a problem with the speaker is not solved for the past 3 days. Lets face it that the whole of India knows that your service is horrible. No car magazine has ever written anything good about your service. If you still wish to maintain such standards you will not survive in this country. I personally have told 5 people not to purchase a Skoda for the beautiful service it provides and they were looking to purchase Laura’s and Superbs.

[sbraj]

Originally Posted by liner4u

The vehicle is good but the service is pathetic. No issue can be sorted out within reasonable time because for even changing a clip under warranty the dealer has to sought permission from Skoda. A maruti dealer would probably laugh his head off if I tell him that a problem with the speaker is not solved for the past 3 days.

Actually, that is an interesting comparison. Over a period of time, VW group may be owning the entire Suzuki including Maruti.

There is something seriously wrong with the Skoda team in India. Hope VW moves the A.S.S. of Skoda vehicles to Maruti folks. Or atleast Maruti folks can teach a lesson or two on A.S.S. to Skoda team.

[IronH4WK]

Originally Posted by sbraj

Over a period of time, VW group may be owning the entire Suzuki including Maruti.

if that happens, millions of Indian will be (pardon my French) SCREWED!

[RGK]

I have heard that skoda spares are rocket prices, but i never knew that skoda owners' worst experiences till I pick this thread . I have made up my mind not to recommend skoda products to others.

- what about VW... I think it will not be far off from skoda processes and procedures with regard to servicing & spares...
- As rightly said by IronH4wk, butterfly will start flying in the stomach of Maruti owners and those who have booked VW

[kadri007]

Has things changed in Skoda now. I am in a big dilemma between Skoda Fabia 1.2 Classic Petrol and Fiat Punto 1.2 Emotion Petrol.

Skoda Fabia 1.2 Classic:

Positive side of it, I just love the safety features:

• Safety: Dual Airbags,Front & Rear Impact beams, Rear wiper & Defogger, Engine Immobilizer, Pre tension seat belts, Collapsible steering, child lock, side beams, Shear bolt, crumple zone
• Others: Fog lamps, Rough road package, Tilt & Telescopic steering, Rear AC Cooling, central locking
• Also comes with 60 Tyre ratio
• Mileage 12/13 in city & 14/15 in highway
• 15K service intervals.

Negative side: Spares & service are overpriced, one thing because of its high quality and the other because of its import duty.

Fiat Punto 1.2 Emotion:
Positive side:

• Safety: Engine Immobilizer, Fire Prevention system, side beams, Crumple zone, only.
• Others: Fog lamps, 60:40 seats, only tilt steering, central locking, Remote key less entry, Defogger,
• Mileage 13/14 in City & 15/16 in highway
• 15K service interval

Negative side: Poor quality of plastic and interiors, Tata Service a big question since Sales experience is only not that great.

This weekend will be doing TD of both cars.

Ford Figo petrol: Lot of features, but dropped after TD, I feel its underpowered when 5 of them are on board.

VW Polo: Dropped due to long waiting period.

Would like to get updates from owners on how the car is performing and what is the mileage that you are getting.

Has anyone taken the car from Vinayaka Skoda,Bangalore, They claim they are new and are different, how is their service.

[akj53]

Skoda cars are result of high quality engineering and solid build quality. They also provide a lot of features not usually found in the competing cars within their price range.

Sadly all this stands negated by pathetic quality control in India and a total disregard for customer satisfaction. Pathetic quality control results in frequent breakdown of some of their vehicles with multiple problems while many other Skoda owners report trouble free performance even after many years. This also points to sound engineering.

However VW is behaving like Government of India in not sacking the concerned people in management of Skoda, due to whom the brand has again become a joke and is also becoming a liability of VW brand.

VW should sack the concerned people and improve the overall management of the company.

[sudev]

Originally Posted by kadri007

Has things changed in Skoda now. .....

After reading this and few other threads I made up mind never to buy or recommend SKODA. If you are still asking look at this latest thread: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...laura-l-k.html

[amitk26]

Originally Posted by kadri007

Negative side: Poor quality of plastic and interiors, Tata Service a big question since Sales experience is only not that great.

This is not a FIAT thread and you are just comparing them to Skoda so Let me tell you an open secret Tata Service is only saving grace about FIAT A.S.S.

As per my experience and of dozens of others here T.A.S.S do not cheat and put spurious parts and also they do not deny warranty claims like what is mentioned on this thread. You may not like fit , finish and QA of TML but that is another issue altogether.

The problems lies with FIAT because they are not managing supply chain efficiently and making parts available easily , in time and cheaply so often Tata customers are happer with service then FIAT.

[kadri007]

Originally Posted by sudev

After reading this and few other threads I made up mind never to buy or recommend SKODA. If you are still asking look at this latest thread: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...laura-l-k.html

I have read many of them and what I have observed is major of the problems have come up in 2007 and 2008 models.

I spoke to a few Skoda Fabia customers who have taken thier cars after 2009 and a few earlier also, all seemed to be very happy and didnt find any problems with car or dealers.

The reviews and customer feedbacks are at two extreems which has created a lot of confusions.

Also I know a few Skoda Laura and Skoda Superb customers in my friends and family circle who are just loving the car and didnt have any bad experience. All of them recomended me to go for Fabia.

Has any one taken the Fabia after 2009. The new dealer in Bangalore also claims now the things have changed so only Skoda has started to open new dealership's.

And while checking the sales numbers Skoda Fabia is selling around 700 and Fiat Punto around 1000 average per month. So was wondering why still so many people are going for it.

[sajanpt]

Originally Posted by kadri007

I have read many of them and what I have observed is major of the problems have come up in 2007 and 2008 models.

The new dealer in Bangalore also claims now the things have changed so only Skoda has started to open new dealership's.

And while checking the sales numbers Skoda Fabia is selling around 700 and Fiat Punto around 1000 average per month. So was wondering why still so many people are going for it.

Oh yeah ! What do all the dealers do? They promise the sky up until you buy their car and they would be so nice to you until you hand over the cheque....and the next minute they change colors like chamelions, showing the very same attitude of their manufacturers to themselves.... And the reason why some people still go for Skoda is the same reason why you wouldn't be convinced even after reading 150 pages of real life experiences.

Sorry, no offence but that's the way it is; plus half of them don't have a clue about the technical and A.S.S of the car....the other half are filthy rich who buys them to add to their fleet as just a use and throw consumable. I personally know about a restaurant chain tycoon who is fed up with Skoda and has 2 of their cars lying in his garage. He thinks he might as well let it rot and go to hell than spend his valuable time & resources, going after these retards !

[diffsoft]

+1 to that.

Car buying is not a rational decision making process. The heart rules over the head. You enter the showroom look at the lovely design, the fancy features, the solid thud of the car door, you just fall in love . So does your family.

The mind then starts to play truant - all negative experiences / comments are weeded out as exceptions or sour grapes - "it happened to them, wont happen to me". You start to play up the better experiences of owners many times. The owners themselves may be biased - it hurts to say that my 8 - 20 lakhs buy was a waste.

A*S*S is too far away in your mind. You just think, "How can this piece of beauty ever break down?"

Then the sales guy tells you that some non-existent offer is going to close soon.

You can't control yourself and pay the amount to book the car. Subsequently your mind envisions all the lovely things you were planning to do with the car. How you can show it to all your friends and relatives, how you can have the drive of your life and how good it would feel to post on T-BHP.

You just want the car now, forget the money.

It has happened to me and I am sure it happens to many others who buy irrespective to others' sour experience.

Thus Skoda sells, albeit small. There of course are a lucky bunch who have a dream-like ownership experience. But I wouldn't bet my hard earned Rupee on it ever.

[kadri007]

Originally Posted by diffsoft

Car buying is not a rational decision making process. The heart rules over the head. You enter the showroom look at the lovely design, the fancy features, the solid thud of the car door, you just fall in love . So does your family.

The mind then starts to play truant - all negative experiences / comments are weeded out as exceptions or sour grapes - "it happened to them, wont happen to me". You start to play up the better experiences of owners many times. The owners themselves may be biased - it hurts to say that my 8 - 20 lakhs buy was a waste.

A*S*S is too far away in your mind. You just think, "How can this piece of beauty ever break down?"

Then the sales guy tells you that some non-existent offer is going to close soon.

You can't control yourself and pay the amount to book the car. Subsequently your mind envisions all the lovely things you were planning to do with the car. How you can show it to all your friends and relatives, how you can have the drive of your life and how good it would feel to post on T-BHP.

You just want the car now, forget the money.

It has happened to me and I am sure it happens to many others who buy irrespective to others' sour experience.

Thus Skoda sells, albeit small. There of course are a lucky bunch who have a dream-like ownership experience. But I wouldn't bet my hard earned Rupee on it ever.

That's a very true. Its a very difficult battle between heart and mind.

When I saw the Figo features I just wanted it. But after I visited 5 times and checked the car in detail, read all reviews, did a TD, I atlast came out of my dream world.

Similar thing happened to VW Polo also. Even after a month the sales guys were not able to give the Service charge and spare price details. I found it that it was a risky decission just to take a car without knowing how much they are going to charge and I have serious doubts if thier dealerships are equiped to take huge service due to such large bookings.

For Fabia also now my mind is winning over the heart. It was a same experience when you see lots of features and the best price. And for Fabia a lot of good luck matters to be a happy customer. A truly risk of a lifetime.

Originally Posted by sajanpt

Oh yeah ! What do all the dealers do? They promise the sky up until you buy their car and they would be so nice to you until you hand over the cheque....and the next minute they change colors like chamelions, showing the very same attitude of their manufacturers to themselves.... And the reason why some people still go for Skoda is the same reason why you wouldn't be convinced even after reading 150 pages of real life experiences.

Sorry, no offence but that's the way it is; plus half of them don't have a clue about the technical and A.S.S of the car....the other half are filthy rich who buys them to add to their fleet as just a use and throw consumable. I personally know about a restaurant chain tycoon who is fed up with Skoda and has 2 of their cars lying in his garage. He thinks he might as well let it rot and go to hell than spend his valuable time & resources, going after these retards !

Dealers and Banks both are the same. Today morning had a similar experience with Kotak Mahindra Bank, after everything got finalized they increased the interest rates by 0.50% and are taliking as if they have never said a day back.

Skoda customers are actully in 2 ends, some are enjoying and some just cry.

I am not a Tycoon to keep my car in garage. I need it for daily office use. Hence now I am fully decided to drop the Fabia and go with Fiat Punto Emotion.

[sbraj]

Originally Posted by kadri007

I found it that it was a risky decission just to take a car without knowing how much they are going to charge and I have serious doubts if thier dealerships are equiped to take huge service due to such large bookings.

For Fabia also now my mind is winning over the heart. It was a same experience when you see lots of features and the best price. And for Fabia a lot of good luck matters to be a happy customer. A truly risk of a lifetime.

Yes, if Polo is risky due to unknown factors, Fabia is risky due to already known factors.

Originally Posted by kadri007

Hence now I am fully decided to drop the Fabia and go with Fiat Punto Emotion.

Dropping Fabia is a wise decision, I would say.