[CoolFire]

Have you noticed how Mahindra Satyam had to compensate US investors over the Satyam episode, while nothing could be even claimed by Indian investors.

Our law making and implementation has a long way to go in consumer/investor protection and it is the case with car customers too.

[alpha1]

^ You should actually say our public has long way to go to make the public servants (= executive + law maker) accountable.

In US, ppl go beserk if they realize that they have been taken for ride.

In India, ppl feel it is a part of their destiny that everyone around them takes them for ride, and that public servants are not servants but their rulers.

Unfortunately since it is a macro phenomena, there is little that can be achieved by single cases like these. It has to be a mass movement wherein all aspects (not just lemon cars) have to be made accountable.

[sridhar-v]

Originally Posted by GTO

A significant step alright, but a small one. What really matters is how Skoda brings its after-sales - consistently & across the board - up to premium standards (the way that things are at the moment, up is really the only way they can go). It is an uphill task and, IMO, if they start today, it will be at the least 12 - 24 months before customers start enjoying the fruit of this exercise.

Walk the talk, Skoda. Walk the talk. We'll be watching closely.

GTO

It has been almost 2 years since ur meeting with the Skoda top brass. Could you conduct a poll to see if there has been any improvements in the quality & honesty of servicing by their service outlets?

regards

Sridhar V

[drmohitg]

Thats a very good idea although going by the general perception on the forum I really doubt much progress has been made by Skoda as far as A.S.S is concerned.

GTO if you are planning to put a poll then can we also add VW to the poll. I was just curious to know how VW is performing since the DNA is the same between the 2 companies. I know there is a separate thread on VW service issues but thats more about the dealer delays and petty issues which are common across the table with all the manufacturers barring one or two.

[sridhar-v]

Originally Posted by Thomas8700

@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!!

There is a lot of misconception that solid build (ready heavy) translates to safety.

I remember when I got my first Maruti 800 in 1984 (second piece in pune) all the truck drivers would laugh at the tin vehicle. The misconception changed when people saw actual crashes vis a vis amby & fiats.

The fact is that what matters is the energy absorbing capacity of the shell & more importantly the rate of energy absorbtion.

The latest designs use composites & fibre based materials for this. There are some designs where these materials are added as fillers in the wings/side pillars etc.

Also beyond a certain point increasing sheet thickness does not increase rigidity. It only increases load carrying capacity. You can do that also by going in for higher tensile strength steels instead of increasing thicknesses.

Sridhar

[puneet_b]

Originally Posted by sridhar-v

GTO

It has been almost 2 years since ur meeting with the Skoda top brass. Could you conduct a poll to see if there has been any improvements in the quality & honesty of servicing by their service outlets?

regards

Sridhar V

I've heard some good things as far as their A.S.S is concerned recently, past few months, I too would like to know more on this.

[nitin.rai]

Originally Posted by GTO

Team-BHP is blessed with the best-wishes of 40,000 BHPians. the entire body of Indian car enthusiasts and lakhs of regular visitors. I know, that with YOUR SUPPORT, Team-BHP has what it takes to stand up for the TRUTH.

GTO - I have been following this thread for a long time and this is my first post.

Am in the process of finalizing an under 10 lac sedan and let me put it on the record that the only reason why I am hesitating to book the Vento is the DNA which VW & Skoda share.

On a side note: The Indian consumer still is being taken for a ride in different ways for lack of strong consumer laws (not a specific reference to this case as I dont know the veracity of the statements by either party). Try this in the US or EU and I would love to see the lawyers dance!

[cedricsg]

Originally Posted by VW2010

Unless Skoda settles this down with Harish and Harish says he is happy with the final outcome, this thread should be kept open.

This is just another thread that made me not choose a Laura.

I am just asking the following to Skoda:-

- Accept the mistake
- Place the customer above anyone here and help Harish with a settlement or a complete replacement.
- Bear the extra cost which will go a long way to help build the reputation.

This is a starting point for Skoda to regain confidence from the public.

I agree absolutely. I feel like making a poster of Harish, especially the mid day write up & putting it at the back of my car.

[METISWHG]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Harish is still waiting.

I don't know if Skoda understand the word "compensate"?

Its such a crazy goofup from Skoda. and oddly their legal deptt. is trying to fight the case, rather than just tell mgt to pay compensation and get over it.

I had bought a Bajaj Chetak in 1999 during gradutaion. During its 1st service its engine blasted/exploded. After filling a few forms at dealership, 2 weeks later they delivered a complete new scooter to me. Dont know if dealer did it or Bajaj, but thats the way to go Skoda. go learn some customer management.

[sridhar-v]

On 9th. June I had raised a query as to whether there was any improvement in Skoda's *** setups.

Last week I got my reply in Skoda trademark style. - A friend of mine went to enquire re the Skoda Fabia. And mind you he was looking to buy a petrol variant - the 1.6 or 1.2. He would have cleared one of their dead stocks. He was roughly told that there are no test drive cars. When his driver wanted to check out the instrument panel display & power windows, on a car displayed in the showroom, he was informed that it was not possible as the battery would have to be charged (possibly the rep was thinking in his mind - u chaps make me show off features so let me not maintain the battey).

Compare this with what I experienced today @ Hyundai service centre. Had gone to get a non-working rear internal door handle fixed. The problem was diagnosed & fixed by replacing a broken part. Costs Rs. 3.41+vat. (yesss only teen rupaiah and almost eight annas!!!- not even panch rupiah bara anna of KK fame!!) And their front office staff very very busy trying to persuade me & my driver to have tea & sit in an ac lounge. The Service advisor who handled my car 3 months ago recognised me & had a chat. Just amazing.


Wake up Skoda & smell the coffee

Sridhar

[saurabhkanchan]

sridhar,

Want a taste of Hyundai A.S.S? Check out this link : http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-t...ownership.html

All your doubts will be rested with this.

It doesnt matter whether its Skoda, Hyundai or any other company for that matter, its the people that make or break a company. And in India, people only make tall claims, and when the time comes to deliver, they will show you the door.

[Equus]

Originally Posted by saurabhkanchan

sridhar,

Want a taste of Hyundai A.S.S? Check out this link : http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-t...ownership.html

All your doubts will be rested with this.

It doesnt matter whether its Skoda, Hyundai or any other company for that matter, its the people that make or break a company. And in India, people only make tall claims, and when the time comes to deliver, they will show you the door.

Kinda agree - everyone mileage varies. In such a case, its a simple math of how many happy Vs how many sad.. With Maruti/Hyundai, there are a LOT more happy customers compared to Skoda.

[saurabhkanchan]

The number of dissatisfied customers with Hyundai is growing by the minute. IMO, Hyundai is going the Fiat way : makes great cars but now is unable to deliver quality after sales service.

I have managed to dissuade friends from buying the new Hyundai Verna, citing the various service related issues that I have faced on this forum. Hyundai's poor after sales service is not only talked about in India but Europe too.

I fail to understand how can any company live with an unsatisfied customer in today's competitive world. It only takes a little effort from the company's side to bring about a change in the customer's attitude. The time and effort the company has spent in trying to bully T-BHP, could have been used in a constructive way to build its brand reputation by responding to the report case more sensitively.

This incident reminds me of how certain MNCs, in the 70s and 80s, were pushed out of the Seafood Export business. The MNCs failed to adapt to the conditions there were presented in dealing with the local fishermen, the result : the companies had to shut down. They had to shut down because people were saturated with the snob attitude shown by the MNCs. Auto Companies are going the same way today

[swapnil.rahate]

Superb thread GTO. Appreciate the efforts put in to collect all data. I will never buy a skoda in my life and never recommend it to anybody. If somebody is buying skoda and asks for my suggestions i will force him not to buy.

I guess skoda does not realize the strength of mouth to mouth publicity.

[Pri2]

Originally Posted by Equus

Kinda agree - everyone mileage varies. In such a case, its a simple math of how many happy Vs how many sad.. With Maruti/Hyundai, there are a LOT more happy customers compared to Skoda.

Whoa! that's some serious allegation. Do you have anything to back your claim?

I have a friend who is hasn't had any issue with his Skoda (Octavia) which he is driving for almost 4 years now and I am sure that the majority of Skoda customers are indeed satisfied.

Please stop making up statistics to prove your point!