[quickdraw]

How do such cars pass through ARAI I wonder.

[akj53]

If cases like reported in the email posted by GTO continue, Skoda is heading for a fate worse than FIAT. Their reputation of poor customer satisfaction will also rub off on VW.

Last year I was very keen to buy Fabia 1.4 Petrol but now I thank my stars that I did not buy, as I got very poor response to my queries about poor engine performance from SAI Automobiles and from SKODA itself. Sai's salesman did not know what is a 'tinted glass' and their GM made the grand announcement 'I have been selling these cars since long, but So far I have not read any Owner's Manual so why do you want to read it?' I told him that the manual specifies minimum 95 RON petrol and in India we get 91 RON, but he dismissed it as of no consequence. Somebody did call me from Skoda and I told him that the poor performance of the engine is due to the fact that the engine has not been retuned for 91 RON. He said he will get back to me after checking it, but he never did.

[Prakash Gupta]

All I can say they will keep making money with their marketing gimmicks...

[navin]

Originally Posted by GTO

Agreed Navin. But at the end of the day, Skoda has to walk the talk. .

Agreed. I too have not seen much evidence that Skoda has put (or is putting) in place any systems or processes to stem this rot. Here was a car company that actually started out well with the 1.9Tdi and then lost the plot. As more time passes the chances of them ever becoming a significant player in the Indian car market get slimmer.

GTO, How many of the suggestions that were posted on "the Skoda threads" have Skoda implemented? Two? One? None?

What pains me is that this will just mean one less choice for the Indian customer. Skoda and Fiat were two European companies along with Opel, Renault, Peugeot, and Citoren that made economical cars. The rest (read as BMW, Mercedes, Volvo, all the other Italian marques, J-LR, etc..) all are effectively 'luxury' brands. Opel has left, Renault is with Mahindra, Fiat, Skoda and Peugeot lost the plot, that leaves Citoren (which is part of Peugeot - Citoren).

[aaggoswami]

I dont know if this is suitable for this thread or not, but here is one more story on TBHP.

From the following post :
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/1419603-post40.html

don't even think of buying the Skoda Fabia 1.4 TDi. It is one of the worst and most unsafe hatch back.

I had first bought a 1.4 Petrol, ... I was able to prove the faulty engine / ECM and water seepage which they could not repair.

They exchanged that with a 1.4 TDi, which now has:
1) Faulty Brakes & ABS
2) Engine Hunting & RPM variation
3) AC blower has been changed twice
4) Rear Shock Absorbers have leaked
5) Seat Track is having play

I know others who have had a Tie Rod breakage, Steering Wheel replecaed, Airbag assembly been replaced.

Just today even the Window Glass switch has stopped functioning.

I have trying to talk to these guys at Skoda, who have already in the past one year kept my car for approx two months for their inspection without any results. When ever I try speaking to them they just tell me to send the Car to their dealer and nothing more...

Clearly, Skoda cases have not reduced and I am sure that not even slightest efforts have been put in. The end user is not happy and this is what matters.

We all know that harish V is still paying EMI for a car that is not with him. What is worse than that ? I would have stopped paying EMI and asked bank to take possession of car if possible.

[NevGin]

I would like to thank everyone on TBHP that has shared their experiences of their defective Skoda's. It was such a coincidence that I came across your reviews prior to which I was almost ready to go book a Fabia and pay hard earned money.
I still think its a lovely car, well built, drives reasonably well but if there's going to be no certainty that I might not make it even 2 blocks from my house because of overheating, boy I'd be hopping livid. I'm glad to be among such helpful folks.

[devarshi84]

The first and foremost thing Skoda needs to learn is that its not a luxurious brand. Positioning against the likes of Maruti and Fiat will get the recognition and numbers needed to get spares for cheap and get reliable dealerships which actually service cars rather than service customers wallets. A skoda fabia positioned right at Maruti Swift with similar feature set and engine specs with proper marketing will atleast get them a quarter of the sales.

[jesal]

i took the superb test drive today. the car is very good but the sales is horrible. 2 times i went to autobahn they said they dint have the car for TD. today they sent a car after i called them again, they only sent a driver no sales person at all. on top of it. after 15 mins of TD he wanted me to hurry up saying he had another test drive to go. i was like go. take a hike. when i took the car to speed of 100 he went like slow down. damn it i burned up a 320D and the bmw guys told me nothing even after a 360 spin !!! if this is skoda sales i can imagine the service. i always doubted skoda this time when i was buying or thinking of buying one here we go. im stuck such a good car with sad people selling it. does superb have 2+2 Warranty at all. if not accord it is

[jassi]

aah another skoda thread, was hoping this thread to hint that all the cases reported on tbhp have now been resolved and skoda has turned a new leaf.

After 3 pages of posts, it seems all is the same and skoda is still pathetic (but for the awesome cars) and skoda is still just soda bubbles of marketing and english
maybe that ad on using genuine parts is for their dealers not customers !

Originally Posted by jesal

does superb have 2+2 Warranty at all. if not accord it is

whats the point of 2+2 warranty when the dealer servicing your car is going to steal parts and put in fake parts anyway. Its like saying - instead of letting the dealer screw around with my car for 2 years, I will let them do it for 4 years Go for the accord or ask the dealer to sell you a skoda with a minimal warranty (and a large discount) and get it serviced from some good premium garage (which has no affiliations to soda)

[sgiitk]

Originally Posted by jassi

whats the point of 2+2 warranty when the dealer servicing your car is going to steal parts and put in fake parts anyway. Its like saying - instead of letting the dealer screw around with my car for 2 years, I will let them do it for 4 years Go for the accord or ask the dealer to sell you a skoda with a minimal warranty (and a large discount) and get it serviced from some good premium garage (which has no affiliations to soda)

May be it takes them four years to remove all the parts!

On a more serious note I have my doubts about the 2+2 warranty. Many (I guess it may even be the majority) do not drive their cars for anything like 20,000km per annum (on which most schedules seem to be based). So in order to get the +2 we shall be forced to take in our cars in for service far more frequently than we may otherwise. After year 1 (with one exception) all service has to be paid for. The additional warranty covers the drive train, and how many of us have had problems here. Almost noe I think.

It is paying for the vendor and the dealer, but what about the poor customer. Modern petrol engines are quite happy with 10000km (in the UK it is 12000 miles) or once a year oil chnage etc.

[harishv]

Originally Posted by jassi

was hoping this thread to hint that all the cases reported on tbhp have now been resolved and skoda has turned a new leaf.

Me too. Unfortunately it is not so.

The amount of mail flooding in does not hint at Skoda trying to make an effort. On the contrary the complaints have intensified.

I think Skoda has lost control over its dealers.

[akj53]

Correction HarishV: Skoda has lost control over its business, managers and dealers and thereby loosing its customer base fast. Its a pity because they have some real good cars which could have provided us better options and a healthy sales to Skoda.
I was about to suggest Superb Petrol to my cousin over Accord but now have changed my mind.

Perhaps Skoda board needs to sack its Indian management, lock stock and barrel.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by GTO

Agreed Navin. But at the end of the day, Skoda has to walk the talk. The only one thing that counts is SHEER RESULTS i.e. satisfied customers. Let me share an email with you, plenty of which are received by Team-BHP & the various car magazines on a daily basis.

Just one sample received today. Remember, its a cancer which is running through the length and breadth of Skoda. The company has been spoilt rotten by its own employees, dealerships and everyone in between. Verbal promises and a handful of new managers aren't going to solve anything. Skoda needs an overhaul. Nothing less will do, not at the least a mere extended service interval and price reduction of some parts.

While on this discussion, this is yet another case received today from a Ms. Lissy Kurian. I have asked her to register and post a detailed report herself:

>
> I have a Skoda Octavia Car which has done only 18650 KM.This was given for
> the usual servicing on 23-7-2009 with the Cochin Dealer Marikar Engineers
> P.Ltd. As per the Pre-Order the expected delivery date and time was
> 23-7-09 at 3 PM. Around 3 PM the Service advisor contacted me over my
> Mobile and told me that the vehicle is ready and I can collect it by
> paying a sum of Rs 7,200-00 as the Oil was changed, Wiper blade changed
> etc.Around 4 PM I reached their workshop and found that it was not ready.
> They told me to wait.I waited till around 6 PM.The Advisor came to me and
> told that while test driving the vehicle had a break down and they were
> unable to drive it back. They promised me that the vehicle will be
> delivered to my home the next day.They did not do that. They told me that
> there was some problem for the engine which they could not set right. The
> Skoda Engineer should come and attend to it.Since then I had been
> contacting them over Mobile.On 5-8-2009 I personally went to their Work
> Shop alongwith my brother and I was shocked to see that the Engine was
> dismantled and the damaged Pistons, bent connecting rods, damaged bearings
> etc.My brother who is having about 30 years experience in the Automobile
> Spare Parts field could easily make out that the Engine got damaged since
> they failed to replace the drained out Engine Oil.
> On 6-8-2009, I have got an email from the Dealer:We have inspected the
> vehicle and observed the Pistons, Connecting rods, Oil seals, Bearings,
> Gaskets etc needed replacement and the work will cost me Approximately Rs
> 1,20,000-00 and they were waiting for my approval to start the work.
> This damage on my engine is absolutely due to the grave negligence on the
> part of the Dealership.
> In the meantime I have sent letters to Skoda Aurangabad elaborating this
> problem on 30-7-2009 for which I have received a mail from Skoda Customer
> Care at Bangalore on 7-8-2009 saying that the Dealer will get in touch
> with me.Till this time they have not contacted me.
> I have also sent letters on 5-8-2009 to Mr.Sanjay Mundade,Director
> Commercial Affairs, Jean Marie Lajey, M D Technical Affairs, Mr.Thomas
> Kuehl, Director, Sales & Marketing, in their Skoda Aurangabad addresses.
> Kindly let me know the further course of action required on this
> unfortunate incident which is completeley due the absolute negligence on
> the part of the Dealer.
>
> --------------------------------

Is Skoda improving? WHY THE HELL have they not responded to this customer themselves? WHY are they brushing off responsibility to the dealer? Why, in a month since a scheduled service visit, is this customers car lying in the dealership with a damaged engine? WHY have they not apologised to Lissy, taken the dealer to task and repaired the entire car at dealer expense?

We'd have to be either very naive or incredibly foolish to believe that Skoda has / is making amends. I know I am neither. I repeat, Skoda India has gone rotten to the core. And with each such complaint, my hopes of an improvement dwindle that much more.

[jassi]

^^ GTO - i think this was also sent to Harish and is posted here
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...ml#post1422897 (Team-BHP stands for the TRUTH. But Skoda wants to “instigate” Team-BHP and its users!)

[devarshi84]

If this continues, it wont be long before Skoda packs bags and leaves the country. Come to think of it, before the 'It's a Skoda, Honest' marketing campaign, Skoda didnt have a good reputation in Europe.

I bet that sending a a link to these threads to BSmotoring, Autocar, Overdrive and Topgear would help cut that Rotten part of Skoda out in a big way. They have a much bigger exposure than team-bhp and the consumers need to know.