Team-BHP (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/)

-   The Indian Car Scene (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-scene/)

-   -   A Dealers Dilemma-Jaipur: Damaged cars at the GM showroom (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-scene/69504-dealers-dilemma-jaipur-damaged-cars-gm-showroom.html)

On a scheduled service visit to my car dealer's workshop in Sitapura area, Jaipur. I was totally shocked to see the workshop in tatters.

THE ENTRANCE


If you would remember, a few weeks back Sitapura, Jaipur witnessed a fire in the IOC dumps that lasted for about 7 days. Due to the fire there was a lot of damage & loss to property as well as the surrounding ecology.

IOC DUMP DAMAGE





In the surrounding industrial area lot factories also bore the brunt due to the initial explosion which was measured almost 2.7 on the richter scale.

And this particular car dealer's workshop as well as showroom was unfortunately just 100 mtrs away from the site.

IOC AS SEEN FROM THE DEALER


The explosion apparently was so strong that the showroom windows were completely shattered and the false ceiling fell on the cars parked below. needless to say that the brand new cars have mutiple damages on the body.

THE SHOWROOM




Total number of cars affected are 51, that include 2 new Cruz, 3 new Optra, about 15 or so new spark plus few others and the rest that had come for repair/servicing

THE DAMAGED CARS







The adjoining workshop wasnt spared either. The asbestos roofing was completely blown away and even the iron girders supporting the roof have bends.

WORKSHOP ROOF


The office has become more or less a shed now and with just the brick structure remaining.

THE OFFICE


Apart from suffering so much luckily they are still taking car's for repairs and service. I did offer them to get my car back at a later date, but they were nice enough to accept it as its just a regular 25k service job.

I found the owner at the workshop and generally asked him regarding the damaged cars. The damaged cars as per him would be repaired at the workshop itself and the body parts which are damaged will be completely replaced with new ones. I also happen to ask him if these repaired cars will be sold at a discount, he had no answer for that.

As per him GM has already started sending body parts and spare parts to him but are not willing to take the cars back to the factory to be repaired there.

I do not know what is right or what is wrong here. IMO If the dealer repairs the 30 or so new cars and sells them as brand new it would amount to as cheating. But if he sells the cars at a discount and waits for the insurance money to cover his losses, he tends to loose a lot. ( the surrounding factories are hoping to get money from IOC insurers, but its a long process)

I just hope whatever they do to cover the losses, they do not pass off repaired cars to unsuspecting customers.

So Jaipur customers be ware!!!!

Regards

Thanks for the input. I can tell some of my friends who hail from that part of India. hey i forgot to ask one thing. What is it in the 4th pic. Is it a some living being which got burnt.

Whats that burnt thing in your fourth picture?

whoa:Shockked: thats some good amount of damage of cars at the dealership.50 cars damaged is not a small amount of cars.I also saw a merc logo in one of your pics, is he also dealer of mercedes cars as well.

I believe the same dealer has a showroom in Delhi too. So delhites beware too.

A poor poor dog

It is the authorised workshop for mercs in Jaipur, but no sure if he sells them as well. I have seen Mercs getting serviced there but never seen them in the showroom,

My heart goes out to those who suffered due to this unfortunate fire incident.

The showroom, and those brand new car, look terrible!

At the end of the day, damaged goods are damaged goods. I would expect this dealer and the insurance company to absorb all losses and sell the cars as USED / seconds. GM should personally overlook this procedure.

Cost of doing business. The last person who should suffer is the new car customer. I'm dead certain that these cars will be sold as second goods at discounts.

I like the spirit. Whatever happens, life & work must go on.

A very good check of his integrity will be whether he tells the potential buyers whether the cars were damaged or not!

That's a great input. I seriously feel the damaged goods should be sold as seconds product only with a discount. I agree that GM and the Dealer went into loss. But that's business right ? Sometimes its profit and sometimes its loss.

The photographs themselves showing that how horrible the incident was. It is estimated of Rs.600cr loss to IOC and surroundings.
One of the worst fire accident in the Indian history.

Around 4th of this month I went to the GM dealer in Jaipur with my parents to book an Optra Magnum 2.0 LT. At that time the GM did suggest that they are going to sell the cars as repaired/used cars. I hope this does happen. He has promised the car he is going to deliver will be a brand new one. He is expceting the car to arrive in Jaipur this weekend. Will do the PDI and will inform you all.

Insurance companies (both Dealer and IOC) + the Governement support ought to clear the losses for dealer. I understand that it is a lengthy procedure and there would be a lot of red-tapism involved but, I do seriously hope that customers don't have to be one at loss here...

...On different note, I did notice the extent of damage to Chevrolet/Merc workshop in that area and also Hyundai workshop which was right behind IOC and has suffered major losses. Even VW workshop had minor losses and dealer there told me that government officials have surveyed all locations and support packages will be disbursed in due time.

Secondly, the major worry here is the customers whose car were present in workshops for minor services that day and now are liable towards much more damaged vehicles. Who would bear the cost in this case?

Even slightly damaged cars are normally sold with a discount outside the dealership, I know a place in gurgaon where they sell slightly scratched Maruti cars.

Mercedes Benz? Is there a Merc center in the vicinity?

It's simple the government/IOC and the Insurance of the dealer(If he has that insurance).When you leave the car i any center for service and if it is damaged due to some accident then it should be taken care of the dealer/Center and not the owner.

One Advantage is that if he has gone some for minor adjustment or repaint and if his car has been damaged then he will get that done for freestupid:

Shocking pictures indeed.

The total loss of everybody who suffered in any manner due to this fire should be borne by IOC, as they are responsible for the fire. The foolish company did nothing to stop oil theft and punish the guilty and worse they did not have any oil specific fire fighting arrangements inside the oil depot.

Everybody responsible for this fiasco should be dismissed and jailed for life. But as per our tradition, enquiry will blame it as an accident and act of God and nobody will ever get punished. No lessons will be learnt.

Phir bhi 'Mera Bharat Mahaan'.