[vinair]

A very good precedent by KTM! Fire those who have no respect for the machine and potential customers!

http://www.motoroids.com/news/ktm-sh...0-duke-sacked/

https://youtu.be/ZtIri4f8c3M

[GTO]

Oh my lord! He's revving the nuts off that engine. And here we are, talking about babying our new machines & running them in carefully - thread link.

Happy that they got fired, but the fact is, this happened only because they shot a video. Many dealership employees treat our new cars with disdain.

As much as possible, keep an eye on your ride. Rest is down to luck.

[abhishek46]

Originally Posted by vinair

A very good precedent by KTM! Fire those who have no respect for the machine and potential customers!

Good move!
Even if KTM has said that the abuse was done on demo bikes, this kind of hooliganism should not be tolerated.
I wonder what really happens inside a dealership when you leave your car/bike overnight for work. Even if someone abuses you car/takes it for joy ride, you wont know.
Strongly urge manufacturers to mandate installation of cctvs inside each dealership, so that misuse, cheating can be stopped.

[Lalvaz]

More CCTV's is not the solution, although it does help, but this sort of behaviour is better curbed by better management. Obviously these jokers are not being monitored, since their seniors seem to have either left for the day or are participating in this nonsense with them. IF you leave a bunch of jokers unsupervised, incidents like these are bound to happen.

[Sheel]

I have made it a point to unload my rides in front of me and this is the biggest reason for asking the sales people to do so.

Your mechanic will rev the nuts of an engine after pouring in fresh engine oil, just imagine.

No test rides in my rides, sorry.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by Sheel

I have made it a point to unload my rides in front of me and this is the biggest reason for asking the sales people to do so

Just asking...
1. How to ensure the vehicle is driven/ridden to RTO safe?
2. Driven/ridden from yard to showroom safe?
3. Ensure the vehicle, esp car, is not revved or misused while fitting the accessories?
4. Ensure our vehicles are not abused, not visually, during servicing on account of road test?

Pls don't feel I'm pro dealership; I'm 100% with you & with rest of us here that, I simply do not like other's abusing my vehicle which is paid by me. But then, I too wonder how to avoid the above without poking my nose too much. I think there has to be some cut off where we're bound (forced) to entrust dealer/ASC

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by aargee

Just asking...
1. How to ensure the vehicle is driven/ridden to RTO safe?
2. Driven/ridden from yard to showroom safe?
3. Ensure the vehicle, esp car, is not revved or misused while fitting the accessories?
4. Ensure our vehicles are not abused, not visually, during servicing on account of road test?

Pls don't feel I'm pro dealership; I'm 100% with you & with rest of us here that, I simply do not like other's abusing my vehicle which is paid by me. But then, I too wonder how to avoid the above without poking my nose too much. I think there has to be some cut off where we're bound (forced) to entrust dealer/ASC

This is what I did when I got the scorpio home many years back in bangalore.

1. Took the test drive bolero and drove to the yard, selected the car and followed the driver back to the showroom.

2. Got temporary plates (car doesn't need to go anywhere). I fixed the permanent plates and got road tax done myself (no agent) within the month.

3. No accessories fitted. If any, I am there like a hawk.

4. All service done on weekends when I can stand over.

That said, I am no longer interested in doing 3 and 4, and the next car will be a Toyota if in the plains.

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by aargee

Just asking...
1. How to ensure the vehicle is driven/ridden to RTO safe?
2. Driven/ridden from yard to showroom safe?
3. Ensure the vehicle, esp car, is not revved or misused while fitting the accessories?
4. Ensure our vehicles are not abused, not visually, during servicing on account of road test?

Remember that I am not from a big metropolitan place like most of you. Mine is a small place with just one dealer for most manufacturers.

I do not require my vehicle/s to be presented to RTO for certification/registration, i do that myself.

From unloading to cranking the vehicle for the first time, I do that myself.

No accessories installed on any of my rides or whatever small things are done, is done in my presence.

No service center [as yet] has asked me to mind my own business at the ASC [almost all 2 wheelers plus most masses 4 wheeler ASC]

[IshaanIan]

The amount of positive response KTM has received simply due to its quick response, is a stark contrast to Kawasaki's method of preaching quality and washing themselves of any accountability by simply blaming the dealer. That said, as GTO pointed out, it is only due to the viral video that anything was done at all.

The sad truth is that this happens to nearly every vehicle in nearly every dealership of every brand. I had to go through 5 KTM authorized service centers in one year of my buying my RC390, to find a decent one that treats my bike well and actually resolves all my issues. Heck, even the folks at Maruti thrash the cars about. Unfortunately I feel it is our economy to blame. Labor in our country is far too cheap. Majority of the service technicians don't even enjoy their job or feel passionately about it and while in an ideal world one's possessions should not be misused by anyone other than him/her-self, it is simply impossible to enforce that level of care and passion into folks working for such low salaries.

I honestly don't mind paying more for my car or bike service to ensure I am getting happy top notch professionals handling it at all times same reason why I would never say a Rolls Royce is over priced in the face of any latest S-Class or that a Lexus costs way too much for what is essentially a Toyota, but then I know that a lot of people in India would object to that as well. Ah well I guess we'll just have to wait it out...

[AbhiJ]

I dont understand the thought process here....

Look world, I can sit on a stationary bike, put on the headlights and revv the accelerator. And oh yes, I can scream like an idiot while doing it! I can sit upright and have opposable thumbs ! Yay me!?

[aargee]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

4. All service done on weekends when I can stand over

Awesome! Let us know how you handle a suspension fix!!

Originally Posted by Sheel

Remember that I am not from a big metropolitan place like most of you

Remember, we're talking about big cities as well

Originally Posted by Sheel

From unloading to cranking the vehicle for the first time, I do that myself

Awesome!! there's some faith that your vehicle wasn't abused the KTM way & that faith drives you to the rest of the procedures. No one knows what goes in the yard who's abusing the vehicle in what way.

Originally Posted by Sheel

No service center [as yet] has asked me to mind my own business at the ASC [almost all 2 wheelers plus most masses 4 wheeler ASC]

So does any of ASC here in metropolitan as well; my point is not about a simple oil change or filter changes; a suspension work that takes 2 days; for a tinkering or minor dent work or a combination of both cannot be done over a day & practically impossible to leave all our work & get going behind the ASC to see if the vehicle is abused or not

There's some amount of faith with the ASC & we're all forced to have that; we do it by force, not by choice. Also there's a lot of tolerance modern day engines have & they don't get seizure like the old days unless it's a lemon piece for which warranty covers.

[Sheel]

Aarge, the questions you asked me, appears to have been answered by you as well. Don't think there is more to add.
Thanks

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by aargee

Awesome! Let us know how you handle a suspension fix!!

If the job takes more than a day, i return the next day to the stealership. If i have a job, i take the day off.

And like i added, if i get a car i would either get a rock bottom alto, or a toyota corolla. I value reliability over most things now.

My perspective and not generalizing. Unfortunately in India this is how things will roll for a considerable period of time. Which is why companies like Toyota and their dealerships are considered the gold standard. I don't think I would buy anything else.

[E = mc²]

Now, it's a common practice among the dealers to use the customer's vehicle as a TD incase the official vehicle isn't available at the time being. Last time, when my family were at Mahindra, they were given a 'about to be delivered' KUV100 to do the TD. Apparantly, I wasn't there at the time, else would have asked them the ethics behind forfeiting a customer's vehicle to please an another one.

A similar case was narrated to me by one of my relatives. They had to use a customer's Maruti swift, which apparently was all set to be delivered. The one which was being used for TD was totalled and was being repaired at their yard. The sales executive, who took them for a spin in the Swift had his part played well by constantly jamming brakes to demonstrate the ABS and swirling the steering to praise the traction

One piece of advice which my friend, who's worked a few months as a sales executive has given me is that never let the showroom people drive your brand new car from their yard to the showroom

[Octane_Power]

It is so disheartening to watch the video. I couldn't even watch more than half of it! And I always wondered/feared about such handling of our beloved rides (of course not this extreme!) across all dealerships be it a 2-wheeler or a car.

The main reason for this is - Lack of basic knowledge and training. I don't think any company/dealer teaches their employees to handle customer vehicles with care; I don't think such morons have ever got a lesson on how such hard-revving in the early days is detrimental to the engine's components.

I have seen so many showroom guys driving to-and-from the RTO without an ounce of care for the new car. But, it's India, we have to learn to live with it right?

Hope other companies circulate this video amongst their employees and warn them to never commit such stupidity!

-Bhargav