[katchkamalesh]

So, today I replaced the front tyre of my pulsar NS at Udayam MRF showroom in Kamarajapuram, Chennai. I was charged Rs 1,750 for the tyre and was told that fitting is free. After getting the tyre changed, I left my bike at the service station for replacing the cone set, rear shock and chain set at Jai Bajaj.

After coming home I was browsing MRF website and found that the MRP of the tyre was only Rs 1,600 (and I called up MRF customer care to confirm the amount.) After getting the confirmation I called up the MRF dealer and told her that she had overcharged me. She was quiet sure that the price was Rs 1,750 and told me that she would confirm with seniors and call back.

The following is the transcript of the conversation with me and her senior.

MRF Guy: Apologies. Mistake is in our part. The price of tyre is actually Rs 1,600 and we have also changed the valve and it cost Rs 100. Also please remember that the fitting is free for the customer but we have to pay salary for the labour.

Me: Brother, I never asked you to change the valve because I have no complain with it and it was replaced only recently.

MRF Guy: Yes sir. I know that you did not ask for it but as a standard procedure it is replaced every time the tyres are replaced by us.

Me: But you never mentioned it to me before hand and if you I would have declined.

MRF Guy: I agree that we should have mentioned this to you but now that it is already replaced you will have to pay for it.

Me: I’m sorry. I will not be paying for your mistake.

MRF Guy: Ok sir. I will check with owner and call you back.

Me: ok.

He called me back after sometime.

MRF Guy: Owner says that it was my mistake since I did not inform you and now that the valve is replaced the money will be deducted from my salary. We are very poor and trying hard to make ends meet.

Me: Sorry to hear that but no one gives me money for free as well. Please own up to your mistake and pay up. I will be coming to the showroom in sometime.

He just said ok and disconnected the call.

I again went to the showroom to collect the balance Rs 150. The guy was sitting in the floor and playing in his mobile.

MRF Guy: Give me the bill and I will refund you.

Me: you never asked me to bring the bill.

MRF Guy: you should know better. If you had brought the bill, we would have refunded you the difference and given you a new bill.

Me: (I lost my patience and shouted at the guy) WHAT do you mean by you should know? I am here because of your mistake. You should have known better and charged me the correct amount. If you are not willing to refund me now, I would be more than happy to approach the authorities and I know that I will get my money back.

As soon as I said this, the guy went silent. And the receptionist/Cashier girl started to act smart.

Girl There is no need for you to shout (in rude manner). The bill that I gave was inclusive of the valve charges.

Me: You have a copy of the bill right? Please show me where it is mentioned. The bill is supposed to be an itemised one and I do not remember seeing anything other than the tyre. Also, if your senior was polite and asked me to bring the copy during the next visit, I would have gladly done that. Alternatively, any of you could come with me and collect the original bill.

Girl gave me the money and got my sign in a voucher (with some attitude).

I also complained with MRF’s customer care and

1. I got to know that none of the dealers are allowed to charge for fitting the tyre when the tyre is sold at MRP.
2. You can buy tyres online in MRF’s website and go to the local dealer to fit the tyre for free. You don’t have to pay charges.
3. It is not necessary to replace the valve every time the tyre is replaced.

If the dealer had actually replaced the valve I am wondering as to why he did not charge me in the first place. I technically owed them money for the tyre and valve, that is, Rs 1,850. I have been using this dealer’s service for close to 10 years and I know him only as a shrewd businessman. There is no way that he would have not billed it if he had replaced it.

I learned that these guys are not willing to refund the money and come up with some story to convince you that what they did was right.

P.S. I call him shrewd because in all these years of experience he is not offered me a discount once and I have always had to haggle so that they do not include the 2% service charge for swiping my credit/debit card. (Luckily, I did not pay this 2% charge today). Also there is nothing wrong in being shrewd as long as he doesn’t cheat.

But I need to tell you that this is only a recent phenomenon and they have always done a good job whenever I visited them earlier. Hope they change their attitude and do business as how it used to be a couple of years back.

[arvind71181]

Originally Posted by katchkamalesh

MRF Guy: Owner says that it was my mistake since I did not inform you and now that the valve is replaced the money will be deducted from my salary. We are very poor and trying hard to make ends meet.

This reason irritates me no end, putting the moral dilemma on us in the hope that we agree to this based on emotions. Another OT example: Go to any store, Landmark, Max, Shoppers Stop and there will be a question: Can I add 1Re/5Re to charity. When I say no, its not always met with well. It is my money, if I wish to donate, I would do so, why do you need to make it an obligation?

Originally Posted by katchkamalesh

But I need to tell you that this is only a recent phenomenon and they have always done a good job whenever I visited them earlier. Hope they change their attitude and do business as how it used to be a couple of years back.

Surprising that they fight with a regular customer over what looks to be clearly an error on their part. Hope they mend their ways!!

[sai_ace]

Had a similar experience. I had to change my front tyre - and chose to go with mrf masseter 80/90-17TL.

Checked up on the dealers and went to the nearest one. Paid 1800 for the tyre and nothing else as i was already running a tubeless tyre and valve set up.

Later within a month the masseter tyre was updated on the site with a sticker price of ~Rs 1400.

While I cant claim that the dealer 'cheated' me as the masseter was not on the site at that time, the dealer definitely did quote higher prices for the other models. This whole price difference fiasco left a really bad taste.

paying Rs 1800 vs Rs 1400 is not a small difference. Seems like the Company and the dealers arent on the same page wrt the services assured by the dealer. Shame for a company with genuinely good products.

[condor]

Question to members who posted here, above: Did you not check the prices at other dealers before buying from the respective dealers ?

[katchkamalesh]

Originally Posted by arvind71181

This reason irritates me no end, putting the moral dilemma on us in the hope that we agree to this based on emotions.

Agree to this and this needs to stop. People should own up to their mistake more so especially when it is going to affect another person.

Originally Posted by sai_ace

Checked up on the dealers and went to the nearest one. Paid 1800 for the tyre and nothing else as i was already running a tubeless tyre and valve set up.

I guess the prices have come down recently. When I was asking to cashier girl to waive the credit card charges, she told me that the same tyre was retailing for close to Rs 2,400.

Originally Posted by condor

Question to members who posted here, above: Did you not check the prices at other dealers before buying from the respective dealers ?

No Condor. I did not check with other MRF dealers. To be honest, the next closest MRF dealer is a good 10km away and I would not have minded paying the MRP. Based on my previous experience with them I know that they will not be the cheapest one to offer the tyre.

Also my office is close to BM lal tyres and they usually do not fit the tyre for 2 wheelers. After we buy the tyres from Lal, they usually send us off to a sub contractor. The sub contractor is not supposed to charge the customer but he makes sure that the customer pays him a bare minimum of Rs 50.

This whole problem was raised only after I realized that the charged me more than the MRP, which is illegal.