[srikant]

Originally Posted by motorhead5

Finally, after 4 months and a week, i got my Vento HL TDI today. Added 3D floor mats and 3M sun film. Will hopefully get number plates (From VW) and rear spoiler tomorrow.

Seat cover is planned or Monday/Tue. Ran around today for Yoko S drive - 205-55-R15, without luck. Yoko's are not available in Bangalore at all!!! Looks like there is no chance of getting it before 10th Mar. Any other better options?

Planning to drive very less till I change tires (Or till I decide that I am going to continue with stock Apollos). Pics and more details to follow.

Srikant, Thanks for all your help!

You are always welcome, we are a family of BHPians after all.

Waiting for the pics. Bad, that i could not help you with proper spoiler for the car.

[Naparajito]

I actually dont know. Just came to know from one of my friends.

[motorhead5]

Originally Posted by chet1376

For Yoko S drives - try Millivisions - Govind Kabra - 9845053430 / +918026563863. Very competitive pricing and give you a good price for the stock tyres as well. I got 2k for my stock tyres ( had clocked 60 Km when exchanged ).
I have 205-55-R15 on my Vento Petrol Highline. Check the pics on the below link.

Chet, Have seen your thread many times. Thanks for that . Quick question. How is tire noise with Yoko S, esp on highways. Your inputs will be very useful. Will try Govind tomorrow morning. Thanks again!

Originally Posted by srikant

You are always welcome, we are a family of BHPians after all.

Waiting for the pics. Bad, that i could not help you with proper spoiler for the car.

No big deal. I could wait till Tuesday, hopefully for a job well done. You enjoy your weekend and trainings.

[kiku007]

I registered at VW's website today morning for a Vento TD. The site mentioned that VW Customer Service Dept would call me in 10 mins! Man! I was floored. How do they manage to do this? But then, the call never came. Well this isn't a big screw-up. I've lost hopes on the way car dealerships are run in this country. So what's the big deal? But why over promise?

In the evening, myself and my friend visited Chennai VW in T.Nagar. The first thing to catch my eye was the Polo Cup race car. The alloys and the HUGE discs were WOW material!

The demo Vento was black in colour and it looked stunning! Simple lines, no screaming design elements, understated elegance at it's best

Apparently they don't offer test drives after 6 PM hence offered to bring the test drive car to our place provided it's on a weekday. Whatever the logic behind this, I was wondering if I have come to Apollo hospitals to consult a leading doc or to pay a million bucks and buy a car

Had a chit chat with the Sales rep and as usual got material for "Comedy of errors at Indian Dealerships".

My friend: Why are you asking for 5-6 months delivery time for the Vento diesel. That's huge. What is the reason?
Sales Rep: Sir, Dzire and Etios also have similar or more waiting period
MF: I asked about VW. Not MS or Toyota
SR: Don't know sir. I was telling you that the competition is also having a waiting period
Me: What? Dzire and Etios are Vento's competition?
SR: Dzire for sure Sir. Etios has just come so after some time it will also be.
Me: Can you please think and tell on which car is the Vento's competion?
SR: hhm, Linea Sir.

Me: Why aren't you giving extended warranty after 2 years? Why can't we buy that?
SR: VW is an international company and around 60% of the parts in this car is imported. They have tested it well.
Me: Cool. So after 2 years if something goes bust I'll also have to pay for the freight charges for that part. And why is your international brand being partial to India?
SR: Don't know Sir. Please search the internet.

P.S: My friend is sold on the Vento. Nice car, but I'm kind of put off by the false premium attached to VW, unproven reliability and sales and service back up (Atleast in Chennai). Also, if VW engineers have tested it so well, why are they stopping with 2 years of warranty only?

[Thad E Ginathom]

The site mentioned that VW Customer Service Dept would call me in 10 mins! Man! I was floored. How do they manage to do this?

Easy: the web designer hard coded it.

Reminds me of a programming joke I saw recently:

random(){

return 4

// I just got this from throwing dice.
// That is just as random as anything else.

}

[kiku007]

^^ lol. But here's an update - Today morning I got a call from VW in response to my request for the test drive. I appreciate the follow up on a weekend!

[chet1376]

[quote=motorhead5;2267690]Chet, Have seen your thread many times. Thanks for that . Quick question. How is tire noise with Yoko S, esp on highways. Your inputs will be very useful. Will try Govind tomorrow morning. Thanks again!

No complaints with the Yoko S Drives - no significant noise to complain about. Also pretty happy with the ride and handling.

I did a road trip back in December. Bengaluru - Mumbai - Nashik - Shridi - Mumbai - Bengaluru, thats about 3000 km in 10 days. I was quite satified with the higway drive - car seems planted on the road - very stable at high speeds. The drive on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway was amazing - mangaged 170kmph!!!

Just one point - Check out the MICHELIN Energy XM1 Plus before you make a final choice. You also have 2 sizes to choose from - 205/65R15 and 205/60R15.

Check these links:

Michelin Energy XM1 Plus

MICHELIN Energy XM1+ Rolls into the Record Books

[motorhead5]

Originally Posted by chet1376

No complaints with the Yoko S Drives - no significant noise to complain about. Also pretty happy with the ride and handling.
I did a road trip back in December. Bengaluru - Mumbai - Nashik - Shridi - Mumbai - Bengaluru, thats about 3000 km in 10 days. I was quite satified with the higway drive - car seems planted on the road - very stable at high speeds. The drive on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway was amazing - mangaged 170kmph!!!

hThats good news. Couldn't get Govind till now today. Will try again in the evening.

Originally Posted by chet1376

Just one point - Check out the MICHELIN Energy XM1 Plus before you make a final choice. You also have 2 sizes to choose from - 205/65R15 and 205/60R15.

Check these links:
Michelin Energy XM1 Plus
MICHELIN Energy XM1+ Rolls into the Record Books

I prefer 205/55 rather than 205/60. Another option that I have seen on that size is Continental. Haven't checked much on it yet. Hopefully will get S drives soon.

[Abhinav.Daos]

A lot of people are questioning VW aftersales services, unfortunately I will be the first one to give my first hand experience about them.

Today morning I was driving through the shooting range road, Delhi which is a 2 lane road (w/o divider) in the middle of a forest, on a blind curve suddenly I see this idiot overtaking a car on his Yamaha R1 at atleast 80 on the wrong side! i.e. right in front of me! I immediately severe to my left almost making a 90 degree turn while he doesn't even brake and still manages to brush the right fender leaving his paint on my car. But thats not all! I run into the forest colliding against a cutoff tree's stem at 30-40 kmph the front axle climbs on top of the stem lifting the front wheel in the air. For two hours I tried the get the car out, by lifting it with a jack (epic fail with VW jack), putting bricks under the wheel etc. Finally I call VW All india assistance explain the situation and after 4-5 follow-up calls they promise to send an "engineer" and a flatbed. In two hour they arrive (all the while me standing in the middle of the forest), in another hour they lift the car up with TWO jacks and after assessing the damage recommended that I take it to the Workshop, they put the car on the flatbed and take it Bhasin Motors Workshop on Mathura Road. The only visible damage is a small crack on the front spoiler, radiater (minor damage), bumper and the iron plate below the engine. But when the estimate comes its a whooping 1 lakh +!! with 40,000 to be paid out of my own pocket for plastic parts! Insurance surveyor will come tomorrow and once approved work would take 10 days minimum if all parts are in stock!

Here are the pics:






I don't understand why they want to change the entire bumper, both headlights, entire fender, entire front grill, VW logo (Rs. 1750), AC gas pipes, AC compressor assembly, radiator, bulb assembly, fog lights and a variety of other things which have no damage!

They the bumper, headlights, fog lamps are disalligned so they need to be changed entirely, similarly I don't see any damage inside the engine bay except that the radiator and fan have come a little closer to the engine, can't the fan with no other damage just be pushed back?!

Then why does the entire front grill with logo need to be changed when they don't even have a scratch? I'm also ready to live with a cracked spoiler and bumper but they insist that it must be changed!

[Thad E Ginathom]

with 40,000 to be paid out of my own pocket for plastic parts!

That just makes me angry whenever I see it. Things are made out of plastic, but, oh no, insurance companies can't live with that

Anyway, although not entirely offtopic, that is tangential to say the least. First thing is to say that's good that you were uninjured. If you'd hit a tree, you might not be telling any reports. What happened to the biker? Just rode off, I suppose?

I think you should go over the car with their guys, getting them to justify everything they suggest changing. Bottom line, surely, is that you are the customer. There arguments, though, like, "the impact will have weakened it, even if you can't see any difference," that are hard to dispute. They might even be true.

It sounds like they did a rather amateurish job of recovering your car. I wonder how much damage that contributed?

Suggestion to moderators: make this a thread of its own. Hopefully Abhinav will keep us informed as things progress.

[evilshantanu]

Originally Posted by Abhinav.Daos

A lot of people are questioning VW aftersales services, unfortunately I will be the first one to give my first hand experience about them.

Today morning I was driving through the shooting range road, Delhi which is a 2 lane road (w/o divider) in the middle of a forest, on a blind curve suddenly I see this idiot overtaking a car on his Yamaha R1 at atleast 80 on the wrong side! i.e. right in front of me! I immediately severe to my left almost making a 90 degree turn while he doesn't even brake and still manages to brush the right fender leaving his paint on my car. But thats not all! I run into the forest colliding against a cutoff tree's stem at 30-40 kmph the front axle climbs on top of the stem lifting the front wheel in the air. For two hours I tried the get the car out, by lifting it with a jack (epic fail with VW jack), putting bricks under the wheel etc. Finally I call VW All india assistance explain the situation and after 4-5 follow-up calls they promise to send an "engineer" and a flatbed. In two hour they arrive (all the while me standing in the middle of the forest), in another hour they lift the car up with TWO jacks and after assessing the damage recommended that I take it to the Workshop, they put the car on the flatbed and take it Bhasin Motors Workshop on Mathura Road. The only visible damage is a small crack on the front spoiler, radiater (minor damage), bumper and the iron plate below the engine. But when the estimate comes its a whooping 1 lakh +!! with 40,000 to be paid out of my own pocket for plastic parts! Insurance surveyor will come tomorrow and once approved work would take 10 days minimum if all parts are in stock!

Here are the pics:

Attachment 513039

Attachment 513040


I don't understand why they want to change the entire bumper, both headlights, entire fender, entire front grill, VW logo (Rs. 1750), AC gas pipes, AC compressor assembly, radiator, bulb assembly, fog lights and a variety of other things which have no damage!

They the bumper, headlights, fog lamps are disalligned so they need to be changed entirely, similarly I don't see any damage inside the engine bay except that the radiator and fan have come a little closer to the engine, can't the fan with no other damage just be pushed back?!

Then why does the entire front grill with logo need to be changed when they don't even have a scratch? I'm also ready to live with a cracked spoiler and bumper but they insist that it must be changed!

This is definitely not a good news, and specially in times when VW is already struggling with the deliveries.

My take on this: ask the dealer to clarify the jobs being done and why they need to be done. The main money these guys make are from the repairs and servicing and not the sales of the cars. This was told to me by a friend of mine who owns a Maruti dealership. So he might be replacing a lot of parts when it is not required. Complain it to VW, hopefully the cost out of your pocket will come down.

[gemithomas]

Oh!! Abhinav. Thats really bad news. It seems to be a whooping bill for the damage. I doubt atleast 50% of the parts you mentioned can be retained. Make sure they are not taking advantage of your situation.

Try to get some contacts in the A.S.S. Else make sure that they are changing the parts in the first place and also that they are original parts.

[m_upreti]

Originally Posted by Abhinav.Daos

A lot of people are questioning VW aftersales services, unfortunately I will be the first one to give my first hand experience about them.

Today morning I was driving through the shooting range road, Delhi which is a 2 lane road (w/o divider) in the middle of a forest, on a blind curve suddenly I see this idiot overtaking a car on his Yamaha R1 at atleast 80 on the wrong side! i.e. right in front of me! I immediately severe to my left almost making a 90 degree turn while he doesn't even brake and still manages to brush the right fender leaving his paint on my car. But thats not all! I run into the forest colliding against a cutoff tree's stem at 30-40 kmph the front axle climbs on top of the stem lifting the front wheel in the air. For two hours I tried the get the car out, by lifting it with a jack (epic fail with VW jack), putting bricks under the wheel etc. Finally I call VW All india assistance explain the situation and after 4-5 follow-up calls they promise to send an "engineer" and a flatbed. In two hour they arrive (all the while me standing in the middle of the forest), in another hour they lift the car up with TWO jacks and after assessing the damage recommended that I take it to the Workshop, they put the car on the flatbed and take it Bhasin Motors Workshop on Mathura Road. The only visible damage is a small crack on the front spoiler, radiater (minor damage), bumper and the iron plate below the engine. But when the estimate comes its a whooping 1 lakh +!! with 40,000 to be paid out of my own pocket for plastic parts! Insurance surveyor will come tomorrow and once approved work would take 10 days minimum if all parts are in stock!

Here are the pics:

Attachment 513039

Attachment 513040


I don't understand why they want to change the entire bumper, both headlights, entire fender, entire front grill, VW logo (Rs. 1750), AC gas pipes, AC compressor assembly, radiator, bulb assembly, fog lights and a variety of other things which have no damage!

They the bumper, headlights, fog lamps are disalligned so they need to be changed entirely, similarly I don't see any damage inside the engine bay except that the radiator and fan have come a little closer to the engine, can't the fan with no other damage just be pushed back?!

Then why does the entire front grill with logo need to be changed when they don't even have a scratch? I'm also ready to live with a cracked spoiler and bumper but they insist that it must be changed!

First, good to know that you are safe. 1 lac plus seems to be a total rip off. I think you should ask them to justify the replacement of every part.
If this is the trend then the ownership cost is going to be very high.

[Vid6639]

The headlights and grill replacement is a rip off. Radiator is not a small damage from the pic. I's pretty badly bent and it should be replaced.

AC condenser I can't say as the Radiator might have pushed that causing damage. You need to go and asses the damage yourself and question them over each part they mentioned needs replacement.

[Svis]

Originally Posted by Abhinav.Daos

A lot of people are questioning VW aftersales services, unfortunately I will be the first one to give my first hand experience about them.

Today morning I was driving through the shooting range road, Delhi which is a 2 lane road (w/o divider) in the middle of a forest, on a blind curve suddenly I see this idiot overtaking a car on his Yamaha R1 at atleast 80 on the wrong side! i.e. right in front of me! I immediately severe to my left almost making a 90 degree turn while he doesn't even brake and still manages to brush the right fender leaving his paint on my car. But thats not all! I run into the forest colliding against a cutoff tree's stem at 30-40 kmph the front axle climbs on top of the stem lifting the front wheel in the air. For two hours I tried the get the car out, by lifting it with a jack (epic fail with VW jack), putting bricks under the wheel etc. Finally I call VW All india assistance explain the situation and after 4-5 follow-up calls they promise to send an "engineer" and a flatbed. In two hour they arrive (all the while me standing in the middle of the forest), in another hour they lift the car up with TWO jacks and after assessing the damage recommended that I take it to the Workshop, they put the car on the flatbed and take it Bhasin Motors Workshop on Mathura Road. The only visible damage is a small crack on the front spoiler, radiater (minor damage), bumper and the iron plate below the engine. But when the estimate comes its a whooping 1 lakh +!! with 40,000 to be paid out of my own pocket for plastic parts! Insurance surveyor will come tomorrow and once approved work would take 10 days minimum if all parts are in stock!

Here are the pics:

Attachment 513039

Attachment 513040


I don't understand why they want to change the entire bumper, both headlights, entire fender, entire front grill, VW logo (Rs. 1750), AC gas pipes, AC compressor assembly, radiator, bulb assembly, fog lights and a variety of other things which have no damage!

They the bumper, headlights, fog lamps are disalligned so they need to be changed entirely, similarly I don't see any damage inside the engine bay except that the radiator and fan have come a little closer to the engine, can't the fan with no other damage just be pushed back?!

Then why does the entire front grill with logo need to be changed when they don't even have a scratch? I'm also ready to live with a cracked spoiler and bumper but they insist that it must be changed!

Abhinav - great to know you are safe! I agree with others, a 1 lac bill seems a total rip-off and the 40k from your pocket is even more shocking! I don't see any damage to the logo and headlights and their replacement need is in doubt.
At the cost of making this a case study, please update us on your experience. Also request all to consider zero dep insurance policy with cashless facility for your cars, will save a lot of headache since this accident gives us an idea on cost of parts for the Vento.

Abhinav - you may want to consider upgrading your policy to a zero dep one.