[joe1980]

Joe says congratulations to Sedate on his new Figo. Joe decides to ask Sedate for posting his Fogo's pictures.

[vigneshA]

Enjoyed it. Congrats on the Whitee Figo

[rajushank84]

Congratulations! Please add pictures!

[khoj]

Hi Sedate,

Congratulations on finding your fit.

I know you will be in the driver's seat most of the time but I would appreciate if you could post your observations on the back seat comfort in terms of under thigh support and back rest angle etc and of course the ease of ingress and egress.

Meanwhile the 195/65/R14 will give you a rolling radius of 304.55 mm compared to your stock tyre rolling radius of 291.5 mm this will result in a 5% error in your odo readings. . The correct size would be 195/60/R14 this will give you a RR of 294.8mm and restrict the error to 1%. The handling would improve to due to the reduced profile on the flip side the ride may become a bit hard.

While the size is available in Yoko A drives, I would ask you to look at the Continental Premium Contact. I wanted this for my Aveo but had to settle for the XM1+ in 185/60/R14 as this size was not available in the CPC. See attached brochure. I understand this is softer compared to the CPC2. Do check with the tire gurus on the tire specific threads for more details.

[Sedate]

Some terrible poses!!!

The ownership review and sourcing experience to follow! Watch this space!

Err!!! Watch the space below

[Sedate]

It was again hot summer in Kerala. The mercury was expanding and was rising with the sun. Sedate just came home after his prodigal management education. Huh! Yumm Bee Yeah!
Sedate just gave a call to the SR he met while having last two test drives. SR seemed happy and picked up the phone after a monotonous dialer tone! SR was happy to have a customer! And he had it in Sedate. Sedate asked him to pay a visit to his office and get the booking amount. And there the SR was in no time with his assistant/colleague.
Sedate wrote the amount and filled the form! Sedate really hates when others fill forms for him. They always make Sedate – Sedative and all other mumbo jumbo spelling mistakes! Even date of birth will be written as today’s date making sedate a new born or about to be born! May be sales guys get overexcited by the new sale they had! And so Sedate took the pain to fill the form.
The SR took back the form for verification! Damn! Sedate missed to mention the second choice. Sedate took back the form and checked Diamond white and Ebony Dash.
“But Sir, that is already your first choice” – replied the SR.
“Yeah, that is my second choice. And if there is a third or fourth choice fill in the same. In fact I want a white car with black dashboard that is good in hauling me without much headache.” – Sedate opened his mind.
“This is Ford sir. Will go on without any trouble for next 2 lakh kilometers for sure.” – Came the reply from SR.
“Good. Then you people will have peace of mind because you won’t get my calls and emails often. Frankly I am a very demanding customer and what I am looking forward is an ownership experience rather than just owning a car.” – That was typical management reply from Sedate.
The SR took the form. Shook hands and told-“We won’t let you down Sir. We are the best. We will get your car ready in 2 weeks.”
Just two weeks! Sedate exclaimed to himself! What will I do with it if I am getting it on May 1st week! Man, I need to get it into hot summer! And the dry salary account is yet to see any showers or monsoons in the form of salary and increments! Will I have money for modifications? Nah!
Sedate regained consciousness and mentally calculated his account balance! It will be on the south side of minimum ATM withdrawal limit after the booking cheque getting cleared.
Facing a dare Vitamin M crises and about to declare as bank-rupt, Sedate asked for the car to be delivered on June 1st which of course is a good day. Sedate always got new schoolbags, new uniforms, and new umbrella on June 1st! Yes, Schools opening and indeed a déjà vu. This time it will be a new car!
That was fixed. Yipee…A new car for Sedate on June 1st. A new Ford Figo with white paint and black dashboard. A car that will take away some part of Sedates salary as Petrol. Yes ma, they say no maintenance. So just petrol and one service in 10K kilometers! What a car! What a great promise.
SR was happy and he left after getting the office gate pass endorsed.
Sedate got into his cube! He is free and he can surf freely today! Clocks ticked and the sound of chat buzz made Sedate wake up from his dream. It is time for lunch.
And the gang of three went to source fuel for sustaining. On the way they dropped in at New Bharath Pit Stop. The place was like a pit and that made us stop. A quick enquiry about alloys and tires for the future ride!
The tires seemed a bit on the pricey side.
An eight holed 108 PCD rim! The same one Joe Thomas is having! Sedate liked it. Other buffs loved it. Sedate is going to book it! But Sedate wanted just four holes! One for each bolt! What will he do with the remaining holes?
“Will I get a four holed alloy?”
“No friend. This is standard, everybody has it. Even when you sell your car, you can put it in next vehicle!” –Replied the person who looked like the owner of the shop.
“Can’t you source me one without those extra holes? It looks like it took too many bolts than it can handle! I want a custom holed one.” –Sedate was pleading
“No man, we won’t source single PCD alloys. It causes storage and inventory problems for us.”
Sedate`s heart sank like a titanic. He won’t get the holes he wanted! The gang took the desperate sedate to Biriyani Hut. And they happily had the mutton combo with mint lime!
Coming back to office, Sedate plunged to the cosy bean bag and took a news paper. That had the ad of TYREX. Tyrex? One tyre free if you buy four tyres!
Sedate took his phone and dialed the number. A lady took the phone!
“I want tyres for my new drive. It’s a ford with 14 inch rim. Get me quotes of tyres that has over 175 profile and side wall between 65 and 80!” Sedate delivered his full excitement in one go!
The lady put the receiver away and yelled. “Ford inte tyre vennam ee pullikuuu…Onnu paranju kodutheee” (The chap wants tyres for a ford car. Come here and talk to him!)
“Vechittu poo, ivied vere panni undu manushayannu”(Just cut the line, I have other things to do!) –Sedate heard the reply from the guy the lady was talking to.
The lady started speaking” Sir, Come here sir. Sir, we will give you fantastic discount”
Sedate was like kerosene-ed coal! “I am looking for tyres. Not your discount!”
Lady “Come here if you want the tires. We won’t disclose quotes through phone!”
Sedate -”Are you selling weeds or cocaine? I want the legitimate legal price. Give me quotes of the running price.”
Lady – “ I can’t”
Sedate – “Thank you for your great service!”
Sedate hung up the line. Sedate’s mind now split like titanic! Sedate just opened the webpage of TYREX to plot a mail to whom so ever concerned about the incident!
And the website was YUCK! Copy paste from another international website!
An exact copy paste with UK laws and name of the service provider from where the content was stolen.
Sedate knew the service and quality with just the two virtual meeting. Sedate was now amused to find out more about them!
Sedate just went to the showroom to see the lady who picks up phones. May be she got seduced by the masculine and loud voice of Sedate and wanted to date him! But she was nowhere to be found!
A salesman assisted ignorant Sedate to the alloys section. Sedate asked the person what this PCD is? Sales man explained as usual! PCD is the alloy number for each car! Sedate got an earthquake!
“How will we find it out?”
“Just put a scale between two bolts. That is the measure in MM.” – Replied the sales chap!
“Any two bolts?” – Sedate was ignorant
“Yeah any two bolts!” – Sales guru replied!
Sedate was now confident! He don’t want anything from the shop. Sedate escaped the discounts and offer for some DURANZA tyres!
Sedate mailed some friends in Bangalore for some good alloys with just four holes! Came the reply- “Even your Global failed to source you alloys”
OMG,OMG, Oh my holy god! How Sedate forget things!
The autoexpo of 2002 at Rajeev Gandhi Indoor stadium, the aura alloys stall from Global tyres, innumerable references of the shop to friends.
Sedate drove. He drove to see Philip a.k.a George. Sedate still don’t know his name. Sedate just addresses with the first Christian name that comes to his tongue. He was there sitting at the showroom at Vytilla. Just browsed the net from there using his laptop, Sedate landed on H 285 from HI-JOIN.
Ordered the alloy and asked for just four hole!
Yippee… a relationship fortified and also a 4 holed 14 inch 108 PCD alloys.
Sedate was delighted! The owner asked for advance!
Sedate just had his valet with 800 buck! And it went on as advance payment!
The accountant cum sales man gave Sedate the price list of all tires. That was reassuring! A printed price list and not just words out from mouth price list. Sedate just returned the pricelist after having a quick glance.
That evening it rained and Sedate was driving dreaming of monsoon on his new tires, new alloys and a new car!
Just like the first day at school with everything new!!!

[mayukh]

Too cool Sedate !!! I mean your writing style. It is an awsome read.

BTW, Mayukh congratulates Sedate for his new drive

[sanjayc]

Hole-y sh**! Agree with your 4-hole concept though--lesser holes means lesser nuts to fit & less worry about losing your nuts!

The white looks amazing in the cloudy conditions! Keep it coming!

[Sedate]

Character introduction

Poor Lover :- Sedate
Rich Mothers Daughter(Love) :- Ford Figo
Rich mothers Gangster (Villain) :- Ford dealership

The curtain raises when Sedate receives a call from Villain. The villain wants all the money!

Its May 26th.

"Sir, Your car is billed. You need to make the full payment." -Villains main goon proclaims.

"Thats great! Let me come to the showroom. I want to do the PDI and will give the cheque after inspection." - Sedate was jumping up and down to see his new drive.

"Sir, the car is in yard. Its not yet in showroom."

"No problemo. I will come to the yard to see it." - Sedate want to see the car now!

"Sir, I think the car is in transit! But it is billed in your name. You need to make the full payment."

"Ok then, let me know when the car arrives. I will pay you in full the moment I see the car!" - Sedate smells something fishy and changes the tone.

"Sir, believe me, the car is in your name. You will get it. Please make the payment." - the voice begs.

"Why should I pay for a thing that I never saw? What guarantee will you provide to deliver it to me on June 1st."

"Sir we are not a hit and run business. See, we wont charge you like maruti asking you to put in 50K maruti genuine accessories for a faster delivery. Believe us. We do ethical business. Please make the payment."

"That is the one reason why I chose Ford over maruti. Now you people are behaving like kids asking for candy"- Sedate was now speaking!

Sedate was now split minded- To pay or not to pay!

"Why should I believe you! I haven't even seen you and it is the first time we are talking" - Sedate reasons

"Sir, if you don't pay now you wont get your car on June 1st" - the voice changes to a threatening tone!

Sedate was furious - "If I don't get the car on June 1st, please ask your lawyer to be ready to face legal action. Our family lawyer anyway is getting free monthly remuneration without a single case to fight!"

That seems to have clicked.

He pleaded again - "Sir, atleast make part payment!"

Sedate feels like a father being pushed hard by his son to get a candy!

"Ok, send in your man! I will part pay. But you need to send me the VIN number before you clear the cheque. No foul play here. I am putting the date in cheque as 28th May" - Sedate decides.

The man is there at Sedates office to collect the cheque. He took the cheque and clocks registered 4.00 pm!

In the whole process the SR was not involved. It seems like the payments are processed by finance department!

Clocks ticked, the IST clock, the PST clock, the GMT clock... every clock was working. But no sign of VIN!

Sedate feels like cheated. But this is what dealers do! Sedate consoled himself.

It was May 29th. The cheque got cleared. No sign of VIN number. No calls to update the status of car!

Took the phone at 1.00 pm to call the SR. That was one shocking news. Sedate cant have his white car with black dashboard. He can have a RED CAR if he want a black dashboard or a RED dashboard if he want a white car.

The SR 'assured' that Sedate cant have his car on June 1st. Heck!

"Sir. You gave post dated cheque. You wont get the car!" -SR

"Yes, I gave post dated cheque and see whether it is cleared on not. The cheque got cleared 3 days before the promised delivery date. You people have all the money in you account now. No tell me what is wrong!" - the tough tone from Sedate reverberated.

Sedate is now like an volcano! The money is with the dealer and he is now playing!

Sedate took the phone and dialed Ford CC. Told the lady on other end that he wanted to know the status of his car. She informed Sedate that only dealer has the updates!

Sedate clearly explains his position. She informs Sedate that she can only register a complaint. Sedate told that it is not a complaint but an ethical issue and need to be addressed in management level than taken in as just a customer complaint!

But the lady told that she can only register a complaint!

"Ok, Register the complaint and get me the number!" Sedate sighed in desperation.

Sedate now has a complaint number! He just shoots a mail to the RSM copying the write2md mail of ford, giving every detail of the issue.

Thankfully the RSM was on leave on that day!

It was 1.45 pm!

Sedate couldn't concentrate on work. He was zonked. He went home!

It was at 3.45 pm, Sedate received the call from the SR.

"Sir, your car is ready. It is in yard. It came yesterday itself. You can have it on June 1st itself."

Sedate still dont know who worked behind the scenes. Who ever it is - BIG Thank you!

Yipee...Sedate took his torn jeans and sweat shirt to do the PDI. Sedate got the help of DieselAddikt.

They reached showroom and it started raining!

The SR took them to the yard in a TD vehicle. And it was raining heavily!

The yard was half flooded. The team entered the yard and the car bottomed!!!

A small bump and the car scratched its belly! A TD figo scrapping its belly! Hmm..Sedate was making calculations! With just 300 kg in the car, the car was scraping belly!

The yard had many Figo`s. But just two Titanium's as per SR. Search team was formed and they started to go round and round in the TD car. The sharp eyes of Sedate and DieselAddikt finally figured out Sedates new car!!!

It was lying near an Endeavor and a Fiesta. A short PDI was done in full foot water! What a nice place to store cars! Sedate exclaimed

And Sedate gave the GO AHEAD!

[Sedate]

It is monsoon and Sedate is about to get his new drive!
Sedate couldn’t wait! He logs on to Team BHP and started an ownership thread! He somehow made May 30 disappear from his calendar!

Sedate went back to showroom on May 31st to fix the accessories and get everything straight.

The Fog lamp was quoted 4800!!! Rs.4800 for a fog lamp? Sedate passed off.

"Look. I will pay you that much but I need a bill clearly stating that you charged Rs.4800 for just fixing the ford approved fog lamp. I want it in a separate bill. The running rate of Fog lamp in other states are lower than Rs.4250/-. This seems like clear robbery and I need to confirm this with Ford directly."

I showed them the price list of other dealerships.

The reply came was - "Ford never decides any price for accessories. The dealers price them accordingly."

Sedate :- "Oh, Ford gives you accessories for free or you source it from grey market?"

Some chap :- "We get it from Ford only. We are a genuine showroom."

Sedate :- "Good to know that. But if ford doesn't give accessory free to dealers, ford will be billing it. Find the price from that bill, charge me a reasonable profit and it is WIN-WIN for us both!"

Sedate was taken to the back side of a screen! And negotiations took place and Sedate got a discounted price for his fog lamps!

Sedate wanted extra wiring to be done for his HELLA miniature fog lamps! Sedate also wanted to fix the Stebel horns he sourced from phoreign land!

Sedate asked the SR to do the work for him! But he told Sedate that the workshop is too busy to do it. Sedate explained that delivery is going to be on next day and so there should be ample time.

The SR agreed, but the workshop guys told that they won’t do it! Sedate went to the workshop and asked why?

The childish chap in workshop told that it is not ford approved. Sedate explained that he is not asking them to fix any accessories, but to wire an extension so that he can take a signal to activate the "to be fixed" relays!

The FORD workshop was adamant!

Crap, bull crap ford dealership and workshop! Sedate still don’t know why they won’t take signal for relay! The same dealership fixed a ROOTS vibrasonic for a friend of Sedate on same day cutting and splicing horn wires! May be you need to buy the HORN also from them! Sedate was clear about the day light robbery part two!

No problem there, but drawing signal to activate a relay will void warranty! Crap. Again crap dealership. And a bunch of good for nothing so called "technicians"

Any ways the car will be ready on June 1st! So Sedate was happy.

Sedate asked for a key to be given to him as he is going to give it as a surprise. The SR asked his manger and he declined it. Sedate directly went to the manger and spoke to him and walked out with the key! This is where ford/dealership seems to employ some understanding people!

+10 points to ford dealership on this flexibility!

My car was not ready on June 1st! I was expecting the call all throughout the day! The SR told that there were too many cars and preference was given to sales leads customers! Crapo! Deep Crapo!

June 2nd also went on and called the dealership by about 12 pm to know the status of delivery! The reply Sedate got even made him laugh his *** off. The RTO won’t do temporary registration on Wednesday as it is not auspicious! Sedate couldn’t do anything but to wait!

And it’s June 3rd! Sedate made it clear that either he needs the car today or he wants his money back. The SR worked and the CAR was ready by 6.00 pm! Sedate signed all papers and the car was in front of showroom!

Sedate drove the car and squeezed the four limes under rubber. The instant thought was about four lime juices! Mouth watering! Anyways customs are to be respected! Poor lemons!

Sedate stopped to do the second thorough inspection! The photo graph of key handling was taken by the dealer personal. It was a rather blunt event with just the SR handling over the key to customer.

The true business man in Sedate looked inside! No freebies. Not even an idol, let alone the air freshener! Asked the SR for some freebies, which was flatly refused!

Sedate made a mental note:-" Ford doesn't know how to sell cars. They make good cars, but it is not always good things that sell. It is not a car that is getting sold, but a delightful experience for an average joe. He loves to be pampered at that moment and that pampering translates and resonates."

If Sedate is asked by any friend of his about the buying experience, he will say the car is good, but they won’t care a dime about us. It is like you going to a supermarket and buying a lux soap!

Sedate noted in his diary- "The Indian customer is different. Whenever he acquires a car it is a major event of his life. It is like a milestone covered, like a new member added to the family. He wants the big corporate to make him feel delighted! And what the dealer is doing is just to give the car that ford supplies him! Thank god, at least they are washing it before delivering! "
That was indeed scope for a good case study for Sedate!
No freebies! Damn too bad! Sedate is not delighted!

The scrapped underbelly has made sedate to order for some good footwears!

Sedate started the engine and slotted the gear!

An Tarbh touched the roads to churn kilometers in its odo!

It was NH47 and 'An Tarbh' went to Global Tyres Vytilla

(to be continued...)

[Sedate]

Just teaser previews!

Look out notice issued for more pics!

[gemithomas]

I cant believe some one can write such a bad dealer experience in such a nice way. Is the dealer in picture Kairali Ford Kochi? I've had good experiences with them 5 years back and a similarly ok one with their trivandrum branch. I hope the success of Figo are not getting into their heads. Coz If such a thing happens thats going to hit Ford terribly bad.

[wonderwheels]

Looks like the success of figo is making these dealerships behave like PDS (ration) shops. My dealer experience here at Mysore has been the same except that i have not yet received my vehicle even after a two month waiting period. Sedate can you please provide me the email or contact details of Ford officials to lodge a complaint. I am aware of their website but not sure if anyone reponds to the complaints other than a computer generated reply promising action.

[khoj]

The car looks great especially in photo #4, also the positioning of the car in the middle of the black+yellow floral patterns formed by the tiles. Very nice choice of alloys too.

[Sedate]

Originally Posted by gemithomas

I cant believe some one can write such a bad dealer experience in such a nice way. Is the dealer in picture Kairali Ford Kochi? I've had good experiences with them 5 years back and a similarly ok one with their trivandrum branch. I hope the success of Figo are not getting into their heads. Coz If such a thing happens thats going to hit Ford terribly bad.

The success of Figo and the monopoly Kairali enjoy seems to have made them go overboard! May be a feeling of over excitement! Anyways nothing too great about Ford this far! I was 'in' their service station today and will scribble on what I saw there in detail!

I have a wonderful squeaky sound from rear right part! And some masked rattlings just above the drivers right ear! Odo reads 400 kms. The main purpose of showroom visit was to fix "the most expensive part of my car"(registration plates). Ford don't have holes for fixing number plate in front. Local guys fear to drill holes as some metal thing was beneath.
Ford Service center fixed number plate with in no time.On complaining about the rattle and squeaky sound, the guy asked me to come after making a booking! I asked him to have a test drive it to find out what the voice was! If it is something silly, matter could have been settled in no time!

A car that is just 2 weeks old and service need a 3 days prior booking to get a rattling and squeaky sound to be "looked at"! Huh!

Originally Posted by wonderwheels

Looks like the success of figo is making these dealerships behave like PDS (ration) shops. My dealer experience here at Mysore has been the same except that i have not yet received my vehicle even after a two month waiting period. Sedate can you please provide me the email or contact details of Ford officials to lodge a complaint. I am aware of their website but not sure if anyone reponds to the complaints other than a computer generated reply promising action.

write2md [at] ford [dot] com.
I dont have any links to the RSM of your region. The best way is to complain through ford call center. They do follow up, I guess.

Originally Posted by khoj

The car looks great especially in photo #4, also the positioning of the car in the middle of the black+yellow floral patterns formed by the tiles. Very nice choice of alloys too.

Thank you!