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-   -   My white shadowfax arrives: Volkswagen Vento TDI HL ownership review (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-drives-initial-ownership-reports/97774-my-white-shadowfax-arrives-volkswagen-vento-tdi-hl-ownership-review-8.html)

So I am back with my first experience with the major repairs at VW workshop and the Bajaj Alianz insurance.

I registered for a claim on the day itself, I dropped off the car to the showroom the very next day. The service advisers and the service general manager were very helpful with all the claim process, helped me in filling the form, I just gave them the documents, they scanned and sent it to the insurance guys.

In the same process they showed me some other Vento which had their rear part all banged off, and the way they have repaired and restored it, I must say that the quality of work done by them was pretty good, I was impressed clap:

Now comes the part of the insurance survey etc, the workshop sent Bajaj Allianz the estimate the very next day, there was some surveyor (let's call him X) who even came for the survey, he just approved the works and insurance amount for the from part of the car.

2 days after that another survey happened, this time the survey was done by X's boss, some senior surveyor (lets call him Y), he didnt get the necessary papers for the approval with him so he had to go back to office and told that he will send off the papers the next day and the works can start.

Yesterday another survey happened, done by Y's boss, he was the chief surveyor, and this guy even called me and asked a zillion questions, I answered all of them patiently, finally he asked me if I took photographs from the scene of accident, if I can give him the cell phone numbers of the cars owners involved in the pile up, after this I couldnt bear anymore, I told him that I am thankful that I escaped unhurt from this accident, and in that state of shock he wanted me to take a photo of this incident, and ask for the personal details of other drivers, who were in a similar state. I kept the phone after that. I didnt want to speak to an illogical guy.

Spoke to my father in law, he knew some big shot in Bajaj Allianz, I sent my claim number and the entire case to him, within 25 minutes I get a call from the local Bangalore office that the claim is approved and the workshop can start the repair work :deadhorse . Why do we need contacts to get simple work done in this country? When I paid the higher amount as premium it was only for such an event and the Bajaj Allianz guys were telling me since the claim is higher than a lac hence so many surveys are happening. Did I tell them that since the premium for Drive Assure is a little on the higher side hence I will take some time in paying it? It is their departmental problems, why is my case being ping ponged in that? Anyways all's well that ends well. I am through with these insurance buggers and the work would start from today. What is the most frustrating part in this entire incident is: I have lost 1 week and nothing has moved on, the workshop guys would keep the car atleast for 17-20 days, and on top of this the insurance guys just took a week of their own sweet time. Somebody should sue them for this..... well right now I dont have the energy to pursue and do that, so I am leaving it at that.....

Will keep this thread updated, will be going to the workshop tomorrow and checking on the progress.

Glad to hear that the vento is going to be in its perfect shape soon. On your experience with the insurance guys, I have started loosing faith in these insurance surveys as they take a lot of time and in my case, after wasting 9 days, they said that the claim cannot be approved due to lack of photographs.:Frustrati

It happens only in India...!:D

Photographs? wow, this also happens only in India.
1) After an accident one is thanking his stars that nothing happened to him, but these guys expect you to forget thanking god and start a photo session.

2) Instead of the other people injured / shocked from the accident, instead of talking to them, calming them down, calling the ambulance they expect you to start an Aaj Tak type interview "can you share you personal details with me"

Hope the damages on your vehicle were not huge and its not a big hole in your wallet....

Would they have not approved the claim if the photographs were not shown and did not have to go through your contacts?

I have not heard about photographs ever in any claims. Did you have a complaint copy from the Police? Once I rear ended lightly into a Innova who had no damage. My bumper had some damage, reported to the Police station, paid fine for rear ending and got my insurance to pay for my damages.

Thats true and I thank god for that. Otherwise I would have decided to sell my dear zen rather than spending a high amount on the repairs.

One more thing to bang on these insurance chaps as I am in the process of renewing my insurance. If you are in a serious accident how the hell can you take photographs? The Bajaj Alliance guys were surely acting pretty snotty with you. I am going to give an earful to the guy who is trying to make me pay 4K more than the others for taking Drive Assure from them. Which part of Assure exists when you are supposed to take photographs after you are in an accident :deadhorse. On the other hand, I have purchased a small car DVR camera which can be attached to the windshield. I am now in two minds now about installing it permanently to keep track of all the morons on the road as previously I was only hoping to use it for highway trips :Frustrati.

Wish you all the best for getting your Shadowfax spic, span and spanking new.

We are such a jugad country that even the weirdest of these kind of experiences cease to amaze me nowadays , pathetic stata of affairs and I am pretty much sure that this may not be an isolated incident.
I think BA was well within your rights to ask you about photo of the incident and also you whether you remember the registration number of the vehicles involved in the incident, its even within their rights to insist on a FIR being lodged but that does not allow them to delay the process !
As per process Mr X's visit was ok, Mr Y's boss surveying was also ok ( I am sure that the damage was so high that a more senior surveyor was required ) but Mr X's boss's visit was bureaucracy !

Now lets focus on the positives only , its great that shadowfax is on its way to being fully repaired - all the best !:thumbs up

Irony: I received the monsoon checkup coupons for the first time in the last 1.5 years :) and the car will be with the service center for the entire monsoon.

I visited the service center today, they have started the process of parts procurement from the Chakan plant. Also started some work in the front of the car. I am satisfied with the way they are handling the vehicle, they have covered all the interiors with polythene sheets so that the interiors do not get dirt while working on the body parts.

But still I expect them to deliver the car to me only after 2-3 weeks, as the parts procurement is taking a long time.

Heres hoping they do a good job of it.

One question: Did you get any replacement vehicle for daily use while they are working on your car?

I had a Bajaj Allianz Drive Assure Economy insurance on my car, they don't offer a replacement car in DA Economy, I think that facility is there in DA premium. We have Tata Nano as our second car, so wife and me have been sharing that since last 10 days.

BTW one point I noted, on the roads other vehicles don't respect you at all if you are in a Nano, the way people honk at me, even cut across really really bad on the same route on which I used to drive a Vento is surprising. Only yesterday one of the i10 owners pulled down his window and told me on the red light "nano main ho, aukaat main reh Kar chalao" hahahaha I am loving it. :-)

P.S.: I don't cross speed of 45-50 km/hr on a Nano ever, so this is definitely not about my rash driving.

+1 to that.agree:
I get the same experience whenever I drive my wife's Nano.

Shantanu,

Was this a white Vento TDI HL at VW Bangalore (@ Hesaraghatta)? If it was, then you saw my pride and joy repaired after it was rear ended on the Hasan Highway. I must say that they do a *superb* job.

Of course, if one were to go over the entire car with a fine toothed comb, one could find things to complain about - however, I am VERY happy (touch wood - its 3 weeks and around 1200 kms later) and no serious problems.

Final word, it does take a lot of time (due to parts inavailability) but trust the company service center (esp. VW Bangalore) - they do a super job.

Yes Merril, I think I saw your car.
One thiing is my worry, since they will have to rework the entire floor of the boot, the carpet which is in the boot, after the repairs have the same fit and finish?

I hate cars which have shabby / dirty carpets in the boot stupid:

The second point of worry: did you hear any rattling noises / sounds? do the service center guys do similar type of job with dampening etc?

I already told the SA at the service center, take more time, I dont mind it, but the quality of the work should be good.

Well to be frank with you, I dont accept your statement "if one were to go over the entire car with a fine toothed comb" because I did go with a fine toothed comb and I couldnt find flaws with the repair clap:

Well Shantanu, so far there haven't been any 'new' rattles or sounds. They install additional damping pads to take care of noise etc.

As far as the carpet floor in the boot goes, for my car, the plywood (for want of a better word) piece that actually makes up the floor was slightly bent. This makes the carpet slightly off alignment. It is irritating, but a small price to pay when the damage is fairly substantial.

Do pm me for details. Would be glad to be of any help.

Its been 16 days since the car is at the service center. Not much work has progressed, the reason being non availability of parts. I got pretty frustrated with this entire scene and mailed the VW customer care about this entire chjaos being caused by the delay by the factory to send the parts. Thsi happened on Friday.

I am pretty surprised, I got the call from the service center apologizing the delay and this morning again I was informed that the parts might be arriving this evening. Feels good that somebody actually reads the mails which we send to VW customer care. For some reason I had stopped believing in these CC email addresses......the trust seems to be coming back