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Car makers should make flatbeds mandatory for dealerships

19th August 2021, 15:01 by Chirag Moro

We often sight crudely built or doddering, commercial tow mini trucks or trucks sent by the ASC to ferry the car under breakdown.

BHPian anjan_c2007 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

A buyer spends his or her lifetime savings (in many cases) to buy a brand new car worth either Rs 5 or Rs 10 or Rs 15 or Rs 20 or even Rs 20 plus lakhs. And God forbid, when the new car suffers a breakdown and becomes immobile, it is ferried to the ASC. We often sight crudely built or doddering, commercial tow mini trucks or trucks sent by the ASC to ferry the car under breakdown.

It shows a total apathy on the part of the ASC and also on part of the auto manufacturer's too, to officially certify the use of such shabby, dangerous, crude car carriers with the potential to cause damage. Most car makers have just one agenda these days summarised in this phrase "create marketing toolkits, push sales and then make money.

A case in point is here where the car owner has expressed his concern over the 'devil may care' attitude of the ASC by sending such a very crudely fabricated towing mechanism fitted to the mini truck, most likely a Tata Ace class mini-truck. This has triggered me to post this new thread.

The photos of the towing mechanism therein and the thread:

Post #1 on the thread by Mr. Rahul Nagaraj on behalf of Mr. Santanu Kumar, the Hyundai i20 owner, referring to the authorised dealer Advaith Hyundai, Residency Road, Bangalore's tow truck:

After checking all these parameters, the technician finally said:
“Sir, everything looks absolutely perfect, even I am surprised why the car is unable to start, It could be a manufacturing defect, which is in fact very surprising, especially on the i20. However, you will have to get the car towed to the Hyundai Authorized service centre", and he charged Rs 400 for this.
We called the Hyundai RSA, They did send a towing vehicle.
That was the next surprise from Hyundai showing their pseudo concern towards their own customer.
The towing vehicle which was supposed to take a brand new vehicle ideally is a flatbed vehicle on which the car would be carried, but the towing vehicle which came to tow our brand new car was the one that didn’t have a flatbed. Instead, it is the one that lifts the front axle and pulls the rest of the car on the road, just like how the traffic police forcefully pull an offensively parked car (I am sure you would have seen those).

The car maker, Hyundai Motors India Ltd, is hand in glove with the ASC, as it has no concern of any kind, for the cattle class tow trucks being used. It does not have any quality control checks or SOP's for the tow trucks, that need to rightfully and mandatorily have the manufacturer's speciifications to be fit, to ferry cars under breakdown.

Every car maker needs to have laid out SOP's and company specifications for such tow vehicles that are meant to ferry new cars from various locations. These need to compulsorily be flatbed trucks and not tow trucks. The car needs to be loaded and unloaded carefully with adequate care and securely parked and well fastened, to remain static all through the trip.

If a dealership does less business to self-own a flatbed truck, it needs to be permitted to outsource such a truck on a regular, contract basis. Such an outsourced truck needs to comply with the car maker's certified specifications (SOP's) to be able to get such a contract and render service, that should be liable to get cancelled if there are deficiencies and shortcomings.

Ours is not a consumer oriented society with consumerism and activism engaged in by a majority, but step by step things need to be brought into a system that delivers well. Interests of the car buyer are prime and need to be catered to by the car makers. Its a two way traffic of take and give.

Here's what BHPian VKumar had to say on the matter:

Very valid point raised sir.
I am unsure about other brands, but I have availed the RSA from VW and Skoda total 7 times in my life for different cars of mine as well as in my circle. Doesn't matter if the car is a humble Polo or Fabia or the higher priced products, they always send only the flatbed trucks.
In fact once I was stuck in a tier three town, I hesitantly said that it has to be a flatbed, and the the executive from that side herself said that "Sir we have the policy of sending only flatbeds".
Two pictures are attached for reference of the same car, both the times after minor accidents. In fact in one case, the car was driveable, I told the RSA executive that front glass is broken, so they themselves suggested to take the flatbed as it's not safe to drive in such a situation and it's already monsoon in Delhi-NCR too.
Couldn't click the pic after the car was loaded in this case! First look how well she was cleaned, and then look at the lower section of front bumper. It was an underbody hit that shattered the radiator.

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

Great thought & post and one I completely agree with. In many countries, I have seen only flatbeds being used for cars and never the old towing way. This is just so much safer - no potential damage to cosmetics (the front of the car), no potential damage to the drivetrain (if done wrong), and no potential damage from other cars on the road.
It will come at a cost, but any sane car owner will happily pay the extra $$$.
The only reason we don't see it already happening is that the towing market is infested with the old trucks, and the effort it takes to load a car from the owners place as well as unloading at the workshop. That's why you will mostly see more expensive cars on flatbeds.

Here's what BHPian prasanna_indaje had to say on the matter:

I should appreciate Ford India here. My 1.5 year old Figo 1.5 AT developed a leak in fuel return pipe. On calling RSA, they sent a full size flatbed to my home, which is 60 km away from nearest ASC.
Just called friendly service GM at Cauvery Ford Bangalore and he arranged everything!
And entire exercise was free of cost.