A truck rear-ends my Maruti S-Cross: Delays in repair work & more

The sound of twisting, bending metal and shattering glass is quite traumatic and upsetting- especially when heard from the inside- bordering on the limit of fear.

BHPian knrn recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

A Sad Twist of Fate!!!

So I had just returned from Manali- leaving a part of my soul behind. I was still reminiscing the breaths of fresh air, in my mind still looking atop the mighty mountains, my heart still pounding from the hypoxic climbs to Rohtang and the pungent sulphur smells of the Sulphur springs of Vashisth.
And a joyous smile on my face, physically here but livid in the memories of the time spent.
I love mountains.
Still playing the song list I had played on the journey before, I stopped at a traffic light.
Suddenly; I feel a jolt. And it doesn’t stop: rather it turns into a shove and then a push forward. I am puzzled as to what is happening. And then I hear the sound of a hard screech and the shattering noise of glass. A sense of compression overwhelmed me. I turn around and see my vision being filled up by a giant beast of a 12 wheeler truck as it loomed closer overshadowing my field of vision. As I hear the twisting sound of metal, grating and being scratched and gouged out of shape- Reflexes snap- i let go of hand brake and press clutch- the car eases and starts moving along the force causing the traumatic cacophony. I feel the structure relax as the forces acting on it turn from twisting to pushing and the stress eases out as the car now moves forward followed by silence.

The sound of twisting, bending metal and shattering glass is quite traumatic and upsetting- especially when heard from the inside- bordering on the limit of fear.
I pray no one gets to hear it.

The eerie silence breaks as people gather outside asking me about my condition. A few start surrounding the truck shouting at the driver.
I am too jolted to react. Then I gather my wits. I start the car, it purrs to life. I get out, thank everyone telling them that I am fine.

I look at the truck driver and the truck. It was empty. Probably it had dropped off its load and now both the driver and the cleaner were having a good time after a long haul. There was a watering hole for trucks nearby. Maybe he was inebriated; a little too much to realise what’s happening around.

I looked at his eyes. His eyes had fear. His face looked crumpled. The expressions of someone who realises something bad is about to happen.

Then someone grabs him and drags him off the truck. I immediately turn to them and say that whatever has happened let it be. The damage has been done. Beating someone is not going to make things better. And I didn’t want to take any money from the poor fellow. My insurance will take care of the car. Let it be what has been.
I thanked everyone profusely. I thanked God for protecting me from any bodily harm. I just wanted to get away from that commotion. People looked at me quizzically and then dispersed. I got in my car and moved off.

I didn’t look back.

Couldn’t dare to!

This took me a long time to write but not more than 3 or 4 minutes to happen.

I called up the Nexa service centre and told them everything. It was very nice on their part that they told me to immediately bring the car over despite the time being 7 in the evening. They said that one of the people will be there to take care of me. I reached in 15 minutes and when I parked my car, only then I mustered the guts to look back.
Well for all the commotion and drama that occurred the car had not taken much damage. The rear bumper was off, tail lights had broken and the rear quarter panel scratched and dented. It sure did sound like a lot. Anyways the nexa people had already filled up a case file for me and filled in the details. They did an inspection of the car and took my signature and arranged for me to be dropped back home. I was told this would take a week. The usual WhatsApp group involving the service personnel was formed and i was being given all the updates. While at it, I also requested that the car be serviced and a few other dents and gear lever leather( which had come off- a frequent problem with Maruti) also be changed. I got the update that car has been serviced and sent to body shop. Regular updates were given as to arrival and fitment of parts.

I thought it was over…

Another week passed, i knew that whatever the work that was required had been done but the message for completion of work or any intimation regarding the handing over of the car was missing. I was getting worried so I called up the service manager and he was not able to give a satisfactory response. I decided to visit the service centre. I reached and inspected the car. The service manager was very keen and insistent that the work is complete and he could not update on the group and that I take away the car. I smelled something fishy. So I called him out and demanded in a serious tone that I be explained the entire matter. Turned out that while fitting the car, they had accidentally broken the rear wheel well cladding. That would have led to water accumulation between the cladding and wheel well that can lead to rusting. Not something major but then I insisted that I wanted the car to be repaired completely and I would not take something incomplete like this. That breakage was not mine so it should be fixed. I was told that it will be taken care of and I refused to take the car.

Another week passed, I called up that fellow and again he was giving fishy answers. I then called up the senior manager. He said that he would enquire about the situation and then get back to me. After about half an hour he called back and then again started giving lame excuses that this part is not available with them and that they had ordered but the truck got punctured and then the driver lost his chappal. He went to look for it and then lost the other one. Then he forgot where he was going. I again firmed up my tone. Turned out that the manager wanted to put the cost as a fine on the mechanic who fixed the car while the mechanic was requesting that he would not be able to give this fine and in this commotion my car got stuck. I enquired about the price of the part. I was told it would come to around 5000 Rs. I thought and said that my car has been delayed for nearly a month now. I don’t want any poor man to suffer. So I explained my desire to foot the bill myself and receive my car at the earliest. I was given a positive assurance.

After 3 days, I got a call that the car is ready. I went for the delivery and completed the formalities. Then I realised that I didn’t pay anything extra. I enquired and was told that , that was the complete bill. I expressed my desire to meet the senior manager. When I met him he very kindly told me that the entire matter was reported to the senior authorities at Maruti. Apparently, it is a company policy that any job card that had not been completed within 3-4 weeks is reported and reviewed by the senior authorities. After going through the entire report, the company offered to waive off all the charges on goodwill basis and instructed that my car be handed over at the earliest. The manager conveyed me special regards from the company officials.
And that is how the entire episode unfolded.

Didn’t someone say that God works in mysterious ways.

Cheers!!!

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