[GTO]

Sreeraj Rajan wrote in with the following query:

Dear Moderators,

I came across a post in Team-BHP - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...r-returns.html

I saw some comments saying that some of the items in the bill are repeated. We had a similar accident when our Skoda Rapid collided with a big stray dog on the highway (attached pics). In the attached bill, there is an item no.18 called 'CHARGE AIR COOLER'. After searching, I found that this is the intercooler.

Does the Skoda Rapid HAVE TWO intercoolers? I have tried solving this query in many places, but with no luck. Is this a similar condition like the OP of the Mercedes thread that, as we were claiming insurance, the service center made some arrangement with the insurance company to buy an extra intercooler?

Your valuable comments on this will be highly appreciated.

When this accident happened, Sreeraj was positioned abroad. The dealer played this trick on his parents who wouldn't really know too much about cars.

Ironically, Sreeraj adds:

This bill with two intercoolers is available in the Skoda system (mySkoda app)!!

He goes on to say:

This is now an old story, I don't want justice now . This might help other Skoda owners, especially as Skoda is still the old Skoda and their dealers are still the same (rear reading lamp took 1 month to arrive from the factory to their new workshop in Kochi).

SS-Traveller says:

http://www.oemepc.com/audi/part_sing...0/lang/e#sec_1

Check this out – same part number in the Audi A1 (6R0145805). Just one, not two.

He adds:

Got under a Rapid diesel to check – there’s just the one intercooler, not 2 units (especially with the same part number).

If this is the final bill, Skoda continues to uphold its reputation as the biggest scamster among all automobile manufacturers in India.

Jaggu says:

Usually, the insurance company is careful about such things and will not approve.

So, was the insurance company acting in collusion with the Skoda dealer? Why am I not surprised they picked the most expensive part on the list to charge twice? There is NO CHANCE that this would have passed multiple levels at the dealership & insurance company....if it wasn't intentional.

Marikar Motors is no longer a Skoda dealership. But that doesn't take away from this scam happening DURING their tenure as an authorised outlet. Does Skoda monitor its dealerships at all, or do they have a free hand to fleece customers as they please? We heard once that a customer paid money for a Skoda and didn't get a car (related thread). Now, they are fitting two intercoolers in Rapids .

A reminder to all of us to CHECK THE BILL before paying up.

This was the final bill:

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Dealership Section!

[hrman]

Wow. The car took a bad hit. But is it worth a Rs.1 lakh change bill?
I faced a similar incident with my Rapid when I hit a dog on the highway. My bill came up to some 20k change out of which the insurance paid 14K if I remember. Although under zero dep it was supposed to be not more than 3k for me to pay. But I was in a hurry to take back the car which took 21 days to repair.

Looks like Skoda is back to their old ways. Not good.

[libranof1987]

Disgusting.

Skoda, assuming is not hand-in-glove, should take the bold step of firing this dealer on the spot to redeem themselves, and to avoid any further damage to their already spotty record. And intimating the insurance company for what the surveyor did.

You never know, the dealer might have resorted to this "to help out" a customer with a busted intercooler. Charge the customer much less than the official price and get it for free from this insurance claim.

[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by GTO

Jaggu says:

So, was the insurance company acting in collusion with the Skoda dealer?

When i responded i was under the assumption this was an ongoing work and the bill was an estimate. Now it is clear that there has been some major goof up OR hanky panky between dealer and the insurance surveyor. It is quiet normal for dealers to give an initial inflated estimate which the surveyor inspects and brings down. When damage is not visible, surveyor even requests the vehicle to be dismantled for re-survey in detail. This used to be the practice and hence i believe there are enough checks and balances in the system to reject unreasonable and fake claims.

But in this case i don't see that process working.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by libranof1987

Skoda, assuming is not hand-in-glove, should take the bold step of firing this dealer on the spot to redeem themselves

He's no longer a Skoda dealer (mentioned in the opening post). However, when this cheating happened, it was an authorised outlet.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by GTO

He's no longer a Skoda dealer (mentioned in the opening post). However, when this cheating happened, it was an authorised outlet.

No. He was cheated that way as well. Marikar Motors, Cochin was no longer an authorized dealer WHEN they repaired his car.

I believe Skoda will just wash their hands off citing this reason, even if he were to claim justice. However, this thread is relevant because it is only the Cochin branch of Marikar Motors that was shutdown. They are still operational in other places like Trivandrum.

Link

[GTO]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

No. He was cheated that way as well. Marikar Motors, Cochin was no longer an authorized dealer WHEN they repaired his car.

How then does he have this repair invoice in the MySkoda app? The invoice also says that Skoda Auto might contact him to discuss the experience.

[speedmiester]

Wow just wow, this is a new low for Skoda and it's dealers.

Just when I was warming up to the fact that Skoda Rapid would be a good choice for my brother to exchange his Honda City, out comes this news.

Skoda is out of my shopping list forever then.
If they can't their dealers in line, Skoda will have lot more cases like this on their hands.

[arunphilip]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

No. He was cheated that way as well. Marikar Motors, Cochin was no longer an authorized dealer WHEN they repaired his car.

Originally Posted by GTO

How then does he have this repair invoice in the MySkoda app?

Interesting conundrum - the notice is dated w.e.f. 1-Feb-2016, the job card is 10-Feb-2016, and the invoice generated on 31-May-2016 (at Marikar Kochi/Cochin itself, not one of their other branches).

In accident cases like this, is a single job card generated upon the car reaching the service centre, or is a revised job card generated once insurance approves the repairs? The proximity of 1-Feb and 10-Feb makes me wonder if the car was handed in the service centre before 1-Feb, and insurance approvals delayed until after 1-Feb.

[GTO]

Sreeraj drops the following email:

Even though Marikar closed their showroom, Manikandan Skoda was not ready with their workshop and body shop. So when my brother called road side assistance and asked for Pinnacle Skoda in the nearby city, they diverted this to Marikar's workshop which was still functioning.

Last September when I took the car for its first service, Manikandan Skoda started a temporary workshop along with their Isuzu service center. They are more approachable and friendly, but I believe issues like the delay in getting a rear reading lamp has something to do with Skoda also.

[Waspune]

I had a similar accident when I hit a pig and the intercooler, condensor, radiator, front bumper and front fog lamps were damaged. The total bill was around 39k out of which I had to pay 2.5k. The car was Fiat Punto.

[F150]

As noted in the Mercedes thread, the customers have to be vigilant. This can happen with any dealer, not sure why SKODA is the favorite bashing brand on Team BHP.

The invoice also says that Skoda Auto might contact him to discuss the experience.

I hope you realize that it is a standard statement at the bottom of all bills.

[CarJunki]

Not to undermine what has happened or the loss to concerned person. At the same time it is quite an amazing feat on the part of people to continue buying skoda after so many harrowing experiences described by owners. Not only this forum but almost all forums.


If I as a customer is deal with crook (read skoda) i expect to be cheated.

[invidious]

I can completely believe the insurance and dealership are in cahoots. A couple years ago, right outside my office I saw one guy deliberately scrapping and hitting his car in various spots against a pillar as 2 others directed him. On enquiring I was told that this was the owner and the insurance company rep causing damage to car to get more money from the said insurance company.