[Mad Max]

Ingenious work by the dealer. I mean, think about it. It's a cosmetic job. The guys who are in on this fake racket must be getting a tidy sum put aside while there's a heap of black glossy spray paint cans in a corner. The dealers usually have a lot of inside tracks within RTO / government and easily get away with such shoddy practices.

I think all Skoda owners should just park their cars around the dealership and not let anyone in or out till they shut down. Just to teach them a lesson. Let media cover it and I'm sure it will hit international headlines quickly.

[wrongturn]

Originally Posted by greenhorn

When i was taking delivery of my indica 10 years ago, i noticed that the rear parcel shelf had a manufacturing defect. Pointed it out to the sales staff who promptly swapped it with the shelf of another showroom car, and sent me on my way. So I think it is a bit more commonplace than we think

No offence mate but even it's a 'Blame it on Skoda' thread, people can't leave TATA out of it

Swaping a rear parcel shelf is in no way similar to cheating a customer by selling them the wrong variant. While the parcel shelf or other parts whatsoever can be claimed and replaced how can that be compared to swapping the entire variant of the car. The customer paid for Black Edition, he is now looking at a car parked in the garage which he did not buy. RC & insurance says its Black edition but unfortunately it isn't, now he has to fight to get what he paid for, how is that similar to swapping parts? If this was the case of swapping parts in between two same variants no one would have complaint.


I don't think any Indian car manufacturer or their authorized dealers have ever been reported carrying out such practices, faking a variant is the new high Skoda has achieved in customer satisfaction. Skoda 'Simply Way too Clever to be trusted'.

[Col Mehta]

And just when a lot of us thought Skoda has started doing better in terms of sales and service, here they are at it again, being such a pathetic con-company! Their product line is absolutely amazing with some serious cars BUT their attitude towards customers is simply beyond me. And their dream of capturing 5% market share in near future now sounds sooooooo ludicrously boring. Never buying a Skoda. Ever!

[deehunk]

Their sales team is notorious. I had posted the pictures of how Vinayak Skoda had sold me a repainted car in 2014,

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ngalore-6.html

Their Sales team get the accessories fitted from outside vendors and then give bills in the name of Vinayak Skoda. One of my post from 2014 where I had shown how their person tampered wires, see the funny response from a fellow bhpian,

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offici...review-96.html

[ALTIMAed]

At Oman, the PACP (Public Authority for Consumer Protection) is so powerful that retailers (any product) dare not manipulate or play around with the products. The products had to be sold exactly as manufactured by the manufacturer. Any modification job carried (for the defence / police / ambulance) there used to be a writted documents signed off by the buyer and the customer. After modification, the vehicle would be checked by the (ROP) Royal Oman Police (vehicle registration comes under their prerogative, unlike the RTO here).

I remember, I had purchased a Garmin Navigation cum dash cam for the equivalent of INR 28,000 (included in the price was the software for the India maps). The device worked well but the suction cup seemed to be faulty and the set kept falling off its mount. I called up the retailer and told him about the concern, he told me to use a drop of water on the suction cup and try again). This jugar solution lasted me for a day
only. What I was afraid, is that the set would fall on the console near the gear lever and the screen might get cracked. I went to the retailer and told him, please take back the set and refund my money. I was told, refund not possible but an alternate suction cup can be provided. I reminded him of the PACP rule, which states that any product that develops any sort of a malfunction within 10 days of purchase has to be replaced or the money refunded. The retailer got furious and started shouting at me. I told him, you just have one option and that is refund, else we meet at the PACP office. With great reluctance, he refunded me the entire amount.

Drawing parallels to my experience, I wonder how are Skoda selling cars in Oman (though they are an extremely rare sight on the roads)

Hope, one day, the consumer courts in India are given the power and have the expertise to come to the correct conclusion (be it the retailers or the customers)

Having worked with an automobile dealership at Oman, there was a company policy where in cannibalizing from vehicles was banned. Come what the situation may be, it was just not possible to cannibalize. A good policy, as their cannot be a definition as where it has to stop. Wheel covers and parcel trays may sound OK to solve the immediate concern, but the question remains, where does this stop.

[avdhesh15]

Originally Posted by GTO

I think your cousin's been had too. Chetan Malhotra drops the following email:

Damn. So the problem could be much worse than 1 car. Never a Skoda. We sold the Laura ( for a Creta ) and now only have a Superb left from the VW family. Rest are Maruti, Toyota and Honda.

Although we haven't faced issues in our cars, these instances make us fear more. Surely, never a Skoda.

[tp_dominator]

Skoda can never become a trustworthy brand. My earlier Fabia's (2012) engine ceased just after 2.5 years of usage wherein it was used immaculately and was serviced on correct specified intervals and post which to save ourselves from the hassles of dealing with Skoda, we bought a Rapid in exchange in 2015. All was well, one might presume.

But, here the dealer duped us. I checked the VIN and it was a January 2015 manufactured car which we were buying in March 2015 and Skoda had at that time changed the alloy wheel design. I was not present at my hometown during the delivery of this car (it's my parents') and hence couldn't verify the alloys in the pics shared with me. Once, I reached my hometown, I was horrified to learn that the alloys were of the older design. I immediately took the car to one of my friends' place who owns a tyre shop and upon inspection he verified mu doubts that the tyres and alloys had been used on another car and the alloy wheels were repainted.

Boy, all my anger pangs came alive and I immediately ran to the dealership with him and our car and created a huge ruckus there threatening them of legal consequences and also as a formality, a mail to Skoda. The dealer immediately acknowledged his foul play and offered to change the alloys and tyres for brand new ones (the car had run 1500 kms till then). I strictly instructed them that I will only accept alloys and tyres supplied to them and not from any other car standing in their dealership and this exchange has to take place in my presence.

Finally they agreed and changed the alloys and tyres which they brought from their spare parts division. Here also, the dealer was at foul play. I am desperately searching for a replacement for our Rapid but honestly, its the interior quality and fit and finish which is keeping my parents from changing the car. Such a brilliant product only let down by its own manufacturers and distributors.

[viren83]

Originally Posted by Vid6639

A new Rapid black edition would be far fetched but Skoda would have redeemed itself if they do this.

Believe me, providing a new Rapid facelift to Suhas Manjunath isn't that tough. Heck, they should try revoking the Skoda dealership, and informing all existing dealership for not getting into such malpractices.
How else do you build faith among new prospects, customers? If Skoda is to survive, their authorities need to take stern action against such dealers.

If TATA(as a brand) is recalled for Trust, Skoda is so well known for Unreliability. Skoda ensures they don't lose their identity.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by GTO

I think your cousin's been had too. Chetan Malhotra drops the following email:

Red was not on offer officially as well -

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offici...ml#post3559108

If anyone is having a black edition in colours other than white and silver, it should raise a flag.

[theMAG]

This is incredible. I almost skipped this thread assuming its one of the Skoda horror stories from the past.

Connecting the dots - Renault "Captur" and Skoda "Black", it appears that auto companies and their ecosystems (ad agencies, dealerships) believe they can resort to totally unacceptable practices for the Indian market and get away relatively unscathed.

A ferocious consumer court is the absolute need of the hour. The next multi-billion dollar malpractice penalty for an automaker must be from India.

[shijinpr]

This is atrocious. Fraud and adultery proven beyond doubt. I think an FIR could be filled against the dealer and Skoda for cheating.

[greenhorn]

Originally Posted by shijinpr

.... adultery ....

care to explain?

[bharatbits]

Once, when I went to enquire about the Rapid and tried negotiating they told wherever you go in Andhra and Telangana everyone will quote the same price because all are owned by Mahavir Skoda. Then I realised if I bought one and was not satisfied with the service of a ASS I do not even have an option to go to someone else. Since then never dared to go close to a Skoda showroom again.

It's monopoly. You can't pit two dealers against each other on pricing or freebies.

[Unknownsatan]

Originally Posted by Enigmatic

My colleague download the skoda app and below is the screenshot:

Attachment 1682869

No where does the app state that his car is the black edition or mentions the term "BP".

He has written an email to Skoda which has been acknowledged and is awaiting a reply.

Will keep you all posted on the outcome.

Best,
Enigmatic

Could you please post more details of the car, pics of the car and invoice etc. Is your colleague from Mumbai or Bangalore?

If this is happening at more than one dealer place, well, god save skoda !

[kiku007]

If Maruti provided consulting services on the RS and Black edition fiascos.

Maruti to Skoda: This is why you don't sell special editions or variants which are more than a sticker job. Thou shall not make mechanical, electrical or sheet metal changes. Limit changes to stickers and marketing material. Do you think we are stupid not to have offered the international Swift sport variant in India? We can, but we never will.

You can perhaps try these after you have control over your rogue dealership network. But you can never.

FIAT and Ford to Maruti: We did actually make mechanical changes and also added stickers to our Punto and Figo. But they don't sell. Any suggestions?

Maruti: Your time hasn't come. Wait for 2027. Indians will post Youtube videos on how good your cars were and yet people didn't buy them the previous decade. You are making future classics for India.

On a serious note, Skoda should offer their apologies to the affected owners (High chance of that happening); and offer them extended warranties as a bare minimum considering that their cars have been delivered NOT in factory/road worthy condition. Make peace with your customers, dummy.