[Sri0030]

“PRIDE HONDA HYDERABAD” cheated us.

The story begins in Jan 2019 with the plan of purchasing an automatic vehicle under 10L for city runabouts. like a beater car.

Accordingly, we've taken a test drive of Amaze in "PRIDE HONDA". After taking the test drive, the dealership staff bombarded us with calls to book one. Somehow they convinced us.

We have approached the same dealer “PRIDE HONDA” in Feb 2019 for purchase of a brand new Amaze vehicle as the party being authorised dealer for Honda cars. Believing them, we have placed an order for the latest batch Honda Amaze 1.2 CVT by paying some xxxx amount. They've given a certain waiting period. Accordingly, a vehicle was provided by them. We took the delivery of the vehicle in April 2019.

Within ten days of taking delivery of the said vehicle, we have noticed rust formation on many parts of the vehicle(subframe, suspension components, rear tow hook, brake discs, underbody) and certain unusual sounds emanating from the vehicle(brake noise, steering noise, dash board & door trim noises, suspension noises). We brought these to the notice of the said dealer by sending the vehicle for inspection. The dealer brushed aside the defects stating that it is normal and promised to rectify to the extent of possible at a later period which never happened. Later, after running for a few kilometres we sent the vehicle for 1st free service.

After servicing, while looking at the service invoice copy, to our utter surprise and shock came to know that the vehicle sold to us was the same vehicle which was already sold to some x customer 2 months ago. Even as per Honda connect app, it displayed that x customer had purchased this vehicle in Feb 2019, whereas, we purchased it in April 2019. The warranty details too were wrongly shown on x customer name.

Due to which, we had to approach the consumer court in Sep 2019.

Even after filing the case, we had to send the vehicle to service station numerous times for one or the other reason. Each time we send the vehicle, they use to keep the vehicle with them for at least a week. They have once kept the vehicle with them for 45 days to rectify the suspension noise. Yet the issues were never resolved completely. The kind of mental agony we have faced with this dealer is beyond explainable in words.

In Feb 2023, we won the case against the dealer (Attaching the judgement copy for reference) Judgementcopy.pdf.

Here comes the part-2 of our story. The dealer went for an appeal in higher consumer court. Due to which the matter is still running in the court.

Guys, if someone wants to buy a vehicle from Honda Cars India portfolio, Please ignore this dealer from Hyderabad.

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[blogslogger]

Originally Posted by Sri0030

“PRIDE HONDA HYDERABAD” cheated us.

Tnt copy for reference) Attachment 2700435.

Here comes the part-2 of our story. The dealer went for an appeal in higher consumer court. Due to which the matter is still running in the court.

Guys, if someone wants to buy a vehicle from Honda Cars India portfolio, Please ignore this dealer from Hyderabad.

Oh my. This certainly is a prolonged battle. But I am hardly surprised, as the consumer protection laws are very weak. I truly hope you get your deserved justice soon.

[vshankarhere]

Originally Posted by Sri0030

“PRIDE HONDA HYDERABAD” cheated us.

Even after filing the case, we had to send the vehicle to service station numerous times for one or the other reason. Each time we send the vehicle, they use to keep the vehicle with them for at least a week. They have once kept the vehicle with them for 45 days to rectify the suspension noise. Yet the issues were never resolved completely. The kind of mental agony we have faced with this dealer is beyond explainable in words.

Not sure about the condition of the vehicle but a dealer invoicing the vehicle in a customer's name with only booking amount is a standard practice, not a healthy one though, to inflate retail numbers during month end. In case the sale is missed, it can always be changed to the actual customer within a time frame. Only that, might not amount to cheating. But vehicle condition if it is really substandard is worth fighting like you already do.

[silverado]

What support did you get from Honda India during this ordeal? How old is the manufacturing date of the car?

Get your car inspected from a 3rd party and find out if it has any more defects.
If its fine keep using it, if you think it has major issues sell it off.

Keep fighting the case if you can. Best of luck.

[MRSTONES]

It would be interesting to know the position of Honda on this. Have you contacted them?

[microscopic]

If it may help, OP could try to contact the third person mentioned in the case and find out why they actually didn't take delivery of this car even after having it invoiced in their name. That may throw some light into what the dealer may be hiding.

[Sri0030]

Originally Posted by vshankarhere

In case the sale is missed, it can always be changed to the actual customer within a time frame. Only that, might not amount to cheating

Hey, I would like to highlight these points, so that you'll have a clear idea.

Point 1: We specifically requested the dealer for a freshly manufactured vehicle from the plant, and not the one from dealer stock.

Point 2: It's not possible to change or update the warranty details once billing is done on any customer's name, for Honda cars.
Forever the warranty details will be shown on the first customer.

All they can do now is to change the customers name and contact details(in Honda Cars India database). That's it.

Due to which we'll become second owner forever(atleast as per service records) which hits the resale value too.

Point 3: The issues arisen out of a new vehicle.

Kindly please do let me know whether these things comes under cheating or not.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by silverado

What support did you get from Honda India during this ordeal?

I did not get any support from them. They will simply escalate the matter to dealer again.

Originally Posted by silverado

How old is the manufacturing date of the car?

It's a 2 month old vehicle. Whereas we wanted a fresh batch vehicle.

Originally Posted by silverado

Keep fighting the case if you can. Best of luck.

Yes. Thanks.

Originally Posted by microscopic

If it may help, OP could try to contact the third person mentioned in the case and find out why they actually didn't take delivery of this car even after having it invoiced in their name. That may throw some light into what the dealer may be hiding.

As per him, he just paid some advance amount and later cancelled the booking. He don't have any idea of the things that happened later.

[vshankarhere]

Originally Posted by Sri0030

Hey, I would like to highlight these points, so that you'll have a clear idea.

Point 1: We specifically requested the dealer for a freshly manufactured vehicle from the plant, and not the one from dealer stock.

Point 2: It's not possible to change or update the warranty details once billing is done on any customer's name, for Honda cars.
Forever the warranty details will be shown on the first customer.

All they can do now is to change the customers name and contact details(in Honda Cars India database). That's it.

Due to which we'll become second owner forever(atleast as per service records) which hits the resale value too.

Point 3: The issues arisen out of a new vehicle.

Kindly please do let me know whether these things comes under cheating or not.

Thanks.

Out of curiousity,

Point 1: Can you let know the month of delivery and actual month of manufacture?

Point 2: Still the customer details can be updated. It will not affect resale value. Resale value will only depend on the actual registration and not as per CRM. On the insurance and RC details are with the Honda CRM, the details should be easily updated.

Point 3: Like I mentioned earlier, any genuine issues with the vehicle is to be fought for which you are already doing.

[Sri0030]

Originally Posted by vshankarhere

Point 1: Can you let know the month of delivery and actual month of manufacture?

Month of manufacturing is Feb 2019 & Date of delivery is Apr 2019.

Originally Posted by vshankarhere

2: Still the customer details can be updated. It will not affect resale value. Resale value will only depend on the actual registration and not as per CRM. On the insurance and RC details are with the Honda CRM, the details should be easily updated.

Only the customer details (name, address and mobile number) can be updated but not warranty details.

Furthermore, three consecutive service invoices were generated on some x person who first booked the vehicle. This cannot be reversed. Due to which, service history forever remains the same. I'm not talking about insurance or RC here.

Originally Posted by vshankarhere

3: Like I mentioned earlier, any genuine issues with the vehicle is to be fought for which you are already doing.

Yes.

[microscopic]

Originally Posted by Sri0030

As per him, he just paid some advance amount and later cancelled the booking. He don't have any idea of the things that happened later.

It is hard to fathom dealer would enter the details for warranty of the vehicle just based on booking amount paid by a probable customer.

What might qualify as "unfair trade practice"? Hiding any information that might the change the deal's outcome.

In this case, had dealer informed you regarding the warranty detail issue, your decision to buy the car would have changed. So, in my opinion, hiding this information at the time of sale of the car to you is definitely "unfair trade practice" on dealer's part.

However, if the dealer is being true at least now and entry of third person's details was really only an inadvertent error which was overlooked at the time of sale of the car to you, I sense the car was only sitting in the inventory. Hence, the dealer may not be wrong in saying that they delivered only a brand new car to you albeit off the inventory shelf. In that case, the issues reported on the product itself may not be the grounds to claim full refund from the dealer.

Hence, I guess you may claim compensation from the dealer for misleading you into the deal with suppression of information & causing you hardships.

Regarding the concern of losing resale value as you may be perceived as second owner:
Car is registered in your name and owner number is probably is marked as 1 in your RC. So you can prove that you are indeed the first owner. As for the service records, you might take a written statement from the dealer that you are indeed the first owner and the details of the third party appearing during the first service is due to all these issues.

[handsofsteel]

Originally Posted by Sri0030

Month of manufacturing is Feb 2019 & Date of delivery is Apr 2019.



Only the customer details (name, address and mobile number) can be updated but not warranty details.

Furthermore, three consecutive service invoices were generated on some x person who first booked the vehicle. This cannot be reversed. Due to which, service history forever remains the same. I'm not talking about insurance or RC here.



Yes.

I can understand your frustration. However, there are three separate issues here not to be confused.
1. Issue of some other person's name in the CRM. This has no bearing on either the warranty or the resale of the car. I think you are allowing the second issue to cloud your judgement here. The resale value is never a function of who's name is it on the service or what does the Company CRM say. Once you get the names changed in the CRM (which is very much possible and doable), there is no issue at all. The RC, which is the only document of valid consideration during a sale should reflect you as the 1st owner. As long as this is the case, nobody (be it a firm/dealer/ individual) will have an issue.
2. Unreliability of the Car. Definitely worth fighting for.
3. 2 month old car. Non-issue. This is practically a fresh stock and will not stand up in any court of law for cheating or otherwise unless you have a written agreement with the dealer stating otherwise. A Feb mfg car sold/bought in Apr is as fresh at it gets in most cases.

[Sri0030]

Originally Posted by microscopic

In this case, had dealer informed you regarding the warranty detail issue, your decision to buy the car would have changed. So, in my opinion, hiding this information at the time of sale of the car to you is definitely "unfair trade practice" on dealer's part.

Exactly. This is the first point for which we are fighting with them.

[SR5471]

Prior to registration did you do a proper inspection? Do you have any other mechanical issues other than rust? It is normal to have surface rust on disc rotors and some underbody parts on Honda cars which are only a few months old.

Even I was initially alarmed to find rust on some suspension components of my Jazz. I was assured this was only surface rust and I later confirmed it through inspection by a trusty mechanic.

A car becomes second hand only if it is registered with RTO. If searching in Vaahan shows you as first owner then you have nothing to worry.

You may have a genuinely bad vehicle or there is a big misunderstanding. I hope your issue gets solved soon.

[munir0369]

Originally Posted by handsofsteel

I can understand your frustration. However, there are three separate issues here not to be confused.
1. Issue of some other person's name in the CRM. This has no bearing on either the warranty or the resale of the car. I think you are allowing the second issue to cloud your judgement here. The resale value is never a function of who's name is it on the service or what does the Company CRM say. Once you get the names changed in the CRM (which is very much possible and doable), there is no issue at all. The RC, which is the only document of valid consideration during a sale should reflect you as the 1st owner. As long as this is the case, nobody (be it a firm/dealer/ individual) will have an issue.
2. Unreliability of the Car. Definitely worth fighting for.
3. 2 month old car. Non-issue. This is practically a fresh stock and will not stand up in any court of law for cheating or otherwise unless you have a written agreement with the dealer stating otherwise. A Feb mfg car sold/bought in Apr is as fresh at it gets in most cases.

I do agree with @handsofsteel here, Where the problems you faced with the car are not acceptable (Point no. 1), It clearly reflects mfg. defect of poor handling on dealer's part. Point no. 2 and 3 are pretty much common across dealerships.