The above images start the story of my recent experience with Tata repairs, and discovering its all a bloody nexus.
Day 0
It all starts off with my wife banging the car into the rear of an Innova. The story of the accident (with pics) right here.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ml#post1590920
I take the car to KB Motors workshop at Park Circus, as they are the only authorized sevice centre who have a cashless tie-up with Royal Sundaram, my insurer. KB gives a cursory glance at the car, and gives me a 60K upfront gross estimate. I dont look too much into the matter, as in any case I'm happy to get my wife and the car out of the accident site.
Day 3, Part 1
It is a Saturday. Over the last 3 days, I've gone over the pics again and again. It doesnt seem that any of the mechanical parts have been damaged. So why such a high estimate?
The phone rings. "Sir, this is Mr. XYZ (the accident guy) calling from KB Motors. Your prelim survey has been done. Your estimate now is 70K." 70K!!!
![Shockked](https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/images/smilies/Shockked.png)
I ask XYZ whether he'll be in office that day, then drive down there within an hour. My wife and Joseph (NOS Power) were supposed to accompany me to a different trip that day. Since that looked a remote possibility, I take them along as well.
12 AM we reach KB. The car is standing forlorn in the accident section. We call XYZ, then ask him to present a part-by-part estimate of what needs to be changed. Read on:
1. Front Bumper - 4K for repair, 2.5K for painting
2. Headlight assembly - 4K each for both. (Why both? I ask. The right one looks untouched. "Because sir, the impact has made this small hole in the plastic. If you keep it like that, water will flood in through the hole. And we cant tape it up. The entire assembly will need changing)
3. Bonnet - 6K, plus extra for painting
4. Radiator Assembly - 14K!!!!! Joseph meekly questions why so high, when all damage there is has been to the bottom most line of the radiator core. "We cant take chances sir."
5. Front Apron - 8K for the entire set.
6. The condenser assembly might or might not need changing, and we are quoted 16K for it
So (without condenser) I'm presented a bill of 40-45K for parts, and 30K for labour. 70K on a car with little or no mechanical damage!
Day 3, Part 2
Obviously shocked at the rate KB is quoting, I ask the advisor not to open up the car on Monday. I want to have a feel of the market first, and advise him to hold on till my further instruction. He tells me even if I take the car out later, they will charge me 1-1.5K as processing + demurrage charges. What do I say?
Next stop, Sheesh Motors in Park Circus. A well known shop selling Tata Genuine Parts (TGP). A Kolkata tbhpian buys all his parts from this shop. Faisal Bhai, the propreitor is a helpful person. Even with a large crowd at the shop, he makes me sit beside him, I carefully list out all the parts that need changing. He gives me a part by part estimate, and I'm overjoyed. The TOTAL cost is coming to 18K, and 24K if the condenser unit were to be included.
From there I go to 2 well known mechanics. Each of them quotes me a rate of 6-10K for the entire labour.
In a nutshell, I learn on Saturday that while KB would charge 70K (so my out of pocket
after insurance would be 25-30K), I can get the entirework done outside for 25-30K. Whatever insurance pays me is a bonus.
Life is looking bright. I prepare to give one last call to Royal Sundaram on Monday morning, and move the car out of KB the next day. Little do I know that what I'm seeing is the tip of the iceberg.
Day 5
Monday, I call up the claims dept of Royal Sundaram. After initial pleasanteries, this is how the conversation goes:
Me: So you see, KB is quoting me 70K for the entire repair, which is very high. I have verified elsewhere, if I buy TGP myself and get it repaired at my known garage, I'll have to pay only 30K. So both of us will be saved from cheating. Now tell me, what documents do I have to give you before taking the car out.
Insurance Guy(IG): Nothing sir, just a letter. The morning you deposit the letter at our office, you can move out the car of KB that very day.
Me: Great then, I'll give you the letter tomorrow morning.
IG: Just one thing. Where did you say you'd buy the parts from?
Me: Sheesh Motors. The one in Park Circus. They sell all TGP, no fakes. I'll even save the monogrammed covers for you, if you want proof.
IG: No need. I know Sheesh sells TGP. But let me warn you,
if you buy parts from the market, even if they're TGP, insurance will value them at "local parts" rate, which is 40-50pct of the list price.
ME: (Totally taken aback): Why? If what I'm buying is TGP, then its the same that KB would have used.
IG: We know. But only parts sold from Tata's own parts centres, and their authorized distributor in Kolkata will be treated as genuine parts.
Me: Ok, parts centre wont sell to individuals. Tell me where Tata's AD is.
IG: Daga Auto Parts at Mango Lane is Tata's only AD in Kolkata. You can go down there and take a quote.
Day 6
I take time out from office and go searching in the bylanes of Mango Lane. Very soon I'm standing at Daga Auto Parts office, where 5-6 busy looking people are printing invoices and counting fat bundles of cash. I ask for a sales guy, and someone comes over.
Me: My car has had an accident blah blah. These are the parts I need (Again, I list down the parts and he gives me the costs for each)
Front Bumper - 3.8K
Headlight Assembly - 3.5K each
Bonnet - 5.5K
Radiator Assy - 4K (this is a surprise!)
Front Apron - 8K
Condenser - 16K
So you see, except the radiator, all the parts are same (or almost same) as KB.
I repeated the same exercise taking a quote from RD motors (another tata service centre) today. They quoted nearly same prices as KB.
So here are few learnings from the story.
1. The cost of parts is same in KB, RD and the AD - around 40K. However, the same set of TGP comes for 18K in Sheesh.
That means the service centres are not cheating us, Tata Motors is. Whoever they "authorize" is also authorized to quote insane prices for parts that are basically cheaper.
2. The insurance cos are also in the nexus. Otherwise
how can they acknowledge that Sheesh sells TGP, but refuse to pay full cost of parts only because it is not authorized?
3. The service centres quote insane labour costs. KB has quoted 30K while external mechanics, equally good, quote 6K. Isnt this another policy to fleece insurance and customers alike?
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In the last part, I require your advice. I have 3 choices left now, please advise which one I should take.
1. Let KB handle the entire repair. Saves me a lot of hassle, they will repair the car, call insurance over and take money directly. I'll only have to pay the difference. Only problem is,
I'll be paying almost 30K out of my own pocket and I'll know I've been overcharged.
2. Take the car out of KB, buy parts from Daga and get it repaired by my own mechanic. In this case, the total cost will come to 50K (40K for parts + max 10K for labour). Insurance will pay entire labour and whatever applicable on parts,
but I'll still have to pay 25-30K out of my pocket.
3. Take the car out of KB, buy parts from Sheesh and get it repaired at my own mechanic. Total cost will come to max 30K (18K for parts and 10K for labour). Only problem is, insurance will pay almost nothing for parts. That means
I'm still paying maybe 25K out of pocket.
Wattado?