[malq]

Fahreinheit (Satnam) of Okhla Industrial Estate Phase-I. We actually went to make payments and decided not to proceed further mainly because of the way the dealer and his staff went about things too, and the age of the "new" vehicle was the final tipping point, while the "Branch Manager" made veiled references about the advance they hold and "charges".

Totally unacceptable behaviour and approach, in a way we feel lucky we were able to withdraw before getting stuck even deeper into what is obviously something which would have given us greater grief.

[achopraa]

Originally Posted by malq

We were going to close on one but then on checking the VIN saw that it was 4-5 months old already and that the spare wheel offered was with a steel rim. That, lack of colour choice, and other small fibs by the salesperson as well as poor documentation for both vehicle and loan, has put me off for sure.
Attachment 1287407

The spare wheel is always a Steel Rim. Its never an alloy one unless you specifically chose to exchange.

Also, can you share other fibs now that Skoda is specifically looking for improving their customer focus.

Originally Posted by malq

Fahreinheit (Satnam) of Okhla Industrial Estate Phase-I. We actually went to make payments and decided not to proceed further mainly because of the way the dealer and his staff went about things too, and the age of the "new" vehicle was the final tipping point, while the "Branch Manager" made veiled references about the advance they hold and "charges".

You are right that we should do due diligence when we get good deal.
I took a March manufactured car which reached their dockyard in June and was delivered to me on 1st November.
But there was absolutely no problem with the car.
Perform a detailed PDI with help of list on Team-BHP and you are good to go...

[malq]

When the specs say "alloy wheels" it means all of them are alloy wheels. When the specs say "steel wheels" it means all of them are steel wheels. Otherwise this can go on and on like -

# leather seats meant only front seats are leather, rear are fabric
# Power windows meant only front, rear are manual.
# 4 year warranty actually meant 3 because the 4th year warranty is actually concurrent with the 3rd.

Fibs include thrusting blank unfilled pages to sign, showing an Elegance while the car opted for was a (missing) Ambition+, pretending that the Form 22/manufacturing date was not available and that providing a proforma invoice was not possible.

The max that Skoda or the dealer can mess around with is, what, 50k? They've misjudged what an Indian consumer can do, then, and I think that I've managed to escape a bigger disaster of being saddled with a lemon that cost 16/17 times as much.

And while you may be satisfied with a car that sat around in a field for 8 months, not me. For me, new means 30 max 45 days out of shop floor.

[Hemant_Joshi]

When do you get a VIN #?
After Booking (I have already booked by paying 50k), After Down Payment, Full Payment?

I was promised, I will be given a Vehicle from MAX 2 months manufactured date,,

Will check with SA on this,

[malq]

After paying the booking amount on 8th of September and finishing loan formalities, but not making any other payouts so far. So all that is stuck with them is 50k. As for the physical evidence, apart from other stuff, I opened the bonnet of the car they told me had been marked for me and took a photo. This is the photo. And after I told them this is a May 2014 manufacture, they said, oh this is not the car for you. So then I said, what is the VIN of the car for me and what do you know, on his screen and then on the register, it was an even older VIN number!

[Hemant_Joshi]

Folks, Where can I buy Blaupunkt philadelphia 835?
Its not available anymore in Snapdeal, nor in Flipcart,

Originally Posted by sunilsoft

Indeed this is All in One system that provides everything and this can also be arranged and fitted by the dealers itself. One of my friends has got it fitted from vw dealer itself. It costed him around 40k including camera but the quality of the system is top notch. I have installed the camera on my swift and once you have that setup there is no need for the reverse parking sensors.
You can check the detailed specs at http://www.blaupunkt.com/es/nc/produ...s/single/7332/
This is the same system that is offered in vento konekt and one thing's for sure that no warranty issues at all.
If you do really need to have rear parking sensors installed you can opt for skoda parking sensors kit. Here is the picture of Blaupunkt philadelphia 835

[IMeMyself]

Frankly, it looks like a case of an ego hassle between the 'branch manager' of Fahrenheit and the customer which has led to this impasse. To me, this case looks like a unjustified flogging of the Skoda/dealerships based on their respective past reputation. The only thing that seems suspicious in this case is the mismatch between the VIN number on the car and the VIN number on the excel sheet. And unfortunately there is no proof of the same being proferred by the customer.

Rest all of the things mentioned are not uncommon and do not amount to any sort of cheating/malpractice/blackmail/holding hostage or anything of that sort that the customer has referred to. I say this after having gone through a similarly bad experience with a Skoda dealer recently (May 2014 car when promised a July 2014 car & fibs by the SA).

As far as I have understood, such issues happen elsewhere in other car dealerships too and no one seems to have any problems with that. Two reasons for this:

1) Truth is not a value/ideal given much importance by us Indians; especially Delhiites.

2) The promise of a particular manufactured month is not legally enforceable or even written down as part of the commitment list at the time of providing advance money. Add to this the fact that the dealers have no control over which car gets allocated to which dealership especially when it is during a special discount offer to clear out the stock.

Trust me when I say this after having a similar frustrating experience, but the truth lies somewhere in between as against what the customer has explained. It's the perception which is driving this and I know this having gone through a similar ordeal and flogged Skoda/the dealership but ultimately gained a perspective out of this.

[achopraa]

Originally Posted by malq

When the specs say "alloy wheels" it means all of them are alloy wheels. When the specs say "steel wheels" it means all of them are steel wheels.

All the links/pics below are from the Team-BHP official forum.

I have NO intention to either direct your mind to but a Skoda, neither I am associated with them.
Its just to make you aware that this is not a malpractice.

Vento Spare Wheel

Honda Amaze Spare Wheel is a Non-Alloy


i10 Grand Spare Wheel is a Non-Alloy


New Honda City's Spare Wheel is a Non-Alloy


Audi A3 Space Saver wheel

[malq]

1) There is no "ego hassle". We went. We did not approve of the procedure for documentation as well as vehicle inspection. We were told this is how it is. We raised the issue of refund. We were told refund after investigation by Skoda. Since that was a at that stage fait accompli by Skoda dealer, for 50k I am not going to lose my shirt or get worried too much, so we left very peacefully also because we are aware everything is on CCTV in showrooms. Luckily, everything is on camera with me also, including dashcam in car, which links to pocket phone camera, which I showed the Branch Manager.

2) Three manufacturers in the top 5 by sale of number of cars in India have re-confirmed to me that alloys means set of 5 and steel wheels means set of 5. That's enough for me to ride with them.

[IMeMyself]

What is the exact refund you have asked for? The full 50k refund paid in advance? Or less the cancellation charges and loan processing fees? Why do you say that the dealership is sitting on your money? Isn't there a time bound refund policy?

And what exactly is this 'investigation' by Skoda about? Did the dealership not give a time frame for this 'investigation'

[Hemant_Joshi]

I dont know of any other Manufacturer, providing the Spare wheel in Alloy. It has always been a steel wheel, And this is confirmed from other Car reviews...Same was the response from Skoda Dealer in Pune, 5th wheel will be Steel,

I had absolutely NO problem getting the Proforma Invoice from them,
Got that today and submitted to my Bank for Loan processing. I am not going with Skoda/VW Finance,

I have requested for VIN, for my Vehicel - Booked last week - most Probable delivery on 25th, The SA has promised me to send the same in a day, There was some Audit going on today - they could not get it today itself,, - Again NO fuss/Issues at all,

I have paid only the 50K booking amount till now,

My experience with the Skoda Dealership in Pune till now, has been very good, Not sure, whats the problem with the Delhi Dealer.

[Horizon81]

malq has updated in a different thread that the booking amount was received in full, today evening.

[malq]

1) My booking amount cheque of 50k was received yesterday in full, no deductions, now awaiting full documentation for my CAs satisfaction on payment/refund entries.

2) Nobody goes to a dealership to pay for a car and expects to be handed a docket of 40-50 pages, all blank, to sign.

3) On VIN number, suggest people do that FIRST, and take a photograph.

4) On wheels being in sets of 5 (alloy or steel) please visit a Maruti or Tata Motors showroom, I have confirmed this at manufacturer level. At the dealer level, I've confirmed it at the nearest Hyundai showroom too, a set of 5 similar wheels and tyres is what you get. Some specific vehicles have got exemption for "get home tyres", otherwise there is also an ARAI notice on this somewhere, there was also a huge consumer forum fuss about this a few years ago. If you as a consumer have no issue with 4 of 1 and 1 of the other, then that's your lookout, for me, that's a show-stopper and under Indian road conditions, I want 5 good tyres on my car, sometimes even 6, and all of the same size.

5) It is becoming increasingly more essential to keep a small pocket camera, hidden or openly shown, for interactions at automobile dealership and workshops. They are recording us, we need to do the same.

+++

I also went and booked the replacement, by the way, and now await my Ciaz VXi+ or ZXi, in lieu.

[Hemant_Joshi]

Hi Malq,
Its good to hear, You got a full refund, And, Congratulations for CIAZ,

Regarding other points,

I have Booked a week back, paid 50K, I got the VIN today - its JUNE 2014 Manufactured. I think that's OK - not much worried about it,

My Loan papers are in process - expect the Loan to be Sanctioned by Tomorrow - This is NOT Skoda Finance,
Once this is done - I will ask the SA for Inspection of vehicle - before releasing the balance amount, and Vehicel goes for RTO,,

I have provided my papers - ID/Address proof, etc, today - they did not ask me to sign anything - so I don't know about the papers You were asked to Sign, I may not YET, be aware of same, - will check...

On the Wheels - there is definitely some issue/confusion,
I have re-checked and Dealer informed - the spare will be a Steel Wheel.

Also,
During my Test Drives - for Verna,Linea and City - I specifically had put this Query - and for all these , the Spare was a Steel Wheel.,
Same was for Elite I20, and for Tata ZEST,,

So, I dont know,
Do you have any formal communique/email or any refrence to this from the Manufacturer's?

Originally Posted by malq

1) My booking amount cheque of 50k was received yesterday in full, no deductions, now awaiting full documentation for my CAs satisfaction on payment/refund entries.

2) Nobody goes to a dealership to pay for a car and expects to be handed a docket of 40-50 pages, all blank, to sign.

3) On VIN number, suggest people do that FIRST, and take a photograph.

4) On wheels being in sets of 5 (alloy or steel) please visit a Maruti or Tata Motors showroom, I have confirmed this at manufacturer level. At the dealer level, I've confirmed it at the nearest Hyundai showroom too, a set of 5 similar wheels and tyres is what you get. Some specific vehicles have got exemption for "get home tyres", otherwise there is also an ARAI notice on this somewhere, there was also a huge consumer forum fuss about this a few years ago. If you as a consumer have no issue with 4 of 1 and 1 of the other, then that's your lookout, for me, that's a show-stopper and under Indian road conditions, I want 5 good tyres on my car, sometimes even 6, and all of the same size.

5) It is becoming increasingly more essential to keep a small pocket camera, hidden or openly shown, for interactions at automobile dealership and workshops. They are recording us, we need to do the same.

+++

I also went and booked the replacement, by the way, and now await my Ciaz VXi+ or ZXi, in lieu.

[malq]

Here is the rule pertaining to tyres from CMVR

- "95. Size and ply rating of tyres.—152[(1) The tyres including radial tyres used on all motor vehicles manufactured or imported on and after the 1st day of April, 2006, other than agricultural tractors, construction equipment vehicles and power tillers shall comply with the requirements specified in A1S:044 (Part 1 to 3): 2004 as applicable till the corresponding BIS specifications are notified under the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986 (63 of 1986):

Provided that the selection and fitment of tyres for motor vehicles manufactured or
imported on and from the 1st day of April, 2006 shall be in accordance with AIS:
050:2004 in the case of two and three-wheelers and AIS: 051:2004 in the case other
motor vehicles, till such time the corresponding BIS specifications are notified under the
Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986 (63 of 1986):

+++

Under the above rules, you CAN have different size of tyre and type of rim for front or rear, as is the case with many two-wheelers and Tata Nano. If you as a manufacturer have taken the required steps to get this ratified, which is also why the Nano has a smaller front tyre size rim as spare.

However, nowhere in the CMVR does it say that you can have different sorts of rims, 4 of alloy and 1 of steel, under these rules, or a situation when 3 tyres are alloy and 1 is steel. I did speak to specific three vehicle manufacturers in the last 20 minutes and their take is that buyers need to specify that they want all 5 rims of the same sort in the car, BECAUSE there can be insurance issues if there are different kinds of rims on a vehicle.

Then came the question - is it a "spare" or a "get-home" skinny? And if it is a "get-home " skinny tyre, then has the manufacturer got type approval and if so, a copy of that please?

As I've said before, for me, for a mass produced car to be used in India, a 5th tyre which is of a different specification is not acceptable and a show-stopper.