Re: 2018 Maruti Ciaz Facelift (1.5L Petrol) : Official Review Frustrating Service Experience with My Ciaz at Navdesh Autos LLP, Chandigarh
I’m a car enthusiast who loves keeping my rides in top shape, so it’s been really tough seeing my Maruti Suzuki Ciaz Alpha AT (Pearl White, bought May 2024) take a beating at Navdesh Autos LLP in Chandigarh and Mohali. The Ciaz is a solid car—smooth, reliable, and my daily driver—but the service from Navdesh has been one letdown after another. Poor repairs, wrong parts, scratched interiors, and constant nagging for ratings have left me frustrated. Here’s my story, and I’d love your thoughts on how to get my car back to its best.
The Background
I picked up my Ciaz in May 2024, the classic “sarkari” white shade you see around Chandigarh. Barely a month in, June 2024, a drunk driver in a Ford EcoSport backed into my rear right door in Sector 34. I won’t bore you with the police and judicial drama that followed. I took the car to Navdesh Autos LLP, where I bought it, expecting quality service as an authorized Maruti center. Instead, I got a masterclass in disappointment.
Issue 1: A Disappointing Door Replacement and Paint Job
Navdesh replaced the rear right door and repainted it after the accident. When I went to pick it up, I was shocked. The paint was nowhere near the factory Pearl White and felt rough to the touch. For a car just a month old, this was a travesty. After some back-and-forth, they agreed to clean the scratches I pointed out but dismissed the mismatch. I had to head to Himachal for an engagement, so I took the car, grudgingly.
Over time, the door turned yellowish, sticking out like a sore thumb. I went back in October 2024, and after some reluctance, the paint shop admitted they goofed and promised to repaint. They asked me to return after Diwali due to staff shortages. Work and relying on the Ciaz as my only car delayed me until March 2025, when I paired the repaint with the 10,000 km service. A new body shop guy promised a fix in two days. The result? The yellowness improved slightly, but the mismatch was still obvious, with paint splashes and rough edges. The interior was a mess—wood trim scratched from careless cleaning. They cleaned only the scratches I flagged, leaving the rest as is. The car’s new-car shine was replaced by a cheap, aftermarket look.
Issue 2: Meter Console Mix-Up
In October 2024, my brother, visiting from the US, noticed the tachometer’s background light was dim. I flagged it to Navdesh, but they didn’t bother noting the part number. During the March 2025 service, while repainting the door, they finally recorded the part number (wrongly, as it turned out). On March 31, 2025, I returned to have the new console installed. I couldn’t stay to watch, as my wife and I were at a nearby mall. When I started the car, the gear shift indicator was blank. I sent photos to the service advisor, who said it would “calibrate” in a day or two. After I clarified, he seemed clueless and asked me to come back.
After an 800 km Himachal trip, I realized they’d installed a manual car’s console in my automatic Ciaz, prompting “press brake and clutch to start.” On April 15, 2025, they admitted to ordering the wrong part, reinstalled the old console, and promised a correct one soon. The reinstall was sloppy—locks visible, deep scratches around the steering console, and dashboard damage. As of April 16, they’re casually saying they’ll replace the panels, with no plan for the dashboard scratches. No quality checks, no care.
Issue 3: Unprofessional Conduct and Rating Pressure
Navdesh’s lack of attention was maddening. They never cleaned the car after repairs, leaving paint splashes, scratches, and a dusty interior. Job cards were marked “Maruti Roadside Assistance” (M.O.S.), likely to dodge warranty accountability. Worse, I got constant calls and messages, including from Mr. Sharma, pushing for “10/10” ratings, claiming poor scores would hurt advisors’ salaries. This, while my car was still a mess, with no apologies.
Issue 4: Mohali Facility Letdown
Hoping for better, I visited Navdesh’s Mohali center on April 14, 2025, as suggested by Mr. Sharma. The place was underwhelming, and the staff couldn’t diagnose the meter issue. They spotted a part number mismatch but blamed a gazetted holiday and refused to clean the car as promised. They suggested returning for a dashboard dismantle, without explaining why. After the Mohali debacle on April 14, Mr. Sharma offered to pick up my car from home on April 15, repair it, and return it by end of day. But, of course, he added, “Kindly take care when you get a call from Maruti and rate us 10,” promising to fix everything. You know how that went —same old story (with added scratches to trims), no real progress.
The Impact
My Ciaz, just 11 months old, no longer feels new. Scratched panels, poorly fitted beadings, paint mismatches, and an unclean interior make it look tired and neglected. As someone who plans to keep this car for years and cares for it deeply, it’s heartbreaking to see it treated this way. I’ve emailed Maruti Suzuki’s customer service, asking for an investigation into Navdesh’s practices, proper repairs at a competent center, and replacement of the scratched panels and dashboard. I’m attaching a few photos of the issues. I have more of the scratches and meter console, and I’ll take fresh paint photos once my wife’s back from work. The car’s dusty from a recent highway trip, but I’ve got older paint mismatch shots ready.
Thank you for reading through my saga. The Ciaz is a great car mechanically, but Navdesh’s service has been a huge disappointment. I’d love to hear your experiences with Maruti service centers, especially in Chandigarh/Mohali, and any tips on getting this resolved. I’ll share more photos soon—stay tuned! |