A nightmare ordeal buying my Ioniq 5: Happy with dealer, not Hyundai

I already have 2 vehicles in my garage (Innova Crysta ZX 2.8 AT and Mahindra Scorpio-N Z8L 4x4 AT), and this was going to be the 3rd one.

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Prologue:

I want to share my Nightmare ordeal with the booking experience of Ioniq 5 directly from Hyundai and my frustration to the extent that I am planning to cancel the whole thing and look for alternatives. (Not that there are many, especially at this lucrative price.)

Also, would like to thank my local Hyundai Dealership, however helpless they are with the Ioniq 5 booking process, they are trying to guide and help me the best they can. The booking and payment process until dispatch to the dealership is solely in (HMIL) Hyundai India’s control.

The Story:

It all began with me heading to the Lamba Hyundai (Delhi) dealership right next to my office. Warm, knowledgeable and helpful staff, Took time to explain everything I had to ask and entertain me. Being new to EV, I had more than a few questions.

Showed 2 vehicles they had:

1st White TD vehicle, and 2nd gravity gold Matte Vehicle which was getting ready for delivery. Asked them for a test drive for the next morning at my home address, since approval from the home ministry was required before I even considered Ioniq 5.

I was also informed that the booking process is online and the parent company HMIL directly controls the allocation, dispatch etc. of the vehicle. Payments done also will be in HMIL’s account directly, and the dealership has little control over the same. But they will guide me the best they can with the booking etc. The reason according to the Dealer was that the vehicle being SKD/CKD is dispatched only on order.

The same day, I went on Hyundai’s booking portal and generated a quote for Ioniq. Promptly got a call from a Hyundai Employee who informed me she was calling directly from Hyundai India and looks after Ioniq customers only. On asking about the waiting period, I was told that the car could be made available within 7 days since the colour I am interested in (gravity gold Matte) is available in the Chennai plant and will be dispatched the same day I complete the booking and payment formalities. I asked for the VIN no or mfd. month of a vehicle, and was told that the same would be provided shortly.

The next morning, The TD car arrived at my home on time, the car was 7k run and in good condition. The TD experience was love at first drive for me and my wife. Look at an elaborate 30km+ TD. Immediately decided to go ahead with the booking.

Again, kudos to Lamba Hyundai, since I was booking the car in my company name, they sent a special team to my office for booking and loan processing along with a bank employee for loan document collection and guidance.

Now, this is where things started going downhill.

I added the iCare 50k kms package on the booking portal, costing 91K INR. But decided to opt against it. There is no option to remove iCare once you have added it, probably a bug. After discussing with the Hyundai Employee, the SA assured me he would get it removed from the quotation and Performa within 24 hours, which they did. I ignored this issue thinking it was a bug, got it in writing that iCare would be removed post-booking and clicked on pay now.

That is when I faced the 2nd glitch. Under net banking, there was no option for SBI- State Bank of India. Which is India’s largest bank. On informing the same Hyundai Employee, We were provided with the bank details of HMIL Chennai and an IMPS transfer was initiated.

Shared the payment receipt with my SA and with the Hyundai Employee and asked her to share the payment receipt and VIN/ manufacturing month of the vehicle. She told me she would do it shortly.

So much for automating and digitizing the booking process in the name of customer’s ease.

Anyway, this is where things got from bad to worse.

The next day, once my loan was approved, contacted the dealership and asked them for the manufacturing month and delivery within 7 days clause, I was informed that the car isn’t dispatched from Chennai before the full payment and takes up to 3-4 weeks for delivery after complete payment to HMIL. (Generic reply)

Called up the Hyundai Employee, and was assured that the vehicle would be dispatched shortly from Chennai as she has already started the KYC etc. process for dispatch. Told her to hold the dispatch till I shared the VIN/Manufacturing month, I was again told that it would be shared shortly. This is Day 3 of asking for the same. From an employee of Hyundai, nonetheless. Sent multiple reminders via call and WhatsApp, but was informed to wait.

The next day, no response from the Hyundai Employee. Around 1 pm, I finally lost my patience and told my dealership to hold the loan disbursement till I got information on car manufacturing. Got a call from the Hyundai Employee within minutes. Informed me that the manufacturing month is July, but they billed and assembled the car in October. Which I was okay with. On the dispatch front, she told me that the vehicle was parked with Capital Hyundai Noida.

Now That is where I started getting suspicious. And started asking questions. Words aren’t the same, but the gist of it is.

Q: The Noida dealership is not the Chennai plant, I was told that I would be dispatched a new car from Chennai.

A: Sir, this car was dispatched around Diwali and is at the dealership stockyard, it is a fresh vehicle.

Q: Why did you make me wait 4 days for info as simple as manufacturing month if you knew the vehicle was parked at a dealership nearby and sharing it with me when I decided to stop the loan disbursement?

A: (Deflected my question.)

Q: I wish to PDI this vehicle at the dealer stockyard and I am willing to visit the dealership today itself for a PDI. Is that okay?

A: I will have to ask the dealership. I have a few pictures of the vehicle shared by the dealership, let me share those. and we will deliver this within 2 days.

Q: Please do, I will then decide if it needs a PDI.

Shortly after, received pictures of the Vehicle. Attaching 1 picture which will make things clear. The car was parked next to the charging port. No protective plastics or anything anywhere. Which I am sure should be there if it had not undergone delivery PDI. Pic attached.

Luckily, I saw a brand new pre-delivery vehicle at Lamba Hyundai the other day and knew what a fresh vehicle should look like. White tape on pillars and edges, and alloy wheels had transparent plastic tape. Pic attached.

The car was in the Noida dealership Showroom from the Noida dealership yard from the Chennai plant within a few minutes, and I find it hard to believe that the Hyundai Employee did not know about it.

I called her back and subtly rejected the vehicle and pointed out the manipulation. The response was rather unpleasant.

Me: this looks like a display or TD vehicle and I will have to reject it. Please align me with a fresh one from the Chennai plant.

Hyundai Employee: Sir that will take 15-20 working days. (It changed from 7 days to 20 working days.)

Me: but, pre-booking you told me that you have stock at the Chennai plant and you can deliver the vehicle within 7 days.

Hyundai Employee: no sir, it will at least take 14 working days.

Me: please hold my booking. I will tell you what I decide. (I was in no mood to bicker)

Soon after, received a WhatsApp message, sharing the same which is self-explanatory.

Epilogue:

Now, I am in a dilemma to go ahead with the Loan and balance disbursement or cancel it and look elsewhere. I do not mind waiting for even a month as I already have 2 vehicles in my garage (Innova Crysta ZX 2.8 AT and Mahindra ScorpioN Z8L 4x4 AT), and this was going to be the 3rd one. Replacing my 2016 Crysta eventually down the line (Thank you NGT).

But my major concern now is, what if after disbursing the loan amount, they still invoice me the same Noida dealership display vehicle I rejected or something else like that? Since they are not telling me what month/VIN vehicle will be allotted to me it will be a challenge to reverse anything after being invoiced for the same. Especially, since I am buying the same in the company’s name.

I have everything which has happened to date in writing, but such manipulative and deceitful commitments directly from Hyundai India have left me in limbo. And has left a very bad taste. Also, not to mention the 25k cancellation penalty.

On a separate note, a special thanks to Lamba Hyundai SA and the complete Lamba team for being so helpful, warm and humble with us throughout the experience. This must be a rare occurrence, even for Team-BHP where the shady activity is being done by the parent company and the dealership is being applauded for being so helpful and dedicated, wish the dealership had more control and transparency over the booking process.

I hope it helps everyone else in making a well-informed decision when buying the Ioniq 5. And not to repeat the same mistakes I did.

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