CHEATING BY MARUTI & AUTHORISED SERVICE STATION( ASS)

Given below is the email received by a consumer who got the car repaired from the Maruti service centre to be sure to receive the best services, but they turned out to be the biggest cheats. The question arises should we patronize the Authorized service centre or not?

We will say  !!!..NO...!!! They are just like any other garage today. The reason is simple. This is what our extensive study says:-

1. ASS do purchase genuine spare parts from the company but then dispose them in the open market.

2. Then they replace these with the spurious parts available in the market. By doing so they maintain the official stocks in their books.

3. Use these spurious spares and charge at the list price.

4. Thus they make double the profit .

5. This is how the business of ASS is thriving more than for those who have to sell the vehicle.

6. In the service station bills, Maruti writes REPAIR/REPLACED and verbally tells the customer that the part has been replaced as its still in warranty - but some of the warranty is at the ' discretion of the vendor' - which means they may or may not replace. Infact they only repair and then the problem occurs again and the process is repeated as in the case of 1) self, 2) caliper pins, 3) ac condenser etc.

7.  When pointed out to one of the Maruti management guys,  he was also upset about it.

    

read the story given below.

CASTROL REPORT

Sub:  Been taken for a ride by Maruti !!!!

Sir,

I own a maruti zen for past 2 ½ years or so. I had been periodically sending my car for maintenance and service to Maruti Authorised Service Stations (MASS) during this period. Since day one I had been complaining of problems with the car which still exist. This is despite the fact the Maruti has ‘replaced’ parts and carried out ‘repairs’ under warranty.

Recently, my car gave trouble and I sent it for immediate repairs. Since, it was an emergency, I sent it to the one nearest to me. When the car was opened, the garage notified me of  problems with the car and enquired when was the last time a service done on my car as it badly needs repairs and is in a deplorable state.

I called up the MASS where my car was last serviced, about five months back. The DGM of that workshop informed me that since I had sent the car for repairs at a station other than MASS, its not their responsibility any more. And as for poor/no service provided in the last service jobs done on my car – its out of question. I asked him to send his engineers to the service station where my car was to check its condition but he refused.

I faxed letters to MUL India, to MD – Mr. Jagdish Khattar, Customer care services Manager – Mr. Kumar & DGM of Maruti Service Masters (MSM) – Mr. Chawla. DGM, MSM called me the next day. The change in his attitude was startling- he enquired if he could send his men to where my car is? But he never sent anyone that whole day. Two days my car was in a service station but Maruti/ MSM were not bothered enough to check my complaints.

Now 12 days and ten page correspondence later, the MD had finally called me. But his behaviour was equally shocking. I have repeatedly asked Maruti to justify the quality of their service and ASCuage my fears of being taken for a ride by the MASC. But there has been no reply on that. Infact, Mr. Khattar apologized to me without reading my letters addressed to him but got upset when I asked for a written apology.

I maintain that:

1. MASS have been unsuccessful in ascertaining the cause of problems in my car. Though parts have been changed/repaired repeatedly for the same problem, the problem exists today as it is. I have again been asked to get a particular part changed as before. My question is that if in previous instance they (MASS) have changed this part to rectify this problem, then why the need has arisen again? Did they really change the part? Or are they unable to decipher the problem but cannot admit to that, so are making a fool out of me?

False diagnosis has been done for two problems in my car, in both cases the problem persisted. One if the problems was taken care of in the recent service, the other still exists.

2. Components like engine oil, gear oil, brake oil, oil filter, fuel filter, air filter , etc have to be changed periodically as per the scheduled pASCage of time/mileage incurred. But that has not been done in my car. Some components like engine oil is to be changed after every 10,000 odd kms. So when it was changed in last service (car has been driven 3000 odd kms since then), how is it that it needed to be changed again as its quality was found to be very poor? I had requested Maruti to check this oil, but they have refused. I have now requested the oil company to have it checked at their end.
3. Maruti insists on using genuine spare parts and insist that the customer goes to Maruti Authorised Service Stations for service and maintenance. This is done  to ensure proper and correct services being done on the car. They claim ‘genuine’ and ‘authorised’ in their service. Who checks this? What is the check on Maruti’s MASS? Mr. Chawla ASCerted that service stations other than Maruti are not credible as they have not been ‘authorised by Maruti’. But where is the guarantee that MASS are working ethically and properly? This is so evident with my experience with not one but two MASS over a period of two years or so.
4. In reply to my letters, what do I have to show?
   • A verbal apology from the MD who sounded very riled up about this whole affair. Not because a customer was put to inconvenience but because a customer dared to question Maruti Quality.
   • Various Maruti personnel asking me to talk to Dr. Kumar (including the MD).
   • I was stranded twice for an existent problem recently. On calling MOS – maruti on road service helpline – I discovered how ‘helpless’ this ‘help line’ was when after one hour, I still had no response form them. On calling them after one hour, was told that they will have it attended to it shortly. If the dedicated helpline is this efficient, god help poor consumers like me. So, if after buying a car, paying for its upkeep and maintenance regularly, I still have to be stranded on road and to add insult to injury, even their helpline is unresponsive – what do I do? Why shouldn’t I go to a service station other than Maruti? what other recourse is there for me – I tried to approach senior management of the company too – but where did it get me?

So, now what do I do? Where do I go? Consumer court/ media/ Suzuki corporation – who do I appeal to? Is anyone aware of the fraud being committed in name of service by a Company like ‘MARUTI’? Should they be allowed to get away with it?

Please help/advise/guide me to get this company to acknowledge their wrongs. I am enclosing all my correspondence with Maruti for your perusal. I would be so very grateful if you could look into it and help me out.

Thanking you,

E-mail your comments / complaints  to : info@consumer.org.in