[Resolved]  Honda Accord — No Customer Relations

Address:

Madhya Pradesh

Honda & Horrendous don't only have some alphabets common, they share much more in the description.

Below are my emails to Honda Siel Car India, first on July 31, 2010 and repeated reminders till today morning, but ENTIRELY IN VAIN because I haven't received a single-bloody-reply; the email has been sent on several IDs.

Honda Cars also doesn't have a single email ID on any of its sites in USA, Japan, UK, and others; I have tried searching for all possible Honda websites!!

Thanks,

Ankit Mittal


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From: Ankit Mittal
Sent: Saturday, August 28, 2010 11:18 AM
To: '[protected]@hondacarindia.com'
Cc: 'Mittal Group'
Subject: FW: Horrendous services by Honda dealer

REMINDER IV


From: Ankit Mittal
Sent: Friday, August 27, 2010 6:01 PM
To: '[protected]@hondacarindia.com'
Cc: Mittal Group
Subject: FW: Horrendous services by Honda dealer

REMINDER III


From: Ankit Mittal
Sent: Saturday, August 21, 2010 10:41 AM
To: '[protected]@hondacarindia.com'
Cc: Mittal Group
Subject: FW: Horrendous services by Honda dealer

REMINDER II


From: Ankit Mittal
Sent: Saturday, July 31, 2010 10:04 AM
To: '[protected]@hondacarindia.com'
Cc: '[protected]@hondacarindia.com'; '[protected]@hondacarindia.com'; 'Mittal Group'
Subject: Horrendous services by Honda dealer

Dear Officer,

This is with reference to the most-troublesome experience we had while getting our Honda Accord car (M/T, year 2005, reg. no. - MP 09 HE 3137) repaired at the Indore dealer – M/s Abhikaran Honda.

On June 8, 2010, we had towed the said car to the Honda dealer for immediate repairs. After inspection, we were informed that the clutch/pressure plates would have to be replaced. Surprisingly, the dealer wasn’t carrying the parts in stock and took around 7 days to call for the parts, when there are innumerable overnight-courier services in the country.

As if this trouble wasn’t enough, the dealer showed more incompetency in servicing the vehicle. Once the above-mentioned parts were replaced, the dealer found out that synchronising-hub was also damaged, which, the supposedly-trained technicians weren’t able to diagnose in the long period when the car remained in the workshop. Since these parts were also unavailable with the dealer, there was an unacceptable delay in getting the parts and replacing them.

However, to any sane person’s bitter surprise, this is not where the misery of the horrendous services end. Since the experience had already eaten away our peace and satisfaction, I had to request my friend, a very senior & knowledgeable guy in the automobile industry, to check the car before taking its delivery. When he took the trials, after completing the said jobs, we were again told that the car was still inoperable as it now faced a problem while trying to engage the reverse gear, and thus, again the same series of delays – parts unavailable in Indore, ordered with the company, delay in shipment, etc. But, here was a new excuse also given to us by the dealer that the parts got held-up in Mumbai by the Mumbai airport authorities !

In the meanwhile, we tried contacting Honda’s regional office in Mumbai (on the number[protected] to complain about the severe issue, where, initially, we were told that none of the responsible officers was available to talk and their mobile numbers couldn’t be given out. Upon being strict, we were put across to Mr. Abhimanyu from sales, who said that Mr. Manpreet of the service department would get back to us, but in vain.

Finally, when the following parts were also replaced on Wednesday, July 7, 2010 :-

S.No. Part Name Part No.
1) (AD03) Cover Comp, Shift 21520-RAP-000
2) (AD03) Sleeve Set, 5th SY 23626-PPS-305
3) (AD03) Ring,Blocking 66S 23641-PPP-000
4) (AD03) Ring,Taper Cone 23647-PPP-000
5) SPG, SYNC 66 23651-PG1-000
6) (AD03) Lever Comp, Select 24460-RAP-000
7) (AD03) Lever Comp, Shift 24470-RAP-000

Even then, the car wasn’t still working properly. During trials, we were told that the overdrive gear slips after a short haul. In short, the car was parked in the workshop for more than a month, and in spite of our regular follow-up. During this entire period, we have been trying to contact a responsible person from the company for addressing our concerns, but in vain.

It seems that there are no experienced technical personnel and well-equipped service centre at Abhikaran Honda to find out the problems in the cars and resolve them. You will agree that for servicing such ‘so-called’ premium cars, there should be well-trained and experienced service-personnel and fully-equipped service centre to maintain the quality of service, and thereby satisfying the customers.

Finally, the car was given to us on July 13, 2010, after satisfactory trials by the general manager of the service-centre. This time, we were told that all problems had been rectified and that we could rest assured. After using the car for a day or two, we were shocked beyond belief that the car still had other problems, which weren’t apparently checked during trials. This time, the problem came in the form of oil leakage from the oil chamber.

Upon informing the same to the dealer, we were told that the problem has been caused due to some other reasons, and that the dealer wasn’t responsible for the same. However, since I was travelling and hadn’t got enough time to get the problem sorted out then, I got the car sent again for repairs & thorough check-up on July 23, 2010. On 26th instant, we were told that the car had been repaired and could be taken after a payment of around `4,500. However, as you already know by now, the dealer is completely ill-equipped to ascertain whether the vehicles are ready for delivery or not.

As expected by now, the oil leakage was still there and the car was kept with the dealer. Here again, my friend from the auto industry, as mentioned above, had to be called in to explain the problem & its corrective action. Now, we have received the car, after required repairs, yesterday (July 30, 2010). We’ll be checking the car for a few days and then ascertain whether it has been fully repaired or not. The dealer has been sensible enough to not charge us for this error, after charging us almost ` 55,000 for the said repairs.

We are disgusted to find out that in spite of Honda being an internationally reputed Japanese company, following various international quality standards, it is not focused on customer service and does not have proper inventory and logistics planning of the essential spare parts of its vehicles, either at their service centres or their facilities to ensure that the customers are least affected.

Honda is offering its cars in the premium segment and boasting of superior services for the customers. But, we are surprised to experience such poor customer-service from a company of such international repute. The marketing personnel aggressively follow-up with the prospective customers for selling the cars, but once the car is sold, no one is bothered to listen to the woes of the customers. We don’t think that it is necessary for us to remind a company like Honda that after-sales service is an integral part, as important as, or even more than, sales.

We are using 3 different models of Honda cars at present and thus, have been loyal. But these types of bitter experiences have forced us to think otherwise since we are quite dismayed to see such irresponsible and unprofessional behaviour from your company and dealer. Besides Honda, we have been using cars from Tata, Toyota, and Mercedes-Benz, but never with any of the three companies have we faced anything similar to this bitter experience with Honda.

We have failed to understand as to why should we compromise and suffer, especially after spending such huge money for a premium car. Moreover, we don’t have much time to waste in following-up and monitoring for the timely and proper servicing of the vehicle. It is a shear waste of money & time to not get the desired quality and service. Although we could not rest assured with your after-sales services, you can rest assured that we will become your brand ambassadors for promoting the most negligent, horrendous, appalling, inattentive, & careless services, at all times !

You may find out all facts & figures for our experience, from your centralised systems and satisfy yourselves.

Lastly, we thank you for making us realise that Honda doesn’t care for its customers and there’s no point wasting our valuable time henceforth on Honda cars,

Yours sincerely,


for,
Mittal Appliances Limited