[Resolved]  Volkswagen Vento Petrol Highline — Request for car replacement: 2 breakdowns within 3.5 months of new car purchase

Address:

Thane, Maharashtra

Dear Sir/madam,

I wish to mention that the very prime reason for purchasing Volkswagen car in Feb 2012 was the inherent qualities of quality and reliability attached to the reputed German brand Volkswagen. Other competition cars in my shortlist were City and Sunny.

However, my experience as described below do not substantiate my assumptions stated above.

Highlights:

1. Face a vehicle breakdown within 3 months of car purchase (car just does not start while I am driving from Ghodbunderroad to Eastern express Highway and needs to be tolled away to your service centre, not to forget the inconvenience caused to my family.)

2. Thane service centre just says that there is no problem with the car and they have made all the checks.

3. Within 2 weeks of 1st breakdown, again face the same breakdown problem (this time while the car is parked in basement of Korum mall. Neither the car could be towed from basement neither could it be started by dhakka technique. Had to waste week-end attending this issue and inconvenience to family.).

Not sure if I have any confidence left with taking the Vento Petrol Highline car that I purchased from their showroom for any longdrive or even within the city after undergoing 2 breakdowns within 3.5 months and that too after having been attended by your service centre on 21st May after the 1st breakdown. Not to forget the mental trauma and inconvenience caused to me and my family.

Fundamental problem still persists that how can such problem occur to a brand new car. Either the car sold to me was defective piece and this is not the case with all the other Volkswagen cars. If this is the case, I request the dealer/Volkswagen company to kindly provide me with a replacement car or refund me back my car price with due respect to the quality standards of Volkswagen reputed brand.

All the car related (chassis/car no./India assistance file no./Global Galleria SO etc.) details have been furnished in mail below.

Breakdown details (In details)

Date of purchase and delivery: 15th Feb 2012 ; (Chassis No: WVWD11608BT058614) (Car no: MH04 FA 9754) (Dealer: Global Gallarie Motors Pvt. Ltd., Thane)

Concern/Issue: 2 breakdowns till now.

Horrifying breakdown Experience 1: (India assistance File no: 77321) (Repair order no: SO121646)

1st breakdown took place on 21st May (In the middle of heavy traffic on Eastern express highway in Thane). Breakdown occurs while driving and the car simply does not start. The car had to be towed to the Thane service centre.

Thane Service centre response: First time after the vehicle was towed to the Thane service centre on 21st May 2012, I got a call from the service centre saying that everything is ok, no problems were detected during various testings conducted. They enquired about the reason why the car was towed to the service centre. No reasons were provided about the car breakdown. I was made to look as if the car was fine and there were no problems at all, and as if I had no other work than using companys Tow services to send the car to the service centre. I went on explaining them again and again that the car could not be started at all and I was stranded in the middle of the highway with heavy traffic. Since the car had started I took charge of the car on 24th May 2012, assuming that the problem had been resolved.

Horrifying breakdown Experience 2: (India assistance File no: 80078)

Have faced breakdown on 8th June (not even 2 weeks after 24th May). This time I had gone to Korum Mall in Thane with family. Around 11:30 pm when we were about to return back home, realized that I faced the same problem, the car could not be started. The vehicle was parked in the basement parking. I had a tough time arranging a transport for me and my family to return home. Organized for a tow vehicle at 12:30 am / 1 am on 8th June, but since the vehicle was parked in the basement of a mall on 8th June 2012, could not get the vehicle towed. Had to stay awake late mid-night for this follow-up with the tow vehicle in the mall. Again I had to waste almost entire Sat (9th June) in the mall basement while the India assistance mechanic was struggling to identify the problem with the car. I proactively tried to get the mechanic speak with the Volkswagen service centre contact person so that there may be some breakthrough. Had to waste my week-end while the mechanic from tow services battled for 3 to 4 hrs to identify the problem onsite in the mall basement. All bypasser car drivers were also giving a shocking look since Vento consistent breakdown is not expected atleast in the 1st year.

Best rgds,
Avinash Bhide
M: +91-[protected]
Email: [protected]@yahoo.com