[Resolved]  Skoda India — Skoda Service Center Autobahn - A Big Fraud

I write to you today to convey my utter annoyance and concern at the matter in which we are being cheated and bothered by Autobahn Skoda Service Center. Its ridiculous and disappointing and thoroughly disturbing. • We bought Skoda Laura in April 2012 along with extended warranty as well. But it all seems to be in vain with such non-transparent system and process of skoda. First of all inspite of being very regular with servicing the car breaks down on 3rd of feb 2014 in the middle of the road. On contacting, the so called 24 hours service numbers, none of them got connected and we were without any help for atleast an hour or two after that. However we caught hold of breakdown engineer & somehow towed and sent to service center. • After a week long analysis and survey on the vehicle, they mentioned about some metal particles being found in filter and quoted around 4 lakhs for parts change etc.. They mentioned that since the vehicle being under warranty, it should ideally be covered under warranty by the company. • After repeated follow-up 1st with Mr Kabir, then Mr Standford, I was told that Skoda is taking time in approving the warranty as they are mentioning fluid adulteration. They committed that they will ensure that the car is fixed within warranty due to the fact that services and repair has been done Autobahn Kurla workshop only. • After repeated assurance of fixing the car under warranty till 18th Feb, we stopped getting any feedback from Skoda. On 18th Feb, I got introduced to Mr Shekhar who also assured that let us not hurry up the matter as it is in delicate balance and they are expected a confirmation from Skoda with 2 days. • During the period (3rd to 17th Feb), we were promised by Mr Kabir on either 12th that we will receive a spare car by 17th Feb. Mr Kabir became unavailable from 17th Feb and we got in contact with Mr Stanford and then Mr Shekhar, in-charge of Autobahn Kurla Workshop and he denied any provision of Spare Car. • After repeated arguement Mr Shekhar committed looking into the matter himself and he committed to resolve the matter in 2 days. • On 20th Feb, we were not able to reach Mr Stanford after repeated calling from my side. I called the Workshop and I was transfer to Mr Samadhan who informed us that we have to bear 20% of the charges for no in detail explanation of anything else. I asked him to provide the information in written mail to us, and he said he would do that by 20th Feb. No mail was send to us and when I contact back to him, he asked me to come down to workshop to sign something as he doesn’t have the authority to send anything official to us. We informed him categorically that nothing will be signed by us until a written mail is provided on the discussion. No communication from Mr Samadhan till 22nd Feb, so I visited Skoda workshop on 22nd Feb again and I meet only Mr Samadhan as Mr Shekhar wasn’t available. Mr Samadhan informed that the case was been send back to Skoda for 100% reimbursement as the car is under warranty. We were given a committment of resolution by 24th Feb 2014 12:30pm. • On 24thFeb, we couldn’t get hold of anybody for hours starting 2:00pm. Mr Samadhan called around 5pm to tell us no approval for work under warranty and to talk to Mr Shekhar. I had been trying to reach Mr Samadhan all afternoon and his phone wa s busy all the time.When my husband called it went thru without any problem and we requested him to drop us an email which he committed to be delivered by 24th Feb evening. I attempted to call him again and it was still not reachable so it seems my number has been blocked by Mr Shekhar. Thus this kind of change in face of service engineers(kabir to stanford to samadhan) or missing and absconding employees(kabir) or so called the GM of the service center(Shekhar) blocking our number to avoid our calls. That is where we smell something fishy as some straight forward questions like, whom should we speak to in Skoda !, gets no reply or questions like why only 80% amount approved!, gets no reply from them. Its been three weeks later and still my vehicle not fixed by the service center, nor been given any spare vehicle to use neither a concrete response from so called high positioned employees. And besides, the customer care numbers are just not reachable and having mailed them, the query gets diverted to service center itself. In a separte note, we are having a pathetic & poor quality experience with Skoda Customcare number [protected]. We had registered a complain with about the above problem on 20th Feb 2014 12:39pm and we got mail that they are looking into the matter and the Ref # is SPL45890. When my husband called on 21st Feb to get some update, he told that the mail has been send to the concerned team and the customer service had no clue who the concerned team was but the supposed concerned team will get back to us in 48 hours which was Saturday evening. We got no call on Saturday and when my husband called back on 24th Feb to get update, he informed that no update initially (Jiten Vasu). After forcing to give update, he updated us the information which was provided by Skoda Autobahn. Interestingly, I was told by Customercare that the dealer/ workshop are different so they need update from them and Autobahn workshop people mentioned that Skoda is making the call on the repair under warranty. On 24th Feb, I was told by Mr Jiten that they have raised the matter again with the Skoda concerned team and they will get back to me. The customercare is a useless service provided by Skoda. Even earlier in a similar incident 6 months ago, where again our vehicle was towed they had the same kind of reactions and they made a lakh from us for fixing the vehicle stating that cant be covered under warranty. All of which makes me believe that your employees are comfortably cushioned by the company so that no fault of theirs gets either reported to or escalated to the concerned head office officials. I am writing to you expecting some resolution at the earliest, clarification with regard to fixing of my vehicle, drive your attention into flawed systems existing in skoda, service centers fooling customers outrightly blaming it all on the brand ‘SKODA’.