Apr 19, 2016 12:05 PM
9121 Views
For those who don't have the time or mood to read a detailed review, my brief warning “Stay away from this garage and save yourselves and your car from trouble”. Others, go ahead read and decide.
My car Ford Figo Diesel was partially submerged(in parked condition) in the December 2015 floods that hit Chennai. And I had approached The Garage, Ashok Nagar(A Franchisee of Bosch Car Service)(Formerly called Kwik Fitt Motors), for revival. And the in-charge there was full enthusiastic, and when asked how much do you think would the cost of the revival would be, he confidently tells me Rs.25000. Yet I didn't want to take chances and told him that I would leave my car here and asked them to probe the car and give an estimate. After waiting for over a week they said they would take my vehicle in and arranged for towing. And the vehicle was admitted to the garage on December 17th, 2015.
While admitting too, the in-charge utters the same Rs.25000 promise and says even if goes up it would be just by Rs.5000. I again emphasize them that I want them to probe the car and give an estimate of costs and time to revive the car. That was the'Luring in' part.
Weeks roll on and I get no response from the garage on the estimates, despite my many visits and phone calls. I insist sternly that they start servicing the car at once and not let it gather rust and dust. And now enters this weird and foxy character, who is the proprietor of the place. He says the car is total loss and asks me to call the insurance. I refused to buy his horseshit, and ask him how is it possible to declare that without even probing the car. I insist for an estimate of cost and time and if he can't do that I ask him to give back my car. He cows down and says he'll do that and would deliver the car in 2 weeks.(Later I learned that a lot of Garages in tie-up with insurance evaluators, made a killing by declaring good condition cars as total loss, settling the gullible owners a fraction value and later effortlessly reviving those cars and selling off with a hefty margin).
Several visits and calls(all from my-side) later they ask for an advance to start the work. I ask for an estimate even then, and the reply was'only after replacing the BCM chip we would be able find out other issues and there after give you an estimate'. I wire in Rs.25000 to their company account and wait for an answer. Several calls and visits, all along the response was like, waiting for the parts(for 2 weeks) and trying to start the engine(for 10 days).
One fine day on February18th, 2016 I get the first call from them saying your car is ready. I go for testing and ask them for the cost. They text me'Estimated cost Rs.79, 625. They give the estimate that too consolidated, after finishing the work. I ask for an itemized bill which they were not ready to provide. I convince the in-charge to photograph the job card and send it across. And that reveals a lot of discrepancies.
Labour charges were atrociously exorbitant. For example, Interior cleaning was charged Rs.12, 500 whereas my other garages have charged Rs.4000 for similar case and similar work. Key Coding, scanning and programming – Rs.7500, where as the Ford A*S charges a bare Rs.600 for the same job. Additionally they claim that they have replaced my perfectly working AC unit costing me another Rs.13, 000 and all this without my approval. And all the spares charged were way over the MRP.
I ask for Original Equipment Manufacturer bills, and the Foxy fellow turns abusive as if its something morally repugnant. And till now he is unable to answer my most legitimate and mother of all questions - “Why did you not provide me an estimate and get my approval before starting the work and replacing spares especially when it is this major and expensive?”
Researching further it became evident that in any other garage for this level of work, the total bill would be around Rs.35, 000. And despite charging exorbitantly, the quality of work is nothing but shoddy. Fuel Inlet still has the muck over it from the flood water and they claim to have cleaned fuel tank. They still haven't returned my handbrake cover, leather seat covers and many of the replaced spares. They have stolen my vinyl floor lining and replaced it with a cheap padding material. And they have conveniently omitted servicing, the most necessary and functional aspects like Door locks, central locking, remote locking, windshield wiper and sprinkler mechanism, which are not working. Instead they have chosen to lay hands on items which involves less work, which are not visible and functionally important. Which implies all they want is to rip-off the customer.
After getting the car probed by a reputed mechanic, it is quite apparent that they have done less or no work and charged more; have not replaced some spares or replaced grey market spares and charged for the Original Equipment Manufacturer spares.
Heavily at loss, I'm preparing to sue them in the consumer forum.
