Since last few months I was looking to buy a car. It’s often
said by wise people to always go for a new car rather than an old car. I was
too confused and kept doing research on both old and new options.
While in my budget I could have gone for a mid segment sedan
but I was keen on a SUV or a bigger sedan.
That is when I decided to go beyond conventional wisdom and
started to look for used car options. Since I am no expert in cars I opted out
for going to any used car dealer spread all across Delhi NCR.
I looked at various online portals of leading car
manufacturers and liked a few options at Mahindra First Choice website.
I saw a 2010 VW Jetta Highline at a cost, which was quite
tempting. I sent an online enquiry and got a call from the MFC dealer the next day. He
sent pictures and told me all details which obviously were same as mentioned on
the website. He invited me to visit the
showroom to take a test drive.
 |
| Screenshot of the car listing much after the vehicle delivery |
I visited the showroom on 2nd July and liked the car as it
was looking spotless, I even drove the car and all seemed fine. Like a typical
sales person the exec there amongst other things said that you are at Mahindra
First choice and unlike other used car dealers our job starts the day we deliver
a car. You will get complete peace of mind on account of 118 tests they do
before buying any car. Over and above that we offer 6 months free warranty and
3 free services.
I asked for service record but I was told that it is with
Mahindra itself and they do the check themselves. The only reported issue with
the car was a default in the rear power window, which I was told will be
replaced as soon as the part was available with VW. The other missing thing was
a claimed CD changer which I was told will be given at delivery time.
I was too overwhelmed by the occasion and did the biggest
blunder of my life, I was show n the photocopy of the RC and I did miss out on
checking the Manufacturing date and year. (Will share the consequences of this
later).
I paid and advance amount and booked the car and was
promised the delivery on 4th july.
I visited the showroom on 4th july 2014 and paid
the full amount and took the car delivery. I was told that there is no external CD
changer but the inbuilt in dashboard CD changer. I was not carrying and CDs so
couldn’t test it.
After just moving 50 meters the gear knob just came into my
hand, I got it fixed by the “mistri” at the MFC showroom and he told me that
may be because lot of people have done a test drive it had become loose. I
accepted it and moved on. Again after
going 50 meters I released that the AC was not coming on. I again went back to
the showroom and was told that I was not doing the settings correct and that’s
why it was not working. Ok, I admitted it again and finally moved on.
My entire drive from there to Home was marked with AC going
on and off again and again. I was under the impression that I might have
pressed some button and that’s why it is not working. The same thing kept
happening for next 2 days and it was
quite embarrassing in front of my family & friends.
I called the sales exec on 6th july and reported
the the AC issue and he very normally said that you get the car here and we will
get it checked. He didn’t sound surprised at all giving me a hint that they
were aware of the issue. He said he will inform me on Monday when can I get the
car for inspection.
Monday I followed up and 1st told Saturday and
then Wednesday to leave the car. I had no option but to accept. Monday evening
I opened up the received documents to get the insurance documents name changed
and that is when I got a shock of my life, the documents read that the model
was 2009 and registered in May 2009.
I checked and double-checked and that is when I realised my
mistake. I trusted whatever was mentioned on the site and didn’t check the
documents properly. Yes I was stupid enough and yes I was conned.
I rechecked the Mahindra Site and found that the car is
still listed as 2010. I immediately sent an email to the contact us email with
a screenshot of the listing on the site.
I called up the sales exec and he immediately said the
obvious, “We showed you all documents and we cant do anything”, When I
confronted him with website listing he says "no I was wrong and website it shows
2009. I sent him the email with screenshot. He said he will talk to seniors and
will get back.
Next day I sent an FB message to MFC Page with screen shot
and all details. I immediately got a standard response assuring that someone
will call me.
I did get a call and I explained the situation, the person
on call told me that they are forwarding the issue to a senior and he will get
a call back.
In evening I got a call back from a Mahindra Employee (Name
withheld) who again asked me the entire issue. He asked me to fwd me the
screenshots on his official ID and assured me he will look into it as he was
driving at that time. He also suggested that I should call up the owner of the
dealership to resolve the issue.
Reluctantly I called up the owner and was asked by him to
meet him in his showroom the next day.
Next day (wed) I visited the showroom in evening and
explained the entire thing to the owner.
He very sweetly explained me that we have showed you every documents and
we are not responsible. On the defunct AC, CD changer etc he said he can get
the AC, power window and gear knob checked. On the missing CD changer he had a
simple answer that this is a standard fitment and he cannot do anything.
When I insisted on a explanation for the incorrect listing
and defunct parts he gave me 2 options
1)
Return the car and we will sell the car and give
you whatever money we get
2)
Return the car and take twenty five thousand
deducted
I had by now accepted that its all my blunder. They are not
going to accept any error or mistake.
The story doesn’t end
here
In the meanwhile I never heard back from the senior
executive of Mahindra and by now I had given up.
On Friday I gave the car for repair of the defunct parts and
was promised speedy delivery.
Within 15 minutes I got a call from the showroom senior
manager that because I have lodged a complaint against them, I will 1st
have to give an undertaking email that I have no further complaints and only
then they will touch the car for repair, If I don’t do it they will only repair
the car next week Tuesday as their owner was out of country.
I didn’t accept this and immediately called the senior exec
at Mahindra, I asked him about my original complaint and he had no answers, he
was still trying to deny that the car was still listed on the site as 2010
model. I understood that I am not going to help on the model issue. So I asked
his action on the current blackmailing by the delaer. He intervened and advised
the dealer to repair the car immediately and get a letter signed post repairs.
I finally got the repaired car on next day evening. So I assume the AC was totally out of order and they had passed the car without any tests whatsoever. Lets hope it works fine now
3 questions
for Mahindra First Choice
1. WHAT IS THE RELIABILITY OF ANY LISTING ON YOUR
SITE. IF THE DETAILS SHOWN OF A VEHICLE DOESN’T MATCH WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?
2. WHAT AND HOW ARE THE CLAIMED 118 TESTS DONE ON
ANY VEHICLE ACQUIRED BY YOU. IF BASIC THINGS LIKE GEAR KNOB AND AC DOESN’T WORK THAN HOW CAN ANY USER TRUST
YOU?
3. HOW ARE YOU ANY DIFFERENT THAT ROADSIDE CAR
DEALER. YOUR DEALERS AND TEAM GIVE SAME OR EVEN WORSE EXCUSES THAN THEM.
Ritesh Raj Gupta
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