BALAJI CARS PVT LTD / FIAT PUNTO
Cheated by the Car dealer

Dear Sir,

I would like to draw you attention to the issues faced by me after booking a FIAT vehicle.

I booked a Fiat Punto Active 1.2 Petrol Medium Grey model on 9th-Dec [order no: SO-BLjcpl-BS1-0910-01502 ] from M/s Balaji Cars Pvt Limited, Kalyan.

I was assured that the vehicle will be delivered in 15 days. While making the final payment in the last week of Dec, I saw the vehicle at the dealership ready for registration. After that when I contacted the sales person for initiating registration related formalities, he told me that the car which is allotted for me is given to some other party and he stopped answering my call then after.

This was escalated to the sales manager at Balaji Cars, Mr Amey Surve. He had a different story to tell. According to him, the car allotted for me had some manufacturing defects so it was send back to the factory, and promised the delivery by 10th Jan at the same offered price with all accessories promised. Later when we visited the dealership for enquiry about registration formalities, the date of delivery again got postponed to 14-Jan-10. On 11-Jan, when called the dealership again to confirm it, we were told that the 'scheme has changed' and the details will be given to us in an hour. There was no response from them for day, on 12th-Jan after repeated calls to find out the status, I received a mail from Sales Manager, Balaji Cars that I have to pay Rs. 21000/- extra as the car allotted to me now is of 2010 model.

Here I would have agreed to pay the difference if the delay was caused from my end, as the delay has happened from FIAT/Balaji cars I seriously think they are liable to sort out the issue at there end and deliver me the car as per the offer price that pertained during the delivery date promised to me. I don't care about the make of the car. If the previously allotted car was delivered to me and if it was me who found the manufacturing defect, FIAT replacement would have been free of cost. I am willing to accept 2009 model also provided it has the same specifications. I am even open for Red or Black color than Medium Grey which I booked. I believe, I have all the rights to get a car at the same cost which I paid. If still FIAT is offering a 2010 model, I will consider it as a compensation for the delay, mental torture and stress happened to me.

During the whole process, the response/ support from the dealer was very poor and the sales guys behaved unprofessionally by either not answering/ disconnecting the phone while talking. Also I would like to mention I never once received a call from any sales person it was always me calling the dealer to find out the status of my car. If this is the behavior before sales, I don't know what will happen after sales/ service. Normally a new car brings lot of happiness to the family, but for me it is mental agony and stress. Now I realize why only handful of FIAT vehicles is seen on the busiest roads of Mumbai. The most efficient way of marketing is mouth to mouth, where a satisfied customer's experience is shared with his friends and relatives, here what should I tell if someone asks me about the car/ company?

--Rajeev

Company: BALAJI CARS PVT LTD / FIAT PUNTO
Country: India

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