Maruti Baleno-Altura
Facing severe Harassment

This is regarding the very un-professional attitude & severe harassment I am facing for the last 33 days from your dealer M/s Gulzar Motors Ltd., Ludhiana.

I dropped my Baleno Altura No. PB10 AQ 0050 at their workshop on 13-5-08 for service & repair work. The rear bumper, hood & right side of the body was to be repaired under insurance claim. In the past also (last in 2006), I had dropped my vehicle on two occasions in their work shop for major repairs, but promptly received my vehicle back with all the work done in 4 to 5 days and in excellent condition.

This time, the repair work was not at all major, but even after 10 days; when no call was received from the dealer about my vehicle, on 22-5-08, I called Gulzar Motors to enquire about the status of my vehicle & was told that its ready and I can take the delivery. As 10 days had passed & I urgently needed my vehicle, I immediately went to their workshop. When I inspected the work done on my vehicle, it was a very unpleasant sight. The repair work was very badly done. The rear bumper was dented, the rear door of right side had numerous dents, and the front door of right side was half repaired. This was about the work they had completed in 10 days. And except that, my vehicle was blessed with fresh scratches on the left side, damaged corner of the bonnet, damaged right side window beading. I was very upset. Its been 4 years & I still love my Darling Altura. I am very possessive about my vehicle. It has metallic blue color which I had especially got from you after waiting for 1 ½ months in 2004. I had never faced any technical problem and I’ve kept it in immaculate condition. Their staff admitted their fault and promised to repair it again and deliver the same in coming 3-4 days.

After 10 days, on 31-5-08 (total 20 days), I received the call that my vehicle is ready. I particularly asked the caller Mr. Singh, head of their paint workshop to please check the vehicle personally if the work is completely done, if the beading has been changed, if the rubbing has been done, etc. After ½ an hour he again called up & assured me that he had personally inspected the vehicle and all the work has been properly done. Feeling satisfied, I went to their workshop but only to get a rude shock.

This time, I was badly upset to see the condition of my vehicle appended below:

• The rear bumper was still dented

• The rear door still had numerous dents which anybody could see & feel with bare hands.

• The paint job did not match the original color and that too up to the extent that it was very clearly noticeable with naked eye.

• The right door was again not repaired.

• There was fresh scratch on the right door.

• Fresh scratches on the hood, which was repaired & painted 10 days back.

• Beading was not replaced, it was still dented.

• Fresh scratches on the roof.

• Fresh scratch on the ski rack (railing). That was really a brave effort.

• Fresh scratch (this time real big one) on the left side.

• Fresh dents & scratches on the right side fender.

• So called repaired & painted bumper, bonnet, and many parts of the body were very rough. That means that no rubbing had been done & the paint job had been done in such a careless manner that the balance exposed body of the car had also been spoiled.

• Etc., etc., etc. I could not bear the sight any more.

Mr. Aman who works for Gulzar’s insurance department, and had inspected my vehicle on 1st day i.e. 20 days back on 13-5-08 & their works manager Mr. Sharma inspected the vehicle and were also surprised to see the condition & the work done by their staff. My Darling Altura had literally been ruined. I even called up Mr. Harkirat Singh (ED) of Gulzar Motors & apprised him of the situation & asked him to personally get the stock of the situation.

While I was standing with their staff around my vehicle & was telling them about their carelessness (scratches and all) in handling the vehicle, some of their driver who was driving a swift car, zoomed past my car by scratching the rear bumper. This all happened in front of their whole staff. And the Gulzar Motors is claiming the IS0-9001 status. May be after acclaiming the certification, who cares to follow up the parameters. (It happens only in India). Gulzar’s workshop has become like a fish market. Just nobody cares. Anyway, their works manager assured me that this time I would definitely get my vehicle back in perfect condition in 4-5 days time. But in vain!

I had to go on a business tour & family vacation by road, but was keeping on delaying it in the wake of getting my vehicle back. But even after 20 days & no sign of getting my vehicle back I took a taxi & went ahead with my programe.

After 8 days, on 7-6-08 (total 28 days), I called up Mr. Sharma to enquire about the status of my vehicle but got no satisfactory reply. I again told him that I had to go out of station on 14-6-08 & I need my vehicle latest by 13-6-08. He promptly assured me not to worry as the same would be delivered to me well before 13-6-08. But again in vain!

On 13-6-08 (after 31 days), I called your Engineer Mr. Rakesh Sahdev and apprised him of the situation. He spoke the patent punch line that customer satisfaction is our motto & if Gulzar is found guilty in providing the service, they would definitely be penalized. He asked me to come next day to the workshop but I told him that I had to go out of town. He promised to call me next day after reviewing the situation. But again in vain!

On 14-6-08 (after 32 days), as promised by Mr. Rakesh Sahdev I did not received any call from him or may be he never bothered to call, as this may be a routine situation for him. This thing I could smell in his conversation which we had a day before. Anyways, I sent him a SMS about his awaited reply but he never showed any courtesy to reply.

Dear Maruti, Is this the way your responsible persons respond to the customer query’s. Is this the attitude of your responsible person? Is the courtesy your responsible person forward to the customers? Could you imagine my situation, inspite of having a wonderful vehicle, I am vehicle less for the last 33 days. I had to spend a huge amount traveling on taxis for my outstation work. Or Maruti has become a typical “Sarkari Company” where the dealers and your responsible staff behave in a typical “Babu Manner.” There may be many customers who would feel my way but there aren’t many who wake up 4 am in the morning to write the mail. I am really hurt.

This is really too much! I would demand compensation from Gulzar Motors for their deficient service, agony & mental harassment and financial loss caused to me. I would request you to kindly look in to the matter and particularly ask Mr. Rakesh Sahdev to behave in a responsible manner. Ultimately this type of attitude of the dealer or your staff, affects your and yours counterpart Suzuki’s reputation.

Sincerely,

Vivek Mahajan

Company: Maruti Baleno-Altura
Country: India

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