A couple of weeks back the right side view mirror on my RS was stolen.The thief was kind enough to pop in a fake side mirror. Anyway at night i realised that it was fake as it was not blue tinted and was not a convex mirror. Next day i took the car to the dealer and asked him to replace it. The guy first said he didn't have the blue mirror in stock but his supervisor standing there said that they had it and he asked them to raise an invoice. Sure enough he was back with a mirror and he installed it. That night i noticed the mirror was scratched as the lights from the car behind me was being scatterred. So the next day back to the dealer and I showed him the mirror. By this time i was suspecting that he had taken it off from a car or that he had recovered a mirror from an accident repair job. The guy didnt say a word and replaced the mirror. And he confirmed my suspicions by saying that he didnt have the mirror and he did me a "favour" by taking it off a car.

But this time around the mirror was not blue tinted. It took me a week to go back to him as I fell ill and I had to go out of town. So I finally went back to him day before with two of my friends, as I was expecting trouble from him this time round, so i had backup in case i wanted to get a bit physical and abusive with the dealership. As i expected this time he was not in a mood to relent. The guy's juniors agreed that the mirror was not upto spec and they refered me to the same guy. He said that he'll replace the left mirror too and make them both white :confused: and then he said " that i cant keep coming back to him again and again as it was inconvenient for him" at which point I showered him with the choicest abuses in my native tongue. He also shouted back saying that he did me a favour by taking the damn mirrors off another car and putting giving them to me as he didnt have them in stock. He said i could give him the invoice and take my money back. I had the invoice ready. He balked at this and said he'll take it off another car. This one too was scrathed up pretty bad. The three of us then started threatening him with physical violence. Finally he went and removed a mirror from his own RS stock as the mirror was brand new. I got that installed and drove away. Since then i've changed dealerships and the other guy was amused with the story. The new dealer also showed me that brand new mirrors were available from skoda India.

My job was done but, I dont want to leave it at this and want to escalate the matter further. This dealer is powerful with Skoda India as he was the one who got them in and has contacts right up to the senior management in Skoda India. Another compliant to Checzk Skoda on another matter was pointless as they simply forwarded my complaint to Skoda India which in turn forwarded my e-mail to the same dealer, and the same supervisor told me in a bemused tone that it's no use complaining to Skoda international as he is the one to whom the complaint always trickles down.

Any suggestions????

Well, my first reaction is to say "chill, and stop the violent threats", but I do have to admit that I have no idea if violence is an accepted method in India. It may just be a cultural thing.

As to the mirror, it is not an unusual practise (in my experience) that a dealer will take an item that is not in stock from another vehicle to replace it on another. As long as they do not try to sell it as new, that's fine with me.

Tell him 'Chup sala' (My best english translation) then remove his mirror carefully and place it on your own car offering to refit his car with two non blue mirrors. :P

Then I'd take some time out and chill and just ignore the dealer. You have a decent mirror now so all sorted just you might want to invest in some locking mirror nuts

If the car is now sorted, then there is no problem. In my opinion its not worth falling out with a dealer over something if they have actually solved the problem.

Agree with you there Tom, was being a bit sarcastic myself.

As you say it is fixed, and now if you don't like that dealer go find a different dealer who you prefere.

Let it go, you got what you wanted.

5 litres of some unleaded and some matches may bring him to his senses - just don't forget the marshmallows

5 litres of some unleaded and some matches may bring him to his senses - just don't forget the marshmallows

Good idea to invite him over for a BBQ. It is after all the season, and with a few beers downed you may find yourself both laughing at the whole saga...

Sam, you need to chill out flower.

Taking "back up" in case you "wanted to get a bit physical and abusive with the dealership."

How old are you? I think you need to grow up my boy.

Have to say have you ever tried taking anything back in india... buyer beware has a whole different meaning over there

You have a decent mirror now so all sorted just you might want to invest in some locking mirror nuts

hmmm..locking mirror nuts is a good idea.where can i get these?

Sam' date=' you need to chill out flower.

Taking "back up" in case you "wanted to get a bit physical and abusive with the dealership."

How old are you? I think you need to grow up my boy.[/quote']

How old am I....younger than 27...if that helps .

Anyway I'm coming round to the view of doing nothing as my initial anger has subsided. Plus as cheez says...try taking something back in India. A violent threat goes a long way in getting things done here, as long as one can handle the police...

Plus the guys attitude was all wrong, if i had done wat he did, i would have replaced the customer's mirror ten times, no questions asked. I paid $80 for a new mirror and wat do i get?A fobbed off piece from some total loss car. That would have been ok if the mirror was fine, but it wasn't. I'm in business myself and I know all about profit practices, but wat he did was tantamount to ripping me off and then giving me lip. Obviously he needs a good bashing up.

No idea mate, wasn't really that serious as I thought the mirrors all go in from inside the car. Do you mean they took just the glass?

Good idea to invite him over for a BBQ. It is after all the season, and with a few beers downed you may find yourself both laughing at the whole saga...

Indeed.

A few steaks should go down a storm

no point shouting at the dealer or taking it further just remember treat others how you would expect to be treated and youll get alot more help from the dealers

hey sam which part of india u from?

Have you torched the dealership yet?