This post is created as a ready reference to all the users about the various Malpractices of Manufacturers sometimes with intentions & some time with out intentions.
Disclaimer: The post is not aimed to say that one manufacturer is good or bad.it aims to create emphasis on the Malpractices of the Manufacturers & is aimed to give an end user experience & knowledge about preception of Practices & Processes Followed by Manufacturers.
I think there would be many reasons why such practices are adopted, this post just want to collect the set of Malpractices of the Manufacturer. It is strictly an individual Opinion.
Some of My Inputs:
Automobile
Service
1.Especially with Maruti Service Stations- They Service Manager tell you that Car Needs Suspension Overhaul but if you are knowledgeable about suspension & you ask him to demonstrate that how can he deduct suspension overhaul-he is left with no answer & now when you inspect the status of Suspension Arm the arms function ok,Ball Joint functions ok,Only required change is Jumping Rod Bushes, Steering No Problem, Shocker ok if you inspect- but normally one believes service manager who has an internal target set of some amount set by company month by month, I have faced this myself around 3-4 times specially with Maruti Authorized Service Centre so may be a malpractices with or with out intention- so buyers beware.
2.Service Centre : for Cars which has hydraulic Clutch: like Fiat Cars, Mitsubishi etc: Service centre people top up the clutch release cylinder oil from 1000 litre can & mostly resulting in Dirty Oil(as Oil cans are not maintained well) which causes clutch to malfunction resulting in harder Clutch & may also result is bad clutch plate & may be money for Manufacturer. The best solution always top up your self with a new bottle of clutch release cylinder oil.
3.Some car Manufacture for the same part like Oil Filter charge 5 times more for the part which also used in other manufacture car in their car & charge 5 times less. Example is Oil Filter of Santro, Air Filter of Fiat car used by some other manufacture would not like to name the other manufacturer- but buyers beware.
4.Service Centre of Many Manufacturer buys the spare parts from local dealer so not sure whether the part used is geniun or not ?- so buyers Beware
5.Service Centre of Many Manufacturer doesnt perform counter sales resulting customer is left with no option except to take the car to service centre & is again left with malpractices.
6.Many Manufacturers are charging huge cost of the spare part which are available in spare part market special example to this is Car Side Mirror when the spare part dealer can give Car Side Mirror 5x lower than Manufacturer the channel is same for both as both the Spare part dealer & Manufacturer import the part than how can spare part dealer give it for 5x lower? Same quality same manufacturer of Spare Part- I have one major example to it but I would not like to name the company but again Buyer Beware.
7.Malpractices of Skoda India We all know the case of Harish case.
8.Especially with Maruti what was witnessed by one of my friend- Maruti Authorized service Centre performing service work for TATA,GM.FORD, and OPEL CARS within their premises.
9. Especially for Car Balancing Service centre Manager tell you that your car should go for BALANCING for all four tyres, but the fact is car is functioning absolutely fine no jumps on any speed & but than also on all four tyres the real fact is Balancing is only required for Front Two Tyres not Four,Four in only special cases.Service Centre by Default takes Four- so Buyers Beware.
Sales
1.Maruti: Discontinuation of 5 gears in Maruti 800.As you all are aware 5 speed Maruti 800 was one of the Best Thing that happened to 800 Speed,Milege & AC everything was good in comparison with 4 speed but perhaps it was dis-continued as it was giving a threat may be to Alto.Also the discontinuation of ALTO 1.1 May be a threat to ZEN & WAGON R.
2.Maruti- Discontinuation of Old Zen & Bringing MR Wagon as called else where in the name of Zen, May be due to OLD ZEN molds life expired & looks were OLD but Brining MR WAGON did no good to maruti either.Some people might differ with this individual opinion.
3.Maruti Baleno Spare Part issue the only scope is now Authorized Service Centre who gives the part at Huge cost as it is imported Resulting Customer to be in a mess & pay huge amount but why maruti India Cannot support it via Local vendor Development.
Applicable to all Manufacturer : Infact it is not a malpractices but trade Always negotiate the new car prize with at least 4 dealer before buying car it is sometimes happened that all four would offer different discount for the same model – so buyer beware.
I would request all Team Bhpian to kindly contribute in making Buyers Beware & a better society for Automobiles.
Thanks