The buying experiance
- Experiance pre delivery: good
- post delivery: below average
- paperwork: poor
My personal car was an erstwhile santro which was becoming 6 years old and 1,35,000 plus kms driven. The car's wear and tear was beginning to show on expenses that are going to be incurred, though the car was bullet proof in reliability. I used to painstakingly take care of her and was sold in close to showroom condition. I scrutinsed the market for about a month and talked to more than a 100 people but all did not seemed to give the rate I was expecting. Somehow I approached Tata Motors assured and after a grilling week of negotiation, they offered me the best price (cannot disclose
![[evil]](https://www.theautomotiveindia.com/forums/images/smilies/Evil.gif "Evil [evil]")
) and offered an exchange bonus of 10K for the same.
I did not buy a diesel car for the sake of buying but because my running pattern and usage needed it. Torque plus driveability was primary, with added bonus of fuel efficiency, durability and "so called" better resale after, say 6 or 7 years whatever be in the long term. People run behind after sales service but for me, that was the least concern. I wanted to enjoy the product per se and can live with a good product-average service compared to bad product-good service. In general, almost every brand is of the same standard when it comes to providing quality service and it all depends on how you build a rappo with the ground staff. Its the people that makes the dealership provide quality and not the brand as a whole.
Let me admit, to finalise the punto, it took me almost 7 months and countless test drives, scaring the hell of of many dealers by enquiring them again, and again, and again. I am not into haggling for discounts at the primary stage, but once the product is finalised, then comes the part to start haggling for deals. For me, product rather a deal was paramount.
It had to be:
- good looking
- sturdy and safe
- technically sound
- comfortable to drive
- reliable and durable
- have the right ride and handling balance
- decently efficient
- optimal in maintenance
- decent service backup
Now, what I was looking at the most elusive VFM diesel hatch available on sale in the country. Once I finalised the punto (to be covered i later parts n how did I do the selection), the tough task was to identify a competent dealer. That time fiat was with tata, and based on my internal know how and some decent feedback, chose oberoi.
Called up the team leader Mr. Rehman (now works for VW), told him to get a sample GP for a house TD, no matter how bruised or battered it was and collect the booking amount. He came in the second half, showed the car to my parents and they were impressed by seeing the overall package. Dad recalled owning two fiats earlier (1981-1994 and 1994-2000) and the overall value it offered made us seal the deal. I had an argument-counter argument in my house with him and squeezed out the best deal possible after 3 hours of negotations. Handed over the cheque and told him to place the order for an exotica red Punto in dynamic trim since it offered the best VFM package.
The car is fully loaded barring airbags and a good stereo. Has ABS and rear wiper/ defogger as standard (my prime requirements) plus all convenience features. The order as placed in the beginning of August so that the car can be manufactured (there was not a single exotica red dynamic in the plant) and delivered by september (as per my convenience).
The car arrived in the stockyard on september 4 and I took a full day to do a full PDI inside and out, in order to see that everything is in order. The staff cooperated well and it was done smoothly. We finalized the friday, september 14 as the date of delivery since was to go out for work before that.
The Delivery:
The process was kept simple and minimalistic. I had specifically told the dealer not to decorate the car with those silly flowers or ribbons whatsoever and they kept it as it is, just placed the ribbon. I went in first half to inspect the car whether it was ready or not and it looked ready, they were fitting the mats and sill panels and the exhaust tip. Since the insurance was free, I told Rehman to cut the same online policy and hand it over to me. Went for lunch back home for the last time ever in the korean, purchased a coconut from a nearby shop and went back to the dealership and the car was ready with complete paperwork and delivered in 15 minutes flat. Ferro rocher was complimentery and after that we went immediately for the tire and wheel upgrade since the goat like stance with 14" was looking ghastly.
However, this was just a beginning for a series of nightmares which showed total unprofessionalism of the dealer staff in terms of paperwork WRT insurance and registration.
- The policy was punched with a clerical mistake and the IMT 28 was not added, nor the unnamed PA cover worth INR 5 Lakhs, part of the scheme. Whoever that female was responsible never came into picture and the local office of FGI was not cooperating at all. It was after 20 days and 30 mails sent to the corporate office the endorsement was passed and I got the endorsement schedule.
- Since I bought the car from Noida, the vehicle had to be temporary registered (UCF XXXXX) and then after a week the Delhi number was allotted. The dealer did not even bother to update me on the WIP status of the same and it was me who daily had to make phone calls to get the same on time.
- The receipt for the rosemerta HSRP plates too took its own sweet time to come and after a month, was sent by the dealer and I got the plates fitted on my own. All paperwork was finally in place after 40 days of follow ups and haggling. This is simply unacceptable in the part of the dealer.
Await the next part which will cover the evaluation and selection, to be put up in a few days time.
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. Like i already mentioned on FB, your Punto looks superb. Enhance its appeal further by adding some gunmetal/black alloys.
