II have bought the Honda Activa after much research in the market and referring to some articles in mouthshut.com. While the scooter is good in its performance and quality (atleast till now.. its been about an year) I would like to say that the After Sales Service (A.S.S.) is nothing less than downright PATHETIC and FRUSTRATING . It is the worst of its kind and beats any servicing, even in the desi market. Remember this is supposedly a Japanese entry into the Indian market. I got the below understanding from one of the dealers: HMSI is located at Delhi. All vehicles that are sold have an entry in the Delhi database. Every tom dick and harry cannot service a honda vehicle. There is a 4 level hierarchy where in a garage owner escalates from a simple servicing agent to a full fledged dealer of Honda vehicles. All this is done by HMSI depending on the feedback from the customers he serves. I was much impressed with all this procedured thing. BUT HECK ....... I think this categorization has done nothing good in serving the client, but definitely INFLATED OUR DEALERS pitiable EGOS that they are the chosen ones. All they are interested is only cashing on the HONDA brand name. Some body needs to inform the Japanese (HMSI) that while they are trying to imbibe good procedures and strict norms for their vehicles, this may be working in Japan but DEFINITELY NOT with our mean minded, sel-fish Indian dealers. I SINCERELY APPEAL TO HMSI TO RECONSIDER DEALERSHIP TO THESE PEOPLE or open some special service centers OR teach some basic manners to them. Mind it I am not just blaming somebody but also giving suggestions to improve on My experience with Honda dealers (particularly Kothari Wheels Pune). Pashankar was a little better atleast in our first visit during out market research check, but promised to deliver the vehicle only after 45 days :-O (using our money all this while ??). Booking at Kothari Wheels: I receive follow up calls atleast 3 a day last year during Gudi Padwa festival to perceive me in buying Honda Activa. I take an appointment and reach at the given time at Kothari Wheels at Wakdewadi by around 1730 IST. No body to attend me. I move from one desk to another informing that I had received 3 calls that day & also have an appointment. The attendant or who ever he was with his Kothari cap told me that they are closed for the day. I ask him ’’why was I given an appointment and that too I was told before 1900 hrs’’ He says he is not a regular employee there. I ask for someone whos working there. I see a gentle man & tell him a little frustrated that I am a customer intending to by Activa. I get a reply, ’’Did I object to that’’???? (well well no one agreed either. isnt it?) I again detail him what has happened, he somehow manages to get me seated & starts on his hunting expedition for a booking folder. He grabs a blank paper, the one that is usually stuck as a last page to the registers, and pastes it to a already over-ful register. Scribbles my details there and hands over the receipt of the amount I paid to me. 1st servicing: I call up (900 hrs IST on a Saturday) before going to the service center (Kothari again) & enquire about whether I can get my vehicle to the service center for the 1st servicing. Attendant: Do you have an appointment? Me: I was unaware I have to take an appointment. Attendant: ’is it a free servicing or a paid one’. Me: Free Attendant: How can you call up and get it serviced without an appointment? (the way to talk to your customer......... The most unattended thing in a shop is ....... well the customer ???) I manage to get an appointment for the next saturday. I take my bike and was requested to pick it up in the evening. I was charged for engine oil change and brake oil change. 2nd servicing: From the previous experience, I thought of checking with some other dealer. I found this Honda service center at Warje (which is about 15 kms from my place) and while servicing my bike he revealed that the engine oil is not changed at all & showed it to me that it was all black. He also concluded that since it had run only 2000 kms after the first servicing was done, come what may any oil cannot turn that thick and black. So much for the wonderful HONDA ACTIVA??? I again would like to say, its not the bike that is a problem for me.... but the servicing oooohhhhh !!! Please direct me to a good service centre in pune for honda. Atleast till the time it is free servicing. I think I deserve atleast this much. The ONLY reason I though I should register to mouthshut.com is to voice my concerns about this. I will definitely share my further experiences as I still have some more servicing to do. I hope its good and have some good adjectives to use the next time.
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Last servicing at Kothari (in expectations of a better experience which proved unnecessary:-().
Without going into all details again and frustrate myself, I will come directly to the point.
Promise to get the bike ready by 1730 not met by Kothari and was told to pick it up on Monday since sunday is a holiday for them.After retaliating about this I was grated an hour and was asked to pick up the vehicle around 1900 hrs. I was actually surprised at the speed it was serviced.
Out of curiosity I checked the oil level and found that it was below the minimum level. (You have to do this by opening the cork below your footrest near the main stand). After tilting it saw that the color was black. About an hour went in checking their internal paper work for oil allocation and all that stuff. I had to then challenge them to remove all the oil -> replace with the new oil in front of me -> keep the vehicle at a stand still for 1/2 hr and then see it again. If the oil turns black I will pay for their extra effort they had to do and also the extra oil that was utilized.
Believe me, they actually changed the oil -> turned ON the engine tested various things for about 15 mins and again checked the oil. Guess what THE OIL WAS STILL BRIGHT YELLOW. Now it was my turn and I said NOW WHAT? They definitely did not have any answer.
-Guys who inted to buy Activa check the A.S.S. in your areas. Better, catch hold of any mechanic in your area who you can trust.
-Guys who already have any Honda vehicle (not Hero Honda), check the oil each time you pay for it.
-Guys who are looking at buying any other scooterate, buy a Hero Honda Pleasure.
I will post my review on it in some time about Pleasure.