How I got duped, thanks to CarDekho!

As a middle class child I often dreamt of someday owning my own car. Being a journalist did not make life easy as the money was never big. Most of my friends bought their cars ages, while I kept hoping that same day I would buy mine too. It took me over eight years of work, and combined salary of my wife to finally believe that I could afford a car.

So in April we started looking for cars. I have driven our family car in Guwahati, but driving in Mumbai is a different ball game. So we decided to go for a pre-owned car. Idea was to get a cheaper first car and then in a year buy a new.

Understanding completely well that we should not trust local second hand sellers we thought it would be prude to turn to professional services like CarDekho and CarTrade  On one our search missions we found a beautiful Ford Figo at a local store called KK Motors [Andheri  east] (They apparently also operate under a Auto Elegance, which has office in Borivali and Vile Parle. The car number plates has Auto Elegance written on them]. We found that CarDekho [Remember the “Suno Nahi Dekho” ad?] had inspected and verified the car as a problem free. TrustMark. The car was also available on CarTrade, with an inspection report from the dealer itself.

We called CarDekho and the agent asked us to go and meet the dealer. We asked if we would come with us, he said he need not go. When we asked about the CarDekho Warranty, we were told to ask the dealer for it and they would provide the same.

Feeling confident that the car was verified by CarDekho, we upped our budgets and decided to settle for the Figo. The idea was to retain this car or few years rather than giving it away. We managed to shell out Rs 4.5 lakh. ONLY BECAUSE CarDekho assured us it was a good car.

The first surprise came when the dealer told us that the warranty was available but he did not give us any papers. He just kept it verbal.

On the day the car was delivered a friend of mine, Alokesh, drove the car and told me that something seemed wrong with the steering wheel as it felt too tight. For someone who has never driven a Ford, I thought maybe this is how Ford cars are. Next day my friend Victor drove the car and he said the same thing. He drives a Figo too and his steering apparently is as smooth as ‘butter’. We concluded that maybe because the car was lying unused for some time the steering was such. In time it should get better.  

It never did.

Around July, two months after buying the car, I and my found a sound in the suspension for the first time. It sounded like there the suspension was rusting. When we drove for some time the sound disappeared only to resurface in a couple of days.  This was worrying us now.

Around mid-August we decided to take the car to the service center. AVK Ford, Powai. When we explained our problem they decided to take a drive test. One of their mechanics, referred to as Chacha, is put on charge. He takes a short drive and tells me that the car has gone through an ACCIDENT.

In the garage he checks the engine and tells me that the steering wheel shows a dent, clearing indicating an accident. He also check the headlight and confirms the same, adding that he hoped it was a small accident. I hoped so too. I left the car with them for a proper check up.

That evening I get a call from AVK Ford telling us that we rather not repair the car. We were told that the car had gone through a major accident followed by some badly done repair work. Whoever had repaired the car did a shoddy job at some local garage - and the wielding was coming off now. Any repair here would cost us at anywhere between Rs 1 lakh to rs 2 lakh.

You can imagine the blow that a middle class guy feels when he is given such numbers.

Following this I go to the dealer KK Motors and meet Parthiv and Shafiq - the partners. [This is run by four people - Rashid, Shafid, Parthiv, Jignesh] I told them the issue and they did not believe me. Then they offered to sell the car for us. I said I cannot sell a damaged car to someone. I would not lie like them. They decided not to help.

I mailed CarDekho mid of August. They get back in a week and tell me that the dealers have denied that we bought the car from them. I gave CarDekho proof and then dealers agreed that they did sell the car.

Next CarDekho comes up with an explanation they are not responsible. Because they had inspected the car in April and their inspection is VALID only for 2 months and 500 Kms. On insisting that the car was broken earlier they refuse to accept.

Below are a series of emails between me and CarDekho ---

My email - Aug 26

I bought a car listed on carDekho after calling CarDekho and being directed to tha seller

I was assured it was not an 'accident' car. After buying and driving it for some time I have now figured from Ford that the car had major accident and most of the engine was shattered. Wielding was done to conceal injury. And now everything is falling apart

I had spoken to a CarDekho agent back then. (connected via number provided on website]. I had also spoken to him about cardekho warranty. He had said then that the dealer provides the warranty.

I would request you to please arrange a call back to me on below mentioned contact details.

Their mail on Aug 28  [This after the dealers told CarDekho that we did not buy the car from them and I gave proof for the same ]

“As we have spoken with you in conference with dealer (KK Motors) that we had not given any warranty on your car (mh48p4820). Inspection of your car was done in the month of April 2015 and one certification is valid for 60 days. At the time of inspection car was not in accidental condition.”

My mail on Aug 28

Phenomenanal response.

A) The call got cut while talking. I tried calling back but to no avail.

B) At first you tell me that KK Motors told you that we did not buy the car from them.

C) Now you tell me that we actually bought the car from them. So they were lying when you first spoke to them.

D) You now obviously can tell us anything you want about what you promised on the car because I cannot access the records of your site.

E) Inspection may have done in April. And I bought the car in May first week depending on your evaluation.  The point is the car was faulty and it started coming off by the second month.

Here are facts that you need to digest.

1) I have a report from AVK Ford which ascertains that the car had an accident and it was concealed. We were taken aback. This is our first car and we are shattered. Thanks to you.  

We as buyers were gullible to have believed cardekho's assurance at time of buying the car. I had spoken to your agent before we finalised the deal. In asking about warranty your agent had told me that the dealer will provide the warranty on yulour behalf. He however refused to come with us for the deal. On asking the dealers they have kept us hanging on a written warranty.

THIS is beyond what you think. It is about trust that buyers have on you. Buyers like us who trusted your inspection before buying the car.

If you are incompetent and unethical we are really at a loss.

From what we assume - You are a party to the breach of trust. You are as much in hand in glove on cheating people as the dealer.

I think you should own up that your engineer did a bad job - either while checking the car or by taking up money from the dealers to conceal facts.

I shall expect a reply asap. Let's hope you do not let a customer down.

Following this I was asked to email CarDekho all details - Car registration, inspection details etc.  mailed them on Sept 8.

My mail on Sept 8

Hello

As per our last discussion [Geetesh and Subodh] I was asked to email your rep details of the car - Insurance/ registration etc. Geetesh was to send me his email id so that I could mail him.

Since he has failed to do so I am mailing the details to this id.

PFA

1) Insurance docus

2) Registration docus

3) Receipt from KK Motors [They denied to you that they have sold that us the car]

4) Inspection report from AVK Ford.

[Car is the name of my wife LEE MADHUKALYA.]

I shall look forward to hearing from you, to take this forward.

Please do note. This is my first car and I am deeply disturbed at what I am facing. My trust was on CarDekho.

I don’t hear from them for almost a month after that.

Around October second week, CarDekho calls me and tells me to talk to the dealers as they would not help. This time it was one of the superiors Donald on the line.

Their mail on Oct 20

Dear Sir,

As per our telephonic conversation which we had few days back, we request you to talk the dealer regarding your complaint.

Regards

Gitesh

My mail on Oct 20

Girish

Ideally this cannot be a solution. I refuse to allow CarDekho to wash its hands off so casually.  

Plus, you said you will fix a meeting and you will be there.

I need commitment from CarDekho that you will take this ahead and provide me a solution to a damaged car.

Failing to do so will force me to take a sterner step ahead.

Thank you

They finally call back early November. Fix a meeting in which three of us - dealer, I and CarDekho would sit and find a solution. In the meeting I am told that dealer [KK Motors] never paid CarDekho their commission. So technically I did not buy the car through Cardekho.

They leave after telling me that they cannot help. CarDekho however accept this time that the car did have an accident. But they put the blame on me. One of their chaps, who apparently tested the car, told me that the car was fine when he checked it. And if there was accident it happened after that.

CarDekho’s last mail -  dated Nov 16

Dear Noyon,

Your ticket - Wrong details of the car posted on cardekho -  has been closed.

We hope that the ticket was resolved to your satisfaction. If you feel that the ticket should not be closed or if the ticket has not been resolved, please reply to this email.

INCONSISTENCY  1

At first Cardekho rep claims they investigated the car around April 25th.

Then they tell me they did around April 15.

Then on the meeting day they tell me it was April 9. April 15 is when the car went live.

Their argument - They cannot assure the car is free from problems once they have investigated, even if the car is listed on their site.

INCONSISTENCY  2

Dealer at first tells CarDekho that we did not buy the car from them

Dealer then tells carDekho that we did not come through CarDekho. [We had asked them for the insurance and they said it’s available and can be asked for any time we need it]

Their argument - None actually. They can’t have one.

The dealer told me as I left from their shop the other day - Let’s talk and sort this out!

Who lost in all of this?

CarDekho definitely no.

Dealer? Nope?

I did. I will have to repair the car. Can’t dispose it like the dealer did. Or the earlier owner, whose name is Pritam D’Silva. Car has a Vasai registration.

My question to CarDekho

You had the car listed on your site. As a mark of trust, can you wash your hand off a car that you have certified? 





Bottomline
Should you trust CarDekho, CarTrade etc?  Be wise.


Moral
I should have taken mechanic with me and done by own checkup rather than rely on CarDekho!