Apr 02, 2003 12:07 PM
14372 Views
(Updated Apr 02, 2003 12:10 PM)
Hi,
I bought Honda Dio in Jan. 2003 from a prominent dealer in Chennai. When I went in for first service, I listed 4 main problems as follows:
The footboard (where the driver rests his leg while driving) is rattling heavily during the initial pickup and in slow speeds.
While using the horn, if turn indicators are switched on or brake is applied, the sound of the horn dips. Even during normal operation, the horn sound is very wavy as if the battery is weak.
The fuel average is very low (less than 40 kmpl in city driving though Honda claims it to be around 45 kmpl) and also it is difficult to start the vehicle in the mornings or after extended period of parking. It takes a minimum of 15 to 20 kicks (in the kick-starter) to start and if choke is used then atleast 8 to 10 kicks.
The kick-starter is sometimes very hard to kick with a possibility of causing injury to the person.
The people at the service center of the same dealer offered the following explanations (for not attending some of those problems):
The rattling of the footboard is present in all the Dio vehicles and it CANNOT be rectified as the whole body is made of fibre. The final advice is ''You have to live with it as it is a product error''.
The horn sound will dip definitely if turn indicators or brakes are used since they draw excessive power from the battery. (My question is, wouldn't the vehicle's electrical design and wiring have taken care of these issues when the product is from the famed Honda.)
They said they have adjusted the settings (of carburettor I presume) but I could say they have done nothing since all the problems mentioned in point no. 3 above are still existing. No amount of prodding helps.
The gave a technical explanation which goes something like this : when kicking down slowly for the first time the pressure is built inside and when kicked down for second time, the kicking will become harder due to the pressure built inside. This explanation looks very funny and unconvincing. I just want to know if their explanation is correct.
On the whole I would say that these dealers are more interested only in the free service coupons (for which they get paid from Honda) that you submit. All that you finally get in a free service is a free water wash and tightening of few bolts and nuts. Any questions raised gets you only evasive replies.
No matter how respected the Honda is for its customer service worldwide, in India the customers are treated with disdain. Is it because its dealer shops are run by our Indian brethren for whom the words customer service and customer satisfaction are much alien?
