Parts are always out of stock and service advisors treat you like you are doing a favor by coming to them for getting your vehicle serviced.
BHPian saikishor recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
I own a 2021 KTM 390 Duke, and to say that KTM’s service centers and service experiences are horrible would be an understatement. Parts are always out of stock and service advisors treat you like you are doing a favor by coming to them for getting your vehicle serviced. I am so frustrated that at this point of time if I had the option to let go of my motorcycle I would happily do so. But then, sitting back and thinking about what an amazing bike the 390 Duke is and the kind of deal that I got on an almost new motorcycle is stopping me from seriously considering a classified advert.
This makes me wonder, is there any brand in India which offers atleast satisfactory service experience? I have a 2011 Honda Activa and even it has a very vegetable market ish service experience. I used to have a Scooty pep plus which I sold a few months ago. TVS offers a slightly better experience but even that has changed now due to the volumes those guys make. It was pleasant back in 2014-2017, but now it feels like you are buying vegetables in a crowded vegetable market.
I would like to hear from others about their experiences with other brands and if possible, a poll on who offers the best service experience.
Here’s what BHPian drt_rdr had to say on the matter:
SVCs get constant inflow of work because of the manufacturer’s warranty clause. So, don’t be surprised if they don’t give a damn about upholding their reputation through quality work, especially brands that do large volume sales.
So, rather than anything like one brand offering consistently superior service over another, in my experience, they’re generally the same and there’s a bit of a lottery involved. I’ve had good and terrible experiences at different SVCs with both the brands I own. My vstrom has been a very frustrating ownership so far because of a SVC that can’t be bothered to thoroughly check and solve my troubles.
If you’re within the warranty zone and want to keep it, then put up with the SVC. If not, find a good local garage, especially if you value your time. Atleast, the local garage guy wants to do proper work and get return customers. SVCs won’t miss you at all, especially at the rate people are buying new vehicles these days.
Here’s what BHPian aargee had to say on the matter:
My experience has been the same from 2011 to 2018 with 2 ASCs in Chennai with servicing my CBR 250R; I’ve heard many people complain about both these ASCs as well & a few guys appreciating them as well.
What astonishes me is that, a guy from ASC 1, very competent, very senior technician, resigns, starts his own garage (FNG if that is the term to be used); as we had an excellent rapport with him, we give our 15 year old Activa for refurbishing. Not that the vehicle needed anything significant, but to only please the RTO authorities that the vehicle is also pristine in outward appearance. He did a great job in embellishment, but something went terribly wrong with the vehicle like losing its 7 BHP with pathetic acceleration; FE was ok, broke the fuel gauge needle (and later when he fixed it reminded me of the lock from Mr. Beans Mini & finally it ceased working) & after every ~1K Km vehicle would stop for nothing & then start when started as if nothing happened; the starter motor sounded terribly noisy & cranked more than necessary when started; we regretted our decision & were completely frustrated.
The rescue came in form of another ASC. They charged additional 2.3K (Rs 2368 to precise), fixed all the issues including the broken fuel gauge, sound & we had a pristine Activa from showroom just that the ODO showed 45571. Its awesome since then.
This so happened with my S-Cross right on the day we took the delivery; brand new car, ceases to start when the ignition is turned OFF after the engine temperature reaches operational temperature. But if not stopped, the engine keeps running without any issue; very peculiar case! The Nexa dealer kept working on the issue for 2 days until I got in touch with an esteemed member of this forum who offered a direct contact with Maruti. Needless to say, when the Nexa engineer appeared on the scene the issue vaporized & I got the car back pristine & is touchwood until date.
What I learnt was that, all ASCs are good & bad & all FNG are good & bad; but as a customer, if we’ve a wide spread ASC, then we could try our luck with multiple ASC. Ofcourse the same can be done with FNGs as well, but there’s some amount of accountability with the ASC as the manufacturer is involved so if the issue prevails for a longer period, the manufacturer sends one of their engineers who would certainly fix it as I’ve experienced with both my CBR & S-Cross; again it depends upon how much noise/cajole/threat/beg the customer makes. Although FNGs do have their own contacts for help & support, sometimes I get a feeling that they don’t feel obligated to fix issues unless a fire is set on their tail & use their skills in convincing over learning!
BHPian saikishor replied:
Story would’ve been different with cars. Finding a good garage in cars is very easy AFAIK, but finding a good garage in bikes is next to impossible. I have never heard of a good motorcycle garage, atleast in Hyderabad. Whenever I ask people, all I hear is “showroom lo chepichesuko anna”( get it done in the showroom, translated from telugu).
BhPian drt_rdr replied:
I can see the trouble in getting a tech-riddled bike like the KTMs serviced locally. But in a metro like Hyderabad, I’m sure you can find atleast a few good places. If google doesn’t help with info, maybe the ownership threads might, though you don’t necessarily have to go to a big name garage.
Alternatively, you can try to find an authorized SvC that’s not crowded. Your chances of getting satisfactory work done tend to be higher at places with lesser footfall, though it also depends on the workmen there.
Keyword: Experiences with after sales service of bike & scooter brands in India