Kerala Woman Left Without Skoda Slavia Sedan After Paying ₹14 Lakh

In a shocking story from Kerala, Deepika Susheelan, a film curator, has paid over ₹14 lakh for a Skoda Slavia sedan but got no car in return. Despite making the full payment through a bank loan and a dealership, she has yet to receive the car, and the dealership has now shut down.

The Journey of Booking a Dream Car

Deepika booked the Skoda Slavia on April 4, 2022, through Skoda India's official website and contacted a dealership in Trivandrum. She took a test drive and agreed to pay a down payment of ₹25,000. The dealership motivated her to pay ₹5 lakh as an advance deposit to get quicker delivery.

In all, Deepika paid ₹11 lakh including a bank loan of ₹8 lakh and hoped to get the car in a short time. To her horror, no delivery date was given and Deepika started paying the monthly EMI as the loan got sanctioned and deposited with the dealer.

Tragic Turn of Events

Deepika's mother, who fought with cancer, eagerly waited to see the car but, after making a full payment, Deepika received no information about the car. Unfortunately, Deepika's mother passed away in May prior to seeing her new car.

Later that month, the dealership told Deepika that the car would be delayed even further and suggested she cancel the booking and take back the money. Deepika was ready to wait since her first motivation for buying the car was to show it to her mother.

Skoda's Response and the Ongoing Struggle

Deepika then called the customer care of Skoda India to explain the situation. She got a standard response that stated that her complaint was registered and would be addressed. Until now, she is still waiting for her money or the car.

What This Means for Consumers

Deepika’s story highlights a serious issue of transparency and accountability within car dealerships and manufacturers. Consumers must be cautious when making large payments for high-value items and ensure that the terms and conditions are clear. Deepika’s struggle also emphasizes the need for customer support to handle such issues more effectively.