HI ALL - BELOW ARE A FEW OF THE MANY MAIL MESSAGES WE RECEIVE AT THIS SITE - FROM TATA OWNERS GIVING YOU THE REAL STORY
Hi Graham Thanks for your reply. Yes, I am extremely dissatisfied with TATA. We bought a 207 dropside bakkie as well as a small 407ex truck in 2007. We had only problems and no pleasure with both. And the service back-up of basically all dealers we used over these years suck. I am not going to bore you with all the detail of breakages, dowtime due to unavailable spare parts, poor workmanship etcetera. Dealers' workshops we used are TATA Bredasdorp, TATA Hermanus (they are closing shop at the end of this month), TATA Blackheath, TATA Oostenberg. A friend also mentioned his similar experiences with TATA Somerset-West. And the one or 2 dealers who are sometimes trying to deliver a proper service, are receiving NO support from TATA SA. I had contact with national representatives of TATA SA as well as with their CEO. They are apparently not interested in doing anything about the bad name TATA is earning for itself here. The system is rotten from its head down. As our vehicles have no 2nd hand value, it is not an option to sell and replace it with other makes. We will have to drive it untill it is only fit to use as trailer-chassis on the farm. But we will most definitely never ever purchase anything again which is not Toyota, Isuzu, Nissan or Ford. Regards and keep up the good work. Wilhelm RabeNapierWestern Cape
E-mail address: kasg@polka.co.za -------------------------------------------------- Comment: i have three tata trucks. all have been in and out of service. one has been with tata 100 days in a year, i only bought the truck one year ago. gearbox packed up. break drums cracked three times. linings 6 times. ignition change 4 times. service cost 6000 rands everymonth. please help..
i have lost all words, how can sa not see this vehicles are a hazard to us and 100 % liability
E-mail address: staffordt@mweb.co.za -------------------------------------------------- Comment: Hi Graham, I could not agree with you more: the Tata Indigo station wagon purchased new from Ooostenberg in January 2006 has proved to be the worst car I have ever had. I have been driving since 1967 and have had many cars during that time. Even the early Alfa’s were more reliable. The car - for want of a better word – has covered a mere 30 000 km. It’s ultra-heavy on fuel, lousy road holding and unstable in even the slightest cross wind. Mechanical problems: Of many the best is that on regular occasions you can’t get into first and second gear. Solution from Oostenberg workshop manager known only by his first name Isaac: "Put it in reverse and then you will un-jam the 2 gears." It works most times but ever tried doing that in heavy traffic? Isaac showed little enthusiasm for undertaking the gearbox repair stating if they had to tackle the job they would have to have the car for 3 to 4 days. As for a courtesy car in the meantime, that’s something Oostenberg does not have. But at least Isaac is honest: "What do you expect for a car that costs so little it’s not a Mercedes." Please feel free to publish this. Regards Stafford Thomas Brackenfell
Hi Graham Good on you! Who says Soth African consumers are apathetic? I am also tired of problems with my TATA that have yet to be repaired under warranty, and the expensive services at the appointed agents. Next time I'm buying some oxen, they are less expensive to keep and give good manure! Good luck
I am stil smelling of gear oil now. Just finished fitting a new Pinion oil seal on my TATA telcoline. The workshop in Nelspruit said they had to remove the diff and send it to the factory to fit a new seal. It is a steet on steel oilseal, but I got one from Bearing man for R300.00 less and fitted it. Works perfect.Lots more to tel you of this rubbish. It now has 51,000 on the clock . I send you an e-mail about the pinion oil seal , will tel you later about the idler arm repair , every 10,00 km , the shid plate under the sump fell off, all bolts just fell out or broke of. The sump leaked ect.ect
You do not wonna know what hell I am going thru with my tata indica the case is with my lawyers as is........this is the worst product that the motor industry has ever launched.Let alone the "moving coffin" my car is I still have to bear their stinking attitude in addressing the issues.I am currently trying to get another car but I am not just about to leave them I am gonna fight them to the last bit.Main complaints :gearbox,clutch,brake pads to be replaced every second month,disc all funny noises.I cannot ever forgive myself for not making a reserch I hev learnt a hrad way.
To: <tataproblems@worldonline.co.za>
Sent: Monday, December 08, 2008 10:31 AM Subject: TATA maar vat kanse > Hi Sorry that I missed your TATA protest drive, I just heard about it now I have a TATA Telcoline 2.0 double cab which I had financed in June 2006. The quality of the fitting has not been great, with problems like water leaking in when it rains, and the window winder breaking. However my biggest headache has been getting repairs done under warranty. There has been a problem with the idler for over a year now, with a chronic fuel leak. On the 30/11/2008 the starter stopped working. The closest appointed service agents are Kia Tokai and they quoted me huge amounts to fix it - R8800 for the starter, idler arm and a sump gasket.
SA Warranty claimed that the vehicle is no longer under warranty, even though the service book clearly says 3 years or 100 000km. The vehicle was first registered in February 2006. Anyway, after much hassle SA Warranty asked for the service history to be faxed to them. I did that this morning and await their response
My question is, who do sue? I find it unacceptable that my warranty has not been supported, and that I am paying for a vehicle that I have to park on a hill (bit of a problem when I have business on the Cape Flats!). Who can I appeal to? Unfortunately the TATA Agent I bought it from is in Randburg, else believe me it would be blocking his driveway. thanks Talfryn.
To:tataproblems@worldonline.co.zaSent: Friday, August 22, 2008 12:31 PMSubject: TATA PROBLEMS Hi there We are also one of the TATA casualties. At the moment matter is with the MI Ombudsman, but I do not have any confidence in this avenue.
Our problems is a very long and sorry story – much like everyone else. I don’t know if I should wait to hear the final result from the Ombudsman before getting involved, but at the moment do not feel confident of any help at all.
TATA (up in Johannesburg) definitely do not care about the customer and totally disregard them. I wish there really was something drastic that, we the customers, can do.
Would like to stay in touch regarding all TATA matters. ANNE
THE NONSENSE NEVER STOPS - BUT IVAN LINTNAAR OF TATA OOSTENBERG (NOW TATA PAARL VALLEY) SAYS I{MR TATAPROBLEMS} AM JUST A "MOANGAT"
I have even more of these horror stories -just contact me for more info !!!
