Maruti to pay Rs 2.25 lakh for selling a defective car

Maruti Suzuki India Pvt Ltd has been directed by a consumer forum here to pay Rs 2.25 lakh to one of its customers for selling him a defective Wagon R without performing a quality check.
The New Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum awarded the amount to the complainant saying he was deprived of the enjoyment and satisfaction expected from a new car.
It, however, refused to replace the car as more than five years had transpired since the vehicle's purchase in 2007.
"We find the complainant has been faced with problems in car from beginning due to its imperfect fittings or other similar lack of services and quality check-up before delivery of car..... The repairs (of the car) have gone on for beyond normal maintenance in the last 5 years.

"These facts show that complainant's car was defective in assembly line due to lack of supervision or care. Keeping in view the fact that the car is five years old, it cannot be replaced. We award compensation of Rs two lakh to complainant for loss of enjoyment and satisfaction expected from a new car and for imperfect checking of the car (by Maruti). We allow litigation expenses of Rs 25,000," a bench presided by C K Chaturvedi said.
The order came on the complaint of Delhi resident Vikas Khattar who had alleged that the Wagon R car he had bought in 2007 for Rs four lakh had to be taken for repairs 27 times in its first two years.

The repairs included replacement of various parts of the vehicle, he had said adding that Maruti had not carried out proper quality check of the vehicle prior to delivery.
In its reply, Maruti had said the vehicle was attended to and the parts were replaced free of cost during the warranty period adding that there are proper quality checks before delivery of a car.