SUZUKI IS TRASH!!

I purchased a brand new Suzuki Swift 2021 model in Durban, this purchase was Done at CMH Suzuki Umhlanga and I was assisted the most amazing sales Manager Nathi Mhlongo who helped me finalize the deal with my new car, I was extremely satisfied with the implacable customer service I received at the Umhlanga branch as Nathi kept in contact with me and constantly checked if everything was still in order with my new car and if I was happy with it . Well everything seemed fine until about a week ago.

I recently moved from KZN to Vanderbijlpark due to work and two days after my arrival to Vanderbijlpark I noticed that my car was making a terrible knocking sound coming from the engine, I called Nathi to let him know what I had discovered and he asked that take it to my nearest dealer which would be SUZUKI VEREENIGING.

I went in on a Saturday 4/12/2021 and spoke to 3 gentleman who listened to the sound of the car and advised that I bring the car back in on Monday since there were no mechanics on site so I went back home and came back on Monday morning 6/12/202.

Upon my arrival at SUZUKI VEREENIGING I spoke to a Lady by the Name of Amanda and explained my reason for the visit, she than called the mechanic who went with Me to listen to the sound, did a few checks of his own and at this point told me that it sounded like the knocking noise was coming from the water pump but could not give me a clear explanation on how a water pump on a 6 month old car could have failed.

Fair enough he explained that they still needed to confirm what the problem really was. Fair enough. I went back inside to Amanda and I asked to have my car diagnosed before I could leave it at the dealership so that I have some sort of indication on how long it would take for the problem to fixed and for a courtesy car to be arranged for me if the problem was indeed an " internal problem " as per what the mechanic had predicted. Amanda insisted the I leave without a diagnosis because she couldn't give immediate assistance as she was still checking in car and the warranty lady was apparently out because she had taken her husband to the hospital.

As un easy as I was, I left the car and provided Amanda with my contact details as she promised to call me as soon as the lady from the warranty department got back. I left the dealer at 8:30 am. I didn't receive a call from Amanda until 10am when I made the call to her to find out if a diagnosis had been made and if my claim was submitted to the warranty department. She told me that she was still busy checking in card( at 10am) and that the warranty lady was still not back which really boggled my mind at this point because nobody had started working on my claim. I only received a call from her at 11am ( 3 hours later) confirming that the sound on my car is indeed coming from the water pump and she further stated that she ordered the pump however it was back ordered and that she could not tel me as to when they will have receive the water pump, she told me that they would know in about 2 to 3 days but still couldn't tell me on how long it would take for the car to be fixed. I than asked her if they could arrange a courtesy car for me since this was a mechanical default that is under warranty and she told me that their dealer does not have courtesy cars . I was than called by the service Manager Rodriguez who basically told me the same thing and further stated that he would check with other dealers and get back to me of which he never did as I received no further communication from him.

I phoned Suzuki SA and spoke to Jane who referred me to head of customer service Boipelo and I told her my story, she asked for my Car Vin Number only to find that a pre approval claim had not even been uploaded on the system by Amanda who had seemingly given Me false information that my claim had been put through and because my claim had not been put on the system that Head office would not even be able to approve a courtesy car as they had no way of knowing if my car was even at the dealer ( this happened around 3pm)

So I went back to Amanda and asked her why she hadn't uploaded my pre approval, she told me that , that is how they work, if a car part costs below R4000 they order the part first and upload on the system after they've received it.... again this made no sense to me.! I was still without a courtesy car and absolutely no indication as to when I'd have my car back and extremely disappointed with the customer service I received from the SUZUKI VEREENIGING dealer but before COB I received a call from Boipelo confirming that she managed to get a water pump for me from a different dealer and that it would be delivered to the SUZUKI VEREENIGING dealer the next day 7/12/2021 on Tuesday. On Tuesday I received no communication from the SUZUKI VEREENIGING, the only call I received was from Boipelo SUZUKI S.A confirming that the water pump had been dispatched and would be delivered to VEREENIGING by 9am on the 8/12/2021. Again today as per ehst I was I was promised I still received zero communication from SUZUKI VEREENIGING on the progress, I'm the one the needs to constantly run after them to enquire, I'm stranded in a new province without a courtesy car and no arrangements have been made for me by my local dealership even though I was promised by SUZUKI that a courtesy car would be given to Me should my car experience any mechanical default while still under warranty. I'm absolutely appalled by the customer service at SUZUKI VEREENIGING, it seems as though you need to know them personally for proper assistance to be given other they don't actually care, I know that I demo vehicles from one of the sales men could have been loaned out if no courtesy cars were available but this option was not even presented to me at this dealer. They failed to timeously manage my expectations. I've been spending R300 a day to get myself to and from work because of a failed promise from SUZUKI.

Boipelo tried her best to assist me but it's merely impossible for try and make things happen for a customer if the people you are trying to work with are not trying to work with you. I feel sorry for her.

I'm disappointed with SUZUKI, tomorrow will be day 4 without my car nor a courtesy car. In a few months my car will be due for its first service and I really hate that SUZUKI VEREENIGING is the only dealer closest to me as they've instilled so much doubt in me and after this experience I even doubt the quality of the work they will do in fixing my car. This is the worst service I've ever received. I love my car but I would not recommend SUZUKI to any of my friends and family, which is sad because when I bought my SUZUKI SWIFT I came with a friend who bought the same car!

I'm angry and beyond frustrated, I have spent A little over R900 in 3 days on ubbers, I don't know when I'll get my car back, I have no courtesy car as per what I was promised when I bought the car 6 months ago.!! And at this point SUZUKI can do what ever they want with it