A long-running dispute over a car repair has ended with a consumer commission ordering compensation after a vehicle allegedly remained at a workshop for nearly eight years without being fixed, reported TOI.
What was the dispute?
Kamal Kumar Saraf bought a Nissan Evalia in January 2014 for around ₹11.46 lakh from Urja Automobile in Patna. He also paid ₹11,322 for an extended warranty but claims he never received the warranty card or bill.
The car functioned normally for several years before developing a starting issue.
Car taken to service centre in 2018
In August 2018, Saraf took the vehicle to a Nissan service centre in Muzaffarpur for repairs. He alleges the workshop opened the engine without his permission and later demanded ₹4.82 lakh for an engine replacement.
The workshop disputed this, saying consent was given. The repair cost reportedly kept changing before settling at around ₹3.91 lakh, reported TOI.
Warranty dispute and prolonged delay
Saraf argued that the car had only run about 23,000 km, well within the 80,000 km extended warranty limit, meaning the repair should have been free.
Despite repeated follow-ups and a legal notice, he says the car was neither repaired nor returned and remained at the workshop while costs were repeatedly revised. The company and service centre argued the warranty had already expired when the issue occurred.
Consumer commission’s findings
The District Consumer Commission, East Champaran (Motihari) held the dealer, Nissan entities, and the workshop responsible for “deficiency in service.” It noted that the vehicle had been left at the workshop for nearly eight years and observed that a low-mileage car under warranty should not have been left unresolved for so long.
Final order and compensation
Since the car was no longer likely to be roadworthy after such a long delay, the commission ordered compensation instead of repair.
The opposite parties were directed to jointly pay the car’s purchase price of ₹10,82,181, along with 7% simple interest per year from 1 September 2018 until payment, plus ₹25,000 for mental and physical distress and legal costs. They have two months to comply, after which they may take back the vehicle from the workshop.
