Citimotors Pasong Tamo: Their Concept of "Service"

What's the meaning of service? Service means giving the best satisfaction to a client. And the best satisfaction is not feeling that you've been had. Or felt that you've been victimized by someone.

That's what I felt today when I learned that the "new" clutch discs that Citimotors Pasong Tamo installed on my new 2008 Mitsubishi Adventure broke down again. Clearly, there's something fishy. Imagine, they just replaced my original clutch mechanisms last March and now, Citimotors service agent say I need to replace them again because the lining is already worn down when I don't even step on the clutch than often?

Is this the kind of service that Paul Ching and Gordon Teng, owners of Citimotors give to loyal Mitsubishi car owners?

I just could not understand why my clutch lining broke down. I was going to a meeting with my friend last Wednesday when my car just stopped running. I stepped on the clutch and it did not work. After spending 1,800 pesos for a tow truck, I went to Citimotors Pasong Tamo here in Makati. It was closed. They got my car the day after.

And you know why I want to write about this? Because five months earlier, Citimotors just replaced all my clutch discs, etc all for 13,000 pesos. And here I am being asked to fork the same amount again. Suspicious yes? My car is a 2008 Mitsubishi Adventure and it took my first clutch discs a year or so before it broke down. Now, it just took 5 months?

I sensed something very fishy. A mechanic told me that maybe Citimotors did not install new and original parts, that’s why my car broke down. I was’nt able to see what they installed five months ago, because when I came back to the Citimotors service center in Pasong Tamo, the clutch mechanism was already installed. I was not given the chance to check and the service agent was also rude.

Today, when I was inquiring why it just took my clutch discs five months, the service agent by the name of Raquiza was rather adamant and refused to answer my relevant questions. He seems to be quite uneasy especially when he realized that I was once an investigative journalist. He just reasoned that it was probably because of my driving that my clutch linings got pudpod. But, I did not even step on the clutch that often, since I started driving. IN fact, my first car, a Mitsubishi Lancer LXI never had this problem before. And here I am having headaches looking for ways to pay another 13,000 pesos to Citimotors which I think did a great disservice to me before.

Worst, when I was calling Citimotors Pasong Tamo service center, the manager named Conrad Aldana refused to talk to me. And the service agent Mr. Raquiza suddenly went on a half-day leave. I was forced then to accept their terms when NO ONE talked to me nor my wife.

Citimotors is owned by two Chinese, Fulgencio “Paul” Ching and Escorton “Gordon” Teng. I don’t know them personally but I have lots of Chinese friends. I know Chinese to be quite honest businessmen. If you know one or both of them, my friends, please tell them what happened to me. Clearly, I’m not a satisfied client. I’ve been dealing with my original service company, Union Motors in Paco Manila and I never encountered such things before. They always have been very courteous and honest. The only reason why I went to Citimotors Pasong Tamo is their service center is near my house.

So, for all you Mitsubishi car owners out there—what do you think? Will someone help me with this? I’ll appreciate it if Citimotors would owe up to their previous mistake and just don’t charge me with something that seems too suspicious. Otherwise, I'll launch a Total War against them.

Hindi ko ito titigilan dahil sa tingin ko may hindi magandang nangyayari diyan sa service center ng Citimotors na nararapat tignan ng mga awtoridad. Mayroon na rin palang record of disservice yang Citimotors na yan (read this link).

Kung hindi nila babaguhin ang istilo nila ng serbisyo sa mga motorista, malamang sa hindi mag file ako ng kaso laban sa kanila. Or, best, launch a campaign against them.

Dapat itigil ng Citimotors ang hindi pagbibigay ng tamang serbisyo sa mga motorista, kung hindi...