BHPian Supercool recently shared this with other enthusiasts: Back in 2015, I bought my first SUV my dream car – the XUV500 W6 in pearl white color. Upgrading from a Maruti Ritz, the change felt massive and like a dream. The XUV had everything including spacious interiors, solid road presence, refined ride quality, and features that were ahead of the curve for that time. Feelings and experience of shifting from Maruti Ritz to XUV 500 in 2015 is hard to explain in words. Mahindra seriously made this shift memorable-not just with the product, but with the experience. I had a dedicated Customer Relationship Manager as was the norm that time and the after-sales service was reasonably impressive. In six years of ownership, I did not face many issues except related to AC performance, clutch plate and normal wear and tear. All sorted very well by the service station quickly. Even the mileage was great at around 16 KMPL on highways and the engine never let me down. I usually keep a car for five years, so in early 2021, we started scouting for a new SUV. Despite rumors of a new XUV launch, nothing was confirmed. I checked with the Noida dealership, and the sales team said there was no official word. Given our great experience with XUV 500, we went ahead and booked another XUV500-this time the W11(O) variant. It was loaded with features and felt like a natural upgrade. Then came the official launch of the XUV700. No regrets as I knew Mahindra’s new launches often came with teething issues. My XUV500 was reliable, and I was happy sticking with what worked. But slowly, things started to change. Mahindra’s sales exploded with the Thar and XUV700, but their service network did not expanded to serve the surge in number of customers. The quality of after-sales service began to slip. What used to be a smooth experience turned into a struggle. Without any prior communication, Mahindra made it mandatory to book service appointments in advance. Twice I was turned away for walking in for service. Even with bookings, getting a weekend slot became a challenge. And the washing quality disappointing. Raise a complaint, and wonderful solution they had is to send a free car wash coupon. Who will invest full day going again to a service station to get car washed? Then came the sunroof incident. It shattered without any impact or known reason. The Noida service center took 15 days to replace it. No standby car, no urgency, and no real support from Mahindra’s customer care. I finally got the car back on 4th October 2025. Last weekend, we went on a short trip to Nainital. Suddenly, the OBD warning light came on. I noticed a drop in power-especially on inclines. Parked the car and used a Taxi for local travel. Connected withs service executive who helped in replacing the sun roof and he told that OBD with yellow light can be checked on next service. I reached back Noida and insisted service station to pickup my car to check the issue. The driver came at noon and reached the service station in 30 minutes. But it took three hours and multiple calls just to get the job card opened. On day one, they diagnosed a hose pipe leak. I hope I get my car today as I have travel plans and I cannot keep my car at service station for multiple days. This is not a one-off incident. I have many stories to tell. I have tried multiple service centers to see if it is just a local issue. It is not. The problem is widespread. Mahindra seems to have deprioritized customer experience. For them, one customer doesn’t matter. But for most of us, our car is a lifeline. After 10 years of loyalty, I have decided to move on. Not because of the product, but because of the poor after-sales service and overall disappointing experience. I feel that customers have become a commodity for Mahindra. Just churn out as many as possible, with little focus on experience or quality. Why do we choose premium products? For reliability and a great experience. It is like a bond that you create with customers where you understand their concerns and genuinely connect well with them. Offering a customer relationship manager itself is a good way to make customer feel valued. I understand that for Mahindra, one, two, or even a hundred loyal customers walking away may not even register. It is not even a drop in the ocean. But for us, our car is more than just a number. My heart still says the XUV700 is a brilliant product. But my mind is clear that emotional decisions do not always work. I am now considering the Tata Safari, Jeep Meridian, or Skoda Kodiaq. Not sure if these brands value both the product and the after-sales support that comes with it. But from experience perspective, I have heard that they value customers. May be because they have less numbers to serve. I genuinely hope Mahindra introspects and finds a solution to improve customers experience and after-sales service. Because great products deserve great service. And loyal customers definitely deserve much better experience. Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.
