Proton Pakistan Struggles as 5th Dealership Cuts Ties

Things are going from bad to worse for Proton Pakistan as another car dealership is cutting ties with the auto manufacturer.

Last year, four dealerships in major cities announced to end their association with the company.

They cited different reasons for their decision, including the absence of information regarding delivery dates for vehicles booked since 2020, consistent price fluctuations despite delayed deliveries, and even adjustments in prices after customers had made full payments.

Now, the fifth dealership, South Motors in Karachi has announced that it has resigned from its 3S dealership status for the Proton brand. The dealership stated that it decided following extensive legal discussions and general deliberations involving all relevant stakeholders.

“We express our disappointment over the management of the Proton brand by its assembler and distributor in Pakistan, M/S Al Haj Automotive Pvt. Limited,” it said in a statement.

Additionally, South Motors also mentioned the reasons leading to the announcement. It includes miscommunication regarding vehicle deliveries, recurrent incidents of customer refund cheques being dishonored, and a negative impact on the brand and dealer image attributed to Al-Haj’s business practices.

The dealership informed the customers that “all pending deliveries and refund payments are the sole responsibility of Al-Haj Automotive.” However, it reiterated its commitment to supporting the customers in getting their refunds from the car assembler as soon as possible.

Furthermore, customers have been advised to visit the head office of Al-Haj Automotive for any inquiries related to deliveries and refund of payments.

It is pertinent to mention that the non-delivery of cars, particularly the Proton X70, has led to numerous consumer protests and legal actions against the company.