Bosch service (Continental Automobiles) Noida review

[tsk1979]

For the impatient, I wont go there again, for the patient, lest start the chirade

Fed up with very expensive labour charges of Tata motors authorized workshops(They are dirt cheap compared to europeans and japs), I decided to hunt down an alternate service center. Maybe thats just an excuse, I was plain bored and wanted to find out wether somebody can do a better job.

The answer came in the bosch stall(not the main one, a small side one) at Auto Expo '06. The dude there handed me a visiting card of "Continetal Automobiles".

So couple of days back I drove the backlanes of sector 11 and located the workshop. 2 mechanincs and 2 service advisors came to fill in the job card. They showed me the engine oil had gone black, the air filter was also black, and gear oil also needed change. I figured out they they dont have much work in here, thats why an army of mechanics has come, but a dismanteled mercedes benz with engine missing the top (Engine rebuild job) convinced me that if somebody can trust them to open up a merc engine, then surely they cant mess up with this humble IDI.

Evening, 4:30pm I reach the workshop. They guy tells me diesel in my car finished. I told him I had four liters in the car. They made the excuse of engine flush, diesel filter etc., etc., change. But the moment I opened the door I knew the reason. They had cleaned the dash and interiors with diesel.

30min later the dude arrives with 200Rs diesel, and the circus begins. They bleed the injectors and pipes of air, and spill half a liter of diesel all over the engine and front grill. After the car starts, next step is to take a test drive. The engine is smoother, but after 12000kms of old oil change and engine flush any engine would. The gears are still harder than they should be, but the mechanic is hell bent on telling me they are fine. With my shoulder hurting I can barely engage first (fracture recovery takes lotta time).

Next comes bill payment, and they dont accept CCs. So I pay cash and drive off. 1km gone and soon my engine is smoking. I can see smoke coming out of the bonnet. This has never happened before. I stop the car, and open the bonnet. Predictable. Its the spilled diesel. My lucky stars it did not catch fire.

I get a large can of water and wash the engine, with amused onlookers watching.

So to summarize
1. Car is smoother, and if I had just gotten all the oils changed, it would be the same thing
2. They left diesel inside the engine bay.
3. The lousiest wash ever.
4. The gearbox is still hard.
5. Shabby workshop with spares and tools in horrible shape

I guess 5000 kms later I will be back to sterling, whose incompetence is far lesser in non electrical matters.

So if you are looking at bosch service as your alternative to authorized centers, atleast in Noida stay away from continental Automobiles. I pity the poor sod who gave his merc.

Also I forgot to mention, there were some Beemers and "imported" cars in the workshop which looked as if picked from scrap yard(no engines, badly rusted shells, no seats, etc., etc.,). Kept there to impress customers I guess, purchased from friendly neighbourhood kabadiwala!

[.anshuman]

for the same reason i have never got my car serviced from noida/delhi,i get it done from the tata dealer in my hometown hisar and they have all the spares and they know the car inside out,4yrs old 1lakh+ kms run and still better than a new car.

[GTO]

Terrible to hear this is how Bosch is keeping its promise of high quality.

but after 12000kms of old oil change and engine flush any engine would.

You better watch it there! 12000 kms on a diesel engine without an oil change?

GTO

[tsk1979]

It was a 10000kms rated oil. Due to a gasket leak about 75% of it leaked at around 57000kms, which was then topped up(3 ltrs top up). Currently also I have put in shell helix which lasts 10000kms.

[GTO]

For old fashioned diesel engines (like in the Indica and Mahindras), I always recommend a 5000 - 6000 km oil change interval. Synthetics can be prolonged a bit. Mobil recommended me with a 20,000 km interval for the Delvac 1 fully synthetic lube in my Jeep. I never went even close to 50% of that figure.

GTO

[Zappo]

And that brings me to a query. Do you really need any specific oil (say like Shell Helix) to make it last 10000 kms? Tata specifies 10000 kms or 6 months for oil change frequency. Mine though never manages to run 10k in 6 months and gets an early change in terms of kms. Also, what oil do the TASPs and TASSs put in?

[tsk1979]

If you are going for standard castrol, stick to 5-6K. In case of shell helix oil I have seen that it lasted pretty well compared to castrol which is put in authorized service centers.
But sometimes if the oil is still good, they dont change the oil, just top up and tell you they changed the oil. Beware of them.

[nitrous]

For old fashioned diesel engines (like in the Indica and Mahindras), I always recommend a 5000 - 6000 km oil change interval. Synthetics can be prolonged a bit. Mobil recommended me with a 20,000 km interval for the Delvac 1 fully synthetic lube in my Jeep. I never went even close to 50% of that figure.

Exactly, i get my Sumo's oil changed at 7500km intervals.
My ikon's OWS 10W40 (+ engine protector) after 14000kms is still looking as good as new.I'm anyways gonna change it after a 1000kms.

Back to the topic,
MyTVS, Bosch service centres are just 'old-wine in new bottle'.

After speaking to a few franchisee owners, i realise that Bosch and TVS are letting road-side mechanics piggy-back on their credibility.

I guess i'll go back to travelling 35kms to Electra automotive to get a service done.

[revharder]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Also I forgot to mention, there were some Beemers and "imported" cars in the workshop which looked as if picked from scrap yard(no engines, badly rusted shells, no seats, etc., etc.,). Kept there to impress customers I guess, purchased from friendly neighbourhood kabadiwala!

I visited that place today for service of my car!
but just took an estimate and came back.

and yes, even i noticed several "imported" cars!

did you also saw that purple coloured merc and a white/similar BMW and a merc undergoing huge makeover/restoration??

i am asking you this, coz if you saw them there in February and i saw them today, there is something really fishy!

reply as soon as possible!
coz i found everything else at their workshop quite reasonable! and i'll be taking my car to them on monday morning!

[satish_appasani]

Once i had been to Bosch service center in Hyderabad. Their workshop looked decent but not large enough to hold more than 7 - 8 cars. I went there to fit a new wiper set and horn. I don't think the guys there are capable more than that. None of them looked like they have enough experiance to work on a car by themselves.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by revharder

I visited that place today for service of my car!
but just took an estimate and came back.
.
.
.
coz i found everything else at their workshop quite reasonable! and i'll be taking my car to them on monday morning!

I dont remember the color and all, but yes it was something bluish. Did not notice any BMW.
There is nothing wrong with them, its just that there is nothing good in them. Any roadside "expert" can service my indica the same way they did it.

BTW which car?

[revharder]

thanx tsk1979 for reply.
but i found them good enough to be a workshop!

this time its a hyundai santro. and the nimbus people gave an estimate of 22-24K, which was way over my expectations! and these bosch people gave an estimate of 10-11K only, which is way below my expectations!
thinking of taking it to hyundai motor plaza on mathura road too, for an estimate.

it needs full shocker/suspension replacement and all, and i am expecting it to be in the region of 18K max!
do you or anyone else has any other better suggestion to check out before giving car to bosch/hmp guys?

[iraghava]

Originally Posted by revharder

thinking of taking it to hyundai motor plaza on mathura road too, for an estimate.

it needs full shocker/suspension replacement and all, and i am expecting it to be in the region of 18K max!
do you or anyone else has any other better suggestion to check out before giving car to bosch/hmp guys?

It's been a long time since my Santro was sold off so don't remember the figures but do remember that I serviced my car with HMP for 3.5 years & they are the best. They have long queues but the reason for that is that the service is the absolute best in the whole of North India. You just can't go wrong with them, so if they are charging you a slight premium rest assured thay are worth it. And best of all if you have any warranty issues on cars they have worked upon they have a no questions asked replacement policy!! Fabulous people I tell you changed my car's brake discs 9 times

[ritik123]

All these side shops are a waste. I also got fooled seeing a roadside shop filled with imported cars. Gave my van there for a small touch up job. At the time of delivery when I said the color was not matching all the owner said was " we cant do more than this...pay me and take it somewhere else".

Also, took it once to My TVS and they took a full day to re connect one of the speaker wires which was chewed off by a rat.

I stick with Maruti authorised dealers (not even MASS).... come what may

[revharder]

Originally Posted by iraghava

It's been a long time since my Santro was sold off so don't remember the figures but do remember that I serviced my car with HMP for 3.5 years & they are the best. They have long queues but the reason for that is that the service is the absolute best in the whole of North India. You just can't go wrong with them, so if they are charging you a slight premium rest assured thay are worth it. And best of all if you have any warranty issues on cars they have worked upon they have a no questions asked replacement policy!! Fabulous people I tell you changed my car's brake discs 9 times

i know HMP service as i got several cars serviced from them since last 6-7 years, and no doubt they are good at it, but certainly not the best in the whole of North India! haha
but from sometime i am noticing a severe decline in their used-to-be good quality job.
so trying to venture out for some alternatives! but if nothing works out, HMP is the obvious last option for me!
i m taking it to them on monday probably and then i'll decide!

thanks to all for help.