Fiat service woes: Whose fault is it anyway?

[PatchyBoy]

Thursday 29th May 2008
12.00 PM - wifey calls to let me know that she has procured the 4L can of Mobil 1 Supersyn Oil.

12.10 PM - I call Manipal Motors Airport Road

tring tiring - Manipal Motors
I would like to make a booking for servicing my car
What car is it Sir? Indica or Indigo?
Actually it is a FIAT Palio
One moment Sir
Looooooooong pause
Manipal Motors
I would like to make a booking for servicing my car
What car Sir?
FIAT Palio
One moment Sir
Looooooooong pause

Manipal Motors
I would like to make a booking for servicing my car
It is a Palio, right? (Whew, at last)
Yes, that is correct
The first slot is on next Tuesday Sir
Actually I was looking for Saturday or Sunday
We dont accept bookings for FIAT in the weekends Sir
What? Not even next Saturday? I mean 7th June?
No Sir
I guess I have to talk to FIAT about this
Click. Yes, she just hung up on me.

12.30 PM I call FIAT in PUNE
Tring,Tring - The voice responce system takes over. I choose to wait for operator...
Hello
Can I please talk to someone in A.S.S?
Call tomorrow. Today no working.
What? Why not?
Today no power. No working.
Who is this?
Security. Great. What do I do now?

12.50 PM. I call the FIAT Service hotline mobile.
Hello
I just spoke to your Airport Road service station. They tell me that you are not accepting any bookings for FIAT in the weekends?
That is correct Sir. We are trying to clear backlog.
So, why not next Saturday? I mean 7th June?
I will get back to you Sir.

1.30 PM - Call from FIAT service hotline
Sir, I have bokked your car for 31st May at 9.00 AM
Great. Thank you very much. I was planning on switching to fully synthetic oil.
Sure Sir. We can provide you with Castrol.
No no, I was planning on Mobil 1
Sorry Sir, but thats not approved by TATA
But I do not want castrol
OK Sir. I will get back to you

Friday 30th May 2008
11.00 AM - Call from Call from FIAT service hotline
Sir, I have spoken to my manager. He has agreed for Mobil 1.
Great. Thank you (This is getting too good to be true)
We can procure it for you Sir. (Ahhh. There is the catch)
OK. How much?
Rs.4000 for a 4L can Sir.
But I have already got a 4L can and I want to use it.
Sorry Sir. Our Policy does not permit.
OK. I will bring the car in tomorrow. We will take it from there.
OK.

Friday 30th May 2008 4.01 PM - SMS message from TATA-Motors

Indica Taxi KA05MExxxx (Mine is KA05MFxxxx) is bkd fr service on 31/May/2008 09:05:12 AM at Manipal, Kodihalli. Fr any change,cntct xxxxxxxx.

Indica Taxi??? OMG.

Saturday 31st May 2008. I show up at 09:02:47.


---To be Continued----

[sanjayatarizona]

I likes already Patchy Boy . Desperately waiting for the rest of what promises to be a hilarious affair.

[vnabhi]

Did they say, 'saar, your Indica looks like a Palio'?

[abhinav.gupta88]

Originally Posted by PatchyBoy

Thursday 29th May 2008
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.
.
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Indica Taxi KA05MExxxx (Mine is KA05MFxxxx) is bkd fr service on 31/May/2008 09:05:12 AM at Manipal, Kodihalli. Fr any change,cntct xxxxxxxx.

Indica Taxi??? OMG.

Saturday 31st May 2008. I show up at 09:02:47.


---To be Continued----

Thats Really Bad. Its probably due to the fiat being considered second fiddle by the tata sales people.

By The Way i really like that the taxi has been booked for 09:05:12 AM. Sue them even if they are 1 second late

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

You must have shocked by that message!

Originally Posted by PatchyBoy

12.30 PM I call FIAT in PUNE
Tring,Tring - The voice responce system takes over. I choose to wait for operator...
Hello
Can I please talk to someone in A.S.S?
Call tomorrow. Today no working.
What? Why not?
Today no power. No working.
Who is this?
Security.

But this part seems terrible! Is this a FIAT dealer or some sort, or company?

[srijit]

Have heard of free upgrades But cant consider this to be one, whichever way I look at it. Please do post the rest.

[rjstyles69]

LOL the Indica part is the funniest. On a serious note, patchyboy if you can find a multi-car service station why don't you go there and get the oil change done.

[vinayasurya]

These things happens when your competitor sells and services your cars. A lesson FIAT must learn..

[amtak]

Originally Posted by rjstyles69

LOL the Indica part is the funniest. On a serious note, patchyboy if you can find a multi-car service station why don't you go there and get the oil change done.

Just in case if something goes wrong, TATA FIAT would say that you filled it outside and that's why this happened!

[Abhijat]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Did they say, 'saar, your Indica looks like a Palio'?

Lolz.. read that aloud and could not stop laughing...

Fiat should have known this was going to happen.. they should part ways if they have any plans to get more serious and aggressive here..

I wont like to take my Bravo or Linea to a Tata service station for servicing..
and get second treatment..

[warchild]

damn! mate you might wanna try green tracks, i get serviced there, they pretty good!

green tracks loc: Bangalore, Karnataka - Local

Green Tracks

[condor]

On an another note, FIAT A.S.S will be a bit of a challenge in BLR. Prerana does Fiat servicing only at their OMR facility near the tin factory.

[PatchyBoy]

Sorry guys. Got too sleepy last night and could not finish. Here is the rest.

31st morning, I am at the Airport Road place. Wifey wanted to tag along. I told her that she will be bored. This is not a TBHP meet. Nothing doing Sir. So along she comes.

Good moring. I am here to get my car serviced.
I am Sudheer. You spoke to me Sir. You can use your own oil Sir.
Wow - These guys change policies at lightning speed

Thanks. But I need it to be filled in my presence.
Silence
Hello.....
1 Minute Sir. I will get a service advisor to talk to you.

09:20 AM

Service advisor fills out a form and then asks me if I had any specific issues

The car has done 13500 kms. Not 1350 kms. Please correct your entry.
Checks speedo again and corrects.
Also date of purchase is 18/12/2007 not 18/2/2007
Oh. Sorry Sir

Back to the customer lounge. Mr. Javed, CRM turns up.

Thanks for agreeing to allow me to use my own oil Javed. Can I go out have breakfast and come back? I want the oil filled in my presence.

Please go ahead Sir. Meanwhile I will get the rest of the checkup done so that we can go ahead with the engine oil filling when you come back. I am getting you car done on priority.

Cool. I feel like a VIP, or is it because wifey is with me? Off we go to have breakfast.

10.30 AM we are back

Javed, when can we fill the oil?

Javed calls Shivarm on the mobile.

You can go now Sir.

He even sends a escort who carries the oil can for me. Wow, TATA-FIAT alliance seems to be working.

When we come up to my car, I find it is not yet touched by anyone. Good, I can watch the whole process. I am pleased.

10.40 Meachanic 1 comes and hoists my car up on the lift and goes away.

10.45 Mechanic 2 comes and lowers it again.

10.50 Mechanic 1 is back. He lifts the car again, waits for a minute and then lowers it again. Then he proceeds to take the wheels off.

I have asked for tyre rotation, including the spare. You also have to get balancing and alignment done.

M1 nods. After taking of all the 4 wheels, he hoist the car up again and goes away.

11.15

M2 comes over, lowers the car and connects the car to the computer. Then he pulls of a sensor and proceeds to disform the sensor's pins with a screwdriver.

What are you doing?
There is a loose contact Sir. I am fixing it.

He reads the computer again and I can see there are no errors. He disconnects the computer and walks off.

11.30

M1 comes back and adds Bradhal Engine flush. I pick up the can and read the instructions - run for 15-20 mins. M1 cranks the car and leaves.

11:42

M2 comes back and turns the car off.

Why did you do that?
I had left the engine running after the diagnosis to make sure it is fixed. So now I am turning it off.
But the other guy has added Engine flush.
Oh, OK

Cranks engine again. Shivaram walks over and asks M2

How long has the engine been running?
ummm, about 5 mins
No,no. I am timing it. It is 12 mins.
Oh. Thank you Sir.

11.50

M1 comes back, switches the engine off, hoists the car back up and leaves.

12:15

M1 is back. He proceeds to drain the engine oil. It is black and thin. Looks like the flush has done its job well. He then picks up a screwdriver and a hammer and goes at the oil filter.

Dont you use the filter removing tool?
Blank stare....

The filter comes off without much fuss and off goes M1.

12:30

M1 comes back with a new filter, fits it and lowers the car. He then proceeds with filling the new oil. He spills about 50 ml, before he gets even a drop into the engine.

Dont you use a funnel? That oil is very expensive.
Blank stare....

Engine oil filled, cap replaced. M1 proceeds to roll two of my wheels away. He comes back for the other two.

I wanted the wheels to be rotated. How are you now going to identify which wheel was where?
Blank stare.....

12:50

The wheels are back after balancing. M1 sort of does a guessing game and mounts the wheels back. Then, bingo, he hoist the car back up and walks off

1:00

Comes back with a Fuel filter and proceeds to replace it. He is using a open ended spanner vertically to remove the bolts.

Dont you have pipe spanners?
Blank stare....

1:20

Fuel filter replaced, car is back on solid ground. Shivaram walks over.

Sir, can you go along with him for a drive? Show him the rattle you hear occasionally.

I hop into the car. M1 is in the back seat. Some one else is driving. He takes me around the block, never engages even the 3rd gear, reaches a max speed of 15 km, manages to stall twice, then we are back.

Expert driver to Shivaram: There are no rattles.

Shivaram turns to me:

Sir, all done. We just have to do the alignment, wash and clean the car.

I suddenly remember that wifey is sitting all alone in the customer lounge. So off I go to the lounge, carrying the left over engine oil with me. Wifey gives a sweet smile and asks how much longer?

Maybe another 30-40 mins.

If she is annoyed at being left all alone for the past 3 hours, she does not show it.

2:30

Javed, when can I get my car?
Let me check with Shivaram and get back to you.

2.45

Prashant, (my service advisor) where is my car?
Let me check with Shivaram and get back to you.
That is what Javed told me 15 mins back. He has since disappeared.
1 minute Sir.

3:00

I walk out of the lounge and generally ask:

Does anybody know where my car is?
Blank stares all around

3:10

Javed is back.

Javed, can I please have my car? Forget washing. Just give my car and let me go.
Sorry sir. I will get the washing done on priority and give the car to you.

Did I not hear Javed use the word priority sometime before today?

3:50

Sir, your car is ready. Do you want me to explain the bill?
No Thanks. Just say how much
Rs.1257.
Thanks.

3:55

Finally, I get behind the steering wheel of my car.

I am smiling all the way to Koramangala in bumper to bumper traffic. Wifey wants to know why I am smiling, after such an experience. I pull over into the parking lot of Total mall, lean over and give her a kiss.

Two things I have understood today.
1. I have understood how much you love me
2. Mobil 1 rocks

The end.

Cheers,
Rajan

PS:

The guys had the gall to give me a customer survey form:
I wrote in the suggestions column " Too late to do anything now. I am never coming back"

[deepakhon]

Interesting experience! But, what happened to the Indica Taxi? ...

[HappyWheels]

Originally Posted by PatchyBoy

...I wrote in the suggestions column " Too late to do anything now. I am never coming back"

Was that your statement or your wifey's statement!

Anyway, a good write up mate. Made a good reading!