All about Service centers and Garages

[IndrojitSircar]

Well many of us have had bad times with both service centers and garages with our cars.In service center you pay for something you may not get that and in Garages parts are taken off and replaced by other poor quality parts.In service centers if something such as a serviceable part is not working instead of servicing it they will replace it for making more money and get the costs of the overheads.I think we should agree that all service centre around the country have same rates,same standards and transpirency in work.They should do a good quality work and charge a reasonable amount of money rather than doing average work and charge a exorbident amount.I personally think that original parts for all cars should be available in the market and we should choose where we want to get our work done either at service centres or at Garages depending on which we are comfertible with.I wonder what everyone else feels about this?

[lamborghini]

Very subjective question.
In all honesty, it depends on the car, and the garage in question.
For eg: There is a Palio and Lancer in the family, and instead of giving it to the service center, we send it to our Garage whom we trust, to get the work done.
Similarly, there is also a fiesta with us, which we send to the A.S.S. for servicing, and at times, for some minor work, we send it to the garage.
Our garage guy actually ensures that the work done is good, and parts are original.

[aaggoswami]

It depends on the service center and garage in question. We are getting out M800 serviced from a local garage that was called Honest Auto and now it is called Sat Kabir Auto. Our 800 is visiting him since very long time, about more than 10 years.
But for Baleno, we are not going anywhere buy Kiran Motors. We bought this car from Kiran Motors and all services were done here.

To prevent warranty from going bust, we have to get the car serviced at the service center irrespective of cost. But later on, if one manages to find a good garage with a mechanic who knows what he is doing, then my preference will be garage. Atleast they listen to what we say. At kiran motors, although the people are more than reasonably honest, I think that the Sat kabir person listens to us more carefully and tries his best.

It all depends upon the garage and service center one has access to.

EDIT:
Not voting as of now. Can we have a third option as " Both " ?

[sajands]

Depends on the need. If the job is just tinkering and paint job then I guess good know garage should do the job as they are bit lesser than service centers and if the job involves bit of engine, gearbox, AC overhaul or bit technical where your local garage is not capeable of then its the service center.

[vipul_singh]

Agree on the part about independant garages listening to the customer more closely.

In Lucknow, I always take my Palio to two independant garages since the dealer does not cater to FIATs anymore, and I definitely do not want to use the Tata dealer's 'services' (if you can call it that). My experience with the independants (all FIAT trained mechanics, BTW) shows that they are much more focused on solving the customer's problem than getting the customer off their back.

Same experience in getting my Kinetic Marvel serviced from the dealer v/s independant.

The real problem is that it is difficult to find independants with good experience on your car and with good access to parts.

Edit: Just recalled that independants have provided a much better experience on the occasions when I had to get my laptop and my phone fixed, too. The service center guy told me that the laptop's motherboard would need to be replaced, while the independant actually repaired the water damage. Goes to show how the manufacturers set the priorities - in case of physical damage, replace the board...while replacing the clutch, replace the flywheel too and charge the customer Rs. 50000.

[Eddy]

Ain't this the same thread ?

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ou-prefer.html (Authorised Service Centre Or Independant Garage, What do you prefer?)

[Rudra Sen]

Guys, please continue with your discussions on the thread Eddy suggested here (Authorised Service Centre Or Independant Garage, What do you prefer?).

Thread closed.