My Marina - its life so far!

[trrk]

Hi,

This is the maintenance history of my Marina bought in 29/10/2005 with 24kms on the odometer. At the last fuel filling on 10/05/2008 (925 days) it had covered 40436 kms averaging 44 kms per day. The average as well as the distance covered would have been more had I not used the City purposefully to cover adequate mileage within its scheduled free services. My daughter's daily school run is a total of 62 kms shared equally by both the vehicles now.

The maintenance is divided into scheduled and unscheduled services or
expenditure.

Scheduled:

1 25/01/2006 5046 125.00
2 27/03/2006 7716 953.00 oil change
3 12/05/2006 9996 168.51
4 29/09/2006 14958 964.54 oil change
5 24/02/2007 19950 632.85
6 14/06/2007 25085 1749.24 oil change
7 18/08/2007 29640 1106.04
8 12/10/2007 32515 1061.54 oil change
9 18/12/2007 35011 2068.39
10 03/05/2008 40094 2395.87 oil change

This adds upto a total of 11224.98 After the 15000 kms service, oil
was changed only at 25000kms as per a message n the Yahoo Indica user group about the 10000km oil change for turbo charged engines. The then supervisor at the local service centre accepted the changed interval. But later personnel there insisted on oil change at 7500kms interval and since I
could not trace the actual bulletin, I reverted and did oil changes at 32500 and 40000kms. The first oil change in our vehicle was at 7500kms only. The oil definitely lasts comfortably for 10000kms without much degradation in quality as well as quantity.

At the 35000kms service the front ball joints were replaced.

Nonscheduled services or expenditures:

1 19/06/2006 11923 80.00 shifting wheels from front to rear
2 28/04/2006 290.03 175/65R14 tube
3 24/06/2006 12220 40.00 shifting stepney to rear right
4 31/10/2006 60.00 pollution
5 02/06/2007 60.00 pollution
6 18/07/2007 27410 90.11 Rt door mirror
7 23/10/2007 32991 1702.00 glow plugs 4 @ 363 + 250.00
8 03/12/2007 34580 60.00 pollution
9 21/12/2007 3000.00 JK Toronado 165/80R14 tubeless tyres 2
10 24/12/2007 35064 535.00
11 15/01/2008 36834 111.79 fluid leak
12 18/01/2008 36927 255.43 fluid leak
13 29/01/2008 37284 160.20 thermostat seal for coolant leak

The unscheduled expenditure comes to a total of 6444.56 and the total
maintenance costs stands at 17669.54.

No. 1 was when the right front tyre developed a bulge. Since Apollo kindly refused to honour a warranty claim, no. 3 was done and the damaged tyre with a tube was put in as the stepney.

Nos 4, 5 and 8 are the mandatory pollution certificates, but don't
have any scientific value.

The right door mirror glass went missing in a theatre car park and was replaced by a flat mirror bought locally (No. 6).

No. 7 was when it refused to start one day without any prior intimation. Since the cranking was healthy, glow plugs were suspected. Help was sought from a private Maruti service centre and the replacement was done at home. Sadly I would have saved the glow plug cost had I done it at a dealer and also if I had known that they were covered under extended warranty. Read about it later after one more incident later.

No 9 and 10 - After feeling that the ride of my City was rough, I had
the opportunity of getting these second hand hardly run 165/80R14
(original spec Swift tyres) at that price for 2. I thought the taller sidewall would be better for ride. I hardly ran it for 60kms (and the ride was better) when a long distance journey for the Marina forced me to change the ready for change front pairs with these tyres. It makes a difference in the Marina's front ride and the other parameters like braking and cornering are fine.

No. 11 and 12 are related. It started off as a small leak in the centre of the engine compartment, ruled out coolant and guessed it as gearbox oil. The service centre changed some tube but the leak persisted. On the second visit, confirmed as power steering fluid, suction tube was changed and the problem solved. I think this was also covered under extended warranty, but did not check then.

Maybe all the excitement caused the coolant to leak in drops and this
was rectified by no. 13.

Local service has been very reliable except in the fluid leak diagnosis. I will give the benefit of doubt to the service centre.

My Marina had its 45000kms service on 07/08/2008 with its odo reading
at 45182kms.

I had declined tyre rotation, alignment or balancing.

The total charges were 977.53 which includes
Routine service 550
Washing with Vacuuming 270
Caliper shim 50
Serv tax 104.40
Edu cess 3.13.

With this service my expense to this date stands at 18707.07.

This also completes my 10000kms sojourn with the downsized front
tyres. For speeds upto 100kph, these tyres have held up nicely as far
as braking is concerned. They have not been a problem even in our monsoon rains.

My last oil change was at 40000kms service on 03/05/08. Though the oil change was due at 47500kms, the oil looked fine in quantity and viscosity. So after a check at 48500, decided that I will get it changed only at 50000kms.

The last tank fill was today at 49069kms. It has used up 3571.62 litres of diesel (plain until 23500kms and premium from then on) adding upto Rs 126531.10 giving 13.98kpl with AC on always. The distance run is adjusted to take in for the wrong odometer reading given by the undersized tyres while calculating the fuel efficiency, but the service is being done based on the actual odometer readings.

The RPM with AC idling is at 1050 - 1100 range and I am yet to correct it. It should be closer to 1000.

[filcord]

Don't recommend you run the car with different size tyres front and back. Apart from wrong odo readings, it can't be good for the overall balance, braking, and suspension.

[trrk]

Hi filcord,

> Don't recommend you run the car with different size tyres front and back.

Thanks. One of the pairs has to wear out so that I can go for the same size wheels in all the wheels. Either size could do! At least another 15000kms have to be run before one of the rears is worn enough to change (its pair is 13500kms younger and so should last longer.

> Apart from wrong odo readings, it can't be good for the overall balance,
> braking, and suspension.

Can't really find anything wrong with any of the above, so far. It has run its share of highways and local roads. The first run itself was 345kms away.

Could you explain alittle about the possible effects?

[trrk]

Hi,

My Marina is just 60 kms short of its 50000kms mark and would be going for its service next week.

I have purposely waited for 10000kms run after the last oil change at 40094 kms on 03/05/2008. Usually the change is at the 7500kms interval.

So I just snapped a few pictures for pre service records.

The engine bay (my cars get a very occasional water wash for the body)



The dispstick cleaned before checking the oil level.



The oil level (no topups between services)



The oil not grainy at all after all this running.



Theoretically my extended warranty was over when I delayed my oil change for 10000kms at the 15000km mark. The two times when I could have claimed warranty, I missed it out by not reading the document properly. With this my extended warranty would be gone.

I would try and post the same series of pictures post service for comparison.

[svsantosh]

Rajesh, Extreme precision even in your write up. What a detailed collection of bills and records you are maintaining. This can well become a BIBLE thread for prospective TATA TDI powered cars.
Eagerly awaiting 50K report.

[greenhorn]

trrk, the intercooler's fins dont look good, at least from the pic you posted.

[trrk]

Hi,

Originally Posted by svsantosh

Rajesh, Extreme precision even in your write up. What a detailed collection of bills and records you are maintaining. This can well become a BIBLE thread for prospective TATA TDI powered cars.
Eagerly awaiting 50K report.

Thanks. But there are other people who have kept much better records. The intention was to have a study for prospective owners.

The car has gone for its service today with 49984 in its odo when it left home. The TASC is about 5 kms away. Since my driver is busy, the delivery is going to be tomorrow only. Will try and post it tomorrow itself.

Originally Posted by greenhorn

trrk, the intercooler's fins dont look good, at least from the pic you posted.

I have not done anything specific to the intercooler's so far. Could you add as to what you feel could be wrong? Could you post a picture for comparison, please?

[svsantosh]

Originally Posted by trrk

I have not done anything specific to the intercooler's so far. Could you add as to what you feel could be wrong? Could you post a picture for comparison, please?

Let me do that... My Pleasure.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/attach...s-imgp1261.jpg


Let me know if you need a better closeup. And let me also tell you the reason behind yours being that cluttered. Its those moron's in the 'water-wash' area who BLAST away those very-very slim alumunium foils. I have personally seen mine get a 'few' of those crooked foils after 1st free service and the recent underhood wash. I gave the service manager a thought on how to wash the intercooler with a protective wooden plank while water-jetting the hood part...!

Hope that does'nt effect the cooling effects of the intercooler.

[deepakhon]

Rajesh,

Extensive report of your Marina's maintenance I should say. I wish I can do something like this with my car. Maybe, the next car...

[greenhorn]

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...tml#post447907 (Indica TCIC intercooler query)

the first two rows show how it should look like. the rest in that pic have been bent

more info on that thread as well

[trrk]

Hi Deepak,

Originally Posted by deepakhon

Rajesh, Extensive report of your Marina's maintenance I should say. I wish I can do something like this with my car. Maybe, the next car...

It all started with my Indica. Due to the horror stories surrounding it, I started keeping the fuel as well as service details. A shop where everything is filed and accounted did help. So the habit continues.

Originally Posted by svsantosh

Let me do that... My Pleasure.
Its those moron's in the 'water-wash' area who BLAST away those very-very slim alumunium foils. Hope that does'nt effect the cooling effects of the intercooler.

Thanks Santosh. The picture gives me a general idea and Greenhorn's lnk gave the closeup. I have hardly poked under the bonnet and nevr gave it a second thought. Then having almost nil technical knowledge helps, you hardly notice anything until it gets busted.

Originally Posted by greenhorn

the first two rows show how it should look like. the rest in that pic have been bentmore info on that thread as well

Thanks Greenhorn for the link. Now the question is, how should I go about checking for its after effects? There is hardly anything wrong with the performance.

Friends, the car has come after its 50000kms service. Will take comparative snaps tomorrow and then put up the service report.

Since pictures do not form part of the message, the Yahoo Indica group has the report already.

[hrag]

50K done - hearty congratulations, Rajesh. Seems like yesterday when I sat in your brand new Marina.

[greenhorn]

its not busted as such, but i think the intercooler's efficiency, and consequently power output will be reduced. Someone posted in the thread i linked to that AC mechanics may be able to set the fins correctly again

[trrk]

Hi,

Originally Posted by hrag

50K done - hearty congratulations, Rajesh. Seems like yesterday when I sat in your brand new Marina.

Thanks. Time flies these days.

Originally Posted by greenhorn

its not busted as such, but i think the intercooler's efficiency, and consequently power output will be reduced.

I will be posting a closeup or clearer photo tomorrow. It does not look that bad on closer inspection.

Thanks for the inputs.

[svsantosh]

>>Thanks Greenhorn for the link. Now the question is, how should I go about >>checking for its after effects? There is hardly anything wrong with the >>performance.

Then dont bother about the above much, end of the day it only cools the heat away from the turbo. Looks like there is not much of a BLOCKADE between your cars fins. So it will continue to work... (just for backup, I will check the prices of those in my next visit to TASS)