Doorstep Car Servicing - Carista (Bangalore)

[Aniruthan]

I recently got the periodic maintenance service done for my Volkswagen Vento TDI at Carista. Nice and a different experience.

Who are they?

Carista basically deals with Doorstep Car Servicing. They have a fully functional and well-equipped mobile workshop and will come to your doorstep to service your car. They also have their own trained team of technicians.

Services Offered

Periodic Maintenance Service
Essential Monsoon Maintenance
Brakes Service
A/C Service
Electrical Service
Wheel Balancing
Express Check-up
Insurance Services
Service Warranty

Timings

They work from 9am-7pm.

Service Used :

Opted for the Periodic Maintenance Service which includes Oil replacement, Coolant Replacement oil filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, AC filter replacement, Air filter replacement, Brake pads cleaning, Caliper pin greasing, drum brake cleaning, general inspection of the car. Road test before and after the service to ascertain if the services are properly done. Fluids replacement only against requirement or deterioration of the existing fluid. + Basic Interior Enrichment. For me the service costed 9000/- inclusive of all taxes and labour. Cost will definitely differ for everyone since they don’t blindly replace everything and anything.

What I like :

Utmost transparency in pricing. No upselling of stuff
Time and money saved.
Trained and Knowledgeable technicians
No outsourcing of their work. They have their own team

What I don't like :

Really can’t complain. I was thoroughly impressed with their service.


Speciality/USP :

Doorstep Servicing. I can relax and enjoy the comfort of staying at my house.

No aggregators involved. Direct dealing with Carista.

Contact Information :

Address: B36 , Lower Ground Floor Oxford Towers, Kodihalli Old Airport Road, H A L Old Airport Rd, Kodihalli, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560008
Phone: +91 9019-123-124
Website : https://carista.in/

[hothatchaway]

Originally Posted by Aniruthan

Carista basically deals with Doorstep Car Servicing. They have a fully functional and well-equipped mobile workshop and will come to your doorstep to service your car. They also have their own trained team of technicians.

Opted for the Periodic Maintenance Service which includes Oil replacement, Coolant Replacement oil filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, AC filter replacement, Air filter replacement, Brake pads cleaning, Caliper pin greasing, drum brake cleaning, general inspection of the car. Road test before and after the service to ascertain if the services are properly done. Fluids replacement only against requirement or deterioration of the existing fluid. + Basic Interior Enrichment. For me the service costed 9000/- inclusive of all taxes and labour. Cost will definitely differ for everyone since they don’t blindly replace everything and anything.


Website : https://carista.in/

Hi
Is their mobile van equipped with spares like oil and air filters for all brands? What about consumables like engine & transmission oils, coolant, greases etc? Do they use the jack present inside the vehicle while changing oil? How did the charges for regular service compare with what you experience at the authorized service centre? How long did they take and did they have their own power source (in case one is needed?)

[GTO]

Originally Posted by Aniruthan

I recently got the periodic maintenance service done for my Volkswagen Vento TDI at Carista. Nice and a different experience.

Big fan of any product or service that offers convenience & saves time. Thanks for sharing !

This should definitely be cheaper for them, compared to owning / renting a workshop. Plus, it's a great differentiator and I'm sure there's enough of a market out there to keep them busy. A lot of detailers are already following the same business model (asset light ).

I hope they maintain these service standards with growth.

Carista basically deals with Doorstep Car Servicing. They have a fully functional and well-equipped mobile workshop and will come to your doorstep to service your car. They also have their own trained team of technicians.

Got pictures to share?

[Aniruthan]

Originally Posted by hothatchaway

Hi
Is their mobile van equipped with spares like oil and air filters for all brands? What about consumables like engine & transmission oils, coolant, greases etc? Do they use the jack present inside the vehicle while changing oil? How did the charges for regular service compare with what you experience at the authorized service centre? How long did they take and did they have their own power source (in case one is needed?)

If we specify the exact problem, they get the spares or they offer a pre-service checkup, and based on the requirement they will bring spares and do the service. Generic items like engine oil, transmission oil, coolant, bulbs, wipers etc are available, anything specific there is about one day lead time. All are genuine spares, some from directly the OEMs. All the consumables are changed according to the vehicle’s oil grade specification (by the manufacturer). Bosch oils & coolant and original VW filters were used for my car. They’ll change all the parts in front of you, you’re also free to stand in front of your car and watch the whole process.

No, They don’t use the jack which is present inside the customer’s vehicle! They used a hydraulic jack with vehicle supports. Their van had a tool trolley, a wheel balancer and an air compressor.

The charges are definitely lesser than the authorized service centre. For eg, I saved around 20% approximately against their (Carista’s) claim of 30% savings in costs. And If I may add, It’s worth it too. You never know what is going on inside the authorized service centre. But here, total transparency. This is what I love about this service.

They took around an hour for my vehicle but it might be different for different vehicles

Their van had a separate generator, as far as I saw. Their van was fully loaded with equipments that I could think of.

Originally Posted by GTO

This should definitely be cheaper for them, compared to owning / renting a workshop. Plus, it's a great differentiator and I'm sure there's enough of a market out there to keep them busy.
Got pictures to share?

I too wish the same. This is definitely a win-win situation for a customer. Unfortunately couldn't click any pictures so no pictures to share .

[hothatchaway]

^^^ My K10 had almost clocked 55xxx kms on the odo and it had been a almost a year to the last oil change and two to transmission, coolant and brake servicing. Particular that all BHPians are, it was planning ahead for the next service. I generally go to Suraksha, Bomanhalli as I have a rapport with them and they tolerate my presence in the service area but I was loathe to drive all the way from Indiranagar on this occasion and Aniruthan's post had piqued my curiosity about Carista. So after a few email exchanges with them I decided to engage them for a oil + transmission + coolant change + brake servicing. They agreed to get my fave engine oil Shell Helix HZ5 MGO as well. They arrived on time and the crew was professional and given that it was routine servicing, it was done in a jiffy. Was told that they can and have carried out clutch replacements as well at customer doorsteps. While they did the brake bleeding + caliper greasing (for the front disc brakes), I felt they should have opened the rear wheels too, if nothing but to check for leakages in the drum brake cylinder as a precautionary measure. Passed on the feedback to their cust care team and they called back for a follow up. The cost of labour was comparable to what Suraksha charges me and I have always kept a hawk eye on the latter to ensure I am not billed a penny more than what is justified. As mentioned above, they carry Bosch branded fluids and can gets other brands if you specify (as they did with me by accommodating my request for Shell engine oil) I recommend them with the standard disclaimer that I am not associated with them in any capacity other than a paying customer.

The mobile van which comes to your doorstep







work in progress






brake bleeding



The drained fluids, they transferred these into empty cans to be disposed off correctly

[kutlee]

Good to see door step service picking up. In comparison with bumper.com, who is market place for vendors, these guys can bring in quality by keeping rentals low (Bangalore perspective) and less motivation to malpractice to save money.
I did not like the genset being inside the van (while being in operation??). this is a big no no.

[abhishek46]

Originally Posted by Aniruthan

I recently got the periodic maintenance service done for my Volkswagen Vento TDI at Carista. Nice and a different experience.

Are they able to procure VAG spare parts? I always thought, VAG parts are hard to come by, as they are not sold freely over the counter.

Do they do accident repairs and engine rebuilds also?

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted by hothatchaway

^^^ My K10 had almost clocked 55xxx kms on the odo and it had been a almost a year to the last oil change and two to transmission, coolant and brake servicing. The cost of labour was comparable to what Suraksha charges me

Getting our car serviced in front of our eyes, at our own doorstep is indeed a great thing; specially for those of us who like to stand by the vehicle while it is being attended to by the mechanics. Carista has a huge opportunity here.

How do brakes feel, post the fluid replacement and bleeding?

Would you mind sharing the cost incurred for the service? Did they charge the MRP for the engine oil or was there any discount?

[gpa]

Originally Posted by Aniruthan

Carista basically deals with Doorstep Car Servicing. They have a fully functional and well-equipped mobile workshop and will come to your doorstep to service your car. They also have their own trained team of technicians.

This is a great service and thank you, for sharing. I'm very keen on trying it out. I just completed my Alto's 81,000 kms service at a M.A.S.S and missed the opportunity. I'm keen to try these guys for the Brio which is nearing the 40,000 kms mark and has a major service due. I'm keen to know if they are able to source Honda spares as it is difficult to get them over-the-counter.

[Aniruthan]

Originally Posted by abhishek46

Are they able to procure VAG spare parts? I always thought, VAG parts are hard to come by, as they are not sold freely over the counter.

Do they do accident repairs and engine rebuilds also?

For my Vento, They only used VAG spares. They must be having their own channels for this purpose. IIRC, They had mentioned that they did an engine re-build on a Volkswagen Polo recently. Anyway, Please check with Carista for that and the accident repairs query.

Originally Posted by gpa

I'm keen to know if they are able to source Honda spares as it is difficult to get them over-the-counter.

These guys only use genuine spares, so they must be having some kind of channel to get the spares. You can always call them up and check.

[rejeen]

Trying them out this weekend for replacing the Vento's brake pads and disc since it has a grinding noise now to the point it can't be driven.

Fingers crossed - this thread hasn't got any updates recently!

[rejeen]

The work is done on my Vento TDi AT.

Likes
1. Very helpful online chat and office personnel.
2. Always kept their promise on "time".
3. Friendly mechanics
4. Cost
5. Convenience

What could be better
1. Mechanics not having trained on all brands. They're multi-brand, but no specialists.
2. This is just a personal feeling - that they may not have tie-ups with OEM even though they claim to have (need to be verified further).

Verdict
Highly satisfied and I recommend Carista for all the routine service work/consumables, brakes, interior. They have good mechanics with the right attitude. For other work, it'll depend on the car brand and owner's comfort to get work done by the multi-brand mechanics.

Charges
Inspection charges (done on 10/3/2018) - INR 1003
Coolant (empty, clean and refill) - INR 700
Brake pad (Bosch) - INR 2352
Brake disc (Bosch) - INR 3750
Link rod (says OEM, not sure) - INR 2462
CGST + SGST - INR 1667.52
(Labour charges are also included in the above)

*I believe they should not charge anything for inspection if the work is confirmed and done.

[Bh.P]

Here is my recent experience:

I usually go once in 6 months to Magnum Honda for my 2011 Honda City VAT service. It was over 6 months since my last service, and there was an upcoming long drive. So I wanted to get the basic service done. I was looking for alternatives to the service and wanted to try Carista this time.

I used the online chat option to request for a quote. I clearly mentioned my model (2011 Honda City VAT with 45K on the ODO). Some observations on the quote:

1. They quoted for a transmission fluid change. 2011 City came with a torque converter AT and does not need an oil change service upto 100,000 kms. Still, they quoted for this.

2. They claim 25% lower prices. That is not true. Examples:

Engine oil

service center: 1445 after tax
in their quote: 1710 after tax

Oil filter

service center: 166 after tax
in their quote: 560 after tax

I still went ahead and requested them to come over on Saturday. They said they would come on Sunday at 10:00 AM. I told them I need to go out at 11:30, so they need to keep the time. They confirmed they would and also said they would call on Saturday to confirm. No one called on Saturday. When I called late in the evening to confirm, the lady said she was busy so could not call to confirm!

On Sunday, I was expecting a call to get the directions, but no one called till 9:55. At 9:55 AM I get a call saying they are stuck in traffic and hence would come in another 45 mins. I had to cancel my Sunday plans.

Three guys turned up at around 11:00 AM.
One of the guys did a test drive, and the first thing he asks is "when did you last change the transmission fluid, it is very smooth". I was disappointed, I expected at least the mechanic to know the 2011 AT models did not need a transmission oil change at 45K kms. He claimed to have worked at Magnum Honda for two years.

Then they got down to work.
1. One guy started draining the engine oil.
2. The other two guys started removing the wheels and scraping the brake pads to clean it.
3. Once the engine oil had drained, they poured it into a HP oil can. Then they took out another unsealed HP engine oil can and filled my engine with it. I asked them if they had a sealed can, for which they said no. I would have preferred that they opened the seal in front of me, but since the oil looked fresh, I let it pass.
4. They then changed the air filter and oil filter. Funnily, the guys trying to fit the air filter back were not sure which way it went back in. The "Magnum Honda experience guy" had to come to fit it back.
5. They took the AC filter out and used the compressor on their van to clean it. Was not very happy with the cleaning.
6. For coolant, they just topped up with distilled water. I asked if they did not have coolant, he said, it is fine to use distilled water.
7. The only complaint I had was a missing clip in the plastic engine guard. They took 20 mins to fix that.

I finally did a test drive. The car was fine (not that it had issues before the service). I was then sent an invoice by email. The invoice included the following items which they did not do:
1. Coolant top up Rs. 100, while he used some 50ml of distilled water.
2. Spark plug checking and cleaning, which was not done.

On asking why he did not do spark plug checking/cleaning, he said they would have done it in Magnum Honda during my previous service, so it was not required.

I got those additional charges removed, and paid the balance.

In summary, there is very little I liked about the experience. Other than the fact that I can see the work being done, I saw lot of negatives which I detailed above. Over all I was not impressed and may not use their service again.

The only issue I had with Magnum Honda was bad quality of car cleaning, and no guarantee that they actually change the consumables. But considering my car has been in a mechanically good condition for close to 7 years, I have no reasons to doubt them. So I will probably go back to sticking with them.

[Nalin1]

Originally Posted by Bh.P

Here is my recent experience:

The only issue I had with Magnum Honda was bad quality of car cleaning, and no guarantee that they actually change the consumables. But considering my car has been in a mechanically good condition for close to 7 years, I have no reasons to doubt them. So I will probably go back to sticking with them.

I am absolutely with you on your final conclusion! These mechanics are just like any other FNG who will know just the basics of most cars (though they will claim that they have been trained in EVERY car on the planet). Though, I must admit there are exceptions and some truly good FNGs are around .

But having said that it is always a risk to go to these multi brand guys as they might screw up something. The biggest apprehension in mind is that they will not even know what they goofed up to resolve it .

Now the most important point to note here is that even ASCs can also mess up things. But you can bank on them to drill down and identify their own faults and fix them.

[gpa]

Originally Posted by Bh.P

On asking why he did not do spark plug checking/cleaning, he said they would have done it in Magnum Honda during my previous service, so it was not required.

Cleaning or replacing the spark plugs is not easy as they are located in a difficult to reach area behind the air intake and involves a time consuming process. I witnessed this when I was at the 40k service of my Brio at HASS and the mechanic took a good 30 mins to remove and refit the new spark plugs.

Originally Posted by Bh.P

In summary, there is very little I liked about the experience.

I had a hunch of this last year when I planned to use them for the 40k service last year. I even got a quote but decided to go to HASS instead. In retrospect, it was a a good decision.

Originally Posted by Bh.P

The only issue I had with Magnum Honda was bad quality of car cleaning, and no guarantee that they actually change the consumables. But considering my car has been in a mechanically good condition for close to 7 years, I have no reasons to doubt them. So I will probably go back to sticking with them.

You can avoid the extra consumables (engine diagnostic scanning, battery testing, a/c blower cleaning) by making a specific mention of "no extra services" in writing on the job card. Ask them to do what is mentioned in the owners manual and nothing more. If you have time, stick around in the service station and keep an eye on your car. This is something that I follow and it has helped.