[pramodpk]

I get my Fiesta serviced at the Quick Lane service centre, Yeshwantpur. I stay with the car and personally supervise the critical things - Oil Change, brake fluid change etc.

[sourabhzen]

Now that is extreme scenario:
http://www.cartoq.com/shootout-at-ca...the-car-owner/

[swami69]

So far all my services were of short duration including the free services in my Thar, changing few stuff in my Corolla and I always stay back and wait in the Customer Lounge and keep a look through the glass window panes. Also, I keep walking and have a brief minimal chat with the Service Advisor and technicians as appropriate without irritating them. This way, I have developed wonderful relationships with those guys and whenever I take the car, it is attended to by multiple people. I like being with the car and also improve the relationship.

Now, after selling my Thar and getting a used XUV500, i have started doing the same with the ASS.

Swami

[rohan_cherian]

I've had four services done on my bike so far, with the last one being as recent as this weekend.

Some things I noticed when I was called for delivery:

• The service center claimed to have washed the bike, a closer examination revealed otherwise.
  
• I was charged 200 rupees for a chain clean where the chain is cleaned with PETROL and then sprayed with lube all in the span of five minutes.
  
• The bike rides noticeably harsher, I was charged for fully synthetic 10W40, the dipstick shows clean oil, but who's to say what really went in?
  
• The shift sock that I requested be installed was slid on the shifter using motor oil using lube which completely defeats the purpose of the mod since it leaves oil stains on my shoes.

Being assured of a job done right on your vehicle while you catch your forty winks is just wishful thinking. The camaraderie that I thought I shared with the guys at the ASS went out of the window when they realized they had deadlines to meet. I vote for stay and supervise, but within reasonable limits.

Voted for 'stay with the car'. I am a jobless retired pensioner, enjoying the remaining part of my life full time. I don't have any better business other than being present, when my car or bike gets serviced. I don't mind spending morning to evening at the air-conditioned customers lounge once in many months for the sake of my beloved Purple Cheetah or Blue Bird. I used to instruct the service adviser in advance that my car or bike does not require any 'extras' like engine-dressing, underbody coating, Teflon coating, engine oil flushing, AC duct cleaning, etc. On that day, I used to have my lunch from a nearby road-side vendor/restaurant. I consider that day well-spent.

[basubhatta]

I want to stay with the car but my service centre does not allow customers in the servicing area. I drop the car and generally wait in the customer lounge.

[bageherath]

I always stay with car, even supervise on some occasions. These days the labour is not qualified or they are not supervised to take proper care.

[ashishk29]

Originally Posted by procrj

My understanding is that you cannot stand in the service bay when your car is being serviced but that doesn't mean that you cannot stand at a safe location and observe what is being done to your car.

Precisely what I do myself. I stay on the machine floor till someone escorts me out :P
And then I continue watching everything while standing right at the shop floor entrance.

Trusted or not, I would love to watch every single servicing. I like to know what's going on with my car.

[Moto_Hill]

Well, for general repairs and servicing, I prefer to stay with the car and observe what is being done. I've not faced any issues with Fiat and Hyundai A.S.S. in terms of permission to stay at shop floor. The practice may not be practical for major work.

One incident which happened right in front of me. At FASS, I told them to rotate the tyres in "front to rear" pattern, however, the guy almost made an x pattern rotation, before I corrected him.

At an RE ASS, the technician replaced a failed part of my cousin's TB from another customer's TB .

[nishantbhatia84]

The Ford service centre guys hate me, why? Because I NEVER leave my car with them for service and ensure I'm sitting on their head the entire time my car is with them. The result - instead of taking a ridiculous 6-8 hrs they manage to hand me over the car in around 3 hrs - which I believe is ridiculous as well!

[V.Narayan]

I voted drop & leave. To that I should have added - build bridges with the service centre chaps, pat them on the back, praise them to their boss and then drop & leave! It helps. With 4 cars in the family, business & family responsibilities, like many others, I don't have the option of staying with the car. At Honda and Volvo this works like a charm. Am I being ripped off - maybe. But if the car continues to run well and render trouble free service then I assume the A.S.S. guys are probably doing their job and changing those fluids even if I am not watching.

In one of my business divisions we do a lot of heavy maintenance on aircrafts. Each job requires the aircraft to be docked for between 3 days to 3 weeks. By industry practice the customer sends a representative to co-ordinate and at times take a call on an item of work. The representative is given an office and is allowed onto the hangar floor each morning when the planning for the day is finalized. After that he is discouraged from hanging around watching the engineers and technicians do their work. It is considered a matter of safety not to make the workman self conscious or nervous or irritated with a mother-in-law hanging around. We implement this quite rigorously. I naively assume the same applies to cars. Just an observation - likely most will disagree.

[rdst_1]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

In one of my business divisions we do a lot of heavy maintenance on aircrafts. Each job requires the aircraft to be docked for between 3 days to 3 weeks. By industry practice the customer sends a representative to co-ordinate and at times take a call on an item of work. The representative is given an office and is allowed onto the hangar floor each morning when the planning for the day is finalized. After that he is discouraged from hanging around watching the engineers and technicians do their work. It is considered a matter of safety not to make the workman self conscious or nervous or irritated with a mother-in-law hanging around. We implement this quite rigorously. I naively assume the same applies to cars. Just an observation - likely most will disagree.

The difference is that in the above case, your engineers would most probably be very well compensated, which is not the same in case of car service guys and hence one can't possibly believe that we can expect the same level of professionalism from both groups.
My father used to keep his car meticulously clean. So he would most definitely get furious if the guys who serviced the car made dirty marks on the car's interiors.
Among other reasons as above, I have never left my car with a mechanic and will never be able to do the same for any of my future cars either.

[Leoshashi]

Voted for Stay with the car.

Reasons being:-

1. I have been badly duped once with my 800. We had a minor hiccup when accelerating the car, and the SA at dealer workshop said that its time for a new half engine kit. We didn't argue as the car had anyways done more than 2 lac kms on the stock engine. I stopped going to that workshop as its labour cost increased many times, and I also felt that a lot of unnecessary jobs were being carried out to inflate the bill. For example, for a minor paid service with all fluids replaced, they quoted 10k for the humble 800.

After almost 5 years, the mechanic at my current MASS said that the engine is stock, and doesn't look like it has ever been opened.

After checking for a few things, it was established that the previous workshop had duped us for almost 30k in the name of half engine change, whereas they hadn't carried out anything. I visited that workshop to get out the details, but was shocked to see that the database didn't show any such job. However I had the bill, and I visited that showroom's owner as they are a family friend. The owner was not only ashamed and apologetic, but said that the SA was fired because of similar complaints 4 years ago. They returned us the entire amount without any fuss.

I also suffered a similar incident at the very same workshop when they hadn't changed the engine oil but I was billed for it!!

2. Another reason why I prefer to be present during the work is because I can ask them to pay attention to the smallest things, which they very casually ignore. I got new booster brakes installed in my 800 a few days ago, and ensured that they carry out the job to my satisfaction. No clip or fittings were misplaced, and this ensures that the OEM fit and finish is maintained.

Regards,
Shashi

[petrolhead_neel]

I am not at all experienced at this, but our Classic 1.6 has had 3 services, and I have made sure that I stay with her. Voted for that.

Here are some of my thoughts and experiences:

1. Just three services definitely isn't enough to have full faith on a service centre, so I make sure to be present when she is sent for a service, just to make sure that no one mistreats the car.

2. Overall, its a great learning experience for me. Actually seeing the mechanics do stuff has increased my limited knowledge about cars to a huge extent. This has to be the prime reason for me staying in for a service.

3. The mechanics actually don't bother about your presence if you let them work their way. They are usually happy if you act as a helping hand. I know most of the mechanics at my FASS now and they are always happy to answer my queries and let me help them.

4. Knowing more about your car. Yes, this is different from the 2nd point. Staying with the car makes sure that you know the fixes to minor issues and what exactly has been changed, diagnosed and what hasn't.

Neel

[ta1017]

A very interesting thread.
I have sent car for servicing and here I mean to ASS during warranty , and I always used to get a feeling that some corners have been cut. But then they dont allow you near the car.
I recently got a new XUV and the first service is due in 2 weeks time and am thinking how do i make sure that they do everything that they are supposed to eg checking everything, cleaning, replacing etc. for the mechanic this is just another car and another scheduled service and human nature says that laxity will happen....

As for foul play etc I am not worried as I believe there are enough controls ....but its the laxity and carelessness thats the concern.