[Redface]

My car is registered in bangalore and the insurance is IFFCO TOKIO.
Tried calling them to tell that i will be in the service station tomorrow and is there a possibility to get someone tomorrow itself.
All that they could say is please call the customer care after you leave the car for service and someone will come to evaluate the car within next 24 hrs.
That is the reason i very well called them.
These guys I say give me no scope for planning and managing time.

Well Saturday/ Sunday is not an off. Sorry state of a DOCTOR.
If its too much hassle i might as well pay and get the paint work done.

Thanks on those names. I hope to reach there by 8:15AM.

[Redface]

Finally after all the confusion on how to claim insurance and get the work done, banaglore registered car, first time serviced in chenai and so on.

I reached MSM at 8:25 in the morning.
As i entered the watchman marked my seat position, noted the meter reading, adn gave me the empty job card.
Went inside to register my complaint into the database.
Met a person from body shop to ask him on the procedure-
He quickly briefed me on the need for original RC book, insurence and my drivers
license.
Did not carrry my original DL so He suggested i leave it for service and then get the body work done.
He gave me a rough estimate of Rs. 3500 + 1000+1000 for body work
Then came the service instructor for whom I had no complains on the car, so just asked him to do a regular service.

He insisted I get the oil changed and oil filter, wheel balancing alignment.
My car was serviced at 14600 and now done 16200. But it did not run for a period on 1 year in between.
Estimate given was 4000INR for service.

I gotta go this evening to get the papers to them so insurance work can be started atleast by tomorrow and hopefully i get the car by Friday evening.

[Habanero City]

Redface, any updates on your experience?

HC

[thesilentone]

Hi. Has anybody interacted with Popular Motors, Anna Nagar? I am planning to book a new Swift and this is the closest and most convenient showroom for me.

[Habanero City]

Originally Posted by thesilentone

Hi. Has anybody interacted with Popular Motors, Anna Nagar? I am planning to book a new Swift and this is the closest and most convenient showroom for me.

I had inquired last year when I was looking to buy Dzire,but nothing special there.
I would suggest that you go to every dealer and check their offers and response including their service setup and then decide.
After all it is your money and your are not buying a car every other day, so make an all out effort and believe me it a very good learning experience.

HC

[thesilentone]

Thanks HC. I think that I should do some scooping around the various dealerships.

[Gansan]

Nowadays novices are handling the cars at MSM and they do it very carelessly. Today a young SA named Nathan drove my car carelessly over the speed breakers while looking at his mobile phone, causing a little too much jarring for my liking. Then he stalled the car on a bigger speed breaker and re-started it without switching off the AC / blower. All this even as I was in the passenger seat. I blasted him in public and then made a complaint to the customer service manager.

These chaps switch on the AC the moment they start the engine, and leave it on even when the windows are open.

[navan49]

I am like Gansan got the car from ABT and service in MSM.It is true that now a days the service in MSM is not up to the mark.My best Service advisors options are Mr.N.Babu, Mr.Arul, Dharmendhra, Mr.Jagan, Body works Parthiban. The bitter experiences are coming up recently with the new people. If you leave the car for Body works some SAs never update the work even if it is left for one month. Being frank the works manager is cool and helpless to do any thing.It seems he never look into the complaints or bother to look into the matters.Most of the times in meetings only. Insurance claim etc Mr Bala is so fast to do the job. Recent bitter experience to me is it took 30 days to hand over the car from Body works except the SA the technicians did a wonderful job. Service with N Babu was excellant. Water wash they were about hand over the car with out washing on 5th of this month. I always rate them 10/10. Now I got a assessment card and will be given 0 in some areas. Customer care Velmurugan tries his level best to update.

[Habanero City]

Originally Posted by Gansan

Nowadays novices are handling the cars at MSM and they do it very carelessly. Today a young SA named Nathan drove my car carelessly over the speed breakers while looking at his mobile phone, causing a little too much jarring for my liking. Then he stalled the car on a bigger speed breaker and re-started it without switching off the AC / blower. All this even as I was in the passenger seat. I blasted him in public and then made a complaint to the customer service manager.

These chaps switch on the AC the moment they start the engine, and leave it on even when the windows are open.

Originally Posted by navan49

I am like Gansan got the car from ABT and service in MSM.It is true that now a days the service in MSM is not up to the mark.My best Service advisors options are Mr.N.Babu, Mr.Arul, Dharmendhra, Mr.Jagan, Body works Parthiban. The bitter experiences are coming up recently with the new people. If you leave the car for Body works some SAs never update the work even if it is left for one month. Being frank the works manager is cool and helpless to do any thing.It seems he never look into the complaints or bother to look into the matters.Most of the times in meetings only. Insurance claim etc Mr Bala is so fast to do the job. Recent bitter experience to me is it took 30 days to hand over the car from Body works except the SA the technicians did a wonderful job. Service with N Babu was excellant. Water wash they were about hand over the car with out washing on 5th of this month. I always rate them 10/10. Now I got a assessment card and will be given 0 in some areas. Customer care Velmurugan tries his level best to update.

Gansan and Navan, hope you have read my post #80 on this thread about my experience which is similar to what you have also shared.
Like I said, you should identify the SA whom you are confident and give him specific instructions and of course a close follow up is also necessary.
If the work is not satisfactory, escalating to the Works manager and Customer service will help.
As I have mentioned before, the service levels have deteriorated and a good competition to MSM would be welcome.
Unfortunately MSM is the only service station in which Maruti is directly involved and thereby accountable for the works, while all others are dealer managed.
Actually this is the USP for Maruti which no other auto company has even tried copied from Maruti.

HC

[navan49]

Habenarocity,
Me and Gansan are long time customers to MSM. We do know many SAs those who are good and know the history of our car. Dharmedra,Babu,Jagan,Ganesh(No more in MSM) Even some times Gansan once got furious with N Babu also. To me Jagan,Arul,Dharmedra and Babu are nice. Saravanan is always a good co ordinator.Customer care some what ok not serious.Works manager seems like only management. A service advisor keeping his mobile switch of f for many days during working hours then what the works manager do. It was complained to both customer care and WM. They too rang and found switch off. Instead they were blaming Babu for his service. Periodical service Babu is perfect coz he knows the history of his regular customers cars. Even my last water wash I and many customers were watching the fun and the quality of water wash. I had a gentle man from salem with me while taking delivery and he was stunned to see the quality of the wash. The remember you only when you complain in Maruti's website. My service will continue with them only and will point out their mistakes and good deeds in the forum and in their web.

[Gansan]

+1 to that! It is always not possible to catch hold of a particular SA, especially for small jobs. I had gone there to see if my rear speakers could be re-located. I parked the car, told the security chap not to send the car for washing and went inside to make the job card. The SA allotted was one Mr.Ayub. But my car was nowhere to be found! This man assigned Mr.Nathan to locate the car and I went along despite his protests. We finally found it on the third floor terrace among a bunch of cars! All the monkey business I posted earlier happened while bringing the car down to ground floor and going around the campus to enter the workshop!

But if we find the right SA, many of the mechanics inside the workshop are very good.

[satanic_dude]

Though I purchased my Alto K10 from Khivraj, I plan on getting the first free service done at MSM only. The car will complete one month tomorrow and I will go to MSM Guindy on Saturday (by when I would've completed only 600km on the odo) as I unfortunately am not in a position to take a mid-week off!

I also need to get some issues fixed :

- Thud noise from left suspension over potholes, even at dead slow speeds. (The SA at Khivraj test drove and mentioned that some greasing should correct this).
- Left front door needs to be slammed shut - There is a slightly 'wider than normal, by 2-3mm' panel gap between the left fender and door (maybe a slight door misalignment?)
- Creaking noise while turning the steering with front wheels on incline. (Is this normal??)
- A very small quantity of stray spray of under chassis paint on the silencer and exhaust components - needs to be cleaned (was unable to fix a day to get this done at Khivraj itself, where the treatment was done).

I also prefer to personally drive my car to and from the service centre, so didn't take the free pick-up service.

I used to get my 1999 M800 serviced only at ABT Guindy for more than two years, and found their service to be quick and satisfactory. The car always 'felt' fit and new after every service! The washing, and attention to detail with cheap minuscule parts was good. Even small issues that I didn't address were addressed automatically!

However, I'm now willing to give MSM a shot.

Originally Posted by Gansan

..
But if we find the right SA, many of the mechanics inside the workshop are very good..

Since this service is going to be more than just a 'routine first service', it will be interesting to see how the issues are addressed. Keeping my fingers crossed, and hoping to find a good SA!

Originally Posted by navan49

..Me and Gansan are long time customers to MSM ..

Originally Posted by Habanero City

They have shuttle facility, excellent lounge with internet connection, and you will be taken care well.

Gansan, navan49 and Habanero City, thanks for sharing your experiences and for all the valuable info on the SAs and management.

I will definitely post a detailed update here about my experience of being a new customer at MSM.

[navan49]

Satanic dude,
MSM is far better than ABT. I too did my services with ABT in the past. When it comes for some spares they delay too much. Where as MSM they are fat getting any spare fro Delhi. So you will find the process is better. But once again it depends on your SA. Please reach the car around 9 am. That will make your work faster. Good luck.

[satanic_dude]

I took my car in at around 11 on Saturday. The courtesy shown and time taken to clear (shoot down) my doubts was something new to me. I would rate that as very good. Even though they were obviously crowded, the SA Rajkumar took time and was patient in explaining my queries. Periasamy did the test drive and seemed very confident and knowledgeable in the field. He was quick in responding to my doubts and was patient enough to drive / accompany me on quite a long test drive around the Defence Colony area. The roads had turned into some sort of off-roading trail with very deep potholes, thanks to the heavy rains. Got a chance to test the suspension in this very rough terrain!

I could build up a rapport with Periasamy. He echoed my hint of disappointment and sadness in letting go of my 1999 carb 800 .. "Its so difficult to get hold of a carb car, did you sell it off???". He laughed and explained how the K10B isn't anyway like the carb F8B (when I pointed out the sluggishness at low RPMs to be an issue - having never driven any other car in my life apart from the M800), in short, not as fun to drive in crawling traffic in higher gears..., but I am already getting used to it . He also explained how I need to get used to the clutch play, since the engine lugs into gear (1-2 and 2-3) with a single 'dhak' knock if the clutch is released quickly (I had listed this as an 'issue'). I do not like it when the engine lugs, but I'm getting better at avoiding this.

Originally Posted by satanic_dude

- Thud noise from left suspension over potholes, even at dead slow speeds. (The SA at Khivraj test drove and mentioned that some greasing should correct this).

During the TD, this noise was explained as normal for this car. Periasamy explained how the axle is built., weight distribution etc. It is present when the wheel drops into a pothole (one in ten occasions) or when the suspension rebounds after a speed breaker, but not always. Is the K10 suspension too soft? Damper issues? I shall discuss this in detail in my ownership thread (to be launched shortly!). I was however told this would not cause any damage. I am still not very convinced, but the thud seems to have mysteriously disappeared, only to reappear on very rare occasions. I shall watch this and recheck if its an issue.

Originally Posted by satanic_dude

- Left front door needs to be slammed shut - There is a slightly 'wider than normal, by 2-3mm' panel gap between the left fender and door (maybe a slight door misalignment?)

The SA said its due to air trapped inside, and demonstrated as to how easy it is to shut the doors if the windows were rolled down a bit. The new Alto's doors are light, and I realised all doors and even the boot needs to be slammed (a wee bit) shut. The wide panel gap doubt was shot down as normal for some cars (inconsistent build quality). I still don't like it as its an eyesore (no issues otherwise) and I still do not know how I missed to give more importance to this during the detailed inspection before registration. I most probably dismissed it off as poor build QC, which was expected. No signs of repair / repainting though.

Originally Posted by satanic_dude

- Creaking noise while turning the steering with front wheels on incline. (Is this normal??)

This was explained to be due to opposing force applied on the disc brakes when the front overhang is on an incline (maybe because of the longer hood?)

Originally Posted by satanic_dude

- A very small quantity of stray spray of under chassis paint on the silencer and exhaust components - needs to be cleaned (was unable to fix a day to get this done at Khivraj itself, where the treatment was done).

They said they would not clean it completely and that its okay for it to be there as it would just 'melt off'. I might let this be or get Khivraj to clean it up sometime.

- The cleaning was good overall but they had left stains on both front door pads and ball pen marks on the trim and fabric inserts. I didn't care about it much but reported it anyway. I wiped off the stains with a waste cloth and I will take care of the ball pen ink later. The door hinges and locks have been freshly greased, but they got some accidentally applied to the inside top of the right door as well!

- The front right speaker, a good JBL GT5-S204 (in stock location on the dash), has started making gargling noises. They might have sprayed water or too much air during pressure wash. It also might be due to a wire that'd come loose? I have calmed myself down and accepted that this could have happened at any MASS! I hope it is not damaged beyond repair. If it is, I would ask for a suitable replacement or probably escalate if not resolved. I do not want to waste a good 1500 rupees on a new pair.

I got a call today for feedback, and I narrated my complaints, over and above the otherwise good service. The lady promptly offered to report the issues to the SA and send someone over tomorrow morning to check the speaker and suspension. I had not got a chance to breathe for me to call MSM and report the issues, but this call back was a welcome relief since I was so tied up with work all week, with a bad cold and cough!

After I got back home on Saturday, I had called the SA and specifically requested to not paste the hideous yellow sticker on the hatch glass, and the request was honoured. To my surprise, even the "MOS" and "next service due" stickers were left in the glove box and not stuck to the front windscreen. I liked this small gesture.

After picking up the car on Sunday, I had forgotten my helmet in the reception, but later called back and informed the person there who confirmed it is still there. When my dad went to pick it up later in the evening, it had been safely kept in a box!

I was pleasantly surprised to see "Rs.0" on the bill. The car was ready for delivery within 4 hours but I could not collect it till Sunday noon due to heavy evening rains on Saturday. The SA had called in the evening to warn me of the heavy rains (which started as we spoke) and the traffic jam at Kathipara junction (worsened due to rain damaged roads and metro rail construction).

The car does feel much 'freer' after the service. Feels like the monster is just beginning to be unleashed! The initial adjustments and checks seem to have been performed correctly. Its fun-ner to drive now.

The first free service was bitter-sweet, but it was okay. Really. I am a relentless, but forgiving person. I have been trained in customer service and have been on the front line (phone) for two years so I know there are two types of customers - talkers and walkers (the latter being more dangerous to the service provider). Talkers will raise their voice and do anything it takes to get their issues heard and resolved, and walkers will just walk away to another service provider, without much warning (but will still spread the word). I am somewhere in between, but I can sway either way depending on the situation and monetary expenses involved!

Would I go back to MSM in the future? Yes, if they are able to sort out my doubts and issues without reluctance.

P.S.: It is nice to see "Maruti's own workshop" proudly printed on the bill envelope!

Hoping for the best!

[satanic_dude]

Originally Posted by satanic_dude

- The front right speaker, a good JBL GT5-S204 (in stock location on the dash), has started making gargling noises. They might have sprayed water or too much air during pressure wash. It also might be due to a wire that'd come loose?

Just a quick update. Since I did not want to touch anything myself, I took my car for a short drive to MSM this afternoon after calling my SA. He personally checked the front speaker after taking it out. The problem vanished after it was put back in! It'd probably just moved off its mounting a bit and was touching the dash plastic, since it had not been screwed in (just seated with double tapes , by the guys at Khivraj). Turns out it wasn't MSM's fault at all. Just a coincidence! The SA even offered to help with warranty replacement if there's a problem with the speaker, but I told him these were old speakers (taken from my M800) and not installed by Maruti at the time of purchase

The suspension noise wasn't there today (my dad was in the front passenger seat). Maybe some greasing or adjustment was done during the first service (even after it was explained as something normal for this car). I shall monitor it closely.

As I mentioned earlier, the car feels much better after the service and now pulls even from second gear at slow speeds without much lugging.

The SA then remembered my other complaints and promptly asked me "where are those stains Sir? I shall get them cleaned right away".. I pointed out the ball pen marks but I let him get back to work (I had called him out of the premises to do the quick check) and wasn't too keen on getting it cleaned at that time.

Overall, my first experience at MSM was very pleasant. I'm satisfied.