[tsk1979]

I havent been to sterling for almost 20,000kms now. Surprise surprise the car is much better and costs are in check somewhat. But recently something happened which again proved that my decision to stay away from TASS for my indica is good.
That something happened immediately after
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/stree...breakdown.html (Breakdown!)

I go to sector 16 market and after scouting around zeroed in on a roadside guy who goes by the name of "Imam".
He does not have a shop, but whenever the workshops in Sector 16 noida are flummoxed with a problem they do not understand, or they get a complicated job, he is the man who is called.
As a freelancer, he has a box on the roadside and he does lot of work ranging from electrical to mechanical. When I went he had an Esteem opened up and some big electrical work going on in a NHC Vtec.
So I go to him and explain him the problem that the alternator is dead.
After letting the car cool down for 30 minutes, he opens up the alternator.

Its a goner, the winding is gone completely(burnt). The fault he says, was the regulator. I was lucky that the momentary surge did not blow up other electrical parts.

After making a list of all the parts which need to be changed, the bill was close to 6000, and a brand new alternator from LUCAS TVS would cost 8500. So I bought the new alternator.

And then he showed me a wonder of wonders. The alternator bearing on the old alternator was of a different spec.
you see, Tata cannot get things right in one go. Neither can their suppliers. So it is entirely possible that an alternator on a car sold in November may have a few parts different from an alternator sold 3 months earlier.
In the first ever running breakdown of the car(due to alternator belt snap) the alternator bearing was replaced by Automobile sterling(those were my foolish TASS days).
Getting all the parts of exact spec for a 2002 June indica requires struggle(when Imam was making a part list, it was difficult to match all the parts too).
So the wise guys at sterling did this. Took whatever they found and fit it in.
A normal right spec bearing would last 50000+kms, this bearing would have lasted me maybe 20,000 total. Its another matter that the regulator trashed the alternator completely.
I cannot make out any markings on the bearing(friction has rubbed them off!!) to make out if the bearing was genuine or some local brand.

So to all you people who care a wee bit for your cars, stick to sterling only if you want a wash and an oil change. Any problem, no matter how small cannot be fixed by those guys.

I am sure there must be Tata folks reading this forum. My only question to them is how do you chose your dealers?? Heck look at safari threads. 5 visits to workshop and those incompetent fellows cannot even find out the location of an oil leak?

The new safari 2.2 manual says minimum API-CH4 oil is needed, and I doubt even a single dealer has taken pains to source the correct spec oil? Are the Tata customer care centers sleeping? Or they want Tata to go the FIAT way. A great product ruined by service centers? Looks like instead of technology, Tata has learnt the art of managing dealerships from their bedfellows.
Thats the reason when a fiat owner tells me, "Service and spares is not a problem since Tata does it now" I just laugh.

The story is same for all dealers, its just that I have been involved with Sterling only, so I know of them.

[simply_sunny001]

Tanveer

where should the guys in Noida go to ?

because till warranty lasts we have no choice but to go to TASS.

cos there are only sterling and Nawab Motors workshops only.

and Nawab Motors are no different than sterling.

the dealer in my hometown (Rohtak) is still worse.

Please suggest some trusted dealer workshop.

thanks

[tsk1979]

Guys in Noida have no choice till the car is in warranty. I think there is another guy called shah motors, but I have no idea about how good/bad they are.
The story is same for everybody be it Gurgaon or Delhi. I see more bad reviews than good.
Infact people have got used to this so much, that when somebody gets a problem fixed in 3 goes, he says "wow that TASS rocks!".

[rajneeesh]

Tanveer,
have you heard about Autoways/ Are they any good at servicing Tata Vehicles. One of my neighbours had recommeneded them to me but the neighbour drives an Esteem. I also remember your having tried out Auto Engineers in Sec 16. How has your experience been with them?

[SUV]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

]
So to all you people who care a wee bit for your cars, stick to sterling only if you want a wash and an oil change. Any problem, no matter how small cannot be fixed by those guys.

I second your opinion, i use TASS services for oil change not even a wash ...

[FERRO]

same here I only use Shaman Tata service for oil change (Fiat sienna) that too in front of me bcoz I DONT trust Tata A.S.S.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by rajneeesh

Tanveer,
have you heard about Autoways/ Are they any good at servicing Tata Vehicles. One of my neighbours had recommeneded them to me but the neighbour drives an Esteem. I also remember your having tried out Auto Engineers in Sec 16. How has your experience been with them?

No idea about autoways, as for Auto engineers, they are better than most TASS guys, but I did not like their electrician much.

[rkbharat]

Tanveer, I differ from your opinion of going to TACS only for oil change and then other jobs to local road side guy. You are lucky that these road side mechanics have not screwed your call till now.

But once they screw with something in your car, because they do not have right tools/skills/knowledge or they do everything by themselves (electrical, body, mechanical etc), its a chain reaction. Things start going wrong one after other.

I still stick to TASC for complicated jobs. But I always use knowledge gained here and Tata Indica User Group to make sure that I know what TASC doing. Also I do not hesitate watching them most of the time when they are doing something.

Also having good relationship with TASC owner/manager/mechanic is better than having good relationship with the road side mechanic.

Only thing you can not do anything about is spares cost. And I am ok to pay bit extra for that.

BTW, I shifted from TASC to a local mechanic and then finally went back to TASC. because with time I realized, that though they are cheap, fast and readily available, they lack skills, tools and ownership of job done

[wolfinstein]

I've been visiting Vivek Motors for a year and half now, Apparently they are pretty good-but you still need to stand on their head at times to get the servicing done faster.

The Mech here are pretty apt and have quick understanding, The Top Management is responsive and sensitive to customer needs.

The store usually has the spares, if not they place an order then, give you committed date and call to let you know when to bring the car.

The Regular issues here are : 1) Time Delays 2) Car Delivery due to Billing on only One Siebel Based computer 3) Mostly Fiat Expertise,but Above the Learning curve for TATA.

Best Days to service : Wednesday,Thursday - Weekends heavy load but early car gets the service done by 4 PM.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by rkbharat

Tanveer, I differ from your opinion of going to TACS only for oil change and then other jobs to local road side guy. You are lucky that these road side mechanics have not screwed your call till now.

But once they screw with something in your car, because they do not have right tools/skills/knowledge or they do everything by themselves (electrical, body, mechanical etc), its a chain reaction. Things start going wrong one after other.

I still stick to TASC for complicated jobs. But I always use knowledge gained here and Tata Indica User Group to make sure that I know what TASC doing. Also I do not hesitate watching them most of the time when they are doing something.

Also having good relationship with TASC owner/manager/mechanic is better than having good relationship with the road side mechanic.

Only thing you can not do anything about is spares cost. And I am ok to pay bit extra for that.

BTW, I shifted from TASC to a local mechanic and then finally went back to TASC. because with time I realized, that though they are cheap, fast and readily available, they lack skills, tools and ownership of job done

My car was screwed pretty badly. By a TASC. Lets see what they did.
1. Due to their incompetence I had a breakdown which led to alternator belt snapping and bearing jam. Cost me close to 2000rs.
2. My alternator burnt down due to regulator fault. The same regulator which was opened up just 15K kms before. Infact TASC have opened up the alternator 4 times. I have been stranded on roadside due to these incompetent fellows so many times.
When I first started getting electrical problems, these idiots used to say my battery is not good and alternator is fine. 4 times I had to go to workshop. In the end I put a multimeter to the terminals myself and showed them that the voltage is 12.4V with AC on, fluctuating to 11.5 at moments.
I am ready to pay more and go to TASC. But from my experience TASC are worse than local mechanics. TASC fellows are good car washers, and they should stick to that.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by wolfinstein

I've been visiting Vivek Motors for a year and half now, Apparently they are pretty good-but you still need to stand on their head at times to get the servicing done faster.

The Mech here are pretty apt and have quick understanding, The Top Management is responsive and sensitive to customer needs.

The store usually has the spares, if not they place an order then, give you committed date and call to let you know when to bring the car.

The Regular issues here are : 1) Time Delays 2) Car Delivery due to Billing on only One Siebel Based computer 3) Mostly Fiat Expertise,but Above the Learning curve for TATA.

Best Days to service : Wednesday,Thursday - Weekends heavy load but early car gets the service done by 4 PM.

Thanks for that info wolf. I was really wondering where do I get my new tata car serviced in the future

[rkbharat]

Sorry to hear you bad experiences... Those are pretty bad.

Now this what I have understood in my 90K KM of ownership of Indica. senior mechanics in TASC have good knowledge of the car and problems. But they really do not apply it on the car unless you push hard or you know them/owner. Mostly they just do the jobs written on the job cards and does not touches the after effects. In TASC they just do it like government babu.

When I speak to them with some knowledge, they realize this is no fool-talks and attend the car. Generally before any work, I discuss with Mechanics about what need to be done, what will be done, and what will be the after affects.

I know this is not possible for everybody, but I guess this is the best way to extract work from TASC.

Though for one break problem I visited Him Motors four times. and They could not resolve the problem. Really made there life hell, when I got feedback call from mumbai. After that I got atleast 20 calls from Him Manager. But I refused to visit them any more.

Also for major glitches at TASC, its good idea to contact customer care at mumbai or respective location. It works well

Currently I am pretty happy with the service provided by TASC, Gurgaon Car Scanner, in Gurgaon. Though they are not pefect

Originally Posted by tsk1979

My car was screwed pretty badly. By a TASC. Lets see what they did.
1. Due to their incompetence I had a breakdown which led to alternator belt snapping and bearing jam. Cost me close to 2000rs.
2. My alternator burnt down due to regulator fault. The same regulator which was opened up just 15K kms before. Infact TASC have opened up the alternator 4 times. I have been stranded on roadside due to these incompetent fellows so many times.
When I first started getting electrical problems, these idiots used to say my battery is not good and alternator is fine. 4 times I had to go to workshop. In the end I put a multimeter to the terminals myself and showed them that the voltage is 12.4V with AC on, fluctuating to 11.5 at moments.
I am ready to pay more and go to TASC. But from my experience TASC are worse than local mechanics. TASC fellows are good car washers, and they should stick to that.