Buyers Beware- Malpractices of Various Car Manufacturers in Sales & Service.

ImmortalZ · 27th March 2010, 11:01

Here I was, thinking this will be a big expose of some kind when all it is a nebulous unreadable wall of text. Then there is the part about balancing.

You need to do balancing on all wheels or risk serious suspension and wheel bearing issues on the unbalanced wheel. And you need to do alignment on all wheel if alignment is actually possible.

honeybee · 31st March 2010, 14:36

After reading the discussion on the balancing of wheels I am getting the impression the thread starter is not aware of what is wheel balancing.

As for servicing vehicles of other brands within the Maruti (or any other brand) ASC, I don't see what is wrong. I have got my Santro serviced a couple of times at a nearby Maruti ASC. All they require is the correct grade of engine oil and an oil filter of the same specs as that of the Santro. Body wash or greasing of the door hinges etc. does not require very specialised care, at least as far as the simple hatchbacks are concerned. Also when I take the Santro to them for repairs, it's not as if they are fitting Maruti parts in it. They require Santro parts and if unable to procure they advise me to go to the Hyundai ASC. So where is the problem?

Regarding spare part prices, I have my doubts here: I was able to get the side mirrors of M800 for as low as Rs. 120 from the Maruti ASC, about four years back. Last Monday at the Hyundai ASC I was charged Rs. 45/- as labour charges for changing the door moulding strip, far reasonable. There are many times I have got a free car wash from the ASC.

The last time my M800 was smashed from the rear and I had to replace the hatch door, it cost me somewhere around 8K including the boot door, all the locks, the rear bumper and one of the tail lights. Almost half of it was covered by insurance, but the fact still remains it was quite reasonable. With my Santro, the replacement of the rear glass, removing a small but deep dent and fixing of the various insignia on the hatch door cost me a little more than 3K, again quite reasonable. So please cite specific cases where you have found the ASCs charging 5 times the normal price for a part.

I am not saying there aren't any malpractices, but I feel the post is too general to be any real use in this respect.

Abeer · 31st March 2010, 14:58

Few weeks back, my neighbour got his Accent serviced from Hyundai Service center and the SA advised him to get the car's silencer coated with something to prevent it from rusting. Cost was 900/-.
Is it required?

Nilesh5417 · 31st March 2010, 15:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abeer

Few weeks back, my neighbour got his Accent serviced from Hyundai Service center and the SA advised him to get the car's silencer coated with something to prevent it from rusting. Cost was 900/-.
Is it required?

It would make sense for guys in coastal areas to worry about rust but in noida? I'm not sure it really is needed. I do pretty well without any anti-rust through the rains in Pune by ensuring that the car is kept clean.

anupam00 · 1st April 2010, 18:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by honeybee

After reading the discussion on the balancing of wheels I am getting the impression the thread starter is not aware of what is wheel balancing.

I am very much aware abt Balancing of wheels - I am closely affiliated to Manufacturing of Car Balancing devices.If u need one let me know.

Quote:

Originally Posted by honeybee

As for servicing vehicles of other brands within the Maruti (or any other brand) ASC, I don't see what is wrong. I have got my Santro serviced a couple of times at a nearby Maruti ASC. All they require is the correct grade of engine oil and an oil filter of the same specs as that of the Santro. Body wash or greasing of the door hinges etc. does not require very specialised care, at least as far as the simple hatchbacks are concerned. Also when I take the Santro to them for repairs, it's not as if they are fitting Maruti parts in it. They require Santro parts and if unable to procure they advise me to go to the Hyundai ASC. So where is the problem?

I hope Maruti Company Persons are not listening- it falls under Ethical code of conduct:Maruti ASC cannot service Hyundia.Good that you can get that Santro serviced from Maruti ASC But You might make Maruti ASC land in Problem.

Quote:

Originally Posted by honeybee

Regarding spare part prices, I have my doubts here: I was able to get the side mirrors of M800 for as low as Rs. 120 from the Maruti ASC, about four years back. Last Monday at the Hyundai ASC I was charged Rs. 45/- as labour charges for changing the door moulding strip, far reasonable. There are many times I have got a free car wash from the ASC.

The last time my M800 was smashed from the rear and I had to replace the hatch door, it cost me somewhere around 8K including the boot door, all the locks, the rear bumper and one of the tail lights. Almost half of it was covered by insurance, but the fact still remains it was quite reasonable. With my Santro, the replacement of the rear glass, removing a small but deep dent and fixing of the various insignia on the hatch door cost me a little more than 3K, again quite reasonable. So please cite specific cases where you have found the ASCs charging 5 times the normal price for a part.

I am not saying there aren't any malpractices, but I feel the post is too general to be any real use in this respect.

Spare cost of Maruti 800 is quiet cheap:There are various examples of other manufacturers who still have huge spare part cost.The post cannot be rich by experience of one or two persons.The post when contributed by various Bhpian's becomes rich & useful.The aim is to make buyer's beware about the malpractices & noting else.Keep posting on a positive note to as a token of experience.

Thanks & Regards
Anupam00

anupam00 · 1st April 2010, 18:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abeer

Few weeks back, my neighbour got his Accent serviced from Hyundai Service center and the SA advised him to get the car's silencer coated with something to prevent it from rusting. Cost was 900/-.
Is it required?

Just first enquire the rates of Silencer?

honeybee · 2nd April 2010, 21:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abeer

Few weeks back, my neighbour got his Accent serviced from Hyundai Service center and the SA advised him to get the car's silencer coated with something to prevent it from rusting. Cost was 900/-.
Is it required?

My advice? Avoid it. Silencers get terribly hot when the engine is running. There have been cases where a vehicle was parked on dry grass after a long drive and the grass caught fire because of the heat emitted by the silencers.

If at all the silencer does get rusted, it can be replaced after a few years.

prithvi_seln · 29th June 2010, 23:16

I think the moderators must jump in and clarify lot of things being a automobile engineer myself and was in the car manufacturing OEM final assembly for 8 years and owning 3 cars i think people here talking ignorantly about what the After Sales Service people do.. i do agree that some *** people overcharge and do but it is up to us to decide if we need their service or not and we need to authorise before they can replace anything... guys i think its our car and we need to take car of what is in it for.

27th March 2010, 11:01	#16
ImmortalZ Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Trivandrum Posts: 2,179 Thanked: 488 Times View My Garage	Here I was, thinking this will be a big expose of some kind when all it is a nebulous unreadable wall of text. Then there is the part about balancing. You need to do balancing on all wheels or risk serious suspension and wheel bearing issues on the unbalanced wheel. And you need to do alignment on all wheel if alignment is actually possible.
	() Thanks

31st March 2010, 14:36	#17
honeybee Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Dombivli Posts: 3,056 Thanked: 2,139 Times View My Garage	After reading the discussion on the balancing of wheels I am getting the impression the thread starter is not aware of what is wheel balancing. As for servicing vehicles of other brands within the Maruti (or any other brand) ASC, I don't see what is wrong. I have got my Santro serviced a couple of times at a nearby Maruti ASC. All they require is the correct grade of engine oil and an oil filter of the same specs as that of the Santro. Body wash or greasing of the door hinges etc. does not require very specialised care, at least as far as the simple hatchbacks are concerned. Also when I take the Santro to them for repairs, it's not as if they are fitting Maruti parts in it. They require Santro parts and if unable to procure they advise me to go to the Hyundai ASC. So where is the problem? Regarding spare part prices, I have my doubts here: I was able to get the side mirrors of M800 for as low as Rs. 120 from the Maruti ASC, about four years back. Last Monday at the Hyundai ASC I was charged Rs. 45/- as labour charges for changing the door moulding strip, far reasonable. There are many times I have got a free car wash from the ASC. The last time my M800 was smashed from the rear and I had to replace the hatch door, it cost me somewhere around 8K including the boot door, all the locks, the rear bumper and one of the tail lights. Almost half of it was covered by insurance, but the fact still remains it was quite reasonable. With my Santro, the replacement of the rear glass, removing a small but deep dent and fixing of the various insignia on the hatch door cost me a little more than 3K, again quite reasonable. So please cite specific cases where you have found the ASCs charging 5 times the normal price for a part. I am not saying there aren't any malpractices, but I feel the post is too general to be any real use in this respect. Last edited by honeybee : 31st March 2010 at 14:39.
	() Thanks

31st March 2010, 14:58	#18
Abeer BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: UP-16 Posts: 222 Thanked: 18 Times	Few weeks back, my neighbour got his Accent serviced from Hyundai Service center and the SA advised him to get the car's silencer coated with something to prevent it from rusting. Cost was 900/-. Is it required?
	() Thanks

29th June 2010, 23:16	#23
prithvi_seln BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: CHENNAI Posts: 72 Thanked: 9 Times	I think the moderators must jump in and clarify lot of things being a automobile engineer myself and was in the car manufacturing OEM final assembly for 8 years and owning 3 cars i think people here talking ignorantly about what the After Sales Service people do.. i do agree that some *** people overcharge and do but it is up to us to decide if we need their service or not and we need to authorise before they can replace anything... guys i think its our car and we need to take car of what is in it for.
	() Thanks