| TATA (NO) service in south Delhi Autolinks and Sania
I have a tata safari 2.2 since about 3 years now. Thanks to Tata vehicles doing some selling over the past years, the number of vehicles have increased many folds, but the workshops however are the same. Previously the workshops listened to the TATA-customer care people, but now that has also come down. Here how my experience has been -
1. AUTOLINKS -VASANT KUNJ
1.1 I had a problem where my safari was giving me problems in hot starting. i.e. the self sometimes would not just crank the engine, when sometimes the hot engine was switched off. When I sent the car first time, i was told it may be because of central locking, and as the same problem is not occurring in front of us, we cannot do anything about it. Taking this in good faith, i removed the central locking, and mysteriously problem did not appear for few months. I also started avoiding switching off car for short stops. However, I one day got stuck at office, and I called breakdown also. The car but started on it own and it was back to normal. Now I sent the car to workshop again, and he again started same old story--problem is not appearing in front of us and we cannot do anything. When i said - You open up and check, i dont care if the problem is not appearing now. You need to take customer seriously. I also saw on TeamBHP that hot starting is an old indica common problem. Now finally they agreed, sent the started to lucas, and then the problem was solved.
1.2 Car gave starting trouble again, called breakdown, they came and jump started the car. I immediately then rushed the car to service center to have it inspected. First they refused to even look at it, as it was already 3 PM. and they said "You do not have booking". I wonder how can someone make booking for these immediate problems. However on some nagging, they had a mechanic look at it and pronounced, battery is dead, have your local battery guy check it up. This later turned out to be a simple problem where the terminals are dirty. This reminded me that these guys never bother to put vaseline on terminals at servicing. Leading to such problems.
1.3 The indicator of the car got stuck--permanently ON. Went to workshop, to avoid the battery getting dead. They refused to touch the car and even listen anything. Simply- YOU DO NOT HAVE BOOKING. Again, i cannot have booking for immediate issues. I called up tata customer care manager - VIkas Sehgal, and he also sounded helpless. However after calling him a job card was opened. But nothing else. Finally when i said, "just switch it off" and I would leave, they agreed to take a look. I had to leave for Ranikhet trip the same night therefore the emergency on my part was also there. Finally it turned out that central locking was making the indicator stuck, i removed central locking wire and this was done.
After the above instance, i was asked by MR Vikas Sehgal to try another workshop - Sania Motors in Okhla.
2.1. Called up SANIA MOTORS for booking on 14th sept, and got booking for 16th. Sent my car, and given a delivery date for 17th as they said, they are slightly overloaded and car has some work to do. I don't know why they take booking when they are already overloaded. On 17th there is an IT raid on the workshop. On 18th evening when i check again with the workshop, the car has not even been touched. I am told to take delivery on 20th Sept. I am totally zapped and ask to return my car. I am not sure how many days they will keep the car just for servicing and minor repairs.
Overall the conclusion is that tata motors service is under sever strain in delhi, because of increased cars, and tata QC. I do not understand any way out. I had been recommending safari to my friends, but now seeing the level of service, i would ask people to reconsider. | 
18th September 2010, 17:00
