Service Experience at TAFE Access Limited:
Workshop: Off Hosur Road.
Skoda recommends an oil change and a full service every 15k kms. I personally dont think it's good for an engine where the oil runs at 106 deg C to go such a long interval without an oil change. Also, I believe that these European cars arent really re-calibrated in terms of service intervals for Indian conditions where there is a lot of bumper to bumper traffic. In Europe, the average speeds are far higher and generally the ambient temps are also cooler. Not so in India.
So, I decided that I know more than the VW Engineers who designed the car and I know more than the Castrol engineers who engineered the oil that goes into the car. I decided to get the oil changed along with the oil filter at 7.5-8k kms from TAFE.
This was something I was dreading knowing Skoda's reputation for service. And my own experience with their incompetence (
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...nsporting.html) I was scared! Very scared!
I spoke to Reji and asked him to book a service appointment for me. I told him that I will bring my own engine oil which is VAG approved and I only need to purchase the oil filter from Skoda. I told him I am willing to pay the labour charge for engine oil change as well.
Initially he was a bit doubtful of me getting my own engine oil, but I insisted and he agreed. He said an appointment was confirmed for 11:00 am on Friday, 27th October.
Also, Reji messaged me saying 11:00 am appointment is confirmed. As I land up at the workshop, he calls me and says that my appointment is confirmed foe 3:00 pm! What is going on? This though is totally my fault as I was expecting Reji who is the sales manager to take an appointment for me! I should have spoken to the service team directly. Also, that was the day TAFE were opening their new showroom near HSR layout and Reji was completely busy with that. In spite of that, he found time to talk to me and interact with me. So, full props to Reji for that!
I landed up at the workshop exactly on time and was received by Mr Venkatapathy who has been with TAFE for over 20 years. He was transferred to Bangalore recently (a couple of years ago). He was quite courteous and I explained to him and Mr Naveen (the service manager) who joined us soon that I would be with the car the entire team and I wouldnt leave my car alone. I also insisted that I will be with the car in the workshop and I am used to being in workshops and I wouldnt get in anyone's way.
They agreed.
Soon, a service advisor called Sathish came to me and filled out the job card. He then drove my car into the workshop itself with me in the passenger seat. He parked the car in the bay, called a technician and got the work started immediately.
I was under the impression that my car needed somewhere between 4-5 litres of oil. By some fluke, I had ended up ordering 6 litres of oil and luckily I had all of it with me at the workshop.
Mr Sathish looked up my specific VIN number and said my car needs 5.7 litres of oil. That is a substantial quantity of oil and caught me by surprise.
Before this, there was a typical Skoda hitch.
Mr Sathish asked me for the RC Card. I wonder why that was needed! Anyway, I say that it isnt with me as the car got registered recently and I havent received the RC card. He suddenly expressed doubt about the oil filter and wondered if it could be supplied! I had explicitly spoken to Reji and told him to check availability of the oil filter and only then confirmed my appointment.
Anyway, this was a minor hitch and they could eventually get an oil filter for me.
My car was lifted and the engine cover opened.
This is how the engine looks without the engine cover.
The oil filter holder which needs to be opened and replaced.
The underbody of the car.
The air filter was removed and cleaned.
The new oil filter. It is the same one as the one used in the 1.8 TSI.
Typical Indian jugaaad.... no proper cone used to fill engine oil but a cut-Bisleri Bottle.
My technician was a guy named Chetan. Very friendly chap and efficient too. Worked quickly to get started. I think his speed was compensated by the system in place as it took him over 25 minutes to get the oil filter issued by the spares department. I cant complain though as a big business like this has a ton of systems in place to minimise leakage and ensure no wrong parts are issued.
Turns out Chetan is a biker and was planning to ride to Leh starting in Kanyakumari sometime in November!
I wonder how as most of the roads will be closed. He himself didnt have much idea as he had booked with some sort of tour operator.
He was quite good at his job and soon was joined by another person who helped him fill engine oil.
Once this was done, they asked me to start my engine and check if everything was ok. Everything seemed fine and Sathish took me inside to get the invoice made.
And more hilarity ensued as even after waiting for 20 minutes, I didnt get a bill. Then Sathish comes to me and apologises saying that since mine is the first vRS, there is some issue in closing the job card and because of that they are unable to issue an invoice.
So, I just made the payment of Rs 2100/-, they gave me a receipt for the amount and Sathish got me a gate pass and I left.
1134/- for the oil filter itself.
The remaining amount for labour.
Quite reasonable. I had spent Rs 5568 for 6 litres of engine oil.
The service itself took 1 hour.
I was in and out of the workshop in a shade less than 2 hours.
I was quite relieved as I exited the workshop as everything had gone well and the people had been very courteous and helpful. They put up with my demands and requests and didnt say No to anything!
A special shoutout to Mr Shankara Narayan who works at TAFE. He's been with TAFE for many years and today heads their spare part department (if I've erred in his designation, I apologise!). I know he's quite senior.
He had seen the pics of my car at the workshop on some Skoda Whatsapp Groups and came to the workshop to meet me and talk to me. I really appreciated his courtesy.
He's a fellow enthusiast as well and we had an enjoyable conversation obviously revolving around cars!
At the end of this experience, what I can say is that now I have a lot of friends at TAFE who I hope will help me in the future and I hope will continue to give me this level of service.
1. Reji James - My one point of contact till now, but things will change!
2. Shankar - I hope to use his help for future services
3. Sathish - Very good Service Advisor and agreed to all my requests.
4. The mechanics - Chetan and the other guy whose name I forgot. I hope they stick around long enough for my next service!
5. Jose Thomas - Head of Sales for TAFE who has been responsive and communicative every time I've reached out to him.
I can only hope that the experience I had with TAFE is some thing every Skoda owner has. As an owner of a limited edition vRS, I do expect some special treatment and I wasn't disappointed during my service visit.
I wish TAFE all the best and hope the service continues in this vein.