[im_srini]

Hi fellow Alto-lovers (I meant that in the most nicest sense ), my car came with an Exide battery too. It lasted 4 years & I did not have any issues with it all, however I was scrupulous with my servicing schedule.

My battery finally gave out after I started switching off the engine at traffic signals. My drive to work is around 6.5 Kms, but I have to stop at 6 signals before I get there ! I guess I wasn't doing enough driving to compensate for the increased number of starts.

I think that with periodic maintenance a good battery should last 3 to 4 years, at the least. On that note, I was wondering, do you guys depend solely on the service centers for your maintenance ? Or, do you check the oil, water, battery, etc. yourselves ?

[mail4ajo]

Originally Posted by Technocrat

Yes its an Oct 2005 Alto. If my memory is correct Mine is an Exide Maintainance free. Will confirm again.

Anyways my car battery does additional job of running dual horns, 90\100 W bulbs & ICE Amplifier

Mine is a Exide normal type battery. I have noticed that new Altos come with maintenence free battery. I have powerful Roots Vibrosonic horns, 100/90W bulbs, and ICE.

Originally Posted by Ramsagar

mail4ajo & akroy...does the battery fails only for 20K...guess some thing wrong with the ALTO battery....
by the way.... can all four of us check the BRAND name of the battery used in our cars and come to conclusion....because all our cars are 2006 model except Technocrat 2005 model....correct me if i'm wrong.
hope Technocrat would be having different BRAND name....let wait.

There is still nothing wrong with the battery. Only the water goes really low. Filled 3 cells twice on 800kms of continuous running.

[PVS]

That was a nice long term ownership report Abhi!
And that's a neat excel as well showing all the trips you've done so far.
Happy driving!

[akroy]

Latest update:
ODO reads 30145

This morning took the car to Surakshha. Lokesh already kept an empty bay for me as I have already had a chat with him last night.
No change of oils but only cleaning, checking, tyre rotation, balancing, alignment.

Although brake pads were fine.
Lokesh told, "You can do still 5K to 10k kms but I will change brake pads now itself, I cannot put you into any risk in highways", I replied, "Fine as you wish"

Bill came out to Rs 2514 (Items: 1222, Labour/Service: 1292).

Car was polished excellently as always and handed to me by 1PM (I was standed there and watching the proceedings), Lokesh gave a free MGA CD/DVD holder and fix it on the sunshield.
I will upload the FE chart soon.

Abhi

MODS: Pls update the thread to 30K

[condor]

Abhi, if the pads were good for 5k to 10k, I feel you could have waited a little more- atleast till the brakes began to 'ask' for a replacement, may be even in whispered tones.

Could have been done at the 35k service - unless you planned to do an extra long run before that.

[amit_mechengg]

mine is done 33k still i am not feeling that my brakes need to be changed.

[akroy]

Originally Posted by amit_mechengg

mine is done 33k still i am not feeling that my brakes need to be changed.

Yes me too never felt any problem !! This was only a proactive measure. had I been using the car only in cities I would not have gone for the change, since it is mostly used in highways/high speeds, I decided that 30K is a decent mileage to do it.

Abhi

[akroy]

The FE chart at 30K kms
===================

[amit_mechengg]

Great! neat and proper maintained log with documentation. i am also inspired to maintain it now.

i can see that highway mileages are good. what speeds do u drive. i remember my alto has given above 20 many times on highways.(checked with tank full method)

but my city ride (pune) mileages are very poor. never above 15.

[akroy]

Originally Posted by amit_mechengg

Great! neat and proper maintained log with documentation. i am also inspired to maintain it now.

Thanks

Originally Posted by amit_mechengg

i can see that highway mileages are good. what speeds do u drive. i remember my alto has given above 20 many times on highways.(checked with tank full method)

My speeds hovers between 100-120kmph often with AC in the 4 laners and between 80-100kmph in 2 laners.

Abhi

[Technocrat]

Originally Posted by Technocrat

My car is close to 30k now, havent check the water yet, need to check that asap. Btw no issues on battery front felt so far.

Originally Posted by Technocrat

Yes its an Oct 2005 Alto. If my memory is correct Mine is an Exide Maintainance free. Will confirm again.

Btw since last two days there is slight difference in horn's sound I hope its just a tuning issue

Anyways my car battery does additional job of running dual horns, 90\100 W bulbs & ICE Amplifier

Well last week my battery sort of gave up as the car refused to start. It had given me an indication as it used to take some more time to start than usual.

I thought the battery has packed up due to high usage(see my earlier posts quoted above) & was thinking of replacing the battery, but thena friend suggested to check water & fill her up & the try.

So I popped the hood, found out that itsa blue color one & probably it aint maintainance free one(which I believe doesnt have regular knobs for chambers) & that all the chambers were completely empty & dry

Anyways filled tap water & with little or no confidence cranked the engine & voila she started in one go

Have been driving around since then & no issues faced.

[amit_mechengg]

ya the new altos dont come with maintainance free batteries. they are the blue/red ones with caps to refill. believe me these are better than the old ones.

i had the old ones fully maintainence free battery and the design and the opposite polarity is pathetic.

well good that ur car cranked with normal tap water. but to be on safer side u can go to nearby dilip car garrage and empty the water from the battery and again put the acid/distilled water.

[gpa]

ya the new altos dont come with maintainance free batteries. they are the blue/red ones with caps to refill. believe me these are better than the old ones.

Hey amit,

Am a bit confused by your post. The reason being, I bought a new Alto LXi in May this year and the battery is an Exide maintenance free one. So I suppose all new Altos do come with maintenance free batteries.

All batteries regardless of whether they are maintenance free or not need to be topped up occasionally to keep them in good health. My two earlier cars' batteries lasted for over 6 years each and they were the ones which had caps that needed to be removed and distilled water added periodically.

These are just my views. Am open to other suggestions/inputs on this.

Cheers,

gpa

[amit_mechengg]

Originally Posted by gpa

Hey amit,

Am a bit confused by your post. The reason being, I bought a new Alto LXi in May this year and the battery is an Exide maintenance free one. So I suppose all new Altos do come with maintenance free batteries.

All batteries regardless of whether they are maintenance free or not need to be topped up occasionally to keep them in good health. My two earlier cars' batteries lasted for over 6 years each and they were the ones which had caps that needed to be removed and distilled water added periodically.

These are just my views. Am open to other suggestions/inputs on this.

Cheers,

gpa

i had a read bad experience with the OE battery i.e maintainance free one. this is the 5th battery i am having on my car. had a long fight with MUL and exide. that time all the new altos (LOT) had come fitted with the new blue/red tops batteries and i received the letted from MUL that they have discontinued the maintainance free batteries with prolonged issues. so they replaced me with the new type battery.

but according to mine and many of my friends experience EXIDE is hopeless and a hyped brand.

exide maintainance freee batteries to need some top up, but amaron doesnt need it at all. i am presently having a amaron battery which will never need top-up and looking at the design itself its very clear that its very robust and better than exide.

if u want to verify this just do one thing, tighten the battery fastner bolts and see the plastic top cover buldges in concave manner and immediately the leaks start.
also the overflow/drain plug is on the side where the battery gets heated up more. the plastic is also pathetic.
i had also spoken with exide people who were refusing to change the battery. i showed this thing to their engineers and they too agreed its a fault.

they carried the same desing as of zen/wagon R and then changed the polarity. they should have also changed the drainhole and other things.

[Dry Ice]

I must say, a very well documented ownership record. I too own an Alto (Mar 2006) and there are a few things I would like to ask you,

1. According to the car's manual, the raid services are recommended at 10k KMs. From what I have been reading, you do it at 5k KMs. My question is, Is there any specific advantage of doing so? I mean, does the FE tends to decrease after say 5-6k KMs? Mine is nearing 25k, should I take it to service NOW? (Last was at 20k)
At these 5k services, what all is done? (Fluid replacements, wheel alignment, balancing etc??)

2. This is about decarbonisation. I understand you did it at about 25k. After the procedure, was there any noticeable difference in engine performance? I mean, after each service, the car as it is feels better. After the decarb work, was it even more pronounced? And finally, is it done at all the authorized service centers?

Please pardon my longish questions, but really can't think of anyone who would provide honest answers to them, other than you.