Indica Turbo DLS (10k)

deep_bang · 2nd February 2008, 12:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrueDreamer

Good write up. Did you buy the extra spare tire ? If yes what brand at what cost ?

I havent yet bought it. It does have a small crack on the side wall. One guy from Bridgestone who inspected said it is a tear only on the outer surface and can be used unless the tear increases. I dont want to use it, so using it as a spare tyre. My main use is in City and my plan is, if i ever have to use the spare tyre, i would be very careful and slow.

PS: I used a Santro for 25k kms and my bike has done 35k and neither have had a single flat tyre. Thats why i feel chances of using the spare tyre is really less in this modern age (and may be also related to my driving style).

snaronikar · 2nd February 2008, 15:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by deep_bang

PS: I used a Santro for 25k kms and my bike has done 35k and neither have had a single flat tyre. Thats why i feel chances of using the spare tyre is really less in this modern age (and may be also related to my driving style).

Don't take chances. Get it replaced/rectified as soon as possible. You never know when you will need the spare tyre.

deep_bang · 16th February 2008, 22:33

hi all,
The car completed the third service at 15.5k km. Nothing much done. Oil top up, coolant top up were the only things apart from cleaning. Prerana motors seems to be doing good till this point.

Since the car had 2 rim bends some time back, and i had done wheel alignment recently, i asked them not to do anything with the wheels.

Mods: Can you please change the thread title to "Indica Turbo DLS - 15k"?

trrk · 16th February 2008, 23:13

hi deep_bang,

> Oil top up, coolant top up were the only things apart from cleaning. Prerana

What is the oil change interval for your vehicle as per your service booklet?

deep_bang · 17th February 2008, 07:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by trrk

hi deep_bang,

> Oil top up, coolant top up were the only things apart from cleaning. Prerana

What is the oil change interval for your vehicle as per your service booklet?

Its every 10,000 kms or 6 months. It has been about 5 months since last service. Here is the tricky part. The car will not be running much (may be once in 15 days - very low usage) for about 8 to 10 months as i am relocating out of India. If i do get the oil changed, it would not be used much anyway and once i come back, i will have to change it again. Hence, i decided to not change the oil now.
Any thoughts? Did i make a mistake?

trrk · 18th February 2008, 22:33

Hi deep_bang,

> Its every 10,000 kms or 6 months.

Thanks.

> Hence, i decided to not change the oil now. Any thoughts? Did i make a
> mistake?

If you break the time schedule, the warranty may not be honoured, that's all! If it is out of warranty, go ahead.

deep_bang · 30th December 2010, 07:12

hi all,
Long time since i updated this thread and so here is an update:

The car has completed 45k in years now. The ownership costs are:
Total Maintenance expenses 26911.00
Average Diesel price 37.44
Total Liters filled 2724.94
Fuel expense/km 2.31
Overall expense/km 2.92
Maintenance exp per km 0.61
Average Km per day 18.82
Overall expense 129406.57

The maintainance is around 60 Paise per km, but this is right after the 45k service. I expect this to hover around 55 paise mark unless there are major issues.

The maintainance includes service as well as spares like replaced mirrors, Wheel bend removals, puncture repairs etc.

Coming to the major problem areas:
1. Alternator serviced around 30k. The typical symptoms included bright headlights once a while, rpm changing suddenly for no reason. The service was done at TVS Lucas center in Bommanahalli (Bangalore) with a 1 year warranty on the repairs.

2. Tyres: The car's tyres are severly under-tired. For the heavy 1.4 L diesel engine, the 13 inch 165/65 does not work well. Almost on every long drive i have had a rim-bend which needs to be straightned. In the long term, this also means that all those places that have been straightned on the rim, tend to rust as the paint would have scraped off while removing the bend (even if bend removal was done on a machine).

3. Suspension Ball joint (LH) was replaced at 45K, although i started noticing a clunk around 40K mark when going over a pothole during a turning.

4. Lastly I have been overall satisfied with Tata Service, except for their billing charges. The problem is that they go on suggesting unnecessary changes - which may be preventive, but i think what tata suggests is an overkill that one has to carefully watch out for always.

Note that i have been giving the car for servicing every 10k against the 5k that Tata suggests. I think Servicing every 5K is again an overkill (There is no specific engine oil change or any other replacement for a 5K service as per the user manual).

With the car having completed the 45k major service, i am planning to get the next ones done outside of tata from now on. So, it would be great if others comment on if this is a good idea, and if yes, would the local mechanic be able to get all the spares for such jobs?

For example, if the suspension has a problem, would he be able to source the part or would i be left with a substandard (local) part?

deep_bang · 29th April 2011, 11:25

New report at 50k kms.

The car did 50k, and is yet to get serviced. Will report that next time. However, the car has been doing good till date.

One significant thing happenned last week. As i was driving to my office, and i was actually inside my office campus, and i suddenly realise that as i pressed the clutch, it just went in without any resistance at all. I was shocked, and tried to press it again, but there was no resistance at all. Fortunately, i was going pretty slow, and there was not much traffic. I drove towards the kerb, and forced the gear to neutral without depressing the clutch (which obviously i could not do).

Next, i called KHT helpline, which was a few kms from my office, and they sent a helpline (a tata estate type of truck). What i was impressed is that they came with all the tools, the mechanic was uniformed, he removed the old cable and put the new one in 20 minutes flat. The experience was pretty good, and in spite of the bad incident, i felt the breakdown service was really good!

The charge was Rs 350 for roadside assistance, plus the labour charges are higher than normal. Overall, satisfied! But then has anyone got their clutch cables cut anytime? is it not a part that has any replacement interval?

deep_bang · 7th September 2011, 22:46

Well. More problem at 55k.
The pressure plate in the clutch assembly failed. Usage wise the clutch was completely depressed even normally. I initially thought it was the clutch cable but on further diagnosis found that the cable was fine. So the mechanic said the pressure plate is busted but the whole clutch needs to be changed.

Changed the clutch, engine oil, diesel filter, gear oil. Car is as good as new.

Now one question. Is is possible that the clutch could have been repaired? Did my mechanic diagnose it correctly?

16th February 2008, 22:33	#18
deep_bang BHPian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Bangalore / Boise Posts: 888 Thanked: 1,272 Times	15.5 k service hi all, The car completed the third service at 15.5k km. Nothing much done. Oil top up, coolant top up were the only things apart from cleaning. Prerana motors seems to be doing good till this point. Since the car had 2 rim bends some time back, and i had done wheel alignment recently, i asked them not to do anything with the wheels. Mods: Can you please change the thread title to "Indica Turbo DLS - 15k"?
	() Thanks

16th February 2008, 23:13	#19
trrk Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Alleppey, Kerala Posts: 2,114 Thanked: 34 Times View My Garage	hi deep_bang, > Oil top up, coolant top up were the only things apart from cleaning. Prerana What is the oil change interval for your vehicle as per your service booklet?
	() Thanks

18th February 2008, 22:33	#21
trrk Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Alleppey, Kerala Posts: 2,114 Thanked: 34 Times View My Garage	Hi deep_bang, > Its every 10,000 kms or 6 months. Thanks. > Hence, i decided to not change the oil now. Any thoughts? Did i make a > mistake? If you break the time schedule, the warranty may not be honoured, that's all! If it is out of warranty, go ahead.
	() Thanks

30th December 2010, 07:12	#22
deep_bang BHPian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Bangalore / Boise Posts: 888 Thanked: 1,272 Times	Re: Indica Turbo DLS (10k) hi all, Long time since i updated this thread and so here is an update: The car has completed 45k in years now. The ownership costs are: Total Maintenance expenses 26911.00 Average Diesel price 37.44 Total Liters filled 2724.94 Fuel expense/km 2.31 Overall expense/km 2.92 Maintenance exp per km 0.61 Average Km per day 18.82 Overall expense 129406.57 The maintainance is around 60 Paise per km, but this is right after the 45k service. I expect this to hover around 55 paise mark unless there are major issues. The maintainance includes service as well as spares like replaced mirrors, Wheel bend removals, puncture repairs etc. Coming to the major problem areas: 1. Alternator serviced around 30k. The typical symptoms included bright headlights once a while, rpm changing suddenly for no reason. The service was done at TVS Lucas center in Bommanahalli (Bangalore) with a 1 year warranty on the repairs. 2. Tyres: The car's tyres are severly under-tired. For the heavy 1.4 L diesel engine, the 13 inch 165/65 does not work well. Almost on every long drive i have had a rim-bend which needs to be straightned. In the long term, this also means that all those places that have been straightned on the rim, tend to rust as the paint would have scraped off while removing the bend (even if bend removal was done on a machine). 3. Suspension Ball joint (LH) was replaced at 45K, although i started noticing a clunk around 40K mark when going over a pothole during a turning. 4. Lastly I have been overall satisfied with Tata Service, except for their billing charges. The problem is that they go on suggesting unnecessary changes - which may be preventive, but i think what tata suggests is an overkill that one has to carefully watch out for always. Note that i have been giving the car for servicing every 10k against the 5k that Tata suggests. I think Servicing every 5K is again an overkill (There is no specific engine oil change or any other replacement for a 5K service as per the user manual). With the car having completed the 45k major service, i am planning to get the next ones done outside of tata from now on. So, it would be great if others comment on if this is a good idea, and if yes, would the local mechanic be able to get all the spares for such jobs? For example, if the suspension has a problem, would he be able to source the part or would i be left with a substandard (local) part? Last edited by deep_bang : 30th December 2010 at 07:14.
	() Thanks

29th April 2011, 11:25	#23
deep_bang BHPian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Bangalore / Boise Posts: 888 Thanked: 1,272 Times	Re: Indica Turbo DLS (10k) New report at 50k kms. The car did 50k, and is yet to get serviced. Will report that next time. However, the car has been doing good till date. One significant thing happenned last week. As i was driving to my office, and i was actually inside my office campus, and i suddenly realise that as i pressed the clutch, it just went in without any resistance at all. I was shocked, and tried to press it again, but there was no resistance at all. Fortunately, i was going pretty slow, and there was not much traffic. I drove towards the kerb, and forced the gear to neutral without depressing the clutch (which obviously i could not do). Next, i called KHT helpline, which was a few kms from my office, and they sent a helpline (a tata estate type of truck). What i was impressed is that they came with all the tools, the mechanic was uniformed, he removed the old cable and put the new one in 20 minutes flat. The experience was pretty good, and in spite of the bad incident, i felt the breakdown service was really good! The charge was Rs 350 for roadside assistance, plus the labour charges are higher than normal. Overall, satisfied! But then has anyone got their clutch cables cut anytime? is it not a part that has any replacement interval?
	() Thanks

7th September 2011, 22:46	#24
deep_bang BHPian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Bangalore / Boise Posts: 888 Thanked: 1,272 Times	Well. More problem at 55k. The pressure plate in the clutch assembly failed. Usage wise the clutch was completely depressed even normally. I initially thought it was the clutch cable but on further diagnosis found that the cable was fine. So the mechanic said the pressure plate is busted but the whole clutch needs to be changed. Changed the clutch, engine oil, diesel filter, gear oil. Car is as good as new. Now one question. Is is possible that the clutch could have been repaired? Did my mechanic diagnose it correctly?
	() Thanks