[greenhorn]

Originally Posted by BLACK1

Dear greenhorn,
The rotor was found to be in perfect condition and only recaliberation was done along with a change of some seals. The interesting part is that the tass only charged Rs.2000 for the same.

For just a recalibration, it seems to be fine. even i had a recalibration done a few years ago, cost 2.2k

Originally Posted by Jack Sparrow

Hi Greenhorn,
I'm writing this in behalf of my friend who owns a Indica DLG Turbo clocked around 23K kms.

Last saturday, his vehicle stalled and was eventually towed by Concorde motors.
The SA at Concorde now says that there is a problem with the alternator motor and needs to be serviced for which he is quoting Rs 4250+ taxes. Says he needs to send it to a Lucas TVS workshop.

Is the cost for servicing the alternator that much or is it worth replacing the entire unit? Request you to provide the cost for a new motor or the service cost for it. Can this be handled outside of the service center? Thx for your help.

Rgds,
Karthik

An alternator costs a bit more - around 9k, and the indica turbo uses mostly indigo parts, so might be a bit more.
Ovehaul is the obvious choice
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/.../message/31437
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/.../message/29107
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/.../message/31410
a few older bills for reference. But since the car is dead, and its already at a TASC, getting it to another location might present some logistics issues. Seems a bit inflated, but reasonable, especially if you consider the cost of towing it to another workshop, and in my experience, TASC estimates tend to be a bit worst case, so hopefully it wont be too much.

Next time, if you actually have a choice, a MyTVS workshop near your place would be worth a shot

[Jack Sparrow]

Originally Posted by greenhorn

An alternator costs a bit more - around 9k, and the indica turbo uses mostly indigo parts, so might be a bit more......................Next time, if you actually have a choice, a MyTVS workshop near your place would be worth a shot

Thx for the reply Greenhorn.
The hassle of moving the vehicle from Concorde to another SC and the cost associated will equate to the servicing cost of the alternator..
Would have been ok if they had quoted around 2.5K+, but the costs looks inflated.
Going by your experience, I will ask him to do the servicing through Concorde. My next bet would be MYTVS service shop. Thx again.....

[AutoIndian]

Originally Posted by Jack Sparrow

Last saturday, his vehicle stalled and was eventually towed by Concorde motors.
The SA at Concorde now says that there is a problem with the alternator motor and needs to be serviced for which he is quoting Rs 4250+ taxes. Says he needs to send it to a Lucas TVS workshop.

When you are saying that the car stalled & had to be towed, I am assuming that when it stopped, it would not restart. This could mean a very weak battery or some issues with the starter motor. An alternator would not fail all of a sudden. Didn't your friend get some obvious warnings (like the battery indicator on the dash lighting up, indicating that the alternator is not charging the battery etc)? Off late was he experiencing trouble while starting his car?

Is the cost for servicing the alternator that much or is it worth replacing the entire unit? Request you to provide the cost for a new motor or the service cost for it. Can this be handled outside of the service center? Thx for your help.

Yes an alternator overhaul could easily cost between 3.5K to 4K if done directly at a Lucas TVS centre. Now that the TASC is going to send it to Lucas would mean that they would add their mark up. Not sure how much a new alternator would cost, but it would definitely be on the north of INR 10K. I had recently done my alternator overhauling at the 120K service at Lucas TVS centre directly, it costed me INR 3.5K. You can get all the necessary part & labor break-up details in message # 193 in my ownership thread over here ---> http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-t...ml#post2980219

[Jack Sparrow]

Originally Posted by AutoIndian

When you are saying that the car stalled & had to be towed, I am assuming that when it stopped, it would not restart. This could mean a very weak battery or some issues with the starter motor. An alternator would not fail all of a sudden. Didn't your friend get some obvious warnings (like the battery indicator on the dash lighting up, indicating that the alternator is not charging the battery etc)? Off late was he experiencing trouble while starting his car?

Spot on AutoIndian. He did complain to me about the battery light indicator in the dash and it going off after driving for 10 - 15 mins(this was 20 - 25 days before). He neglected/rather did not have time to look into it and vehicle stalled after he had a small stop and go. Said he was able to hear the tak tak noise when he tried to crank after it stalled but did not experience any starting trouble until his car broke down. The SA confirmed that the Alternator needs to be serviced.

Originally Posted by AutoIndian

Yes an alternator overhaul could easily cost between 3.5K to 4K if done directly at a Lucas TVS centre. Now that the TASC is going to send it to Lucas would mean that they would add their mark up. Not sure how much a new alternator would cost, but it would definitely be on the north of INR 10K. I had recently done my alternator overhauling at the 120K service at Lucas TVS centre directly, it costed me INR 3.5K. You can get all the necessary part & labor break-up details in message # 193 in my ownership thread over here ---> http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-t...ml#post2980219

Thx for yours and Greenhorn's ownership reviews! I found this info after posting the query in his thread. Got a guesstimate from your link and Greenhorn also confirmed the same. Thanks again guys. Your posts have been very helpful.

Best Rgds,
Karthik

[greenhorn]

There was almost nothing wrong with my car. You could have figured it from the way I had stopped whining about it here. It was almost as if I had found life beyond running around getting my car fixed. I had it all. And then I had to go and give my car to a TASC.

Day 0:
List of issues
1. Blower not working at speed 1: Fix resistor
2. cabin light not coming on when doors opened : Replace controller/Relay
3. Brakes a bit week: check
4. Power Steering a bit hard, leak in hose: Fix leaks

Estimate: 4K. Pleasantly suprised and went to work

Day 1:
Service advisor calls up: Saar, this is gone, that is gone, blah, blah.... estimate 13K.
Me: will it fix everything?
SA: Actually the steering pump/box seems to be shot, thats another 4/10k, you can do that later, and the chassis mounts for the engine has begun to rust, but this 13K will fix your problems for now
Me: fine, do it
SA: Sir it will take some more time
Me: fine

Day4:

go collect the car. As usual, they've forgotten some odds and ends. The Brake fluid cap is still open. Rear wash is not hooked up. Horn switch was loose. Tell them to get it all fixed. Almost done when I remember to try out the brakes

And the car lurches DIAGONALLY. I'm still not sure what happened. I go around pressing the suspension, and it seems the rear left shock is shot. I raise a huge fuss and tell them this issue wasnt there, that they need to fix it. Forget the fact that this problem wasnt there when i give the car for service. I'll pay the 2k for the strut.

They put the new strut in. And it STILL lurches. They tell me ALL the struts need to changed. Another 9K. And they dont have the parts in stock.

I give up and ask them to put the old strut back, and take delivery. I'll get it sorted out outside.

And 12.5K for the privilege of letting them screw up my low speed handling.

[greenhorn]

Got my front subframe/chassis replaced because the old section had rusted out. Got it done at ignite. cost around 10K parts and 15K labour. Bill scan coming up soon!

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by greenhorn

Got my front subframe/chassis replaced because the old section had rusted out. Got it done at ignite. cost around 10K parts and 15K labour. Bill scan coming up soon!

What does Tata guys have to say about this?

Rust on the Chassis and subframe is ridiculous . I hope they know what they are up to and hope they know the weather condition in India.

Any discount any thing from Tata?

Anurag.

[greenhorn]

It's a 6 year old car, and both standard and extended warranty has run out. they had given me a bigger estimate
Tata wouldnt honour its own warranty when it was valid, and I had to run around from pillar to post to get 2K reimbursed from my FIP overhaul, so don't want to waste my time

[AutoIndian]

Originally Posted by greenhorn

Got my front subframe/chassis replaced because the old section had rusted out. Got it done at ignite. cost around 10K parts and 15K labour. Bill scan coming up soon!

Chasis rusting at such a premature age seems a bit abnormal. Was your car subjected to prolonged water exposure? Also what were the symptoms? How was it identified that the chasis has rusted?

My car is 9 years & 2 months old, but there are no apparent signs of any rusting (touchwood). Heck even the paint surface has no rust spots (car is always in covered parking either at home or office, that definitely might have helped)

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by greenhorn

It's a 6 year old car, and both standard and extended warranty has run out. they had given me a bigger estimate

Tata!

Buddy 6 years is not a long time for a car to undergo such a replacement.

Originally Posted by greenhorn

Tata wouldnt honour its own warranty when it was valid, and I had to run around from pillar to post to get 2K reimbursed from my FIP overhaul, so don't want to waste my time

Tata

Guys at Tata won't improve and just make cars that last long and make customers happy. This is definitely their build quality issues and may be no rust protection or such was done properly.

Can you post the pictures of the old chassis and the new one? Rust points and how was it identified?!

Anurag.

[greenhorn]

Originally Posted by AutoIndian

Chasis rusting at such a premature age seems a bit abnormal. Was your car subjected to prolonged water exposure? Also what were the symptoms? How was it identified that the chasis has rusted?

Originally Posted by a4anurag

Tata!

Buddy 6 years is not a long time for a car to undergo such a replacement.

Tata

Guys at Tata won't improve and just make cars that last long and make customers happy. This is definitely their build quality issues and may be no rust protection or such was done properly.

Can you post the pictures of the old chassis and the new one? Rust points and how was it identified?!

Anurag.

My car was parked on the college lawn for a year and a half during 2011-12, out in the open. Thats the only time I can think of. else it was always in covered parking at home/office.

I Had anti rust treatment done, in 2007 when I bought the car, and in 2012, after the full body repaint. The guy who did the anti rust told me (later) that this treatment is not done for the chassis, as the mfr has already done it.

So much for that.
How did we diagnose it? I was told by three different sources - TASC, Local workshop and ignite that it was not good to be driving around with this much rust. See for yourself




If you say this is premature, I have no idea what could have caused it.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by greenhorn

I Had anti rust treatment done, in 2007 when I bought the car, and in 2012, after the full body repaint. The guy who did the anti rust told me (later) that this treatment is not done for the chassis, as the mfr has already done it.

If you say this is premature, I have no idea what could have caused it.

That's bad buddy. Not good at all.

The guy who did the treatment to the assumed that Tata would have done the anti-rusty treatment?! From manufacturers point they should have done it. Moreover sad it is to see your loved possession in such a condition. Hurts.

Anurag.

[AutoIndian]

Originally Posted by greenhorn

My car was parked on the college lawn for a year and a half during 2011-12, out in the open. Thats the only time I can think of. else it was always in covered parking at home/office.

There you go. 18 months in the open, car silently car facing the vagaries of nature, is a sure shot recipe for such a kind of disaster. No amount of anti-rust or any other treatment would have helped in this case. You would have been better-off to dispose your car, rather than just letting it stand there out in the open for such a long duration.

So much for that.
How did we diagnose it? I was told by three different sources - TASC, Local workshop and ignite that it was not good to be driving around with this much rust. See for yourself. If you say this is premature, I have no idea what could have caused it.

Very true. What you can see in the pictures is superficial. How much it has gone inside, only a cross section of the frame can tell. No point in spending 25K to replace it. Sell it off without second thoughts.

[tacho9000]

greenhorn that damage looks just terrible. As Autoindian said you should've disposed it off but being the first car I know it is extremely difficult to dispose off the indica. Good thing is you got the subframe changed but additionally keep an eye on the door sills,doors, rear bumper and front crossframe on which radiator sits as these are some of the known spots for rusting. Have seen lots of indica here in Kolkata which have got rusted badly at these points but still are running. God knows when they'll breakdown in the middle of the road. Please do keep these points in mind brother.

Cheers,
Subhra

[greenhorn]

PFA the bill.
Yep, didn't want to dispose of the car right away, so coughed up for some more repairs