[adc]

Originally Posted by suman

Anirban, that's wonderful news & I'm so happy for you. Very very quick resolution by Tata Motors, way to go

Thanks very much Suman-da. Absolutely lightning fast resolution of the issue.

Now that under much less stress and having seen those hellas fixed to bumper/grill itself, and thats exactly what I had in mind - whether auxillary lights could be fixed without having to install a bullbar or bracket.

Originally Posted by MileCruncher

Hey adc,

Really sorry to hear what happened. But all's well that ends well.

Cheers

MC, yes things are smooth now. And sorry to see and read about the chassis damage, and definitely the brake problem would be resolved now.



Well had a visit to the TASC, though it looked small that Sunday, it does have have multiple sheds one behind one, like the length of the workshop much bigger than width, to classify it will be as a medium-sized authorized centre.

Everyone had read the mail, from the service manager to the owner/GM of this TASC out here [the mail was forwarded to them]. There was good brief talk with both of them, about the contents of mail, my viewpoint and theirs like they did not mean to scare about the EW just wanted the documents and I telling them that they way they asked talked to me on the phone - it will create panic when "service history is not okay" word is said. Plus when they said like "Engine noise" was written on the job card at KB, which was actually the front wheel bearing noise - which puts onus on me that I had taken the delivery of vehicle inspite of engine noise being there - or how I got the feeling like they were beating around the bush about the approximate billing that comes on the customer if on EW even after 2 days.

Sunday and Monday actually was no tension for me, it was on Tuesday when they said those things, that I had myself on the edge. One thing however they assured clearly that though wordings of the booklet may look vague to a customer, Tata Motors does support fully just like in primary warranty. And that was good to know. EW is valuable and is worth it, and TM does honour EW fully.


Anyway it was, as said, a good brief talk, very polite and sometimes with zest, nothing argumentative even.


Till then other than 10 mts that I spent with the owner/GM on Monday, the subsequent conversations were on the phone with him and service head [who I had not met before today]. So this was like the first meeting for quite sometime, particularly with the service head.

The service head was a senior guy [more seemed like and old school guy] and had been with automobiles for long. He took me to the shed where the VTT has been kept. It had been kept in an exclusive enclosure [like a triangular covered enclosure within the shed] and the doors had DICOR written - it seemed that long-term Dicors are kept over there.

All of the engine and the all that is there under hoood is now out and laid down neatly - from the radiators to turbo to battery - everything kept orderly at one side. The inside of the Dicor all has been covered with plastic, the seats and the steering wheel and dashboard, so that no stains go over there. Impressive.

This exploded view enabled me to have a first hand look into each and every part of the 35k km engine - absolutely clean with zero sludge.

The service manager himself reaffirmed said it was like still new. Only the clutch plate is like iffy but still life is left but then that is what I expected have had clutch slippages in forests and steep hill roads.


This only strengthened my own belief [absolutely my own] that just mineral oil with a regular oil change at around 5-6 k km is enough to maintain a engine at a reasonable price. Never doubt a synthetic oil effectiveness but price for me is too high - Safari needs 7.5L of oil.

Well they are waiting for the engine to arrive. On preliminary visit today I would be confident on them, the service manager was knowledgable and one service technician who talked also was saying clearly whatever question I had.

Again, the best what I liked was the way they had neatly placed each and every part, and they way they had covered inside the cabin so that dirt and grease dont get over there.

Let them work now, I am much more at ease. Wont be visiting or calling everyday, let them work - will give them that space. Things are and should remain smooth from now.

[4x4addict]

@ADC. Since the engine number is usually stamped on the engine block, will the new engine number have to be updated on your RC book or will the engine number remain the same?

[kingshukt]

Originally Posted by 4x4addict

@ADC. Since the engine number is usually stamped on the engine block, will the new engine number have to be updated on your RC book or will the engine number remain the same?

From what I have understood from TASS at Pune, the defective engine is sent back to TML and a new engine with the same No is fitted in its place. In Pune the old / defective engine is 1st sent across to TML and then a new engine is sent across from TML.

Now Kolkata is a different ball game considering the distance.

ADC can update us on this matter .

EDIT: If they are changing the full engine why have they dismantled the existing engine? Was it for the TML guys to check the status before taking the "engine change" decision .

[MileCruncher]

Originally Posted by 4x4addict

@ADC. Since the engine number is usually stamped on the engine block, will the new engine number have to be updated on your RC book or will the engine number remain the same?

The new engine/chassis will be stamped with the same number and the old engine / chassis will get the number removed from them. But the engine block will have to be sent by the TASS/TASC to the plant/main service depot.

[adc]

Originally Posted by 4x4addict

@ADC. Since the engine number is usually stamped on the engine block, will the new engine number have to be updated on your RC book or will the engine number remain the same?

Originally Posted by kingshukt

From what I have understood from TASS at Pune, the defective engine is sent back to TML and a new engine with the same No is fitted in its place. In Pune the old / defective engine is 1st sent across to TML and then a new engine is sent across from TML. Now Kolkata is a different ball game considering the distance

Asked that specifically and this is exactly that they are doing -->>

Originally Posted by MileCruncher

The new engine/chassis will be stamped with the same number and the old engine / chassis will get the number removed from them. But the engine block will have to be sent by the TASS/TASC to the plant/main service depot.

Originally Posted by kingshukt

EDIT: If they are changing the full engine why have they dismantled the existing engine? Was it for the TML guys to check the status before taking the "engine change" decision .

The return message from TM was "we will investigate and revert" So they did exactly that the whole of Wednesday.

On Wednesday the technical team from TM was there till late evening and made a decision out there itself. The engine had been disassembled in those 2 days, Monday and Tuesday by TASC, and TM technical gave the go ahead for complete change of engine and not just machine parts or the bearings.

As this TASC said on the first day itself, the engine was being chocked slowly from the KB service itself, the oil was still green like new, which should have been black if it had been circulating thoroughly - so the ultimate damage when it seized must have been significant.

[sen2009]

Good that the Engine number won't change. Else it would have been a real grind explaining the thing to RTO people for getting RC book endorsement.

When are we expecting the TMT back on road... any word on that ADC?

[kingshukt]

Originally Posted by sbhaduri

I have taken delivery of my car yesterday evening and have driven 100kms in the last 12 hours.

Shantanu

Now that ADC's matter is being resolved to satisfaction (It is ADC's thread after all ), let me congratulate you on your new steed.

Please inform the colour, post the photographs and start a new thread in "test-drives-initial-ownership-reports" section.

Make your road now.

[adc]

Originally Posted by sen2009

When are we expecting the TMT back on road... any word on that ADC?

In 12 days around, lets say by 28 Nov, Saturday, the last workday for the week - other than the engine, both rear bushes of the engine has to be seen and checked.

Originally Posted by kingshukt

Please inform the colour, post the photographs and start a new thread in "test-drives-initial-ownership-reports" section.

Make your road now.

Absolutely, but being a weekend with a new Safari, you have to excuse him - some good driving has already been done in the first 12 hours!

[jaysmokesleaves]

Adc, I just read through your saga. From personal experience I can vouch for their customer care and say this much; It does take time for TML to provide the necessary support, but trust me, if you are patient and approach them correctly(like you have), then your problem will certainly be solved.
For me it is heartening to hear that they do provide a similar level of support on extended warranty. As I have said on many earlier occassions, The dealers & the service let TML down most of the time. However, if anything works out there, its their Customer care.

Do be a little patient but dont become one.
Goodluck.

[vijaythacker]

Originally Posted by jaysmokesleaves

Adc, I just read through your saga. From personal experience I can vouch for their customer care and say this much; It does take time for TML to provide the necessary support, but trust me, if you are patient and approach them correctly(like you have), then your problem will certainly be solved.
For me it is heartening to hear that they do provide a similar level of support on extended warranty. As I have said on many earlier occassions, The dealers & the service let TML down most of the time. However, if anything works out there, its their Customer care.

Do be a little patient but dont become one.
Goodluck.

absolutely, but then routine occassions one does tend to loose confidence on Tata itself as the way dealers behave and respond to customers after selling their car, on which whole blame goes to Tata not to rectify that.
On the good note, one thing is surely learned, having patience, having all records of your ownership of tata vehicles is needed, also better to service through authorised station too, which does makes things easy.
sorry for a bit OT.

[sdp1975]

adc ,I guess the new engine has to go through the usual running in again ? How long is the running in period for the Safari ?

[adc]

Originally Posted by jaysmokesleaves

As I have said on many earlier occassions, The dealers & the service let TML down most of the time.

Originally Posted by vijaythacker

absolutely, but then routine occassions one does tend to loose confidence on Tata itself as the way dealers behave and respond to customers after selling their car, on which whole blame goes to Tata not to rectify that

One thing like I am concluding that smaller service stations [Solan and Patna for me] and may be the right TASC centre in a city the response and sometimes the diagnoses are better. Dealer workshops [TASS] have huge pressure [not an excuse] and enough levels of hierarchy, sometimes even there are two levels of service advisors!

Smaller centres and in a TASC the workshop manager is the one point man and he [has to] has tab on all what is going on.

Beyond the stormy Wednesday, I am finding this TASC as better and equiped as a TASS - owner himself is the GM and for service clarification here there is only person we go to - the service manager - a veteran from Tata Mercedes days.

Most probably post this incident, will stick to this TASC here!

Originally Posted by sdp1975

adc ,I guess the new engine has to go through the usual running in again ? How long is the running in period for the Safari ?

The last engine [the defunct one now] came with around 117 km in the odo including taking the 20 km from yard[VTT stayed at yard for around 2 hrs only] to the showroom. I reasoned it like it must have been tested well enough in the factory to have that high odo - after all it was the first lot of VTTs going out and TM was serious about the 2.2. Next day though wanted to control speed [on durgapur expressway it was tough with new Safari], this engine was at 70-100 kph for long duration for around 5 hours before we stopped for the day on way to Siliguri and the first oil was changed while coming back from Siliguri. So this was not run-in exactly by the book but gave its best.

This, if fitted, since no long distance run is planned, right now - the run-in will be city and short distance highways - more according to the book - so that the engine is completely free by Arunachal trip - important will be to time the first oil change that removes debris before the long trip.

[drrajasaravanan]

A very inspiring and awesome review of the beast. A few of my associates claimed that any car you buy from TATA you would end up sending it back after 45000 kms. Thats the max life for them. Except for Safari which they claim is even less. How i would love to refer your review to them and watch them squirm. The point is too many people who dont own a safari or cant own them keep complaining. Its so sad. Once again your review was very inspiring.

[bj96]

Originally Posted by drrajasaravanan

The point is too many people who dont own a safari or cant own them keep complaining. Its so sad.

Grapes are sour Don't listen to them. Take test drive and read owners' report. Safari, in its segment, is best VFM that we have in our market till date. Period.

Sorry for going

-BJ

[adc]

Got a call that the complete engine assembly and turbo is being changed and is being procured from Pune. So basically through where the contaminated oil had gone, is being replaced.

Should be getting back the VTT by next week as per the workshop manager.