[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by fighterace

That seems to be a great price. Can you please tell where you bought it from?

I don't remember the exact address, but it was 2 shops away from this place.

[fighterace]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

I don't remember the exact address, but it was 2 shops away from this place.

Did you drive a hard bargain? Or did you go through a reference? I have to buy a battery for my Zen, looking for options.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by fighterace

Did you drive a hard bargain? Or did you go through a reference?

Just walk in and check the prices he offers.

[predatorwheelz]

Originally Posted by fighterace

Did you drive a hard bargain? Or did you go through a reference? I have to buy a battery for my Zen, looking for options.

Or visit www.Batterybhai.com:)

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by predatorwheelz

Or visit www.Batterybhai.com:)

The price difference is substantial: http://www.batterybhai.com/car-batte...R/190/2/1/80/1

[fighterace]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

The price difference is substantial: http://www.batterybhai.com/car-batte...R/190/2/1/80/1

Can you PM me his phone number?

[SS-Traveller]

^^^ Sorry, don't have an address / phone number.

[SS-Traveller]

121,739 km

It had been almost a year that I had not taken the Hawk-On-Fours® to the authorized service station. I had been running on Shell Helix Ultra for over 15,000 km, and the other oils (gearbox, differentials) needed change too. Plus a detailed check of the underbody, suspension and transmission were in order - something that I can't do any more by crawling under the car.

Found some time last Monday (23 March) to take the car to Koncept's authorized service station at Okhla. The oils and the engine oil filter were changed, and the car washed. The SA kept insisting that I replace a lot of things - the 'jumping rod' (anti-roll bar) bushes front and rear, brake pads, fan belt, idler pulleys. I was also advised to change the front left drive shaft and both front shock absorbers.

I finally agreed to have only the front anti-roll bar bushes changed, and got an unpleasant surprise for just this one item of extra work. The bushes cost Rs.147.xx for the pair - but Koncept levied a whopping Rs.400 as labour charge to undo exactly 7 bolts, put in the bushes, and tighten the bolts back again.

The lower bushes of the front shock absorbers had worn out as well, and here again, M&M / Koncept's solution is to replace the whole shock absorber. I had faced this problem earlier too, and had found that the Premier / Fiat front shock absorber bushes were a perfect fit. Let it be, I said. I'll have it fixed later on from my FNG.

The front left drive shaft had a cracked boot, with traces of oil and grease on it. Replacing the boot is the logical thing to do, right? Not according to Koncept. They don't replace such mundane stuff as boots and bushes - I suppose it is below their dignity to do so. I was advised to continue using the shaft until it wears out, and then the whole shaft needs to be replaced for a whopping Rs.14,000 or so.

Koncept used to serve complimentary packed lunch to owners who waited at the workshop to get their work done. This time around, they had discontinued the practice. Could I get lunch if I paid for it? Sorry, Sir, we can't arrange for it at all. Unfortunately, being in the middle of an industrial area, there are no decent eateries nearby, so I had to make do with chhole (a north Indian semi-dry rich & spicy chick pea curry) & kulche (an Indian flatbread where the leavening agent used is either baking soda or baking powder instead of yeast) washed down with a bottle of Coke - not my usual lunch diet.

When the bill arrived, there was another surprise attached to it - an additional amount of Rs.52.xx plus taxes, for a disposable cover!
- What is this for?
- Sir that is for the cover that is used to keep your seat clean.
- Isn't it part of the service cost that I pay?
- No Sir, it is company policy.
The total bill worked out to Rs.8657.

Be glad that your dentist does not bill you separately for the disposable gloves, mask, syringes & needles and a whole host of other disposable stuff that is used for your treatment. And on my part, I am glad that they did not bill me separately for the number of litres of water they used to wash my car!

Coming up - the rest of the repairs at my FNG.

[SS-Traveller]

121,926 km

India was playing Australia yesterday, and Delhi was practically on holiday. My FNG did not have any work, and was glad to focus his entire effort and attention towards the Hawk-On-Fours®. The left wheel needed to be opened up and the drive shaft had to come out. Also, the lower arm ball joint had its boot ruptured for some months now, and needed replacement.

Here's what happened:

Out came the auto-locking hub. This got its scheduled dose of grease, which Koncept ASS charges Rs.1000 for, as labour. Both sides were greased. Charge: nothing extra.

The suspension buffers / bump stops were cracked, and were replaced. Cost of parts: Rs.280.

The left lower arm ball joint had a cracked boot and was worn out. This was replaced. Cost of part: Rs.350.

The drive shaft with its leaking boot. Cost of boot replacement (at a specialist who repairs and refurbishes axles and drive shafts only): Rs.800.

The brake pads were replaced, with TVS pads. Cost of a set: Rs.1190. The last time I had the pads replaced (same part - not M&M OE - replaced at FNG), was at ~53,000 km (because the OE pads started squealing despite having enough material on them). The set being replaced had lasted almost 69,000 km. Remember what I'd said earlier ?

The front shock absorber lower bushes were replaced on both sides. Cost of parts: Rs.40.

Total labour charges: Rs.800.

Mighty good lunch at a dhaba nearby: Rs.40



Tea (4-5 times): Complimentary.

A total expense of Rs.3500, which was utterly value for money. I shudder to even consider the expense that Koncept ASS would have made me incur in case I wanted to have these issues attended to there. (Oh yes, they do have complimentary tea/coffee at the ASS too!)

No pending work on the car, and it is fit enough to head out to Ladakh today (not that I am planning to!).

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Coming up - the rest of the repairs at my FNG.

My FNG messed up the boot while doing front suspension work.
I don't think his guys are well versed with 4WD safari's though he is thought to be pretty good with 2WD.
Your FNG guy is quite near noida. I am thinking that next time I will head over there for service and stuff.
BTW, since you got bushes changed, drive around 500-1000kms and get them re-torqued. This helps with the life.

And are there many spare parts shops nearby just in case something is needed?

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

My FNG messed up the boot while doing front suspension work.
I don't think his guys are well versed with 4WD safari's though he is thought to be pretty good with 2WD.
Your FNG guy is quite near noida. I am thinking that next time I will head over there for service and stuff.

Sure. Let me know and I'll ask him to put extra sugar in your tea as well!

BTW, since you got bushes changed, drive around 500-1000kms and get them re-torqued. This helps with the life.

Those are just the damper bushes, but yes, the whole suspension as well as the chassis-to-body bolts gets a once over with spanners every few thousand km.

And are there many spare parts shops nearby just in case something is needed?

Not exactly nearby, but plenty of good ones within a radius of 3-4 km. He has a scooter that he uses to hop across and get the spares, and doesn't mind taking the customer along on the pillion. My usual spares supplier is listed in the directory too.

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

- an additional amount of Rs.52.xx plus taxes, for a disposable cover!
- What is this for?
- Sir that is for the cover that is used to keep your seat clean.
- Isn't it part of the service cost that I pay?
- No Sir, it is company policy.

Please do write to M&M about this. Company sends the disposable cover for seats as well as steering wheel. The dealership is charged for this and the dealership is not supposed to charge the end customer for this.

And the dealership is charged some odd Rs. 10-15 for both covers. Rs. 52 or Rs. 5, being charged unethically needs M&M's attention.

Btw, talk to some senior guy (at dealership) they should waive off some labor charge (if you have rapport)

[SS-Traveller]

Just a sequential reading this afternoon, both for the odometer and the time.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by Sheel

Please do write to M&M about this.

So I did write in to M&M about the whole incident. To the VP - Customer Care. And, much to my (very pleasant) surprise, he wrote back a lengthy email late the same evening, promising to set things right.

Subsequent to this, I had a lengthy telecon with M&M's Regional Customer Care Manager (New Delhi Area Office), who patiently listened to all my complaints, and discussed what can be set right, as well as certain limitations as to what may not be possible. One of the issues was the availability of rubber parts (such as damper bushes and driveshaft boots) - my contention being that if M&M wants to prove themselves to be an environment-friendly manufacturer, it is imperative that large and expensive parts not be replaced by them when a small child part wears out.

I was promised by the RCCM that the issues would be taken up on a priority basis, and that I could check the results for myself after a few days. And in a few days, Mr. Anil Sharma, the Workshop Manager from Koncept's C-50 Okhla Service Centre turned up at my place, to check what was wrong with my car. I told him I've addressed the problems with the help of my FNG already, except the greasing of the propshaft U-joints. He still got under the car to check the quality of materials and workmanship relating to the front driveshaft rubber boot and the bushes, and found them to be of good quality. He then promised to call me as soon as the workshop got itself a grease gun.

In a few days, I got the promised call. But it took me another month to find the time to take the car there - which happened the day before yesterday. The U-joints were greased (for access to the rear end of the front propshaft, the cross member supporting the gearbox had to be removed). I had the gearbox mounting checked out too for good measure, and it seemed to have reasonable life left in it.

Also, a loose connection for one of the horns (behind the front bumper, which required removing the bumper) fixed. In 1.5 hours, everything was done (double-checked personally, by the Workshop Manager himself), and no bill was raised. They wanted to wash the car for free too, but I guess I can take them up on the offer during my next service!

The ASC's server connection wasn't working at the time the car was done, so my records and gate pass could not be generated. Mercifully, I was allowed to leave after simply filling out a form, and they said they would enter the data into my records once server connection is established.

I was told that child parts like driveshaft boots and damper bushes are now available with the workshop; and the free lunch offer for owners who want to wait there while their cars are serviced, has been re-started. Way to go, M&M! The responsive attitude leaves me a very happy customer.

[krishsreedharan]

Dear SS_Traveller,

I have gone through every post on this thread with great interest - since I am considering picking up a Scorpio S10 Automatic 4x4 pretty soon.

Kudos to you on your keeping a very very detailed account of the life of your Scorpio. Gives a very clear picture of what to expect to a prospective buyer.

My current ride is a City VX CVT which I picked up in the end of march - and clocked about 14k kms already. I am looking at the Scorpio to be my steed when I go into the wilds to photograph - a major hobby of mine. Usage will cover rocky terrain, sandy/muddy/slushy trails and not to mention the occassional river crossing.

And if you do happen to come by to South India, would love to meet up.

Best,
Krish