[ninjatalli]

^^DriveAssurance package is Zero Dep clause with a few additions. Just a synonym for Zero Dep used by BA, like Tata-AIG has the Pearl/Ruby/Diamond packages.

Originally Posted by SR-71

Had it been drive assure i wouldn't have had to spend a penny.

Sorry to nitpick but one will still pay the claim processing charges, which would come to 1k odd.

25k portion of 85k is decent (although 85k is ridiculously high), thank god the percentage didn't go any higher. Possible to scan the bill and upload it?

[skaja]

My Vento HL TDI will be delivered early next week. I visited the stockyard to check the car. I could not take a test drive, as the battery is disconnected.The person at stockyard informed that the battery will be connected after the inspection before registration. Is that a standard practice?

[SR-71]

You are right - 82K is pretty high for the basic changes. As am travelling I haven't collected my car yet. I plan to this weekend. I will post the complete data with pictures of the car and the bill.

BTW fellow team members - I need your advise. The SA told me that the left side front and back alloys were slightly bent (the accident was on the right side). Initially I was worried he was taking me for a ride but then I realized that on my way back to Chennai on 1st Jan the car went through a crater size pothole in the vandalur - OMR road (the road is nightmares even for buses). I was driving only at 40 but it was pitch dark and I had to avoid some major craters on all sides and unfortunately my left side wheels were put through some undue pressure (I remember adding that information to this thread). I stopped my car immediately and had inspected for any visual damage but none were found. But it does look like the alloys took a minor hit.

So instead of spending 40K on 2 alloys from VW I have decided to get some good looking lenso's after exchanging the existing set. Any advise on reliable alloy dealers & pricing in Chennai. I plan to complete this work on Saturday. Suggestions on models are most welcome.

[samarjitdhar]

Originally Posted by SR-71

So instead of spending 40K on 2 alloys from VW I have decided to get some good looking lenso's after exchanging the existing set. Any advise on reliable alloy dealers & pricing in Chennai. I plan to complete this work on Saturday. Suggestions on models are most welcome.

Hi, please PM Bala for the details of a shop in Chennai who supposedly sell OEM VW alloys for almost half the price

Thanks to TBHP member Bala for this info . You can go through his ownership thread to get more details and his experience.

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by skaja

My Vento HL TDI will be delivered early next week. I visited the stockyard to check the car. I could not take a test drive, as the battery is disconnected.The person at stockyard informed that the battery will be connected after the inspection before registration. Is that a standard practice?

Not the exact reason, but I was given a similar story when I asked for a PDI during my car delivery. However they did allow me to have a complete PDI at the workshop (the car was undergoing the cleaning & VAS setups); this was before the registration. I had made it quite clear to them that any major issues if found in the car, could lead to a change request or similar demands. They had agreed to the same (verbally).

Suggest you could work-out something similar at your end.

[bala80]

I read your PM before your post and hence couldnt understand the reason behind changing the alloys, now I know the reason why.

But then an bend in an alloy? Alloys cannot bend, but only break, isnt it? I'd suggest you to take it to a good tyre shop to verify this. I'm somehow not convinced.

Intresting coincidence, it is the exact same place where you have mentioned below (kandigai) on the road connecting kelambakkam and vandalur that my left alloy broke. I used to take this road to join GST road to avoid city traffic, but paid a very heavy price for doing so!

Originally Posted by SR-71

BTW fellow team members - I need your advise. The SA told me that the left side front and back alloys were slightly bent (the accident was on the right side). Initially I was worried he was taking me for a ride but then I realized that on my way back to Chennai on 1st Jan the car went through a crater size pothole in the vandalur - OMR road (the road is nightmares even for buses). I was driving only at 40 but it was pitch dark and I had to avoid some major craters on all sides and unfortunately my left side wheels were put through some undue pressure (I remember adding that information to this thread). I stopped my car immediately and had inspected for any visual damage but none were found. But it does look like the alloys took a minor hit.

Thanks samarjitdhar, I received PM's from even swift and rapid owner's asking for this info. Someone even asked me, if I'm related to this business

Originally Posted by samarjitdhar

Hi, please PM Bala for the details of a shop in Chennai who supposedly sell OEM VW alloys for almost half the price

Thanks to TBHP member Bala for this info . You can go through his ownership thread to get more details and his experience.

[KINI]

Originally Posted by SR-71

BTW fellow team members - I need your advise. The SA told me that the left side front and back alloys were slightly bent (the accident was on the right side). Initially I was worried he was taking me for a ride but then I realized that on my way back to Chennai on 1st Jan the car went through a crater size pothole in the vandalur - OMR road (the road is nightmares even for buses). I was driving only at 40 but it was pitch dark and I had to avoid some major craters on all sides and unfortunately my left side wheels were put through some undue pressure (I remember adding that information to this thread).

Originally Posted by bala80

But then an bend in an alloy? Alloys cannot bend, but only break, isnt it? I'd suggest you to take it to a good tyre shop to verify this. I'm somehow not convinced.

Intresting coincidence, it is the exact same place where you have mentioned below (kandigai) on the road connecting kelambakkam and vandalur that my left alloy broke. I used to take this road to join GST road to avoid city traffic..

+1 I agree with Bala.I had an incident in my brand new Cruze on this road(2 weeks old ).It was raining heavily and all potholes were filled with water.It was also pitch dark!!My front left wheel caught one of them.The tyre was completely torn and rendered useless.But the alloy stood up pretty well.It was very heavy impact indeed.Alloys don't bend easily!!

[Mustang.101]

Although rare, but alloy wheels do bend under certain circumstances.

So yes, maybe the SA is right when he told you that the alloy is slightly bent.

[bala80]

I have stopped using this route completely, even if it means getting stuck in the city traffic. I got stuck in this route after 10 PM on a sunday and realized the blunder that I had committed. No help available, what so ever.

Originally Posted by KINI

+1 I agree with Bala.I had an incident in my brand new Cruze on this road(2 weeks old ).It was raining heavily and all potholes were filled with water.It was also pitch dark!!My front left wheel caught one of them.The tyre was completely torn and rendered useless.But the alloy stood up pretty well.It was very heavy impact indeed.Alloys don't bend easily!!

You are right. There is a possibility of alloys getting bent (very rare) and there are ways to even repair them though not advisable. Vento's alloys are not the best ones around, borbet or not. They dont seem to be sturdy enough to handle our road conditions, VW continues to import this thing from germany and sells it for a whopping 20k per piece in our market. They claim they have a customized made for india horn set-up, but not an alloy wheel which is much more important?

Some related threads discussing this -

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/tyre-...-possible.html (Repair Alloy - Is it possible?)

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/tyre-a...-repaired.html

Originally Posted by Mustang.101

Although rare, but alloy wheels do bend under certain circumstances.

So yes, maybe the SA is right when he told you that the alloy is slightly bent.

@SR-71 - I would still suggest you to take it to a professional tyre shop and get an second opinion. Please try tyrestore in greams road, I have heard very good reviews about them.

[Aroy]

The reason for exorbitant cost of WV alloys, may be the reason they bend and not crack out right. The alloys may be made of soft malleable compound, which has a slight "give" similar to steel wheels. Most other alloys would crack under excessive impact but remain intact on medium impacts.

This is one of the reasons that I prefer steel wheels in preference to alloys. They can take a lot more beating and still remain usable.

[m_upreti]

Originally Posted by Aroy

The reason for exorbitant cost of WV alloys, may be the reason they bend and not crack out right. The alloys may be made of soft malleable compound, which has a slight "give" similar to steel wheels. Most other alloys would crack under excessive impact but remain intact on medium impacts.

This is one of the reasons that I prefer steel wheels in preference to alloys. They can take a lot more beating and still remain usable.

I am not an expert, but my Scorpio alloys do under go a lot of stress when I take the vehicle off the tarmac , that includes rocks and dividers, couldnt find any impact till date.

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by m_upreti

I am not an expert, but my Scorpio alloys do under go a lot of stress when I take the vehicle off the tarmac , that includes rocks and dividers, couldnt find any impact till date.

If I am not wrong, SUV Alloys are much stronger than Sedan Alloys, primarily as they are larger size and use higher profile tyres. This means thicker sections which results in more mechanical strength.

Amongst others Land Rover Defender and Toyota Off Roaders offer Steel wheels, along with OEM alloys usually supplied, primarily for prolonged bad road usage.

[F458]

I had a very bad experience on the NH 4A from khanapur to ponda. While negotiating a truck, came onto the wrong side forcing me off the road, the whole car withstood the shock, but for the rim, which was quite a bummer. I was able to drive the car upto Panjim but with a lot of vibration after 40 kmph. I had to get the alloy replaced, which costed a whooping 18000 rupees. I was informed that this was a frequent complaint.

On a second note, my blinker problem is sorted, apparently if one of the signal lights is not working, the particular side starts blinking rapidly when used. I have to say vw has good systems, but their service charges are ridiculous. I have attached a bill of the service charges for repairing the light and repairing a puncture!. I am quite shocked at the way they bill us.

I had a very bad experience, with the 3M chaps at the service centre. I had asked for both the interior and exterior to be cleaned. They did such a shoddy job, they have used interior cleaning foam to clean the carpet. unfortunately the dirt instead of coming out, has spread and now the carpet has a blackish tinge to it. I dont know what to do about it. Secondly those idiots used a brush to clean my leather seats, which has marks on it now. They have not used any leather specific cleaning solutions.

I had to leave the car but they do a very shoddy job. I had to point out atleast a dozen places where they had missed out. I refused to pay for the interior cleaning and i am demanding they find a way to clean the carpet.
Any advice on how to go about it ?

Any suggestion are welcome.

Cheers !!!

[m_upreti]

Originally Posted by Aroy

If I am not wrong, SUV Alloys are much stronger than Sedan Alloys, primarily as they are larger size and use higher profile tyres. This means thicker sections which results in more mechanical strength.

Amongst others Land Rover Defender and Toyota Off Roaders offer Steel wheels, along with OEM alloys usually supplied, primarily for prolonged bad road usage.

Thanks, I was not aware of this fact. Definately the rubber area is much larger than the sedan tyre.

[souravc]

Originally Posted by F458

I had a very bad experience on the NH 4A from khanapur to ponda. While negotiating a truck, came onto the wrong side forcing me off the road, the whole car withstood the shock, but for the rim, which was quite a bummer. I was able to drive the car upto Panjim but with a lot of vibration after 40 kmph. I had to get the alloy replaced, which costed a whooping 18000 rupees. I was informed that this was a frequent complaint.

On a second note, my blinker problem is sorted, apparently if one of the signal lights is not working, the particular side starts blinking rapidly when used. I have to say vw has good systems, but their service charges are ridiculous. I have attached a bill of the service charges for repairing the light and repairing a puncture!. I am quite shocked at the way they bill us.

I had a very bad experience, with the 3M chaps at the service centre. I had asked for both the interior and exterior to be cleaned. They did such a shoddy job, they have used interior cleaning foam to clean the carpet. unfortunately the dirt instead of coming out, has spread and now the carpet has a blackish tinge to it. I dont know what to do about it. Secondly those idiots used a brush to clean my leather seats, which has marks on it now. They have not used any leather specific cleaning solutions.

I had to leave the car but they do a very shoddy job. I had to point out atleast a dozen places where they had missed out. I refused to pay for the interior cleaning and i am demanding they find a way to clean the carpet.
Any advice on how to go about it ?

Any suggestion are welcome.

Cheers !!!

While VW charges are high , in your case the charges for tyre repair and light change does not seem exorbitant . Any tubeless tyre seal repair costs around Rs 150 at any road side stall which does a nice job ( like not leaving jagged edges jutting out of the tyre wall , etc ). The changing of the bulb is on the higher side though even at Maruti service centres they go up to more than Rs200 inclusive of labour.

Can't comment on the 3M charges , like their products but do not trust their outlets