[Blacktop]

I am very new to Kolkata and therefore my experience at Alok Automobiles is perhaps not as fascinating as that of some other members. Over the years in Bangalore, I never got tired of criticizing M.A.S.S but they are miles ahead in terms of competence, efficiency and professionalism compared to their Kolkata counterparts. Therefore, I searched for an independent garage on tbhp and learnt about Alok Automobiles. To begin with, it's located on a slush track with jagged stones. I had specifically told the mechanic to drive very carefully over that road, while testing, but he still had his joyride and sliced my rear tyre sidewall. Since a tubeless tyre with sliced sidewall cannot be repaired, I now need to buy a new tyre . Needless to say, he fixed the spare wheel and washed his hands off the matter. Agreed that the mechanic tests many cars over that same track without slicing sidewalls, I am still disappointed with the fact that he ignored my warning, slit the tyre and then kept driving with the slit tyre till the workshop gate! Coming to the work done, they had to remove the dashboard and therefore the steering wheel. However, as I started driving home, I realized that they had not aligned the steering wheel correctly. Turned around and went back and got it corrected. I guess nobody believes in cleaning the underbodies of cars either. I saw 3 cars getting their bodies and tyres washed(in front of their owners) and then being driven off. I specifically had to ask Sanjay, the manager, to raise the jack and get the underbody cleaned. The interiors, the mechanic claimed were vacuumed but I found enough dirt on the carpet to know that he s lying. Agreed that I didn't go there for a detailing job but a simple wash and vacuum is not too difficult a task for Kolkata's leading garage I'd hope. The place is not reasonable by any means. Yes, Suman da is perhaps a genius with cars but he doesn't spare a moment to think of management or billing, I feel. Based on my conversation with Alok da, I had been under the impression that I'd have to shell out Rs.5000 for the job, I was presented a bill of Rs.7110! Bargained it down to Rs.6500. No receipt for the money paid. No credit card payment option(another thing we are used to in Bangalore). Also, they have separated from Hyundai.

Now the positives: They are extremely polite people. Alok da, Suman da and Sanjay da(the manager). They do not give the "kora jabe na"(cannot be done) vibe at all. So yes, I will certainly revisit them.

[Blacktop]

Last night I noticed that the instrument cluster lamp isn't working after AA refitted the dashboard.. Another point to add to my list of things the garage didn't do properly. Will have to go and get that done.
Note to mods:- Please merge with the above post.

[planet_rocker]

Originally Posted by Blacktop

Will have to go and get that done.

Blacktop, as i type this post, Suman da is aware of the incident.

He is personally going to take it up himself on part of AA. He would like to thank you for the review.

Please do not hesitate to give him a feedback on the work, good or bad.
He actively takes up these matters very seriously.

Hope your problems will be sorted out.

Take care and drive safe.

[Blacktop]

Originally Posted by planet_rocker

Blacktop, as i type this post, Suman da is aware of the incident.

He is personally going to take it up himself on part of AA. He would like to thank you for the review.

Please do not hesitate to give him a feedback on the work, good or bad.
He actively takes up these matters very seriously.

Hope your problems will be sorted out.

Take care and drive safe.

Thanks a lot Planet_rocker. I believe you brought my post to Suman da's attention. I received a call from him and I shall be going to AA tomorrow.

[planet_rocker]

Originally Posted by Blacktop

Thanks a lot Planet_rocker. I believe you brought my post to Suman da's attention. I received a call from him and I shall be going to AA tomorrow.

Yes, I did.

Hope your problems will be sorted. Stick on to Suman da like a bug, until you are satisfied - he will be happy to help.

Take care.

[Blacktop]

Originally Posted by planet_rocker

Yes, I did.

Hope your problems will be sorted. Stick on to Suman da like a bug, until you are satisfied - he will be happy to help.

Take care.

Drove down to Alok Automobiles today morning. Suman da was aware of the issues thanks to you. Polite as he always is, he went about fixing all issues and also got the car cleaned up properly. Got to agree this might indeed be the best garage in Kolkata. A big thanks to you for all the help you provided and for making people aware of AA.

[planet_rocker]

Originally Posted by Blacktop

Drove down to Alok Automobiles today morning. Suman da was aware of the issues thanks to you. Polite as he always is, he went about fixing all issues and also got the car cleaned up properly.

I am glad that the problem was resolved.

Originally Posted by Blacktop

Got to agree this might indeed be the best garage in Kolkata. A big thanks to you for all the help you provided and for making people aware of AA.

Thanks for the review. I must agree, they are the best.

Suman da is indeed a gem of a person, when it comes to client / customer handling.

Take care

[ssjr0498]

Can someone guide me or give me a description of where this place is exactly, I would want to take a Vtec for some run of the mill work there!

Also, where in Kolkata can I buy car parts like, clutch assembly, original gaskets etc!!

Cheers!

[arjab]

Originally Posted by ssjr0498

Can someone guide me or give me a description of where this place is exactly, I would want to take a Vtec for some run of the mill work there!

Also, where in Kolkata can I buy car parts like, clutch assembly, original gaskets etc!!

Cheers!

If you are coming from park circus side, cross number4 bridge, keep going straight, on your left keep an eye out for the Ford dealership. Alok Auto is roughly diagonally opposite Ford, the kutccha road going down from the main road. You have to make an U-turn ahead and get into the dirt.
Ask for Sazid (nicknamed Suman). He will solve all your motoring woes. He is well experienced in Honda's as he owned a delicious example once! His number is 9830078617. Better call him and get an appointment first before travelling all the way to the workshop.
Ask him for all your spare parts needs. He will help you out. He does modifications as well.

[ssjr0498]

Originally Posted by arjab

If you are coming from park circus side, cross number4 bridge, keep going straight, on your left keep an eye out for the Ford dealership. Alok Auto is roughly diagonally opposite Ford, the kutccha road going down from the main road. You have to make an U-turn ahead and get into the dirt.
Ask for Sazid (nicknamed Suman). He will solve all your motoring woes. He is well experienced in Honda's as he owned a delicious example once! His number is 9830078617. Better call him and get an appointment first before travelling all the way to the workshop.
Ask him for all your spare parts needs. He will help you out. He does modifications as well.

Thanks Arjab! Just need to change a rubber "O" ring, oil and oil filter.

Does he work on weekends?

Cheers

[arjab]

Originally Posted by ssjr0498

Does he work on weekends?

Cheers

Yes. But better call him and fix up a time as weekends are pretty jampacked at his workshop.
Good luck !

[ssjr0498]

Originally Posted by arjab

Yes. But better call him and fix up a time as weekends are pretty jampacked at his workshop.
Good luck !

Got the rubber o ring and the basic service done at Honda itself!!

Coming back o this workshop, will they work on my car if I provided them with the spare parts like the head light assembly, engine mounts etc??

[joybhowmik]

Originally Posted by planet_rocker

Positive: I am happy with the service provided.

planet_rocker, my good friend Inquisitive's Black Knight had a brush with the wrong end of a bus, and the hood, now sports a foot long dent.

He wants to get it back to pristine condition-see attachment:

Originally Posted by Inquisitive

Attachment 1106573

I belong to New Delhi, and was searching through the directory - when I came across this thread.

Does Suman have a slide hammer + spot-weld kind of dent-puller? Kind of like this:
Image courtesy: Google


These are available at most reputed workshops in Delhi... not sure about Kolkata - so thought to ask you - if you have come across something like this when you visited this workshop.

The denters in Delhi use this to pull dents from double-skinned areas where access is a problem.
The other alternative being to tear the metal , and use a long screwdriver to pry the dent , which of course is the traditional FNG way. However, there are chances of paint peeling in a few years time , if the tear is not smoothed properly. My friend therefore, wants a more "humane" solution for the dent.

[planet_rocker]

A bhp-ians Honda Accord was detailed at Alok Automobiles.

Photo shot by 1100d

Recently the services were also availed by bhpian ssjr0498 and Mayukh. Awaiting their report on the work done.

Joy- I need to speak to suman regarding the tool. I will keep you posted.

[Blacktop]

What makes Alok Automobiles the best garage in Kolkata and Suman Da an automobile genius.

WB came under the spell of cyclone Komen as August arrived. Large parts of Kolkata were badly waterlogged. Salt Lake Sector 5 was one of the more badly affected areas in this part of the city. As fate would have it, I ended up driving through knee deep water in Sec 5 on 1st August(Saturday). Just as I was about 50 metres from dry ground, the knee deep water became well..thigh deep and my decade old Esteem's rock solid engine stalled. In sheer panic I cranked the engine(yes I know how stupid a thing that was) and sealed it's fate. Opened the car door and soon the entire floor was flooded.

Called up Suman da and got the contact of a towing service guy who operates from the same area as Alok Automobiles(not a good experience with that guy but that is not Suman da's fault).

Reached Alok automobiles after an hour. Suman da asked me why I'd cranked the engine before calling him. I started feeling quite lousy and asked him how bad the situation was. He knows how attached I am to my old Esteem and he assured me that he would bring it back to life. Given the frequent stories I hear about Esteem's lack of spare parts availability, I didn't have much hope but appreciated Suman da's kind assurance.

For Saturday(the day i left the car at the garage), Suman da said that he would remove the seats and the floor carpet and drain out the water. Due to heavy rains and lack of manpower he wouldn't be able to do anything else.

The garage remains closed on Sundays.

On Monday, Suman da had the starter motor removed and taken for repairs. There was some hope of the engine having survived the(possible) hydrostatic lock and the damage being localized to the starter motor. Smart of him to not open up the engine until he was sure that it wasn't anything serious.

On Tuesday, it was clear that the problem was way more serious and the Esteem's engine was opened up.

This is what had happened(see pic of bent connecting rod):
Vacuum inside the cylinder caused the piston to not move and the connecting rod to bend.

He ordered a new connecting rod next and had it at his garage by Wednesday afternoon(less than 24 hours to procure an engine component of an out of production car; that's efficiency. No idea why people waste time at A.S.S )

Got a call on Thursday afternoon from Suman da. Was told that the car is ready to be picked up. Stuck in office, I told him I couldn't collect before Friday morning. But in 4 days, Suman da had isolated the problem, opened up the engine, drained out the water from the cylinder, removed the connecting rod(at a machine shop), procured an M.G.P connecting rod and fitted everything back again.

Reached AA on 7th August(Friday) and collected the car. I asked Suman da if I need to drive the car gently for the next few 100 kms. He said I can drive as I please, shift gears at 6000 rpm if I felt like. Yippiee!!

With 10 days having gone by, I can say, Suman da did a remarkably wonderful job. I am redlining the car as I please and there hasn't been any drop in performance. The engine doesn't overheat one bit. No weird noises, it is the same super-smooth car that zips to 100kmph in 2nd gear.

Cost: The bill came to a mere Rs.9200.

This included
1) Engine oil change(mineral oil)
2) Oil filter
3) Air filter
4) Gear oil change
5) Throttle body cleaning
6) Head gasket change
7) Timing belt change(was due anyway as the car is a decade old)
8) Connecting rod change
9) Starter motor repair

among other things.

MASS would have charged me at least 20K, if not more and I would have been without a car days.

Hats off to Suman da and AA.

Thanks to Planet Rocker for making people aware of this automobile genius in Kolkata!!

Happy and Safe driving and do remember: Cars ain't boats .