[mmxylorider]

Mahindra Vehicle owners in Pune - Be careful when you opt to get servicing done at the Milestone workshop of Sahyadri Motors. I had a pretty sad experience for the 4th service of my Xylo in Jul this year.

Towards End of July, I had booked an appointment with Sahyadri Motors Milestone Workshop (Pune) for this service. Details and type of service required were mentioned while booking appointment. The workshop opens at 9:30 and I was there (at 9:00 am) as the first customer to ensure that my vehicle gets serviced in the first lot. Job card was prepared at about 9:30 by an advisor who apparently had just taken employment.
11:30 AM : All the required servicing was mentioned as completed in the job card at about 11:30 am when the vehicle was taken to the washing bay.
1:00 PM : Washing took 1.5 hours! And only after I had to become vocal about not taking vehicles in sequence was my Xylo taken for the washing and vacuuming. Noticed that the washing not done well. Dirt from flowing water had accumulated inside the Rear hatch sill and the service advisor took a rag to clean it himself. The cleaning staff was not to be found.
1:30 PM : I was presented with the pre-invoice which did not have the amount for the fuel filter. On questioning the service advisor, I was assured it was replaced and I was shown the job card which also had it marked as replaced. I insisted on looking at the fuel filter which was removed. They did not have it. I then asked if it was replaced, the store should have the requisition slip which I requested to see. Sheepishly they confessed that this part was out of stock for over 2 days. Very conveniently it was marked as replaced in the job card. I was also told that the old filter was removed and cleaned. Why would one do that if the service manual expressly requires this part to be replaced is beyond my comprehension? ---- This is the first bad experience. Why falsify information?
2:00 PM : I was provided the option of taking the vehicle back to home and getting it back when this part would be available. Not acceptable. I had to become vocal again and insisted that they arrange for the part from their other workshop in Wakad. Conversation around this time was with the in-house Customer Service Manager and maybe the main technical staff. The CSM probably was talking to some people and managed to have someone deliver it to the workshop. Time committed was of 30-40 minutes. In the meantime, I insisted on getting a formal complaint registered with her. A book was provided and I have provided these details out there. There has been no response/follow-up on that ever since.
2:30 PM : I was getting hungrier by the minute and the part was still to arrive. I talked to one of the mechanics who serviced the vehicle, if I could keep the empty can of the engine oil in the car as an emergency fuel carrier. He was happy to oblige. Significance of this sentence in some time, but my first positive experience.
2:45-3:00 PM : The part arrives from somewhere and is replaced in 10 mins.
3:00-4:00 PM : Final billing time and the advisor is not to be found. He is out having lunch, while this poor customer is having hunger pangs. It takes a good part of the next hour to get the invoices done – two since the fuel filter came after the first job card was closed. A new job card is opened and the part closed on it. Credit cards not accepted, fortunately I have just right amount of cash. Otherwise a trip to an ATM nearby would’ve been required. Also took the feedback form from the counter, filled it up and posted to Customer care.
While all this is going on, a certain Mr. Rohit (regional/area manager?) arrives and I give him the whole dump on the events so far.
Finally, I am in the Xylo, belted and about to leave when the service advisor appears asking for feedback on washing cleaning done. He has a pictorial feedback form. Why now? I was twiddling my thumbs since 1:00 PM!!! A quick look at the checklist and I realize that half the things mentioned are not done! And I paid money for getting this cleaning done. --- Second bad experience. Not getting what I am paying for.

Switch off, un-belt and give this new information to Rohit who wants me to wait for 15 minutes and he would get this rectified. I had had enough and I was certainly in no mind to spend a minute more there that day. Finally make a move, light on my pockets, a bad experience for the memory ( and still hungry!)

Coming back to empty oil can – A few days later I happened to look at the specifications of the oil. This one marked premium oil has a 10,000 km change interval. The service manual recommends a 15,000 km change interval. So now my Xylo has oil that need to be changed sooner than required. And I know this only because I took the trouble to read the specifications. If I had not, and would’ve gone with 15K change, I would have used the oil for 50% more kms not knowing what impact it would have on the engine internals. --- Third bad experience and biggest one in my opinion. Putting incorrect grade parts / consumables.

I’ve talked to customer care on 01 Aug and have been provided with a docket number but no additional followup post that.

I finally mailed all this information to the customer care department who then swung into action and folks started calling me to find out what has happened.

My experience is what it is and it won't change but hopefully other customers become aware of what could happen and act accordingly.

The GM, service of this dealership is coming over to my home today and at the very least I am going to insist on free oil change when it is due and a free wash. Any additional suggestions?

[comfortablynumb]

Originally Posted by mmxylorider

Mahindra Vehicle owners in Pune - Be careful when you opt to get servicing done at the Milestone workshop of Sahyadri Motors. I had a pretty sad experience for the 4th service of my Xylo in Jul this year............Any additional suggestions?

Totally agree with your assessment. Milestone is pathetic! [the Wakad workshop is even worse]. Those guys are used to drivers dropping off the vehicles and collecting them; no wonder they are able to get away with duping customers using the trick mentioned in your post. That is why, whenever a servicing is due for my Scorpio, I take the day off and stand beside the vehicle while it's being serviced. I also do not get the vehicle washed at the ASC. About the billing efficiency, less said the better.

Apart from the free oil change and wash, get a discount voucher for a hefty sum [at least Rs.500/-] from the GM, which you can redeem during your next service.

I will PM you the cell number and email id for the M&M Cust Care Manager for Pune region. Please do narrate your experience to him and forward the link to this thread to him.

Cheers,
Vikram

[mmxylorider]

Update:

The GM, Milestone Service and Customer Care Manager, Pune came by my house about a fortnight ago.
They'd actually come prepared with couple of staff to change the oil and provide M&M and Sahyadri's apologies in this incident.

I declined the oil change at that point in time, instead opting to get the next oil change done FOC. Also, this visit presented an opportunity to show them a problem with the brakes I had been facing for a while. The rear brakes used to lock up on cold condition, solution being either pump the brakes few times before taking out the vehicle or wait for the brakes to heat up a little.
I flatly refused any suggestions around dropping the vehicle overnight or pick up and drop arrangements.

Finally last friday, I went over to the workshop to get this looked at.
Service this time was fantastic. The service advisor was confident when he said the problem was hardened liners and those were changed FOC in warranty. I also decided to get the oil changed, again FOC.
Vehicle behavior post these two repairs is fantastic and engine responsivess is vastly improved.

M&M has finally done something worthy of appreciation. Of course, with my experience it couldn't have gotten any worse.

[cypher]

Mmxylorider, thanks for sharing this information.

Originally Posted by mmxylorider

I then asked if it was replaced, the store should have the requisition slip which I requested to see.

This is a really useful tip. I had never thought of asking for this when I wanted to check if a part was actually replaced in my car.