[HillBilly]

For the record, Raj has broken up with his financial partners and has shifted back to his original place in Nithari.

A shortlived dream I suppose it was.

[Yamahead]

Funny incident regarding my wife`s alto K10. Gave it for a full service at Motorcraft Noida last year March ( 2nd March 2015) . Car was picked up and dropped back and I paid the full amount ( 4500 -/-) without bothering to check too much since I trusted Motorcraft and their tech engineer Mr Shaji. The car felt okay to drive and then since its anyway used for local runs of less than 10kms, FE is always low. The car was barely used till Oct ( less than 1500 kms in 6 months) when I took it to Raj`s garage since I had referred someone`s Vento for a turbocharger replacement and wanted to check up on the progress.

Raj just took a test drive, came back with a puzzled look and immediately put a new air filter and remarked how dirty and old the air filter looked.I was puzzled but let the incident pass. Come April when I had to use the Alto to beat the Odd-Even rule, I took the car to Raj for an oil change and general check-up and service.

Now comes the fun part, Raj`s boys had considerable difficulty opening the oil filter plug and the oil that was drained was well deep brown, totally wasted and looked way past their useful date. Raj quizzed me on the dates of my last service, smiled and remarked that the oil was not changed and filters were never replaced my MASS ( Motorcraft). He put in an original oil filter, air filter and used Shelll Helix engine oil from a sealed container and the car now feels much smoother, drives better and breathes cleaner.

This is my first service experience outside MASS and I must say I am happy with Raj`s work and his ability to trouble-shoot. Don't go to him expecting world-class service but this is one guy who loves cars, doesn't BS much and can trouble-shoot and will do an honest job.

Also my referred Vento, for which VW quoted an estimate of 1.62 lacs for turbo replacement, has come back from Raj perfect in all respects and the bill is around 52K. The owner says the Vento runs like a dream now and he is planning to shift all his cars to Raj for service and maintenance. I am sure Raj is not some perfect guy and probably has messed up a bit here and there ( who hasn't ? ) but overall a perfect man if you are in East Delhi/ Noida area and don't want to go to ASS for any kind of trouble-shooting. Very valid for german/ Itatian/ Ford Europe cars.

[ntomer]

I just had a nightmarish experience with Raj. Here is a chronological account:

1. About 7 weeks ago, my Manza which had done 1.18L KMs became sluggish. I showed it to Raj who said it required an EGR valve clean, I left the car with him.

2. No work was done for 3 days, when I put pressure, he cleaned the EGR valve and gave the car back to me on 5th day. Amount paid: 3.5k.

3. Car was no better than earlier. His explanation - I didn't give him time and therefore he couldn't diagnose it. I gave the car back to him after 2 days.

4. Car remains with him for 2.5 weeks. Apparently two injectors were faulty and needed replacements. He got the inner parts replaced from his contacts. Did oil/filter change and some more work. Total bill - 14.5K.

5. Next day when I noticed the car, it had scratches. Put deliberately using a sharp object. I called him and told him so, he asked me to bring the car and he will get it painted.

6. The same evening while returning home, check engine lights turned on. I went to his shop, he scanned it and found that a glow plug wasn't working. Changed it. I said I will give the car later on for painting.

7. Two days after that, I was driving to Nainital. CEL again turned on. I called him, he says no issues, go ahead and show it to me when back.

8. Car started making metal clanking noise while turning on and off the engine.

9. I took the car to him again. He scans it and says EGR valve is faulty. Says he will replace it with EGR valve of a replacement engine. Also said that the metal clanking noise is due to suspension. I gave the car to him.

10. Again no work for 12 days. I call and threaten to take the car then promises to do the job in 2 more days.

11. Replaces the EGR valve and shockers. Total bill 6700.

12. I take the car and on the drive back home realize that only the CEL has gone. Car still makes metallic clanking noise when starting and turning off. Idling sound is much more than earlier. And now there is a loud clanking noise when going over pits/speedbreakers.

13. I park the car at home for 2 days, on the third day I take it out and after hardly 8 kms, engine gets overheated. I check the coolant bottle and it was bone-dry.

14. I fill it with 8-10 liters of water and bring it back. Show it to another local mechanic, who said radiator might be choked because there is no apparent leak. Got it cleaned, coolant refilled. Total damages: 2250.

15. Next day notice car leaking coolant again. Take it to the same mechanic, blast him. He removes battery, ECU etc and finds that a pipe near the EGR valve is leaking. Raj didn't check thoroughly while refitting it. Blasted this guy again for cleaning the radiator unnecessarily, asked him to put everything back into place.

16. Called up Raj. Told him all the issues. He asked me to bring it to him. I thanked him, told him it's enough. I will consider the money paid to him as bad investment and will now take the car to TASS.

He might be a knowledgeable mechanic but is far too careless. He tends to take up more work than we can handle and his staff is irresponsible. Moreover he is too much active in his other business interests and rarely will give full attention to your vehicle.

I would high advise against going to him. He might do simpler jobs well, but with his attitude, more often than not, will screw the bigger ones.

Nitin

[Abeer]

Originally Posted by ntomer

I just had a nightmarish experience with Raj. Here is a chronological account:

He might be a knowledgeable mechanic but is far too careless. He tends to take up more work than we can handle and his staff is irresponsible. Moreover he is too much active in his other business interests and rarely will give full attention to your vehicle.

I would high advise against going to him. He might do simpler jobs well, but with his attitude, more often than not, will screw the bigger ones.

Nitin

I agree with your views on him. I gave my Accent for a clutch overhaul and waited at his Garage for 6 hours for them to finish the clutch replacement, but the work was not satisfactory. I had to visit his place again twice for clutch adjustments, as the gears were not engaging properly.

He did something or the other to make it work and it would start working fine but again would stop after few days.

I did not have enough time to waste by visiting him every now and then for the same issue as my Rajasthan trip was coming up. I visited another mechanic in Sector 63 Noida, who has a proper garage. He re-did the clutch overhaul and i was all set.

Post this, i have not visited Raj again. Even for basic service, i try to avoid him.

[Guite]

I went to this guy to weeks back with a headlight problem: no light on low beam. I asked him to check. He was busy OBD scanning a Merc. He asked one of his kids to attend to my problem. This kid diagnosed it as a burned fuse on the non-OEM relay wiring, and replaced it. It didn't work. He fidgeted with the fuse boxes. He was essentially clueless on which fuse is for which circuit. It was bright daylight and difficult to ascertain whether lights were on correctly. We also had to rush home to receive some visitors. When we checked the headlight in the evening we realised the problem has not been resolved.

Instead of going back there we went to authorised service centre. There the engineer replaced the relay and it's working now.

[ntomer]

The nightmare just won't end.

I took the car to Ayush Motors, TASS in sec. 63. There they checked and found out that thermostat valve was broken by a physical blow and coolant was leaking from there. So Raj or his minions broke it while cleaning EGR valve and to hide it, did some temporary workaround and fixed it. TASS fixed it, for 4667.

There was a clanking sound from front as well. They checked it and found that sump shield was fitted loosely, it caused it to move. Which resulted in bent shield and oil leakage from sump. Which will cost me another 7K.

I had accepted it and was going to get it repaired this weekend. But today while driving back home, CEL again came on. In 1.18L kms, it never came on once; Raj's magical hands and it won't go off.

I am so pissed off with him right now. How can anybody be that incompetent!!!

[ntomer]

Mods, can we change the title of thread, after so many negative reviews about him?

[mayankk]

There's still quite a few of us who are still OK with his services.

[ntomer]

Originally Posted by mayankk

There's still quite a few of us who are still OK with his services.

I too had been going to him for a long time, and he has worked on my Gypsy, Civic, Logan and Figo. But now things have really gone to dogs.

I believe you know him pretty well (deeps told me, he is a good friend and he advised me against going to Raj, I still did :( ). Ask Raj whether anything of what I said isn't true.

[Eddy]

Originally Posted by ntomer

Mods, can we change the title of thread, after so many negative reviews about him?

Hi ntomer,

Rest assured, we keep a constant watch on the recommendations in the directory section and take action whenever needed.

[GTO]

Mod Note: Because of the mixed experiences, a public poll has been added to this thread. Please vote if you've been his customer .

Thanks!

[Honda Monk]

My experience with Raj dates back to 2012 when I had my honda city 02 model.
I went to him only twice and swore to never go to him when my car got scratched while being parked over night.
He must be good but his minions are just like chowk labour hired on daily wages, hence goof ups are tend to happen.
Certainly he cannot work on more than 2-3 cars a day sometimes not even that as he goes by himself to source spares.
Totally unprofessional attitude.
You can't keep managing your personal stuff whole day while on work. A big turn off.
I guess his guests keep dropping every now and then.

His computer diagnostics seems just a marketing show off because he ain't that sophisticated neither his work.
His chowk hired labor does wrap ups of cars.
No proper place to park car.
Once the car is done (or may be not done) his unskilled force does another marvel by cleaning your car using the dirtiest of the cloth scratching the paint coat.
I realised he starts taking old costumers for granted too very quickly.
The casual behaviour has already been talked to a great length.
So just as they write on parking slip " parking at owner's risk" similarly go to Raj with risk factor added.
Sooner or later one will feel sour taste.

[Biraj]

I have tried Raj Motors for my Santro on multiple occasions and Linea rarely, and have been reasonably satisfied with the work done. His minions try to take short-cuts and can be very careless thus, the trick is to call Raj and visit only if he is available. He is generally quite honest about his work load and has occasionally requested me to bring the car on some other day when he will have more bandwidth.

Once my sister's car had broken down in middle of nowhere in Noida at around 9-9.30 PM, and I was in the US at that point. I called Raj from there and he went and fixed the car, and also ensured that my sister is dropped home safely. I wouldn't expect many mechanics to be so responsible and responsive.

Don't expect a multi-branded service station level of customer service or communication. His is an FNG with a very basic setup but good understanding of cars, and the pricing is also that of an FNG. So, if you can ensure that you take the car only when Raj is present and get the work done in front of you, the experience might not be that sour.

[ntomer]

Latest update:

I left my car yesterday at a trusted mechanic in my home town. He repaired the oil leakage from sump, and got the car scanned for CEL. Error was for EGR valve. He checked it and found that EGR valve is broken and held together by lots of m-seal.

When I gave the car first to Raj, there was no problem with the EGR valve and never ever the ECL has been on. He said that EGR needs to be cleaned, which I agreed to. When it didn't make any difference, he did rest of the stuff - injectors replacement etc. Then the ECL came on, and he said EGR needs to be replaced. I gave him the go ahead, and he supposedly replaced it with another written-off car's EGR. I've the bill for it.

I've asked my mechanic to source the valve and would get it replaced this Sunday. Once the current EGR is out, I would post it's pic and the bill Raj gave me for EGR replacement.

He is not just incompetent, but a cheat as well.

[mayankk]

Originally Posted by ntomer

Latest update:

---------SNIP--------

He is not just incompetent, but a cheat as well.

Oh, this is bad. I will speak to him later today. If this is true, then its no different from any other mechanic. Options will have to be considered. DO share the picture when you can. That would be undeniable by him.