[aargee]

Originally Posted by pramodkumar

Argee my post is very late considering you already paid the bill.

Yes I did, the bill was 12014 for both bumpers + painting + quadra panel fixing & painting + wheel rotation + coolant tube fixing + oil top ups (no engine oil change) + wipers + door lock overhauling - these are the major works carried out.

Originally Posted by pramodkumar

There are very less honest guys in the automobile business today.

This M.A.S.S guy is relatively new setup, but not to the business, so they're honest at the moment & do not have any targets for their service advisors.

Originally Posted by pramodkumar

The best thing to do is to get the work done at the A S S, and trust me i am someone who has learned this the very hard way.

I agree with you on this completely. Atleast you can escalate or have a second opinion from one of their competitors.

Originally Posted by pramodkumar

The point here is, is it really good to be penny wise and pound foolish?

Yes, actually most of us are like this, sometimes include me in it too.

Actually the painting work looks good to me & I liked their workman ship; let me see for about an year or so if the quadra panels rust or not, only then the true colors will be out.

PS - They're already planning for a under body paint for me as the bottom is completely rusted. They're quoting around 2.5K including material & labor.

[pramodkumar]

Originally Posted by aargee

PS - They're already planning for a under body paint for me as the bottom is completely rusted. They're quoting around 2.5K including material & labor.

Reasonable, i got that done with the complete package, ambassadors are painted for 2000 bucks with some cheap under body coating stuff, i feel you got a best price, do it post the monsoons.


Pramod

[aargee]

Originally Posted by pramodkumar

i feel you got a best price, do it post the monsoons.

Thanks Pramod. But these guys are asking to do before monsoon. They clearly stated that the rusting WILL NOT come down, instead, will get arrested & stay at the same state as how it is now & the painting will prevent from further damage.

[pramodkumar]

Originally Posted by aargee

Thanks Pramod. But these guys are asking to do before monsoon. They clearly stated that the rusting WILL NOT come down, instead, will get arrested & stay at the same state as how it is now & the painting will prevent from further damage.

What they said is true, but now the monsoons are almost over so its better to wait for a really sunny day and do it, the problem is during these times the car may not be fully dry before they coat it after a under body wash, and the paint will start peeling off, so i was told to do it post monsoons, anyways my car was coated last year so maybe thats the reason. Make sure they give you a guarantee on it.


Pramod

[aargee]

Tough times never last, but tough cars do!!! I hope my car is tough enough. This is all I can tell it to myself & console!!!

After getting the car from last service, just last week, there's another issue I noticed.

The right side front part of the car has a close gap with the tyre due to which the brakings are ineffective & I get a slight screeching noise when the body touches the tires & scrapes off the mud guard. Here's a pic to describe the situation


The reason quoted was the panel that comes inside the engine bay on the right side is bent (attached pic for reference) & replacing this part will solve this issue. I'm in no mood to ask how this has happened & just want to finish off this issue as I'm afraid to run over someone due to poor braking.


The vehicle is going for insurance claim tomorrow, I hope that covers about 50% of the cost of the original quotation on 7K. Will it cover 50%? Any idea?

Meanwhile I'd another idea to fix the sound dampners of SX4 or even Sumo Grande for that matter within the doors. Any idea guys? Would this work out well? Any input is greatly appreciated. Tks.

[aargee]

Sorry guys, as it took a while for me to get the pics.
See the gap on the driver side front wheel as how narrow it is between the mud flap & tyre


Now compare this with the co-driver's side front wheel on the gap


Why did this happen? Its because of the the one below has been broken.


And the M.A.S.S guys are now quoting about 11K to get this job done. 6.5K for materials & about 6K for the labour. They're expecting the insurance company to cover most of the cost. Labour to be covered 100% & materials over 50%.

[tanwaramit]

what is that thing which is broken ? It seems as if the broken thing is shot from the Left side front tyre ? Then why is this effecting the right tyre ?

Kindly take advice from another dealer too.

Get it checked by a wheel alignment shop too if he can adjust the position of the tyre !

[Hashim]

aargee you might want to check my old thread:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...pron-bent.html

I fear its bent apron but I doubt as yours is not that old that this should happen. My esteem ones are so much bent now that yesterday left drive shaft are almost at point of coming out, vehicle is not drivable now. I am getting both aprons changed after Eid. I got the tyre centered by heating the balancing rod but honestly its not a good solution.

[aargee]

@Hashim - Your points are best bang on TBhp as I've been told the same about the balancing rod now. I wish I could've got your attention much earlier to get some expert advice.

@Tanwaramit - Yes its the Apron as what Hashim is talking about. This is the part that seats on the frame & connects the engine, strut etc.

Anyway, I've been through this now & this is the current update:

The apron broken or crack is being fixed by welding the component & one of the bottom part is also being fixed. Will post both the pics as I haven't got the car yet. After fixing all these now the front tire has moved moved towards the bumper like the pic what Hashim posted on his thread on Esteem's apron issue. Now the issue is identified to be with the balancing rod that seems to be have undergone Indian juggad work by heating & pulling to side (again exactly like what Hashim has mentioned in his post).

Since this is a small workshop in a remote town (I'm on vacation), they don't have the balancing rod which they've promised to get & fix it for me by tomorrow.

Cost of welding + labour + one new part replacement - 2.5K
Above cost + balancing rod replacement + labour - approx 4K

The (put your own foul language) M.A.S.S in Chennai quoted about 12K to get this entire work done.

[vigsom]

Originally Posted by aargee

The apron broken or crack is being fixed by welding the component & one of the bottom part is also being fixed. Will post both the pics as I haven't got the car yet. After fixing all these now the front tire has moved moved towards the bumper like the pic what Hashim posted on his thread on Esteem's apron issue. Now the issue is identified to be with the balancing rod that seems to be have undergone Indian juggad work by heating & pulling to side (again exactly like what Hashim has mentioned in his post).

Since this is a small workshop in a remote town (I'm on vacation), they don't have the balancing rod which they've promised to get & fix it for me by tomorrow.

Cost of welding + labour + one new part replacement - 2.5K
Above cost + balancing rod replacement + labour - approx 4K

The (put your own foul language) M.A.S.S in Chennai quoted about 12K to get this entire work done.

The ideal solution in this case is to have the apron changed - but there,you'll have problems when you sell the vehicle.

A changed apron is a give away as the silicone seal at the top(near the strut top) will not have a factory finish.As a result,anybody inspecting the vehicle will believe that the car has suffered an accident.

The "jugaad" that you're doing is not the best solution .However, since the apron hasn't got bent,it's worth the effort.

After all this,please get the wheels aligned and check if toe,castor and camber are OK.(In this car,only the toe can be corrected without fuss.Camber and castor correction requires more effort,in that order)

[aargee]

@Vigsom - Thanks for your advice. Since I'd to get the car running back to Chennai, I'm forced to get it running in good condition.

So the M.A.S.S guys in local town got the apron fixed (welded) as stated in my previous post. Since they couldn't get a balancing rod, they heated & fixed it

They even did a wheel balancing; I'll scan & post the receipt tomorrow. Now the car runs fine as such, but experiences a shuddering or heavy vibrations between 100-107 & then gives away. At times, I also hear some small squeaking noise when braking only at the front RHS (where the apron was fixed). As such I was able to top to 120 Kmph. I strongly doubt the wheel balancing for now. They got the entire work fixed for Rs 2700.

[yzfrj]

@aargee

I'm not sure what caused the problem in your case.
However I've seen the same this on the Bro's WagonR (Sold)

We were on the way to KL from Chennai car was not in a good condition so a mechanic friend was with us.
It was somewhere in the "Kuthiran" stretch hit a big pothole while he was driving around 70+

The exact same thing was the result.

I'm not sure what its called and huge metal section on the right side was replaced + somethings in the suspension too.

[aargee]

@Yzfrj - I'm very sure the damn M.A.S.S guys did something to my car that I heard the screeching sound the same day I took from service. The next day, my bad luck, I hit a large pothole at 80+. So multiple factors attributed to this issue.

Apart from this, I somehow feel the NVH has somehow increased, not sure how & I don't get the same old smooth ride what I used to get before.

I don't mind the cost (which is what every service is proving), but there's almost no outcome. After every service the car runs fine for a week or so after which it shows up another problem.

I'm not sure what its called and huge metal section on the right side was replaced + somethings in the suspension too

I learned from the above postings as Apron.

[pypkmsrikanth]

aargee - I use a independent service centre who used to work earlier with Khivraj & Choice Motors, Ambattur, I have been happy with the service he has provided to me right from the days he was a Service Advisor at Choice Motors and also now as an independent service centre. He just now did some work for me on Front Strut Overhaul, Lower Arm Work etc. If you want I can refer you to him, for an external opinion and way forward, let me know.