[Guderian]

Hi Colombus,
As mentioned elsewhere I think the key tactic going forward would be to ensure (for the sake of our beloved vehicles and our much loved sanity !).

- get the non-core activities done outside and/or do some of the things ourselves. Only the core activities needs to be ensured by the ASCs.

- Tyre rotation, balancing, wheel alignment & air pressure - Through a reliable tyrewallah. Get yourself a good tyre inflator and you can inflate the tyres to the right level or your heart's contentment.

- Battery checks (never ever done by the ASCs) - Can be done at home (OK,OK...not at home - but wherever you park your vehicle !) or the lazy folks can take it to an Amarom/Exide dealers and they'll do it free. Top ups and cell/output checks etc.

- Keep some essential fluids (coolant/engine oil/PS/Clutch n brake oil) and top up when required.

- Keep couple of rolls of Steelgrip tape and keep winding the frayed wire ends and lost harness covering whenever you spot them. Another activity I have never seen the ASCs do. They do it after a problem has arisen.

- Keep a check for loose nuts (not on the forum but in the engine bay and tighten ! Generally check the hose fastners/ wiring screws etc). Again another point never checked by ASCs in general.

Few of the things that occurred to me in a trice. Other folks can add to the list here and we can discuss...

[columbus]

Originally Posted by SDP

The A.S.S. experience with the alignment-balancing part is really bad. If they can not do such a simple job, it puts a big question on their ability to more complex jobs if needed.

If you have a choice of moving to a different service center, please do.

Thats exactly my concern. What if the need arises for a complex job... I have zero confidence in them. As i told earlier we have only 1 ASC here in Bhopal. Hence no option but to stick with them.

Originally Posted by nilanjanray

Seems that those vehicles that go over really rough roads, can develop the squeaks - but it should be a simple thing to fix e.g. by tightening something.

Me thinks the ASC folks are in a hurry to service as many vehicles as possible in a day, so quality suffers. Also, the situation is worse outside metros due to lack of talented and experienced personnel.

This time, I got someone from Toyota to call them to put added pressure to fix the starting issue properly. I will speak to him and convey the message that in the minds of the customers the Q USP is going down - and they need to fix it immediately.

Yes my vehicle also goes over some really bad roads "daily". But i handle the vehicle with kids gloves. No thrashing about in potholes etc. I was also under the impression that simple tightening would do the job. However they said this is there in all the T-forts.

Certainly there is a lack of trained personel and the situation is grave in non metro cities.

Not everyone is connected like you in Toyota. You can imagine the plight of people who will be taken for a ride in these ASCs.

Originally Posted by Guderian

Hi Colombus,
As mentioned elsewhere I think the key tactic going forward would be to ensure (for the sake of our beloved vehicles and our much loved sanity !).

Few of the things that occurred to me in a trice. Other folks can add to the list here and we can discuss...

Thanks HG.
This actually is the way out in such conditions. As i type this i am thinking
that after "moving up" to a T fort i have actulally "climbed down" and i am now doing a mechanics job....

[Guderian]

Originally Posted by columbus

Thanks HG.
This actually is the way out in such conditions. As i type this i am thinking
that after "moving up" to a T fort i have actulally "climbed down" and i am now doing a mechanics job....

Well Columbus - that is the only way you can be 100% sure about your vehicle irrespective of which brand's ASC you visit. That is the only way you can really care for your vehicle too. And remember only you can really take care of your vehicle. No one else. Irrespective of all the fancy clauses, fancy promises, fancy work processes...All bunk. And that's the reason as to why I am desperately trying to locate the Fortuner's workshop manual - so that at least we know what exactly is supposed to be done on the shopfloor (processwise) at every service and confirm its execution in front of us.
Unfortunately the owner's manual(servicing section) of the Fortuner, is hardly informative/exhaustive on the specific actions/activities to be completed at each service on the shopfloor.

About the spreading ASC malaise/rot all across - ask me after having experienced M&M's ASC and now experiencing Toyota and Maruti's ASCs side by side/in parallel.

Skin head, dead head
Everybody gone bad
Situation, aggravation
Everybody allegation
In the suite, on the news
Everybody dog food
Bang bang, shot dead
Everybody's gone mad

All I wanna say is that
They don't really care about us
All I wanna say is that
They don't really care about us


Michael Jackson I believe ?

[columbus]

Originally Posted by Guderian

About the spreading ASC malaise/rot all across - ask me after having experienced M&M's ASC and now experiencing Toyota and Maruti's ASCs side by side/in parallel.

Skin head, dead head
Everybody gone bad
Situation, aggravation
Everybody allegation
In the suite, on the news
Everybody dog food
Bang bang, shot dead
Everybody's gone mad

All I wanna say is that
They don't really care about us
All I wanna say is that
They don't really care about us

Michael Jackson I believe ?

Yep... BAD Boy Michael !! Nice one HG .

Yes I am slowly accepting the reality. Waiting for the Warranty period to end. After which I'll take things in my hand.

[columbus]

In the last post i had mentioned alignment issues at the ASC before going on a trip to Gujarat. After raising the issue to GM works at ASC i was again called for alignment check up at ASC. Maximus was again put on the operation table. After 10 degree rotation of the the steering in both directions the machine again showed as left toe out. Now the mech picks up the spanner and is just about to adjust the toe in left wheel when the readings in the machine changed to toe out in right wheel. Without thinking a minute the mech now starts adjusting the right wheel !!

I was now convinced that people here do not know an A of alignment. How can a vehicle aligned yesterday show alignment out today ? How can the readings change from left to right after a minute ? They had no answers. I decided to look for some wheel alignment guy outside ASC. Fortunately managed to find the right guy who took two hours to do the alignment and now it was perfect. I was a bit skeptical before going to Gujarat since if he had messed it up i would surely have bald tyres. But the vehicle behaved fantastically and my tyres are as good as new. No uneven wear.

Learnings : Some things like alignment are better done outside than at ASC.

Enough of ASC bikering its time for some notings from a not so recent trip to Gujarat done in christmas vacations Dec 2011.

Of all the stars in Bollywood no one can beat the pulling power of the great Amitabh Bacchan.The punch line " Kuch din to gujaariye Gujarat mein" just pulled the right strings in the heart. And off we went to Gujarat with Kutch as the focal point. Our brethern T-Bhpian Ramky made our stay extremely convenient in Ahemedabad. Thanks Ramky.

Route
Bhopal-Ujjain-Ahemedabad-Bhuj-bhopal
Round Trip of about 2700 kms.

FE
The Fort gave an FE (as per MID) of 14.2 till the start of expressway at Nadiad while going to Ahemedabad. The FE dropped to 13.9 by the time we reached A'bad. Thanks to some very spirited driving on the expressway
and horrible A'bad traffic.

The overall FE for the entire trip was 12.9 again thanks to some very spirited driving on SUPERB roads of Gujarat. So if driven reasonably that is speeds limited to 110-120 the Fort gives an FE in the range of 14-15 (AC on) which in my books is splendid. Even the overall FE of 12.9 is great considering the fact i litrally unleashed all the 170 horses on Gujarat roads and some decent city driving too.

Handling

The handling is great on expressways and i never felt the vehicle out of control even on speeds north of 150 kmph. The breaks do their job. Ofcourse you cannot compare the handling and breaking with that of a sedan. But full marks.

Driving comfort

Well what can i say here " ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC ". Consider this the return journey from BHUJ to Bhopal was done in one shot. Started at 6:30 in the morning from BHUJ and was sipping drinks in home at Bhopal at 12:00 clock night. A distance of 1139 kms done in 17 and a half hours which included 4 breaks of 20min, 45 min, 20min, 30min. Felt no fatigue
and could have easily done another 200 kms. Speaks volumes of the mile crunching capabilities of the Fort.

Boot space
Boot space is sufficeint for 1 big suitcase and 2 small suitcase which is enough for a family of 3-4 going out for 10 days. The third row fully utilised by my daughter for sleeping. Yes i know its dangerous on highways
but can't help with kids when you are travelling long distances.

How can everything be rosy with me. Here's the thorny part.

Offroading limits

Well managed to get the Fort stuck on Mandavi beach. The fault was mine that i cut a sharp U turn in loose sand and dug myself in. Maximus's front left and rear right wheel had no traction. Though two wheels had traction but in the absence of a LSD or diff locks the central differential kept on giving power to the spinning wheels in all the modes 4H, 4HL and 4L. I was a sitting duck in that situation. Tried many things Pushing by 3-4 people, increasing the load at rear by making 3 persons sit at the rear seat and one standing on the foot board. Nothing... only wheel spin. I thought of reducing the air pressure in tyres but i forgot to bring my footpump and i did not see any tyre shop nearby. Then decided to shove the Forts rubber mats below the wheels. That did the trick and Maximus roared out of the sand pit.
So in my books the absence of a rear LSD or diff locks severely limits the offroad capabilities of the Fort. Its sad to see that these were not added in the refreshed version also.

Ignition lock malfunction

During the return leg we had dinner at 10:30 about 100kms short of Bhopal. It was new years eve and a small brawl broke out between the waiters and a group of drunk youths. We had finished our dinner and decided lets move before things get ugly. I sat on the drivers seat and inserted the key in ignition. To my horror it would not go. A beep sound would come and it did not go inside. Tried everything locking unlocking closing the doors...nothing. Tried with duplicate key.. nothing. Only a beep sound and it would not go inside. I asked my wife to try it. Same problem ...beep sound and the it would not accept the key.
I litrally cursed Toyota that day. After full 5 minutes the suddenly went inside. After that without any drama reached home.. phew.
Showed it to ASC and they could not find anything. Saab abhi to thik se jaa rhai hai..!
A bit frustrated at this TSHP ( Toyota self healing program ). Everytime the vehicle builds trust and something like this happens..!

Will leave you with some pics of Maximus in its elements. The Lady in the pictures is the LOH ( Lady of the house ) Just to add little bit of glamour..!!

The Rann Riders

[sudev]

No pictures of the Mandvi beach??

[columbus]

Originally Posted by sudev

No pictures of the Mandvi beach??

Sir jee your discussions on the central differential of GV and fortuner proved very helpfull in understanding the situation there and measures to be taken for getting out.

I do have some pics of the beach but not of the stuck fortuner. It was my first time getting stuck and was rather tense on seeing the precarious angles at which the wheels were bent. Also some choicest comments from LOH like " How did you manage to take it to ladakh " made matters worse and hence completely forgot to take pics of the incident.

The idea was to cross the loose sand with momentum and get on to the hard sand near the sea and drive along the coast to the private beach of the palace. In between the loose sand stretch kid said i want to eat something and in overconfidense in the vehicles capabilities cut a sharp U turn and dug myself in. Before i knew the sand was almost upto the foot board..! After huffing puffing for 45 mins came out and dropped the idea of driving on sand and took the road to reach the palace beach. Here are some snaps of the Mandavi beach.

The beach was secluded but absence of any swimmers made me skeptical about the water currents.

My daughter with the resort in the background

Sunset while returning back