[tazmaan]

Originally Posted by raj_5004

3 Lac seems to be too steep for such a damage. So that means accident repairs are expensive with Arias.

Why do all TATAs have a spare parts issue? Cant they maintain their inventory properly? Heck, they even harass FIAT customers.

Factor in the cost of replacing airbags (which are expensive in any case) and the seat belts (not sure if Aria has active head rests).

Also other than physical damage, the mechanical parts like radiator, condenser, windshield etc. I find 3 lacs as pretty reasonable looking at the damage. It cost me 45k to replace just the front windshield cracked by a coconut on Accord. This is where companies make money and in any case insurance should take care of most of it.

[indian21r]

Well there are 40 parts that are being replaced. The major items include:

• Chassis Assembly almost 80k
• Dash Board Air Bag Assembly 25k
• Steering Air bag Assembly 10k
• Condensor
• Radiator
• Intercooler
• Head Lights
• Bumper
• Bonnet

I also felt that the estimate of 3 is on Higher Side. I Just got a detailed breakup which is around 2.55 lakhs. Add to this taxes + labour, it may be close to Rs 3 lakhs. rather than the cost, the biggest irritant is not having the car back from service

Originally Posted by raj_5004

3 Lac seems to be too steep for such a damage. So that means accident repairs are expensive with Arias.

Why do all TATAs have a spare parts issue? Cant they maintain their inventory properly? Heck, they even harass FIAT customers.

The spares are always out of stock. It is as if they are on need to order basis

Originally Posted by tazmaan

Factor in the cost of replacing airbags (which are expensive in any case) and the seat belts (not sure if Aria has active head rests).

Also other than physical damage, the mechanical parts like radiator, condenser, windshield etc. I find 3 lacs as pretty reasonable looking at the damage. It cost me 45k to replace just the front windshield cracked by a coconut on Accord. This is where companies make money and in any case insurance should take care of most of it.

[raj_5004]

Hmm, airbags at 35k seems very reasonable.

BUT, chassis at 80k - means the chassis took a hit?

[GunMo]

Indian21r,
Sorry to hear about the accident - they are always painful and takes time for a full recovery (not this much 'TATA' time though!). Good that nothing happened to the occupants.

Originally Posted by ANUJ GEORGE

Isn't it worrying to see the cracked windshield. I believe the so called crumple zone was supposed to take the impact racter than passing it on to the passenger cabin. Glad that the Airbags got deployed.

Looking at the pictures, as most of the hit as well as the damages are on the driver side, makes me wonder why the passenger side windshield cracked the way it did. Could the culprit be the airbag themselves? Probably they aren't designed specifically for Aria's cabin? Or, designed for Aria, but not positioned correctly per design?

Originally Posted by indian21r

Well there are 40 parts that are being replaced. The major items include:
[*]Chassis Assembly almost 80k[*]Dash Board Air Bag Assembly 25k[*]Steering Air bag Assembly 10k[*]Condensor[*]Radiator[*]Intercooler[*]Head Lights[*]Bumper[*]Bonnet

I am being curious as your major items list didn't include windshield. It could be an oversight on your part, but if otherwise, did Tata absorb that cost? If so, any explanation given?

[indian21r]

Originally Posted by GunMo

Indian21r,
Sorry to hear about the accident - they are always painful and takes time for a full recovery (not this much 'TATA' time though!). Good that nothing happened to the occupants.

Looking at the pictures, as most of the hit as well as the damages are on the driver side, makes me wonder why the passenger side windshield cracked the way it did. Could the culprit be the airbag themselves? Probably they aren't designed specifically for Aria's cabin? Or, designed for Aria, but not positioned correctly per design?

I am being curious as your major items list didn't include windshield. It could be an oversight on your part, but if otherwise, did Tata absorb that cost? If so, any explanation given?

It is included. I just listed some part which have to replaced.

Well I cannot comment on why the windshield cracked at passenger side. Any inputs from experts on this

[Palio_2005]

Originally Posted by indian21r

Well I cannot comment on why the windshield cracked at passenger side. Any inputs from experts on this

Passgenger wasn't wearing a seatbelt???

[indian21r]

Originally Posted by Palio_2005

Passgenger wasn't wearing a seatbelt???

The passenger was sitting in the Second row. He normally wears seat belt.

[teamveevee]

Originally Posted by indian21r

The passenger was sitting in the Second row. He normally wears seat belt.

Some things/items kept on Passenger/Second row seats flew and hit the windshield? This happens quite often with head on collisions.

[VeluM]

Originally Posted by teamveevee

Some things/items kept on Passenger/Second row seats flew and hit the windshield? This happens quite often with head on collisions.

Since there was chassis damage, it could also be that the bent chassis distorted the windscreen to the point that it cracked. Not sure, but just a thought.

I also felt that 3L is reasonable considering the number of parts being replaced. The windscreen may be relatively cheap, but it is generally one of those expensive to replace parts, though it should be completely covered by Insurance.

Looks like TASS follows the JIT process with Stretchable Indian Time thrown in, resulting in the delays

[GunMo]

Originally Posted by Palio_2005

Passgenger wasn't wearing a seatbelt???

Originally Posted by teamveevee

Some things/items kept on Passenger/Second row seats flew and hit the windshield? This happens quite often with head on collisions.

This happens in a vehicle with no airbags, but not the case here. One possibility is that something big and hard (helmut?! - I'm ) was stowed on top of the dashboard or upper glove box that got jammed between the airbag and the windshield.

Originally Posted by VeluM

Since there was chassis damage, it could also be that the bent chassis distorted the windscreen to the point that it cracked. Not sure, but just a thought.

Hmm, could be. But usually such cracks run from end to end and doesn't bulge in the middle as how it appears in the picture.

I was searching for Aria's Euro NCAP crash videos/photos, but strangely none is available (http://www.euroncap.com/search.aspx?q=Aria).

Didn't Aria appear for NCAP? I remember reading somewhere that Aria 4x4 secured 4 star rating (however, Tata's brochure doesn't claim as such). I wish it did. A frontal impact video would have helped end this debate!

[indian21r]

The car is yet to come back from the service center after the accident. It is almost 100 days since it has been sent for repairs.

Edit: Looks more like incompetence of the service center to repair the car. Here is the sequence of events as given by the workshop

1) Car received to workshop in towed condition on 05.04.2012.
2) Document received to us on 07.04.2012.
3) Estimate prepared on14.04.2012.
4) Car dismantled as per instructions by insurance company for detailed survey
5) Survey done on 20.04.2012.
6) After dismantled we found chassis also damaged. Again called surveyor for check.
7) Immediately part ordered & received some parts . But chassis received late on 15.05.2012.
8) New chassis fitting done by 30.05.2012.
9) Body repairing, cutting welding done by 20.6.2012.
10) Painting started & completed by 30.06.2012.
11) Wiring harness was kept open by insurance company & approved on 07.07.2012.
12) Wiring order same day & waiting for part.

[raj_5004]

WHAT? The car is lying in the A.S.S. for 3 and a half months just for accidental repair. Isnt this ridiculous? Especially since their factory is the nearest to this A.S.S.

Did they not give any time estimate for the repairs?

[indian21r]

Originally Posted by raj_5004

WHAT? The car is lying in the A.S.S. for 3 and a half months just for accidental repair. Isnt this ridiculous? Especially since their factory is the nearest to this A.S.S.

Did they not give any time estimate for the repairs?

Hi Raj, I updated my post after I got some more additional details. It just showed how incompetent the Service center guys are in doing the work. .

If I remember correctly they were waiting for parts to come initially. And Around One Month was the target. But the way the sequence of events happened in appalling. 15 days for survey, 10 days for painting. Parts delivery is also surprisingly very slow for a service center 10kms from the Manufacturing plant. After everything they will probably take 10 days for cleaning also

[ACM]

To me the 3 plus months of delay seems to be a combination of service centre first, followed by TATA followed by the insurance guys as well. I guess for chassis replacement work a months wait is expected but this seems to be a case spoilt by all three mentioned by getting and giving approvals and ordering material in series rather than at one go. Customer is placed last in importance. Sad.

[indian21r]

Originally Posted by ACM

To me the 3 plus months of delay seems to be a combination of service centre first, followed by TATA followed by the insurance guys as well. I guess for chassis replacement work a months wait is expected but this seems to be a case spoilt by all three mentioned by getting and giving approvals and ordering material in series rather than at one go. Customer is placed last in importance. Sad.

Agreed. Till I saw the mail from workshop, I was of the opinion that TM is at fault. But everyone is competing with each other to delay the work.