[VeyronSuperSprt]

Originally Posted by carzealot

Actually, not many people know the fact that this slab was removed and hence they missed on capitalising on the long term gains by either making a claim or selling the vehicle.

On selling the vehicle the 65% NCB (or any other percentage NCB for that matter) can be kept suspended for a period of 3 years.

During this period the insured can buy another car and transfer the suspended policy to his new car.

If the insured does not buy a car within 3 years, the NCB lapses.

In the case of renewal of policy, the same has to be done within 90 days of expiry of the policy to retain the NCB failing which the NCB would lapse.

[debuda]

ODO : 20,067 KM; Third (and last) Free Service

I got the third free service carried out at the M&M dealer workshop (Utkal Autocoach Pvt. Ltd.) at Jamshedpur recently. The following important work was done.


Rectification of irritating noise from the instrument cluster cover : This seems to be a common problem in XUVs. The workshop guys seemed to be quite familiar with it and had a ready solution for it. They removed the cover and split it open (the cover is made up of two plastic pieces). Then they inserted a piece of foam in between the upper and lower pieces and put them back together.

Both front brake pads wear indicator sensor wires found snapped : I found it quite strange that the wires had snapped on both left and right wheels and that too from exactly the same location (the inboard connector).


In the picture below, the yellow wire is coming from the brake pad to the outboard connector and the wire going to the instrument panel from the inboard connector has snapped.

Why did the wires snap? The only explanation I can think of is that the wires got pulled, probably during front suspension bottomings. It may be recalled that both my horn wires had also snapped earlier, though the horns don’t move up and down like the wheels do. Whatever be the reason, it is obviously bad design.

Another thing to be noted is that if the wire from the brake pad wear sensor snaps, there would be no indication on the instrument panel (unless the broken end of the wire touches the car body somewhere and gets earthed – then the brake pad worn out warning would come on).

Both the left wheel and right wheel inboard connectors were removed for fixing new wires in them.

One can see in the close up below that both wires broke exactly at identical spots.

To rectify the defect, new wires (purple coloured in the pictures below) were fixed in the connectors and then soldered with the wire going to the instrument panel. The effective length of the wire was thus increased by about four inches on each side. Only time will tell if this works.

Transmission oil change : This was changed for the first time since purchase of the car. Note the quantity of wear debris from the gearbox collected on the magnetic drain plug.

The magnetic drain plug after cleaning.

The recommended transmission oil is Maximile Syntec F2. As the name suggests, it may be a synthetic oil and its change interval is 80,000 KM (only the first change is supposed to be carried out at 20,000 KM). Three litres of this oil is needed for the transmission.

Transmission oil being filled.

Free replacement of front brake pads under warranty : My XUV never had the notorious brake grinding noise during the last 20,000 KM of running. Nor did I ever feel that braking force was dangerously low. The disclaimer here is that my driving style is such that I rarely have to do hard braking. Nevertheless, I had informed my R.M. that I would like to have brake pads of latest design because the same had been approved after many reported problems in earlier pads. He had informed me sometime back that the latest pads (Galfar) had arrived and they were changing it in all XUVs.



This is one of my old brake pads, used for 20,000 KM. One can make out from its thickness that it has been sparingly used.

The new Galfar brake pad.




The rear side of the new brake pad. As you can see, Galfar is not printed anywhere (C.B. Int. is printed).




The surface of the new pads appears more rough than the older ones with lot of metallic inclusions.




The brake pad set comes with 2 new bolts and 8 no.s new securing clips.




Price of two sets of pads is Rs 4410, definitely on the higher side.

I was looking for the name ‘Galfar’ and didn’t find it either on the pads or on the part no. / price sticker (shown above) on the box. Finally, I found it on a smaller sticker on one side of the box. Please note that the manufacturer is ‘Bosch Chassis Systems India Limited’.

It is interesting to note that the brake pads for Ssangyong Rexton are cheaper (Rs 3695) though they are apparently imported from Korea.

All underbody and suspension fasteners being tightened. I noticed that quite a few fasteners did turn.

Torsion bar bushes : I had complained of a minor squeak from the suspension. But when the mechanic and I went for a test drive, none of us could hear any squeak. The reason – the XUV had just been pressure washed! In order to save time, I had requested the R.M. to get the washing done first thing in the morning when there was no queue at the washing station. We went for the test drive after the washing and realized my folly. The mechanic informed me that after pressure washing of the car’s bottom, a film of water tends to lubricate the torsion bar bushes and squeaks temporarily vanish.

Anyway, after hoisting the XUV on the lift mechanic Abhay visually inspected the torsion bar bushes. He found the front bushes to be fine (these had been changed at 5,300 KM). But he felt that the rear torsion bar bushes should be changed because they appeared to be slightly loose.



Look out for a dark band on the torsion bar where it enters the bush (on both sides) to decide whether it needs to be changed.

According to mechanic Abhay, placement of a rubber packing on top of the rear torsion bar bushes ensures that the bush is gripped more tightly by the bracket. I had both rear bushes changed and this additional rubber packing (jugaad method?) was put in each of them.

Abhay replacing the rear torsion bar bushes.

During inspection of the bottom it was found that one of the suspension brackets (the rear one) of the left silencer had slipped off the supporting hook. It was fixed.

The silencer supporting bracket of the right silencer was fine.




Fuel filter cum water separator cartridge was changed.




Engine oil was drained (after 15,000 KM of running) and oil filter was changed.

New engine oil (6 litres) was put. I was surprised to see Maximile Premium oil being used because I remembered that Maximile Feo had been used during the First Service at 5,000 KM.

My surprise turned into alarm when I found (after studying the oil container) that Maximile Premium oil has a change interval of only 10,000 KM when the approved change interval for XUV engine oil is 20,000 KM. Also note that the price of this oil is only Rs 440 for 6 litres.

Goof-up regarding engine oil : I took up the matter with the R.M. and he told me that Maximile Premium was the only oil available in the store and they were putting this oil in ‘all the XUVs’. I informed him that this oil was NOT approved for XUV and I would be raising this issue with higher-ups at M&M. He then discussed the matter with the workshop manager and finally found 6 litres of Maximile Feo (one 5 litre can + one 1 litre can).



The fresh Maximile Premium being drained from my XUV prior to putting the proper engine oil, i.e., Maximile Feo.

6 litres of Maximile Feo cost Rs 1,992 (4.5 times the price of Maximile Premium). It is a synthetic oil which has a long change interval of 20,000 KM.

All XUV owners must insist on Maximile Feo. Those who love to change their engine oils every 5,000 KM or so (old habits from the Ambassador days die hard) may seek clarification from M&M whether they could use Maximile Premium.


Other jobs done :

1. Tyre rotation carried out. I religiously ensure 5-tyre rotation every 10,000 KM in my XUV. I personally make sure that rotation is done as specified in the manual.
   
2. Instrument cluster software flashed (upgraded) to have 4-digit (plus 1 decimal place) display in the trip meters.
   
3. I had a greeting message (which comes when the infotainment system is switched on) programmed through laptop (for the first time).
   
4. Air-conditioning system air filters (near the dead pedal) were cleaned. They were not dirty.
   
5. Free Car Spa treatment was done by 3M guys. They worked on seat covers and all internal and external plastic surfaces.

Expenses :

1. Fuel filter : Rs 1490
2. Rear stabilizer bar bushes : Rs 160
3. Oil filter : Rs 166
4. Maximile Feo (6 lit) : Rs 1992
5. Maximile Syntec F2 (3 lit) : Rs 1194
6. Labour : Free

Total : Rs 5,002

[AutoIndian]

Debuda, thank you for an exhaustive 20K service narration. So your cheetah had a well deserved break. Now that it has been spruced up, it would be raring to hit the highway. What's your next destination?

[Rajeev1]

Debuda, interesting as always to read through your adventures with your XUV. Congrats on crossing 20000 kms.

Was wondering how you get access to the service bay within the Mahindra workshop for all these detailed pictures?

Also noticed the "jugaad" funnel being used by the Mahindra workshop guys by chopping off the base of a mineral water bottle.... why is it that M&M don't think fit to provide their service centers with proper equipment?

[sandeepmdas]

debuda sir, another awesome post from you! One of the major reasons that made me ended up buy a Cheetah is your influence.

Ref. the inscription on brake pads "C.B Int", IMHO it could be a product of Chassis Brakes International:

http://www.chassisbrakes.com/

[fusionbang]

First of all hats off to you sir on the detailed review of the service. I have a small question, are the customers allowed in the service bay and take pictures. Because I have seen service centers where they inform the customers to watch it from the waiting area in case they want to.

Originally Posted by debuda

[b][u]

My surprise turned into alarm when I found (after studying the oil container) that Maximile Premium oil has a change interval of only 10,000 KM when the approved change interval for XUV engine oil is 20,000 KM. Also note that the price of this oil is only Rs 440 for 6 litres.

Attachment 1208368

And there is no chance that 6 litres of oil costs 440/-, because 1 litre of Yamalube oil for my Yamaha R15 costs around 480/-. I understand I can't compare my bike with this but still its IMO.

I think it costs Rs. 1440/- which has been faded of because of that small patches you see on that can.

[debuda]

Originally Posted by AutoIndian

Now that it has been spruced up, it would be raring to hit the highway. What's your next destination?

To tell you the truth, I've been neglecting my XUV and 'straying' a bit of late! Recently drove (several cars, mostly a Mercedes ML320) around 9,500 KM in USA and going to Delhi after a few days to drive a Duster to Himachal Pradesh along with a friend.

It is relevant to mention that when I drove my XUV after returning from USA, it didn't feel less capable as compared to the cars I drove in USA. That was a wonderful feeling, trust me.

Might drive my XUV to Shantiniketan and Parasnath next month after returning from the Duster trip.

Originally Posted by Rajeev1

Was wondering how you get access to the service bay within the Mahindra workshop for all these detailed pictures?

Originally Posted by fusionbang

I have a small question, are the customers allowed in the service bay and take pictures. Because I have seen service centers where they inform the customers to watch it from the waiting area in case they want to.

Usually, the rule is that customers have to wait in the lounge. But if one has good rapport with the managers / supervisors / mechanics, then one can have access to the shop floor. I used to enjoy this privilege with Maruti workshops too. Another factor could be that workshops in smaller towns are more informal.

Originally Posted by sandeepmdas

One of the major reasons that made me ended up buy a Cheetah is your influence.

Ref. the inscription on brake pads "C.B Int", IMHO it could be a product of Chassis Brakes International:

http://www.chassisbrakes.com/

I guess M&M should pay me a commission if I'm motivating others to buy XUVs! Recently, a neighbour of mine at Jamshedpur bought an AWD XUV after test driving my XUV and discussing the pros and cons with me at length.

I wonder whether Chassis Brakes International is a subsidiary of Bosch Chassis Systems.

[F150]

wow, what a detailed report ! The pic of the drain plug is amazing.

I didn't quite understand the brake pad part, were the brake pads replaced ? If so 20K kms is the typical life of the brake pads on the XUV. @ 4.5K for a set of four, they sure are expensive

[TheIndian]

Expenses :
1.Fuel filter : Rs 1490
2.Rear stabilizer bar bushes : Rs 160
3.Oil filter : Rs 166
4.Maximile Feo (6 lit) : Rs 1992
5.Maximile Syntec F2 (3 lit) : Rs 1194
6.Labour : Free
Total : Rs 5,002

Rs. 5K is amazingly low for a 20,000 kms service also involving transmission oil change

[Seran Manian]

Originally Posted by debuda

To tell you the truth, I've been neglecting my XUV and 'straying' a bit of late! I wonder whether Chassis Brakes International is a subsidiary of Bosch Chassis Systems.

Mr Debuda is partially right . It was a subsidiary of Bosch Foundation till 2012 and now has been taken over by some other by name KPS Capital. So it can be considered to be a Bosch Genuine Part. Mahindra is CBI's Indian counter part.

[debuda]

Originally Posted by F150

I didn't quite understand the brake pad part, were the brake pads replaced ? If so 20K kms is the typical life of the brake pads on the XUV. @ 4.5K for a set of four, they sure are expensive

If you go through my post regarding the 20,000 KM service, you will see that I have posted a picture of my old brake pads and highlighted that they did NOT wear out very much over 20,000 KM of use.

New Galfar brake pads were installed in both my front wheels proactively by M&M as they are the latest brake pads (front) approved by M&M after experimenting with 3 different designs. This work was done free of cost.

With my personal driving style (negligible hard braking) I expect my brake pads to last at least 50,000 KM or so.

[roshanjathanna]

@debuda Sir, I really enjoyed and understood pros and cons of XUV. My FIL is planning to buy a new car. Being a fan of XUV and your detailed report on this surely made me to bold to suggest him to buy XUV W6. Even he is a retired comander from Indian Navy. Thank you Sir.

[chaudhary.akash]

Dear All,

I got my XUV 5OO, W6 delivered on March 18, 2014 in NCR. Have driven it 1400kms since then all on city road and one 200 km drive on a very bad road where I was driving in 2-3 gear on 50% of the route. I have just calculated the mileage( tank full to Tank full) and it is giving me 14.95 kmpl.

Please advise if what other things to be taken care off while driving as this is my first SUV.

Akash

[debuda]

Originally Posted by chaudhary.akash

Dear All,

I got my XUV 5OO, W6 delivered on March 18, 2014 in NCR. Have driven it 1400kms since then all on city road and one 200 km drive on a very bad road where I was driving in 2-3 gear on 50% of the route. I have just calculated the mileage( tank full to Tank full) and it is giving me 14.95 kmpl.

Please advise if what other things to be taken care off while driving as this is my first SUV.

Akash

The very fact that you are getting a mileage of about 15 kmpl from your brand new XUV, indicates that your driving style is very good.

Since this is your first SUV, you can now afford to worry about LESS things while driving. For example, you can now drive on bad roads at higher speeds without worrying about your suspension or the bottom touching the road.

[debuda]

ODO : 20,300 KM; First puncture and DIY repair


Recently I drove from Jamshedpur to Shantiniketan and back with some friends for a short holiday. At Shantiniketan, I happened to notice a shiny metallic object stuck inside the treads of my front RHS tyre.


On closer observation, that steel object appeared to be a bolt head. Since there was no loss of tyre pressure, I decided not to do anything and continued driving.




After returning home to Jamshedpur, I purchased a tubeless tyre repair kit for Rs 350.




I started pulling out the bolt with a pair of pliers. Please note that there was NIL loss of tyre pressure till I started my repairs. I had driven the car about 300 km after discovering the problem. The bolt may have gone in much earlier.




Air started leaking out only when the bolt was almost fully out.




Note the size of the bolt.




The tyre got fully deflated after I took out the bolt.




First I roughened the hole with the abrasive tool.




Then I inserted the puncture seal strip in the eye of the inserting tool.




View of the inserting tool.




After inserting the seal strip with the inserting tool inside the puncture, I pulled out the inserting tool. There is a cut in the eye of the inserting tool which ensures that the seal strip stays in place when the tool is pulled out.




Inflating the tyre with my Michelin pump.




Inflating the tyre with my Michelin pump.




Tyre fully inflated. I checked for leaks with water and no air was escaping from the sealed puncture.




Since the DIY repairs I have driven my XUV about 400 km (including a drive on the highway from Jamshedpur to Ranchi and back, a distance of about 250 KM) and there is no loss of pressure. The best part of the operation was that the wheel did not require to be removed and everything was done in situ.

I subsequently discovered that repair kits are available much cheaper online.