[Repsol]

Originally Posted by laluks

Well that was kept under the wraps, now that it will start doing duty, thought it better to let the cat out . Nobody noticed it so far I guess, now that you ask...

Kungfu Panda Sr. in the family
Attachment 1862018

Congrats @laluks

Which variant is it - 4x2 or 4x4? MT or AT?

[laluks]

Originally Posted by Repsol

Congrats @laluks

Which variant is it - 4x2 or 4x4? MT or AT?

Sorry for the delayed response, could only login now.
It's a 3.0 4x4 MT

[locusjag]

Originally Posted by laluks

It's a 3.0 4x4 MT

Wow! You'll be towing loaded lorries from now on. All the best

[findviru]

Congratulations...waiting for your detailed ownership experience.

[sumeethaldankar]

Originally Posted by laluks

Sorry for the delayed response, could only login now.
It's a 3.0 4x4 MT

Seems like you are on a roll in the Tank. No posts no update hope you are having a good time and hope to see more travelogues

[laluks]

Originally Posted by sumeethaldankar

Seems like you are on a roll in the Tank. No posts no update hope you are having a good time and hope to see more travelogues

Been busy at work, multiple travels to Europe and all that kept me away from TBHP. Kungfu Panda Jr. has put in some 700Kms since January. Kungfu Panda Sr. some 1000Kms. That's about it.

Mean while as expected TFort is cheaper to service than SCross. I can put up sometime the comparisons of service costs of both till 50K Kms. Same impression when I had Civic. Civic was cheaper to service than Swift. Marutis are cheaper to buy, but costly to maintain!!


Will leave you with 2 pics




Sr. PPG is eyeing to takeover the battle scarred Swift, which leaves my wifey to take over SCross for her office runs or a new car. Only time will tell. As of now SCross gets the care it needs, but lesser runs.

[laluks]

Some updates, Its been long.

Originally Posted by laluks

Did a wheel alignment along with 40K service.

Last time at Suraksha, Bommanahalli, I asked for the same .

Well this ended up in screwing the whole thing. Left front and right front ended up in eating from the inside, since the tyres were on its last leg, damages were contained. So much for MASS skills. No more wheel stuff from them. Lessons learnt.

Checking out


Tyres were replaced with the ones I had already got, and did a WA, WB from a proper place. I can only thank my stars that I did not do the WA after the tyre change from MASS.

Woke him up from his slumber and added a 10K to his odo in June and July. Had trips to Kodai (S-Cross'd : Kodaikanal (without visiting it) and a walk to Munnar), Peerumedu, Trivandrum and Dhanushkodi (S-Cross'd : Land's End (Dhanushkodi)).

Kungfu Panda (Jr.) completes 53K Km. He is on his new shoes, and is ready for his 50K service. Problem is from Suraksha, my known Workshop Manager has quit, who helped me out last time has also quit!! It will have to be seen, but warranty needs me to visit MASS. 50K, 60K, 70K, 80K, 90K, 100K, that means another 6 visits before I can break free!

Will update on 50K visit in another post.

He gets a good cleanup


And was parked for the whole of September.


While I was on another cross country drive with Kungfu Panda (Sr.)

[laluks]

50K Service, called up Suraksha to enquire who the new workshop manager was. I was told it is Dileep, and took his number. As with the previous experiences, to avoid delay with Castrol 5W30 oil, I thought of calling him and letting him know my intention of coming in the next two days and to help in sourcing the oil, to avoid delays. On speaking to him, he says they only deal with shell oil! I had to convince him that SCross indeed has a MGP for Castrol oil. He says ok, will be possible.

50K Service
3rd October 2019
Suraksha Bommanahalli

Landed up at 09:30. This time I decided to play the silent customer, to see what is in store for me.

Yogesh, SA, attended me and took inventory. He asked me what issues with the car, I say none, just the engine oil as part of 50K service, not even a wash and we are good to go.

He makes a job card with a statement, brakes not effective as the demanded job and a diagnostic service. I say nothing, any ways its good to check the brakes. I asked for Castrol Oil, he says he will get it from stores outside. So it was not yet sourced, okay that will lead to some delays now.

Car was handed over to a mechanic. He was quick in setting the car up the ramp and removing all the brake pads. From the look of it, front could have done another 5K. The previous change was at Varanasi during my 30K service. Benefit of doubt 5K, I kind of agreed. Rear from my impression would have done another 10K, but then I could see an insisting face on SA. Okay I also let that be. Rear pads costs some Rs 6000 and front some Rs 3000. So considering that I could have pushed it to next service, its a 10K sudden addition, and a 13 to 17% of this costs as the benefits to MASS, and SA's targets.

Outgoing Rear Pad


Meanwhile Rear pads also had to be sourced from their other Nexa Service Centre. It was 11:00 by then, I decided to leave the car in the ramp and get to office and to return by 14:00, by the time the components arrive.

I reach by 14:00, and it takes another hour for the components to arrive. But not yet the engine oil

The mechanic calmly and carefully went ahead with the pad changes. He then bled all the brake lines and did a thorough job with that. No complains at all.

By 16:00 the oil arrives. Unlike a sealed 4L can of Castrol 5W30 in all previous services, some loose oil was brought in a can, I was in no mood to ask anything, and let the episode pass. Mechanic immediately does the oil change and gets the car down the ramp.

Cabin filter was changed, and also rear wiper (I had no issues with that wiper though!!)

Car then went for final inspection. Car was at the Pollution check and WA area. Pollution check preparation were going on. I denied the need since I had got it done, WA & WB I categorically denied. Also told them not to stick ans stickers in the car.

Then comes a guy with a PC, with the diagnostic software and hooked up to the car. He sees some DTC, 2 historical and one current. Well, my expectation was he'd check for the reasons why the DTCs were present. No it was not to be, he writes it on a piece of paper, and deletes the DTCs, only to get another one as current. By the looks of it, I guess he only knows to hook up and read the DTCs. He showed me a serious face and walks away with his PC.

The DTCs


I guess the diagnostic software is not properly installed even, it shows up some application error, well that's not my issue!!


I thought to check with the SA later, for now I let it be.

Bills were made, parts were some Rs 12100 and labour Rs 3900. Labour included 50K service, front and rear pad change, and diagnostic service. I asked what is with the DTC, answer was it is all cleared, nothing to worry. Okay, since SDT tool is from us, I know what to look out for, but if I were to be given this info, why then do the diagnostic service itself and charge me for that!! I expected possible reasons of the historical DTC, a thorough check on those sensors before concluding this way!! Well it seems the target for the SA's might have been increased and they pass these unnecessary stuff on to customers. No other explanation for that.

Now in the bills, the batch of all spares were put as AB, while majority spares had AA as the batch code. Well this is another way to make the cut with the highest prices of AB batch, since there was a recent raise in prices in AB batch. But then a carefully drafted bill should show actual batch code.

The Bill showing Batch code


Front Brake Pads (AA)


Rear Brake Pads (AB) - Too expensive for a Maruti






Seems its an import from Japan


Rear Wiper assembly (AA)


Cabin filter (AB)


Car was then taken out for a test drive by a guy who was constantly on the phone! Thankfully he did not go far as the metro work was going on and I could watch him.

After he came and parked the car, I settled the bills and paid the amount, Rs 15950 and got the gate pass. I gave them my Nexa card to swipe to accumulate points. No, server issues, not possible. I must visit again for that. What a scam!!

Finally the best part, I was handed over the car like this, thanks to me for not asking for cleaning the car in the first place

Cabin filter left as it is after replacement. Atleast put that in the boot!


Well I get seat covers for free!!!




I had reserved my observations and gave the SA a blank signed feedback form. I don't expect he understands from that blank form, let him chose what feedback he wants.

If the management of Suraksha is listening - amend a few possible steps, you are seriously missing your best workshop managers, who had eye for details.

If Maruti is listening, do something about the greatest joke called Nexa cards and MASS demanding unnecessary jobs

[Swajith]

Originally Posted by aargee

35K!!

While in Bangalore...needless to say, Suraksha is the place to visit

I go to Nexa for service. Is Suraksha a service centre? Getting the car serviced there will not void the warranty?

[gururajrv]

Originally Posted by Swajith

I go to Nexa for service. Is Suraksha a service centre? Getting the car serviced there will not void the warranty?

Since, I’m a customer to Suraksha, I’m picking this question from Laluks thread.

Suraksha deals with both sales and service and is Maruti’s authorized service center (A.S.S)

You can get your Maruti vehicle serviced by them. I’ve positive experience with them from their EC service center. You can pay a visit and see for yourself.

[Researcher]

Originally Posted by laluks

Seems its an import from Japan
Attachment 1921107
Rear Wiper assembly (AA)
Attachment 1921108

Thank you very much for your detailed ownership report. Your ownership thread actually started my entire confusion between getting a new S-Cross and a used Fortuner a few months back (still ongoing).
Slightly off topic, but from my experience, most Maruti parts are of the format XXXXX Y ZZZZZ (at least from my searches in Boodmo for my SX4). The Y is either M or blank. The part number with M represents a Maruti Genuine Part (MGP) which is usually made in India. The blank represents a Suzuki Genuine Part (SGP) which is usually imported from Japan and is more expensive compared to its equivalent MGP part.
For SX4, there are a lot of parts which are both MGP and SGP. For example, the clutch slave cylinder has two part numbers: 23820M79J00 for MGP (₹3.2K) and 23820-79J00 for SGP (₹8.5K). I usually search and insist for the equivalent MGP if SGP is the one in stock with a much higher price tag than MGP. Request anyone to correct me if I am wrongly assuming.

[laluks]

Originally Posted by Researcher

Thank you very much for your detailed ownership report. Your ownership thread actually started my entire confusion between getting a new S-Cross and a used Fortuner a few months back (still ongoing).
Slightly off topic, but from my experience, most Maruti parts are of the format XXXXX Y ZZZZZ (at least from my searches in Boodmo for my SX4). The Y is either M or blank.

Thanks Researcher. Hope I have given enough confusions to you already. I would say from my experience with Esteem, Swift and SCross to stay away from Maruti. The up keep is expensive, you might spend lower to buy the car, in the long run the component change frequency is so high that you spend the rest of the money there.

Civic taught me to put money where quality is and enjoy the rest of the ownership without a hassle. BTW, such nice build quality is nowadays a dream, and is difficult to find from any manufacturer.

So my choice would be a well built car, good service network and reasonable spare costs. So it'd be a Toyota in the current scenario. New Toyota - may be not since they don't price their cars very well.

Your second point is quite valid I guess. Just noticed the same in the parts numbers which I have posted!

[laluks]

Well, I just came back to the log to check when was the last service done, since I have almost felt it was a while ago. It was at 52950Kms on 03 October 2019. The tyres were changed at 52500 on 28 July 2019. Today the odo stands at 54200. Some 1700Kms in 7 months! Something like 250Kms per month.

[laluks]

I guess the clutch is done. I can feel some juddering in low gears. Since anyhow the use case nowadays is less, I'll just let it be for a while till a long drive comes up. At approximately 55K I do not know what to say. The usage was 85% on long drives. May be this is the best? What could be expected normally?

I am used to 123K on Civic .

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by laluks

At approximately 55K I do not know what to say. The usage was 85% on long drives. May be this is the best? What could be expected normally?

Certainly way too low mileage for the clutch, that too for a Diesel and for your 85% run on highways! Can't blame your driving style since you have got 123K on a Petrol Civic. It should easily last over a lakh kms. I had to replace mine at 97K only because I got the synchro rings replaced and clutch was replaced proactively. The same clutch now after 1L Kms as absolutely healthy.

Get the clutch bled once and see if it gets better or else your car's (oops, Panda's) clutch needs to be inspected for unusual wear and perhaps get a replacement.

I don't want to say this but your S-Cross has some really amusing stories apart from the drives alone .