[venkyhere]

Originally Posted by Leoshashi

* Regarding XL6's behavior with IOCL's XP95: One very evident difference is that I need to press the throttle lesser to maintain a specific speed, which directly translates to better mileage. Other than that there is absolutely no difference in flat-out acceleration or pick up.

The two statements don't seem to add up, IMHO. If you need lesser throttle for same cruising speed ; that means more power is being produced with lesser fuel. Which in turn would mean if you press the pedal 100% for "flat out" acceleration, even in this case the better potency of the fuel should translate to more power than 100% pedal with ordinary fuel, and consequently pick up must also improve in tandem, not just fuel efficiency at part throttle.

[Leoshashi]

Originally Posted by venkyhere

The two statements don't seem to add up, IMHO. If you need lesser throttle for same cruising speed ; that means more power is being produced with lesser fuel. Which in turn would mean if you press the pedal 100% for "flat out" acceleration, even in this case the better potency of the fuel should translate to more power than 100% pedal with ordinary fuel, and consequently pick up must also improve in tandem, not just fuel efficiency at part throttle.

Well I posted what I felt, there is absolutely no difference in acceleration or pickup. Or may be my butt dyno didn't pick it up.

[Dr.Naren]

Originally Posted by venkyhere

If you need lesser throttle for same cruising speed ; that means more power is being produced with lesser fuel.

Correct!! Exactly what Shashi has observed with half throttle inputs.

Which in turn would mean if you press the pedal 100% for "flat out" acceleration, even in this case the better potency of the fuel should translate to more power than 100% pedal with ordinary fuel, and consequently pick up must also improve in tandem, not just fuel efficiency at part throttle.

Not necessarily. It all depends on the ignition timing tables in ECU map. At half throttle inputs, ECU has advanced timing because of better fuel and the driver has noticed difference here. He says there is no difference with full throttle which is very much possible if the ignition timing can't advance beyond a point at full throttle as set in stock map.

Originally Posted by Leoshashi

Well I posted what I felt, there is absolutely no difference in acceleration or pickup. Or may be my butt dyno didn't pick it up.

What you have observed is correct. I have faced the same in my Baleno. My tuner Rajiv (Wolf Moto) says that Suzuki K series engine has pretty advanced timing even in stock map and we couldn't achieve major difference in full throttle.

[chiranjitp]

Originally Posted by Leoshashi

Detailed post on Auto Dimming IRVM:

Awesome post Shashi, thorough explanation of the whole process . I have noticed that the new IRVM is placed backwards (a bit) compared to the OE IRVM. Is there any difference with regards to the view out of the IRVM?

[Leoshashi]

Originally Posted by chiranjitp

Awesome post Shashi, thorough explanation of the whole process . I have noticed that the new IRVM is placed backwards (a bit) compared to the OE IRVM. Is there any difference with regards to the view out of the IRVM?

Absolutely, due to the IRVM placed couple of centimeters ahead, I'm able to get a more complete view of the rear.

Regards,
Shashi

[Leoshashi]

A rare event of Maruti pulling out a Toyota: Got a frantic call from a brother that he has beached the Innova. Well it wasn't entirely his fault because the tyres sank post heavy rains. One wheel was deep inside very dense mud, LH Front wheel was on solid ground, rear left wheel was almost in air with very little traction, and right wheel was so heavily loaded that it could barely move. All we could get was lots of wheelspin and no movement.

Since I carry all emergency supplies in my boot Link to emergency kit (My first car: 2020 Maruti Suzuki XL6 Alpha MT Review), it came handy today. Pulled out the tow strap from the emergency kit and connected both the cars. I instructed him to coordinate well using horn, as I didn't want to repeat the towing disasters some people have.

Well the XL6 easily pulled the Innova out without much fuss, all it needed was some extra revvs.

Free!

[pritanshchandra]

Originally Posted by Leoshashi

A rare event of Maruti pulling out a Toyota

Nothing Fancy here, Just some pics of younger brother helping elder brother Nice Job BTW, classic example of why we should keep necessary tool kits in our boot.

[ashis89]

Nice job!

Originally Posted by Leoshashi

One wheel was deep inside very dense mud, LH Front wheel was on solid ground, rear left wheel was almost in air with very little traction, and right wheel was so heavily loaded that it could barely move. All we could get was lots of wheelspin and no movement.

When you are dealing with wheels losing traction after getting raised, you can try adding some counter weights(2-3 people sitting in the boot or rear seat will do the job) on the wheel so that it's back on the ground. Once the wheel gets traction, self-recovery is easy.

[Leoshashi]

Originally Posted by ashis89

Nice job!


When you are dealing with wheels losing traction after getting raised, you can try adding some counter weights(2-3 people sitting in the boot or rear seat will do the job) on the wheel so that it's back on the ground. Once the wheel gets traction, self-recovery is easy.

Indeed. Have seen it in all the off roading videos.

However it was raining heavily and there was no one to help. Hence we were on our own.

Regards,
Shashi

[Leoshashi]

Originally Posted by Leoshashi

Bad day for the XL6, and first dent:

Now options for me,

1. Try PDR. Mr. Mitra who does PDR opines that it can be done. There is just a single dot where paint loss is there.

2. Try conventional denting and painting. My Old mass said it can be done in around Rs. 2,500-3,000.

3. Claim insurance, get bumper, hatch etc replaced. But workshop guys are recommending to get this repaired from my own pocket and not claim insurance for this.

Which one would you guys recommend?

Originally Posted by Blow Horn Ok

Go for option one and if not satisfied, settle for the two

Originally Posted by R2D2

Sad to read this. I'd go for option 2, don't opt for insurance claims unless your claim amount is much more than NCB.

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

I suggest go for PDR. Factory paint cannot be reproduced in dealership paint booths.

Originally Posted by BoneCollector

Please do not go for this option. It can have various issues like paint mismatch, malalignment of boot door and malaligned rear glass fitment. Better to live with a small dent and a small chipped paint than to live with these issues. I've been through it, I'll suggest option 1 or 2 as per your convenience.

Originally Posted by Kosfactor

I have seen your DIYs, proper job is what is expected. PDR is a hackjob, don't do it.

Originally Posted by saket77

My advice: Option 2. Not much of monetary damage and perfect outcome is almost guaranteed.

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Don't do PDR Sashi! Since MASS isn't quoting a prohibitive amount - get a proper paint job done.

Originally Posted by PaddleShifter

Dear Leoshashi, it looks bad but it can be repaired easily. Hope it will come back to its full glory soon.

Originally Posted by Abhishek_Garg

Dear Shashi, I would suggest to go for insurance claim. Get the repairs properly done at MASS.

Originally Posted by kunalsingh

I hope the XL6 has been repaired back to perfection. Looking froward to seeing the results!

Originally Posted by Leoshashi

Stay tuned and the entire bodyshop saga will be a treat to read. Some work remains, like polishing and repasting the Emblems, let's see when I'm able to complete them.

Well as promised, here is the entire body work report, entire saga of getting the factory finish back. Do note that I'm mentioning finish and not the quality. Factory paint quality cannot be replicated. Period!

I do have some experience of body shop work, and I do know the mistakes they commit which affect the end result. I went all out in this one to get the best possible finish. Stay tuned.

Starting with few questions:

1. Why didn't I claim Insurance?

Firstly I'd have suffered loss on NCB. Secondly the amount quoted by my old MASS was a miniscule 2500+taxes, which was anyways to be given by the WagonR owner. So I had nothing to lose. Also if insurance is claimed, they mostly push for panel replacement and not denting.

2. Why didn't I go for panel replacement?

Well many people think replacement panels are same as Factory panels. Atleast in case of Maruti, they are not! There is sealant applied in factory panels along the folded seam. Not so in the replacement panels. That was the biggest bummer and this causes rusting along the seams. Take a close look at the panels of Baleno:

RH RR Door replacement panel, note the absence of sealant:

LH RR Door Factory panel, note the presence of sealant:

Secondly, the fit and finish of glass and panels won't be as perfect as it is now. Thirdly, we had enough access to the dented panel from behind, so the dent removal was easy in this case.

3. Why did I opt for conventional denting, and not pulling using a dent puller?

Conventional denting by beating is easier on the galvanized panel, gives a near perfect finish. Dent puller is quicker but we need to grind the panel post use and that makes the panel even thinner. That panel is eventually more susceptible to get minor dings and rust.

With the questions out of the way, let's dive straight into the main content. On day 1, we fixed the dents.

In its position:

Boot inner panel removed, it's a complex surface!

The dent from inside:

Denting in progress, also made sure the boot closes as softly as it used to earlier:

https://youtu.be/sgcrTYOu4wQ

End result:

Back at home, I noticed that the panel beating had resulted in some primer and wax loss from inside the boot door, well applied both things generously. Finish didn't matter much, but protection did:

I also noticed that the bumper was pushed a bit, and the lower most cladding appeared twisted. Went underneath the car to find that one of the bumper mounting brackets had caved in. Fixed it by pulling with bare hands.

https://youtu.be/dH2ratF5SPs

Day 2: I reached the MASS early. Also since it was expected to be a long day, I had taken leave in advance. Usually the junior guys do all the sanding, putty work but painter knew what I wanted, and he did all the work himself. Usually they paint 3-4 cars in a day, but that day they could do just 1 panel of my car. So you can expect the effort they had put.

They quickly began sanding the surface. I also informed them that the entire car is ceramic coated and hence they'll need to sand any surface they intend to paint on.

After sanding, followed body filler and putty work, dry sanding intensively to get smooth finish. One has to keep in mind that the final putty layer should be as thin as possible. It should only be used to achieve final application, and not fill any dents. They then masked the rear partially and prepared for primer application.

https://youtu.be/DUTJK9REuYY

Once the primer dried, it was wet sanded and the panel was cleaned and dried.

It was time lunch and I asked the painter if they have paint filter screens in stock. They didn't. This is one thing which is standard across all body shops in Ranchi. They use a mesh like cloth like old Sarees to filter the paint. This eventually leaves lint on the paint surface. The painter was kind enough to give me his scooter and I set out to find the filter. It turned out to be harder than I thought, since rarely anyone uses it. At last I found one paint shop where they had the filter. Bought 10 of them. Also refueled his scooter and reached the body shop just in time.

The Devilbiss story: Looking at the cheap guns most body shops use, I had invested in a Devilbiss GTi Pro in 2019. My MASS uses a good gun but it's upkeep is very poor, and hence it leaves a very poor finish with lot of inconsistency and orange peel.

Gun Used by MASS:

My DevilBiss:

The painter did an excellent job of matching the paint, we used Axalta Paint System for the job. I also got my Devilbiss cleaned since it's rarely used.

Continued....

[Leoshashi]

Part 2 continued: Once the paint was finalised, the XL6 was driven inside the booth and the entire car was masked. They made sure every panel was covered.

The assistant wiping the panel clean with degreaser first and then tack rag:

Application of Base coat:

https://youtu.be/iADXOOp0VGI

Once the base coat dried, the panel was again wiped clean lightly by tack rag:

https://youtu.be/cRO4TAwfhqw

Now it was time for Clear coat:

https://youtu.be/kMl4_NyvWF4

The scene post clear coat application was incredible. It was the best finish I had seen in an aftermarket paint job.

After leaving the car to bake for almost 2 hours, we took it out:

This was where the role of body shop ended, and it was time for me to take on the job further. After waiting for some days(till paint cures fully), I first marked all the paint defects like fish eye, minor dust etc on the paint and then followed DIY Wet sanding, compounding, polishing etc using the DA Rupes I had recently procured.

Special thanks to DBHPian Bonecollector for sending this emblem quickly:

The end result was lovely and worth all the pain!

At last, I coated the repainted panel with Ceramic to achieve the final finish. Hope you all liked it. Questions are most welcome. Signing off with some lovely snaps of the XL6:

Regards,
Shashi

[procrj]

Originally Posted by Leoshashi

The end result was lovely and worth all the pain!

All this is ok, but "kitna deti hai"

Jokes apart, fabulous job fixing that dent and getting the paint coat close to OEM levels. Not many would have go through the process that you have described and ensured that the end result is as good as it can get.

[Kosfactor]

Fantastic! Spare no expense, there is no other way to do it.

[MAKMADDY17]

Woah! This thread has become a bible for all Ertiga/XL6 owners and those considering it in future. My last visit on this thread was in October and looking at the mods then, I almost thought this is the maximum one can do. But boy I've been proven wrong and how! Hats off!

Was sad reading about the WagonR incident, but you have done a stellar job of getting back the finish.

Regards,
Mayank

[Asif 6959]

Next level OCD if I may say. Getting your own spray gun to the MASS is something no Bhpian has (probably) done.

Wanted to point out that generally what I have seen here is the painters avoid doing only a part of the panel and always insist on getting the whole panel done. Because of overlay and color mismatch.

Don't you feel there would be an overlay of paint between the sanded and non-sanded part of the panel, a paint thickness gauge may show you this.