[rajshenoy]

Congratulations. I like the way you have shared your meticulous analysis, offers great insight for those looking for used cars.

I own a pre-owned 2014 model GL Altis. Unlike brand new cars, used cars have to be treated based on specific car in front of you. I was lucky to find the car which was hardly 14K run and in stock condition.

These cars are built like a tank and I guess it will be a big task while upgrading. I will never be happy with the likes of Creta/Seltos or Honda city/Slavia etc. It definitely has to be from a segment above

Wishing you more miles of happiness.

[R2D2]

Congratulations on the 'rolla she looks in very good shape. And with @vigsom as a guide in buying a car you can't go wrong.

As a long time 'rolla owner let me tell you this thing doesn't let you down if maintained regularly. But heck please be careful not to have a shunt or similar as parts are very, very expensive. As you already know by now. But here's an example: LH Headlamp Assy.

[vigsom]

Originally Posted by freakmuzik

What got my immediate attention were the missing headlamp washer cap, a broken tail lamp and a worn-out steering leather. To add on top of it, it had no insurance. A quick chat with @vigsom and we thought this car needn’t be considered at all

Many congratulations once again on the car @freakmuzik. I was just not impressed with this car when you presented the photos; for me, I spot some tell tale signs of poor upkeep, and that is why I rejected this car upfront. However, when I saw the car in person, I was indeed surprised to see clean interiors, no suspicious cover up jobs under the dashboard OR under the seats. The seats especially were in top shape and stock. Yes, one headlamp washer cap was missing, some bits were touched up, but then, the car was brilliant to drive. I must thank you for giving me the experience of driving a 2ZR engine with the super CVT.

Originally Posted by freakmuzik

• CVT cooler issue - where either Coolant is leaking or has mixed up with the ATF - (rarest possibility)
• CVT internal issues (list is so long) but all these were observed on Nissan CVTs from the US and not Toyotas
• Timing chain, etc and anything related, that could be understood by opening the Tappet cover
• Engine cylinder malfunction
• Spark plug failure
• Ignition coil failure
• Engine Mount failure

After experiencing unheard of failures in well engineered products over the last few years, I'm beginning to always start assuming the worst eg. transmission oil cooler failure, coolant ingress in transmission, transmission shudder and what not. After the actual diagnosis pointed to a faulty coil, I was still in a state of shock - how can an ignition coil on a 54k done Toyota fail? No answer.

All Toyota parts are pricey; it is a premium they charge for an import and for the brand. In fact, in Toyota, the only reasonably priced item is their PMS service.

Originally Posted by freakmuzik

We would have had at least 25-30 phone calls over the last two months and he was always ready to help even while at work, travel or whatever situation it is

I am overwhelmed by mention of my name so many times in this thread, and was blushing every time I saw this thread. Yes, I have always been responsive to any member's call for technical help. The reason I get down to help is just an extension of what Chacha and Jayeshbhai did to me when I needed help in my formative years in automotive. Quoting from my thread on the Premier Padmini:

Originally Posted by vigsom

This is how I got led to my guru of automotive, Chacha, who actually set up a garage after returning from Shell, Oman. He was a triple diploma – Diploma Mech., Diploma Elec., and PG Diploma in Instrumentation and Control. With Chacha it was respect at first sight; the car started up without fuss after the suppressors were removed; as a preventive, he got the carburettor cleaned and charged me a mere 40 bucks. Jayeshbhai took nothing since he said it was just tightening of a clamp that his guy did. This should give you all an idea of how great natured these people were, in stark contrast to the service center sharks of today

I've had my share of brickbats too in the process of helping out; not everyone understands my PoV. I first recommend an inspection, look at ways to solve the issue at the lowest cost, and only then go on to recommend something major.

[Strider24]

Congratulations and welcome to the Corolla owners club( hypothetical so far). I have exact same example of Corolla with me since 18 months which I bought as used car. Read my ownership review here (My pre-worshipped 10th-gen Toyota Corolla Altis Automatic).

After reading your very interesting buying experience and ownership review so far, i can surely say that we have had exactly same journey so far. After buying it in Dec 2020 I have had to only get some work done around suspension noise and brakes. I haven't updated my ownership thread yet but I ended up replacing read discs and brake pads as recommended by TASS.
So far

During the recent long drive to my hometown i too faced a baffling issue of failed Ignitor coil while it was parked at my home. Same incessant jerks gave me 2 sleepless nights untill my trusted SA at Sonak toyota diagnosed the issue over a video call and arranged to send the original Ignitor coil to my home via nearest service center of Jhansi. Kudos to TASS at Pune and Jhansi for going the extra mile for resolving my problem . Once i received the spare part, it was a simple replacement done by a local mechanic after which car drove flawlessly back to Pune.

I believe there is some inherent problem in Toyota Ignitor coils which failed pre-maturely. When I looked up possible reason for failure they were either wear and tear of primary coil insulation or failed spark plugs.



In my case all 4 spark plugs were replaced just 2000 kms back, however my 1200 km journey from Pune to Chhatarpur in MP was in extremely high temperature of 42-45 degree as it was the peak summer time of April 22. That might be a reason why it failed. Can't think of any other reason for the same. Do let me know what do you think.

Overall so far i am highly satisfied with this car, yes ,the spare parts are costly but genuine parts and the accurate workmanship at TASS give peace of mind. thier services delivery is of very high quality, & you do feel the difference in owning a premium car.

Once again congratulations and may this amazing car give you many highly satisfied miles on your long road trips.

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by freakmuzik

We immediately headed to Lanson Toyota, Koyambedu, where they also sell spares over the counter. We bought one piece at Rs. 6,651/- and replaced it in the car. !

Originally Posted by Strider24

I believe there is some inherent problem in Toyota Ignitor coils which failed pre-maturely. That might be a reason why it failed. Can't think of any other reason for the same. Do let me know what do you think

Gents let me add my 2 bits to the issue of these COP (coil on plug) igniters. While electrical/electronic items are unpredictable these igniters can last for a long time. But do not ever make the mistake of dropping them on the floor or subjecting them to any physical shock. They are delicate and you need to treat them appropriately. The igniters themselves are under the engine cowl cover + have a rubber boot so they're quite well protected from dust and water ingress.

Regardless of who services your car tell them to be particularly cautious with this part. Also, try and shift to the OEM Denso Iridium plugs they make a noticeable difference to the engine and last a long time. Recommended change interval is 100K kms compared to 40K for the standard ones.

[ash22]

Good that you picked up this Toyota Altis.
When i was looking for a used car some time ago, I saw the exact same car with the same dealer @ RA Puram.
Though we liked the car, My long run requirement pushed me to go with a Diesel and picked up this Skoda Rapid from the same delar.

More details here - https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...ml#post5246743 (Pre-worshipped car of the week : Buying a Used VW Vento / Skoda Rapid)

[freakmuzik]

Originally Posted by GTO

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Reviews section. Thanks for sharing!
Going to our homepage today

Thank you GTO. Glad to know!

Originally Posted by vredesbyrd

Congratulations. A Corolla will never let you down.

Also, it is one of those cars with a super-rare reflector HID setup. The only other vehicle with such headlights that comes to my mind is the Nissan Teana.

Thank you and yes, I just realised that. Thanks for mentioning.

Originally Posted by viXit

Did this not throw up a check engine or a service light??
Scanning and checking the code should've helped diagnose it immediately

Awesome mechanic though!

seems really experienced , no wonder he was Vigsom's reference :P

There were no errors at all. Couldn't catch hold of a person who could scan at that moment. But yes, will update more.

Originally Posted by chandrda

Congrats, wishing you happy miles for years to come

I too love Toyota Corolla Altis especially the AT version. Its a very underrated car and if maintained well it can serve well for years.

The key is to maintain the CVT proactively and not ignore any small noise/issues as well.

I was searching for one in Bangalore, either the price was exorbitant or car required lot of work. So gave up the search.

Regards

Thank you so much. I was specifically hunting for the CVT just for this reason and the problem was that CVT options were quite rare. The last point you mentioned is the same issue I faced - either it was a car with lots of problems or exorbitant price!

Originally Posted by adi.mariner

Congratulations on buying the ever reliable Toyota Corolla. I had seen one VL AT Model online for sale and had gone to the dealership for checking it at around 11am. I went back home and visited in the afternoon at 4pm. The car was already sold by then. The other cars that I saw had some or the other red flags and so I finally abandoned the search.

Thank you! I understand what you experienced. I experienced the same with the Altis example 3 - checked in the morning & before I could even revert, car is SOLD!

Originally Posted by zaid qazi

Congratulations,Corolla is a outstanding machine paired with that CVT gearbox make things really convenient.
If maintained well it will serve you for many years it has all the necessary features what a normal person wants and a lovely 1.8l petrol engine. Loved how good it looks in those pictures which you have uploaded.

Thank you! Your words are precise - it sure has all the necessary features - nothing more and nothing less. Perfect for my needs.

Originally Posted by VikramCS

Many Congratulations. Thanks for sharing your detailed research and buying experience - it'll help prospective buyers of do's/don'ts while buying a used-car.

Altis is a comfortable highway cruiser. I also feel Toyota cars offer more comfortable ride feel compared to Honda, Hyundai and Suzuki.

Glad it's not a CVT issue, but, even the ignition coil seems expensive - probably since the car is D segment vehicle..!

Here's wishing you many happy miles with your new purchase.

Regards

Thanks a lot. I share the same opinion about the ride too. It feels very balanced on various surfaces and is comfortable throughout. The spares are sure expensive - as what Toyota does with its spares (even with Baleno vs Glanza) and also because most of these spares are fully imported, driving the cost even higher.

Originally Posted by brownbatman

Congratulations ! I have a pre worshipped Corolla 2006 H2 model that I got in 2015 and it is still going strong.

That's brilliant! & Thank you.

Originally Posted by emmenhr

Congratulations on your Altis! Happy Driving.
While appreciating your detailed reveiw of the purchase and experience thereafter, I am more impressed about how @vigsom had helped you out.
It is experiences with people like @vigsom that one does not lose faith in humanity and selfless service. A big shout out to you sir - @vigsom !!!
cheers
Krish

Had to put those words in Bold. So much to learn. As i kept saying in my thread, I have no words. I can very well say I have such a great new friend.

Originally Posted by rajathv8

Congrats! Looks elegant and classy.

Any idea what these two are?
Attachment 2317625

Thank you!

There are two parts to the WIL system. The first is in the back of the seat, which cushions the part of your spine that runs through your torso. This part of the seat is deliberately designed to compress during the forward motion of the collision, to minimize the pressure that pushes your torso forward. The second part of the system is in the headrest. As the lower part of the seat pushes against your torso, it also sends a signal to the headrest telling it slant upward at a diagonal angle (which is the position your neck is in when the s-shape occurs), then it pushes your head forward at exactly the same rate the back of the seat is pushing your torso forward. Result: Your spine maintains its normal shape during the collision and doesn't get bent. Ligaments aren't strained. Whiplash symptoms are less likely to occur.

Link - https://auto.howstuffworks.com/car-d...ning-seats.htm

I have no idea about the Seat Security Lock. If any member knows, kindly enlighten.

Originally Posted by rajshenoy

Congratulations. I like the way you have shared your meticulous analysis, offers great insight for those looking for used cars.

I own a pre-owned 2014 model GL Altis. Unlike brand new cars, used cars have to be treated based on specific car in front of you. I was lucky to find the car which was hardly 14K run and in stock condition.

These cars are built like a tank and I guess it will be a big task while upgrading. I will never be happy with the likes of Creta/Seltos or Honda city/Slavia etc. It definitely has to be from a segment above

Wishing you more miles of happiness.

Thank you so much. And 14k run altis? That's a new car you have! Congratulations and what you mentioned is absolutely true. This car feels super solid compared to anything around the 15 lakh mark currently available.

Originally Posted by R2D2

Congratulations on the 'rolla she looks in very good shape. And with @vigsom as a guide in buying a car you can't go wrong.

As a long time 'rolla owner let me tell you this thing doesn't let you down if maintained regularly. But heck please be careful not to have a shunt or similar as parts are very, very expensive. As you already know by now. But here's an example:

Thank you & Haha yes! This has been and is my biggest fear. I literally searched prices of every single component like suspension, steering assembly, lights, mirrors, etc before finalising and comparing it to the replacement rates I had with my other cars at home. Hoping for no such incidents (fingers crossed)

Originally Posted by Strider24

Congratulations and welcome to the Corolla owners club( hypothetical so far). I have exact same example of Corolla with me since 18 months which I bought as used car.

After reading your very interesting buying experience and ownership review so far, i can surely say that we have had exactly same journey so far.

During the recent long drive to my hometown i too faced a baffling issue of failed Ignitor coil while it was parked at my home. Same incessant jerks gave me 2 sleepless nights untill my trusted SA at Sonak toyota diagnosed the issue over a video call and arranged to send the original Ignitor coil to my home via nearest service center of Jhansi. Kudos to TASS at Pune and Jhansi for going the extra mile for resolving my problem .

I believe there is some inherent problem in Toyota Ignitor coils which failed pre-maturely. When I looked up possible reason for failure they were either wear and tear of primary coil insulation or failed spark plugs.

In my case all 4 spark plugs were replaced just 2000 kms back, however my 1200 km journey from Pune to Chhatarpur in MP was in extremely high temperature of 42-45 degree as it was the peak summer time of April 22. That might be a reason why it failed. Can't think of any other reason for the same. Do let me know what do you think.

Overall so far i am highly satisfied with this car, yes ,the spare parts are costly but genuine parts and the accurate workmanship at TASS give peace of mind.

Once again congratulations and may this amazing car give you many highly satisfied miles on your long road trips.

@Strider24, I must mention I love your entire thread and got so inspired by it. Kudos to you. I had gone through your thread briefly during my purchase phase and it's so interesting to know we both have a 2011 Silver Altis VL AT and we are 2nd owners & not to mention we faced the same issues haha.

Did your car show any warning lights? It's so good that you have a good rapport with Toyota ASS. My next job is to check the spark plugs. The person at Lanson spare parts counter warned me to change all four ignition coils together as they might fail soon (as is the usual norm). Another interesting thing to note is the Chennai Temperatures have been horrible too offlate - constantly being between 37 - 40 degrees. And I also did a Chennai - Tvm -Chennai trip in this heat. But even then, toyotas are abundant in the middle east and still couldn't find any history of such events online. Hoping it gets resolved. Also, thank you for your kind wishes and I wish you the very same!

Originally Posted by R2D2

Gents let me add my 2 bits to the issue of these COP (coil on plug) igniters. While electrical/electronic items are unpredictable these igniters can last for a long time. But do not ever make the mistake of dropping them on the floor or subjecting them to any physical shock. They are delicate and you need to treat them appropriately. The igniters themselves are under the engine cowl cover + have a rubber boot so they're quite well protected from dust and water ingress.

Regardless of who services your car tell them to be particularly cautious with this part. Also, try and shift to the OEM Denso Iridium plugs they make a noticeable difference to the engine and last a long time. Recommended change interval is 100K kms compared to 40K for the standard ones.

Thanks for these important points. My next point is to check what plugs are in the car - Iridium or Normal ones. If they are normal ones, I have to change them immediately as I couldn't find spark plugs change mentioned in the service history at all. Will be extra cautious with the ignition coils.

Originally Posted by ash22

Good that you picked up this Toyota Altis.
When i was looking for a used car some time ago, I saw the exact same car with the same dealer @ RA Puram.
Though we liked the car, My long run requirement pushed me to go with a Diesel and picked up this Skoda Rapid from the same dealer.

Oh wow, that is interesting! So we might have been around at the used car dealer around the same time as I remember spotting a rapid there. Heartiest congrats on your amazing Rapid! Loved reading the buying experience.

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by freakmuzik

My next point is to check what plugs are in the car - Iridium or Normal ones. If they are normal ones, I have to change them immediately as I couldn't find spark plugs change mentioned in the service history at all. Will be extra cautious with the ignition coils.

Standard plugs will be the normal ones. Either Denso (most likely) or NGK. You get iridiums in both brands but TKM only sells the Denso parts. I tried both and the Densos are better. Haven't looked at the plugs ever since I changed them. Remember Ir are reputed to have what they call 'self cleaning' properties i.e. they foul very rarely. So since you're changing them just select Ir, they are about Rs 1300 each at Toyota. This is for the 1ZZ-FE the newer 2ZR-FE engine should use the same plugs but please confirm with the dealer.

[DarkerThanBlack]

Originally Posted by freakmuzik

[center]Here are more details about my new possession!

Congratulations! Toyota will never betray you. We have had 4 Toyotas till now, and every one of them proved its reliability. Clocked 1 Lakh on Corolla and 3 Lakhs on all 3 Innovas.

We used to have Corolla (2010 Model). We sold it in 2018 after clocking 96k Kms. Sadly, we had the Diesel one - 1.4 D-4D.
Every bit of that car was amazing except for the underpowered engine and dull Interiors. Diesel Corolla is not at all safe. I have nearly escaped death on 2 occasions.
It's good that you bought a Petrol one. 1.8-VVTI is pretty good.

[X-Saint]

Originally Posted by freakmuzik

Absolutely no warning lights, engine oil levels are good, coolant is full, no overheating, no abnormal revving from the CVT. This was so confusing. Later, I heard some metallic noise from within the engine bay and located it to be between the battery and the Engine.

Ideally, the 'Check Engine Light' should have blinked. In case any of the spark plugs/plug wire or coil spring goes kaput, the check engine light continuously flashes. While scanning with the OBDII scanner it gives an error code from P300 to P304.

[hiren.mistry]

Congratulations on bringing a reliable workhorse home @freakmuzik. Your car looks really neat. Wish you years of trouble free ownership.

I too am a proud owner of a pre-owned 2013 Corolla Altis VL-AT. Got the car in Jan 2020 when it had 88K KMS on the Odo.

The biggest issue I have faced with this car is that it scrapes over tall speed breakers that are scattered all over Mumbai. I recently installed the Rogerab Coil Spring assistors, and that has solved the issue but I am not happy how the raised front end looks.

This is my pride and joy




Cheers

[freakmuzik]

An update regarding the same issue.

The car showed a similar vibration/ shudder, albeit in a much smaller scale, a few days ago. So had to cancel a planned short trip and headed back home.

I called the mechanic but we couldn't attend to it immediately as I was travelling too. As soon as I got back, called up mechanic Nandakumar who primarily does scanning. We went for a long 20-25 km ride as the last time the shudder slightly surfaced was after 10-12 kms of driving. I could sense a very very small jerkiness in throttle at around 1.2k rpm after driving 12-13 kms but it later disappeared. The scanning gave absolutely no error codes!

After a couple of days, mechanic Senthil dropped in (who diagnosed the faulty Ignition Coil). This time, in discussion with @vigsom, we removed all the plugs to check their condition. They looked after-market (NGK LZKAR6C-11) and we weren't sure if they were the right ones for the Corolla as it was suggested for Nissan Sunny/Micra, etc on the web. I went to Lanson Toyota and bought 4 Iridium Spark Plugs (costing 1.7k a plug & more details below). We refitted it and the car was smoother. We once again drove over 20kms and after a while, I could notice the slight jerk once in a while at around 1k-1.2k rpm but otherwise, the shudder did not resurface. Senthil advised me to keep using the car as it is and observe and worry only if any further symptoms appear.

Originally Posted by R2D2

Standard plugs will be the normal ones. Either Denso (most likely) or NGK. You get iridiums in both brands but TKM only sells the Denso parts. I tried both and the Densos are better. Haven't looked at the plugs ever since I changed them. Remember Ir are reputed to have what they call 'self cleaning' properties i.e. they foul very rarely. So since you're changing them just select Ir.

Thanks for the suggestion. The dealer checked the spare details against my car number (and in-effect, the VIN, etc) and gave the below part:

Part Number - 90919201275 - DENSO SC16HR11

Point to note - earlier, the Iridium plugs were named - DENSO SC20HR11 - which was later replaced by DENSO with SC16HR11. @vigsom found this out through the DENSO site when we couldn't figure out why the online specs and the parts handed over to me had different numbers.

Originally Posted by DarkerThanBlack

Congratulations! Toyota will never betray you. We have had 4 Toyotas till now, and every one of them proved its reliability. Clocked 1 Lakh on Corolla and 3 Lakhs on all 3 Innovas.

We used to have Corolla (2010 Model). We sold it in 2018 after clocking 96k Kms. Sadly, we had the Diesel one - 1.4 D-4D.
Every bit of that car was amazing except for the underpowered engine and dull Interiors. Diesel Corolla is not at all safe. I have nearly escaped death on 2 occasions.
It's good that you bought a Petrol one. 1.8-VVTI is pretty good.

Wow that's some incredible mileage with Toyota's you've got! Thank you for the reassurance and I'm enjoying every single bit with this car. I'm yet to drive the diesel Altis but I surely take your word on it.

Originally Posted by X-Saint

Ideally, the 'Check Engine Light' should have blinked. In case any of the spark plugs/plug wire or coil spring goes kaput, the check engine light continuously flashes. While scanning with the OBDII scanner it gives an error code from P300 to P304.

I was surprised to not see that either. The person who scanned told me that in Toyotas of that time, only a fully failed Ignition coil would result in an error code (which I take with a pinch of salt). My next step would be to take it to Toyota for a scan when any symptoms reappear.

Originally Posted by hiren.mistry

Congratulations on bringing a reliable workhorse home @freakmuzik. Your car looks really neat. Wish you years of trouble free ownership.

I too am a proud owner of a pre-owned 2013 Corolla Altis VL-AT. Got the car in Jan 2020 when it had 88K KMS on the Odo.

The biggest issue I have faced with this car is that it scrapes over tall speed breakers that are scattered all over Mumbai. I recently installed the Rogerab Coil Spring assistors, and that has solved the issue but I am not happy how the raised front end looks.

Cheers

Thank you for your kind wishes and your car looks absolutely lovely too! I've faced issue with speed bumps twice when the car was fully loaded with 5 people. I hope I don't face worse moments. It makes sense that you went with those assisters - sometimes, the peace of mind is way important than looks, isn't it?

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by freakmuzik

Thanks for the suggestion. The dealer checked the spare details against my car number (and in-effect, the VIN, etc) and gave the below part: Part Number - 90919201275 - DENSO SC16HR11

Point to note - earlier, the Iridium plugs were named - DENSO SC20HR11- which was later replaced by DENSO with [i]SC16HR11. @vigsom found this out through the DENSO site when we couldn't figure out why the online specs and the parts handed over to me had different numbers.

The spark plugs shown are the standard OEM plugs. As I mentioned before TKM uses either Denso (most common) or NGK. TKM will cheap out here and use normal ones instead of Ir which they use abroad in this engine. If they were IR they would have not been changed yet @54k kms when you purchased it. This is why I suggested contacting the dealer for the correct part by VIN #. Because part #s can vary by country.

My car uses the Denso K16RU11 NGK BKR5EYA11 as standard fitment. They have a U groove on the negative electrode. My car takes the Denso IK16 Ir plug IIRC, it's been a long time since I saw them last.

Vigsom and I had a brief chat about this last week I think. Anyways with Ir you can fit and forget about it for a long time to come.

[freakmuzik]

60,000 km Service update

My car was nearing 60k kms (59788) and since I expected some running in the coming week, I wanted to get the car serviced. I called up Lanson Toyota via their helpline on 16th Jan and booked a slot for 18th Jan morning. I was asked to book using the iConnect app (a very good app indeed) which will make me eligible for a 10% discount on Labour.

The happy me took the car to Lanson at around 10:15 on 18th with an expectation of being treated fair and nice (the image of Toyota After Sales I had). I get a call from the SA to come near my car after the initial formalities. I tell him that I’m looking for 60k PMS and also want to replace the coolant with LongLife Toyota coolant as my car was topped up with normal pink coolant in between.He noted these and then told me wipers aren’t working well, the body needs a polish, etc etc. which I politely refused for now. He takes me to the office space, asks me to wait while he was working on an estimate. Then the following happens:

SA: “Sir total charges would be 12,500/- before GST”
Me: “Okay” (thinks about its detail). “Can you deliver the car today?”
SA: “Sir will try my best. If not tomorrow morning”
Me: “Can you tell me what all are the works being done?”
SA: Says in express speed the following - 60k PMS with Cabin Filter replacement and my coolant replacement request
Me: “That was too fast, do you mind if I see your screen”
SA: Hesitantly turns the screen. The screen reads

1. 60k PMS
2. Brake Check
3. Coolant Replacement
4. Gloss mech care or something
5. Some other Gloss care for ac disinfection

Me: “Please remove the last two items”
SA: He confirms with me again and removes them. ( minus Rs. 1,200/-)
Me: “What’s a separate entry for Brake Check?”
SA: “It’s done for every car and we use one can of (some cleaning agent) per car to clean the disks and brakes”
Me: “But if it was part of the periodic service, it should be already under PMS charges”
SA: “Sir this is only for parts”
Me: “My pads are new and brakes are good. Please remove them”. He tried to convince me again and then removed it. (minus Rs. 500/-)

He then prints me the estimate and hurriedly shows for signature. I slowly sat and read through the estimate only to notice “Engine Flush” being added. He had put it under one of the sub headings in the system so I couldn’t see it on screen.

Me: “This one is not mandated by Toyota right? Why is it added?”
SA: “Sir this is to be done every 60k kms as recommended by Toyota”
Me: I go through the Maintenance schedule photos and confirm it’s not mentioned anywhere.
SA: “Sir, this is post BS6. Since it’s a long time that you’ve serviced your car, you may not know this”
Me: His words were getting worse. I once again cross checked with some other invoices online of 60k service and sternly asked him to remove it. Since he didn’t want to take another print out, I crossed this item and signed on both copies. ( minus Rs. 1,600/-)
Me: “Kindly try to deliver today”
SA: Clearly being pissed “No sir, will only do tomorrow”
Me: “okay thanks, bye”

I get a call at 5pm saying my car is ready. I immediately go there and the SA hands me over the bill and makes me sign them immediately. Then i asked him about labour discount and he shrugs me off like I said something silly. I mentioned about the phone call and he still didn’t even bother to listen or help me with it. I called up their helpline number and re-confirmed this and they were positive about it and asked me to hand over the phone to the SA. They had a fiery exchange of words as to how the other guy did not update about it in the system and blah. I had time and I wasn’t happy with the way the SA handled me by any means so I surely wanted to get a clarification about this. It’s not about the 10% labour I’m gonna save but it’s more about understanding the treatment and the way things work. I waited half an hour when they were fighting internally and the guy over the phone assured he’ll get wheel balancing done next time as now they can’t correct it. He was a very courteous person and I explained to him that my intent was just to make sure the SA realises i’m not here bluffing and paid the money and took my car, also thanking the SA to have delivered the car on the same day! In spite of the not-so-nice interaction we shared, it was nice that the car was delivered the same day. The car was also washed well.

Prior to the service, I did not have any other complaints except a slight roughness in the overall performance. I wanted to wait for the oil change to see if that was all and yes, the car is super smooth now.

Special thanks to @strider24 for sharing the maintenance schedule which enabled me to understand the nature of service of the Altis well. Also interesting to note is how both our cars, which are precisely of the same age and same colour and same variant are going through a similar journey!

----------------------------

There are a couple more of updates that I haven’t been able to log here.

Update 1
 - 24 Aug 2022

Since the incident of the failure of the first ignition coil, there was a fear running in my head every time I took the car out. On the special day of 23rd Aug, the car started huffing and puffing with increased vibrations and I managed to bring it back home. I checked by pulling out each of the ignition coils and figured one of the old ones had failed. The very next day, I headed to Lanson Toyota, Koyambedu, knowing it’s best to change all the remaining 3 of them. The parts were available and they delivered the car in a few hours.

Total cost - Rs. 20,885/- for changing 3 ignition coils including labour.

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Update 2

Sometime in September, @vigsom had visited chennai and while he was inspecting my car when we met, he noticed a dampness in one of the driveshaft boots. I kept using the car very minimally and had to push the repair by a month due to travel and work.

We tried to figure the right model of boot through Boodmo but since we couldn’t get a clear view of the boot through the wheel well, it was difficult to finalise. To clear this confusion, i took the car to Lanson Toyota on 11th Oct and requested them to get this inspected. They were kind enough to inspect it and also to let me take photographs of the underbody. But they were persuading me to change both the driveshafts - as expected from an A.S.S. The issue here was with the Passenger side - Gearbox side boot - which was leaking grease. The driver side - Gearbox side boot was mildly damp.

I went searching for the boot as Toyota doesn’t sell the child part. Finally, Mahavir automobiles confirmed they have the right one and purchased one piece (i wanted to change both but they had just one) for 750 rupees. On the 25th Oct, I took the car to my mechanic, Senthil, who lives pretty far from Chennai. To my shock, when he removed the driveshaft and compared the boots, the one that was given to me were a size bigger and will not fit! Imagine this - my car is on a jack, 25 - 30 kilometers away from home in a road that’s super narrow even for a car - and with me having an international trip next morning.

We then had a joy-ride on his bike - hunting for the boot in many spare parts stores that he knew. He told me that if not the corolla boot, Indigo CR4’s boot might be a match. After a couple of hours of bike ride in scorching heat, we finally found one piece of a boot of a CR4 that was very very similar to the Altis one, albeit very slightly larger in diameter. We got back to the car and he was able to fit it comfortably. If I had got another piece of the boot, I would have asked him to change the other one as well but luck didn’t favour me that day.

Total cost - Rs. 300 for Indigo CR4 boot and 1000 rupees labour.

Items purchased from Mahavir


1. Removal of driveshaft 2. Driveshaft with torn inner boot and a clean outer boot 3. Torn boot up-close


More pics of removal


Left is the torn boot and right is the RGB boot. Notice the difference in size and projections


Close similarity between CR4(left) vs Altis boot.


Fitting the driveshaft back with new boot

My front brakes were very screechy and I had bought a pair of TVS-Apache pads while I procured the boot from Mahavir. But the day I visited Senthil, the brakes were super silent and hence I decided to not change the brake pads. On the way back home though, I realised the mistake I made. It was just a matter of time for the brakes to start screeching.

I was travelling quite a lot in November and car was barely used. On Dec 6, I called Senthil home and changed the front pads. Now the brakes are super silent though the bite is softer than the OEM pads. The OEM pads still have plenty of life and I’ve kept them aside for now.

[greenhorn]

Hey if Trivandrum is an option, try getting it serviced here. I have had very good experience with the Nippon Toyota here and my Etios - extremely reasonable and cooperative folks. I imagine cochin is similar but can't vouch personally.