[prince_pervez]

Originally Posted by Gansan

Hi guys,
it seems to engage only at the last few mm of release.

This is major play. A superb clutch would mean, engaging into first gear and getting forward movement w/o pressing the accelerator. As you release the clutch slowly the car should move forward smoothly. But you are saying it initiates any forward movement during the last few mms calls for a clutch inspection or i'm afraid a replacement. My wife learnt driving in my zen and drove hlaf clutch mercilessly to the point of a clutch burn. Replaced it at MASS Kolhapur and it cost me around 3.2K. I don't remember exacty but around 3K. 3K for an alto would be a sneeze for you.
GET IT CHECKED BUDDY!!!!

[Gansan]

I don't think there is any problem with the clutch. I think it is only a question of adjustment. I mentioned this issue during first service (at a different place, not the dealer where I made the purchase) but I was told that the clutch play is correct for the Alto. Most people mention the clutch action is limited to the top 10 - 20% in the Alto.

what I am asking is can I reduce it to my liking? From the current 80% mark to,say,50% mark?

[gpa]

Gansan,

This is really excessive play from what you mention. Ideally, the clutch should engage a little after (20%-40%) you start releasing the clutch pedal and not only towards the end.

You should get this checked and get the play adjusted. Another MASS should be able to do this for you. It clearly is abnormal. Remember, a lot of Alto's came with defective clutches. I don't think your May 2009 model has the same defect, but it is worth getting it checked.

Regards,
gpa

[Gansan]

Thanks gpa. That is why I took it to MSM for first service instead of ABT, as the sales dealer may stonewall if there is a defect. But MSM said they have adjusted the play to the recommended levels, and this is how it should be. I find that it engages only around the 75 - 80% level. If I rest my heel on the floor and use the ball of my foot to operate the clutch, this level is at the limit of my ankle movement and sometomes results in jerking. So I have to lift my heel off the floor and use my knee movement for smooth shift which I find inconvenient.

Anyway I will take it to ABT now and see what they have to say!

[Gansan]

There was a minor incident this afternoon. The first photo shows the parking arrangement in our apartment. There is no compound wall, there are a series of gates instead. Each car has to enter after opening a relevant gate and park close to the wall of the building, to leave moving space for the residents and security staff between the cars and the grill/gates.

Now for the impact, refer photos 2 & 3. I had to take my mother for a doctor appointment this afternoon, and we started a bit late. I normally disengage the hand brake, shift to neutral, start the car while pressing the clutch and then release it for warm up, while engaging normal brakes. Today in my hurry, I released hand brake, overlooked neutral, started the car while depressing the clutch and then released it for warm up. But the car was in first gear and so briefly jumped across the 1/2 foot gap to the wall. I heard a mild bump and felt a light impact, then the engine died.

I got down to see if there was any damage. There was nothing big. The exterior wall of the building has a "rough" finish, with small stones projecting from it. They had caused a series of small indentations on the bumper where it had made contact, a small dent in the number plate near the "22", and some stone chips on the floor, from the wall. I can't find any other damage, on any metal area. Nothing seems to be amiss under the hood either - no coolant leak or any other leak. I could not find any deviation when I see the car from all four sides. It feels and handles quite normally while driving - I made a 50 KM round trip today.

Should I ignore it or take it to the MASS for a check up? If it is nothing, I don't want to make much ado about it and end up being fleeced. Both the MASS I visit were closed today for Vijayadashami anyway. BHPians please give your inputs, I will take to the workshop tomorrow if required. If any of you have ever replaced a front bumper, let me know the cost.

[HappyWheels]

Gansan,

Honest suggestion is to simply ignore this!

Might be difficult when you keep your vehicle in tip-top shape, but then, this is what the bumper is supposed to do.

[anekho]

I don't think it's worth a visit. I don't think anything could have gone wrong with such small impact.

don't worry.

cheers

[gpa]

Gansan, sorry to hear about this. But, this is just not worth going to MASS for. Like HW said, the bumper is meant to take hit like this.

Aren't you glad that you didn't go in for body colored bumpers now?

EDIT: A bumper replacement will set you back by ~Rs. 1,800 (incl tax) This was the price when I replaced the bumper of my Alto due to the dog incident!

[Gansan]

Thank you,friends. I have decided to ignore it and will think about a new bumper when I take it for second free service around Christmas time.

@gpa, yes I am indeed glad! Since I was driving a car after a 10 year sabbath, I deliberately decided on a black bumper!

[misquitas]

Originally Posted by Gansan

Thank you,friends. I have decided to ignore it and will think about a new bumper when I take it for second free service around Christmas time.

@gpa, yes I am indeed glad! Since I was driving a car after a 10 year sabbath, I deliberately decided on a black bumper!

Hi Gansan, if I were you I would not bother replacing that bumper on your Alto. But for a few minor scratches (hardly visible from a distance), the bumper is intact and in one piece. In any case, minor scratches on a black "non-body coloured" bumper are rarely visible.

I would advise you to get hold of an old tyre (or two) and lean the tyre/s on the wall. In case you happen to repeat the mistake of accidentally moving forward in your parking lot, the old tyres will prevent further scratches to your bumper.

Regards,
Melvyn

[para_7k]

Gansan,

I have scraped my bumpers many times in parking lots. Don't worry about this.

Also, one good idea is to depress the clutch while starting. This will mistake proof these accidents. Also Melvyn has given a great idea.

[Gansan]

Originally Posted by misquitas

I would advise you to get hold of an old tyre (or two) and lean the tyre/s on the wall. In case you happen to repeat the mistake of accidentally moving forward in your parking lot, the old tyres will prevent further scratches to your bumper.

Regards,
Melvyn

Thanks Melvyn! That is a nice idea. I will do that.

Originally Posted by para_7k

Gansan,

I have scraped my bumpers many times in parking lots. Don't worry about this.

Also, one good idea is to depress the clutch while starting. This will mistake proof these accidents. Also Melvyn has given a great idea.

Thanks Paramesh. I always follow the sequence of release hand brake (the floor is very level) - shift to neutral - depress clutch - start engine - release clutch and warm up. This time I missed shifting to neutral, and released the clutch freely after starting, causing the car to jump forward. I will hereafter release the hand brake after warm up.

This morning I moved the car to bright sunlight, opened the hood, dunked my head well inside and had a look behind the bumper grill. There is a fastening for the bumper near the radiator, at the centre of the grill. It forms part of the bumper itself and is not separate. The top part of this fastening/clamp seems to be broken by the impact. Nothing else seems to be amiss. I suppose this can be left as it is for the time being.

[Gansan]

Originally Posted by Gansan

This morning I moved the car to bright sunlight, opened the hood, dunked my head well inside and had a look behind the bumper grill. There is a fastening for the bumper near the radiator, at the centre of the grill. It forms part of the bumper itself and is not separate. The top part of this fastening/clamp seems to be broken by the impact. Nothing else seems to be amiss. I suppose this can be left as it is for the time being.

I took the car to both ABT Maruti as well as MSM this evening to have the bumper checked. Showed it to the service-in-charge at ABT and to the service adviser at MSM. After a thorough inspection both said there is nothing wrong with the car except the slight cosmetic damage to the bumper, and it will be a waste of good money to have it replaced. The portion I suspected to be broken was not broken at all. I drove back home greatly relieved, with A/C and stereo on full blast!

[misquitas]

Originally Posted by Gansan

I took the car to both ABT Maruti as well as MSM this evening to have the bumper checked. Showed it to the service-in-charge at ABT and to the service adviser at MSM. After a thorough inspection both said there is nothing wrong with the car except the slight cosmetic damage to the bumper, and it will be a waste of good money to have it replaced. The portion I suspected to be broken was not broken at all. I drove back home greatly relieved, with A/C and stereo on full blast!

Excellent news. Not only did you save about Rs 1,800, you also have found some honest mechanics/advisors who concurred that it would be a "waste of good money" to replace a mildly-bruised bumper. Aaah, the joys of saving good money!

It was also amusing to note that your delight was expressed with the A/C and a music system on full blast. While the full A/C is your personal preference, I tend to disapprove of blaring music in cars for three reasons:

1) It annoys people residing/walking close to the road,
2) The driver is unable to hear the horn of an oncoming vehicle and this could easily lead to a mishap.
3) If you happen to be the oncoming driver, you may honk at the driver of a car with blaring music, but it may be quite difficult to alert him/her of your presence on the road. Who knows, there could be a collision and one could well end up with a fully-damaged bumper!!!

Regards,
Melvyn

[Gansan]

Originally Posted by misquitas

Excellent news. Not only did you save about Rs 1,800, you also have found some honest mechanics/advisors who concurred that it would be a "waste of good money" to replace a mildly-bruised bumper. Aaah, the joys of saving good money!

It was also amusing to note that your delight was expressed with the A/C and a music system on full blast. While the full A/C is your personal preference, I tend to disapprove of blaring music in cars for three reasons:

1) It annoys people residing/walking close to the road,
2) The driver is unable to hear the horn of an oncoming vehicle and this could easily lead to a mishap.
3) If you happen to be the oncoming driver, you may honk at the driver of a car with blaring music, but it may be quite difficult to alert him/her of your presence on the road. Who knows, there could be a collision and one could well end up with a fully-damaged bumper!!!

Regards,
Melvyn

Hi Melvyn, don't take that too literally! The A/C has to be at max for Chennai climate, but as far as audio equipments go, anything >40% is "full blast" for me! I make good use of all three ovrms and don't have any control over the speaker volume of other cars anyway.