[eagle_bush]

Murugan,

Congratulations on your new buy. The car looks excellent in that color.
I loved the garland on the car, looks grand.

[Murugan]

Originally Posted by _raVan_

Congratulations on your buy Since you were aiming for 15L category, why didnt u short list the G and the GL variant?

Thanks! Saved the money for a rainy day/ saved it for a hatchback in April 2010 - Hyundai i10 AT 1.2L/ Skoda Fabia 1.2 MPI. Watch this forum closely for a debate on this soon!

Took the Altis to work today. Couple of new issues:

1. The mud flaps and floor mats promised have not been installed.

2. There was a rattle from the boot; inspection revealed that the panel (or whatever it is called) which was probably removed for installing the reverse sensors had not been fixed back properly.

Have e-mailed Lanson to find out if I can wait till the first service or if I have to take the Altis back ASAP.

“Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass…
it’s about learning how to dance in the rain!” –Vivian Greene

[Murugan]

Originally Posted by eagle_bush

Murugan,

Congratulations on your new buy. The car looks excellent in that color.
I loved the garland on the car, looks grand.

Thanks! The garland was complimentary from Lanson Toyota, Chennai. Other (non-car related) complimentary items were a box of chocolates and a Jasmine plant (GO GREEN!)!

Here are some pics of the malfunctioning reverse sensor

1. The 4 sensors on the rear bumper
2. The audio unit on the left C pillar (needs to be relocated)
3. The display unit which is stuck with the same display irrespective of the position of the obstacles – needs to be replaced
4. Another view of the display unit (taken with flash – ALL on Nokia 5800 Xpressmusic)

Lanson Toyota, Chennai has agreed to do the needful.

[Murugan]

Originally Posted by Murugan

1. The mud flaps and floor mats promised have not been installed.

2. There was a rattle from the boot; inspection revealed that the panel (or whatever it is called) which was probably removed for installing the reverse sensors had not been fixed back properly.

Lanson tells me that the mud flaps are integrated and you don't need separate ones. Will look at the mud accumulation and decide.

Floor mats: I had been looking for the plastic stuff that was there on all my previous cars. Apparently the fabric floor mats that are on the floor now are the freebies. Looks like I might add on plastic stuff on top of that.

Likely to take in the car for service on wednesday or thursday to settle the rattle and reverse sensor malfunction.

[Vid6639]

Eeeks that's a horrible location for the speaker of the park assist. They were trying to put mine on the B pillar above the seat belt point. I didn't want it visible so got it placed at the bottom of the B-pillar. Give that a try.

[Murugan]

Originally Posted by vid6639

Eeeks that's a horrible location for the speaker of the park assist. They were trying to put mine on the B pillar above the seat belt point. I didn't want it visible so got it placed at the bottom of the B-pillar. Give that a try.

Thanks for your suggestion. I was planning to move the audio/ speaker unit under the dash board/ A pillar - away from sight if possible. Considering getting a different LED display and mounting it on the dashboard near the left A pillar so that the day/ night mirror can be used. The current add-on mirror with the LED display cannot be adjusted for night. When done, it should look similar to what another member has done - see pics posted on another thread http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...a-altis-3.html

Any suggestions on the above?

Also planning to add remote locking facility and sunfilm.

Any suggestions on anything more that needs to be added immediately?

[rrnsss]

Congrats on your buy. The car looks very dignified and sophisticated. I found the service at Lanson to be very courteous. I dealt with one mr.vadivelu and he was extremely helpful . I also got the car with out the plates and the plates were delivered a day or so later. When you put on sunfilm , make sure it is done in a proper dust free environment ( not in Peter's road ) . take it to a place where they can do it in a closed environment.

[Murugan]

Originally Posted by rrnsss

Congrats on your buy. The car looks very dignified and sophisticated. I found the service at Lanson to be very courteous. I dealt with one mr.vadivelu and he was extremely helpful . I also got the car with out the plates and the plates were delivered a day or so later. When you put on sunfilm , make sure it is done in a proper dust free environment ( not in Peter's road ) . take it to a place where they can do it in a closed environment.

Thanks! Planning to get all work done at Lanson Toyota, Chennai only. Since the reverse sensor was installed at Lanson, Pallikaranai, they want me to bring it over there for repairs. They have assured me that all subsequent work/ repairs/ service can be done at Lanson, Koyambedu.

[MAS]

Murugan... Congrats on your new possession. Corolla is a very good buy and will serve you very well for many years to come. Just take care of her well as Corolla is pretty sensitive to abuse.

The guys at Lanson are very good and the service levels are above par when compared to other manufacturers.

Safe driving!

[Vid6639]

Originally Posted by Murugan

Thanks for your suggestion. I was planning to move the audio/ speaker unit under the dash board/ A pillar - away from sight if possible. Considering getting a different LED display and mounting it on the dashboard near the left A pillar so that the day/ night mirror can be used. The current add-on mirror with the LED display cannot be adjusted for night. When done, it should look similar to what another member has done - see pics posted on another thread http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...a-altis-3.html

Any suggestions on the above?

Also planning to add remote locking facility and sunfilm.

Any suggestions on anything more that needs to be added immediately?

The problem with moving the audio speaker under the dash is it won't be heard. When I moved it to bottom of passenger side B-pillar the voice volume reduced quite a lot.

The screen position is exactly what I have as well in my Altis, i.e. bottom of A-pillar.

Sunfilm Just go with Llumar or 3M. Llumar look at steel series and 3M look at CS range.

Central locking, autocop is the way to go.

[Murugan]

Originally Posted by MAS

Murugan... Congrats on your new possession. Safe driving!

Originally Posted by vid6639

The problem with moving the audio speaker under the dash is it won't be heard. When I moved it to bottom of passenger side B-pillar the voice volume reduced quite a lot.

The screen position is exactly what I have as well in my Altis, i.e. bottom of A-pillar.

Sunfilm Just go with Llumar or 3M. Llumar look at steel series and 3M look at CS range.

Central locking, autocop is the way to go.

Thanks! Will check with the service guys before deciding between B-pillar and under the dash for the speaker and request moving the LED display too. Would not mind reduced volume; it is too loud now for my liking.

Was told by some one that some types of sun film will prevent the printed antenna from working well. Checking on that. Not taking the car in today for the sun film due to the drizzle.

[Vid6639]

Originally Posted by Murugan

Was told by some one that some types of sun film will prevent the printed antenna from working well. Checking on that. Not taking the car in today for the sun film due to the drizzle.

That would be the sunfilm which have metal traces. The 3M RE series is known to have that problem as well as the Llumar neutral series.

[Murugan]

3 goof-ups by Lanson Toyota, Chennai executives in the sale process of Toyota Corolla Altis J variant

Took the Altis back for service and accessories a couple of Saturdays ago.

Originally Posted by Murugan

Took the Altis to work today. Couple of new issues:

2. There was a rattle from the boot; inspection revealed that the panel (or whatever it is called) which was probably removed for installing the reverse sensors had not been fixed back properly.

The loose panels were fixed and the rattle is now gone.

Originally Posted by Murugan

Lanson tells me that the mud flaps are integrated and you don't need separate ones.

That was goof-up number 1. We compared our car with a higher spec one at Lanson Toyota, Pallikaranai, Chennai. There is nothing like an integrated mud flap! It is a separate one. A round of apologies from the senior executives for their goof-up. At the sale process I had been told about free floor mats and mud flaps. Now they want Rs.4000 for the mud flaps and another Rs.500 for painting it in the color of the car. They do not have ready stock and it will take more than 2 weeks to source it from Toyota and a day to paint it.

Originally Posted by Murugan

Floor mats: I had been looking for the plastic stuff that was there on all my previous cars. Apparently the fabric floor mats that are on the floor now are the freebies. Looks like I might add on plastic stuff on top of that.

Added on transparent (?) plastic floor mats from Lanson on top of the fabric ones at additional cost to ensure easy cleaning and to prevent the fabric ones from getting soiled. Overkill?!

Originally Posted by vid6639

The problem with moving the audio speaker under the dash is it won't be heard. When I moved it to bottom of passenger side B-pillar the voice volume reduced quite a lot.

The screen position is exactly what I have as well in my Altis, i.e. bottom of A-pillar.

Sunfilm Just go with Llumar or 3M. Llumar look at steel series and 3M look at CS range.

Central locking, autocop is the way to go.

The audio unit/ speaker was moved and concealed behind a panel near where the front passenger's left foot would rest. It is quite audible. However, the reverse sensor has been working only in fits and starts. At times it works well and at other times it malfunctions and indicates an obstruction when there is none. Lanson has agreed to repair it again/ replace it. Lanson also says that the display unit cannot be changed to the type that sits below the A pillar as the sensors for that model are smaller than the ones currently installed in the rear bumper and hence will be loose, resulting in rattles and possibly malfunction. As such the current unit seems to have a mind of its own and so I am not too keen to experiment. Sticking to the current model. It is little consolation that the model installed has sensors that are body colored (and not black as in the other model) and also has blinking multi-colored lights unlike the other model. Hope it works well after the next round of repairs/ replacement.

3M sunfilm was installed on the 4 windows and the rear glass in a shade which the Lanson accessories department executives said were legal/ RTO approved.

Central locking - They recommended Xenos over other brands; went with their suggestion and installed it

Goof-up no.2 - At the point of sale the senior sales executives emphasized that the car has an immobilizer. Since the downloadable brochure on the Toyota India website Toyota - Corolla Altis does not list the features of the J variant (wonder why Toyota India does not list it – may be the brochure is a old version – still it is inexcusable as the J variant has been around for some time as I later discovered from team-bhp) and there was no printed variant comparison at any of the three branches of Lanson, Chennai listing the features of the J model I could not check it personally. The senior Lanson executives assured me that it was an essential security feature that Toyota will not compromise on and hence even the J spec Altis has it. They emphasised to me that it is similar to iCATS on Maruti and hence the car cannot be started even if somebody makes a physical duplicate of the key as the immobilizer chip electronics (which can be duplicated only by Toyota) will not be available in the duplicate. Much later, on going through a post on team-bhp http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...l-variant.html I realised that the immobilizer was not available on the J variant. I then checked the specifications tab on the Toyota India website, obviously belatedly (my mistake), Toyota - Corolla and the J variant which is listed there shows “X” for immobilizer. Hence I kept parking the car inside our compound and kept the gates locked all the time till the Xenos was installed. When I pointed out the error that occurred at the sale point to the senior sales executives, there was another round of profuse apologies. I agree that I may not have gone to the next higher variant only for the presence of this feature; still it was something that may have set me thinking on the upgrade.

Goof-up no.3 – At the sales point I had been told that there would be a set of 3 keys. The delivery invoice also listed as 3 keys. However, only 2 keys were handed over. When I checked with the Lanson execs they said an error had been made and that the J model comes with only 2 keys. I struck out the 3 keys entry, changed it to “received 2 keys” and signed it. As you probably guessed by now, there was yet another round of profuse apologies. I am not concerned that Toyota skimped on the 3rd key for the J variant.

None of the above 3 goof-ups are deal breakers to me. All I can say is, “Lanson Toyota Chennai executives, please pull up your socks and be sure about what you are talking to the customer. As the saying goes “You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.” You may say, “We did not try to fool; we were ignorant.” However “Ignorantia juris non excusat or Ignorantia legis neminem excusat (Latin for "ignorance of the law does not excuse" or "ignorance of the law excuses no one") is a legal principle holding that a person who is unaware of a law may not escape liability for violating that law merely because he or she was unaware of its content” - Ignorantia juris non excusat - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Agreed, no law was violated; still it does not excuse your ignorance of the features of your product.”

MODS: Requesting you to change the title of this thread to “3 goof-ups by Lanson Toyota in the sale process of Toyota Corolla Altis J variant”

[manishkapadia]

Hey Murugan,

Get the issues fixed once and start enjoying your car. You have a well engineered car which will do duty for a long time.

Since your car does not have an immobiliser please go for the best possible anti theft system . I believe there are some systems where immobiliser are retro fitted. Its worth having the same for peace of mind if something like that is possible. My previous car got stolen inspite of having a pirhana locking system . So do consider this.

You may be surprised that some dealers try to sell you cars without immobiliser without telling you . I cancelled my i10 Magna booking with HMP because " i wrote on the order form that car should have immobiliser " . After taking advance the sales guy said the cars they had did not still have this feature though available on the newer models.

Needless to say i cancelled my booking with HMP and went with another dealer.

Parking sensor - See if you can get the one installed that sits on the dashboard driver side. Its slightly more expensive than the Xenos one but is very accurate . Have put that in 3 of our family cars. I cannot recollect the brand right now.

[vigsom]

Originally Posted by Murugan

At the sale process I had been told about free floor mats and mud flaps. Now they want Rs.4000 for the mud flaps and another Rs.500 for painting it in the color of the car.

Central locking - They recommended Xenos over other brands; went with their suggestion and installed it

Goof-up no.2 - I realised that the immobilizer was not available on the J variant.
Goof-up no.3 – Lanson execs they said an error had been made and that the J model comes with only 2 keys.

Rs.4000 for mud flaps is ridiculous - you will be able to get equivalent flaps(with painting) for less than half that price)

It is shocking that the Immobiliser is absent on the J variant;when Maruti can provide iCATS on all its models,this is bad.

Most dealerships' front Office people/salesmen know very little about the products they are selling;reasons - disinterest,lack of motivation,poorly paid.

Congrats on the car,though.The recent brouhaha on Toyota quality notwithstanding,I think you have a very good product,which should give you years of trouble-free performance.

By the way,IIRC,didn't you own a Versa earlier?