Finally got my car repaired from Mr. Kumar. The sound was of the broken bearings inside the gearbox. Mr. Kumar initially suggested to have the gearbox replaced but since the sound wasn't very prominent and he took note of my driving style, he said he'll open the gearbox expecting no serious damage would've been done. I'll let the pictures do the talking:
The road leading to Mr. Kumar's garage:
The garage is not really a garage, but an empty plot with space to accommodate two vehicles only. They politely turn down any requests for a third vehicle if it's repair requires it to be parked overnight.
My Swift getting diagnosed by the man himself, Mr. Kumar and an assistant who helps him with things that need extra force. Mr. Kumar is a man of precision and only believes in quality.
The gearbox is finally off the engine and in the hands of the person who left no screw untouched to ensure even the minute problems were rectified. I loved Mr. Kumar's approach of looking for the problem. He started off by checking the top moat layers/common problem areas like a screw being loose, the oil not being good, alignment of shafts etc. Only when he ensured that it was not any of the common problem areas did he get into hardcore dismantling of the gearbox.
Once nothing was found to be faulty on the outside, the housing was removed, and the shafts taken apart. The culprit ? Four bearings on the shafts inside the housing.
Having found the problem, Mr. Kumar asked me to leave the car with them and return the next day. He assured me that the work will be flawless and he can guarantee his work. I reach the next day and the car is ready ! Its been two days with no problems at all. I am quite sure I'm not going to face any problems of the same nature, because I saw the man and the standards he followed.
A few things I noticed:
Mr Kumar, is a thorough gentleman. He knows his game inside out. A very humble man, who does not indulge into vague talks, no self praises and is someone you will start respecting from the time you meet him for the first time. During my 5 days of conversation with him, he always addressed me as "Beta". I offered to pick him up or drop him back home, which he politely declined, because he said it'll be a hassle for me. He ensured I knew every little thing of whatever was being assembled or dismantled in my car, he told me how the mechanical parts work, and how it is important for me to know about car parts to avoid being misled. Not once did he discuss about money, advance or any payment related issues. The only thing he said through the five days was "Beta, tum tension mat lo. Main baitha hun na. Main sab thik karke dunga" this was something he would tell me whenever I asked him about how much it would cost me or if it was something serious or if I asked him if this happened again. There is so much I can write about this man, who has changed my perception of mechanics being greedy, lousy and careless with no eye for quality and detail. If my car is ever going to a garage, this is the man it going to !
Mr. Harvinder, on the contrary, may be a very good electrician but is not even half as good a man as Mr. Kumar. Right from day one, he had been only talking money to me inspite of him knowing nothing about car mechanicals. He quoted 20k for a used gearbox from Mayapuri on the first day I visited them. When I checked with a friend who has a contact in Mayapuri, I was quoted 11k for a 4 month used gearbox. The day I asked Mr. Kumar if I could buy spares from my credit card so that I could save on cash, Harvinder was furious ! He literally shouted "humaare paas time nahi hain, khud leke aao jaake" and this was when I was not even talking to him. Eventually next day, Harvinder went to buy spares and I am not even sure if he bought genuine maruti parts because thats what I had asked for.
After they finished the job, i took Mr. Kumar for a teat drive and asked how much am I due. He said "Sardarji toh keh raha tha 5500 lene hain, par main bola ke bahut zyada hain toh sardar se mera argument ho gaya". I told Mr. Kumar that I am willing to pay anything that he quotes because he worked on the car and not sardarji.
Eventually I paid 3500 for labour and 2500 for spares(that Harvinder bought and I have no idea if it was MGP). One thing for sure, I'm never suggesting anyone to Harvinder for electrical issues. I just hope Mr. Kumar's reputation is not affected by Harvinder's money minded business ethics !
And the best thing of all, situated right next to the airport, I saw the IAF's C-130 when it was landing. It was vverrryy loud, quite close and HHUUGGEEE ! Also, if anybody knows Arun Pandey, MS Dhoni's best friend, he lives right opposite to Mr. Kumar's garage. The house has all sorts of high tech security devices and armed guards ! Here's a picture I clicked:
