[Mad Max]

I took my VW Vento Highliine TDI for the first service to Elite Motors a.k.a Volkswagen Bangalore on Hosur Road yesterday. This is the first service for the car.

We had been a bit careless since we let the ODO go beyond the 5000km mark for the first check-up. Admittedly, we were having a bit too much fun driving the car around highways and long trips we kinda ignored that little spanner blinking on the MID. It read 7770 km when we took it in for the service.

Service booking

The lady on the phone was courteous and quick. She got the details down, checked with someone and gave me an appointment at 11AM on Friday.

Service appointment

I was there at 11:15 (trusted Bangalore traffic) and the guard at the front told me to park outside. When I got out of the car, he then said, go inside with the car. When I drove inside, the service advisors said "we are full here, please park outside".. yeah.. so reversing in a narrow lane with VWs parked was a bit unnerving. But, got that done and put the car on a parking space that the guard now showed.

I went inside, was offered coffee / tea which I declined. The place is clean and has a waiting area with sofas and a transparent partition where we can see cars getting worked on. Within 2 minutes, I had my service adviser, Shamanth, greet me and take me to get my car details filled out in the system. This was in stark contrast to other places where I am given an appointment and then I am made to wait 1/2 hour or more till I get a service adviser assigned to me. I did a quick hello and intro with him. Observed that he talked Tamil and so chatted him up a bit in Tamil. He took me to the car, checked out the details on the ODO and then signed me up for the service. I requested him to give me the car the same day itself (I really don't like cars being in service centers overnight) and he agreed and gave me a time of 4:30 - 5PM. I requested that he drop off the car as I had to be somewhere else and he mentioned that would cost me 250Rs and I agreed.

Service work

They seem to have done a good job. I am not sure what they have done other than the cursory check-up, top-ups etc. that comes with the 5000 km service but they did clean the car inside and out and ensured a proper delivery. Took it for a drive last night and felt the car was a teeny-tiny bit smoother and more responsive (maybe butt-dyno). They also turned on the honk-sound when pressing the lock/un-lock buttons on the remote as per my request.

Car delivery

Their driver didn't arrive at the service center till 7:30PM. He had gone to deliver another car and yesterday, being Friday, the traffic was heavy and he couldn't get back quickly enough. So, my car left the showroom only at 7:45 or so. The service adviser informed me when the driver left the service center and also gave me the driver's number. The driver had no idea where Sarjapur road was and he called me about 7 times from Bommanahalli to Sarjapur road and I had to give him directions. He couldn't understand anything other than Kannada and my smattering of Kannada words didn't help the situation either. Luckily I had a friend who is fluent in Kannada with me and so he helped with the directions. Car was finally delivered at 9PM.

Overall experience

Excellent. I am satisfied with how they treated me and gave me quick, easy and flexible service. The service adviser called himself proactively to let me know when the car was ready (5PM) and what the delay was about (driver was not available) and texted me once the driver left the showroom and once en-route. This, again, was in contrast to my previous experiences where I had to call the service adviser multiple times to get any information on my vehicle. Listing the service adviser's name and number below in case you need it. Good job, Shamanth!

Contact details:

Address: Sy No 49/8-9-10 , Hosur Main Road, Singasandra
Bangalore 560100

When coming from Silk board, U-Turn at Hosa road signal and proceed on service road on the other side. 100 metres from the signal on the right side.

Phone number for booking service : 9900081212 / 9686190574

[megazoid]

I have been there many times to get my polo GT TDI serviced. While they are nice and courteous and willing to listen, they seem to have an exodus of workforce which puts them on the backfoot. Service advisors keep changing, so do the mechanics and new ones are just learning the specifics. Straight jobs are well taken care off..not sure about the really difficult jobs. Anyway, nice to know that you have had a good experience.

[sajusherief]

Originally Posted by Mad Max

This is the first service for the car......we let the ODO go beyond the 5000km mark for the first check-up.........It read 7770 km when we took it in for the service.

Isn't the first service to be done at 15000 kms or did you touch the 1year service interval?

[benbsb29]

Thanks for sharing your good experience here. It's good to see a positive experience shared.

The true test for a service center is when they need to diagnose an issue in addition to standard maintenance tasks. As this was the first service, this is also the time when the cars usually do not have any major issues, making this the most easiest of tasks for the service center. I don't want to sound pessimistic, but just to help you be prepared.

On the good side, its good they didn't raise an issue for bringing in the vehicle beyond the stipulated service interval mark - Some do raise a hue and cry about this as well.

[ajmat]

Wow, what a change for the better compared to the experiences that I had with them earlier

[noopster]

Originally Posted by Mad Max

We had been a bit careless since we let the ODO go beyond the 5000km mark for the first check-up. Admittedly, we were having a bit too much fun driving the car around highways and long trips we kinda ignored that little spanner blinking on the MID. It read 7770 km when we took it in for the service.

Originally Posted by sajusherief

Isn't the first service to be done at 15000 kms or did you touch the 1year service interval?

MadMax, have you even read the manual of your car? VW service interval across the board is 1 year/15000 km as rightly pointed out above. Since you have a Highline model your car will automatically start reminding you about the impending service visit as you approach the 1 year or 15,000 km mark, whichever comes first.

Originally Posted by Mad Max

They seem to have done a good job. I am not sure what they have done other than the cursory check-up, top-ups etc. that comes with the 5000 km service but they did clean the car inside and out and ensured a proper delivery.

Sorry but you are not doing the due diligence expected from a Team BHP member Your service advisor should have sent you back home telling you to come back on your actual service interval date. They did that with me when I took my Vento in for servicing at 11000 km since I had a 2500-km trip planned shortly. All they did was a "General checkup" for which they charged 160/- and any fluid replacements etc on actuals (none were needed).

Originally Posted by ajmat

Wow, what a change for the better compared to the experiences that I had with them earlier

Playing devil's advocate here but was it really such a "good" experience? They charged him 250 for a one-way drop, which seems excessive; that too the driver got lost and came late. Some logistical issues in scheduling (asking the customer to repark twice) is also not expected. Plus there are hardly any details of jobs conducted and price charged for us to make an objective assessment of how good the job was.

OP- can you please post a scanned copy of your first service invoice with personal/identifying details masked? It would help immensely. Also please refer this extremely useful thread.

[VW2010]

This is basic expectation of every service center and as someone pointed out, this 5K service interval is very strange. As Noopster suggested, please take sometime to review the manual. I know in this age, we almost know everything and there is always google to get answers. But going through the manual is a great experience to even know whats there in the package. I was such a nerd i went through the extended warranty booklet and the non existent blue tooth booklet. I understood most of the warning lights and was able to not panic when those o2 sensors were bitten by rats. And learnt that merely connecting them with tapes is not enough for the readings are based on the volts at the sensor.

I requested that he drop off the car as I had to be somewhere else and he mentioned that would cost me 250Rs and I agreed.

This has never happened in chennai. I usually get free drop and its always something the SA insist. I do give something for the driver who drops but thats out of my will.

There are times where i have told them to not clean the car interior for they use a polish that just makes my car a dirt magnet.

I will be happy to hear a story where an issue was reported and the service centre went out of the way to help and fix the problem. But what the heck, this is a german car. May be just getting the regular service done without an issue should be termed a good service experience

[Mad Max]

Here's the bill (took a photo because I am lazy to scan)



The reason I took it in for servicing was because the spanner started flashing on the MID. Maybe it's my term of reference here, but I may have misled you by saying that it's a service. It's more of a general checkup.

But regardless, my service experience was good. I have read the service manual but I am not going to put my car through a flashing MID just because a service manual says so. I'd rather be safe than sorry.

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by sajusherief

Isn't the first service to be done at 15000 kms or did you touch the 1year service interval?

Originally Posted by noopster

MadMax, have you even read the manual of your car? VW service interval across the board is 1 year/15000 km as rightly pointed out above.

Just a quick update here - during my recent visit to the VW workshop here in Pune, I was informed that the first service checkup has been changed to 7500 kms, and then the usual servicing schedule after that (15k/30k/45k and so on).

Not sure if this has been updated in the manuals and is being executed across all workshops diligently, but I was made to understand this was a VW based decision.

Originally Posted by noopster

Playing devil's advocate here but was it really such a "good" experience?

Playing devil's advocate to your advocate, isn't the "experience" usually an intangible individual's opinion? If the OP was happy, why make him question it?

Originally Posted by Mad Max

But regardless, my service experience was good.

Sometimes, that's all that matters @Mad Max. Hopefully your future experiences will be as good as this one. But do take in the past feedback (about the dealer) in perspective when you go ahead for servicing in the future.

[iliketurtles]

I too was surprised to get a call and be told I'll be due for a (free) general checkup at 7500 kms. Was given to believe that the 15000 kms servicing is all there would be. There's definitely been an update on that front and the manual doesn't reflect it.