[S.MJet]

Excuse, if this is going OT.

Originally Posted by chittybang

Could this be because of uneven wearing down brake pads or a case of one of your wheel going out of shape (More the second.) So on slow braking you sense excess feedback on the steering. I recollect experiencing something similar with my old zen.

There was no issue with wheels, got balancing & alignment checked at three different tyre shops. Culprit was break pads, and I don't think it was due to uneven wearing. During the service they sandpaper the break pads and I am sure this guy spoiled the shape. (this issue cropped up right after second service).

[Abhi_abarth]

Fiat opens it's second Exclusive dealership in Hyderabad today (geographically Secunderabad). The new dealership named A.V. Motors is located on the Minister road and will be in full operation from today.

The President & Managing Director Nagesh Basavanhalli will be opening the showroom followed by a press meet and few deliveries.

The dealers A.V. Motors also are authorized dealers of Tempo in Hyderabad and part of the 'Tholia' group.

I tried my best to attend but couldn't attend due to Mad Monday.

Attaching the invite.

Note : Fiat Chrysler is printed as Fiat Chryster. I hope Mr.Nagesh hasn't received the same invite

[khoj]

Got up at 7.00 am, showered, had a bit of breakfast and left home at 0825 with thumri funk playing on the OE system sweetened by the Micro Precision 3s components and the IDQ sub, all powered by the Audison LRx 6.9 mothership amplifier. Flew over the Barapulla road, landed at Noida bridge and was at Oberoi motors in Noida @ 0915 for the Jet's 2nd service.

First car in was mine and the SA did a thorough check of the car (lights, fluid levels etc) and spotted moisture in the rear left tail light which he pointed out to me and before I could comment advised me that they would change it under warranty. Fantastic, what more could I want it was a great start to a Sunday. Nice drive, good music, an observant & conducive SA.

The Jet was soon on the lift for the ride to the workshop in the basement, time was 09.30 am. Soon the work started & a new air filter, engine oil (4 ltr can), oil and fuel filter were issued in a flash and two technicians went to work. One on the engine bay and the second one took off all of the wheels to clean the brakes. Got the tires moved around to ensure proper rotation and then stood aside watching the chaps go about their jobs. Air and oil filter replaced and the left hand side brakes having been cleaned, the vehicle was raised up, old oil drained out followed by the fuel filter being taken out. New fuel filter put back in place, there was a bit of petrol spillage but that was expected and it turned out to be a great way to reassure myself of the quality of fuel being dispensed from the bunk that we frequent. First there was no smell of kerosene or any other additive (not that I have a great nose) but in a couple of minutes it took the mechanic to slot in the new filter the spill had evaporated leaving nary a trace of the fuel, perfect that is pure enough. Back to servicing and all of the chassis and suspension bolts were re-torqued using the correct sockets and torque values. This job was done with the supervisor standing under the car and calling out the sockets and torque values to be used for the front and the rear bolts. Car was brought back to ground level, the brakes on the right hand side were cleaned, new oil was poured in and then the in cabin filter was taken out and cleaned and reinserted back in to it's slot. Next the electrician took out the left rear tail light and after completing the warranty paper work installed a new one, this process took about 10 maybe 15 minutes including the documentation. Post this all the fluid levels, lights, meters and AC, radio etc were given a check followed by a session with the diagnostic tool. No errors was the message and this was followed by service reminder cancellation which otherwise would have flashed come the 26th. Time was 11.40 am, the jet took another ride on the lift & went for a wash, I had a coffee and about 40 odd minutes later paid up 3782/- and was out on the road again.

All in all I had a satisfactory experience however the work atmosphere reminded me of a term related to dress code that I started to see on business invitations a decade or so ago "Business Casual"

While the workshop was very well equipped with a tool chest for every work station and the chaps knew their work, there was a whole lot of idle banter and chitchat. The w/s started work at 0930 and there was a tea break on site at 1030. This is a common practice at most workshops but has been done away with at places such as Maruti Service Masters (Maruti & Sumitomo JV)

However the comparison is unfair as MSM (Okhla phase II) handles in excess of 100 cars a day, more on weekends and runs on all 7 days with two shifts if required. The SAs use tablets to open job cards and snap pictures of the vehicles to record current physical condition. All of the data is wirelessly transferred in to the servers thereby generating job cards and work orders etc. The mechanics are provided breakfast before the shift starts at 0830 and have a tea break only after two hours followed by lunch and then another break, all at two hour intervals. The front desk staff do get tea on their seats but then they are hard pressed for time with car owners/drivers swarming around. However it was not always like this.

FIAT's A.S/C. today reminds me of a typical Maruti dealer's service centre in the early '90s . Then, with very few cars to handle on a daily basis the mechanics would fool around and were no different than a local garage except that the work clothes were overalls provided by the respective dealers. It was only as the numbers grew that things started to change. For them too it was not a smooth ride with the added pressures the service centres slipped and how. It was such a shoddy situation with pathetic customer satisfaction levels that MUL was forced to not only start training schools for mechanics but for the dealerships managerial personnel and these programs are now well entrenched in the industry as a standard offering by almost all manufacturers. In fact the afore mentioned MSM was a product of the slip up by the then service providers. A situation which was dramatically turned around by MUL and is now considered as a blessing in disguise. MSM was launched with well equipped work shops, trained personnel at all levels and quickly became the standard bearer of how a service centre should be managed and run.

In comparison to those workshops of yore FIAT's current workspaces are better equipped, spares are readily available and the mechanics are better trained. Though I believe this is true for any new entrant and is due to the overall change & maturity that the automotive market has undergone in the past 30 years. Things will improve further as the numbers of FIAT cars increase on the road and the workshops are pressed for more efficient use of time. This in fact can be felt and seen in FIAT workshops like Balaji Motors in Thane and Tuli Motors in Raja Garden(now Wazirpur). These two are located in the middle of their respective cities and have a largish number of cars coming in on a daily basis. Here again, I found the workshops to be very well equipped and stocked with even odd ball spares and the mechanics more focussed on their jobs given the work load. My Jet had a few jobs undertaken under warranty as well as it's first service at Balaji in Thane and later on another warranty replacement job was carried out at Tuli motors. In both instances the required parts were readily available despite being parts that are not commonly required. Sun visors with light assembly & dust caps for windshield trim at Balaji Cars and hydraulic supports for boot lid at Tuli Motors. This is very different from the stock situation for trim parts at say Honda or even Maruti for accessories.

My visits have been during and after the Fiat Tata transition period and I have had satisfactory experiences at all three FIAT workshops. In fact the warranty jobs and the first service at Balaji were done while I had to comeback to Dilli and they kept my Jet with them for almost three weeks before a friend (also a Tbhpian) flew it back to Dilli. While the car was with them they even shifted their workshop from their old premises to the current location, all the while ensuring that the Jet remained in pristine condition and there were no storage charge at all. This kind of service is unheard of and would not have been possible at any other brand's A.S.C. at least not gratis. I can only hope that FIAT's dealers retain such levels of customer satisfaction as the numbers grow and give us an additional reason to smile as we turn the keys from MAR to ON.

Before I close, let me inform you guys especially those of you who own the older models that FIAPL has started to actively support the older models manufactured earlier. They have already started to advertise regarding the same for the Palio. It is good to note that as they move forward FIAT is not forgetting their older products. Per the GM of Oberoi Motors, Wing Commander (Retired) Gopalan, they have been supporting the owners of Siena, Uno and Palios actively including importing parts from FIAT's stocks in Italy and now they are hopeful of better and ready availability of service & running repair spares given FIAT's own push in this direction

[puchoo]

Thanks for the detailed update Khoj!! I would be needing to go in about a month or so for my first service , planning to go to Kashyap at Okhla given location convenience , hope to have an experience as yours.

[khoj]

Kashyap Okhla is convenient for me too but I was advised to go there only on days when their Service Manager Mr. OP Sharma is available. This gentleman splits his time between the Greater Noida and Okhla workshops and it seems on days he is not there(Okhla) it is a mad house. Since there was no clarity to the days when he would be coming to Okhla I chose to make good use of the Sunday morning and drove the distance.

Having said that, my first preference (for routine service) was Tuli motors. However they have moved from Raja garden to Wazirpur and will be moving again to their own premises in a few months time. Past experience has taught me not to get things worked upon in workshops that are temporary arrangements. Will visit them once they settle down in their own premises, at around the 18 month mark for changing the oil filter ( & topping up of engine oil). Will then take a call as to where to take my vehicle for its third service. What I like about Tuli Motors is that one of the two brothers who are the owners was always there at the petrol pump based work shop and the work culture was more professional. Whether he is able to continue to do the same (be available at the Wazirpur W/S) remains to be seen and will be a deciding factor of the direction the Jet flies in, whether Westwards or Eastwards to the badlands of U.P.

Originally Posted by puchoo

Thanks for the detailed update Khoj!! I would be needing to go in about a month or so for my first service , planning to go to Kashyap at Okhla given location convenience , hope to have an experience as yours.

[puchoo]

Yes i know about Mr. OP Sharma as well but its a it difficult to predict or get to know his schedule , i guess trying them once is no harm. Would like to add that the one experience i have had with them which was with respect to the media player not working was pretty good - even though it was a simple disconnection of the batter he did get some other work done proactively as well - by he i mean the SA i got.

Originally Posted by khoj

Kashyap Okhla is convenient for me too but I was advised to go there only on days when their Service Manager Mr. OP Sharma is available. This gentleman splits his time between the Greater Noida and Okhla workshops and it seems on days he is not there(Okhla) it is a mad house. Since there was no clarity to the days when he would be coming to Okhla I chose to make good use of the Sunday morning and drove the distance.

Having said that, my first preference (for routine service) was Tuli motors. However they have moved from Raja garden to Wazirpur and will be moving again to their own premises in a few months time. Past experience has taught me not to get things worked upon in workshops that are temporary arrangements. Will visit them once they settle down in their own premises, at around the 18 month mark for changing the oil filter ( & topping up of engine oil). Will then take a call as to where to take my vehicle for its third service. What I like about Tuli Motors is that one of the two brothers who are the owners was always there at the petrol pump based work shop and the work culture was more professional. Whether he is able to continue to do the same (be available at the Wazirpur W/S) remains to be seen and will be a deciding factor of the direction the Jet flies in, whether Westwards or Eastwards to the badlands of U.P.

[puchoo]

Between the one in Okhla and the Noida one which one do you think is a bigger one , with more spares readily available and more work stations etc , leaving OP Sharma's presence aside which one would you prefer.

I am at 2700 Kms now and after reading your update been wondering whether i should just make a visit to Noida as well and skip Okhla. She's not going to be going for services with say the frequency of a Maruti and given the periods thinking if it might be worth the effort to just do the drive and go there.

Originally Posted by khoj

In comparison to those workshops of yore FIAT's current workspaces are better equipped, spares are readily available and the mechanics are better trained.

[khoj]

I have never been to Kashyap Ohkla so cannot comment on it but from what I have heard it should be similar to Oberoi. Their facility in Greater Noida however is supposedly a 'Flagship' facility and supposed to be the largest in the country, so well equipped and stocked should be a given.

Since you plan to get more kilometres on the odometer, I would suggest you drive there as it is the approx. the same distance as Oberoi. That way you will have the benefit of getting the service done at a full fledged centre and we @ forum will be able to learn about yet another service centre's capabilities etc.

Originally Posted by puchoo

She's not going to be going for services with say the frequency of a Maruti and given the periods thinking if it might be worth the effort to just do the drive and go there.

[lapis_lazuli]

Originally Posted by khoj

an observant & conducive SA.....

Back to servicing and all of the chassis and suspension bolts were re-torqued using the correct sockets and torque values. This job was done with the supervisor standing under the car and calling out the sockets and torque values to be used for the front and the rear bolts.

Khoj ji, two questions :

1) What is the SA's name, please? Is this the Sec 1 workshop you are talking of or is it the Sec 63 one?

2) Who is this supervisor, again, who knows the correct torque values, please? My car needs a little TLC too!

I know Mr.Gopalan very well: sincere man, tries a lot, but the sec 63 workshop could be better. They could not diagnose a sound from my Punto, even after 6 consecutive weekends spent there. At last, I gave them a piece of my mind, to the CRM, a strong letter to Mr.Gopalan and came back! The problem is unresolved though! A gentleman that he is, he acknowledged the shortcomings of his staff, and offered a session again, to which I had to refuse, because of serious lack of time!

I also need to change the front left fender plastic lining. It has broken after a smallish accident: a cabbie hitting it while trying to overtake from the wrong side. The fender is intact except for a small chip off, but the plastic has cracked. Maybe I will go to Kashyap!

On the otherhand, T-jet owner and bhpian Biraj, has got excellent service from them.

I have too, in the past, only that the last incident 2 months back was not a pleasant one.

[khoj]

Hi lapis_lazuli

The SA's name is Rakesh and the supervisor is Ishinder.

The CRM is a joke. The time I spent in the lounge I heard Mr. Gopalan explain things to her starting with "Do not get Angry" and then most of the calls she made to customers were basically on the lines of "I do not know, here is the SA's number you can call him." Sheesh they could hire a telephone operator at half the salary and still carry on. The less said about the non technical personnel at Oberoi the better it is, in all fairness that seems true for almost all automotive dealerships across brands and cities

Sorry to learn of your ride's accident. Do update us on the body shop experience.

Originally Posted by lapis_lazuli

Khoj ji, two questions :

1) What is the SA's name, please? Is this the Sec 1 workshop you are talking of or is it the Sec 63 one?

2) Who is this supervisor, again, who knows the correct torque values, please? My car needs a little TLC too!

At last, I gave them a piece of my mind, to the CRM, a strong letter to Mr.Gopalan and came back!

[puchoo]

A bit confused now , are you suggesting that i try the Oberoi or the Kashyap facility in greater noida?

The fiat site does not show any service centre in Greater Noida , they only have 2 listed - one is Oberois in sector 1 and the other is Kashyap on the Dadri Noida road.

Originally Posted by khoj

I have never been to Kashyap Ohkla so cannot comment on it but from what I have heard it should be similar to Oberoi. Their facility in Greater Noida however is supposedly a 'Flagship' facility and supposed to be the largest in the country, so well equipped and stocked should be a given.

Since you plan to get more kilometres on the odometer, I would suggest you drive there as it is the approx. the same distance as Oberoi. That way you will have the benefit of getting the service done at a full fledged centre and we @ forum will be able to learn about yet another service centre's capabilities etc.

[Biraj]

Originally Posted by lapis_lazuli

On the otherhand, T-jet owner and bhpian Biraj, has got excellent service from them.

I will stick to 'Good' at this point and give an 'Excellent' after they repeat such experience. As I have mentioned elsewhere, between the Oberoi and Kashyap, I prefer Oberoi because of distance and Mr. Gopalan. He might not be blessed with the most competent team but certainly knows how to get the best out of them.

I am currently in Ahmedabad and Neil's (Punto MJD) second service was due. Since I will be here for long and I will return to Delhi only for a few days to pick Crusoe (My T-jet), I wouldn't have got time to get the service done in my presence. So I called Mr. Gopalan and got the service scheduled. Last Sunday, they picked the car from home, serviced it, and delivered it back at home. All this was done within 4-5 hours. Can't comment on the quality of work as no one has driven the car after service. Still, I am very happy at the way they managed the entire task. They picked the car, SA (Hari) called me and asked about all issues, called again with the final costs, and delivered the car at home on time.

Let's hope Oberoi motors continues to offer good service under Mr. Gopalan's leadership and we don't have to share space with Taxis again.

[khoj]

I meant Kashyap on the Noida Dadri road.

I used to travel on this road to get to Greater Noida and habitually call anything beyond atta chowk/the services golf course as greater noida.

Do note it is only a suggestion.

Oberoi in sector 1 is now only a showroom. The service centre being discussed here is located in sector 63, plot # A-184.

Originally Posted by puchoo

A bit confused now , are you suggesting that i try the Oberoi or the Kashyap facility in greater noida?

The fiat site does not show any service centre in Greater Noida , they only have 2 listed - one is Oberois in sector 1 and the other is Kashyap on the Dadri Noida road.

[puchoo]

Thanks for clarifying , i was a bit mystified to read that there might be another flagship centre which one did not even know about.

Originally Posted by khoj

I meant Kashyap on the Noida Dadri road.

I used to travel on this road to get to Greater Noida and habitually call anything beyond atta chowk/the services golf course as greater noida.

Do note it is only a suggestion.

Oberoi in sector 1 is now only a showroom. The service centre being discussed here is located in sector 63, plot # A-184.

[sukrit7]

Great write up, Khoj. From the moment I read it, I was sure you would be referring to Ishender. He's extraordinarily helpful and very very well versed with FIAT's cars, as is Sanjay. He's usually around as well.

In my experience, Oberoi is far better than any other centre, and have a far better crew than Kashyap in Noida. First, it's located so far away from South Delhi that getting there is a nightmare, and second, I didn't find anything 'flagship' about it. I'd stick to Oberoi.