[mdsaab]

Always was. Infact years before the T-Fort was launched in India, i use to literally lust after it. Well actually who didn't. It was a real put off when Toyota kept us waiting for years.
And finally when they did launch. My mother kept telling me and infact still does. Its a five year old car. And i have to keep explaining to her that the T-Fort went through a facelift before it was launched etc.
But the thing about most SUV's is that they age well.
Even years down the line they dont look out of place amongst the modern cars.

Now that you have taken me back to my lusting days. For the T-Fort ofcourse. I had downloaded and saved a catalogue from carryboy. Which had all sorts of cool add ons for the T-Fort. I had practically picked out all the accessories that i would fit and here is some top secret info. The colour of my T-Fort was silver. Hmmm. Lets see how it goes?

[Guderian]

Originally Posted by dkaile

maybe I will delay taking my delivery...

Hi dkaile, That is going to be a long wait. As I understand the A/T version and the facelifted version (are they going to be the same I wonder ?) are going to be here in mid 2012.
That should again set the local SUV market on fire. The article also speaks of reducing the costs. So a 4X2 TFort also in the offing ?
Though an A/T 4X4 is a big no-no for me.

Originally Posted by mdsaab

Always was.
Hmmm. Lets see how it goes?

Aha mdsaab !
Appears that the pot is bubblin' !
Something round the corner ? And do keep that case of bubbly within reach...

[Guderian]

10,000 Klicks !

Good heavens - its been quite a while since I've been here.

On July 6, 2011 at precisely 7.05 pm (1905 hrs) Fleet Admiral Togo Heihachiro crossed 5399.568 nautical miles.
Or as civilians would state 10,000 KMs !

The milestone was touched on the Eastern Express Highway ( or Poorv Doorgati Mahamarg) at about 100 meters before the Mulund (Airoli turnoff) flyover while sailing back to Admiral's home base at Thane.

Some stats:

It was done in 130 days. Or an average of 76.92 KMs a day.

Total amount spent on servicing till date:

1st Service - Rs 298/-. (Rs. 225 for a bottle of coolant.)
2nd Service - Rs 0/-.
3rd Service - Rs 2267/- (Engine oil, oil filter,windshield wash mix.)

Total - Rs 2565/-.

Third service was carried out today at 10,153 KMs.

Overall FE average from date of purchase - 11.65 KMPL - Hard highway and soft city driving.

Best city FE: 12.5 KMPL.
Best H/W FE: 13.51 KMPL.

Total amount spent on Diesel till date - Rs 41,394.30. The 'pucca' amount for 10 K klicks comes approximately to - Rs 39,548.80, as the tank is currently topped up.

Report on 3rd service follows...

[taranonline]

I really love the way you express. Hats of to you. Really enjoyed the nautical miles/civilian thing.

Safe riding buddy.

[Guderian]

III Service. July 9, 2011.

Or the last of the free services. Sniff.

Or Grease Lightning. Why ? Read on, me mates.

With the odo reading at 10,153 Klicks I drove into the Toyota ASC this morning. And I have this uneasy feeling whenever I visit any ASC. Today was no different.

Appointment was booked in advance. Even after booking the appointment in advance I get a call reminding me that 'my' service was due. A sweet young (?) voice called me up and said - " Sir, your service is due..." When I went "Aiyyo", she mentioned in rashtra bhasha - " Aapka gaadi ka service ka time ho gaya..." I let out a sigh of relief and reminded her that I had already booked an appointment.
And yesterday I was again reminded about my date with the ASC.

But I was fairly impressed.

Landed up at 9.30 am. The moment I drove in - in a flash a Service Advisor slipped in with the job card all ready and all issues to be noted. The issues were - nothing at all. But I reminded them of all the things to be routinely done:
- Engine oil and filter change.
- Tyre rotation. I wanted only 4 wheel rotation not a 5 wheel rotation.
- Prop shaft greasing and shaft bolts/nuts tightening.
- Brakes cleaning.
- Full body wash and engine air blown after wash.


Made it clear to the SA that I would be present throughout on the shop floor.

Car was taken in at 10.30 am. Placed in the bay at 10.48 am. Was out after billing at 1.30 pm.
Quite efficient.
But was it truly smooth ? No, not really. At least on one point on the shop floor. Had a major argument on the greasing of the propellor shafts and had to educate the Johnnies there which came as a major surpise to me.
Will discuss this with the snaps.

But then allow the snaps speak for themselves.

Admiral arrives at the bay:





Brakes opened and sprayed with 'Brake Cleaner' spray.



Oil changed along with fuel filter. The engine drinks 6.5 Lts of E oil.
Tyres rotated. 4 wheels only. The two rear tyres which moved to the front were balanced. Air filter removed and cleaned.

Then came the issue of greasing the propeller shaft. The techies knew nothing, the supervisor came and mentioned 'not required'. I raised my voice the SA came and tried to mumble something. The AM Service came in and knew nothing and mentioned that there are no nipples in the prop shaft.
I had enough and asked the Admiral to be raised further up. Yanked all present under the vehicle and showed them 6 nipples in all on the forward and rear propeller shafts. 3 external and 3 internally placed.

On the rear prop shaft:


On the forward prop shafts:



Incidentally the propeller shafts have to be greased and bolts tightened every 10K KMs or greasing within 24 hours if the vehicle is ever submerged during OTRs etc.

They then ran for their lives searching for a grease gun. Which was malfunctioning. It was decided to place Admiral for washing first and later bring it in again by which time the grease gun would be fixed.


And the washing. Boy did they now take special care. The scrubbed the underbody well. Ensured that the radiator was washed well from the grill side. The engine was blow dried too. Took a long time. But well worth it.



Brought it back after the wash on the shop floor, where the grease gun was by now in a working condition. And by now the Head-Technical all red faced was around to push the grease in himself. And he did.

Everything else completed, billed and drove out at 1.30 pm.

Total bill: Rs 2267/-.

With a few reminders inside of the service:



Checked under/bahar - all seems fine:







One item they missed putting back after the wash - The Hazard Triangle Box. Realised that on reaching home and setting back the vehicle with the items removed.

Thundering typhoons !

Phoned all concerned and till the time of going to the press they were still searching. I think its just a case of genuinely misplacing it rather than a case of pinching it.

Overall quite happy with the servicing but for the two abberations. All said and done Toyota service is truly superior.

And now I await a call from a PYT (assumption !) asking me sweetly, in terrible English - "Sir, you came for servicing how it is running now ?"

I fervently hope the LoH doesn't pick up the phone when it rings !

[amitwlele]

Originally Posted by Guderian

10,000 Klicks !

Good heavens - its been quite a while since I've been here.

On July 6, 2011 at precisely 7.05 pm (1905 hrs) Fleet Admiral Togo Heihachiro crossed 5399.568 nautical miles.
Or as civilians would state 10,000 KMs !

General congrats on completing yet another milestone and wishing you many more happy nautical miles.

Originally Posted by Guderian

III Service. July 9, 2011.


Then came the issue of greasing the propeller shaft. The techies knew nothing, the supervisor came and mentioned 'not required'. I raised my voice the SA came and tried to mumble something. The AM Service came in and knew nothing and mentioned that there are no nipples in the prop shaft.

I am assuming that you go to the same service centre everytime. So i am surprised that the service guys were actually arguing with you. This was the 3rd service and they should know by now whom they are dealing with.

[MAS]

Hi Guderian,

Nicely written report. I'm surprised that you had to teach the Toyota service guys about greasing the propeller shafts?!?! I knew Toyota service was going South, but this is horrible. If the greasing was not done, it could have put the vehicle on a suicidal path, where the prop shaft would have broken due to lack of lubrication!!!

You should take this up with Toyota. I'm not sure if others in the forum are aware of this requirement!!! May be you should start a Toyota Fortuner - Do's and Dont's thread.

[F150]

So General,

You have dedicated your Saturday to the service of admiral. Didn't they give the usual mumbo-jumbo that customers are not allowed on to the service floor, please wait in the customer lounge, etc. ?

Was the air filter cleaned ? What is the air filter replacement schedule for admiral ?

[mdsaab]

Congratulations on yet another milestone!
Seems like the service folks at Toyota were not too prepared for the greasing. I wonder how many T-Forts came through and drove out without this essential as you mentioned it or was it critical job not carried out. Not very professional indeed.
Regarding the last sentence, had me rolling on the floor. and i hope too that LOH does not pick up the phone for that call.
Wishing you many more nautical miles of joyful motoring with the Admiral.
Drive Safe!

[dot]

Congratulation of the 10k clicks and the 700. Wow, time sure flies. But this time has been good.

BTW, we were wondering where you have been.

How was the old engine oil color and state? Loved the greasing episode. Any further dwelling on that subject may land me up on the docks for sleaze profanity.

[Guderian]

Originally Posted by taranonline

I really love the way you express. Hats of to you. Really enjoyed the nautical miles/civilian thing.

Safe riding buddy.

Hi taranonline,
Many thnaks for the kind words !

Originally Posted by amitwlele

General congrats on completing yet another milestone and wishing you many more happy nautical miles.
I am assuming that you go to the same service centre everytime. So i am surprised that the service guys were actually arguing with you. This was the 3rd service and they should know by now whom they are dealing with.

Hi Amit,
Thanks for the good wishes.
Yeah - the guys at the ASC are slowly waking up to the animal called 'me' !
You see the problem is there are very few self driven TForts coming in. They are just used to pushing drivers around. And this fact I had to very firmly tell the AM - Service very harshly and asked them to wake up to the new reality that there are owner driven TForts and that those chaps know much more about their precious vehicles than the techies and their bosses on the shop floor. And some oddities of human kind like me who not only are owner drivers but stand on the shop floor and watch every task being completed !

I am sure the poor AM and SA must have had a nightmarish sleeps last night - with images of me chasing them all over the shop floor with a grease gun in my hand, searching for a proper aperture to poke it in.....!

Originally Posted by MAS

Hi Guderian,

Nicely written report. I'm surprised that you had to teach the Toyota service guys about greasing the propeller shafts?!?! I knew Toyota service was going South, but this is horrible. If the greasing was not done, it could have put the vehicle on a suicidal path, where the prop shaft would have broken due to lack of lubrication!!!

You should take this up with Toyota. I'm not sure if others in the forum are aware of this requirement!!! May be you should start a Toyota Fortuner - Do's and Dont's thread.

Hi MAS,
Thanks for the compliments.
The situation is no different elsewhere ! I used to have quite a task on my hands when trying to get the shaft of the Scorp greased at M&M ASCs. Somehow the chaps couldn't get it into their skulls that the prop shaft is a moving part and needs lubes too !
I think the Toyota folks are keeping a tab on TBHP and will pick up their cues from here !
Good thought - on the technical thread on the TFort. Should start that sometime soon.
But believe me when I tell you that I have experienced the Toyota service as the best till date (Touchwood !).

Originally Posted by F150

So General,

You have dedicated your Saturday to the service of admiral. Didn't they give the usual mumbo-jumbo that customers are not allowed on to the service floor, please wait in the customer lounge, etc. ?

Was the air filter cleaned ? What is the air filter replacement schedule for admiral ?

Hi F150,
Having learnt a few lessons from Fleet Admiral Togo's battle in the Tsushima Strait - as mentioned in the report - I preempted the resistance by mentioning right at the begining I am going to be 'there'. The AM mentioned something about snaps. But mentioned to him that snaps being taken are only of my vehicle and not of the ASC or any other vehicle.
Resistance melted after the Battle of 'Nipple Strait' !

As mentioned in the report the air filter was indeed cleaned.

Originally Posted by mdsaab

Congratulations on yet another milestone!
Seems like the service folks at Toyota were not too prepared for the greasing. I wonder how many T-Forts came through and drove out without this essential as you mentioned it or was it critical job not carried out. Not very professional indeed.
Regarding the last sentence, had me rolling on the floor. and i hope too that LOH does not pick up the phone for that call.
Wishing you many more nautical miles of joyful motoring with the Admiral.
Drive Safe!

Hi mdsaab,
Many thanks for the good wishes !
I suspect they never carry out greasing. So all the TForts and Prados etc get in and out without this. I guess the difference in technology between sedans and SUVs have them fumbling and stumbling all over the place. They do a good (?) job of the sedans but have no clue of the SUVs, I guess.
And thankfully the TFort is one tough chap and can stand a lot of abuse. By the owners/drivers and ASCs !

Originally Posted by dot

Congratulation of the 10k clicks and the 700. Wow, time sure flies. But this time has been good.

BTW, we were wondering where you have been.

How was the old engine oil color and state? Loved the greasing episode. Any further dwelling on that subject may land me up on the docks for sleaze profanity.

Yo dot !
Thanks a million.
The outgoing engine oil was quite dark/black !

Quite right - about dwelling further on greasing...ahem...shafts. And if you notice I have been very careful in selecting my words to describe the episode. Knowing fully well there are sharp toothed/brained Scorponoks around !

[dkaile]

Now that was an eye-opener 10K ownership and service report and will be very helpful for all TF owners. It was remarkable to see the FE figures but sad to note the service people were inept in their professional knowledge. Glad to seeing you put them back on track.

[Guderian]

The Morning After.....! July 10, 2011.

Well before the title leads you good folks to other thoughts let me hasten to state that I am describing the morning after the day of ASC service visit.

And the day, usually a Sunday, is a breeze. As not much of cleaning to be done but everything to be patted back in order, in the vehicle. And of course rechecking everything that has been done (or undone) by the grease monkeys to check for half done work etc - but no evidence of that from the ASC of Toyota - as yet though !

But that is jumping the gun. First things first.

Mea culpa ! Or Peccavi...I have sinned...remember Gen Sir Charles James Napier ?

And why ? Remember yesterday I mentioned that the ASC washing chaps had misplaced the HWTB (Hazard Warning Triangle Box) ? I had checked/combed every inch of Admiral with no avail.

On a hunch this morning, I opened up the folded backrest the rearmost row of seats. And what do I see ?




Some bloke had placed the HWT box on the seat and folded it !
I immediately communicated the same to all the concerned in the ASC with whom I had raised the matter of misplacing the same and apologised for having raised a false alarm.
Received, in return, SMSs of great relief from the chaps !

Of course I asked them to improve their process at the washing line by advising the staff there not to place anything on the seats and fold it shut - especially the last row, which is left closed by many owners. Not only will things be perceived to be missing but it would also damage the leather seat covers.

So a cheerful start to the activities.

And the warning triangle went back to its duties in right earnest:


And the day's activity, determined earlier, was to lower the stepney wheel, check the mechanism (to prevent jamming due to muck etc, when you require it in a hurry !) and top up the air in the spare wheel as well.

The snaps of course will do all the talking with some assistance from me.

The digital inflator:


The rearmost row power outlet:


Tool kit recess:


The three piece Tommy which needs to be precisely fastened:






The aperture in the bumper where the hooked end is to be inserted and the lug wrench to be used as a driver:



Soon the giant wheel is visible:


The stowing mechanism up close:



As I was checking the 'underworld' - here is the anterior view of the rear bumper with the reverse sensors visible.


WIP:



Completed and raised:


Don't like the stowing chain to be dangling below as you see in most Toyota SUVs/MUVs. So have a way of stuffing it so that it remains out of sight:


Tools back where they should be:


Admiral has a visitor:

Lumbricus rubellus or Red Earthworm that emerges during the rains.....!

And I checked all the lugs as a safety/precautionary measure after a visit to the ASC and tyre rotation. This though I had ensured that all the lugs were retightened in front of me. Even one lug loose could mean disaster in due course of time.
Enough instances of the same from the previous ASCs.
And couple of episodes of acquaintances' wheels coming off or nearly so after visits to ASCs and tyre rotations !
And sure enough one of the lug nuts was 'slightly' loose. Or let me put it this way - not torqued to a level acceptable to me.


Was back home in just under 2 hours this morning.

Reporting Admiral battle ready for the next 5 K Klicks saaah !

[ritedhawan]

A very well written reporting of your experience with your Admiral H. Credit to you that you exercise scrupulosity when it comes to getting your Admiral H serviced. There are many , who consign thier vehicles to A.S.C 's , come back and pay to re-procure thier vehicles not knowing for what they have payed for, since they never saw the work done in front of thier eyes. Your'e clearly an exception and that's admirable , and that too for good. Furthermore, I believe that the next time you visit your preffered A.S.C those people there will be on thier toes , remembering what you expect from them.

By the way, isn't that avatar of yours of 'Heinz Guderian' the tank specialist of the ernstwhile Nazi Germany, who used to command the Panzer Corps XIX. I too like to read books on Military History but only those pertaining to WW II.

[dkaile]

Off Note: The spare wheel should have been washed routinely by the ASC on the 10k service. This would have ensured that the stepney removal mechanism also got a workout.

Guderian, what is the make and cost of the digital tyre inflator? Any issues with it so far?