[lapis_lazuli]

My Punto was hit by a scooty, with 3 schoolboys on it, a few days back. I was stationary! It struck the rear bumper with significant velocity. No major damage, except the bumper got misaligned and the fog lights broke off the bumper. This has been reported by quite a few members, of the very fragile fog/reverse light mounting assembly.

Just a couple of hours back, I took the car to Oberoi Cars, Sec 63 workshop. No appointment or whatever. I wanted to see Haribal, the most competent SA there, but he had not arrived as yet. There were a couple of CRM ladies basking in the pleasant sunlight outside of the showroom, whom I approached. They assigned an SA, whose name I forgot, and he inspected the damage and told me its a couple of hours job, and would be charged only for labour, 300-400 rupees approx. He went inside and came back with their mechanic Surinder, who did the work in a jiffy, fixed the broken light with Elfy (cyanoacrylate/QuikFix) did the same to the other semi intact light as well (I thought it was OK). I suddenly remembered that the air intake hose (the one with the air filter box) had a tendency to come off because of a weak/worn out lock tooth. Surinder fixed it too, and now it is as tight as it can be. When I asked for the bill, the SA seemed to be in a fix, because he had not even opened a job card. He spoke to the Manager lady there, and came back saying since it is only an alignment job, no payment is required. He only requested me to take my car for the second servicing to them, which I will!
Now, this is the way to go . I thank and appreciate Oberoi/TATA/FIAT or whatever it takes. Keep up the good work and these small gestures go a long way.

Things have gone wrong after service, many times earlier, but each time I see some effort to correct the situation, I have a feeling at least NCR Fiat owners have a place to go!

Before I say good bye for today :

1) Usual disclaimers about me being in a different profession etc etc are in place. Mods, is "disclaiming" necessary?

2) Very few people care about the 1.2, but, I have countless instances of city and high-way mileage figures (both by MID and Tankful methods) exceeding expectations. 18+ with 3-4 people on board, mixed city/highway is a regular thing these days. I have stopped clicking snaps and posting, because I think, no body reads them and I do not want to consume TBHP bandwidth . Fuel is normal petrol filled from Shivan Auto Mayur Vihar Phase 2 on NH24. Stock car.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Guys, what is the amount usually charged for wheel balancing and alignment for a Punto? Specially in Chennai, if anyone is aware of the situation?

I was asked Rs 1300 by a local shop today. 225 per wheel for balancing and 400 for alignment. Sounds really high! My car has done 20k+ and I was hoping to do alignment every 5k kms.

[lapis_lazuli]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Guys, what is the amount usually charged for wheel balancing and alignment for a Punto?

This is wayyyyy too much . Normally for hatches, alignment is 250-350 all wheels included, at standard wheel shops, here in NCR. Balancing is typically 40-60 a wheel, with price of weight extra. Now, prices go up for alloys, but by 20% maybe. Your guy is taking you for a ride for sure. TATA FIAT A## charges around 500 for alignment, little less for balancing + price of weights. This I verified today morning. But most A$$ would invariably "finish" the alignment with pencil and string method (dhaaga) to be "double sure" whatever that means.

And A$$ is clueless about camber/caster/toe in for 2012 Punto! Can someone enlighten us poor souls?

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by lapis_lazuli

This is wayyyyy too much . Normally for hatches, alignment is 250-350 all wheels included, at standard wheel shops, here in NCR. Balancing is typically 40-60 a wheel, with price of weight extra. Now, prices go up for alloys, but by 20% maybe. Your guy is taking you for a ride for sure. TATA FIAT A## charges around 500 for alignment, little less for balancing + price of weights. This I verified today morning. But most A$$ would invariably "finish" the alignment with pencil and string method (dhaaga) to be "double sure" whatever that means.

And A$$ is clueless about camber/caster/toe in for 2012 Punto! Can someone enlighten us poor souls?

Thanks.

I guess I better stick to TASS- TAFE Reach. But I had the same doubt too, but forgot to ask. Anyone can confirm if these values are unchanged for 2012 cars?

[amoghchaphalkar]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Guys, what is the amount usually charged for wheel balancing and alignment for a Punto? Specially in Chennai, if anyone is aware of the situation?

Pune prices : 500 for alignment and balancing. At a reputed tyre shop (Darshan Tyres)

[DRIV3R]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Guys, what is the amount usually charged for wheel balancing and alignment for a Punto? Specially in Chennai, if anyone is aware of the situation?

I was asked Rs 1300 by a local shop today. 225 per wheel for balancing and 400 for alignment. Sounds really high! My car has done 20k+ and I was hoping to do alignment every 5k kms.

What a coincidence. Just yesterday, I was hopping around asking for the prices for alignment + balancing.

I checked with Lal Tyres and TyreStore. Both quoted 1200 total. 200 for balancing each wheel and 400 for alignment. All this without complementary nitrogen. Total rip-off.

[Rufus_M]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Guys, what is the amount usually charged for wheel balancing and alignment for a Punto? Specially in Chennai, if anyone is aware of the situation?

I was asked Rs 1300 by a local shop today. 225 per wheel for balancing and 400 for alignment. Sounds really high! My car has done 20k+ and I was hoping to do alignment every 5k kms.

That is way too high. A total rip off I must say. Is it the same for all hatchbacks?
Here in Mangalore, the wheel balancing & allignment for Punto is done for <600 bucks(including weights). I'm kinda surprised with the Chennai pricing.

[carrerastrax]

Originally Posted by DRIV3R

What a coincidence. Just yesterday, I was hopping around asking for the prices for alignment + balancing.

I checked with Lal Tyres and TyreStore. Both quoted 1200 total. 200 for balancing each wheel and 400 for alignment. All this without complementary nitrogen. Total rip-off.

Ridiculously high. In Bangalore, for balancing and alignment, it costs about 600-650 at Madhus and about 750-800 in tyre plus store in HSR. When you say lals, is it the one beside sathyam's car park entrance? I thought those guys were the cheapest and reliable ones. I got my alloys and tyres for my ex-car, 4 years back and I was happy with the deal I got.

[DRIV3R]

Originally Posted by carrerastrax

Ridiculously high. In Bangalore, for balancing and alignment, it costs about 600-650 at Madhus and about 750-800 in tyre plus store in HSR. When you say lals, is it the one beside sathyam's car park entrance? I thought those guys were the cheapest and reliable ones. I got my alloys and tyres for my ex-car, 4 years back and I was happy with the deal I got.

Exactly. That is the one, opposite Sathyam cinemas car park.

The confusion with the name 'lal' is natural as there are N number of lal tyres on the same street.

The prices you quoted are for the steel rimmed wheels or alloys?

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by DRIV3R

What a coincidence. Just yesterday, I was hopping around asking for the prices for alignment + balancing.

I checked with Lal Tyres and TyreStore. Both quoted 1200 total. 200 for balancing each wheel and 400 for alignment. All this without complementary nitrogen. Total rip-off.

I forgot to mention the shop I went to. Not sure of the name, I think it was XL tyre point or something, on Velachery main road, just near the turn towards madippakkam.

Atleast lals and tyrestore are famous in Chennai. Imagine my shock hearing 1300 from this shop!

[carrerastrax]

Originally Posted by DRIV3R

The prices you quoted are for the steel rimmed wheels or alloys?

Alloys. I don't know the split between balancing and alignment. Some places have charged me for removing the tyres off the alloys, filling nitrogen etc. Even in such cases, it was a max of 830 that I paid for this job.

There's a Goodyear store on periyar road in t-nagar. You may want to check with him. The job quality used to be good there (hands on owner run) and I used to visit that store previously as I lived in the opposite street. He was slightly more expensive than lals. But against 1200-1300, I'm assuming he'll be cheaper.

[teky]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Atleast lals and tyrestore are famous in Chennai

Do try Ramesh tyres on Taramani Link road opposite church in Velachery. For your information the alignment machine in TAFE has some issues.

[DRIV3R]

Originally Posted by teky

Do try Ramesh tyres on Taramani Link road opposite church in Velachery. For your information the alignment machine in TAFE has some issues.

What are the prices there for alignment + balancing for a Punto, teky?

@CD: I guess that is XL tyre point. They were also famous in the yesteryears but not anymore.

[AutoIndian]

Originally Posted by carrerastrax

Ridiculously high. In Bangalore, for balancing and alignment, it costs about 600-650 at Madhus and about 750-800 in tyre plus store in HSR. When you say lals, is it the one beside sathyam's car park entrance? I thought those guys were the cheapest and reliable ones. I got my alloys and tyres for my ex-car, 4 years back and I was happy with the deal I got.

Though I would like top mention here that I pay only Rs 200/- for my wheel alignment (just got it done yesterday @ Darshan Tyres, Chinchwad, Pune). Wheel balancing is required only when you mount a new/different tyre on a wheel rim or you've had a really bad impact on tyre/wheel. In the last 58K kms on the current set of tyres I got the balancing done only. when I purchased the new tyres & twice when I had a tyre bursts. I am getting the alignment checked at every 10K kms or whenever any front suspension work is done.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by DRIV3R

What are the prices there for alignment + balancing for a Punto, teky?

@CD: I guess that is XL tyre point. They were also famous in the yesteryears but not anymore.

@teky: Thanks for this suggestion.

Ramesh tires quoted a much more sensible rate of Rs 350/- for alignment and 150 per wheel for balancing. This is a lot cheaper than the rate quoted by XL tyres, Velachery.

Unfortunately- today there is power shutdown for velachery region, and hence I couldn't do the work yet.