Team-BHP - VW Polo - Maintenance and Service cost and dos/don'ts

Quote:

Originally Posted by ruchir911 (Post 2990276)

I get my car serviced by B.U. Bhandari at Pune. Must tell you, extremely satisfied by the service and the attitude of the staff. Been there 4 times now (for minor repairs and a full service).

Just to tell you, when they changed engine oil, they did put some of the remaining engine oil (of the 4 liters they charged) in a container for me to be used later for top-ups. Now, this is really honest! At Maruti, I had my water bottles and other stuff gone missing while I gave my car for service, leave alone giving me back the extra engine oil!

VW rocks! B.U. Bhandari Pune rocks even better!!!http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/images...humbs%20up.gif

Good to know that. I have read good reviews for BU in other threads. Yet to visit them as it's too far from my place and so far my experience with Vidyut is good.

Good for us, Punekars. At least we have an option and hopefully competition will help keep up the service standards.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AvonA7 (Post 2999454)

Even the Hubli service Dealer in Karnataka is good. Though I have not had a major experience with their service, attitude is good.

Main issue is Bangalore. Hope it gets better... :)

I am sure this question has been asked before, but I couldn't find the exact post.

Should I take in my car for a check-up before 1yr/15000kms ?
The car has done over 5000kms in 3months

I can do the basic checks, fluids and air filter myself, but is there anything else I should get checked before the recommended service interval?

I did have a big stone hit the belly of my car sometime back, as it flew up behind from the front wheel rotation, but there have been no signs/sounds of damage.

Do they charge to inspect the car visually from below? (in Delhi, different dealerships have different policies in reality)

I did the 5000km checkup couple of weeks back at VW Trivandrum. They visually inspect the car from below to check for damages while noting down the service needs.

I asked them to do balancing, alignment and washing. Bill totalled around 1700/-. The balancing and alignment was optional but I asked for it to be carried out since I had a couple of high speed pothole hits. The washing was also done since I wanted the engine bay to be cleaned. There was no option to just clean the engine bay, so had to do the full wash.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kutts (Post 3017067)

Thanks for the info, could you please share the break up of cost?

All,
Got the 3rd service of P 1.6 done around the end of last month.
Age - 2 yrs 4 months; 44 K Km

Work done - Regular 3rd service fluids/lubricants, filters change; brake adjustments/sanding; door noise fix; spark plug replacement; fix engine vibration on start (I do have hydraulic mounts); other minor bits here and there.

Post Service Feedback -
Acceleration - Visible improvement; feels much more responsive and smooth at any speed now.
Improved Highway driveability - Highway run of 200 KM last weekend showed improved driveability between 70 and 120 on 5th - have they remapped the ECU?
Improved FE - Since I have been staying out of town mostly, driver reported improvement in in-city FE. He has been working for me for the last 6 years and have a very clean record - thus the improvement is genuine. When I took it for a spin on the highway last weekend it returned an average of 15 kmpl for a reasonably fast paced 200 km stretch. This is definitely better than similar drives before service.

Cost - 13.5K

Note: Had noticed a vibration (noise) from somewhere under the dashboard under acceleration at RPM range of 1500-2200 2nd and 3rd gear - notified the SA before service. They could not identify the source during the day and asked me for 1 more day, but I could't afford that luxury as I was scheduled to travel the next day. The works manager proposed that I bring the car back after a few weeks when I am free and get the problem fixed. The point to note here is the same noise / vibration had once been fixed by them during the 2nd service. They had opened up the dash and put in foam at several possible places which stopped the noise. But the same noise have cropped up again. This time I plan to take the car on a Saturday and stay with them the whole day to find out the exact source of the problem.

My 1.6 ('11 model bought early '12) is approaching its first birthday ...err, service, I mean!

Due to my low usage, it has hardly done a few thousand km, but I notice...

--- engine vibration on start

--- feels rather sluggish at low revs, even in low gear

--- there are some noises when going over rough ground, or even a steep hump. It seems to be seats either not fully fixed or flexing. More a creak than a vibration.

VW Service in Chennai

I do not really want to have the car picked up and delivered. I want to see the place, and also to discuss the car face to face, and see the car immediately when it is ready.
We bought the car from Abra, but live in the South. A drive to Ambatur is something I regard as a real trek, and I am useless at getting up and out early. And what to do there for a whole day anyway?

What's'name, the other place is central.

On the other hand, the least negative comments seem to suggest Abra. Any Chennaite recommendation?

There is a very minor (bearable) noise coming from rear since last few moths. VW Millenium, Gurgaon spent 2-3 days (different days, I never left the car with them) in diagnosing but they could not. Once they said that the noise is coming from shock absorber (not covered in warranty/AMC). In my next visit, I asked them to replace it but the noise was still there so they put back the old one.

So, this time, I went to VW, Motinagar, Delhi for 30k service AND this noise. They spend lot of time and in the evening, I suggested them if there is something between body and shock absorber, that needs to be checked. They checked the mounting and bang on, this was the reason. They did not have it in stock so they checked it with another Polo's mounting. So, problem diagnosed.

They have placed order for rear mounting and hopefully, they will get it in next 7-10 days. Cost 2.0-2.5K, not covered under warranty.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom (Post 3022709)

My 1.6 ('11 model bought early '12) is approaching its first birthday ...err, service, I mean!

Congratultions!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom (Post 3022709)

--- engine vibration on start

Engine vibration on start gets reduced after service, but never goes away. Mine starts more like a heavy duty diesel than a modern petrol, specially when compared to a Santro or a i10/20.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom (Post 3022709)

--- feels rather sluggish at low revs, even in low gear

With our dusty road conditions the air filter gets sufficiently clogged by 5-6K kms making the engine sluggish. This should get rectified with a air filter element replacement.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom (Post 3022709)

--- there are some noises when going over rough ground, or even a steep hump. It seems to be seats either not fully fixed or flexing. More a creak than a vibration.

This is a permanent feature in my car as well. It goes away after a service and comes back after a few thousand kms. The hands on guys (not the SA) at the workshop suggested that this is an issue with the rubber door seal which becomes hard and starts creating the noise when the body flexes, typically going over rough road or a speed breaker.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mukeshgoel (Post 3022882)

Is it a squeak while going over a speed breaker as explained by Ginathom? Can you tell us when exactly it happens? I have sqeaks from the rear shocks/wheels when a heavy person sits or gets off the rear seat with the parking brakes on. That comes from the brake shoes. But the minor squeak that happens while driving over rough road most probably originates from the door seals.

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Originally Posted by sadnabrina (Post 3022963)

Congratultions!
Is it a squeak while going over a speed breaker as explained by Ginathom? Can you tell us when exactly it happens? I have sqeaks from the rear shocks/wheels when a heavy person sits or gets off the rear seat with the parking brakes on. That comes from the brake shoes. But the minor squeak that happens while driving over rough road most probably originates from the door seals.

Yes, it is a very minor squeak even on normal smooth road. No speed breaker, no heavy person required to notice this.

2 different VW workshops have spend 3-4 days to diagnose the reason and the culprit (in my car) is rear shock absorber mounting and sadly, this is not covered under warranty beyond 6 months / 10k kms.