[pannags]

Originally Posted by kashyapz8055

Can you please share the contact details of the person with whom you enquired ?

Hi Kashyap, I've been travelling and hence couldn't respond earlier. I'm unable to PM you, but can pass on the details over e-mail. Alternately, you can ask for the accessories team lead at the fitment center near M.G Road.

Originally Posted by Dr.Naren

I will PM you the contact of bangalore dealer. I was told by Nexa dealer that it is not possible to install projectors of Alpha variants. Dealer was getting lot of requests and they thought to order Alpha MGP headlamps and install. But it was not possible due to different wiring and ECU. Stock projector lamps in alpha is not clear lens and uses 35 W ballast. Mini D2S setup from xenon planet would be way better. Posting few output pics of Mini D2S in S cross.

Thanks Doc. I'll speak to the local contact right away. Also, congratulations on your booking the S-Cross

Just back from a 3 day trip to Mysore. We started on Sunday morning - the traffic was expectedly heavy - and even though it was an unusually long 4 hours behind the wheel, I did not feel strained at all. The return on Tuesday was far quicker and easier at just over 2 and half hours!

[kashyapz8055]

Originally Posted by pannags

Hi Kashyap, I've been travelling and hence couldn't respond earlier. I'm unable to PM you, but can pass on the details over e-mail. Alternately, you can ask for the accessories team lead at the fitment center near M.G Road.

Hello sir, since I have less than 25 posts I dont possess sufficient rights for PM.
I spoke to accessories team at their Nexa outlet and I was informed that parts are yet to arrive, Upgrade will be available in near feature,and thats the only detail I got.

[Jaycee]

Originally Posted by Dr.Naren

I will PM you the contact of bangalore dealer. I was told by Nexa dealer that it is not possible to install projectors of Alpha variants. Dealer was getting lot of requests and they thought to order Alpha MGP headlamps and install. But it was not possible due to different wiring and ECU. Stock projector lamps in alpha is not clear lens and uses 35 W ballast. Mini D2S setup from xenon planet would be way better. Posting few output pics of Mini D2S in S cross.

Hi Doc,

Can you please share with me the contact details for this light upgrade.

Thanks

[pannags]

Update: Rear break calipers replaced.

After reading the recall news in the papers and updates from T-BHP, I called my designated RM, who as usual had no clue what I was talking about. A couple of days later the customer service manager called me and updated me in as diplomatic a way as posible that there has been a recall and that it was a totally precautionary measure that warranted no anxiety.

I scheduled an appointment with the service outlet last Saturday and reached at 9.00am as notified. The service personnel did a quick job of removing the old calipers and replaced them with a new pair, including the rings. The old ones were packed in the same box with a mention of my registration number.

The service woes at Mandovi continue! My car was sent for a wash in spite of insisting that I did not want one. They took a good 75 minutes, thereafter, to deliver the car. The service outlet at Vijayanagar is hopelessly overloaded and running at at least 200% capacity. What with thousands of Balenos and Brezzas making their way in the coming months, NEXA definitely needs to think about a differentiated service strategy.

Here is a pic of one of the new calipers.



In the meanwhile, I received my MCP letter from NEXA. The total cost of the package is INR 10,892.78 and covers most of the service and consumable costs until two years from date of purchase. The flipside is that I will have to rely on the same dealer!

[pannags]

[Update after 3rd service at @ 12 months & 9795 KMS]

Clocked close to 9800 KMS in one year, which was precisely the kind of mileage I had anticipated. I got multiple reminders from the authorised center that the car is due for service, but no assistance from NEXA in either scheduling or arranging a pickup. I'm saying this since the NEXA RM is expected to remind you and help with organising service as part of their supposedly "premium" after sales service.

Service Experience & Coverage

I reached the service center at around the time my appointment was scheduled - 8.00 am, to be precise - and was promised that the car would be handed back in about two and half hours. Although I mentioned that that my car is covered by an MCP package offered by Maruti Suzuki to early S-Cross owners, the SA did not seem to be clear on what is covered and what is not. In fact, he confidently remarked, "don't worry, you'll know at the time of billing".

In the meanwhile, I requested the cabin air filter be changed and that the engine oil be replaced with fully synthetic oil (5W-40) instead of multigrade motor oil (5W-30) . The SA mentioned that this would not be possible since the MCP only covers Mineral oil (5W-30). I asked him to hold on for me to check with the NEXA MCP team as I was confident they would be willing to do this for an extra cost, and to my surprise, they informed me that I was only required to pay the difference amount. I got a bigger surprise when I learnt that the SA had advised his staff to replace the oil with 5W-30, without waiting for me to confirm. On expressing my disappointment, he casusally remarked that I could try synthetic oil at the end of the second year. I thought enough was enough and reached out to one of the supervisors, who after a quick phone call agreed to have the oil replaced. I was assured that the oil drained out would be used for one of their compressors.

The following were carried out as part of the 3rd service,

1. Basics functional checks - Brakes, Clutch, Steering etc.
2. Engine Oil replacement (Twice!)
3. Oil & Air filter replacement
3. Wheel Alignment
4. Wheel Balancing
5. Wash

My car was ready at around the promised delivery time, but was sent for wash and vacuum in spite of my clearly asking them to give it a miss, if it would take over 30 minutes. It was finally delivered 2 hours late, thanks to a long queue with no hint of any prioritisation despite my requesting even before confirming my appointment!

Thanks to the MCP, I have to contend with this service experience for another year! The center manager assured me that a swanky NEXA exclusive service center will be operational and would, amongst others, feature an automatic boom barrier that would open only if an appointment is taken (and other such extravagant experiences!) I could only snicker in appreciation of the humour.

The total cost of the service was INR 2266, which included the differential cost of Synthetic Oil and balance weights for the wheels - yes, they are not covered in the MCP

Ownership experience

If I were to summarise my one year with the S-Cross, it'd only be appropriate to term experience extremely satisfying. The S-Cross has simply everything I expected in my upgrade from the Esteem.

Things I (continue to) like,

1. Build quality, inside out
2. Outstanding handling characteristics
3. City-cum-Highway driveability and performance
4. Usability, practicality and premiumness of features - touch screen, cruise control, folding seats, steering adjustment range, low loading lip, back seat ingress/egress etc.
5. Classy subtle styling (yes, it's high time I moved this to the list of likes)

Things I'd hoped would improve, but haven't,

1. Poor support from the accessory team - a cool box I ordered months ago is still on its way
2. Hopelessly overcrowded service outlet - with sales charts showing no signs of stabilisation, service experience is only going southwards
3. Sub-par overall after-sales experience

What's lined up

My considerations for a remap are purely driven by interest, rather than a compelling need. While I've gotten used to the characterstic diesel behaviour, I'm more than satisfied with stock performance. I'm following updates from Dr. Naren on his experience turning his car into a rocket. Also had a detailed chat with sudeepg, who was kind enough to share his remap experience in great detail.

A very busy work schedule added with new responsibilities has kept me from exploring options further.

Coming to the headlight upgrade, while the Philips ExtremeVision lights are a satisfactory improvement over the stock bulbs, especially in rainy conditions, I understand they can't hold a candle to HiDs with projectors. OTOH, the transformed looks of Mi10s car are alone sufficient motivation to go for a mod. The hunt for projectors is also compromised for the same reason as with the remap.

That's about what I have to share for now.

Cheers!

[sandygordon]

Go for a remap. It will keep you happier. The second gear is just mad.

[pannags]

Originally Posted by sandygordon

Go for a remap. It will keep you happier. The second gear is just mad.

Thanks doc. Will definitely give it a thought. I have heard similar feedback from other owners and it definitely adds to the interest.

[pannags]

[Malfunction @ 12500 KMS]

With a little over 12500 KMS on the ODO, on a fine morning in January, I cranked up the engine and waited for the customary 30 seconds, but the "engine malfunction" light continued to glow. I took the S-Cross for a spin around the apartment, but the indicator remained fixed. I called the SA at Mandovi Motors and he advised me not to drive to work and promised to arrange a technician to visit my place the same evening.

[Diagnosis and troubleshooting]

The Suzuki SDT application threw up a Sunload Sensor/Circuit malfunction error in the AC system, which I was told was a common indicator to many trivial underlying issues. The technician reset the DTC and cranked up the engine, after which the malfunction indication disappeared. A short drive thereafter confirmed the same.



A couple of days later, while I was on my way to work, the malfunction indication reappeared as I turned on the ignition at a traffic junction mid-way. I immediately called up the SA to report the incident and was thereby advised to visit the service center for further diagnosis. I observed that it was not possible to engage "cruise control".

Now, what with a brand new NEXA (Varun Motors) showroom barely 100 m - and a service center about 500 m - from where I live, I thought it was the right opportunity to explore the alternative (I've written about my previous service experience in my earlier posts).

[Diagnosis and troubleshooting] Attempt 2.0

I drove to Varun on Saturday morning and the same sequence of events followed - the SDT diagnostics again indicated a Sunload Sensor/Circuit malfunction error with code B1504-H. The service head at Varun Motors, who was personally attending to my S-Cross, took note of the DCT code and had someone on the phone decipher that a sensor related to an air filter (connected to the turbo) was generating the alarm.

The unit was easily located, but there did not seem to be any physical damages to the filter itself.

The deceptive first look:


Upon close inspection, the technician found a big crack in the hose pipe connecting the filter to the turbo. This was apparently leading to leakage of air, which sensor detected and trigger the fault. The technician was very confident that replacing the broken part would help solve the problem.

Upon close inspection


A spare was organised and fitted by afternoon. The manager at Varun also mentioned to me that a field fault was logged and since my car was under warranty, no charges would be applicable.

With the replacement fitted:


In hindsight, I could understand why it was getting difficult to reverse the S-Cross on the slightest of inclines (ISKCON temple parking, for those who are familiar) and the noticeable lack of thrust upon revving past the 2k mark. It's a week since the issue was addressed, and I'm happy to report that the problem seems to have been solved and my S-Cross is back to doing what it does best


Side note: For those early buyers who NEXA offered an MCP package for two years, the good news is that just like the extended warranty, MCP is valid across all NEXA approved service centres. This was not the understanding I had when communication regarding the package was sent out.

[PiyushD]

Thanks for sharing the detailed review and service updates. This helps us a lot in making our mind to bite the bullet and go for the car. I am on the edge with this one and hoping to get it to my garage in this year if I get the raise in my job I am vouching for.