Fiat Linea 1.4 FIRE Emotion Pack

In my 3.5 years ownership of Linea, except for a couple of good experiences, all other service experiences are either average or bad. I used to go to Fortune, Sakinaka or Wasan, Kandivali. The problems ranges from delays, workmanship, parts availability, high ripping labor charges etc

This time, post Mumbai TFIans reviews, I decided to go to Tata Car Repair Shop, Worli (TCRS) which is a Tata company owned service station. Though it is very near to my office, earlier I did not use to go there as the feedback was it was very unorganised at that time which I also experienced a couple of times when I went there in emergencies like Mud Flap purchase & fitment, coolant top up etc.

And boy what an experience!! Thanks to the fellow Mumbai TFIans who suggested it.

I’ll narrate it as per sequence as every step looks professional.

I called last week for appointment. The lady told me that as a process someone from TCRS will call me back in an hour with the appointment day & time fixed. Sure I got a call in one hour with appointment date.

I reached there at 9.15 am. The guard did the noting, checked the appointment list, found my car entry and gave me a Token with a number ! I went to reception and gave the token, the lady checked it with her list and asked me to wait in a customer lounge. The customer lounge is excellent. I waited there hardly for 5 minutes and the SA appeared.

He had, in his hand, my Linea’s earlier service record !! Fantastic. He said that since I’ve already changed Timing Belt at 60K kms service, it is not required. I was taken aback! I saw handwritten notation at the bottom of the service records he was carrying mentioning about Timing Belt. 3-4 months back my car went to Wasan for some work. The SA then asked me that timing belt needs to be changed. I asked him to check records as it’s already changed at 60K kms. However, still when I got the papers, I found a remark that customer is not ready to change Timing Belt. I blasted him for that over phone. This happened twice at Wasan. So, I was doubtful if Fortune had updated Timing Belt change in 60K kms records or not. Hence, this time I was carrying 60K kms Invoice showing Timing Belt replacement was done and planned to ask SA to check it’s records if its appearing or not.

He noted all the work (as per the list I listed above in this thread). I asked him that I feel Clutch a “little” hard and TFIan Ratan suggested only last week that he feels 3rd gear shift is little hard. He checked the Clutch & Gears with Ignition ON and OFF. With Ignition off, the Gear shift was alright and with Ignition ON, it was hard. He said clutch plate, pressure plate might need to change but he is not mentioning it on job card. First he’ll check CSC & by bleeding. I asked him that I changed clutch twice at 45K kms and am looking at not changing again. He gave me a rough estimate of about Rs. 5-6K (without clutch). He said that if I’m not getting the clutch replaced than I’ll get the car back in the evening! Pleasant surprise as Wasan or Fortune never commits for the same day delivery even for a small job.

I left for office thinking continuously about clutch. There were 2 options:

1. Not to do Clutch replacement at TCRS right now and take it up separately with Fortune where I changed clutch twice at 45 – 47K kms asking Fortune about how clutch needs change again and explore if it can be changed against warranty.
2. If I do clutch replacement at TCRS, it has to be a paid job as TCRS can not settle it against earlier clutch change done by Fortune.

I pondered over it, asked couple of TFIans. After thinking over it, I decided to get the Clutch replaced at TCRS as paid job. Firstly, car has already run 30K kms after the earlier clutch change and I did not want to bang head for warranty etc as it looks doubtful. Secondly, I found this SA’s approach honest, transparent & straight forward. Thirdly, Clutch was a big pain as I mentioned repeatedly earlier. So, I called him that I decided to replace it. He still said “Sir, pehle muje dekhne do, agar bleeding ya koi aur tarike se ho jata hai. Agar nahi hota hai to fir mai appko phone karta hu. Uske baad aap decide kijiye”. Nice customer-oriented approach. I told him to expedite the work so that if clutch is needed to be changed, still the car can be delivered by same day evening. After an hour I decided to go for clutch change irrespective. Called him, he also said that he ha checked & it’s better if I change it. I requested him to expedite as I need the car back by evening. He said he’ll sincerely try and I could feel the sincerity in his communication. All along he came across as a guy who says what he can do and what he can’t, what should be done and what is not required, whether he can deliver car in a specific timeline or not etc. Once I sense this with anyone, I never argue and leave the job to such guys.

Regarding suspension noise which we discussed earlier in the morning & noon, he called me and said that he has checked everything including anti-roll bar link rod ball joints etc everything is fine. He said he’s still trying to figure it out, it’s new GC kit.

I decided that even if suspension noise work is not completed, I’ll collect the car and will get it done later. I and other TFIan whose Blue Punto was also being serviced at TCRS decided to meet at TCRS at after 6.30 pm. I reached there at 7 p.m. the car was in washing with work completed except suspension noise. SA said that he is sensing issue with Elastic Pad (he called me in afternoon & confirmed that I changed Elastic Pads – 2 pads in Oct’10, 2 Pads again in Feb’11 & then 1 Pad in May’12 at Wasan at the time of GC upgrade). I decided that I’ll take this up with Wasan as 1 month after GC upgrade, the same noise appeared and Wasan did something (it said some bolts were loose!) and the car became very silent. So, I’ll take it up with Wasan that this noise is appearing after GC upgrade. If it asks me to change Elastic Pad, then I’ll have an opportunity to do “Tandav” there. SA suggested that Elastic Pad should be changed in pair and not only one side as done earlier.

He than proudly said “Sir aapne pehle Fortune me clutch change karwaya than a. Ab dekho difference”. I checked. There is a sea-change of difference in clutch smoothness now as compared to when it was changed by Fortune. Clutch & gear shift are ass smooth as a hot knife in butter! I asked there is a huge difference and this is what I wanted. He said that there is specific grease which needs to be applied which usually few SA’s do not do. Whatever could be the reason, the end-result was extremely smooth clutch & gears. My driver is the happiest person!

The best part is the Invoice!
Clutch Replacement labor was charged as Rs. 2,200/-. Fortune charges Rs. 4,500.

I asked labor charges for couple of other items just out of curiosity:

Brake Pads/ Discs labor – Fortune/ Wasan Rs. 1200/- & TCRS – Rs. 600/- (Mumbai labor charges are much higher than other cities)

GC upgrade labor – Fortune/ Wasan Rs. 5,000, & TCRS is about Rs. 2000 – 2500 (forgot the amount).

Timing Belt replacement labor – Fortune Rs. 4,500 & TCRS is about 2000 – 2500

My total bill came to Rs. 12,800-odd including taxes. Will upload a scanned copy later.

(PS: such a good experience demands a thread in Service Centre review, I don’t think there is any for TCRS there. So, copying this post there as well)

 

I like this sentence. Hot knife in butter.

 

Here is the Invoice copy. Nice clean Invoice !

You can check the clutch labor Rs. 2,200/- and compare it with 2-3 pages back in this thread where I mentioned the same (in excel sheet) at Fortune Rs. 4,500/-

 

Here is my "marathon" Cost of Ownership Excel (continued from last updated with inclusion of this 75K kms service cost).

Important points to note:

• Engine Oil is billed for only 3.5 Ltr. I was always curious to know why some TASCs bill it for 3.3/3.5 Ltrs while others bill for 4 Ltrs. Fortune, Sakinaka had always billed me for 4 Ltrs whereas Fortune, Nerul billed FastLove (if I remember correctly) and others for 3.3/3.5 Ltrs. When I asked Fortune, Sakinaka long back, I was told that they do not have it in 1 Ltr cans but have only 4 Ltr cans. I used to get back remaining oil around 0.5 ltrs to be kept in boot.
  
  
• With Clutch kit, there is a Shaft which is changed (and also a part called Cover). These were never done at Fortune.
  
  
• This is the 3rd time I changed the Clutch (2nd time it got burnt in a month)
  

TOTAL COST (INCLUDING ACCIDENTAL & EVERYTHING) - Rs. 159633
TOTAL COST (EXCLUDING ACCIDENTAL REPAIRS) - Rs. 128027
COST OF OWNERSHIP (EXCL ACCIDENTAL) RS. PER KM (75,000 KMS) - Rs. 1.71

Fortunately, due to cost-effectiveness of this service, Cost of ownership per km is not increased much from Rs. 1.59 earlier.

 

What is this COVER, of Rs 215?

 

That's also a part of clutch kit but was never there in Fortune Invoice when I changed Clutch, (have to edit & add in above post). Even Oil seal mentioned was not there though I'm not sure that it's mandatory required in clutch change.