Aug 19, 2003 09:49 AM
8928 Views
(Updated Aug 05, 2004 04:42 PM)
I'm a LS owner since 3'03. I agree on most of the pros as mentioned in the earlier reviews and will not repeat them here. I would like to add two specific aditional reasons why I chose this vehicle:
Buy Indian, promote Indian talent (designed by Tata engineers) and have faith in them (us)
Good value of money for this class, though was hesitant to try a new entrant
The good parts said (specially the second one which covers almost all the good points), let me come to the negative ones.
Tata Motors (TELCO - Tata's are supposed to be very good on this) can do better on their customer support. 6 visits have been made till now to the garage without any resolution (I am yet to have the first free service done, haven't covered 5000kms yet).
Emails to their support emails, with problems faced do not get answered. The one with suggestions get replied with thanks, that means they DO READ emails. To improve themselves, they should be seriously looking into complaints.
My LS model, with me since 3'03 has frequent (nuisance) tripping of the HVAC which is of the German Behr make. It trips first within 10-15kms on a straight drive in 26-28Deg C ambient (good cooling power I must add) and then trips off every MINUTE for ONLY 2-3 seconds causing stress on engine/HVAC and driving inconvenience. The Behr man+Tata Motors incharge spent 2 days taking the whole thing out and changing the thermostat setting to lower temp. (done earlier), then changing the thermostat itself, nothing worked. I'm told to keep temp. setting at the coolest (which is uncomfortably cold) so I usually prefer the mid position between coolest and normal (horizontal position), i.e. at around 1:30 O'clock. I was also told that this erratic behaviour (yes they agree on the existence of the problem!) is due to the moderate climate which is Bangalore's 20-30deg C. Does that mean that one needs HVAC only in hot climate, >35 deg C. Does some one drive thru city traffic? That means, I either put the HVAC to coolest and 'suffer' the cold and excess energy usage; or I drive with windows down and no HVAC till I move out of this moderate climate city!
Coolant leakage: After 6 visits, I am still been loosing it. approx. 3 litrs have been lost in 5 months!
Any suggestion, tip would be extremely useful.
UPDATE 20-Oct-03:
Repeated attempts to call Dealer, Telco, HVAC Manufacturer(Behr) during and aft5er the first service got me no answer, am just waiting for a higher temperature lag (hysteresis) thermostate [which I had suggested almost 6 months back-anyone perhaps could for that matter] which I was told that Behr would be shipping. Still many weeks, waiting,,,,and waiting.... for a piece not even worth 200 rupees. How can we consumers digest this.....
UPDATE 11-Nov-03:
Tata and Behr personnel spent time on my car recording data for 4 days (guinea pig by now) and finally agree with my data being reported for last 9 months. They confirm that 30 trips (i.e. 60 clicks) in 20 minute drive is ''NORMAL''. I strongly differ and state that it would spoil the relay, electrical clutch, compressor and engine apart from the driver getting frequent jerks and causing nuisance.
If anyone differs from this or has any comments, pl. write to me
It reminds me of the Warning on room air conditioners and refrigerators that you should not attempt to restart before waiting for 2 minutes - the pressure built up damages the system!
UPDATE 12-JUL-04
The HVAC continues to be the problem, dozen correspondence with Behr, and writing to Chairman of Tata Motors - and nothing happens. It continues to trip and I continue to not been able to use it!
The coolant continues to leak
UPDATE 15-JUL-04 till 5-Aug-04
Behr senior design/support person comes, observes, takes readings, agrees 100%, promises solution within 3-4 days, I remind him 5 times, once he calls and asks for more time, tells more excuses for delays, and I continue to wait for last 20 days. He agrees that design problem exists, and something is being done. Complete solution can not be provided due to economics. He suggests design change as change of electro-mechanical relay to electronic. And I state that that is not the solution, it only reduces the clicking noise. A simple sensor/thermostate of approx. Rs.100 will give solution! Behr don't listen. Neither are concerned the Tatas and their dealers.
If we were to directly deal (as I am forced to) wiuth the hundreds of Tata vendors directly, God Bless Us.
Wiper blade screaching is one the of other common complains, (join: indica-users-subscribe@yahoogroups.com; tata-indigo-users-subscribe@yahoogroups.com to read more.
INTERESTING: A senior Behr person (told by a email list Indigo owner who met his in Pune) buys a Tata Motor vehicle and insists to have a competitor's (non-Behr HVAC system)!
I am reducing the Product rating to worst today
Thanks for your time
