Experience With Local Agents

[Crosswind]

5 minutes ago, Hyaenidae said:

Well Mitsubishi agent in Sri Lanka allow customers to be with their cars during the service AND they have waiting rooms where you can see the car from  

I for one would definitely stop getting the car serviced from them if they don't allow it anymore.

Me being with the car has been proven beneficial a number of times. 

Incident 1 : The technician tried to top off the coolant reservoir tank with tap water.

Incident 2 : They're not aware that the ECU of the car is in the engine bay (I don't blame them for this though, it's kinda hard to remember small details of every make and model they sell) so they spray pressurized water to clean the engine bay, water gets in the engine bay when the under-body is being pressure washed too. 

Incident 3 : They tried to spray kerosene to wheel-arch area to remove tar. (Well, I couldn't stop that at the first time, I only realized this after the smell hit my nose. I make a point to inform them not to do this ever since.)

Incident 4 : Technician got brake fluid on the wheel - immediately got him to clean the area with water. He wouldn't have done this if I wasn't there.

Incident 5 : Technician forgot to rotate the wheels. This happened 2 times now.

I wouldn't be aware of any of these if they didn't allow me to be near the car when it's being serviced. I mean how could I realize they topped off the coolant with tap water by inspecting the car afterwards?

 

 

errr.. Un*mo doesn't have checklists?

[Hyaenidae]

2 minutes ago, Crosswind said:

errr.. Un*mo doesn't have checklists?

Nope ? Or even if they do they don't use it. I've never seen them marking off a checklist during a routine service.

[iRage]

Just now, Crosswind said:

errr.. Un*mo doesn't have checklists?

Exactly ! and why cant you check if the resevoir was over filled at collection ?

Like I said...no agent in SL is good. They are all equally bad. Why on earth would UM have technicians who do not know anything about their car ? Also, you have to think of it from a business perspective. If you have a service station and serviced dozens of cars per day....would you want dozen random people who do not know what the heck they are doing walking around your service floor ? that is why service floors have waiting rooms with views of the service area.

The bigger issue is that why is the agent hiring technicians who know nothing and why aren't they trained ? So rather than counting the incidences and generally claiming people should be at their car during service, why was not this put forward as a complaint to UM and MMC in general ?

[firstgear]

21 minutes ago, Hyaenidae said:

Well Mitsubishi agent in Sri Lanka allow customers to be with their cars during the service AND they have waiting rooms where you can see the car from  

I for one would definitely stop getting the car serviced from them if they don't allow it anymore.

 

 

Being with the car is only possible at their Hyde park and Orugodawatte branches.

Ratmalana branch doesn't allow this.

[Hyaenidae]

13 minutes ago, iRage said:

1.Exactly ! and why cant you check if the resevoir was over filled at collection ?

2. Like I said...no agent in SL is good. They are all equally bad. Why on earth would UM have technicians who do not know anything about their car ? Also, you have to think of it from a business perspective. If you have a service station and serviced dozens of cars per day....would you want dozen random people who do not know what the heck they are doing walking around your service floor ? that is why service floors have waiting rooms with views of the service area.

3. The bigger issue is that why is the agent hiring technicians who know nothing and why aren't they trained ? So rather than counting the incidences and generally claiming people should be at their car during service, why was not this put forward as a complaint to UM and MMC in general ?

1. Overfilling is not the problem, the problem is using tap water that could introduce mineral deposits to the cooling system

2. Well If they don't want me walking around their service floor - fine, let'em tell me that, I'll just take my business elsewhere...  All I'm saying is they made a loyal customer out of me by allowing me on their service floor.

3. As long as I get my car serviced the way I want in my watch I have nothing to complain, I'm happy

Edited January 23, 2019 by Hyaenidae

[iRage]

9 minutes ago, Hyaenidae said:

1. Overfilling is not the problem, the problem is using tap water that could introduce mineral deposits to the cooling system

2. Well If they don't want me walking around their service floor - fine, let'em tell me that, I'll just take my business elsewhere...  All I'm saying is they made a loyal customer out of me by allowing me on their service floor.

3. As long as I get my car serviced the way I want in my watch I have nothing to complain, I'm happy

Now think of all the toms, dicks and Harries who believe in the same...that is an accident waiting to happen. Also, 90% of these people are the types who would ask the technicians to take short cuts, etc...just to save a buck or two.

What needs to be fought for is not being able to stay next to the car on the service area, but as agents making them accountable for having properly trained staff and proper processes for getting things done.

[Hyaenidae]

7 minutes ago, iRage said:

Now think of all the toms, dicks and Harries who believe in the same...that is an accident waiting to happen. Also, 90% of these people are the types who would ask the technicians to take short cuts, etc...just to save a buck or two.

What needs to be fought for is not being able to stay next to the car on the service area, but as agents making them accountable for having properly trained staff and proper processes for getting things done.

When it comes to vehicles and transportation in Sri Lanka almost everything is an accident waiting to happen,  we take far greater risks every time we drive on Sri Lankan roads...

Well, if I was in the waiting room while they worked on my car I'd never know that they use sub-par staff and processes to get things done - I'd rather take my car to a place where they let me watch with my own eyes than a place that I have to take their word of mouth to ensure my car got the proper care it deserves.

[iRage]

Typically you can see your car from the waiting room...noh ?

[Hyaenidae]

24 minutes ago, iRage said:

Typically you can see your car from the waiting room...noh ?

Here's a pic of the waiting room... clearly you cannot see much from there (compared to where I am at)

View from above

Edited January 23, 2019 by Hyaenidae

[iRage]

14 hours ago, Hyaenidae said:

Here's a pic of the waiting room... clearly you cannot see much from there (compared to where I am at)

View from above

Why are the waiting rooms so crappy in SL ? Also why put the car facing the wall and restrict space ?

[Hyaenidae]

6 hours ago, iRage said:

Why are the waiting rooms so crappy in SL ?

Well the waiting room itself is quite nice and comfortable (at least to Sri Lankan standards that is) it's air-conditioned and there is a clean bathroom, comfy sofas to sit on, a television set to watch, magazines to read, water dispensers and they serve drinks... and their charges are very reasonable compared to Toyota Lanka and Stafford. The downside is you cannot really see what's going on with your car from up there

Edit: @Davy could you pls move our posts discussing "Routine service and repairs at the agent" to a separate thread

Edited January 24, 2019 by Hyaenidae

[Davy]

@Hyaenidae Done. You guys can continue the discussion here.  I've added a link to the starting point of the new discussion to the original post for ease of access for new members reading.

 

Edited January 25, 2019 by Davy

[LashNeo]

The last time I went to an agent to repair a car was way back in 2008 when I owned my Sunny B14. It was A*W at Union Place. (Not sure whether they have it at the same place anymore) Those days it was allowed to be at the service area and I thought most of the Agents still allow it. Honestly, I also don’t feel comfortable leaving the car to the service personal and being in the comfort of the waiting room. I like to wonder around the car and do my own inspection while it’s jacked up coz you don’t get that chance at home. One can argue that it’s a nuisance to the service personal. But; they need to build that trust first with customers. Once the trust is built that their car is in good hands, people would not go and wonder around their cars. But yet, someone like me will always hover around the car due to pure curiosity ?

[Hyaenidae]

4 hours ago, LashNeo said:

 I also don’t feel comfortable leaving the car to the service personal and being in the comfort of the waiting room.

1

Glad to see I'm not the only one ? 

Really, almost all 3rd party service stations allow customers in the service area, workshops which don't allow customers to see what's going on with their cars is the exception - not the norm in Sri Lanka (thankfully).

...So kudos to the Mitsubishi agent for letting the customers near the car during routine services and repairs. The fact that the customers still returning to the agent after seeing them work on their cars up this close is proof their work is to customers satisfaction... despite the minor mishaps I've mentioned (I've been getting the car serviced from them for 4 years now, some mishaps are to be expected I guess) their work is quite satisfactory and they always met my expectations. 

Edited January 25, 2019 by Hyaenidae

[Davy]

On 1/23/2019 at 4:12 PM, Crosswind said:

errr.. Un*mo doesn't have checklists?

 

On 1/23/2019 at 4:16 PM, Hyaenidae said:

Nope ? Or even if they do they don't use it. I've never seen them marking off a checklist during a routine service.

They used to have a checklist back in the day and it was quite comprehensive. I had a couple of them and gave it to the buyer of my CS3 with the rest of the maintenance history documents. 

However, the checklist I'm talking about was given during a couple of those free inspection campaigns that the agent had. Not during routine services. 

I've never taken my car to the agent for servicing. So not really sure how comprehensive the service reports are. Do they do an actual manufacturer-specified service?

 

[matroska]

been to both U--mo and St####. They both allow you in the service area.  I like U***mo better slightly cos I always felt they had a decent idea what they were talking about.  St### guys are a little bit too laid back and more like ' thawa duwanna puluwan sir' attitude.   Unlike at U--mo Orugodawatta St####ds waiting areas at both maradana and jaela do not give you a clear view of what's going on.  

And not so many people actually do come to the service areas. At U--mo there are the viva elite ladies, the govt permit lancer uncles who are both clueless. Then there are the drivers who bring in their bosses Pajero's ,L200's and company vehicles who don't give a sh#t what happens to the car. At St#### you get the GP1-GP5 ladies, the halawatha pol mudalali in the maroon vezel with gold color badge who doesn't know what DCT is (he may think its some kind of fertilizer) , the company chauffer with the boss Accord who all just sit down and wait and not interrupt the service at all. 

At St### ja-ela the clientele is usually almost female so I get the vibe that the service Advisers there are kinda happy to see me so they can have a chat with a customer for a change. 

3 hours ago, Hyaenidae said:

don’t feel comfortable leaving the car to the service personal

Yeah I hate to admit I'm  a bit like that too simply because this is SL and we are suckers for not following protocol and shortcuts. Even if god himself was Sri Lankan and he were either a mechanic or a builder he'd take some kind of shortcut and skip a step. Now i don't want to be a b#### and trouble them  but just lurk around. Toyota making their service area inaccessible to people is justifiable simply because majority of Sri Lankans use Toyota and Majority of Sri Lankans are pure a$$h0l3$ so chances of a slime ball coming in and meddling with the technicians work to save another 100 rs is more likely at TL. 

On 1/24/2019 at 3:40 PM, Hyaenidae said:

heir charges are very reasonable compared to Toyota Lanka and Stafford

St###ord are quite reasonable when it comes to service. When it comes to repairs - that's a whole different story. 

[Hyaenidae]

double post

Edited January 25, 2019 by Hyaenidae

[Hyaenidae]

4 hours ago, Davy said:

So not really sure how comprehensive the service reports are. Do they do an actual manufacturer-specified service?

 

 

Err, I'm not really sure what you meant by "actual manufacturer-specified service". They check the service card from the last servicing and do the service going by time or mileage... just like any other service station, I guess. The only difference is when there is a recall, then they do the recall fix first and do the service later

[Hyaenidae]

3 hours ago, matroska said:

been to both U--mo and St####. They both allow you in the service area.  I like U***mo better slightly cos I always felt they had a decent idea what they were talking about. 

 

True, I got that vibe too - they're easy to talk to, ready to answer any question you might have or even discuss mineral vs synthetic oils There was this technician who knew the oil capacity of the Lancer with and without changing the oil filter. Small detail but I was still impressed considering the number of makes and models they work on and the low number of CY lancers coming in there for service.

3 hours ago, matroska said:

 

And not so many people actually do come to the service areas. At U--mo there are the viva elite ladies, the govt permit lancer uncles who are both clueless. Then there are the drivers who bring in their bosses Pajero's ,L200's and company vehicles who don't give a sh#t what happens to the car. At St#### you get the GP1-GP5 ladies, the halawatha pol mudalali in the maroon vezel with gold color badge who doesn't know what DCT is (he may think its some kind of fertilizer) , the company chauffer with the boss Accord who all just sit down and wait and not interrupt the service at all. 

 

I've seen the odd guy standing near his car looking over what's going on and going under the car when its jacked up to inspect the underbelly a couple of times, have had nice "automotive" chats  with them too.

But majority of the time it's just as you said.

[Davy]

6 hours ago, Hyaenidae said:

Err, I'm not really sure what you meant by "actual manufacturer-specified service". They check the service card from the last servicing and do the service going by time or mileage... just like any other service station, I guess. The only difference is when there is a recall, then they do the recall fix first and do the service later

The manufacturer specifies a maintenance schedule for every model they produce. Usually there are two schedules - Normal for when you use the vehicle in regular conditions and Severe if you use the vehicle in harsh conditions (dusty, extremely hot or cold, frequently towing etc.). It is up to the owner to submit the car for service at each mileage (or duration) specified in the schedule, but the agent is responsible for executing the checklist for the mileage/months the vehicle was brought in for.

So the first question is, does the customer get a service booklet when you buy a car from the agent? The booklet explains service schedules applicable for the car and what is meant to be covered in each service. This is meant to be kept in the car.

The following PDF is the Service Schedule booklet offered by Mitsubishi in the US for non turbo cars (this is the 2011 version) 

https://mcarsstatic.cachefly.net/pdf/owners/owners-manuals/2011MY Warranty NonTurbos Maintenance.pdf

If you look at the 60,000 miles service, note that it's a major service where valve clearances are adjusted as well. So if the local agent just changes oil and filter and does an undercarriage wash, wash the car, vaccum it and hands it over to you all sparkling, that's not a complete service. 

This is a bit more clearer in the following maintenance schedule booklet as everything is summarised into a table:
https://mcarsstatic.cachefly.net/pdf/owners/owners-manuals/2015 Maintenance Section- Turbo.pdf

The schedule in Australia is a bit different than the one in the US. There are 4 schedules (A, B, C and D) where A is the regular 15,000 km (7500 km for turbos) schedule and the other three are additional services required at specific intervals (like 25,000, 50,000 and 100,000). So if the car has done 150,000 km, the agent has to carry out steps mentioned in schedule A as well as B and C, because 25,000 and 50,000 are multipliers of 150,000. The booklet explains this well.

So if the local agent doesn't follow the manufacturer schedule, you might as well take your car to any other service station and get it serviced at a cheaper cost IMO. The whole point of the "agent maintained" status is to be able to service the car as per the manufacturer specified schedule. Of course for a repair like timing belt change, it makes sense to go to the agent. 

This is one of the main reasons I asked my father to stop going to the Mazda agent and go to Mazna instead because they do the exact same thing and the owner of Mazna is a family friend who personally looks into the car most of the time.

[Hyaenidae]

5 hours ago, Davy said:

 

So the first question is, does the customer get a service booklet when you buy a car from the agent? The booklet explains service schedules applicable for the car and what is meant to be covered in each service. This is meant to be kept in the car.

So if the local agent doesn't follow the manufacturer schedule, you might as well take your car to any other service station and get it serviced at a cheaper cost IMO. The whole point of the "agent maintained" status is to be able to service the car as per the manufacturer specified schedule. Of course for a repair like timing belt change, it makes sense to go to the agent. 

This is one of the main reasons I asked my father to stop going to the Mazda agent and go to Mazna instead because they do the exact same thing and the owner of Mazna is a family friend who personally looks into the car most of the time.

3

Yep, got a service booklet. It explains first free three services and there is a maintenance schedule (Severe and regular) too. 

It seems like UNIMO is following the severe maintenance schedule. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fB2eNCKrmhbav1Q14q61c5hvvaCCIeoe/view

Edited January 26, 2019 by Hyaenidae

[Davy]

4 hours ago, Hyaenidae said:

Yep, got a service booklet. It explains first free three services and there is a maintenance schedule (Severe and regular) too. 

It seems like UNIMO is following the severe maintenance schedule. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fB2eNCKrmhbav1Q14q61c5hvvaCCIeoe/view

Great! Good to hear that the agent is doing it the proper way. 

[Hyaenidae]

On 1/26/2019 at 11:59 AM, Davy said:

Great! Good to hear that the agent is doing it the proper way. 

Well, they've got the proper documentation, proprietary scanners and software, Genuine Mitsubishi spare parts (Even the brake fluid is branded Mitsubishi!), they have all these but they pressure-washed the engine bay where the ECU is at, spilt brake fluid over my wheels (I don't see any damage though, hope it didn't do any damage I couldn't see), sprayed kerosene to the underbody and forgot to rotate the tyres... hence my insistence of the need for the customer to be there and keep an eye on the car

[Davy]

10 hours ago, Hyaenidae said:

sprayed kerosene to the underbody

RIP rubber bushings  

[Hyaenidae]

2 hours ago, Davy said:

RIP rubber bushings  

...right? they pressure wash it all off afterward though. But I refuse the "Kerosene treatment" every time I take the car in for service now