Thread Starter
#1
Hi Readers
I am Kumar, and this is going to be my second review in Team AutomotiveIndia forum, after the one on my TVS Victor 2016, which is my daily work horse.
My current review is on my other vehicle, which is a daily work horse as well, but being worshipped by my better half.
Yes it is the Honda Activa 110cc 2014 - Wild Purple.
Purchase Idea
Well, like every girl / lady has, my better half has been having her desire to own a bike / two wheeler. Post marriage, she was very keen and interested in riding her own two wheeler.
Primary challenge here was she was not qualified (licensed) to ride one on Indian roads, and in order to get her licensed, she didn’t have her documents then (period – 2009 to 2014), as out family ration card was yet to show her name in the family member’s list.
In the kind of income I had those days, I had a plan to get her a TVS Super XL or stretch the budget by around 1.5k and get an XL Super Heavy Duty with better suspensions. But my better half didn’t seem to have any interest in the moped segments and all she wanted was a scooterette, say a Scooty PEP or a Streak. My finances at that time didn’t allow me to afford one she wanted as the budget hit 40+k, and I and my whole family hate buying things in EMI / loan.
So the idea was kept on temporary hold, both due to finances and also due to her not having license to ride.
Choices were very few, Having worked for Karpagamoorthy TVS for a couple of years from 2003, when the PEP was newly introduced, I was much aware of the PEP cons, though the one at that time was a 70cc engine, and the time when she was dreaming of one was a 90cc (PEP Plus).
Days passed by. We managed out daily errand runs in our only vehicle in family, my ever loved Splendor Plus 2005. Our little daughter, me and my wife managed to roam around in the Splendor for evening trips, get aways, and also to bring weekly vegetables & fruits, etc.
Days became brighter and all of a sudden, with a mere 20 minutes discussion with my wife and a test drive, I ended up booking a Santro Xing in March 2013 and got delivery the same month end.
Things went smooth, where Splendor was for frequent errand runs, and the car was for weekend family rides to temples, sometimes market, etc, not daily use, due to fuel cost factor.
Things went this way that my wifey had to keep depending on me and only me to get every single thing or chore done in the household, which needed a vehicle, like getting things, dropping kids to school, short distance movements, etc.
My wifey now wanted to be independent enough so that she need not expect me for every small thing at household.
In the mean time, may be sometime in 2011 or 12, we were coming out of Church, when we eye witnessed a terrible road accident, where a family, i.e, hubby-wife and a small kid in old Activa (1st generation one), took their right with proper indication to enter the Church in Avadi, when a drunk bullet rider from the opposite side hit the Activa very badly.
My wife almost fainted at seeing this, I was like, OMG, what would have happened to the Activa passengers, I ran with water bottle in hand, and guess what, I find all three of the Activa occupants real safe, with minor scratches here and there, and the only potential injury to be witnessed was the lady pillion got her leg injured, but was minor though.
The incident:
The bullet man completely appeared drunk, and was probably a mechanic. The bullet’s (the bullet would have been an old model one), front suspension forks will bent very bad.
I was really happy to see that the old gen Activa (metallic body) had saved its occupants with very minor injuries.
My love started for Activa. Normally I am not at all comfortable with scooters and scooterettes at all, as I don’t feel the vehicle is under control when on such automatic transmission equipped, belt driven scooters.
As the days and years passed, love for Activa kept growing in my heart, without my knowledge.
By 2014 early days, I started researching for the then available options, which were Yamaha Ray, and of course Activa. Activa kept winning my heart at every sight I used to see one on the road during my office commuting.
Showroom Experience – Test Drive
One fine day in August 2014, I and my wife went to JSP Honda showroom located in Ambattur Tirumullaivoil road. The sales rep, named Madhan, was helpful in showing the vehicle and explaining features.
Till we stepped into the showroom, wifey had black colour in mind, but she was overwhelmed when the rep showed her the Wild Purple (Violet kind of) and she immediately decided on the same.
One bad thing, I would like to note here is that the sales executive offered us a test ride on some customer’s bike that had come for service (the bike had the service tag in the key ring), which I don’t think is fair. Without the customer’s authorisation, the sales executive wasn’t supposed to offer his bike for our test ride. If I were the customer, I would have sued Honda for giving my bike for test ride.
But having no other go, and cornered by my wife’s desires, we took the test drive, and wife was comfortable with the vehicle with respect to her height. Handling was okay and she waved a green flag.
We got the quote for around 57k for on road price of the vehicle and including the full fittings, the price would be around 61k.
Booking Experience
Booking was unexpected. We had lunch at Sangamam Hotel near Ambattur OT bus stand with my in laws, and we suddenly dropped into JSP Honda for booking an Activa !!!
Booking amount was Rs. 1000.00, which we paid as cash. We were told that in case of cancellation of booking, Rs. 100.00 will be deducted as cancellation charges and remaining money will be refunded.
We agreed and booked. We were assured delivery within 10 days, if it was full cash payment and it was planned to be so.
Delivery Experience
The showroom sales manager was nice person and the gentleman helped complete all formalities. The payment of Rs. 60747.00 with all mandatory fittings and some additional fittings, were made at the counter and receipt was taken.
We were promised the delivery on 20th August 2014, and we were also tried for an upgrade to Activa 125 which was just then launched. I didn’t prefer my wife to handle a powerful engine as her first vehicle and I settled for Activa 110.
On 20th August 2014, the vehicle was registered.
I took delivery on 21st August 2014, on my way back to home from office (used to do night shifts then). The showroom experience and the sales manager was pretty polite and helpful in explaining the features of the bike and limitations of usage. He also emphasized not to ride the bike above 40 kph for the first 1000 kms run in period.
The vehicle was brought home after filling a 200 rupees petrol,and air check, and my wife had big smileys on seeing her first bike.
The same weekend, Pooja was conducted in a near by Amman Temple.
Our first scooter Activa had come home in Wild Purple.
The experience with the showroom people post delivery was not that great, in terms of their providing me with invoice and other receipts for all extra cash they have charged on and above vehicle ex showroom price, insurance and life tax payment, etc.
Though not pleasant, let me not put it here and spoil the charm of the readers with the review.
Driving Experience
In fact, this is the first scooter even I have driven, except a few instances in my life before where I had chances to throttle up Scooty ES, Scooty PEP, etc earlier.
I felt very comfortable with this vehicle for the first time, as I am very much used to bikes only. It was very smooth in acceleration, faster than my Splendor, so had to be careful with the speedometer needle.
I started training my wife to ride the scooter, every morning, and she, within in no time, became an expert in riding.
Though initially, out of curiosity she used to twist the throttle hard and touch 65’s in speedo, I and my dad warned her not to do those nasty speeds on roads being a newbie and that too unlicensed.
First Service Experience – Very Unpleasant
First service was scheduled in 750 kms, and I made 730+ kms in 15 days in September of 2014, as I used this bike for my daily office use, in order to set the engine to its finest tune.
Service included wash, general checkup, oil change.
Oil change was billed for around Rs. 372.00, including engine oil and gear oil, as per the bill, along with some consumable charges.
I get back home after the service and was taken aback to see a scratch on the left side body panel above rear wheel. I immediately rushed back to JSP and shows the same to the Service Manager. The Service Manager politely acknowledged the same and assured that the panel will be re-painted and the issue would be sorted out during the second service, which would fall due in December 2014.
I and my wife, both were upset with this incident and were curding the guy who recklessly scratched a 20 day old new vehicle costing me 61 grans. We had never expected such unprofessional handling from JSP.
That eveing we had to catch our train from Egmore, so we left and kept this issue aside.
Second Service – Worst Experience with JSP:
Second service fell due at 4000 kms or 4 months, however the vehicle had done around say 2500 or so kms, do not remember exactly. The vehicle was handed over sometime on 20th December and we asked the Service Advisor showing the written acknowledgement of the scratch, to get the same soured out. We were told they need 4-5 days to sort this out.
We agreed and walked away. After Christmas and on the delivery date, we went into JSP Honda premises and guess what .... we both were shocked to see the shape our vehicle was parked outside the showroom.
Believe me, the vehicle was in worst look than how I gave it to them, full of dust, and no one would trust that they have even touched the vehicle. After hot transaction of words with the service team, I paid the bill (which is around 370+) and was once again shocked to see that the scratched left panel was in the same way. No work has been done. Nothing had even been tried in the panel.
I got red and screamed at the service team, who had lame excuses which were totally unacceptable. I called the sales manager from showroom and he had a sorry face for me. They only washed the vehicle for me and handed over.
I took my vehicle home, uploaded all the photographs I had taken at JSP when I saw the vehicle with shabby looks and full of dust and also the damaged panel part, and uploaded in JSP Honda’s and Honda India’s facebook page with description of my sad story.
Guess what.... I get a call from CRM of JSP – Chennai enquiring the issue. I explained in detail and he assured me to get the entire panel replaced with a new one. I said I can no more trust JSP and hand them over my vehicle.
The CRM (Customer Relationship Manager), of course was a professional gentleman and sorted my issue at once. He sent his people with the new left body rear panel in Wild Purple to my home. My vehicle’s damaged left panel was unfastened and the new one was fitted. I was asked to sign the satisfaction note, which I did with all happiness.
But I was unhappy with one observation here. The Honda people, who came to replace my panel, had come on a customer owned vehicle which had come for service to their A.S.S., and had a similar service tag in its key rind.
How can these service team misuse the customer’s service vehicles without their consent for test ides and their official/ personal purposes? Would any one of you tolerate this ? I wouldn’t, certainly.
Thus the sad story of my second service came to an end. I bid adieu ( a big T A T A BYE BYE) to JSP Honda for lifetime and promised them that neither I nor any of my family members or acquaintances would ever visit any JSP showrooms in entire Chennai, even for an enquiry. Dot.
SVM Honda – Avadi Market - My New Service Provider
I selected his A.S.S. located in Avadi, near market, for continuing the services on my Activa. Believe me these people are times better than the rubbish JSP Honda. I have all bad in my mouth for them.
However, in the initial periods (from March 2015 service), for about a year and half, I had multiple issues and dissatisfaction in various levels on their service standards and quality. Within a month of service, I would have to take it for a silly repair, say the self started button won’t crank the engine, the horn wouldn’t work, the buzzer gone Kaput, and what not.
I even raised complaints with SVM Honda head office in Ayanavaram, - Chennai, but no terrific resolutions.
Unfortunately I too didn’t have an option and didn’t have time and patience to search for a third A.S.S. to service my bike.
But today, as on this 29th September 2018, I would surprise you by saying, I am holding my 3rd AMC (Annual Maintenance Contract) with SVM Honda Avadi.
Pardon ? .... yes, I mean it.SVM Honda have come a long way in these 3.5 years and today the service advisors Diwakar and Kalaiselvan ensure that I walk out of SVM with a smile and also, I don’t have to repeatedly take the vehicle to them for silly faults, unlike a couple of years ago.
Here they go. From someone or something, they’ve learnt that customer satisfaction and delight should be their only goal, no matter how many hundreds of vehicles come to them for service every day.
And they have done it, achieved it, and I would keep giving 9.5/ 10 rating to SVM.
Any single or minor defects in the vehicle are attended to by the said advisors with keen observation and they strive hard to ensure the customer never turns back with the same issue or any issue till his next service is due.
I have completed 2 full years of AMC services with them and have been happy. My next 3rd year AMC starts from November 2018, when the vehicle will be due for service.
Service Intervals
This is very crucial for every vehicle. Honda Activa and other scooters come with a service interval of 4 months or 4000 kms whichever is early. I used to maintain this interval for the first two years since the vehicle was under base warranty.
However I found that my wife’s usage was very low and the maximum running usage between two services (4 months) was less than 1000 kms, but for few exceptions.
After 2 years of base warranty on the vehicle was over, I re-scheduled the maintenance schedule as per my usages and with the concurrence of the service advisor at SVM, Kalaiselvan.
My current trend of usage is somewhere around 2500 – 2800 kms in every six months and hence I service my vehicle every six months to ensure every service I do is effectively utilized and the vehicle runs satisfactory number of kilometres.
Thus the revised service intervals are 6 months or 3000 kms whichever is earlier and the service team at SVM Honda has concurred its technical effectiveness as well.
Service Cost
This is another crucial factor for every middle class man, that how much would it cost to service his / her bike.
During the free services, the bill would be around 370+, which would include engine oil, gear oil and gaskets along with consumable charges. Free services attract zero labour for the first one year of ownership and 4 free services.
Post free services are exhausted, one needs to pay all labours and the total bill for every service without having to change any additional parts would be north of around Rs. 1300.00, which is nominal.
Approximate breakdown (not actual)
Oil – Engine and Gear – 380.00
General Service Labour – 350.00
Kicker Shaft OH – 200.00
Clutch Overhaul / Cleaning – 150.00
Tappet Adjustment – 150.00
If you calculate approximately with GST’s you would land up somewhere in 1300 or so.
What I do is, I buy Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) from them every year. An AMC for a year costs me Rs. 850.00
Benefits of the said AMC:
General Service Labour of Rs. 350.00 for 3 services in a year waived off (approx Rs. 1050 excluding taxes), where straight away I save 200 + taxes. Voila !!
5% discount on spares, consumables, engine oils etc, during the services done AMC period.
10% discount on all additional labours apart from the waived off General Service Labour (350.00), which includes the above said Kicker OH, Clutch Overhaul, Tappet Adjustments, and any other job labour like Air Filter replacement, bearing replacement, brake shoe replacement, etc. Only exception would be labour for accidental damages, where you wont get this 10% off.
2 complementary washes (over and above regular service washes, 2 additional water washes free).
An AMC is valid for 1 year from the date of purchase and the benefits can be availed ONLY from the dealer / A.S.S. from where the AMC is bought and not in any other Honda Authorised A.S.S.
My experiences with the past 2 AMC’s have been awesome and the courteous response from the service team of SVM is highly appreciated. Good Job SVM. You’ve milestones to achieve in terms of customer delight.
I am Kumar, and this is going to be my second review in Team AutomotiveIndia forum, after the one on my TVS Victor 2016, which is my daily work horse.
My current review is on my other vehicle, which is a daily work horse as well, but being worshipped by my better half.
Yes it is the Honda Activa 110cc 2014 - Wild Purple.
Purchase Idea
Well, like every girl / lady has, my better half has been having her desire to own a bike / two wheeler. Post marriage, she was very keen and interested in riding her own two wheeler.
Primary challenge here was she was not qualified (licensed) to ride one on Indian roads, and in order to get her licensed, she didn’t have her documents then (period – 2009 to 2014), as out family ration card was yet to show her name in the family member’s list.
In the kind of income I had those days, I had a plan to get her a TVS Super XL or stretch the budget by around 1.5k and get an XL Super Heavy Duty with better suspensions. But my better half didn’t seem to have any interest in the moped segments and all she wanted was a scooterette, say a Scooty PEP or a Streak. My finances at that time didn’t allow me to afford one she wanted as the budget hit 40+k, and I and my whole family hate buying things in EMI / loan.
So the idea was kept on temporary hold, both due to finances and also due to her not having license to ride.
Choices were very few, Having worked for Karpagamoorthy TVS for a couple of years from 2003, when the PEP was newly introduced, I was much aware of the PEP cons, though the one at that time was a 70cc engine, and the time when she was dreaming of one was a 90cc (PEP Plus).
Days passed by. We managed out daily errand runs in our only vehicle in family, my ever loved Splendor Plus 2005. Our little daughter, me and my wife managed to roam around in the Splendor for evening trips, get aways, and also to bring weekly vegetables & fruits, etc.
Days became brighter and all of a sudden, with a mere 20 minutes discussion with my wife and a test drive, I ended up booking a Santro Xing in March 2013 and got delivery the same month end.
Things went smooth, where Splendor was for frequent errand runs, and the car was for weekend family rides to temples, sometimes market, etc, not daily use, due to fuel cost factor.
Things went this way that my wifey had to keep depending on me and only me to get every single thing or chore done in the household, which needed a vehicle, like getting things, dropping kids to school, short distance movements, etc.
My wifey now wanted to be independent enough so that she need not expect me for every small thing at household.
In the mean time, may be sometime in 2011 or 12, we were coming out of Church, when we eye witnessed a terrible road accident, where a family, i.e, hubby-wife and a small kid in old Activa (1st generation one), took their right with proper indication to enter the Church in Avadi, when a drunk bullet rider from the opposite side hit the Activa very badly.
My wife almost fainted at seeing this, I was like, OMG, what would have happened to the Activa passengers, I ran with water bottle in hand, and guess what, I find all three of the Activa occupants real safe, with minor scratches here and there, and the only potential injury to be witnessed was the lady pillion got her leg injured, but was minor though.
The incident:
The bullet man completely appeared drunk, and was probably a mechanic. The bullet’s (the bullet would have been an old model one), front suspension forks will bent very bad.
I was really happy to see that the old gen Activa (metallic body) had saved its occupants with very minor injuries.
My love started for Activa. Normally I am not at all comfortable with scooters and scooterettes at all, as I don’t feel the vehicle is under control when on such automatic transmission equipped, belt driven scooters.
As the days and years passed, love for Activa kept growing in my heart, without my knowledge.
By 2014 early days, I started researching for the then available options, which were Yamaha Ray, and of course Activa. Activa kept winning my heart at every sight I used to see one on the road during my office commuting.
Showroom Experience – Test Drive
One fine day in August 2014, I and my wife went to JSP Honda showroom located in Ambattur Tirumullaivoil road. The sales rep, named Madhan, was helpful in showing the vehicle and explaining features.
Till we stepped into the showroom, wifey had black colour in mind, but she was overwhelmed when the rep showed her the Wild Purple (Violet kind of) and she immediately decided on the same.
One bad thing, I would like to note here is that the sales executive offered us a test ride on some customer’s bike that had come for service (the bike had the service tag in the key ring), which I don’t think is fair. Without the customer’s authorisation, the sales executive wasn’t supposed to offer his bike for our test ride. If I were the customer, I would have sued Honda for giving my bike for test ride.
But having no other go, and cornered by my wife’s desires, we took the test drive, and wife was comfortable with the vehicle with respect to her height. Handling was okay and she waved a green flag.
We got the quote for around 57k for on road price of the vehicle and including the full fittings, the price would be around 61k.
Booking Experience
Booking was unexpected. We had lunch at Sangamam Hotel near Ambattur OT bus stand with my in laws, and we suddenly dropped into JSP Honda for booking an Activa !!!
Booking amount was Rs. 1000.00, which we paid as cash. We were told that in case of cancellation of booking, Rs. 100.00 will be deducted as cancellation charges and remaining money will be refunded.
We agreed and booked. We were assured delivery within 10 days, if it was full cash payment and it was planned to be so.
Delivery Experience
The showroom sales manager was nice person and the gentleman helped complete all formalities. The payment of Rs. 60747.00 with all mandatory fittings and some additional fittings, were made at the counter and receipt was taken.
We were promised the delivery on 20th August 2014, and we were also tried for an upgrade to Activa 125 which was just then launched. I didn’t prefer my wife to handle a powerful engine as her first vehicle and I settled for Activa 110.
On 20th August 2014, the vehicle was registered.
I took delivery on 21st August 2014, on my way back to home from office (used to do night shifts then). The showroom experience and the sales manager was pretty polite and helpful in explaining the features of the bike and limitations of usage. He also emphasized not to ride the bike above 40 kph for the first 1000 kms run in period.
The vehicle was brought home after filling a 200 rupees petrol,and air check, and my wife had big smileys on seeing her first bike.
The same weekend, Pooja was conducted in a near by Amman Temple.
Our first scooter Activa had come home in Wild Purple.
The experience with the showroom people post delivery was not that great, in terms of their providing me with invoice and other receipts for all extra cash they have charged on and above vehicle ex showroom price, insurance and life tax payment, etc.
Though not pleasant, let me not put it here and spoil the charm of the readers with the review.
Driving Experience
In fact, this is the first scooter even I have driven, except a few instances in my life before where I had chances to throttle up Scooty ES, Scooty PEP, etc earlier.
I felt very comfortable with this vehicle for the first time, as I am very much used to bikes only. It was very smooth in acceleration, faster than my Splendor, so had to be careful with the speedometer needle.
I started training my wife to ride the scooter, every morning, and she, within in no time, became an expert in riding.
Though initially, out of curiosity she used to twist the throttle hard and touch 65’s in speedo, I and my dad warned her not to do those nasty speeds on roads being a newbie and that too unlicensed.
First Service Experience – Very Unpleasant
First service was scheduled in 750 kms, and I made 730+ kms in 15 days in September of 2014, as I used this bike for my daily office use, in order to set the engine to its finest tune.
Service included wash, general checkup, oil change.
Oil change was billed for around Rs. 372.00, including engine oil and gear oil, as per the bill, along with some consumable charges.
I get back home after the service and was taken aback to see a scratch on the left side body panel above rear wheel. I immediately rushed back to JSP and shows the same to the Service Manager. The Service Manager politely acknowledged the same and assured that the panel will be re-painted and the issue would be sorted out during the second service, which would fall due in December 2014.
I and my wife, both were upset with this incident and were curding the guy who recklessly scratched a 20 day old new vehicle costing me 61 grans. We had never expected such unprofessional handling from JSP.
That eveing we had to catch our train from Egmore, so we left and kept this issue aside.
Second Service – Worst Experience with JSP:
Second service fell due at 4000 kms or 4 months, however the vehicle had done around say 2500 or so kms, do not remember exactly. The vehicle was handed over sometime on 20th December and we asked the Service Advisor showing the written acknowledgement of the scratch, to get the same soured out. We were told they need 4-5 days to sort this out.
We agreed and walked away. After Christmas and on the delivery date, we went into JSP Honda premises and guess what .... we both were shocked to see the shape our vehicle was parked outside the showroom.
Believe me, the vehicle was in worst look than how I gave it to them, full of dust, and no one would trust that they have even touched the vehicle. After hot transaction of words with the service team, I paid the bill (which is around 370+) and was once again shocked to see that the scratched left panel was in the same way. No work has been done. Nothing had even been tried in the panel.
I got red and screamed at the service team, who had lame excuses which were totally unacceptable. I called the sales manager from showroom and he had a sorry face for me. They only washed the vehicle for me and handed over.
I took my vehicle home, uploaded all the photographs I had taken at JSP when I saw the vehicle with shabby looks and full of dust and also the damaged panel part, and uploaded in JSP Honda’s and Honda India’s facebook page with description of my sad story.
Guess what.... I get a call from CRM of JSP – Chennai enquiring the issue. I explained in detail and he assured me to get the entire panel replaced with a new one. I said I can no more trust JSP and hand them over my vehicle.
The CRM (Customer Relationship Manager), of course was a professional gentleman and sorted my issue at once. He sent his people with the new left body rear panel in Wild Purple to my home. My vehicle’s damaged left panel was unfastened and the new one was fitted. I was asked to sign the satisfaction note, which I did with all happiness.
But I was unhappy with one observation here. The Honda people, who came to replace my panel, had come on a customer owned vehicle which had come for service to their A.S.S., and had a similar service tag in its key rind.
How can these service team misuse the customer’s service vehicles without their consent for test ides and their official/ personal purposes? Would any one of you tolerate this ? I wouldn’t, certainly.
Thus the sad story of my second service came to an end. I bid adieu ( a big T A T A BYE BYE) to JSP Honda for lifetime and promised them that neither I nor any of my family members or acquaintances would ever visit any JSP showrooms in entire Chennai, even for an enquiry. Dot.
SVM Honda – Avadi Market - My New Service Provider
I selected his A.S.S. located in Avadi, near market, for continuing the services on my Activa. Believe me these people are times better than the rubbish JSP Honda. I have all bad in my mouth for them.
However, in the initial periods (from March 2015 service), for about a year and half, I had multiple issues and dissatisfaction in various levels on their service standards and quality. Within a month of service, I would have to take it for a silly repair, say the self started button won’t crank the engine, the horn wouldn’t work, the buzzer gone Kaput, and what not.
I even raised complaints with SVM Honda head office in Ayanavaram, - Chennai, but no terrific resolutions.
Unfortunately I too didn’t have an option and didn’t have time and patience to search for a third A.S.S. to service my bike.
But today, as on this 29th September 2018, I would surprise you by saying, I am holding my 3rd AMC (Annual Maintenance Contract) with SVM Honda Avadi.
Pardon ? .... yes, I mean it.SVM Honda have come a long way in these 3.5 years and today the service advisors Diwakar and Kalaiselvan ensure that I walk out of SVM with a smile and also, I don’t have to repeatedly take the vehicle to them for silly faults, unlike a couple of years ago.
Here they go. From someone or something, they’ve learnt that customer satisfaction and delight should be their only goal, no matter how many hundreds of vehicles come to them for service every day.
And they have done it, achieved it, and I would keep giving 9.5/ 10 rating to SVM.
Any single or minor defects in the vehicle are attended to by the said advisors with keen observation and they strive hard to ensure the customer never turns back with the same issue or any issue till his next service is due.
I have completed 2 full years of AMC services with them and have been happy. My next 3rd year AMC starts from November 2018, when the vehicle will be due for service.
Service Intervals
This is very crucial for every vehicle. Honda Activa and other scooters come with a service interval of 4 months or 4000 kms whichever is early. I used to maintain this interval for the first two years since the vehicle was under base warranty.
However I found that my wife’s usage was very low and the maximum running usage between two services (4 months) was less than 1000 kms, but for few exceptions.
After 2 years of base warranty on the vehicle was over, I re-scheduled the maintenance schedule as per my usages and with the concurrence of the service advisor at SVM, Kalaiselvan.
My current trend of usage is somewhere around 2500 – 2800 kms in every six months and hence I service my vehicle every six months to ensure every service I do is effectively utilized and the vehicle runs satisfactory number of kilometres.
Thus the revised service intervals are 6 months or 3000 kms whichever is earlier and the service team at SVM Honda has concurred its technical effectiveness as well.
Service Cost
This is another crucial factor for every middle class man, that how much would it cost to service his / her bike.
During the free services, the bill would be around 370+, which would include engine oil, gear oil and gaskets along with consumable charges. Free services attract zero labour for the first one year of ownership and 4 free services.
Post free services are exhausted, one needs to pay all labours and the total bill for every service without having to change any additional parts would be north of around Rs. 1300.00, which is nominal.
Approximate breakdown (not actual)
Oil – Engine and Gear – 380.00
General Service Labour – 350.00
Kicker Shaft OH – 200.00
Clutch Overhaul / Cleaning – 150.00
Tappet Adjustment – 150.00
If you calculate approximately with GST’s you would land up somewhere in 1300 or so.
What I do is, I buy Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) from them every year. An AMC for a year costs me Rs. 850.00
Benefits of the said AMC:
General Service Labour of Rs. 350.00 for 3 services in a year waived off (approx Rs. 1050 excluding taxes), where straight away I save 200 + taxes. Voila !!
5% discount on spares, consumables, engine oils etc, during the services done AMC period.
10% discount on all additional labours apart from the waived off General Service Labour (350.00), which includes the above said Kicker OH, Clutch Overhaul, Tappet Adjustments, and any other job labour like Air Filter replacement, bearing replacement, brake shoe replacement, etc. Only exception would be labour for accidental damages, where you wont get this 10% off.
2 complementary washes (over and above regular service washes, 2 additional water washes free).
An AMC is valid for 1 year from the date of purchase and the benefits can be availed ONLY from the dealer / A.S.S. from where the AMC is bought and not in any other Honda Authorised A.S.S.
My experiences with the past 2 AMC’s have been awesome and the courteous response from the service team of SVM is highly appreciated. Good Job SVM. You’ve milestones to achieve in terms of customer delight.
![[:)]](https://www.theautomotiveindia.com/forums/images/smilies/Smile.gif "Smile [:)]")
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and she's not a photo fan, she wouldn't have taken any.![[pig]](https://www.theautomotiveindia.com/forums/images/smilies/Pig.gif "Pig [pig]")
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