Stock brake is still going good. However at 8 years and 63K kms, I decided to get it replaced.
BHPian kotirajendra recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
Update on 70,000 kms service of my Etios VX purchased on December 2015:
Service was done at 63K on the ODO.
Problem areas:
The clutch has started to become a bit stiff. Pickup, gear transition, drive quality etc is still top-notch.
Stock brake is still going good. However at 8 years and 63K kms, I decided to get it replaced no matter if it would run a few thousand kms more. I have neither any interest in doing mental calculations of how much more the brake pads would last nor do I want to visit the service station for an unscheduled brake change visit.
Clutch:
When I was doing my test rides, I was really impressed by the soft and short clutch throw of the Etios and how lovely the test drive experience was on my daily commute route at peak hour. Now with the clutch starting to become stiff, I was robbed of this delight.I went through the Etios maintenance bible maintained by BHPian Samba and found the following to ease my decision making.
My takeaway from what Samba mentioned was the following:
For both Samba-ji as well as me, the clutch started feeling stiff at 63K. The pleasure was beginning to fade.
A clutch cable change didn’t solve the problem.
The car was driven for 30K kms more but with a stiff clutch and only a replacement could bring back the smile and joy.
I told the service advisor that I wasn’t happy with the clutch and wanted it back as new again. Service advisor said that the pressure plate seems to be giving in but will easily last few more thousand kms. The Etios clutch overhaul is required only around 100K kms. I asked him to go ahead and make the change regardless of how many more thousand kms it would last. Thankfully he agreed without any further discussion.
The test drive after the servicing surpassed all expectations. For the price of a mid-end mobile phone, I have regained the pleasure of driving a new car. At 60K the engine is silky smooth and paired with a new pressure and clutch plate its whole new experience altogether.
Work done:
Replace clutch plate and pressure plate
Total parts cost: Rs 6725, Total labor cost: Rs 3500
- Oil change (semi-synthetic), oil filter and gasket.
- Replace brake bad and brake fluid change.
Total cost for this service including parts and labour was Rs 18500 /-
Parts replaced so far:
At 55K on the ODO:
- Bush Stabilizer (2)
- Cushion Stabilizer (9)
- Link Stabilizer (2)
- Retainer Cushion (8)
These were done because I had reported that my car had a boat like wobble on uneven roads. These replacements made it a bit better, however I found out by accident that filling the tyres to 34 PSI completely solved the issue.
At 63K on the ODO:
- Clutch and pressure plate assembly
- Brake pads
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