[shatrughna]

Congrats Ecletix ! on your new machine. I too picked up a 2002 Palio ELX yesterday in a bargain used car deal. So I can see it from your (driver seat perspective! only- as the power output is terrific in 100bhp 1.6). And I had given mine to Tata-Fiat workshop in Mumbai and got it checked and found a list of things to be changed and then a few more because of some usual wear and tear. Then took it to another Tata Fiat dealer today for second opinion! Yes very different feedback received from technicians at two service centres and wondering do we really have a service backup available for this car ( both are authorised TATA -FIAT dealers).

Writing this to you and all Fiat owners and prospective owners that - this is a very good car , definitely in terms of manufacturing quality and materials. I compared almost thirty used cars of the same year make and I must tell you that PALIO is really the best in terms of longevity. I found all maruti cars of 2002- at least having a peel off paint or crack and at least one rusted area on body shell while I found nothing on Palio( in original paint).

So, rest assured, its definitely a very solidly built car and will last longer than any other hatch we can pick today. But be careful with the service centre and keep this car longer as resale value is terrible( read very poor) in the market and yes, I just learnt from various friends and mechanics who I befriended that LPG kits are not adviseable at all on Fiat car( though you got 1.6 and I dont think you will even remotely consider this idea of LPG at all- so writing it for others' information).