USED Fiat Palio 1.6 GTX vs Used Maruti Zen

[karizma_devil]

Hi guys .

I am 26 and from Mumbai.

Am planning to buy a used car , either a Palio GTX or a Zen carbon, but i have not been able to find any carbos . So now its between 4 door Zen( referably VXi) and 1.6 GTX.

Actully am bit scared thinking about Fiat cars, but just for the seer pleasure of driving a 1.6 am prepared to take the plunge, more over am a weekend driver so not much running.

Frankly speaking mind says zen heart says Palio.

Now, calling all fellow BHP's, palio owners , zen owners , please help me decide.

More over how good is Vericar ??

I spoke with Jayesh Jagasia, who seemd to be avery polite and gentleman.

Is their report dependable? I some where in the forum i read about Veri cars report on a OHC which was not that impressive.

Please advice.

[shantyrocks]

palio 1.6 for sheer driving pleasure dude.but you have to get it thoroughly checked by a competent mechanic.there is one in thane who specialises in fiat cars.let me know if you want his number.there is no match between the zen and the palio.

[lohithrao]

Karizma, first thing you need to do is find out if you have a reliable mech for Fiat around your place, pref at Tata workshop has a dedicated fiat trained team...

if Yes then go for 1.6, performance wise no comparison btw Palio and Zen

[beejay]

The zen is definitely going to be a cheaper car to maintain and you can have it literally serviced at any place.Spares are cheaper.
The Palio will be a bit more expensive to maintain and spares will also be another big concern for you. The Zen will give you a better average depending on whether you pick up the carburetor or mpfi.The carburetor should be around the same average as the 1.6 GTX.
But you cannot compare the driving pleasure and I am sure you know which is better on that front.
Cheers,

[rippergeo]

You can still do an engine swap on the zen with an esteem engine, and then you'll have a real hot hatch that is easy to maintain. I gave up on that idea however because of the hassles with insurance in case of any accidents.

[vinodv001]

Driving pleasure, power, space, safety, solid build - Palio 1.6
Easier to maintain- Zen.

Adding Esteem engine will make Zen a real hot hatch. How about the safety when you have so much power at your disposal.

Initial 1.6 Palios came with ABS and all, that too an a very strong body shell.

[Pashin]

Go For The Palio 1.6 Only If You Are Ready For A Fiat. A Used Fiat Comes With Loads Of Excitement And Surprises( Read Issues). Try To Find A S10 Edition. No Doubt You Will Be Paying A Bit More. Its A Much Better Car Than The Zen ( I Know Zen Lovers Will Curse Me). You Get Much More Space, More Powerful Engine. Great To Drive & Drag. Good Driveability And Yes Most Important - Pathetic Fuel Efficiency. But Trust Me The Low Fe Will Be The Least Of Your Concerns. Pm Me Incase You Need Help With The Palio

[JayD]

I'd go for the zen anyday! The palio may be more powerful, but at the end of the day, spares for it are a problem, and service is bad. Palio 1.6's are performance cars, and finding one which has not been abused could be tough.also, expect close to nothing when you sell it. The zen, especially in mpfi form is no slouch. Its a very reliable car, which still has its own share of fans. I had one, and still regret selling it. Also, the mod possibilites are endless.

[Ravveendrra]

I bought a 1.6 GTX a few weeks ago and am thoroughly enjoying it. Nothing comes close to a GTX for sheer driving pleasure.

FE is not an issue as it is returning me about 9 Kmpl with 100% A/c. in the city and my right foot is not light!

Incidentally, prices for used GTXs are slowly creeping up as good examples are becoming scarce.

I must confess that I have the benefit of not one but two independent mechanics/workshops who can handle the Palio.

Cheers,

[straightdrive]

Originally Posted by karizma_devil

........Frankly speaking mind says zen heart says Palio......

In this situation, the heart is what counts. Follow your heart! Go for the Palio.

[karizma_devil]

Thanks a lot guys .. i was busy test driving a few cars this weekend,but no progress, checked out a GTX maroon colour 2003 , done about 63000 kms, @ 1.6 lakhs, loads of funny sounds when i drove was dragging to right all times, so not much interested.
Checked out few zens at true value , but were over priced and LX models, am looking for a VXi model.

Guy FE is not an issue for me , important criteria : Reliable, Good A/c , easy service and spares, handling and performance. ( i guess nothings left !)



@shantyrocks i stay in Hiranandani estate thane, would be of great help if you can give me the mechanics details coz i never owned a car in Mumbai so not much idea....

@rippergo: well its a great idea but practically difficult for a working guy like me...
@pasin : Dude would be of great help if you can help me out with a few GTX's,
@Ravendra : I read you whole Palio story , great experience man, but am not finding good 1.6's man.

[starter]

Dear Karizma,
I somehow agree with JayD. I would go with Zen.

Originally Posted by karizma_devil

Guy FE is not an issue for me , important criteria : Reliable, Good A/c , easy service and spares, handling and performance. ( i guess nothings left !)

The advantage of Maruti's huge service support would definitely bring you peace of mind and Zen can be modified quite easily.
So, my choice would be a Zen.
Cheers,
Deepak

[16v100bhp]

Reliability and dealer support Vs well, almost everything else.. It is your call. I dont know if spares is an issue for the 1.6, But I personally never had any.

[pedrolourenco]

Go for the Palio. I've got a Petra 1.6. FE is not bad at all. I get 12-13 with AC all the time. Spares are also easy to find. Does not require any maintanence other than regular routine service. My brother has a Palio 1.2. FE is the same. He's done 1.3 Lakh km on it and still not a single rattle. I've done 73K Km on the Petra. The Zen is not maintainence free. Production has stopped so can't comment on spares. The 1.6 Fiat engine is still in production. Of course in performance, there's no comparison. Even the old Uno performs better than the carb Zen inspite of the 5 BHP deficit.

[raajks]

Palio 1.6 GTX, all the way!
You would nt regret it, if you find a good clean piece.