[rajneeesh]

Originally Posted by sarathlal

FIAT Group Automobiles India Pvt. Ltd inaugurated its exclusive world class dealership in Noida.

Kashyap Fiat, at C-18, Noida Phase II, will be FIAT’s first exclusive dealership in the NCR after the appointment of the Fiat Cafe’.

Next in line looks like Chennai.

Sources:
http://motoroids.com/news/fiat-india...aler-in-noida/
http://indianautosblog.com/2013/01/f...in-noida-60436

Mods: Can we update the thread title indicating that the plan is now in action?

This is a dealership in middle of nowhere. An effort to economise on rentals. It will be difficult to get footfalls in this area other than those who have decided to by a FIAT . Companies typically look for areas close to commercial centres for dealerships. I am sure that it is the first car dealership in the area by any brand.

[tosathyas]

Note from the Team-BHP Support : Please avoid typing with excessive dots.........like................this. Thanks

Its good to see some news floating about FIAT from time to time.... But have they learnt the lessons....

Do they seem to have a viable roadmap... In the past, when they realised old dealers were not motivated and need for more showrooms, they entered into TATA JV. Nothing changed. Then it was assumed to be due to lack of models and hence launched Linea, Punto. Although there was a short burst in sales, nothing sustained/changed. Now they are back to square one. Still they haven't instilled confidence on Service and availability of spare parts.

Anyways they are in loss... In my view they should bring in models with loads of segment first features at the lowest price point. Lot of customers are viewing the process of buying FIAT as risky step and the VFM should make them get convinced that its Risk worth taking....

The earlier days Palio news paper ad which just focuses on features of car against peer group, showing a comparison against peers... Guess thats what is required. Apart from their ads which gives the emotional touch, they need to focus the ads on convincing the brain as well....

If a company which has been in the market for decades and has techonology independence (unlike many) cannot win this market, its really a shame on management and their focus.

Even in today's linea and punto, despite every thread talking about improving the panel gaps, the sheer lack of attention to customer concern is dragging them down....

Clearly if they want to capture market, they need to transform their dealers and servicemen into passionate lot, just like the fiat fans who step into the showroom. This should be consistently up despite them selling 5 cars or 5K cars per month.

Atleast twice I have considered a fiat and finally went with mind. Wish this time they do right things...

[carboy]

Originally Posted by rajneeesh

This is a dealership in middle of nowhere. An effort to economise on rentals. It will be difficult to get footfalls in this area other than those who have decided to by a FIAT . Companies typically look for areas close to commercial centres for dealerships. I am sure that it is the first car dealership in the area by any brand.

If for the first few years, the company is targetting selling 21 cars a month per dealer, then even a dealership in the middle of nowhere will find it difficult to break even on the rental. Companies which have dealerships close to commercial centers are those which either sell far far more than 21 cars a month or ones where the per car profit is far higher.

[PuntoMania]

My experience with the "new" service center at Pune. (Millenium at Dapodi)


Well, dont hold your breath. The level of service offered by this new service station is downright pathetic.

The staff is totally unresponsive, and if you do end up giving your car to them for service, all you can expect is an oil change and a car wash after 3 or 4 days.

I gave my car to this new workshop for my third free service -This was their explanation at the time of delivery -they kept the car with them for 4 days :

1. There was a creaking noise below the front passenger seat - "Sir this will take too much time, its a small spring that has gone loose and we will have to remove the entire assembly for fixing this problem" - I am not giving you my car to hear your stupid excuses why you dont want to lift a finger at work.

2. My rear left power window was not working - "Sir this part (power window motor) is not available at all, we have contacted Fiat for a replacement and we will get back to you as soon as possible (well its 3 months now, I presume the power window motor maker has shut shop by now ? )

3. There is some friction and a creaking sound on opening the boot door - Somewhat like an old door that refuses to open smoothly. - "Sir there was just some dirt in the hydraulic system, we cleaned it and the sound wont appear anymore" (funny thing is, it didnt appear for one day, and voila ! Its back and worse than before !)

4. Rattling noise (glass on metal) on closing the front driver door with the window down - "Sir this is a problem with all Puntos". Really ? I took him to the next Punto parked in the workshop and did the same, no noise ! He was pretty embarrassed by this time.

I told the engineer (I think his name was Shriniwas) in no uncertain terms that he basically did NOTHING on my car and kept it for 4 days with an oil change. On telling him this, he reluctantly opened the driver door up and tried to solve the rattling issue with a half arsed effort. After 30 minutes nothing happened, with more threats of "if we open all the components it will cause many more rattles", I just gave up and walked away from the showroom.

The reception had the gall to ask me to give them a 9 or 10 rating for their service. I refused to sign on my feedback form at all, hoping this will atleast wake them up and call me again. Well, no calls from the service stataion, no call for feedback from Fiat, infact, I called Fiat customer care after a month telling them about the power window motor problem, and they had absolutely no answer.

Unfortunately, the makeover that Fiat is trying to do for its brand has not percolated down to its employees. They are still very much the same, lethargic, and lazy, people and will find every excuse to not doing their work properly.

RIP Fiat.

[carboy]

Originally Posted by PuntoMania

Unfortunately, the makeover that Fiat is trying to do for its brand has not percolated down to its employees.

This is true in the modern world for a majority of businesses. If a particular company has an image problem, there are 3 ways to fix it.
1) In most cases, the image problem exists because the company had problems with their product, customer service, whatever. So fix the image problems & the image automatically improves. This is however a difficult solution. It needs people to investigate and find the problems and then fix it.

2) Hire a consultant to find the problem, a PR firm to improve the image, rename the company or the product, spend money on advertising, oursource the problem areas to a vendor with TQM and various other certifications while praying it will fix the issue. This can be done from the confines of air conditioned cabins and conference rooms. You will have involvement of owners for the projects, project drivers, stakeholders (thus named because they are in charge of driving a stake into the vital organs of the customer), powerpoint presentations, bullet points, agendas, minutes of the meeting - just let your imagination run wild.

3) Do both 1 & 2.

Most companies opt for solution 1 which temporarily improves the image - all stakeholders and project owners then pat themselves on the back, have good annual reviews, have something to add to their resume & by the time the same original issues surface again, they are either in a new job or at a higher position. And you have different people tackling the same problem again.

[Sowmya]

Another new FIAT showroom at Bangalore.

This is near to Parrapana Agaraha Junction on the Hosur Road. Form EC to Madivala, its on the left side after crossing the junction.

[amitg79]

Originally Posted by PuntoMania

My experience with the "new" service center at Pune. (Millenium at Dapodi)


Well, dont hold your breath. The level of service offered by this new service station is downright pathetic.

...

RIP Fiat.

I had a similar experience with the Dapodi service station. When my Palio's clutch cylinder packed up, it was getting difficult to drive around and a replacement was inevitable. Pandit said that they had the part in stock, but would not be able to give me a time slot for well over a month. (They called me after about 20 days and pushed the date even further.)

When I called the Millennium service station, they said they will get the part and call me back within a couple of days. Did not happen. So I called back. The nice lady said something to the effect of: "Please don't keep calling us! I told you we will call you once we get the part. Also don't ask us for a time estimate. Such things take time!"

Finally got the job done from my friendly neighborhood mechanic who ordered the part from Bangalore and completed the work in about 3 days.

Its been over 3 months now. The Millennium guys are probably still waiting for my part. They haven't called yet.

So yes, Fiat's bringing some seriously exciting cars to us. But until they change their message to the customer (Currently it is: "Life is tough. Deal with it"), the prospect of owning a Fiat is a bit scary.

[dmplog]

Update on Fiat's presence in Pune
- Pandit Auto is opening a new Fiat exclusive Dealership at Model Colony, Shivajinagar
- Acumen's Bavdhan Service Center is bought by Pandit and would be operated as a Fiat Exclusive Service center

[nkrishnap]

Originally Posted by Sowmya

Another new FIAT showroom at Bangalore.

This is near to Parrapana Agaraha Junction on the Hosur Road. Form EC to Madivala, its on the left side after crossing the junction.

Attachment 1045010

This one is Vecto Motors (a wholly owned subsidiary of Prerana Motors). The facility is a 3S one with Sales, Service and Spares.

The showroom floor area is 18,000 Sq Ft on the 1st first floor and similar area for service on the ground floor.

Showroom to go operational mid Feb where as the service center target date for commencing operations is 1st March 2013.

Will visit the place shortly and get a few more details.

[rohanjf]

The guys at KHT service centre in Kundanahalli colony told me that they have finalised a location in Mahadevapura (somewhere around Phoenix mall). In case it does not materialise, they have a back up plan at Mission road.

If it is at Mission road, it will probably be the closest for Fiat owners from south western Bangalore (those who used to go to Concorde on Mysore road). But people like me, who work in Whitefield and prefer to get the car serviced on weekdays, will have some trouble.

[nkrishnap]

Originally Posted by rohanjf

The guys at KHT service centre in Kundanahalli colony told me that they have finalised a location in Mahadevapura (somewhere around Phoenix mall). In case it does not materialise, they have a back up plan at Mission road.

If it is at Mission road, it will probably be the closest for Fiat owners from south western Bangalore (those who used to go to Concorde on Mysore road). But people like me, who work in Whitefield and prefer to get the car serviced on weekdays, will have some trouble.

Even I heard this piece of info, but my concern is not the location, their service quality is not up to the mark.

Hope they dont get the same bunch of guys to the new service center. If they do, only location changes but not the service quality.

Aadya is not upto the mark too, but one +ve with them is, spares are available most times.

For now Bangalore, Prerana/Vecto motors is the one to look up to unless a better one comes up.

[swiftnfurious]

Bhpians from Kottayam - Is there a Fiat service center coming up close by Kottayam? My friend has to drive down to Concorde, Cochin every time for the service. But the fact is, we do enjoy the drive.

[thoma]

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

Bhpians from Kottayam - Is there a Fiat service center coming up close by Kottayam? My friend has to drive down to Concorde, Cochin every time for the service. But the fact is, we do enjoy the drive.

Yes. I guess you forgot this post of mine. Last I heard was that Fiat has put up board at that place. This has been confirmed by a Nissan executive. Nissan was using this same facility earlier. Yet to verify in-person.

Otherwise, call up Kulathunkal at Kottayam. They will be able to redirect your friend. They too are very much aware of the same. I guess this is Kulathunkal's last month as dealers at Kottayam.

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by thoma

Yes. I guess you forgot this post of mine. Last I heard was that Fiat has put up board at that place. This has been confirmed by a Nissan executive. Nissan was using this same facility earlier. Yet to verify in-person...

Felt I had read it somewhere. Didn't want to search! Thanks anyway, but as you wrote, I would be wary of Marikar. Will wait to see reviews on them before taking a leap.

My friend confirmed there is NO fiat A$$ in Kottayam and that's why we used to got to Cochin. I believe he called up Kulathunkal and RF motors(?) too!

[vikrantj]

Millenium motors seem to be dead. Tried calling them for 45k service. Nobody picked up the phone, called up Pandit motors im Pimpri MIDC. I was given an appointment 3 days later. The service advisor Vikas is a ex-Fiat employee. He understood any issues, well only one the turn indicator was not cutting off automatically. Rest was all fluids changes. On inspection under bonnet coolant was leaking too. The culprit the hose tightening ring had come loose. I got the car back on time at 530pm. All work done satisfactorily. In short Pandit is the Fiat whole and soul in pune. Millenium motors can be happy with Fiat caffe.