My Fiat Petra... Three years & 25000 KMs ownership experience

[rishi_kapoor]

(A repost from FCI group)

My Fiat Petra… Three years & 25000 KMs ownership report.

Profile:

• Car: Fiat Petra 1.6 GTX (I call it EL, ELX somehow does not do justice to image of the car) bought in June 2004.

• Engine & Fuel: 1600cc, naturally aspirated, DOHC, 100PS, Petrol.

• Transmission: 5 speed forward and single speed reverse.

• Tyres: 185/65/R-14 Michelin XM1 energy (stock 175/65/R-14) on Aura alloys. Recently changed from Goodyear Eagle NCT-5.

• Color: Silver

• Dealer: Fortpoint Thane

• Price: 5.40 Lacs on road.

• Accessories: Black Italian Leather (Fiat original) seats, Top end Piranha DX security system with keyless entry and immobilizer. Body colored side skirts, OEM Spoiler with LED Stop lamp.

• Performance Mod: Nothing except stock K&N filter, don’t really need anything else on road except some adrenaline.

• ICE: Sony CDX V5800 HU, Sony explod 3-way 6x9 speakers at rear, Sony explod 2-way 5.5 round speakers in front, Fiat OEM concealed tweeters (Kenwood) in both ORVM housing, 4 channel Sony amplifier with 12” Sony subwoofer. Necvox 5.5 inch LCD screen.

• Warranty replacements: Power steering rack (http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-t...siveness.html), Clutch master cylinder (during first service).

• Service & spares: Fairly good service from both Fortpoint Thane as well as Samyak Motors Delhi. Never faced an issue with spares. But yes had a tough time with power steering rack replacement issue, mainly to convince on a faulty part and not with availability.

• Expanses incurred: Normal service every six months costing INR 1000-1500. One injector replacement for INR 4000 blown during last service. New Tyre replacement at 25000 KMs cost: 14400 (for set of 4, not because earlier tyres were worn out but more due to peace-of-mind issue)

• Major trips: 3.5 times Mumbai-Delhi-Mumbai trip, recent Uttaranchal trip (1000 KMs in hills), Delhi-Lucknow and several weekend getaways from Mumbai to Panchgani etc.

• Issues: Never had any (touch wood!) except power steering issue and two sidewall cuts on Goodyear NCT-5 (I think this is related to some defect with NCT-5s design).

• Ownership experience: Delighted owner. Plan to keep car as long as I can.



Just realized looking at the odometer that she has completed 25000 KMs with me…seems like yesterday that I went over to Fortpoint to pick her up after all the initial grind.

The car is very close to my heart. I have done almost four Mumbai-Delhi-Mumbai trips in the car (fourth time did not go back to Mumbai). I have off-roaded to Kedarnath forest reserve and grueling land slide damaged roads of Uttaranchal (I know my travelogue is long due now…)

Never had any stalling in middle of road. Enjoying no claim bonus since last 5 years (3 years on Petra and two from older sold-off car), no scratches except envy scratches. Car still drives like a dream, especially after recent upgrade to Michelin energy it is completely silent on road you can enjoy the music without any noise interruption. The responsiveness is ultra crisp.

It is an excellent car, I have no plans to sell it and I am sure I would enjoy many more long drives on this car. I would have loved to drive to Leh & Kargil with follow fiatclubindians but cant take time off again from work this quickly.

Bottomline: I love my Petra.

Cheers!
-Rishi

[horsepower]

Great Experience Rishi, Good to see people still having faith in FIAT. Hope you enjoy your Petra the same way for years.

I believe FIAT products are better then the most, but they have spoiled their reputation due to thier A.S.S. I had an Uno Diesel and think it was one amazing car. But, FIAT ruined it.

Hope, this time around it is different story.

[ravibhat]

Thats good review you love your car, Petra is very good car, If Maruthi marketed and provided service to it would have sold like hot cake. I sat in Petra its ride quality is much better than cars which cost double.

Fiat's A.S.S and planning went wrong also Indian public didn't accept Fiat.

Regards,

Ravi.

[moralfibre]

Nice review Rishi. Good to know you are enjoying the Petra. Take good care of her.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Nice review.

Hope TATA-FIAT makes life easier for you. Just read in papers today that TATA service here is conducting check-up camp for FIAT cars.

[metropolis]

petra is just awesome man...............Rishi its good that you own one of the few good piece of machine.........dude I had a fiat palio and i know what fiat offers..........only bad luck that fiat could not make to numbers due service network problem

[FERRO]

Originally Posted by rishi_kapoor

(A repost from FCI group)

My Fiat Petra… Three years &

• Expanses incurred: Normal service every six months costing INR 1000-1500. One injector replacement for INR 4000 blown during last service. New Tyre replacement at 25000 KMs cost: 14400 (for set of 4, not because earlier tyres were worn out but more due to peace-of-mind issue)

Bottomline: I love my Petra.
....
Cheers!
-Rishi

I bought the Fiat 1.6 Injector for 1500 each I had to replace all four injectors after getting my Fiat Siena 1.6 serviced at Shaman auto last month dont know but they quoted me a price Tag of 4,500 for each injectors I got them from the market cheap only for 1500 each so you should NOT always trust the A.S.S. always they are cheats

[akbaree]

Rishi, I feel so good when Fiat owners write such happy reviews. I have clocked 24000 kilometers in my adventure in just 18 months. 1.6 litre engine is really beatiful. I had initially planned to take Petra, but then fell in love with adventure. The adventure feels a little under-powered when compared to Petra because it is some 250 kilograms heavier then Petra.

I wish you continue to enjoy your Petra ownership.

[greatDrive]

Great!! One nice ownership report.
I am another happy owner of this car and love it.

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Hope TATA-FIAT makes life easier for you. Just read in papers today that TATA service here is conducting check-up camp for FIAT cars.

Yes , I also got a call for a free check up camp for Fiats from concorde, Bangalore.

[sivadas]

Originally Posted by rishi_kapoor

Bottomline: I love my Petra.

Same here, enjoy Rishi.

[jobish]

Good Rishi, nice report.

me too faced the power steering rack problem in my 1.2nv sport, replaced it and is working fine now.

all the best.....

[typeOnegative]

Originally Posted by rishi_kapoor

Bottomline: I love my Petra.

Way to go - you said it. Nice to see you back here again.

[gemithomas]

i really hope fiat had not stoped the petra. It was a real good car. And i hope FIAT realises that those who buy FIAT buy it for its quality and by compromising on quality they are just looisng the very little piece of ground that they had out here.

[sreenivass]

The report shows your passion for the car Rishi. I too own a 2004 model 1.6L and have no complaints about ride, build. If at all I would like it to be a couple of inches wider and probably a foot or two longer with 120+ BHP engine. It is so close to my ideal car. What other brands did you consider for 185/65 tires ?

[omar1310]

Hey Rishi,

Good Review I must say! Very happy to see a FIAT owner for 3 years with no compaints about the A-S-S. I am owning a FIAT (read Adventure) for a year and very happy so far. By each passing day, I am proving all those who asked me to stay away wrong. With your review, I hope and pray that I will prove them wrong for few more years.

Enjoy your car!