[chase_nt]

Ohhhh boy!!! I guess its time i get ready to sell my 19 month old Pete's remapped GT TSI with 1644 kms on the odometer. Not really sure about its resale value though. The Punto with a TJET engine and a manual tranny is what i crave. Damn you Fiat....you could've launched this earlier and i would've bought this instead. Add a remap to that engine and you have a beast of sorts.

[prakash_ajp]

Originally Posted by chase_nt

Ohhhh boy!!! I guess its time i get ready to sell my 19 month old Pete's remapped GT TSI with 1644 kms on the odometer. Not really sure about its resale value though. The Punto with a TJET engine and a manual tranny is what i crave. Damn you Fiat....you could've launched this earlier and i would've bought this instead. Add a remap to that engine and you have a beast of sorts.

My guess is you can continue to your enjoy the TSI for next two years without worrying about a Punto T-Jet. Going by history, it will be a long time before Fiat can get this new car to the showrooms!

[Biraj]

Originally Posted by humyum

Working on just products and not after sales won't work in a country like ours.Get me good service, cheap parts and I would love to drive around in a FIAT.

The facts are a bit different from your perception.

1. They have been focusing on improving their dealership base instead of products ever since they parted with Tata. All Fiat followers have been bashing them for not introducing new and exciting products but their focus has been only on increasing the no. of dealers. They currently have more than 115 dealers across India and also have a tie-up with Mahindra First Choice for service. FASS + Mahindra combined does provide them a good footprint in major cities. While there's still a scope for improvement but I would say it's only a function of time. Getting 115 dealers for Fiat wouldn't have been a cake-walk. Let's give some credit to where it's due
2. There's a report by (IIRC) Autocar that compares the cost of spares. Punto and Linea have the lowest (or close to the lowest) cost of spares in its segment
3. Fiat's warranty policies are definitely more lenient than most of the competition. Thus, the owners here aren't as dissatisfied as the non-owners. I have personally faced issues with FASS but the ownership experience of my T-jet has been great enough to overlook minor irritants.
4. They now have a much more reliable on-road assistance (outsourced, not sure about the vendor) and you can check travelogues on this as well as other forums that Fiat owners haven't been nervous while taking their cars to the most treacherous or remotest of locations. Very rarely would a well-maintained car let them down.

The dealership experience for owners will improve along with the increase in volume, as the dealers will not have to try innovative ways to stay profitable.

A faster Punto backed by an equally agile marketing plan should help Fiat attract decent volume.

[prakash_ajp]

Originally Posted by humyum

Working on just products and not after sales won't work in a country like ours.Get me good service, cheap parts and I would love to drive around in a FIAT.

I think the reality is contrary to what you believe. Fiat's spare parts are among the lowest and service is passable from my experience. But they need new products to entice again. If they do that, this is a better time for Fiat as more people (compared to few years ago) are willing to put their money on unknown/unpopular brands in India if the car is attractive enough.

[damager21]

Comparison between Volkswagen TSI, Fiat T-Jet and Fiat FIRE engines. No wonder everyone is extremely excited and tempted by the possibility of Punto Evo with T-Jet engine in the near future.

Look at the power, torque and 0-100 kmph numbers - all are super impressive.



Added the T-Jet badge on the Punto Evo image. Just 4 letters on front and back will pull more crowd to their showroom.

[humyum]

Originally Posted by Biraj

The facts are a bit different from your perception.

1. They have been focusing on improving their dealership base instead of products ever since they parted with Tata. All Fiat followers have been bashing them for not introducing new and exciting products but their focus has been only on increasing the no. of dealers. They currently have more than 115 dealers across India and also have a tie-up with Mahindra First Choice for service. FASS + Mahindra combined does provide them a good footprint in major cities. While there's still a scope for improvement but I would say it's only a function of time. Getting 115 dealers for Fiat wouldn't have been a cake-walk. Let's give some credit to where it's due
2. There's a report by (IIRC) Autocar that compares the cost of spares. Punto and Linea have the lowest (or close to the lowest) cost of spares in its segment
3. Fiat's warranty policies are definitely more lenient than most of the competition. Thus, the owners here aren't as dissatisfied as the non-owners. I have personally faced issues with FASS but the ownership experience of my T-jet has been great enough to overlook minor irritants.
4. They now have a much more reliable on-road assistance (outsourced, not sure about the vendor) and you can check travelogues on this as well as other forums that Fiat owners haven't been nervous while taking their cars to the most treacherous or remotest of locations. Very rarely would a well-maintained car let them down.

The dealership experience for owners will improve along with the increase in volume, as the dealers will not have to try innovative ways to stay profitable.

A faster Punto backed by an equally agile marketing plan should help Fiat attract decent volume.

Originally Posted by prakash_ajp

I think the reality is contrary to what you believe. Fiat's spare parts are among the lowest and service is passable from my experience. But they need new products to entice again. If they do that, this is a better time for Fiat as more people (compared to few years ago) are willing to put their money on unknown/unpopular brands in India if the car is attractive enough.

Sorry guys I meant long lasting parts, I don't know why I ended up writing cheap parts I know Linea and Punto parts are very cheap, heck I was working with Autocar India in 2013 when they did the spart parts price survey of all the car parts from different manufacturers, SO I know they are cheap.

I would not agree on Fiat's warranty improving, I know a couple of my friends who own Linea's and Punto's and they are always growling. One of them had the dreaded chain failure and Fiat refused to honor his warranty citing various reasons.

Look at this

-->http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...shut-down.html

This shakes up the confidence.

Look at the state of affairs in the timing chain fiasco, look at those threads on team-bhp. I would not be scared if the same thing was happening to my car and it was a Maruti or a Hyundai, but with Fiat, you bet I will be scared.

Very rarely a well maintained car from any company will let you down. I have taken my Swift to Leh and where not from Mumbai, its 1 lakh kilometers plus run now but I am still confident it can do Leh every year, year on year.

Originally Posted by damager21

Comparison between Volkswagen TSI, Fiat T-Jet and Fiat FIRE engines. No wonder everyone is extremely excited and tempted by the possibility of Punto Evo with T-Jet engine in the near future.

Look at the power, torque and 0-100 kmph numbers - all are super impressive.

Something wrong with the numbers, how can the Fire engine having less BHP and torque have a better top speed than the Tjet ?

[jayded]

Originally Posted by humyum

Something wrong with the numbers, how can the Fire engine having less BHP and torque have a better top speed than the Tjet ?

MODS: Sorry mods, ended up double posting, please merge my current and previous post into one.

Electronic speed limiters may be? A higher bhp Amaze is limited to 145 whereas my Figo touches 160 odd.

[swathyd]

Originally Posted by jayded

Electronic speed limiters may be? A higher bhp Amaze is limited to 145 whereas my Figo touches 160 odd.

Linea T-jet does over 200 kms an hour. So with less weight Punto could do better.

[prakash_ajp]

Originally Posted by humyum

-->http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...shut-down.html

This shakes up the confidence.

Agree, this shouldn't happen. Going by that, I should consider myself lucky to have received replacement parts for window roll-down motor/assembly, break cable, glow plugs/timer (a few times) all under extended warranty.

I do remember going through that thread and feel sorry for his plight. But I guess things are much better in Bangalore at least.

[humyum]

Originally Posted by jayded

Electronic speed limiters may be? A higher bhp Amaze is limited to 145 whereas my Figo touches 160 odd.

With 88 bhp and that weight, it won't make it till 180 kmph for sure. The wind resistance at that speed will overpower the motor. The Figo's true top speed is 151 kmph, so yes your speed will be at the 160 mark due to speedo error.

Originally Posted by swathyd

Linea T-jet does over 200 kms an hour. So with less weight Punto could do better.

While Fiat India claims the Tjet's top speed at 186 kmph.

Originally Posted by prakash_ajp

Agree, this shouldn't happen. Going by that, I should consider myself lucky to have received replacement parts for window roll-down motor/assembly, break cable, glow plugs/timer (a few times) all under extended warranty.

I do remember going through that thread and feel sorry for his plight. But I guess things are much better in Bangalore at least.

Truly, its a hit and miss and that's the worry. Like the other day I had been to a Ford service station with a friend of mine and I felt awfully suffocated after hearing the replacement prices of components and the way things worked there. Some things had to be performed out of mere courtesy got my friend charged a bomb. For example 1500 for clutch bleeding. I vowed to buy a car from another company only if I was comfortable with its after sales service, otherwise I would not touch it even if they sold it at half the cost of its competition with a million features.

Anyway I guess we are going off topic. This car would be fun to drive for sure as Punto even though a heavy car has sorted dynamics. The Manual will add to the thrill for people who would rather stick shift than DSG.

[civic-sense]

Originally Posted by humyum

This is definitely a good move but I would buy a FIAT the day their service levels reach somewhere that of a Maruti or a Hyundai.

Don't even think about it. They day that arrives, you would have shifted the goal post. Truth is, there is much more going for a Maruti than just the service experience.

The problem is the level of expectations people who have grown up with Maruti's (that's almost everyone) have built up.

It is also Maruti's victory that people haven't set high expectations in terms of build quality or safety. In fact during the last three decades Maruti has defined what the Indian customer wants, not the other way around. Had the first car from Maruti Udyog been the VW Jetta, we would have been a better group of people, I guess.

[Naparajito]

I really wish they get the EVO T-Jet in real life with the pre suspension upgrade pack.

OT: Top speed of the T-jet will always remain a mystery. I know only one thing, it'll smoke up everything below 20 Lakhs.

[sriramr9]

Originally Posted by damager21

Added the T-Jet badge on the Punto Evo image. Just 4 letters on front and back will pull more crowd to their showroom.

How many of them know about the difference between a F.I.R.E & a T-Jet, at the first place, Sales executive should first educate prospective customer by stating importance between a normal engine and T-Jet, Start aggressive marketing by showcasing the engine's capabilities, Also this model should be showcased as a unique offering for a Punto. The FIAPL marketing should be given sufficient funds to publicize this offering.

Post more TV ad's, more newspaper ad's. A full page Ad about the new offering can make some difference.

But the rubbery 5 speed manual is still old school, Fiat's cars in India still are a decade or more older compared to their brazilian and european offerings.

Marketing can even redirect new customer's to read Team BHP Linea T-Jet review to get an idea of it's capabilities and durability.

[D'Artagnan]

Originally Posted by damager21

Look at the power, torque and 0-100 kmph numbers - all are super impressive.
Attachment 1332342
Attachment 1332354

isn't the top speed of the GT Tsi 190 Kmph?

Has the rubbery stick issues been fixed on the T-jet? Honestly this is and will be a great car. I would love to take this car for a spin but the Tsi is still the car I will put my money on.

[Arkin evoisrevo]

Originally Posted by damager21

Look at the power, torque and 0-100 kmph numbers - all are super impressive.
Attachment 1332342
Attachment 1332354

.

What is the source of these 0-100 km/h figures?
As tested by which magazine/agency/website/individual?
TIA