[smilenow]

In a recent conversation with a sales manager of fiat cars,he specifically stated that punto is cannibalizing the linea,atleast 60%[his estimate] of the customers who walk in for a linea mjd,are walking away with a punto mjd.

Fiat needs to step up in the marketing department,market your new A.S.S network Fiat,or else its bye bye again.

[Sawyer]

As an evidence of increase in speed of everything due to increase in competitive forces, Fiat India has reached a critical stage in a far shorter time than that with the Palio in 2001. Palio sales cruised for almost 8 months before coming across strong headwinds. My view is that it is not just marketing as in promotion that is the issue, but the little things like dealership behaviours at the sales and service points, and the continuing niggles and compromises that will put the average buyer - that is not a fan - off. The fan population is minuscule as a market, although one would not believe it going by the volume of sound it seems to generate here. And Fiat is the one with the soiled record, not a clean sheet of paper, so unfortunately for them, they end up in a guilty unless proven innocent situation. And hobbling around with a leg tied to Tata is not helping. A very large part of Tata sales of trucks and cars comes from the CV segment. The Tata sales and service culture is unable to make the required transformation that is needed to cope with user buyers in large numbers, that have higher expectations of fit and finish in sales, product quality and service. Which is also why the Vista is not moving, I suspect. The taxi trade is happy with the Indica, and the private market will not have a Tata in the garage, for the very large part.The treatment that one gets these days in GM, Honda, Hyundai and even Maruti showrooms is in a completely different class than what one gets in a Tata Fiat showroom. As well as in service points of the first three, I am aware that Maruti is good, but not as good as the first three today. But even so, sheer process discipline elevates Maruti a good way above the Tata Fiat after sales experience. Again I am expecting a volume of sound saying that this Hyundai is lousy or that Tata is excellent. But mass market success is driven by where the median performance stands, not the exceptions.
And with the VW Polo, the GM Beat and God knows what else around the corner, Fiat is going to find it extremely difficult to cope. It will take a miracle. The one saving grace is that the Toyota/Honda commuters are some time away.

[devarshi84]

What many fail to see is that instead of hardly 200 unit that Fiat used to sell before, its selling 2800 odd units. Give the company some time. While we at team-bhp think by heart, others still worship Hondas in temples and swear by Maruti before life. There is a transition phase between selling 200 units and selling 10,000 units.

If I were working at Fiat, I would risk Increasing the price for Linea by 20-30K and discontinuing the cheapest version. Fiat needs to differentiate its customers. Also making Palio cheaper and advertising its price advantage may help sell it more. But those interiors suck like nothing on the market.

[vasudeva]

Originally Posted by devarshi84

If I were working at Fiat, I would risk Increasing the price for Linea by 20-30K and discontinuing the cheapest version. Fiat needs to differentiate its customers. Also making Palio cheaper and advertising its price advantage may help sell it more. But those interiors suck like nothing on the market.

Palio has been long past its expiry date. Perhaps, Fiat has some old stock and liquidating it. Sure that as demand for this goes to nil, Fiat will consider.

Whatever be the virtues of Punto and Linea, more competition from Fiat is a breath of fresh air. Amongst the major players, they are already ahead of Ford, Skoda, HM. The next big leap (substantial) is to reach Honda, GM, Toyota levels (4.5-5K per month).

[marathp]

Fiat definitely needs to improve the sales support if they want to succeed in India. With poor sales support from Tata as it is, I really doubt the future of Fiat in India.

Infact I was holding a check to pay advance for a Linea, but the take it or leave it attitude of concorde bangalore really put me off. It was a typical government office attitude. More over, I haven't even received a single follow up call after my TD.

During TD, a sales executive came along, who doesn't know a thing about Linea. I have made few questions about controls, lights etc. but no clear answer.

I believe Fiat has to open its own sales and A.S.S centers to succeed in India.

[007]

missing......... Expert comments by GTO

[vinit.merchant]

Did anyone notice that even the Rhino sells more than the Palio?
Strange because Rhino doesnt even have a proper network as compared to Fiat.

Probably it sells more in the rural area, where they have very good network due to their tractor sales.

[vasudeva]

Originally Posted by vinit.merchant

Did anyone notice that even the Rhino sells more than the Palio?
Strange because Rhino doesnt even have a proper network as compared to Fiat.

Really not proper or fair to compare Rhino with Palio.

[devarshi84]

I think the charts show Palio sales as somewhere around 200 units.

Rhino sales are somewhere around 105.

[serpente]

Good to see that Mahindra is still riding high in the market with Xylo doing extremely well. What are the sales figures of the new Scorpio?

[rganeshiyer]

I see so many people on the forum blasting FIAT for it's sales experience, after sales experience and bad advertising. I think they are definetely trying hard on these as the after-sales experience (incl service experience) has been pretty good for my 2 year old Palio sport. I think the herd mentality of maruti is king (i am not saying it is wrong) will take some time to change.

My friend who owns a zen took me for an actual comparison (respecting my supposedly good knowledge of cars , courtesy this fabulous forum) between the Ritz diesel and Punto Diesel.He fell in love with the Punto (looks, space, drive) and this morning went with his dad to check out both and book them. His dad is pretty bulky and found it easier to enter the tall boy Ritz than the Punto. The deal was sealed with this one aspect. The indian customer has strange KPIs to buy a car. Does this mean maruti understands the Indian customer better ? I dunno !

[neotraveller]

Very true. I feel herd mentality has to go away and people have to evaluate cars on their merit.

I have seen many people on this forum liking a Fiat product but desist from buying from "fear of unknown". If people all across India think in this manner, when will Fiat make up numbers?
What's Fiat gonna do when people are unwilling to give it a chance?

Originally Posted by rganeshiyer

I think the herd mentality of maruti is king (i am not saying it is wrong) will take some time to change.

His dad is pretty bulky and found it easier to enter the tall boy Ritz than the Punto. The deal was sealed with this one aspect. The indian customer has strange KPIs to buy a car. Does this mean maruti understands the Indian customer better ? I dunno !

[VahanPujari]

Originally Posted by rganeshiyer

Does this mean maruti understands the Indian customer better ? I dunno !

Yes.
I sometimes feel that In Maruti's success story, contribution of Maruti is more than Suzuki, though this statement could be debatable.

[nurni76]

Originally Posted by neotraveller

Very true. I feel herd mentality has to go away and people have to evaluate cars on their merit.

I have seen many people on this forum liking a Fiat product but desist from buying from "fear of unknown". If people all across India think in this manner, when will Fiat make up numbers?
What's Fiat gonna do when people are unwilling to give it a chance?

I dont think Maruti cars just sell because a lot of other people buy (while this too is a reason as more people endorsing means there should be someting good about it). If you look at Swift Vs Punto (petrol), even as just products, I feel Swift is better. The only areas where Punto is good are Ride, Handling and maybe boot space (Looks I am not considering as it is Subjective and I like Swift's looks more than Punto). Everything else Swift is better, performance, FE, cost of maintenance etc. So it is unfair to say herd mentality and fear of unkown. Indians are exteremly intelligent and buy cars based on well thought out detailed analysis. Where they find true VFM and best bang for their buck, that's where they put their money. If that were not the case, why Astar and Estilo have not been so successful as Swift?

[neotraveller]

True with people who research cars like TBHPians (majority atleast).
From my experience, the average-joes always want to play-safe and go for tried and tested (mind decision)rather than picking what they like.
I bought a Fiat, because I liked it after comparing all cars in the segment. And some colleagues/relatives etc were like "why you bought Fiat, din't you buy a verna/city etc" without even any knowledge of above cars!.

Unfortunately such people form the maximum of buying public in India.
Fiat has a challenge at hands to turn-around these folk and start looking at their products seriously.

Originally Posted by nurni76

Indians are exteremly intelligent and buy cars based on well thought out detailed analysis. Where they find true VFM and best bang for their buck, that's where they put their money.