[.anshuman]

^ I doubt it. As a Fiat Punto owner i am better off with Tata's service network, they might have poor quality support but they atleast have service centers in every nook and corner of the country. Considering Fiat is already running in losses and sales are dipping despite a good line up of cars, Fiat might not be willing to pump more money to setup their own dealership network.

[wildon]

Originally Posted by .anshuman

As a Fiat Punto owner i am better off with Tata's service network,

The problem we are discussing is SALES, as its not happening, My take is, if TATA-FIAT opens separate outlets things will improve.

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by .anshuman

off with Tata's service network, they might have poor quality support but they atleast have service centers in every nook and corner of the country.

I disagree with portion underlined, above. Come down to Kerala, and FIAT service stations (although there are a lot of TASCs, hardly any of them are authorised to handle FIAT works) are far and few.

Starting from south, the first centre(s) are at Trivandrum (there are two in this city). The next service centre is at Ernakulam (more than 200 kms away) - there are two in this city as well. After Ernakulam, the next is in Thrissur (more than 70 kms away). The one after Thrissur is at Kozhikode, another 70 kms away (There is no Service centre in Kozhikode according to the FIAT website, but they have a sales dealer). After Kozhikode, the next centre is at Kannur, another 70 kms away. After Kannur, the centre is straight away at Mangalore - more than 140 kms away.

Kerala has 14 districts, and the total number of Authorised service centres in Kerala is 7 (6 not including Kozhikode - I am not sure of Kozhikode). There is no service centre in Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Idukki, Palakkad, Wayanad, Malappuram and Kasaragod districts.

Thrissur district has all of one service centre, who has just one (yes ONE) bay for Fiat service! This particular dealer never has any spare in stock, and in all occasions I had to wait atleast two weeks to get things done! Despite several mails to Fiat, things have not moved an inch forward!!!

Despite all ills, I see more and more FIATs hitting the road in Kerala - the service situation is getting grim by the day. FIAT has to go a long way in improving its dealer/service network before it can expect of hitting four figure sales in a month.

[Klub Class]

Originally Posted by binaiks

Kerala has 14 districts, and the total number of Authorised service centres in Kerala is 7 (6 not including Kozhikode - I am not sure of Kozhikode).

The Tata-Fiat dealers in Kozhikode is Marina Motors and they do service Fiat cars.

There is no service centre in Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Idukki, Palakkad, Wayanad, Malappuram and Kasaragod districts.

IIRC, Skyhigh motors, Malappuram sell Fiat cars. I'm not sure whether they service Fiat cars or not. Let me clarify the same.

[sidindica]

The main point, again and again, i say lies in TOO many variants, 12 for linea and 10 for the punto, out of which just two variants per engine sell. ANd at the same time, the same mechanicals power the companion cars from the tata stable. I say it again, discontinue the 1.4 and 1.3 diesel in linea and just keep two variants each of t-jet and 1.6 MJD, and three variants each of punto 1.4 petrol and 1.3 90 hp. 1.2 FIRE has no takers in delhi/NCR. How many of you beleive that the Ghaziabad dealer just sold 1-T-jet ever since the car was launched?

[MalluDude]

Originally Posted by binaiks

After Ernakulam, the next is in Thrissur (more than 70 kms away). The one after Thrissur is at Kozhikode, another 70 kms away (There is no Service centre in Kozhikode according to the FIAT website, but they have a sales dealer).

There is no service centre in Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Idukki, Palakkad, Wayanad, Malappuram and Kasaragod districts.

Not exactly. There's RF Motors at Thodupuzha(Idukki Dist)

[teamveevee]

Originally Posted by binaiks

I disagree with portion underlined, above. Come down to Kerala, and FIAT service stations (although there are a lot of TASCs, hardly any of them are authorised to handle FIAT works) are far and few.

Of the 800+ Tata service centers, only 200+ are Tata-Fiat authorized service centers. Not sure all the Tata Service centers are allowed to service Fiat vehicles. Anybody knows, why all the Tata dealer ships are not Tata-Fiat dealerships? People are talking about seperate Dealerships for Fiat, why not convert all tata dealerships to Tata-Fiat dealerships first.

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by teamveevee

Of the 800+ Tata service centers, only 200+ are Tata-Fiat authorized service centers. Not sure all the Tata Service centers are allowed to service Fiat vehicles. Anybody knows, why all the Tata dealer ships are not Tata-Fiat dealerships? People are talking about seperate Dealerships for Fiat, why not convert all tata dealerships to Tata-Fiat dealerships first.

The first move should be to convert all TASCs into Fiat service centres as well. Dealerships are not an issue now - established dealers are opening "satellite" shops in each nook and corner now, and buying a car is now not an issue - but service is certainly an issue.

I had a reason to visit a service centre yesterday (to replace the front lower grille), and I had to call up all the three workshops in the area (all are atleast 35 kms away from my place - while Maruti has two service centres within 10 kms from my place. Even Hyundai has a service centre just 7 kms from my place. There is one TASC, but is not FIAT authorised) to get the part in question.

One dealer asked me to wait for two weeks, while the other was not sure when they would arrive. The third, thankfully, had it ready in stock (Concorde Motors, at their body shop in Kureekad, Cochin).

The buyer is harassed for service, and the huge crowd at these Service centres make the overall experience a horrifying one.

[S_U_N]

Slightly off-topic, but I dropped the idea of Punto, just because my friend indicated that spares for Punto is a problem.
While servicing his Indica at the Tata-Fiat Service center, he heard of Punto customers being told to keep the car for atleast a week for some spares.
Is that true for Pune or other places too?

[psbali]

Originally Posted by S_U_N

Slightly off-topic, but I dropped the idea of Punto, just because my friend indicated that spares for Punto is a problem.
While servicing his Indica at the Tata-Fiat Service center, he heard of Punto customers being told to keep the car for atleast a week for some spares.
Is that true for Pune or other places too?

Ok OT reply to an OT

well to tell you my dad has changed around 7 to 8 marutis till date. Out of that 3 cars have passed through my hands. Whenever I have taken either of them for servicing or to get a part replaced 80% of the times I have heard that the certain part is unavailabe. the cars in question are Swift-Petrol, Swift diesel, Sx4. My Sx4 is currently in the service center for repairs after some one rammed into my car. There was no sign of the required part for almost 8 to 10 days.

So dont think that by buying a maruti or any other volume car is gonna get you a quick service. And as you are from pune you can call up fiat and inform them of the situation if there is any need. From experience I can really say that Fiat is interested in listening to the customer. Even I am planning to buy a Punto and I know what I am talking about and how I got the unwilling dealership to send a car for TD to my residence at Aundh. The thing is, a person who had a really good experience with a car hardly bothers to out of his way and highlight it to others on internet. It is the people with bad experiences who go out of their ways to complain and point out the negatives on internet. And according to me that is really the right practice as the company tries more to solve the problems. But it also has a huge impact on prospective customer.

[arin_12]

Let me put down a my small experience at Concorde Bangalore - Hosur Road.

Yesterday me and my friend went to TD a Punto Diesel. After entering into the showroom one person comes. One person came and asked us what I want. We replied that we wanna TD a Punto Diesel. She walk away with out any kind of ans. As if we have asked her some thing that we supposed to not ask...
A few min later one guy come, again with a no expression in his face. He explain a bit and various model of Punto. He never even bother to show the various feature that the car is having. Even he didn't try to push a sales. I think I can do a better sales rather. I had to explicitly ask him to open the boot and see the space inside.
Now the TD car had a broken bumper and also not cleaned one. Now we went for a drive and this person was gave us a very little info about the car. Infact we our self was finding all the feature and function of the car. We also asked if the car is good then why the car is not selling. He gave a big funny ans...
God only save FIAT and TATA.

[ACM]

We are discussing this even more seriously since we know of the sales figures for Fiat in Dec, but then simiarly lower sales figures in the case of Nano in Nov got us talking and we did see a 10 fold rise in Dec figures.

In the case of Fiat it may just have been a case of the company reducing year end stock with the dealer and planning for a major push in numbers in Jan, so we do need to check out the Jan figures before reading the last rites.

[.sushilkumar]

well,

Purely from sales perspective ,I think problem lies not with FIAT or TATA's but with
a ) dealer / sales person attitude .
b) negative public mindset of common people here wrt to a Product from FIAT .

FIAT is doing everything with respect to point no - a . evident from various posts , where in a person facing trouble is been attended to in person by FIAT officials.

Problem is point no -B , here FIAT is doing nothing via way of Advertising / hoardings or other media Means. In tier 2 or 3 cities , nobody knows FIAT .They still relate FIAT to premier padmini days and get surprised when told that FIAT is still selling cars in india . I guess Metro cities area already saturated ( more or less ) when it comes to Car sales. Growth for Car sales is coming from tier 2 - 3 and cosmo cities. where nobody knows FIAT . go into into hinterlands of UP / MP or Bihar , u will find half of maruti;s running there with DL no .FIAT IMO must concentrate on tapping the rural market , tier 1 & 2 cities.

[teamveevee]

Originally Posted by arin_12

One person came and asked us what I want. We replied that we wanna TD a Punto Diesel. She walk away with out any kind of ans. As if we have asked her some thing that we supposed to not ask...
A few min later one guy come, again with a no expression in his face. .

Probably you should report about these people to Fiat/Tata/Concorde. Once these employees are taken care, [ proper training in dealing with customers, selling cars etc] probably sales may pick up

[Fiat&Me]

Originally Posted by ACM

We are discussing this even more seriously since we know of the sales figures for Fiat in Dec, but then simiarly lower sales figures in the case of Nano in Nov got us talking and we did see a 10 fold rise in Dec figures.

Agreed ACM. But the sales is not just 10 folded without reason. Please read following,

Now almost 20 days are over after record breaking low sales of FIAT (275 units) in Dec'10.
What is action/response from FIAT? Any print Advtz? Any TV commercial? Any hordings? No No and simply Big No !!

Complete silence!! Shhhhhhh!!!

Now take example of Tata Motors. The moment nano recorded lowest sales of 509 units in Nov'10, within 2 days we found full page Advt for week in all leading news papers featuring aggressive yellow color, 4 years of warranty, added safty features and what not. Within 15 days the TV commercial featuring a girl excited with Nano arrival in small town "Aaa gayii" targeting clearcut lower/middle class customer, showing rural roads to prove toughness of car. 2nd: advt of kids in the car sleeping till it reaches city outskirts. 3rd: 02 ladies discussing about Car in the rain .The advt. were bombarding till today and what is the outcome?

Zooooooming sales of nano by 10 times in Dec'10 with 5784 units.

Why FIAT is waiting till coma/death and then starts corrective actions which is of no use.
Are they waiting for sales figure of all units together fall within 2 digits?

OK. Let us see Jan'11 figures and then real picture will come out.
I am expecting at least 1000+ Lineas, 1500+ Puntos!!!