[CliffHanger]

Teacher & others, please understand that Fiat has just started their independent workshops. Fiat India is not well known for its management acumen, so don't expect a miraculous turn-over to provide great service from the word Go.

Expect the service experience to be very average for at least a year.

If the car is good, which most cases they are, you will have a very good ownership experience. If otherwise, you will have to run around and your tolerance limits will get tested.

Also, if you are too paranoid about your cars, it is not really the right time to own a Fiat. Most Fiat SAs are from Tata, and they have the habit of "Fix 1, Create 2". So be prepared to live with the minor rattles, squeeks, car pulling to left things. It will take some time and abuse from existing customers, for Fiat to flush out the weeds that have cropped in and imbibe a new culture into their workshops.

Honestly, for an average lay man, Fiat is not the right choice at the moment.

[Lukeskywalker]

One of our fellow BHPian has given a very negative feedback about Fiat's service. Refer the link: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...ml#post3182078 (Fiat Linea MJD Boss(a) Nova White. EDIT With Race-chip and 30000 Kms update).
I was seriously thinking of the T-Jet as a prospective buy, but such a feedback has scared me. Especially moving away from my current Maruti where I never faced such a problem. Would like to know of any similar feedback/views from other members.

Like others have mentioned before, I'd wait to hear both sides of the story, I know the dealership in question and I also know the person named in the post, I have brought it to their notice and hope to get more clarity on the issue, I hope the mods will allow me to post the dealer's version of the issue if and when I get to know it.

[KarthikK]

Originally Posted by TheTeacher

He's done 45k kms on his Linea. How many other Linea owners here have done that much? It looks like most T-Jet owners here have put on a lot fewer kms on their cars. I think there's only one other MJD which has done as much or more that 45 k kms.

It would be helpful if other owners post their views on this. My T-Jet is on order with Vecto, and is expected here from Pune around Saturday.

I'm not saying this as a Fiat owner, but honestly this episode does not mean that all ageing Fiats will start developing horrible niggles and become lemons after a said mileage. There are many owners who are doing quite well with their cars. I know of a T-Jet guy (not a member of any forum) who comes to the same 3M car centre as me, with 55k on the odometer; no issues whatsoever.

Sometimes luck can go really bad and troublesome niggles can crop up making life difficult until they are fixed properly. We have had even more horrifying tales from Skoda cars and even one Toyota Etios on this very forum, so the problem can't be a generalized to any one brand. If you go by the sheer number of ownership threads and lemon reports and compare ratios, what are the odds of getting stuck with a lemon?? Quite less, isn't it?

Then again, we have threads like these which prove age is not an issue
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-t...-counting.html

To all prospective buyers, please understand that Fiat, Volkswagen or Skoda may not provide the best after sales service. Their strengths lie elsewhere. Every car/brand has its own strengths and weaknesses. Japs and Koreans have superb service and reliability, but most of them will come across as boring and not offer the superior driving pleasure of European cars. European cars are superb to drive and use, but their service network capability will not be as precise and perfect as Maruti or Hyundai. You have to be a little more patient and be mentally prepared for a few niggles (and in some cases, delays associated in fixing them). If you value servicing or resale value more, this may not be the right car.

There is no right and there is no wrong. It is always a tradeoff between what factor you are willing to give priority to, and what you want to compromise on. Want supreme vehicle dynamics and driving pleasure? Compromise on service network and service experience. Want 100% peace of mind with servicing? Compromise on the drive experience, build quality, etc. Take your pick. Most of the earlier buyers on this thread took the former, and there has been no looking back.

[jazzrockz]

I got 35k on the odo and me Jet still cruises like after the first service. Have done several +14 hrs nonstop drives, expressways, non existent coastal roads, delicious ghats and irritating city jams. Have had a two bad scraps(no casualties whatsoever), doors replaced right front and right back...but the jet still flies like a eagle and grips like a cheetah. Suspensions still sweet, no creaks no bad sounds, except for the sweet mother turbo whine which only gets better. Love your car and she will love you back. All i do is keep the air pressure right, top up all the fluids, drive like 'stole it but want to keep it for good! The T jet is one of the very few low maintenance cars around and requires very little attention. It can really take the rough and difficult conditions very well and always comes on top. A bit of common sense driving style is all it takes... guess this works with all cars.

Off topic: Now that my jet has shifted base to B'lore where will i get the best service???

[TheTeacher]

From puchoo's Tizze Lands Home: The Fiat Linea T-Jet 2013 thread:

Originally Posted by TheTeacher

I've asked Vecto to give me a full sized alloy spare for my T-Jet Emotion. Will pay them the difference.

Originally Posted by KarthikK

Do note that the current spare with steel wheel will fetch you zilch in buyback price.

What is a fair price to ask Vecto to give me credit for? And what are the chances I'll be able to sell it outside for a decent amount?

[A.B]

Originally Posted by TheTeacher

What is a fair price to ask Vecto to give me credit for? And what are the chances I'll be able to sell it outside for a decent amount?

I was offered Rs. 4000 per tyre when the tyre dealer thought that the tyres on our new T-Jet (44 kms on odo) were 195/60 R15. So you should expect at least Rs. 4500 for the tyre since it is 195/65 R15. And the steel rim costs about Rs. 900 so maybe add another 500 for that. Total - Rs. 5000.

But you can of course ask for full price for both tyre and rim since both of them would be new and unused.

[PGNarain]

Originally Posted by TheTeacher

.....How many other Linea owners here have done that much? It looks like most T-Jet owners here have put on a lot fewer kms on their cars.

Originally Posted by KarthikK

There are many owners who are doing quite well with their cars. I know of a T-Jet guy (not a member of any forum) who comes to the same 3M car centre as me, with 55k on the odometer; no issues whatsoever.

Originally Posted by jazzrockz

I got 35k on the odo and me Jet still cruises like after the first service. Have done several +14 hrs nonstop drives, expressways, non existent coastal roads, delicious ghats and irritating city jams.

+1 to all the above. I have a 2010 built, and 2011 delivered T-Jet+, which has covered +26,000Kms till date over all kinds of terrains. I have had no issues at all except a few punctures and the most I have ever spent on a single visit to a service center is when I had to "OPTED" to get the entire bonnet painted rather than just a touch up for a stone/pebble hit that had begin to catch rust and I could not bear any blemish on my beauty. It is a thoroughly satisfying car!

Originally Posted by KarthikK

.......Every car/brand has its own strengths and weaknesses. Japs and Koreans have superb service and reliability, ......

Originally Posted by jazzrockz

The T jet is one of the very few low maintenance cars around and requires very little attention. .....

^^ on a related note pertaining to the above I would like to bring to everyone's kind attention here the latest issue of Autocar. Autocar, as has been their practice in the past as well, has published an exhaustive study of "Spare Parts Costs" across all segments for this year. Our beloved Linea (Petrol and Diesel) has, in its respective segment trumped even the Tatas and Maruti. The Linea spares basket are the cheapest in their category and compared to the Honda City which is the most expensive and literally costs twice as much!!

Of course, just the price of the spare parts are not a reflection of the actual maintenance costs involved but it is another feather in the cap of our beloved Linea!!

[Arkesh]

I know a linea t jet owner who has done 65k and has no issues as of now. I have done 36k on my linea mjet without any issues till date. I have done Bhubaneswar to Bangalore with a night halt at vizag and returned from Bangalore non stop in 21 hours. I think 3400 kms in 4 days is good enough to test endurance of a car. Fiats are quite reliable cars. My uno d has done 1.5k without any breakdown till date.

[gsurya]

Originally Posted by Arkesh

I know a linea t jet owner who has done 65k and has no issues as of now. I have done 36k on my linea mjet without any issues till date. I have done Bhubaneswar to Bangalore with a night halt at vizag and returned from Bangalore non stop in 21 hours. I think 3400 kms in 4 days is good enough to test endurance of a car. Fiats are quite reliable cars. My uno d has done 1.5k without any breakdown till date.

Agree I HV a 14 yr old fiat uno petrol at 80k, trouble free except for the odd alternator issue, one radiator leak & replaced clutchplates & brakes, AC has weakened & airflow low.

The power-weight ratio is so superb I hvnt found many present day hatches to my liking to replace it :/

[akshay4587]

Originally Posted by TheTeacher

He's done 45k kms on his Linea. How many other Linea owners here have done that much? It looks like most T-Jet owners here have put on a lot fewer kms on their cars. I think there's only one other MJD which has done as much or more that 45 k kms.

It would be helpful if other owners post their views on this. My T-Jet is on order with Vecto, and is expected here from Pune around Saturday.

This is just 45K
I am at 77K and a Friend is at 110K on his linea,and these both are still running like new,it all depends on after sales,we are blessed with one of the best after sales in North India.Btw talking of odometer readings,this is also from a linea MJD i spotted at aftersales 2 months ago.

[vikrantj]

Adding my experince to akshay's post above.

I have a 2010 MJD linea with 52000Kms on the odo as of today. A friend of mine has a 2009 MJD with 55000Kms on the odo. The Linea has lived upto it's expectations and I am quite happy with it. The after-sales and service in Pune is very good and have no complaints about it.

My experience with FIAT is noted here :

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...38000-kms.html

[TheTeacher]

Thanks all for your valuable insight into the reliability, longevity and the ergonomics of this fabulous car! I hope the tribe of Linea owners increases after such an outpouring of good things being said about it from long-time owners.

Originally Posted by Arkesh

I have done Bhubaneswar to Bangalore with a night halt at Vizag and returned from Bangalore non stop in 21 hours. I think 3400 kms in 4 days is good enough to test endurance of a car.

Arkesh, for me your post is even more valuable for something implicit rather than explicit: if you were able to drive non-stop for 21 hours, and 3400 kms in 4 days, it is a great testament to the ergonomics and seating of the car! Totally awesome! This is very important to me.

Originally Posted by vikrantj

My experience with FIAT is noted here :

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...38000-kms.html

My T-Jet Emotion that is on order is also Minimal Grey! We should do a trip together sometime; it'll confuse the heck out of the others! May be making a trip to Pune in a few months to go to Shirdi.

[xaero]

Thanks to all T-Jet/Linea owners for the awesome things they have to say about this car.
Even I second that, I have been doing 550 kms at a stretch in my T-Jet a couple of times (5 approximately) and even have done some high speed stints on the Yamuna expressway (speed high enough to make the fuel gauge display noticeably to the naked eye).

What was amazing is that I have driven at such speeds with one tyre punctured (I was not aware of the puncture thanks to the tubeless tyres). Infact I drove the car for 6 months with that tyre punctured and approximately 2000 kms before getting it checked. I still feel the car glides confidently and instill confidence in the pilot aka driver at whatever terrain, speed or situation you are in. I don't shy away from saying that I love this car and the "GOT BHP" sticker suits the back bumper of this beauty.

[CARDEEP]

Originally Posted by xaero

What was amazing is that I have driven at such speeds with one tyre punctured (I was not aware of the puncture thanks to the tubeless tyres). Infact I drove the car for 6 months with that tyre punctured and approximately 2000 kms before getting it checked. I still feel the car glides confidently and instill confidence in the pilot aka driver at whatever terrain, speed or situation you are in. I don't shy away from saying that I love this car and the "GOT BHP" sticker suits the back bumper of this beauty.

Hi @xaero

I understand that the Driving Dynamics of Linea are no doubt the best amongst the cars, but, IMO driving with a punctured tyre at high speeds (i.e. north of 100) is not possible. Few years back, Robert Vadra Designer sister - Michelle, died in an accident on the Gurgaon Jaipur Road, when one of the Tubeless tyres of her Safari burst at high speed.

I believe your car's tyre must have punctured much later, probably few days only before you came to know about the same.

[xaero]

Originally Posted by CARDEEP

Hi @xaero

I understand that the Driving Dynamics of Linea are no doubt the best amongst the cars, but, IMO driving with a punctured tyre at high speeds (i.e. north of 100) is not possible. Few years back, Robert Vadra Designer sister - Michelle, died in an accident on the Gurgaon Jaipur Road, when one of the Tubeless tyres of her Safari burst at high speed.

I believe your car's tyre must have punctured much later, probably few days only before you came to know about the same.

Cardeep , even I thought the same, but the thing that brought me this conclusion was that since long only this tyre (the left rear tyre) used to be less on air pressure than all the other tyres of the car. And it had a very finely lodged screw( not a nail ) and because of the new rubber on the tyres (only 8k on the odo) it did not come out even at high speeds.

Infact, when finally it was taken out it had a bald head without any remains of a groove that could have been there at the time of it getting lodged. Rest , as they say is : "Rabb Rakhaa"