[indiaashish]

Thank you all for your messages. Took the Linea out for a spin last night from Juhu to Marine Drive via the Worli Sea link. Excellent ride and handling. Actually there was a big jam on the marine drive and guess what - the Linea was getting a lot of stares from drivers/passengers in other cars. In fact, my wife asked me is the door open or anything different that every other person was staring at our car. For a moment I was also taken aback then checked everything and told her perhaps its the attraction of the Linea that has caught the attention of the Mumbaikars. Afterall, there is hardly any on Mumbai roads, especially the 2014 facelift version. Even if one does manage to, sunbeam gold is still rarer. Those glances made me proud of my decision. Although too early to say. Still have to sort out few issues especially those pertaining to having my VIN corrected at RTO.

Originally Posted by khoj

As for the car, the gear shifts do become smoother as the stick is used and try and slot via the H pattern and not force the stick through. If the H is there nothing else matters, that is one thing no dealer can hoodwink. As for the tires change ASAP Goodyear NCTs will become terrible to bear around the 8 to 10K mark. If nothing else get the Alnac or the Alnac 3G from Apollo they are still better than Goodyear NCTs.

I could not stop myself from posting this but check the manufacturer's invoice (this is a part of the file sent to the RTO) to the dealer that will determine the value the car should actually be sold to you and reported to the RTO. In case it turns out to be the lower amount get them to cough up the difference and if they insist it is the higher then get them to give you the bank challan depositing the relevant tax to the RTO and get the RC stuff sorted out as it will create major issues anytime you have an insurance related matter to deal with.

Thanks @khoj and @alavandar for your suggestions. Shall try as suggested. Just wanted a few advice -
1. I had made full payment of 9.92 lakh on Jan 1, 2015. I got the delivery only on March 14, 2015. Can I seek a compensation for the delay.
2. The value of the car quoted to RTO appears to be 8.61 lakh (assuming 9% road tax for Mumbai on the ex-showroom price). The ex-showroom price quoted to me was Rs. 9.28 lakh. Any way to arm-twist the dealer in getting a refund.
3. Is the dealership liable to getting the VIN corrected at RTO or do I have to run around. How do I insist on they doing all the running around and getting it rectified?

Thanks once again

[Rover2000]

Dear Members,

I have been in a tug of war with my mind since last Dec(2014) with respect to grabbing the Fiat Linea MJD. Several other factors kept me waiting all this while.

I am getting a pretty decent offer on the 2015 Emotion MJD (1.1L offer) with all basic accessories. Since i read most inputs about T-Jet, I would like to know if there are any fine points i should be aware/prepared when i take the MJD. I still have not booked the car and negotiating with the dealer for a better deal. The dealer in Chennai says they have to lift the car from factory only after placing the order. I was under the impression that they would be having stock in their yards for 2015 models by now?

[alavandar]

Originally Posted by Rover2000

I am getting a pretty decent offer on the 2015 Emotion MJD (1.1L offer) with all basic accessories. Since i read most inputs about T-Jet, I would like to know if there are any fine points i should be aware/prepared when i take the MJD. I still have not booked the car and negotiating with the dealer for a better deal. The dealer in Chennai says they have to lift the car from factory only after placing the order. I was under the impression that they would be having stock in their yards for 2015 models by now?

Is it from RDC or Ramkay? In my view both dealerships are ok far as after sales service is concerned. MJD is good. Before booking, please ask for the VIN (vehicle identification number) (also called chassis number) and find out through internet the actual month/ year and place of assembly of the car. There are many web sites are available to check the VIN. (Some details about VIN: Follow link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle...ication_number ).
Colour selection is a personal choice but my opinion is, white, black and wine red look good. Black is difficult to maintain since dust and scratches will be easily visible. (Mine is a black Linea and I know how painful it is to maintain).
Before delivery, please give a thorough check, including under chassis. Specifically look for any tell tale signs / drops of oil leak from gear box. There should be nil.
MJD is a good engine powering various brands of cars. My Linea has done 1.1 Lakh plus kms.

[khoj]

1. The dealership is liable to pay you the prevailing bank rate of interest on the amount held by them for the time elapsed between payment and delivery.

2. No arm twisting but plain talking about factual figures as they are, is what is required.

3. Yes. It is a mistake made by their staff/agent/whomsoever. As long as they got the RTO work done it is their responsibility. Did you check the same on the insurance cover note, a mistake there could be more costly than on the RC but is easier to rectify.

In case you have a friend or relative who understands and can "talk" finance, take him/her along for 1 & 2.

Further on all three points take Fiat into the loop. There is a certain manager who looks after issues such as yours in addition to warranty related cases. His name is Mahesh 'xyz'. Send a pm to fellow tbhpian 'parimal_g' he will be able to provide you with this gent's details. Whatever you discuss with the dealer summarise it in a neutral manner via email and cc 'mahesh'. This way the dealer will be bound (unless they counter it in writing) and will feel the added pressure of the cc. You get the gist, Ciao

Originally Posted by indiaashish

Just wanted a few advice -
1. I had made full payment of 9.92 lakh on Jan 1, 2015. I got the delivery only on March 14, 2015. Can I seek a compensation for the delay.
2. The value of the car quoted to RTO appears to be 8.61 lakh (assuming 9% road tax for Mumbai on the ex-showroom price). The ex-showroom price quoted to me was Rs. 9.28 lakh. Any way to arm-twist the dealer in getting a refund.
3. Is the dealership liable to getting the VIN corrected at RTO or do I have to run around. How do I insist on they doing all the running around and getting it rectified?

Thanks once again

[indiaashish]

Originally Posted by khoj

1. The dealership is liable to pay you the prevailing bank rate of interest on the amount held by them for the time elapsed between payment and delivery.

2. No arm twisting but plain talking about factual figures as they are, is what is required.

3. Yes. It is a mistake made by their staff/agent/whomsoever. As long as they got the RTO work done it is their responsibility. Did you check the same on the insurance cover note, a mistake there could be more costly than on the RC but is easier to rectify.

In case you have a friend or relative who understands and can "talk" finance, take him/her along for 1 & 2.

Further on all three points take Fiat into the loop. There is a certain manager who looks after issues such as yours in addition to warranty related cases. His name is Mahesh 'xyz'. Send a pm to fellow tbhpian 'parimal_g' he will be able to provide you with this gent's details. Whatever you discuss with the dealer summarise it in a neutral manner via email and cc 'mahesh'. This way the dealer will be bound (unless they counter it in writing) and will feel the added pressure of the cc. You get the gist, Ciao

Thanks a ton @khoj for those encouraging words and giving directions on how to proceed. Really appreciate. Fortunately the details on the insurance policy are correct although the dealer gave me a standard comprehensive cover when what was agreed was a complementary zero dep insurance. I shall surely pm parimal_g for getting the contact of mahesh. By the way my wife in whose name the car is registered is a banker :-).

[Rover2000]

Originally Posted by alavandar

Is it from RDC or Ramkay?

Colour selection is a personal choice but my opinion is, white, black and wine red look good. Black is difficult to maintain since dust and scratches will be easily visible. (Mine is a black Linea and I know how painful it is to maintain).
Before delivery, please give a thorough check, including under chassis. Specifically look for any tell tale signs / drops of oil leak from gear box. There should be nil.
MJD is a good engine powering various brands of cars. My Linea has done 1.1 Lakh plus kms.

@alavandar - It is from RDC. Thank you for your inputs on VIN. Yes I did ask them to show me the VINs of the list of vehicles they have. They showed me the list from their System last week and I identified it as Feb 2015.

Well my choice is white as I already have a white 2007 Verna diesel VGT and clocked 1.48L kms on it. Its time i give it some minimal usage! hence the decision to go for Linea MJD. your confirmation that your linea has done 1.1+kms is an encouragement I will make sure to check the vehicle as per your guidance.

Thanks again!

[Higgs_Boson_i]

Originally Posted by Rover2000

Dear Members,

I have been in a tug of war with my mind since last Dec(2014) with respect to grabbing the Fiat Linea MJD. Several other factors kept me waiting all this while.

I am getting a pretty decent offer on the 2015 Emotion MJD (1.1L offer) with all basic accessories. Since i read most inputs about T-Jet, I would like to know if there are any fine points i should be aware/prepared when i take the MJD. I still have not booked the car and negotiating with the dealer for a better deal. The dealer in Chennai says they have to lift the car from factory only after placing the order. I was under the impression that they would be having stock in their yards for 2015 models by now?

Hi First of all congrats on settling for the FIAT Linea!! It is the best car in its segment in terms of ride, handling. I would strongly recommend going for the T-JET emotion variant as it is also best in class for performance. I have owned the T-JET for 1 year now and it is simply great to drive. Before going for the T-JET I had test driven the MJD and found it to be wanting on power. Beside now that the petrol prices have also dropped there is really good case for the T-JET. Test drive it in case you have not done and feel the difference!

Cheers!

[Rover2000]

Mod note: Post edited for fixing Quotes. Please use Preview before Submitting posts. Thanks.

Originally Posted by Higgs_Boson_i

Hi First of all congrats on settling for the FIAT Linea!! It is the best car in its segment in terms of ride, handling. I would strongly recommend going for the T-JET emotion variant as it is also best in class for performance. I have owned the T-JET for 1 year now and it is simply great to drive. Before going for the T-JET I had test driven the MJD and found it to be wanting on power. Beside now that the petrol prices have also dropped there is really good case for the T-JET. Test drive it in case you have not done and feel the difference!

Thank you! I will surely try the T-JET. My running involves between 3k-3.5k kms per month sometimes more, so just wondering if the running cost would be the same as in MJD. Also I have never had petrol cars before..so any advice on the T-JET if I was to consider it?

[itsashishsharma]

Originally Posted by Rover2000

Mod note: Post edited for fixing Quotes. Please use Preview before Submitting posts. Thanks.



Thank you! I will surely try the T-JET. My running involves between 3k-3.5k kms per month sometimes more, so just wondering if the running cost would be the same as in MJD. Also I have never had petrol cars before..so any advice on the T-JET if I was to consider it?

For 3k KMs running per month, please don't consider petrol cars. Even if diesel costs same money as petrol, for this much running, diesel still makes sense. TJet has better drivability, more power, better sorted gearbox, disc brakes all around, still cheaper to buy, but even than, your running is too high for petrol cars.
Have you considered the 2014 Fiesta? Its a great machine with lesser turbo lag and better drivability, gearbox. Just TD it, you will find it to be better than what competetion offers.

[Rover2000]

Originally Posted by itsashishsharma

For 3k KMs running per month, please don't consider petrol cars. Even if diesel costs same money as petrol, for this much running, diesel still makes sense. TJet has better drivability, more power, better sorted gearbox, disc brakes all around, still cheaper to buy, but even than, your running is too high for petrol cars.
Have you considered the 2014 Fiesta? Its a great machine with lesser turbo lag and better drivability, gearbox. Just TD it, you will find it to be better than what competetion offers.

Thanks for your inputs! OH YES i did drive the Fiesta 2014 and totally loved it.
Infact that was first option when i started to look out. The biggest thing which put me off was the lukewarm response from the Ford dealerships, left me wondering why don't they even have HALF the enthusiasm this car offers you!! To add to my disappointment they hiked the price a little more than a lakh as compared to dec 2014. Drivability, ride and handling within 10L - 11L (Top End Version) price bracket made me consider the Linea next.

[Higgs_Boson_i]

Originally Posted by Rover2000

Mod note: Post edited for fixing Quotes. Please use Preview before Submitting posts. Thanks.



Thank you! I will surely try the T-JET. My running involves between 3k-3.5k kms per month sometimes more, so just wondering if the running cost would be the same as in MJD. Also I have never had petrol cars before..so any advice on the T-JET if I was to consider it?

You are welcome! A few points to consider the T-JET emotion is marginally cheaper than the MJD Emotion, so there is some saving first up. If we keep the cost of fuel as similar (although petrol is more expensive than diesel) the other parts of a petrol car wear relatively better than a diesel car, this is just my observation. Finally, since you drive a lot you should also enjoy the drive, so buy a car that is fun to drive as well.

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by Higgs_Boson_i

You are welcome! A few points to consider the T-JET emotion is marginally cheaper than the MJD Emotion, so there is some saving first up. If we keep the cost of fuel as similar (although petrol is more expensive than diesel) the other parts of a petrol car wear relatively better than a diesel car, this is just my observation. Finally, since you drive a lot you should also enjoy the drive, so buy a car that is fun to drive as well.

I seem to have some scepticism about the wear and tear in petrols vs diesels.
While I agree with the logic, there wouldn't be a very significant difference in the wear and tear though. I have owned multiple petrols, and now have a fully diesel garage - and have never noticed this. In fact, the diesel cars were the ones that had clocked higher kms before selling.
Advantages of the diesel in this case would be lower running costs overall (cheaper fuel + better efficiency), as well as longer gaps between refuels (which doesn't seem significant, but honestly gets annoying after a point).

As pointed out, the Fiesta is the best bet as an everyday diesel sedan with exemplary dynamics (similar to the Linea, if not better). For petrol though, the T-Jet is the way to go assuming one is comfortable with the car.

[PGNarain]

Had got some amazing mileage once - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offici...ml#post3324347

On a trip to Pune again last week - tried it out again. With the wife and daughter sleeping peacefully in the back, just eased off the accelerator on the way back from Pune to my place in Navi Mumbai and got the following figures.

[ssateesh]

Originally Posted by PGNarain

Had got some amazing mileage once - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offici...ml#post3324347

On a trip to Pune again last week - tried it out again. With the wife and daughter sleeping peacefully in the back, just eased off the accelerator on the way back from Pune to my place in Navi Mumbai and got the following figures.

Is that 20+ I am seeing on a tjet+? Isn't the ARAI mileage supposed to be around 15?

[PGNarain]

Originally Posted by ssateesh

Is that 20+ I am seeing on a tjet+?

I have been able to get +20km/ltr multiple times while driving my TJet - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offici...ml#post3324347 - but only on long highway runs and constantly maintaining the speed below 100 in the 5th gear.

It requires a more than a fair amount of restraint to give into higher speeds so it doesn't happen often!!

I just post my experiences here coz a lot of folks are constantly worried about TJet milage figures - something that has never been a bothered me!