[sidindica]

Rajeev Ji, are you listening? Your "fiat first" program is too biased towards punto/ linea owners and does nothing to care of 80,000 plus project 178 owners.

It makes sense to cover these cars over this program, at least by providing spares freely at open markets or,

Fiat is doomed.

[ph03n!x]

If the repair estimate is around 2 Lakhs like you said, then you can very well get an used car for a lot less and salvage it for repairs- or am I wrong?

[1100D]

Originally Posted by KITE RUNNER

@hrsraghav, IMHO get rid of your headache by writing off and get another car with good after sales service.

If only it was that easy for the general population.

Really sympathise with you, mostly because I waited 6 months for this car (the period between phasing out of the Palio Adventure and launching of the Adventure sports). In the end I bought the Ford.

Going to Consumer court should be targetted at Fiat not being able to provide support/spares for the car, you may seek compensation for the time the vehicle is kept holed up. The car being 2.5 yr old, I dont think you will make much progress asking them to give you a replacement.

[hrsraghav]

Originally Posted by sidindica

Rajeev Ji, are you listening? Your "fiat first" program is too biased towards punto/ linea owners and does nothing to care of 80,000 plus project 178 owners.

It makes sense to cover these cars over this program, at least by providing spares freely at open markets or,

Fiat is doomed.

Ohh comeone Rajivji is too much generous and responds everytime with his hospitality.
You remember the part at FIAT website, where youcan post your coment directly to Mr Rajiv Kapoor. I have done it several times, and every time I get a automated response from FIAT that they are greatfull for my feedback.

What else can you ask for. Just ask me how greatfull I am, for owning a FIAT car.

[sidindica]

I did not intend to make this post public but I am asking one question to all punto/ linea owners (please do not take this personally).

• Are the regular parts for these cars easily available or still is it difficult to procure parts?
• What situation do you expect 4 years from now?

[finneyp]

From the pics it looks like a very bad accident!

Hrsraghav, you mentioned that the damage is till the dashboard, in that case even the engine should be damaged, am I right?
If the pics are to be believed, it looks like a Total loss!

[hrsraghav]

Originally Posted by sidindica

I did not intend to make this post public but I am asking one question to all punto/ linea owners (please do not take this personally).

• Are the regular parts for these cars easily available or still is it difficult to procure parts?
• What situation do you expect 4 years from now?

Hmmm very right question
its just the tip of iceberg. I won't quote the firgures but the Adventure bonnet is thrice the cost of Linea bonnet. So even if the parts will be available in future, what is the guarantee that the prices will be reasonable.
FIAT is vouching with pamplets at dealers, comparing the spare prices of linea with Honda City and other cars.
Why don't they dare to do it for the other cars?
And remember this is the case when we know that from Palio, to petra to siena to weekend to adventure, all share a hell lot of common parts with same interiors. Imagine what would have been the situation if the parts were different for these cars. Every piece would have been an antique piece.

For now they are doing the fooling around of reduced spare prices, for linea and punto, just to pick up the sales, and once things started warming up, the spare price of these cars too will be raised for sure.

Right now the availability issue for me is so huge that it has compeltly overshadowed the point of rational prices.
He he he they make you so miserable, that you just pay anything for geting the car back in shape.

Regards
Harish

[architect]

Oh man! This looks pretty serious from the pictures, thank God you and the other occupants are safe!

Fiat has been shifting its central warehouse for spares (or something to that effect) and their entire supply system is in a mess. Apparently, even if they have the parts, they can't locate them and ship them.

Typically a damage to the this extent would take 10-15 days waiting for parts, but 2.5 months is way too long, even for Fiat! I suppose you have already called, emailed and written to anybody who matters by now. Will pass on any email IDs that I have at TML (which were effective!).

As suggested by somebody, is it even remotely possible to "collect" parts from other dealers? I have a feeling that Vivek Automobiles or Samyak (Elegant) would have been a better alternative in the situation that you are in, since they have a better inventory of parts. ABS is too new a dealer to have many Adventure parts lying around. But I suppose you got the car towed there because it was close to your place and the accident site.

I guess Fiat will never learn, at this rate. I suppose it won't be getting many repeat customers at this rate, either.

[rajivn]

What a misadventure your Fiat Adventure has turned out for you. I am really sorry man. You resorting to Team-bhp for support and advices is a good step towards bringing this ordeal to some sorta end. Well, looks like the past will continue to haunt the Fiat.

@sidindica - you put out some important questions for new Fiat owners.

[hrsraghav]

Originally Posted by finneyp

From the pics it looks like a very bad accident!

Hrsraghav, you mentioned that the damage is till the dashboard, in that case even the engine should be damaged, am I right?
If the pics are to be believed, it looks like a Total loss!

The car hit a Truck which was abruptly changing lanes from left side to right side at NH-8, and at right to me was a BUS, so even after braking didnt had space to come to halt, and got banged to the rear of it.

The impact was at the left side not in middle of car, like the area where Hella lamps are there hit the right side of the truck. And that area of Truck started riping things from bumper, battery bay, to the dasboard till some heavy part of truck impacted the A pillar of car and car rebounded backwards. It was Adventure that saved our lives, else with todays shirt bonnet cars, where you have very small distance bet the front of car to drivers seat, we would have gone all inside the truck.
As the engine wasn't in the line of impact so it got saved.

The car is repairable, after that accident I saw 3-4 more cars at the same service center with more severe head on collisions, and they got repaired (ofcourse hey were TATAs not FIATs, there is another Palio standing there for a month waiting for ...... yess spares). Only mine is lying there like a patient in ICU, seeing all the fellow cars coming and going. That Palio owner gets scared for his palio, evrytime he see my car, to know that parts are STILL not available.

[Pashin]

Hi Harish,

I must say it was a real close shave. 10-20% more damage would have meant serious injuries to the passengers. I think first we all need to thank FIAT for manufacturing such a strong & sturdy car, i'am sure you would agree to that. . People are surprised when I tell them I enjoyed driving my adventure much more than i enjoyed driving my corolla

From the best of my knowledge Palio Adventures were imported from Brazil since Fiat really did not expect large numbers ( the rhd car is manufactured by Fiat in brazil). So parts are really going to be an issue.

Enough sympathies now lets crack the code :

1. Move your car from the Fiat dealer with all its dismantled & damaged parts ( don't leave anything with the dealer, you never know what you will need.)
2. Find a local garage fellow who is willing to take up the project. try for garages that specialise in Insurance claims and accident vehicles.
3. Make a list of all parts required and a separate list of parts which are common to the Palio family. these parts should be cheaper to obtain than the adventure exclusive parts.
4. I personally know of a shop at CST road, Mumbai where you have a fair chance to getting the adventure specific parts. I will trace his number and mail it to you in a couple of days. ( i bought a adventure OE alloy wheel from him ) You could speak to him and then come over one day, make the payment and take the material.
5. You know what to do once u got the parts ..

There's one more suggestion. You could buy a used adventure in excellent condition for about 2.5 lakhs and sell your car in scrap, or you can buy one in running condition for about 1.5 and use all the parts u require. You would still be left with a hell lot of parts which you can share with other adventure owners.

hope this helps....

[phamilyman]

Boss,

That is indeed painful. I can only say that atleast the car saved your lives. Its FIAT which has to save its reputation now!!

[hrsraghav]

Originally Posted by Pashin

Hi Harish,

I must say it was a real close shave. 10-20% more damage would have meant serious injuries to the passengers. I think first we all need to thank FIAT for manufacturing such a strong & sturdy car, i'am sure you would agree to that. . People are surprised when I tell them I enjoyed driving my adventure much more than i enjoyed driving my corolla

From the best of my knowledge Palio Adventures were imported from Brazil since Fiat really did not expect large numbers ( the rhd car is manufactured by Fiat in brazil). So parts are really going to be an issue.

Enough sympathies now lets crack the code :

1. Move your car from the Fiat dealer with all its dismantled & damaged parts ( don't leave anything with the dealer, you never know what you will need.)
2. Find a local garage fellow who is willing to take up the project. try for garages that specialise in Insurance claims and accident vehicles.
3. Make a list of all parts required and a separate list of parts which are common to the Palio family. these parts should be cheaper to obtain than the adventure exclusive parts.
4. I personally know of a shop at CST road, Mumbai where you have a fair chance to getting the adventure specific parts. I will trace his number and mail it to you in a couple of days. ( i bought a adventure OE alloy wheel from him ) You could speak to him and then come over one day, make the payment and take the material.
5. You know what to do once u got the parts ..

There's one more suggestion. You could buy a used adventure in excellent condition for about 2.5 lakhs and sell your car in scrap, or you can buy one in running condition for about 1.5 and use all the parts u require. You would still be left with a hell lot of parts which you can share with other adventure owners.

hope this helps....

Yaa no two doubt about thar car. I still love this car, thats why I am chasing Fiat to get it repaired.
But Fiat attitude is as if its a chinese Use and throw product. Use it and once it get faulty just forget it.

And for the option for packing the car and taking to other place, I need to pay the current dealer 5000 for estimation and opening up charges, and per day 200 parking charges.
And the real problem will be the structural parts, like I need left side body, which can't be used from other car, because its welded.
And they won't be available as a single piece with outside service centers.
I have to come back to FIAT.

[kvish]

Like others said, you can try a local garage instead of a tata service center. Buy an old adventure for 1.5L and get your car restored by them. Looks like TATA-FIAT is not interested in solving your problem anyway.

[.anshuman]

In my Punto ownership thread i have mentioned about this service centre,i dont think these guys are well equipped and trained to sort out any serious issues with Punto and Linea.

On my last visit there i saw many Safari and Indica owners fighting for their rights. Ive mentioned this as well in my thread.

If Mahindra which sells Scorpio in good numbers takes more than a month to source a radiator this much time is expected with a very rare car.