[architect]

AND... I finally got an FE of 18.69 in a city driving cycle of 300 kms instead of the usual 14-16 kmpl in the city.cheers:

[phamilyman]

I think its time to write an article with the Palio MJD ownership experience tabulated well. Enough to circulate on PUG and here on teambhp to dispel myths of Palio ownership.

And people living within 15-17km of Samyak have lovely service as well, so the Palio experience is perfect! That's the missing ingredient!

[architect]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

I think its time to write an article with the Palio MJD ownership experience tabulated well. Enough to circulate on PUG and here on teambhp to dispel myths of Palio ownership.

And people living within 15-17km of Samyak have lovely service as well, so the Palio experience is perfect! That's the missing ingredient!

PUG has a detailed survey for FE for all its owners to dispel the FE myths. The results are there for everybody to see.

I still believe that a car is only as good as its A.S.S. With Vivek Auto, the experience was terrible, with Elegant, I feel much more reassured, that's it! And they don't seem to be in a hurry to close down either.

That said, I have personally spoken to atleast 20-30 owners of Fiat cars at both Vivek and Samyak. These people are not on TBHP, PUG rarely read Auto magazines. In short, they are not proverbial "fanboys" blinded by their love for Fiats. On top of that, they even have other vehicles at home- typically a Maruti, Hyundai or a Honda. Trust me, hardly anybody regrets buying a Fiat, even in comparision to their other cars.

Given the shortage of parts at times and lack of good ASC, the above sentence itself is quite a compliment.

The sad part is that Tata does not find it worthwhile to market the product. By the time we get around to writing a proper ownership experience after 40,000 kms or so, this car would probably have been discontinued due to poor sales.

The end of the MJD will also mean the end of the Palio. And I think that the entire Palio series deserves a place in the Indian Automobile Hall of Fame for various reasons, both good and bad!!

If only they were still manufacturing the original GTX-SP (the one with ABS-Airbags) and the petrol prices were lower! We can all dream, right?

[jyobeb]

Originally Posted by architect

Thanks a lot Jyodeb... it worked!

2. Metallic Rattling from the rear: Lock assembly (u-shaped holder) replaced under warranty. It was loose, because of a bad spot weld. Jyodeb was right.

Very glad to be of help.

[butcherSS]

I have just given my car for the first service at TATA Service Center Anna Salai Chennai. @ 1620 kms.

First Impression....dear god the garage looks in a god-awful mess and was very very apprehensive.

Then the Service guy comes up to me checks the car and finally starts filling out the bill. I am getting charged 900 for some oil top-up and some cleaning additives... is that fine ? Do they actually add any of this stuff on the first service? Also he was talking about some undercarriage anti-corrosion paint but I flat refused.

I have to pick the car up at 2pm and am now obsessing over it. Also noticed he put down the wrong engine no. on the voucher...where is that beer I need to calm down.

Some one get me some prozac and some helping advice.

[trrk]

Hi butcherSS,

> I am getting charged 900 for some oil top-up and some cleaning additives... > is that fine ?

No. The top up part may be ok, but I doubt it needs any cleaning additives at this stage.

> Also he was talking about some undercarriage anti-corrosion paint but I flat > refused.

Good for you!

> Also noticed he put down the wrong engine no. on the voucher

Get it corrected.

> ...where is that beer I need to calm down.

Get off it!!!!

Please go through the user manual. Before taking it to the service you should have checked the engine oil level. Then you would have known whether it needs any top up. On delivery, if the engine is warm/ hot, the level cannot be correctly guaged.

The checks needed at every service is listed. Go through it and check whether the service advisor touches upon them. When the talk about additives, ask why it is not listed in the manual. The answer would be that it is recommended by TATA / FIAT. Ask him to show the concerned circular correcting the recommendations in the manual.

And if you find a good service advisor, thank him for the good job and try and stick to him.

All the best for you, your service and car!

My Marina TDi has run 9000km after the last oil fill. The oil level is still near the max mark.

[lightpower]

My experience at Concorde ECR was also some what similar. They wanted to add some additives I denied since there is no mention in the manual. Though I agreed for Anti Rust coating which they said has 5 yrs warranty and have got the warranty card as well. I felt it a must for Chennai city.

[architect]

Trrk,

Your advice to ButcherSS is exactly as I would have given. Check the manual and follow what's recommended. It helps. I make it a point to do so before the service and try and get most of the things done as listed.

However, I would add that I have changed oil and oil filter at 900, 7000 and 10700 kms. This is not recommended by the manual, but I have done it. Next oil change is due on the 3rd and last free service at 15000 kms. After that, I will take a call as to follow the recommended cycle of 7500 kms for oil change or try and stick to 5000 kms

[f50xj13]

hi,
the palio is a very good vehicle, god knows why tata does not market it effectively. as for me the prospect of going to a tata service centre for a fiat vehicle is unnerving. eg. who will handle escalations if there is an issue with the vehicle? from what i have heard tata service is not so good even for their own cars.
can someone enlighten me on this aspect.

[krish3]

Architect-: What are the service intervals for the Palio? Are the intervals lesser for diesels?

[AadiAtPlay]

Congrats Architect, for fixing the rattles

How is this for a conspiracy theory?
About FE i think Fiat did not think they would sell so many MJDs so the first few batches did not get proper engine treatment (to save costs i guess) hence we get almost "at par" with market but seeing the sales the newer MJDs and Vista got a better engine treatement (run-in at the factory) so they post mind blowing figures from day 1.

your FE after 11K just seems to prove it in my eyes

[trrk]

Hi architect,

> Your advice to ButcherSS is exactly as I would have given.

Thanks. But it is what anybody should do.

> However, I would add that I have changed oil and oil filter at 900, 7000 and > 10700 kms. This is not recommended by the manual, but I have done it.

That is purely personal and I totally respect your judjement and the reasons behind it. But at least what is there in the manual has to be followed and what is done extra has to be decided by each person.

I have my own idiosyncrasies. I don't use the horn. I don't rotate my tyres. I have downsized my tyres.

[soumikn]

Hi all MJD owners,

I have been reading the MJD ownership experiences in Team-BHP with a lot of interest for a while now.

I am relocating back to India (Bangalore) in December and looking for a roomy hatch. My requirements are as under:

Driving: About 600 Kms (City) + 100 Kms (HW) per month
Preference: Hatchback with some extra boot / rear seating space
Budget: 5-6 lakhs OTR
Already ruled out: SWIFT (lack of space), Indica (no offence, but personally not a big fan of Indica yet) and Getz (maybe phased out next year after I20).

So, that leaves me with Palio MJD, UVA and possibly I20 (depending on the launch price). I know that my driving needs does not normally call for a Diesel car and a Petrol will suit just fine. But, when I look at the cost of these 3 cars, I am effectively getting the MJD at the same price (or lower) than the other 2 petrol versions (the lower diesel running cost being a bonus). This makes MJD very tempting.

Will appreciate any inputs from the Gurus on what would you advice for my needs. Is TATA A** and Palio spares availabilty at least acceptable so that my car does not get stranded for months waiting for spares? Both me and my wife are all for the Palio but the A** concerns are really dampening the spirits some bit.

Thanks,
Soumik

[finneyp]

Originally Posted by soumikn

Will appreciate any inputs from the Gurus on what would you advice for my needs. Is TATA A** and Palio spares availabilty at least acceptable so that my car does not get stranded for months waiting for spares?

Hi Soumik, Palio MJD is a smart choice!

Fiat-Tata A.S.S in Bangalore is pretty good!
You have 4 Fiat Tata ASCs to choose from (Concorde, Manipal, Prerna and GreenTracks).

I goto Greentracks for service etc., they do a good job, though their labour charges are bit high compared to other ASCs.

Fast moving regular spares are easily available, for other spares, ASC need to place a order with Fiat, which normally takes 2 - 3 working days.

[architect]

Hi Soumink

Just like FinneyP has said, owning a Palio MJD is easiest in Bangalore. The car is selling in large numbers out there as compared to other cities and the A.S.S. is the best amongst all Indian cities. And for normal spares / consumables, there's no problem in Delhi, so there shouldn't be any in Bangalore as well.

Please test drive all the cars you have shortlisted and decide based on all the parameters before deciding. (Sometimes, one may listen to the heart as well, as I feel it's not such a bad thing to do so. )