[sanjaymugur]

@neoonwheels, only PALIO NV 1.2 versions did not have stabilization bars at the front, PALIO NV 1.6 has the stabilization bar.. its costs around 5.5K

@MalluDude, nope they are different

[yatin]

@sanjaymugur:
I vaguely remember reading something a while ago about the addition of the stabilizer bar - didn't register its authorship at the time. I do have the patience to look it up now that you mention its existence; I will get to it sometime ...
I knew the stabilizing bar up front was there in the MJD and the 1.6; I felt the MJD I test-drove swayed less than the 1.1. So it makes a difference. Thanks for clearing up the warranty-related doubt. BTW, coincidences never cease - the 700 km trip I mentioned is also to the Sakleshpur ghat area. I hope to install the stabilizing bar after I come back - and then find your write-up and copy-paste as my own experience .

[yatin]

@architect:
I suppose the price justifies things like the stabilizing bar being left out; Fiat can always take the view that the 1.1 engine will provide very few situations that use the stabilizing bar outright - the side-benefits of a better ride on bad roads are ignored as the suspension is already "good enough". Lets hope this helps their margins enough for them to be around for another decade or two cheers:.

What I absolutely hate is:
- Fiat not providing the boot fabric insert
- dealers, in general, not providing mud flaps et.al
(or atleast they make giving it look like a major sacrifice on their part)

Regarding a tyre upgrade, I suppose a better (and quieter?) ride is worth giving up a little F.E (due to softer compound?) given my limited expected mileage. The hard part is convincing myself to shell out the extra dough, given that tyre noise is my only complaint right now.

[sups]

Originally Posted by architect

@Yatin: Get that stabiliser bar fixed. And get your tyres upgraded, that's the only upgrade I have been planning for and not getting around to doing, thanks to lack of Vitamin M.

For stile1.1, please suggest a tyre upgrade. I want to stick to R13 and also comfort ride is my top priority. Preferably would like to go for Michelin XM1+. Any suggestion would be very helpful.

[sanjaymugur]

Originally Posted by architect

Fiat cost cutting is very irritating at times.

No, i blame it on we, indians, they don't pay for small nice to have features & also they hate to pay for things which others cant see & appreciate ( should i say get jealous)...

for me it has to be the STONE GUARD which is missing in STILE models..oh ya, it makes the car look good as well.. i really feel the new stile looks incomplete without STONE GUARD.. lucky me, i got it installed by the correct people..

STONE GUARD really comes to forte when u drive on extreme bad village roads...

Originally Posted by yatin

I felt the MJD I test-drove swayed less than the 1.1.

you got it right there buddy, & also your steering will feel tight after installing the stabilizations bar...more so it gives a perfect feel... i give all marks for FIAT for just designing the perfect feeback steering system.. not even skoda has the same feel.. & one guy on yahoo groups ( FiatClubIndia) goes to say that even his BMW's PS is not so perfect as his 1.6 palio PS... ..talk abt passion

[architect]

@Yatin, I agree with you on the issue of survival. While people bash the 1.1 Stile for its biggest shortcomings (Old, mismatched interiors, Poor performance with an FE that's not class-leading or plainly its FIAT badge) one has to agree that the cost-cutting helped to keep the car selling in meagre numbers because of its fairly good pricing.

@Sanjay: How did you get the stone guard fitted and what did it cost you? More importantly, can you show us how the Stile looks after fitting the stone guard?

Originally Posted by sups

For stile1.1, please suggest a tyre upgrade. I want to stick to R13 and also comfort ride is my top priority. Preferably would like to go for Michelin XM1+. Any suggestion would be very helpful.

@sups: I suggest you check the tyre / alloy wheel which has a separate thread for Palio / Palio stile tyre queries. IIRC, XM1 is available for R13 but XM1+ is available only R14 onwards, but I could be wrong. Yokohama A-drives of size 185/R13 (check out Bubby's MJD thread) are available as well as Bridgestone Potenzas (Forza's car) which have been used by TBHP Palio MJD owners

[sanjaymugur]

Originally Posted by architect

@Sanjay: How did you get the stone guard fitted and what did it cost you? More importantly, can you show us how the Stile looks after fitting the stone guard?

no, mine is a 2006 1.2 ELX PALIO NV, it did not come with STONE GUARD, i got it installed here in bangalore at green tracks.. sorry my post got you confused when i mixed & matched my car with STILE & stone guard

it cost me 6K for stone guard & some RS.700/- for installation... but be careful, they need to drill hole into the car body & it has to be measured precisely.... i was under the constant fear of not getting the things done correctly while they were drilling holes.. thank GOD it came out near perfect.... also check at FIAT shoppe as to whether STONE GUARD is available on order or not...

[Bubby]

Originally Posted by sups

For stile1.1, please suggest a tyre upgrade. I want to stick to R13 and also comfort ride is my top priority. Preferably would like to go for Michelin XM1+. Any suggestion would be very helpful.

Even i went for an tyre upgrade to Yokohama A-Drives 185/70 R13 on my MJD.

The braking ability of the car has turned on its head, i now feel much more confident about the brakes, at high speeds as well incase of a sudden braking. The drive is more comfortable, tyre noise has just disappeared and the steering has become a little lighter.

A tyre upgrade is must for all Palio Stiles.

[rudrah]

Originally Posted by sanjaymugur

no, mine is a 2006 1.2 ELX PALIO NV, it did not come with STONE GUARD, i got it installed here in bangalore at green tracks.. sorry my post got you confused when i mixed & matched my car with STILE & stone guard

it cost me 6K for stone guard & some RS.700/- for installation... but be careful, they need to drill hole into the car body & it has to be measured precisely.... i was under the constant fear of not getting the things done correctly while they were drilling holes.. thank GOD it came out near perfect.... also check at FIAT shoppe as to whether STONE GUARD is available on order or not...

Could post the pics of your Car with the stone guard?

[phamilyman]

Can someone post a pic of the stone guard? My VDi must've endured almost hundred stone hits on underbody in the madness called Parashar lake.

I was planning underbody protection plate (skid plate) but this stone guard is interesting.

[sups]

Originally Posted by Bubby

Even i went for an tyre upgrade to Yokohama A-Drives 185/70 R13 on my MJD.

The braking ability of the car has turned on its head, i now feel much more confident about the brakes, at high speeds as well incase of a sudden braking. The drive is more comfortable, tyre noise has just disappeared and the steering has become a little lighter.

A tyre upgrade is must for all Palio Stiles.

Just went to the tyre section. Here are my findings:
Stock tyre size of palio stile1.1 is 165/80 R13.
Corrct upsize is 175/75 R13 or 185/70 R13
Since I want to go with Michelin XM1, the size 175/75 R13 is not available with Michelin, so need to go to 185/70 R13, the same as you did but with Yokohama. Can somebody tell will 185/70 R13 would be too much for underpowered stile1.1? You have MJD, so no issues with power.

[sanjaymugur]

this is what stone guard/running board of FIAT PALIO looks like...( not mine though, will post pics of my car with STONE GUARD later)

[chetan]

i think the stone guard is not necessary for the stiles coz unlike the previous gen palios the stiles have higher ground clearance , on second thought having it wont hurt either.

guys please tell me if green tracks is reliable and good at servicing coz my 1.6 had an accident when it was parked, some moron had banged into the front light and it was smashed along with the bumper , so i thought of taking it to to green tracks.On the way i stopped at a garage where the person there repairs only FIAT cars , there an elderly genetlman suggested me not to take the car to green tracks and that they were bad. So guys tell me wheather i should or not coz i have one more free service left . I have never had any problems with concorde exceot they mess up the interiors with grease.

[Bubby]

Originally Posted by sups

Just went to the tyre section. Here are my findings:
Stock tyre size of palio stile1.1 is 165/80 R13.
Corrct upsize is 175/75 R13 or 185/70 R13
Since I want to go with Michelin XM1, the size 175/75 R13 is not available with Michelin, so need to go to 185/70 R13, the same as you did but with Yokohama. Can somebody tell will 185/70 R13 would be too much for underpowered stile1.1? You have MJD, so no issues with power.

Yoko A-Drive is more of an comfort tyre, this tyre is mainly designed to give you 60% comfort, 40% performance ( at high speeds ).

Trust me they will do a good job in your 1.1

[sups]

Originally Posted by Bubby

Yoko A-Drive is more of an comfort tyre, this tyre is mainly designed to give you 60% comfort, 40% performance ( at high speeds ).

Trust me they will do a good job in your 1.1

@Bubby. Thanks for your response. I am only worried about the fact that would 185/70 profile be too much for a 57BHP car? Your MJD is lot more powerful and hence make a lot of sense. But for stile 1.1, if 185/70 reduces the pick-up that would be bad. Dont know how to check before fitting it.