[neotraveller]

geash,

1) The seat-height adjuster seems a major problem. There is no way we can avoid hitting it. When getting out of the car, as soon as I put my foot outside, my thigh WILL slide onto it. Seems like everybody should have this problem?
If we have thick seat-covers, we will find the seat height raised. So maybe this is a temporary solution.
Anyways, it'll be good if you can demonstrate to them.

2) Also the chrome from the quarter-panels plates falling off.
I was wondering how come I dint have this problem all this while, and touched and fiddled with the rear-left one, and lo it came off. success!

[coolboy007]

Originally Posted by neotraveller

geash,
2) Also the chrome from the quarter-panels plates falling off.
I was wondering how come I dint have this problem all this while, and touched and fiddled with the rear-left one, and lo it came off. success!

What??
Seems i will have to advise dad too to avoid that spot but what were you doing that it came off? You were pulling it out to check adhesive power ?

Seems there is a big problem in these chrome strips on window panels, adhesives are getting weak but happy that the chrome strips fell in the hands of all owners and not on the road
Get a FEVI bond, Vahanpujari has also done it that way.

[HappyWheels]

Hey Geeash,

Came back from the same exercise, but not the waxing part. Just a through clean, both in and out! 2 hrs!

And wish you all the best for the meeting; I hope you are able to get the point across.

[neotraveller]

I was at the car decor shop yesterday to put sunfilm and had nothing better to do. So was trying to inspect my strips as quite a few reported this problem .... tapped in the middle, felt a little loose. Then i touched the left portion ... it just came off. It wasn't a surprise for me buy you should have seen the bewildered look of the shop owner .. he was like how can such things fall off a car!
Thanks to vahan, i knew exactly what to get ... fevi bond. I will stick it now and apparently we have to leave it for 1-2 hrs for good adhesion.

Originally Posted by coolboy007

what were you doing that it came off? You were pulling it out to check adhesive power ?

Get a FEVI bond, Vahanpujari has also done it that way.

[pranava999]

My quarter glass strip came off in the first month itself. Rather I did half the honours. Will get it glued back during the first service.

[trrk]

Hi,

Originally Posted by geeash

Is something wrong there? . Have they overcharged me?.

Shall we wait until someone posts a bill from Chennai.

Your bill mentions that it is a labour service bill. So the service tax part is correct. But why VAT? No spare parts are mentioned in the bill. Hence the doubt.

[VahanPujari]

Originally Posted by pranava999

My quarter glass strip came off in the first month itself. Rather I did half the honours. Will get it glued back during the first service.

Pranava - suggest you do it yourself. Get a small tube of rubber-adhesive Fevi Bond @ rs. 8/-, apply it on both the surfaces (chrome & the groove) & it'll stick.

Exactly like neotraveller, I was all the while wondering why my chrome strips are still not falling off. Just happened to touch it while was waxing the car& oops, it fell of (again from infamous rear-left quarter glass). Got it fixed with Fevi Bond & I liked it so much that I checked all pieces of strips everywhere by tapping them. In case if any is loose, want to stick it rather than lose it while I'm driving.

Advantage with Fevi Bond is its rubber adhesive, hence does not create a layer & does not cause any harm to the surface. It can even be pilled of from the surface like chewing gum in case you want it

Generally, I never touched my earlier Ford Ikon for even such minute thing as I trust such cars to be treated only by authorised personnel. But after seeing Tata-Fiat service station from close quarters, I strongly felt against to give it to them during 1st service to stick. who knows if it's lost in all hulla-gulla at service station? Who knows they have the correct adhesive & not use any other which actually harms the rubber part?

[geeash]

Your bill mentions that it is a labour service bill. So the service tax part is correct. But why VAT? No spare parts are mentioned in the bill. Hence the doubt.

Will ask them tomorrow about it thanks!!.

[nehamit]

Originally Posted by neotraveller

geash,

2) Also the chrome from the quarter-panels plates falling off.
I was wondering how come I dint have this problem all this while, and touched and fiddled with the rear-left one, and lo it came off. success!

Originally Posted by VahanPujari

Pranava - suggest you do it yourself. Get a small tube of rubber-adhesive Fevi Bond @ rs. 8/-, apply it on both the surfaces (chrome & the groove) & it'll stick.

Dear Ashwin and Amit,
As I mentioned in my post, Mr. Satish from Fiat, who was at my place on 01/06/2009 for feedback, mentioned that initial lot had this problem of poor quality of glue, which Fiat sourced from Turkey and was not able to function properly in Indian conditions. He also mentioned that now this problem is solved and the earlier lot vehicles are being properly checked for this glue problem at the time of service and they have a special adhesive for the same. I suggest you contact your dealer and/or Fiat official for rectification of this problem.

[geeash]

I was present at the car and coffee meet at concorde yesterday. I had reached there well in tiime with my washed and waxed linea. It was organised by tata and fiat as both officials were there.

Minutes of the meeting

Initailly we were told to introduce ourselves and say our experiences in concorde and with linea (even the palio owners were there). I told them bluntly that the experiences with my car has been fantastic but with concorde, it was mixed and A.S.S was pathetic.

The car and coffee meet seems to be the first one hosted by tata-fiat JV in india. Seems they are planning to do that in other parts of india too very soon each week. It was meant for social networking with other fiat owners and with fait perse. It was more of a meeting to address the apprehensions we have about fiat. They kept insisting that the linea spare parts are freely available and thay are improving the quality of service.

I said the *** was pathetic and showed them the photos and for that they replied that the service mechanics were all along tuned to service indicas and sumo and safari ( which belong to separate class of people. indica- taxi, sumo- travels, safari- politicians) and adressing volumes of vehicles . So when they are now getting executives which bring their sedans they are finding a little bit difficult to up the skills and deliver things to that standard. And thats why all these problems are happening. They also assured that necessary steps are being taken to increase the standard and capability of mechanics which will definitely reflect good on company in 3 months time.
A few of them also had similar complaints of the chrome beading which they said they will look into.

I personally talked to the CSM Mr.Vikram And Mr.natraj and told them about the seat issue and issue of the chrome beading. They said they will get back within a week time about it.
Seems they are planning to hold these coffe and car meets monthly here to know the feed backs. They are also on the plan of initiating Cars And Coffee® - The Original Car and Coffee Lover Event - Atlanta, Georgia by which fiat owners can join and interact with themselves and the officials.

Seems Punto launch is on 17th of june and bravo is coming in november just like fiat 500 ( import).

A quiz was conducted regarding fiat and i was able to anser a question in that for which i won a miniature model of linea. They said they will courier it back to me.
Finally they gave each and everyone a small gift which was a umbrella and everyone came back happy.

PS:1. Got some inside info about grande punto. Will post it in the grande punto thread.........
2. Met Mr.John who is not a team-bhp member but he recognised me as he is a regular visitor of team-bhp as guest. Seems it was my thread and vahanpujari's thread which had influenced him to book a linea petrol emotion white colour. Seems he is getting the vehicle delivered on wednesday and will soon be a part of team-bhp.........

[manish7]

Thanks for great info geeash. I like this Car & Coffee concept a lot!
As for Chrome stuff, why can't they have clips or screws to put them in place instead of just gluing them. In fact I'd be glad if car comes without them chrome strips, it will look much better. I remember someone had posted pic of Linea being sold abroad without those chrome strips.

[trrk]

Hi,

Slightly off topic:

Originally Posted by geeash

I said the *** was pathetic and showed them the photos and for that they replied that the service mechanics were all along tuned to service indicas and sumo and safari ( which belong to separate class of people. indica- taxi, sumo- travels, safari- politicians) and adressing volumes of vehicles .

If they (the TATA people) have said this, it is really a sad thing. I am having Tata vehicles since 1996 - Sumo, Safari, Indica and Marina - and none of them have stranded me on the road. I have always have found the service good and there has been no instance of gong back for the same trouble a second time. To this day, they have not scratched my car or made the car dirty.

Either I am lucky or I am using some other company's service centre thinking it as Tata's!

[pranava999]

"..the service mechanics were all along tuned to service indicas and sumo and safari ( which belong to separate class of people. indica- taxi, sumo- travels, safari- politicians) and adressing volumes of vehicles . So when they are now getting executives which bring their sedans they are finding a little bit difficult to up the skills and deliver things to that standard. And thats why all these problems are happening. They also assured that necessary steps are being taken to increase the standard and capability of mechanics which will definitely reflect good on company in 3 months time."

I think that is such a lame excuse and does not reflect greatly on TATA too. Any car owner irrespective of his standing deserves to be treated as a valued customer. It's not like they service for free.

Whoever made that statement sure knows how to put his foot into his mouth and kill the brand he is representing. Must count his blessings that this was not in front of any TV crew.

I think Fiat would have been better off if they had hired/trained dedicated FIAT service personnel on their own payrolls, and placed them at larger dedicated service centers rather than trying to upgrade skills of existing tata mechanics.

[geeash]

These are the pics after the DIY washing and waxing. Looks as good as new.

[VahanPujari]

Ah, you beauty. after waxing Linea feels like she just has had make-up

On a serious note, some portion of bonnet in my car I could see a difference in shining. Some portion shining is less. When I did the waxing, some shining came back but now again its visible difference. What could be the reason & can I get the original shine back?