Team-BHP - My experience with the Linea

So here i go - finally writing my experience with the Linea. Been planning this for last couple of months now, finally got down to it!

After 5 years of driving a small car (A 800 followed by an Alto), I finally was in a position to buy myself a big car - a dream of mine for 5 long years.

Cost still continued to be a deterrent and Swift was a natural choice (or progression, you can say).

After lot of deliberation, calculations and recalculations I finally convinced myself (and my wife) that we could afford a bigger car.

Now stretching from a budget of about 6.5 lakhs, the next available range was between 7-9. The only options available in that range were - Dezire, Indigo (manza was still not lunched then), Linea, Verna & mebbe an optra / City.

I was looking for a Diesel, so City was straight away ruled out. So was Indigo (I somehow can’t stand anything from the Tata stable). Optra was slightly out of my budget and so ruled that out too. So the choice was now between Linea, Verna & Dezire.

Verna - Umm, a little old now.
Dezire - Umm, dunno, not a big fan of its looks.

Voila, there I was, left with only option - THE FIAT LINEA.

Secretly, I loved that vehicle too much to even go for any other options. But had to convince myself and justify my own conscience and hence, went through the entire process.

Now came the stage, when you start researching weather the car of your choice is THE car to go for. After reading 100s of reviews through various forums (most of them on T-bhp), I made up my mind - I Finally Finally decided - Linea was my choice!

Oh BTW, in this entire process, I'd already taken a couple of test drives in Pune as well as in Mumbai.

How could I not chose that machine which has such amazing looks, so much of space and such a sturdy looks which apparently gives such an awesome mileage. Yes, considering that I'm a cost conscious person, cost of driving was one of my concerns.

Then came the process of arranging for finances, etc. but won’t delve much on it here since I am wanting to describe nothing but just Linea on this forum.

So, I booked the car finally a little before Diwali'09 hoping for it to be delivered by Diwali. It wasn't quite delivered during Diwali, but a little after that. No complaints here. I was told it'll not be delivered by then, and it wasn't!

I was told that a Flamenco Red, Diesel had a waiting period of about 4 weeks, but these blokes actually managed to deliver it within about 3 weeks. Oh, BTW, I'd booked it with Balaji Motors - Thane.

Here I was - Finally - A Flamenco Red, Fiat Linea, Dynamic Pk. All mine!clap:

In the initial days of my driving - I dunno if I can give an accurate overview of the car, because, most of it was excitement and nothing else. Now that I've driven it for nearly 5 months and have clocked some 6000 odd KMS, I think i can share a more appropriate personal review of the car.

So here i go -

Looks - I think, it’s the only best looking car in that segment. No two ways about it. I'm undisputedly in love with the looks. Everytime I see my own car, I can't help but stop and appreciate the beauty (yeah, I'm a sucker for looks, if you wanna so say!)

Build quality - I feel it’s got a very very strong build quality. Fortunately, I havent had a chance to get an experience on it and wouldn't even want to.. But, generally speaking, when you lean against the car, like most of the other cars the metal doesn't depress in which itself speaks about the build.

Interiors - Nice, nothing to complain about. I quite like it. The quality looks nice. The beige and the black are well blended. The styling is excellent.

Features - After having used an 800 and an Alto, I was in love with all the driver information system that has been bundled up in the car. Though, i dont have the revolutionary Blue n Me, what I got was more than sufficient to impress me.

Space - pA complete OMG. It’s got some serious oodles in there. Comparatively taller that I am, even after taking the seat really behind, the back seat is still spacious. One day, we were some 6 of us ‘comfortably’ traveling in the car.

Driving comfort - Umm.. I dunno, guess i shouldnt comment on it. I tend to have an inherent lower back problem and this car, like many others does give me a sore back on long drives. So I dunno if its the car or me. But largely, not much of an issue.

Mileage - :thumbs upWoahhh... Most of the times, I am driving only in dense traffic area during the peak traveling hours. My average speed, according to the information system, is usually in the range between 17-19. And for that speed, I get a rocking 12-13 KMPL on diesel. Moment I'm on an average speed of 20 - 25, I get an average of 13-15 KMPL. I usually never get an average speed of anything above 25 KMPH while in the city. Recently, I did 2 long drives - one on the mumbai pune express way and next on the Mumbai Ahmedabad highway. Both the times, with the AC on through out the journey, I got a mileage little shy of around 18. While on the Ahemdabad road, one way, I drove without the AC on and this time, I got a mind boggling 19.7 KMPL.

Power - Hmmmmm.. here is where the catch is. These jokers made such a long, sturdy, heavily built car but packed it up with a small 1.3L Diesel engine. How inhuman of them to do this. But then, its more of getting used to. It just involves you having to shift gears a little too often. I'm by now completely used to it and doesn’t bother me any more.

So here my final judgment of the car – If you are one of those speed monsters, please stay away. But if you are one of those mileage conscious guys, who also wants looks coupled with the space, then – LINEA IS A COMPLETE VFM.

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