[Vibhav-Van]

My suggestion would be to keep that gem of a machine for as long as you can. As others have mentioned, Fiat’s are very hard to replace, more so the Tjet.

A couple of years ago, I was in a similar dilemma while searching for a replacement for my 2010 Punto 1.4 Fire. I was considering 3 factors for the next car- ground clearance, steering feel/feedback and dynamics. My budget was 10L, and I tried most cars in that bracket. Duster, Ecosport and Nexon made it to the shortlist. Finally chose to go with the Ecosport, and the experience has been great so far.

As far as reliability goes - I found the Punto to be quite reliable, and a trustable highway companion. There’s no reason you should doubt your Tjet’s reliability after it has served you well so far. Maybe consider changing the fluids at shorter intervals and inspect for wear and tear more frequently than before.

I must admit that the Abarth really pulled my heart strings. It still does. But I just couldn’t convince myself to spend a million rupees on something that was going out of production. Some day, I hope I’ll be lucky enough to pick up a well-kept example for a decent price.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by nandadevieast

I will keep it short. I am in the market to replace my Linea T-jet (2015).

All I can say is, you really need to read this thread buddy - why one must NOT sell their 5-year old car. Especially when it's a depreciation disaster like the Linea. If you absolutely need an AT and can't live with the MT anymore, I would recommend a lateral upgrade, so that whatever you lose in depreciation on the Linea, you make up with the lateral upgrade.

Another problem is the upgrade budget. You spent approximately a million bucks on the Linea in 2015 and have the same budget for your new car. 10-12 lakhs in 2015 bought more than in 2020 (inflation).

I am looking for an AT. And the other thing that could be a reaction to my Linea ownership experience, is the trust factor, the after sales service. Yaris scores heavily on these two counts.

Yes, but you'll die of boredom. It is yawn-inducing to drive. I'd rather have fun for 363 days of the year and endure some inconvenience for the balance 2 days @ the time of maintenance.

Nexon 2020 Diesel MT

Major downgrade from a T-Jet.

I can sort of replicate the Linea experience with Rapid or Jetta maybe.

Now you're talking. If I were you, I'd strongly consider a Jetta DSG. Won't be like a Toyota to own, but the reliability is "good enough".

From new AT cars, a T-Jet owner can only look at:

- Rapid AT
- Polo AT
- EcoSport AT, very sorted.
- Creta / Seltos AT. Take the turbo-petrols for a spin and you'll be pleasantly surprised. They are genuinely fun to drive on the open road, but priced higher than your indicated budget.

Originally Posted by akshay380

One thing that you haven't mentioned is the dynamics. Show me one car today that is as sorted as Linea with that hydraulic PS

So true. The Linea defines purity to me. But I must say, "driving pleasure" can be derived in different ways. It doesn't always have to be about hard cornering or crazy acceleration. As an example, I recently drove the Harrier AT on the highway & in the city. I genuinely "enjoyed" cruising on the expressway in India. Not a handler, but a different kind of fun. I also recently drove the '20 Thar whose petrol revs to merely 5,500 rpm and is a sorry handler. But again, I enjoyed cruising in it as much as the 330i & C63 AMG I drove before it.

While I love cars that are fast & tight handlers, I derive an equal amount of pleasure from some / special cars that are slow & sloppy.

[akash_v12]

Originally Posted by nandadevieast

I will keep it short. I am in the market to replace my Linea T-jet (2015). These are the options that i have been thinking about

I'd recommend not selling the Linea until it is such that you absolutely cannot live with it. Parts for FCA cars are still not an issue with Jeep in the Indian Market and the T-Jet is a car which is very difficult to replace. You could revamp your car with accesories and keep it for 5 more years (Read this! Your car's midlife crisis) (Your car's midlife crisis - How to rejuvenate your existing car and save a lot of money). Invest the money somewhere for 5 years and you can buy a bigger, better car in the future.

[landcruiser123]

Please hold on to the car unless you absolutely need to change it. There aren't cars which can offer a driving experience similar to the Linea T-Jet. Invest the $$$ and plan for a bigger car a few more years later.

The new City will get the 1.0 turbo at some point and we can expect the new Verna (maybe 2022) to be loaded with great engine/transmission combos. Also, no saying what Kia and MG/other Chinese companies might offer in 1-3 years.

EDIT: Since there are a few Abarth Puntos on the road, you can expect parts to be available for a quite some time.

[Plymouth_Fury]

Like most of the people here already mentioned, I would also advise to hold on to your t-jet for as long as you can. Having said that, it is you who knows better on your MT drive on daily basis and the cost/hardwork in keeping the car in pristine condition.

If you absolutely need to change, Rapid AT and City AT might be good contenders. As GTO said satisfaction might always not be about cornering abilities or the connected feel. Maybe the new wheels will give you a different kind of pleasure.

Lateral upgrade to an Octavia/Jetta might also be a good option. there should definitely be individual garages who are well versed with the Volkswagens since they are very popular. You may just need to do some research locally for such garages. My two cents

[sidindica]

Originally Posted by nandadevieast

Hi everyone

I will keep it short. I am in the market to replace my Linea T-jet (2015). These are the options that i have been thinking about:

So, thanks.

What I will suggest is

a) get it remapped from wolf (INR 25ish k)
b) fit a garrett steller intercooler or airtec intercooler (25-50k)
c) Lower with cobra springs (24k)
d) fit a forge intake kit (26k)
e) fit an full system automech exhaust (approx 25k)

For less than 1.5 lakhs, you will have a different animal, and you will thank us later. These machines are meant to be enjoyed for as long as you can.

For the rest of convinience, keep a polo AT or a Grand i10 NIOS AMT (if on a tight budget).
In Mumbai, Vroom pointe has a very good service.

If you still get bored, ping us again in this thread, we will make your linea a bigger firecracker.

Remember, you live only once.

[nandadevieast]

Thanks again for the practical advice. @GTO What you say makes sense, and that 5 years article is an eye opener. For some reason i never read it before.

Since you are the one who reviewed Linea T-jet and i suppose you may have driven Rapid AT/MT as well. I will appreciate if you could point out few broad differences between the two that matter.

Does that 6-7 year warranty give you some peace of mind, or they still find a way to get money out of your pocket?

@sidindica @plymouth_fury and everyone else, thanks so much. Your advice is bang on.

Maybe this is not the place to ask, but those of you who know, can you point to few good FNG’s who deal in Fiat? Can be anywhere in Bombay.

Thanks ��

[nimishlalwani]

Hi,
I'd like to add some thoughts as someone who owns both the Linea and the Polo GT TSI. In terms of dynamics the Linea is way better than the Polo. The Polo is stable but the Linea is way more fun to drive. Somehow for me, no other car evokes as much emotion as my Linea. As GTO said, an SUV delivers a different sort of fun. But no other sedan at this price point delivers as much fun as the Linea!

[charanreddy]

This is coming from a Nexon Diesel AMT, do take a test drive and not reject it outright. It is not as bad as made out to be.

[mitsalltheway]

I am a 2 time Linea owner. 1st was a brand new 2010 Diesel Emotion and current is a pre owned 2010 T Jet Emotion Plus. I have been using only Lineas from the past decade and thoughts of what to replace it with keeps me up at night sometimes

I have been maintaining my T Jet at Vroome Pointe, Navi Mumbai and have " NEVER " faced spares availability issues or unreasonable costs. Of course you cant compare upkeep costs to a Maruti but its still lesser than many other brands.

I think there is an ARAI regulation that needs manufacturers to provide spares and service backup for atleast 10 Yrs post stop of sale of the model, that's 2029 for you ! With MOPAR and JEEP in the picture this will happen surely.

These are the reasons why I am going to keep my T Jet till its wheels fall off !

But still if you intend to replace, Yaris seems to be a good choice (considering AT and support concerns). Dont know whether the drive is even 10% as good.

Or how about keeping the Linea and adding an AT hatchback for convenience, have the cake and eat it too !

[ash22]

Linea T-jet is gem of a car and it is not that easy to replace the same.

Your Requirement - CVT & After sales service comfort.

Suggestions -

Honda City - CVT/Excellent After sales service
Honda Amaze - VFM/CVT/Excellent After sales service

Hyundai Verna - CVT/Excellent After sales service

[Vipin Kumar]

I can see only the need for an AT as the real point here. Otherwise, why should one replace a gem like Linea T-Jet, that too, as the owner himself claims, when the car is kept in pristine condition?

I have always thought and considered Linea T-Jet as one of those cars that one can keep till the time one absolutely doesn't get any parts or service backup from anywhere.

Ironically, notwithstanding its worth, you will not get much in selling the Linea. So, the wiser decision will be to retain Linea, and for the purpose, also consider an efficient fng (as @mitsalltheway above said he does) besides the FIAT service, for routine work.

So, if I were in your place owning a Linea T-Jet and needing an AT, I would check if I can manage the parking space, etc at home, and then proceed to buy a beater AT - Polo or Ecosport - (and not Rapid because I have a sedan/Linea) and use that AT regularly. I will use Linea T-Jet for long highway rides (which may be occasional and in which I will not have much clutch exercise).

[gulerianeeraj]

Hi
I have both Fiat and Skoda with me albeit both are diesel. My take on your dilemma option wise
1. Keep your Linea if ain’t giving you problems so far. If the vehicle is in mint condition and you are getting good service along I don’t see any reason for you to change it. Trust me There’s nothing that can match the driving pleasure offered by a fiat.
2. If you must change it than I’ll suggest look for new Rapid or Vento. I’m unsure about Manual or Auto since Auto is the Torque converter one. I haven’t driven it so can’t give a feedback but manual is also great. Though clutch is on a heavier side.
3. Try Seltos/Sonnet. Both seem decent and have decent gearboxes.

PS: I’ll again say don’t change it unless until it’s started giving you mechanical troubles.
Regards
3.

[rdst_1]

Nobody has asked you this yet and not many will as most people are just hung over about Fiat's driving dynamcis and 'fun to drive' aspects, but what is your average car usage. Do you drive mostly in congested city traffic or open highways? Since you yourself mentioned that Linea has a light clutch, why do you feel the need to switch to an AT.
At the end of the day, any vehicle can have a breakdown. My only vehicle is a 2002 Fiat Palio and it has never left me stranded anywhere. But even if that were to happen once or twice in 18 years, I wouldn't be too harsh on the car for that. You seem to have had a very good experience till now and there is no reason that should change. Also there is no guarantee that your new car can't be a lemon, even if it is a Toyota. Tata and Mahindra cars, even these days, have lots of early niggles.
There is no reason, apart from having to drive in choc-a-block traffic daily, that you should be considering replacing this car so soon. I am not saying this because I am a Fiat/driving enthusiast . Hell, I believe, no matter what car one buys, one can't have any fun or test out the much hyped driving dynamics of any car if they are driving legally and safely/sanely in India. I am saying this because you will lose so much money on such a nice car just because you sold it too soon.

[The Rationalist]

Originally Posted by nandadevieast

that 5 years article is an eye opener. For some reason i never read it before.
Does that 6-7 year warranty give you some peace of mind, or they still find a way to get money out of your pocket?

Dude! I would be mortally terrified to be in your shoes! How on earth will you find a worthy replacement for Linea T-jet? Only 2 cars come to my mind, Global Fiesta and Jetta , but the former is only available in manual version. Jetta DSG as GTO suggested is your best bet. Or else wait for Nexon DCT. But if you can live with T-jet for another couple of years, nothing better than that. I found its clutch travel too long. But there is some guy who does modifications to make manual transmission to auto clutch and he is based in Mumbai.

Rapid is such an old car, forget about 5 or 6 year warranty. It's better to buy a more modern car.