FIAT Spare Parts Issue...WHY?

[raj_5004]

I bought my Punto 90hp on Feb 2011. Till now I have had a very comfortable journey with my FIAT. Touch wood the car has given me no major issues.

But, after it's second free service, I noticed a humming sound at speeds. I took it to the nearest A.S.S. (Fortune motors) on 9th of February. They informed me that the wheel bearing has gone kaput & since its a low moving part, they will have to order it for me. The SA told me that the part would arrive in a week.

I confirmed & re-confirmed with the SA before taking delivery that the part would be available in a week. A week passed by & I drove my car with that irritating humming noise, with no call back from FIAT. I called the A.S.S. on 20th (after 10 days) to know the status & they (store manager) informed me that the part has still not arrived. When I asked them that when is it expected, they had no answer to it.

I called some friends from a FIAT forum & they advised me to mail Mr. Mangesh Kodalkar. I mailed him about the same & he assured me that he will look into it. After that, I did not hear from him.

I called up the A.S.S. again today & the store manager is aware of my complaint to Mr. Mangesh & he informs me that the parts would reach Mr. Mangesh on 27th or 28th. So I am assuming that the parts would reach me on 1st or 2nd March, if everything goes right.

Why does a simple wheel bearing take so much time to arrive? If the order was placed on 9th Feb, why is it arriving on 2nd March? Does it take 3 weeks to procure a wheel bearing?

I know that my case is nothing in front of the other serious issues which some members have faced like car being stuck in the A.S.S. for months. Atleast in my case, I can drive around my car, provided I adjust with the noise. But still what is so seriously wrong with FIAT?

Secondly, if this is the case in Mumbai, what about some customer who lives in a non-metro?

It can be possibly a one off case as another member from the same FIAT forum had the same issue with his 90hp Punto & in his case, the part was readily available & the car was delivered on the same day with the replaced part.

WHY FIAT, WHY? Why such inconvenience for a small wheel bearing?

 

[carlotus]

Re: FIAT spare parts issue... WHY?

Mail @ rajeev.kapoor@fiat.com

 

[mukeshus]

Re: FIAT spare parts issue... WHY?

@Raj: Not only Fiat, even M&M does the same way in procuring parts.
The parts in my Hawk go off in such a way that no other cars might have faced such issue.

The last time for the AC blower to get from M&M Mumbai i had to wait for more than a month without AC.

And after all the process they send a standard Apology mail.

God knows why these manufacturers doesn't have a centralised storage of spares at a spare division.

And all the dealers can procure the parts from that place, instead of individual dealers stocking and not knowing whether the part is there or not in their dealership.

 

[raj_5004]

Re: FIAT spare parts issue... WHY?

Mail @ rajeev.kapoor@fiat.com

I will do that if the parts dont arrive by 2nd or 3rd.

Before escalating it to a higher level, I want to give the A.S.S. a chance.

@Raj: Not only Fiat, even M&M does the same way in procuring parts.
The parts in my Hawk go off in such a way that no other cars might have faced such issue.

The last time for the AC blower to get from M&M Mumbai i had to wait for more than a month without AC.

And after all the process they send a standard Apology mail.

God knows why these manufacturers doesn't have a centralised storage of spares at a spare division.

And all the dealers can procure the parts from that place, instead of individual dealers stocking and not knowing whether the part is there or not in their dealership.

Luckily since I am from Mumbai, I have never faced a spare parts issue with my Mahindras.

But this is the first time I am facing a spare parts issue with any of my vehicle.

 

[THE XOVER]

Not only Fiat but Tata too is suffering from problem of parts.Yesterday on my visit to TASS on account of my Xeta servicing saw multiple Nano owners cribbing about parts or the lack of it.Myself returned without getting the right fuel filter which the SA has promised in coming week.

So if mother company is suffering from lack of spare parts so will its subsidary !

 

[jayadev]

Re: FIAT spare parts issue... WHY?

Mail @ rajeev.kapoor@fiat.com

I am damn sure there wont be any response mailing to above ID (fiat CEO) we all know they have lot other things to look for ,than care about grievances of poor customer.

I think it is part of some cost cutting or or other monetary related issue where they do not want to provide prompt spare part back up.
FOOLISH manufacturers, I must say at times like these.

 

[raj_5004]

Re: FIAT spare parts issue... WHY?

Not only Fiat but Tata too is suffering from problem of parts.Yesterday on my visit to TASS on account of my Xeta servicing saw multiple Nano owners cribbing about parts or the lack of it.Myself returned without getting the right fuel filter which the SA has promised in coming week.

So if mother company is suffering from lack of spare parts so will its subsidary !

I know TATA does have spare parts issues but I just learnt that TATA manages the inventory of FIAT spares as well. That's a bad move by FIAT.

P.S.: I guess fuel filter is a fast moving 'service' item & it should be kept in stock ALWAYS.

PS.1: I am REALLY REALLY surprised to hear that comment has come from you.

I am damn sure there wont be any response mailing to above ID (fiat CEO) we all know they have lot other things to look for ,than care about grievances of poor customer.

I think it is part of some cost cutting or or other monetary related issue where they do not want to provide prompt spare part back up.
FOOLISH manufacturers, I must say at times like these.

I am really not sure what would be FIAT's future in India. This is the precise reason why I never recommend FIATs to anyone.

 

[EnfieldRyder]

Raj its sad to hear that for a such a small piece it takes time to be procured. I guess we all need to give some time for FIAT to get out of the umbrella of TATA before saying they got no future. I guess we can't wait for long however they said 2013 is by when they said they are going to setup their own A.S.S

 

[Crazy cat]

That's because Tata dealers don't care about Fiat vehicles. They are not interested in selling them and are not interested in servicing them(experience from my friend's Linea). Fiat sells because people want a Fiat.

 

[dharmesh]

For me, I complained about right front window motor winder and it took them 2 weeks to get the replcaement part, and during my first service I had horrific experience with TASS which I can never forget. I will write about the same in detail in my ownership post once I get some free time to put down all things.

 

[raj_5004]

Raj its sad to hear that for a such a small piece it takes time to be procured. I guess we all need to give some time for FIAT to get out of the umbrella of TATA before saying they got no future. I guess we can't wait for long however they said 2013 is by when they said they are going to setup their own A.S.S

Its high time FIAT starts its own independent A.S.S. now.

That's because Tata dealers don't care about Fiat vehicles. They are not interested in selling them and are not interested in servicing them(experience from my friend's Linea). Fiat sells because people want a Fiat.

To be very honest, I am not totally frustrated right now. I got to know that it is very much normal to have 2 weeks waiting period for parts to arrive, even with Maruti & Hyundai.

But if the parts wont arrive by next week, I will have to escalate this.

For me, I complained about right front window motor winder and it took them 2 weeks to get the replcaement part, and during my first service I had horrific experience with TASS which I can never forget. I will write about the same in detail in my ownership post once I get some free time to put down all things.

Which A.S.S. buddy?

 

[shailinder]

@ Raj, Do not wait till 2nd or 3rd to write a mail to Rajeev Kapoor. As Jayadev pointed out, I doubt you would get a revert from him. But there is no point giving time to A.S.S since they have not done anything in your favor so far.

How about contacting another dealership and asking them to procure a part for you ? Do you have to pay anything as advance before they place an order ?

 

[dharmesh]

Which A.S.S. buddy?

Om SAI Motors in Kandivali west. But good thing is that they are chased it for me. But with that horrific experience, they also shown the good gesture to send the technical person at my home to see the issue that they were not able to resolve during First free service. full story in detail will come later.

 

[raj_5004]

Just got a call just now from Mr. Mangesh Kodalkar from Pune. A very nice, well spoken & helpful gentleman who apologized for the delay in procuring the parts. He also informed me that the parts have reached their warehouse & is being sent to Fortune Motors, which according to him will reach by Monday, 27th February.

He also informed me that he will instruct the workshop manager to give me a call as soon as the part reaches the workshop. Fingers crossed.

 

[Crazy cat]

That's a good gesture from Fiat. But I still feel that Fiat takes care of service directly, these issues wouldn't crop up.