Totally agree with you. Regarding A.S.S., I would love to see an improvement. But it should not be like Maruti. Why do they have a service centre just about anywhere? Because their cars need a service centre just about anywhere. Fiats on the other hand are extremely reliable cars. I can say this from experience after 1.75 lakh Km of driving Fiats. (1 Lakh in the Uno and 75K in the Siena/Petra).
Can FIAT Re-Establish Itself in India?
- Thread Starter RSM
- Start date
![ilango[speed thirst]](/forums/data/avatars/m/0/80.jpg?1543402189){kind=avatar}
Fiat designs are better. I have worked on uno in my workshop days and my mechanic explains there design plus. Each and every part is place by thinking 1000 times before placing them. Now present generation palio have best design under the body.
Have not seen punto and linea's underbody , but i am sure they too must be best.
India taxing policy makes linea have a 1.3L engines. If this is relaxed we can expect a 2000cc mills.
A small eg , a 4 years chassis bolt is much more difficult to open in indicas , where as its as new in a 10+ year old uno. This proves there quality and design. Fiat has its own lovers. Day by day its increasing. So sure Fiat will success.
Have not seen punto and linea's underbody , but i am sure they too must be best.
India taxing policy makes linea have a 1.3L engines. If this is relaxed we can expect a 2000cc mills.
A small eg , a 4 years chassis bolt is much more difficult to open in indicas , where as its as new in a 10+ year old uno. This proves there quality and design. Fiat has its own lovers. Day by day its increasing. So sure Fiat will success.
Would have to disagree with the implied statement that Maruti's are not reliable ... 5 Marutis under the belt, and it had never once given me any trouble on the road, worse than a puncture!!
Service stations are required, for regular servicing, and the more there are, the better.
Just one SS in a city will lead to high handed approaches by them, since you know there is no other choice.
When it comes to SSs, the more the better, the competition will only keep them wanting to improve customer satisfaction to retain loyalty.
Service stations are required, for regular servicing, and the more there are, the better.
Just one SS in a city will lead to high handed approaches by them, since you know there is no other choice.
When it comes to SSs, the more the better, the competition will only keep them wanting to improve customer satisfaction to retain loyalty.
Fiats are definitely more reliable than Maruti's. Infact the old Maruti's were much more reliable than the newer ones. Quality has gone down over the years.
My +1 to that.
My +1 to that.
Thread Starter
#36
Perception is changing : Rajeev Kapoor
I saw this interesting interview with Rajeev Kapoor
Please tell us about FIAT India’s plans for 2010…
2009 was the first year for us…The Linea was launched in January and we have picked several awards for the car including car of the year. So it was a ten month run for the Linea. The Punto was launched in June so it’s been five months. 2010 is going to be the first full year for both the cars. For any car to make an impact it takes time but January so far has been very satisfying, we have already sold about 23,000 units in such a short time and I’m expecting to double these numbers for FIAT brand in India.
In terms of the range for 2010?
We are showcasing the Punto Trendz which is aimed at youngsters – it has bright colours, a good sound system, taking out all the unnecessary frills that raise the price but NOT compromising with the safety, drivability which is now becoming the trademark of the FIAT brand. We are displaying a very high-powered Punto which is 90bhp, which practically becomes a racing car with all the safety features intact. So these two cars will be hitting the road this year as far as India is concerned. We also have feed back on the Linea – a lot of people like the car but are gasoline drivers who feel it is underpowered at present. So we are showcasing a Linea with a turbocharged gasoline engine developing 110bhp and this car will be launched this year. This will actually be the top end Linea in the range. All the standard up-market features will be there. So now we have completed the range – there is a Punto for everyone and there is a Linea for everyone. We will concentrate on these for the next twelve to fifteen months before we think of doing anything else.
We have displayed here a Bi-fuel which is a very high-end technology in terms of CNG and gasoline. There are some very unique features in this Punto – one is the boot space we have been able to create by hiding the CNG tank. Second, in this car, using Fiat and Magnetti Marelli’s technology together the car runs like any other car. Depending on the throttle response the system decides which fuel it wants to run on and keeps on switching back and forth. Also, the filler for the gasoline is the filler for the CNG too. So it’s like a normal car. With both the tanks, the driving range of this Punto is about 1000km which is a long distance.
There are no Palios here – does that mean you are phasing it out? If not, will you be making any changes to the range?
No, the Palio has not been phased out, it is very much there. It’s just that there was only so much space available to us! It will continue in the same avatar however.
The perception of FIAT – spare parts, service-related issues – what do you need to do to change it, take Fiat higher in everybody’s esteem?
Well, there were three phases of Fiat. There was the joint venture with the Doshis, after that it was the full operation of Fiat which is the time the Palio and the Uno were launched and the latest phase which is a joint venture with the Tata Motors. While the cars were launched in 2009, the work on strengthening the service and spare parts network started in 2008 itself. We have established a separate warehouse of spare parts in Chakan, we have reduced the logistics bank, stocking norms have been established, and the training of dealer mechanics is being done by us to understand the technology of Linea and Punto. We have regional training managers but we also have a training centre in Ranjangaon. We also have flying doctors.
What is Fiat First about?
Because of the relationship with Tata Motors, we got the opportunity to establish 65 new dealerships in January 2009 which otherwise was just not possible. Today we are 99 strong. Because of this, I have launched the extended warranty program called Fiat First. 54 months of coverage of which 24 months are from us and the balance from the insurance company. As far as the customer is concerned, he is getting a 54 month warranty. Nobody offers that. We have a roadside assistance program also. So the perception is changing but you will agree with me that perceptions take time to change.
Source - wheelsunplugged
I saw this interesting interview with Rajeev Kapoor
Please tell us about FIAT India’s plans for 2010…
2009 was the first year for us…The Linea was launched in January and we have picked several awards for the car including car of the year. So it was a ten month run for the Linea. The Punto was launched in June so it’s been five months. 2010 is going to be the first full year for both the cars. For any car to make an impact it takes time but January so far has been very satisfying, we have already sold about 23,000 units in such a short time and I’m expecting to double these numbers for FIAT brand in India.
In terms of the range for 2010?
We are showcasing the Punto Trendz which is aimed at youngsters – it has bright colours, a good sound system, taking out all the unnecessary frills that raise the price but NOT compromising with the safety, drivability which is now becoming the trademark of the FIAT brand. We are displaying a very high-powered Punto which is 90bhp, which practically becomes a racing car with all the safety features intact. So these two cars will be hitting the road this year as far as India is concerned. We also have feed back on the Linea – a lot of people like the car but are gasoline drivers who feel it is underpowered at present. So we are showcasing a Linea with a turbocharged gasoline engine developing 110bhp and this car will be launched this year. This will actually be the top end Linea in the range. All the standard up-market features will be there. So now we have completed the range – there is a Punto for everyone and there is a Linea for everyone. We will concentrate on these for the next twelve to fifteen months before we think of doing anything else.
We have displayed here a Bi-fuel which is a very high-end technology in terms of CNG and gasoline. There are some very unique features in this Punto – one is the boot space we have been able to create by hiding the CNG tank. Second, in this car, using Fiat and Magnetti Marelli’s technology together the car runs like any other car. Depending on the throttle response the system decides which fuel it wants to run on and keeps on switching back and forth. Also, the filler for the gasoline is the filler for the CNG too. So it’s like a normal car. With both the tanks, the driving range of this Punto is about 1000km which is a long distance.
There are no Palios here – does that mean you are phasing it out? If not, will you be making any changes to the range?
No, the Palio has not been phased out, it is very much there. It’s just that there was only so much space available to us! It will continue in the same avatar however.
The perception of FIAT – spare parts, service-related issues – what do you need to do to change it, take Fiat higher in everybody’s esteem?
Well, there were three phases of Fiat. There was the joint venture with the Doshis, after that it was the full operation of Fiat which is the time the Palio and the Uno were launched and the latest phase which is a joint venture with the Tata Motors. While the cars were launched in 2009, the work on strengthening the service and spare parts network started in 2008 itself. We have established a separate warehouse of spare parts in Chakan, we have reduced the logistics bank, stocking norms have been established, and the training of dealer mechanics is being done by us to understand the technology of Linea and Punto. We have regional training managers but we also have a training centre in Ranjangaon. We also have flying doctors.
What is Fiat First about?
Because of the relationship with Tata Motors, we got the opportunity to establish 65 new dealerships in January 2009 which otherwise was just not possible. Today we are 99 strong. Because of this, I have launched the extended warranty program called Fiat First. 54 months of coverage of which 24 months are from us and the balance from the insurance company. As far as the customer is concerned, he is getting a 54 month warranty. Nobody offers that. We have a roadside assistance program also. So the perception is changing but you will agree with me that perceptions take time to change.
Source - wheelsunplugged
Last edited by a moderator:
Seems like Fiat is very serious here! But still there are many people out there who think that Fiat vehicles are hard to maintain , they should work hard to change this perception!
@ Peter i do agree with you that Fiat cars are reliable and not that difficult to maintain after seeing you have driven them for long! But Maruti is also not so bad as you say. My friend who is having s Swift drives likes a maniac but still his car hasnt disappointed him anytime till now. His car is almost 5 years now! Maybe your dealer out there in Goa is not good enough. In fact many of my relatives and friends having Maruti products here in Chennai have never complained like this!
And the reason for having many A.S.S is necessary for Maruti. With so many sales accounting for them only few A.S.S in a city will not do them any good as there will be a large pool of vehicles waiting to be serviced then!!![[:)]](https://www.theautomotiveindia.com/forums/images/smilies/Smile.gif "Smile [:)]")
@ Peter i do agree with you that Fiat cars are reliable and not that difficult to maintain after seeing you have driven them for long! But Maruti is also not so bad as you say. My friend who is having s Swift drives likes a maniac but still his car hasnt disappointed him anytime till now. His car is almost 5 years now! Maybe your dealer out there in Goa is not good enough. In fact many of my relatives and friends having Maruti products here in Chennai have never complained like this!
And the reason for having many A.S.S is necessary for Maruti. With so many sales accounting for them only few A.S.S in a city will not do them any good as there will be a large pool of vehicles waiting to be serviced then!!
Thread Starter
#39
How A Brand Was Repositioned
Marius D’Lima, Head – Corporate Communications.
Marius D’Lima, Head – Corporate Communications.
And above most of all their deal with TATA has done a world of good to them!
Fiat cars was always liked by most people due to their sturdy build and great styling but many people feared only the A.S.S!! This was sorted out after their deal with Tata!!
Fiat cars was always liked by most people due to their sturdy build and great styling but many people feared only the A.S.S!! This was sorted out after their deal with Tata!!
Thread Starter
#41
Tata-Fiat opens new showroom in central Mumbai
Tata-Fiat today opened a new showroom in central Mumbai - Galaxy Motors. The showroom is based in Mulund and will be central Mumbai’s flagship Tata & Fiat passenger car outlet.
S Krishnan, vice president, Commercial – Passenger Car Business Unit inaugurated the showroom. Krishnan and Vikram Munshi, managing director, Galaxy Motors said that it’s not just about selling cars, but it’s about a better brand experience. The large swanky showroom certainly does have what it takes to provide the residents of Mulund, Bhandup and Thane a better Tata & Fiat brand experience and will help in better sales in the central suburbs.
Backing up the large showroom, is a fully equipped sixty-four bay service center just a few minutes from the showroom in Mulund making it one of the largest service outlets in the central suburbs as well.
Tata Motors has been expanding its dealer and service network in an effort to be closer to prospective consumers, and with Galaxy Motors now part of the Tata family, they do hope that they can sell a lot more cars in the face of newer competition and retain their chunk of market share.
With both the Tata and Fiat brands launching new variants and products through the year, this new dealership will no doubt, help bolster Tata’s sales numbers in the city of Mumbai.
carwale
Tata-Fiat today opened a new showroom in central Mumbai - Galaxy Motors. The showroom is based in Mulund and will be central Mumbai’s flagship Tata & Fiat passenger car outlet.
S Krishnan, vice president, Commercial – Passenger Car Business Unit inaugurated the showroom. Krishnan and Vikram Munshi, managing director, Galaxy Motors said that it’s not just about selling cars, but it’s about a better brand experience. The large swanky showroom certainly does have what it takes to provide the residents of Mulund, Bhandup and Thane a better Tata & Fiat brand experience and will help in better sales in the central suburbs.
Backing up the large showroom, is a fully equipped sixty-four bay service center just a few minutes from the showroom in Mulund making it one of the largest service outlets in the central suburbs as well.
Tata Motors has been expanding its dealer and service network in an effort to be closer to prospective consumers, and with Galaxy Motors now part of the Tata family, they do hope that they can sell a lot more cars in the face of newer competition and retain their chunk of market share.
With both the Tata and Fiat brands launching new variants and products through the year, this new dealership will no doubt, help bolster Tata’s sales numbers in the city of Mumbai.
carwale
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Slowly but steadily and surely FIAT is coming back in India.
Rebuilding the brand image is one of the toughest tasks for any company but FIAT against all odds seems to be hitting the right spot.
Kudos
Rebuilding the brand image is one of the toughest tasks for any company but FIAT against all odds seems to be hitting the right spot.
Kudos
This is great news! Unlike the Renault-M&M venture , this Tata-Fiat venture is doing wonders for Fiat and is one of the major reasons for the rising of Fiat again!!
I was just wondering half way through the report that rather than showrooms service centers are only important and was happy to know that they have opened service centers also!!
I was just wondering half way through the report that rather than showrooms service centers are only important and was happy to know that they have opened service centers also!!
This is great news! Unlike the Renault-M&M venture , this Tata-Fiat venture is doing wonders for Fiat and is one of the major reasons for the rising of Fiat again!!
I was just wondering half way through the report that rather than showrooms service centers are only important and was happy to know that they have opened service centers also!!
I was just wondering half way through the report that rather than showrooms service centers are only important and was happy to know that they have opened service centers also!!
1. Multijet technology
2. Suspension ans Gear Box
3. Access to FIAT's international markets.
One major thing that most people do not realize is that being with FIAT has improved TATA services and dealerships manifold. Being exposed to working with a foreign brand is a different experience all together.
I worked with one of the TATA FIAT dealers in Jaipur as a Sales Ex. for FIAT and i know how strict FIAT was about how to park the cars in the showrooms, where to put the banners, even the distance from the banners from the ground!!
Continuing the discussion from sales thread, Astonishingly, Punto and Linea aren’t still doing up to the mark as they should have been, and reason is quite clear – Most of the buyers are still afraid about the long-term reliability and after sales back-up. Though, Fiat has initiated free service camps, warranties etc, it is not enough to convince the public. Shouldn’t fiat do something through advertising or other means to convince buyers about their After Sales? This is the actual point where they are lagging and offering only some most value for money products is not sufficient, and it has been now proved.
Drive Safe,
350Z
Drive Safe,
350Z