Apr 03, 2008 08:25 PM
4898 Views
At any point of time, I will always recommend Fiat Palio - comfort, reliability, features are really good.
People who asked Tata Dealers about Fiat's services, will never get positive response. Tata is giving step-motherly treatment to Fiat. Just yesterday, we went for Test-Drive for Stile and we were told the car is not available. They do not even keep it on display. So Tata has actually cheated Fiat by assuring good support.
I have a Palio for 6 years now and hardly had any problems so far. Now I do servicing once a year as a formality. So I never felt any problem that Fiat does not have many service centres like Maruti. Also any car garage also does repairs for Palio.
As regards, Fuel consumption - Palio gives what it says not like Maruti. Last year, when we bought our second car, Zen (just because ppl talk more about Maruti) - I felt cheated in the end.
They promised city mileage of 15 and I got 10. The response was after 1st servicing it will reach 15. No luck even at 2nd servicing - answer was you get 15 after you reach 10000 Km. I am sure, after 10000 Km, they will talk about 20000 Km for getting mileage of 15
But when we had bought Palio, they told that in Bangalore traffic, it cannot be more than 10 (it was the initial version). Later figures improved with NV.
If you look your monthly running and calculate the difference due to Fuel consumption (which all cars give 10-11 in heavy city traffic where we drive 90% of time), its not much.
Lastly about their marketing policy - All manufacturers show that their car is best by blaming other cars which Fiat never did and cannot do. They have much more features than any other car in same segment but donot boast about it. Possibly its European attitude.
How many ppl know that Stile (from basic version) has Immobiliser, Tubeless radials etc which all other cars have only in their top end versions.
So ask Palio owners and donot go by reviews by ppl taking Test Drives with Hand Brakes ON and then blaming Palio for being underpowered - I think the brakes were powerful which is why it could not move fast. Even my 2002 Palio with 72 BHP runs very slow with brakes ON :-) As per my knowledge the brakes are meant to reduce the speed.
Anyway, now I am waiting for Linea and mostly will exchange our new Zen for Linea. Cannot imagine to sell our Palio which we prefer for all long distance rides.
