Fiat India — cheating and misleading car owner for a car repair, problem at baroda fiat service centre near dashrath village.

Address:

Vadodara, Gujarat, 391740

Respected sir.

I, as a managing trustee, maniben p. Solanki, on behalf of savaiyanath bal education vikas mandir charitable trust, ahmedabad, had purchased a new fiat linea classic (Diesel variant) car, rto registration no. Gj-27-ah-5452, in march 2015, from bhaskar fiat, near gujarat college, ahmedabad.

Our charitable trust, purchased this diesel car, as we were of the impression that fiat is a good brand and has patent of diesel car engine and even supplies diesel car engines to other car companies. All in vain on the contrary we as a customer are totally dissatisfied with this fiat linea classic car and blame it as a complete high maintenance car, and will never recommend any other person / organisation to purchase such faulty fiat car. We came to such conclusions based on below shared experiences.

Before listing other points, we tell about our recent complain of our fiat car,

In april 2018, for a 3rd year end routine service, we got our fiat car serviced at surat, to have something better satisfaction then previous services done at ahmedabad. It was in vain, as satisfaction was poor and any major issue in the our car, if any was not communicated to us and verbally everything is fine was assured to us. (Nothing was cautioned).

Then on 25th june 2018, when our car was travelling from ahmedabad to surat, near karjan (32 kms from baroda service centre, a signal of engine oil pressure insufficient, turn off the engine, displayed, so driver called fiat customer service number of baroda. They told driver to bring it to nearest service centre. So driver towed it to baroda fiat service centre at dasrath village, as the towing vehicle echo car had to go on express high way, then the fiat linea car was driven 10 kms to baroda service centre at dasrath village. Fiat rsa service was not used as rs. 5000/- charge was told to driver for 32 kms towing only (Karjan to dasrath).

At fiat service centre, they replaced some part costing (Rs. 5183.64), and delivered me vehicle second day with smiling face (May be cunning smile) costing me total rs. 11199/-, at around 6.30 pm in evening. From baroda our fiat car was driven towards bharuch, but travelling just 30 kms from baroda, signal of engine oil pressure insufficient, turn off the engine, displayed again so driver stopped engine and called customer care number of baroda, so fiat person said now service centre is closed and phone is with me and, as previous oil might have hardened in engine so need not worry and you may proceed to your destination. So car was driven to bharuch. During first week of july every 15-20 kms, same signal of engine oil pressure insufficient, turn off the engine, displayed and disappeared as engine was stopped during in bharuch city tour. Fiat company person had said that as previous hardened oil will surface so sometimes such signal may come, so don’t worry about it, and bring vehicle back after 500 kms drive for changing oil later. During 2nd july weekend driver dropped again the our fiat linea classic car at same baroda service centre on friday evening. And second time got delivery on next monday with same smile (Cunning smile) from service person (Mr. Mustafa) that everything is ok for same problem. No charges were taken. During this second visit of our fiat car they (Service centre) had said that car was checked on computer system for any problem. Nothing was found. Also trail run was done and during it signal didnt came. No charge was taken, we have bills and slips for same.

Please note for same problem of a signal of engine oil pressure insufficient, turn off the engine, displayed in our car, so our fiat car came again (Second time) to same baroda service centre and yet problem continued.

After taking the delivery second time on 16 th july for same issue, our fiat car was driven towards bharuch. Nearly 10 kms before bharuch, near asuriya village on national highway, same signal of engine oil pressure insufficient, turn off the engine, displayed. So driver stopped the engine. After 15 minutes when driver put the key in ignition to start the car, no light/ signal came as if battery discharged. And car also didn’t started. Driver called same fiat company baroda service centre persons (Mr. Mustafa & mr. Akshay) and fiat rsa simultaneously. Therafter our car was towed by fiat rsa towards same baroda service centre third time for the same problem signal of engine oil pressure insufficient, turn off the engine, displayed.

So as fiat company in 20 days, if a fiat car has to come again and again at fiat service centre for same problem “engine oil pressure insufficient, turn off the engine”, it is a shame on company service centre.

Fiat making diesel engine, if cannot identify a issue for its own manufactured company engine for same problem “engine oil pressure insufficient, turn off the engine”, it is pathetic.

Also it seems that fiat don’t recruit experts for fiat service centres, who act on their own whims and fancies and go on trial basis experiencing with customer's cars and not solving problems in company made engines.

To continue our complain, therafter, on second day 26 th july, driver got a call from akshay bhai, form fiat baroda centre and driver was give an estimate of rs. 14000/- further for the car repair for same problem signal of engine oil pressure insufficient, turn off the engine, displayed.

(Already rs.11999/- we had paid for same problem “engine oil pressure insufficient, turn off the engine” at first smiling delivery of car to us).

Driver told him to to mr. Akshay to proceed with said new estimate of rs. 14000/-

Thereafter on fourth day, mr. Akshay called us and said us to visit service centre as new estimate was given for nearly rs. 96000/- for same problem “engine oil pressure insufficient, turn off the engine”

As a company why such fluctuations happen in estimating by your so called fiat experts.

When we communicated with mr. Akshay that such huge estimate for same problem signal of engine oil pressure insufficient, turn off the engine, displayed, we cannot bear the expenses, when our fiat car had came 3 rd time for same issue. (We are are charitable trust non profit organisation) mr. Akshay blamed us for all problems and tried to make excuses that it was not responsibility of fiat company rudely. Then why company did not identify the same problem solution in two visits of car for same issue signal of engine oil pressure insufficient, turn off the engine, displayed, therafter mr. Akshay assured the driver that he will bring it to notice of fiat company management there and get some discounts. By which prima facia we felt of mr. Akshay having malifide intentions or cheating us.in short time he reverted to us and gave 20 % discount on the estimate of rs. 96000/- which further asserted our suspicion.

Neverthless without further going into nitty gritties, if company gets our fiat car repaired for the same problem “engine oil pressure insufficient, turn off the engine”, and assure us warranty of non repetition, with negotiable amount around “ 50 % “ discount on 96000/- estimate we may look into it.

If things are not solved by your management positively we as a charitable trust will go for all possible legal recourse (May be consumer dispute resolution forum, other judicial courts and also with ministry of consumer affairs). And we may even use social media platform twitter, telegram, hike, other car companies blogspots, facebook, whatsapp, pm portal, cm portal to write our experience against your fiat company service and full maintenance requiring fiat linea classic car.

Other points of our years long continuing dissatisfaction with our owned fiat linea classic car are as below :

(1) during initial years company provided battery, used to get discharged in just 10 days, very frequently. Checks were made by fiat company service center, ahmadabad, but problem continued. No replacement within tenure was assured. Finally in one year we had to change the battery. (Rs. 8000/- new exide battery costed us)

(2) all districts of gujarat dont have a fiat service center, so service center options were limited and due to it fiat service center staff was enjoying monopoly in their rude behaviour and one sided communication with us. (As a customer you have to tolerate and tolerate only). Also available service centers are in outer skirts of proper cities.

Eg. At sanathal in ahmedabad (40 kms from our ahmedabad office)

Eg. At dasrath in baroda. (15 kms from national express highway)

In bharuch no service centre.

(3) in our fiat car, company provided apollo tyres had to be replaced in just 27000 kms of car journey. Now we went for continental company tyres. (20000/- new tyres cost. Total 4 replaced)

(4) during first year of our fiat car driving, for a minor accident repair, company bill was more than rs. 1.50 lacs, but as insurance option was available it did’nt costed us much. (See the estimations for small jobs at your service centers)

(6) during third year of our fiat car, glow plugs, which provide ignition heat for starting the car, went out of order. For which company said, as glow plugs are quite hardly fitted, engine had to be opened to get it replaced. So right now only 2 of 4 glow plugs are working in our fiat car. Each glow plug cost is just rs. 1200/- per piece, but opening engine will cost us quite high. (Opening engine for such trivial issue, shame on your expertise)

(7) at just 28000 kms of our car journey both front jumpers for front tyres were out of order and were to be replaced, for which company estimate was provided rs. 27000/- in total. (Its unbelievable in a new car in these much kms drive only)

Other complains to exist but, its endless to debate and discuss like fiat car re sale value in market, etc.. Etc..

To sum up we want our problem solve at the earliest with minimum costing to our charitable trust. Expecting a positive response as a customer from a reputed car player.

Thanking you.

With all regards,

Maniben p. Solanki,

Managing trustee,

Savaiyanath bal education vikas mandir charitable trust,

Ahmedabad.

To discus in details driver of the car mr. Bharatkumar can be contacted on [protected] as he knows all the problems faced in our fiat car and in dealing with service centres in details.