Mr

I purchased Fiat Linea Active from M/S Pandit Auto on Tilak Road Pune in the last week of May 2012. [Chasis No. MCA110A1BXXXXXXXXXXX Vehicle Regn No MH41XXXXX] Now I have reasons to believe that I made a big mistake. Here is why:

While driving the car home, I noticed that it was pulling slightly towards right-side. I also found that the rubber-mat on the spare-tyre cover in the boot was in torn condition. Next day water started leaking from the AirCon. It appeared to that the product was pushed out of the factory-gates without proper & adequate quality-checking.

When I reported the defects to M/S Pandit auto, I was asked 2 send the vehicle 2 them for repairs at a certain date & time but they did not take the car in at the appointed time. I had 2 send it back two days later. I was told that : [a] they had rechecked the wheel-alignment; [b] the leakage in the AirCon was rectified and [c] the rubber-mat wud be replaced only after the Fiat Company authorizes replacement.

Next week I traveled to Ratnagiri. About 100 kms out of Pune, an intermitant rattling sound was noticed from the left front-wheel area. I took out the wheel and checked out the nuts & bolts but everything seemed to be in order. However, the rattling noise persisted. After reaching Ratnagiri, I sent the vehicle to Tata Motors garage and it was noticed that two bolts from somewhere under the belly on the left side were loose. It was fixed in 10 minutes! But this was just another example of inadequate predelivery inspection.

The complaint of car pulling towards right side persisted. I was told by the dealer that this wud be further checked at the time of the first servicing. I sent the car to M/S Pandit Auto for the first free servicing on 20/07/2012. After two full working days [and a holiday in between], I got the car back today morning without being washed! The reason? Their workshop did not have water! When the car was handed over on 20th July, the milometer reading was 5005 kms. When I got it back on 23rd July, the reading was 5050 kms, which means that the car was used by the dealer’s workshop for 145 kms. Their explanation? The car had to be taken for a test-drive. However, the delivery-invoice [No PanditLtd-TR-1213-05372 dated 23/07/2012] shamelessly mentions Kms as '5095! I think not the car but I was taken for a ride.

My conclusions are: [1] Quality-assurance inspection at pre-delivery stage at Fiat motors is suspect or absent ; [2] Customer-Care at M/S Pandit Auto, Tilak Road Pune is non-existent and [3] It was a mistake 2 buy a Fiat Car.

P.D.Karandikar I.A.S.[Retd]

Good Exterrior & interiorPre-delivery quality inspection at Factory : very poor. Afrer sales service : horrible.