Re: 2014 Fiat Linea T-Jet: Initial Ownership Experience On the Baleno, a colleague used to own one. Had it for eight years. It was bought brand new. He replaced the Baleno with a VW Vento Tsi. I have driven his Baleno extensively and there are some things about the Suzuki that I like even over the T Jet. You sit low, the distance to the steering wheel and the pedals are perfect, the clutch it super light and short in action and the engine is a gem. Responsive as ever. He equipped the car with after market alloys, bigger and better tires, had a strut brace and koni's up front (Stock at the back. The Koni's at the rear sprung a leak). All these changes improved the dynamics of the car so much that it cornered as if it was on rails. I'd go to the extent of saying it handled even better than a T Jet. It was that good. A well kept Baleno still commands a high price in re sale.
On Fiat service, I have a relative in Pondicherry who recently replaced his 2 year old 14,000km run diesel Linea with the face lift Linea. His views were excellent on Fiat service and felt why switch to another brand when service is good. He also finds the car to be much improved over the previous one. I spent some time looking at the face lift Linea and you can get to like it and appreciate the small, different changes to design Fiat have made. The white shade on a Fiat Linea is also quite different from white's I have seen on other cars. The over done front chrome grill no longer looks odd on a white car.
VW's are a little more pricey to fix than Fiat's. However; I feel the company is more accountable and I doubt if you will ever face a spare part shortage issue. With Fiat India, something as basic as radiator hose clamps are not in stock and it could take a really long time to get the part. I also feel they don't train their service engineers well enough to handle complex issues. These are my comments based on owning a Fiat in my city. December will mark 3 years with my T Jet and not a single issue or warranty claim. Rare for a Fiat.
On Hyundai, you will get fantastic service and the Verna is a proven and reliable car. Its no drivers car though.
I was never a fan of the looks of the previous gen Honda City but if you ask me now, I think I'll pick the 3rd gen any day over the City that sells now. Honda nailed it with their first offering, the City and this model continues to impress.
Going by what you paid for the T Jet, the pricing is much lower than what it used to be 3 years ago. It was over 11lacs in 2011. The new pricing and more equipment makes the T Jet the sweetest petrol rocket on sale today.
On handling speed bumps, I recommend you switch to first gear. First and second gear are short in gearing and far apart on ratio which will cause a stall. I decide on slotting first depending on the type of speed hump. You can roll over some speed humps and some are those sharp and short one's. For the sharp short's, you will need to engage first gear.
Drifting of the car and wobbling of the steering wheel is a clear indication of bad wheel alignment and wheel balancing. Easy fix. I recommend a reputed balancing and alignment shop to sort this out over Fiat service. It can take multiple attempts to get this right.
Fuel economy is a concern. The best I've managed is 15.6kmpl and this is with careful highway driving. No hard acceleration and not exceeding a speed of 100kmph. In town, it falls down to 9kmpl, sometimes worse. I say, don't try to hard cause it won't change that much. I feel the car delivers better economy if you drive at a rpm that keeps the turbo spooled up. Off boost is when the car guzzles gas and its no surprise considering the base is the 1.4l Fire engine which was never known to be good for economy or driveability. Cruise control will definitely help during highway runs.
I need to check for the emergency fuel flap release thread. I have not seen this in my car. Is it behind the felt lining? The fuel flap has not given me any trouble. It is not perfectly aligned to the lock so sometimes it needs a firm push else it won't lock.
On ground clearance, I've not faced a major issue between the wheels. What scrapes on my car the most is the front bumper followed by the sump guard as a result of over hang. It is too much and hits easily if there is a rut in the road. 2011 T Jets sit lower too so this may not be an issue with your car.
Congratulations on your new ride. The Fiat Linea T Jet is still THE best drivers car from the segment.
Last edited by sandeepmohan : 14th November 2014 at 09:53.
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