[PaddleShifter]

Originally Posted by vivekshukla

What we like:

Control stalks - now I prefer left stalk for turn indicators


What we would love to have -

3. Electric folding ORVMs
4. Tons of bottle and glass holders - it's a large car please make some space
5. Reverse illumination like Bravo

Congrats Vivek. Linea is an awesome car. It is longer than many higher segment cars like Jetta, Corolla Altis etc.

Even I have started liking left hand arrangement of turn indicators. It is more convenient.
Many things may look irritating at the time of test drive but it is so easy to adjust to them quickly.

Everything in Punto and Linea has been designed for styling and that reflects in some things that may not look very effective to utilize but at least look great. e.g. The center console in the floor has small cup holders as the main priority was design.

Bigger cup holders will need wider center console in the floor if cup holders are to be placed side by side.

[vivekshukla]

This Sunday, 26th Sep, my Linea has clocked 1000 kms and I plan to write detailed driving experience - things which I like and don't like. But before, I start need to talk about interiors etc.

The car comes loaded so there's a very little you can do with it. I have just added sun film (came complimentary) and seat covers. I don't like to put any stickers or any other items in the car - no hanging good luck feng shui as I believe in 'c'arma. If I maintain her well, she will never let me down.

I was not planning to go for seat covers earlier but my wife suggested to go for something vinyl or leather because of the baby. I didn't had the moolah to spend on Stanley so after searching for several options decided in favour of Gsport. My brother's 4 year old Swift has gsport seat covers and they are in perfect condition despite being art leather. I have often seen that top layer of art leather seats start peeling in 6 or so months but not gsport.

There's a new shop at Kasturi Nagar who is exclusive dealer for g-Sport and their catalogue had a variety called Europa which they say is full grain leather. Not sure whether it is genuine leather but felt very good - g-Sport? . I selected E2 shade which resembles Lineas interior trim perfectly and had asked them to not put any logos and do the stitching in Black thread. Final result came out to be very good but putting them on was tough business for the fitters since they had never done a Linea before.

Linea's seat mount bolts are of non-standard design and size so they were not able to open it and were just about to screw the screws when I noticed. I got my own tool kit and then personally opened the seat system. The covers are put on top of the original ones.

It took them 8 hours to finish the seats and I still need to get both front and rear arm rests redone as the finish is not very good. But overall the seats came out as I wanted. Attaching few more images of interior shots.

And is there a simpler way to enhance quality of sound system, may be by just changing speakers or something? Please advise. I am a soft listener while on road. It helps me maintain my cool on the road.

@prashant.dinkar - thanks for your wishes and compliments on the seats. In fact I had few chinese friends come over and they were just bowled over by the seats.

@PaddleShifter - thank you very much for your wishes! I don't like to eat or drink in my cars so this doesn't really bother me much. Have put 3-4 small water bottles (ones you get in flights) and that serves me well.

I will write about my driving experience in subsequent posts.

[Vik0728]

Hey Vivek, your Linea as it is looks a Stunner from the outside. Now you have just made the same elegance Flow into those Gorgeous Interiors buddy. Looks Great!!

IMO you should have gone for a darker shade for those seat covers. You sure you can maintain such a bright Beige Colour bro? I am finding it next to impossible to maintain a tad darker shade on my Getz. It always looks dirty no matter how much I clean!! :(

[vivekshukla]

Originally Posted by Vik0728

IMO you should have gone for a darker shade for those seat covers. You sure you can maintain such a bright Beige Colour bro? I am finding it next to impossible to maintain a tad darker shade on my Getz. It always looks dirty no matter how much I clean!! :(

Thanks! Initially I thought about black or rust color for the seats but since I have a WagonR with dark great interiors and seats it becomes gloomy after a while. I wanted a fresh color but Rust was not going with interiors. It would have looked best with Flamenco Red or Wine Red. Let's see how long can I maintain. I have invested in leather creams and cleaning agents already. Anyways I am finicky about cleaning and don't allow any eatables or stuff inside. Besides, my weekend schedule includes cleaning the cars inside out. Let's see.

[vivekshukla]

My Linea is about to reach the time for it's first service as it will complete 3 months on 31st oct. My dilemma is that the car has only run 1100 km and even if I do a daily home to airport run twice I for the next one week, I will only be able to add 1000 kms.

Should I give my car for service at 1200 kms or wait a little more? Besides, should I go for an oil change - I have driven hard for sure ignoring the run-in period. Fiat anyhow doesn't explicitly recommend keeping the car under 2500 rev for certain time and length.

Experts please suggest what should I do!

[PaddleShifter]

No. You will have to stick to the 3months interval for first service or 3000km which ever is earlier.
Otherwise, the warranty gets void. Make sure to get it serviced on time.

Engine oil change is individual preference. Fiat does not recommend to change oil at 3000kms/3months service.
But, no harm in getting it changed if you are ok spending 2500-3000 for oil change just to be sure.

An alternative is to change oil after 6months/6000km. Some feel that this is a very good method of changing oil in Linea/Punto.

[vivekshukla]

Since last Friday, I have been driving my Linea regularly and I have noticed a sudden drop and surge in power in 2nd gear most times. It happens when I am driving steady say at 30-40kmph range in city and have to downshift due to a signal or speed breaker. As soon as I hit 2nd the car almost stalls and then surges ahead the next second.

I drive with an extremely light foot on the clutch and just use it while shifting gears. I have been driving like this for over 13 yrs now and never faced any problem but this is new and sometimes scary too.

Is this a known issue in Linea or I am missing something? Need to give the car for first service on Saturday too. Appreciate if experts can also guide me things to check during first service.

[NutsNBolts]

IMHO this is driving style related. To add to this, 2nd gear is sluggish by default and does take a few seconds to respond especially when driving with a light foot. Regarding oil change, I think you will be throwing away cash by going in for oil change at first service. Trust the manufacturer. First service is essentially a visual check and tightening of any loose end. Unless any issues are brought out by you, nothing else is checked. Yours being 1.4, you can ask for change of ACC filter which is being changed to a wire mesh one to replace the paper one IIRC. This will be a paid replacement. Other than this, first service is merely a "peace of mind generation effort" and nothing more.

[Mindgrinder]

i am getting my Linea Multijet today, the model is July 2010. It said GNZ on the VIN. Is it fine? or should i get even newer months??

[vivekshukla]

Originally Posted by Mindgrinder

i am getting my Linea Multijet today, the model is July 2010. It said GNZ on the VIN. Is it fine? or should i get even newer months??

GNZ would be a July car. You can ask for an October car especially it's end of october already. Please make sure you check if the car was being used for demo purpose at the dealership. Most times dealers stock a car and then put it up for demo at the showroom where most visitors try to really exploit it. Once, I found a chewing gum pasted underneath the front passenger seat at a Skoda showroom in Delhi.

[vivekshukla]

Originally Posted by NutsNBolts

IMHO this is driving style related. To add to this, 2nd gear is sluggish by default and does take a few seconds to respond especially when driving with a light foot. Regarding oil change, I think you will be throwing away cash by going in for oil change at first service. Trust the manufacturer. First service is essentially a visual check and tightening of any loose end. Unless any issues are brought out by you, nothing else is checked. Yours being 1.4, you can ask for change of ACC filter which is being changed to a wire mesh one to replace the paper one IIRC. This will be a paid replacement. Other than this, first service is merely a "peace of mind generation effort" and nothing more.

It may be related to the way I drive but I have been driving the way I drive for several years and several cars and didn't face this problem. This is a sort of problem I used to face in Yamaha RX100 with some sedimentation or deposits in the carburettor or petrol. Yesterday evening, while shifting from 1st to 2nd car almost stalled and then the next second immediately sprang forward. I guess there is something that needs to be checked. Will surely point this out during service.

I have decided not to go for an oil change.

Is this ACC filter change an effect after T-Jet launch or was being done earlier also? I hear that T-Jet has a better AC. Is the better performance attributed to new and improved filter? Is FIAT changing it for every petrol car and in every city?

[Mindgrinder]

ok i have a multijet linea and i only have 2 head rest for the rear...how come u have 3?

[Palio_2005]

Vivek, it could also be related to fuel quality. I had this issue with my Palio and wherein it used to stall and was traced to bad fuel quality.

[nkrishnap]

Originally Posted by Mindgrinder

ok i have a multijet linea and i only have 2 head rest for the rear...how come u have 3?

Which version of the MJD do you have. I believe the emotion and the emotion pack comes with 3 adjustable head rests.

[NutsNBolts]

Originally Posted by vivekshukla

I guess there is something that needs to be checked. Will surely point this out during service.

I have decided not to go for an oil change.

Is this ACC filter change an effect after T-Jet launch or was being done earlier also? I hear that T-Jet has a better AC. Is the better performance attributed to new and improved filter? Is FIAT changing it for every petrol car and in every city?

It is best to get it checked. Regarding ACC, filter change has nothing to do with TJet. The ACC is TJet is using a different compressor so the reported better cooling. In older 1.4 Linea, ACC effectiveness has been tackled with ECU remap (for ACC only) and change of filter. Filter is changed on request and on payment. ECU remap was offered some 5-6 months back IIRC and it does change the way ACC cuts in/out during clutch operation, thus leading to sustained better cooling. ^^ I think all 2010 Lineas are coming with two headrests at the back. Please correct me if wrong.