Mar 13, 2009 04:03 PM
25998 Views
(Updated Mar 13, 2009 04:14 PM)
My hello to all Fiat Lovers. Its been quite some time I am reading your reviews on Fiat Uno Diesel and I must say that whenever I read those, my mind travels back down the memory lane.
It was in the year 2000 I was looking for a small Diesel car as my family only consisted of 3 members ie me , my dad and my mom. The options in this segment were only the Fiat Diesel, Tata Indica Diesel and Zen Diesel. Tata Indica was recently launched then and it was giving its users a lot of problems like Idler bearing failure, belt noise, FIP and Self Starter Motor overhaul was frequently required, Leakages
At various points, Noises, Squeaks and Rattles at various places etc. Moreover Tata Motors Dealership's Job quality was really very poor then. Keeping these factors in mind I decided to drop out of this product. Next came Zen Diesel. It was a flop since its birth plagued by various technical problems and lack of spares and too few demands for it in the market. I realised that this model has not got a future for long so I had to avoid it too.
Now only what remained in this segment was Fiat Uno Diesel.Ater gathering information about this product I came to know that it has been European Car of the year for quite some time and all its parts are Italian made. Therefore I decided to take a test drive of it. I must say that after taking a test drive by driving it myself my perception of a Diesel Engine had changed completely. It was just not like the Ambassador Diesel . It had much lower engine sound, high accleration, nice gear ratios and had a very powerful braking efficiency and stability at bumpy and high speed roads.I could feel the power and refinement during those days of lower Diesel Technology. I went for it straight away.
Since then I had not regretted my decision. I got a lot of confidence driving it.In congested city roads of Kolkata I got a mileage of 14km/l with Ac on and on highways at speed above 120 Km/l with Ac I always used to get 19+Km/L.. I used to service its every 6 Months with Rs 3, 000/ being the average costs of Service(all Inclusive). You could just take on any other Diesel cars upto 2, 500 cc on highways as my car was rock steady even at 140 Km/Hr on Expressways. All you needed to do was just to check the wheel balancing , alignment and tyre pressure before you hit the highways. I had even left Ford Ikon Deisel s and Tata Sumo behind just by stepping on it with full confidence.
This car started to give problems only after 5 years with I having to get the suspension overhauled at 40, 000 Km, Pump Overhauled at 45, 000 Km and the Water Pump replaced at around 45, 000 Km, Slave cylinder Replacement, Alternator Regulator etc all around the same time. There were traces of Body Rust appearing slightly too. What I noticed is that after driving it for 45, 000Km + in 6 years my maintenance costs was shooting up being the cost of parts very expensive and the Dealership staff under trained and under equipped.They didnot even have a Robin Air Ac gas charging station and would get the Ac job done just by a Crude makeshift Gas tank, a motor, 2 guages and a High Pressure and a Low Pressure pipe. The even didnot have a Diagnostic scanner for working on cars fitted with ECM 's.Neither they had a collection of special tools.Even parts supply from the Manufacturer was erratic and defective result being the same parts had to be replaced under Parts Warranty later. Consequently the quality of job done was shabby. When maintenance was most required due to the aging factor my car was let down.
This is when I realised that I have to have a second thought about retaining this car.By that time I had spent a lot of money on its maintenance at the dealership and Fiat Uno had gone out of production already thereby lowering its resale value considerably. Finally I took the decision to sell the car which I did in 2 days. Another Fiat Lover turned up from no where and bought the car with hard cash.
Well then, after my six years association with Fiat brand I must say that this had the potential to be the king in the small car diesel segment at that time though being more expensive than the Indica at that time just by the dint of its sheer performance.Its ruggedness, weight, balance, handling safety and dependebility. Its just one of those vehicles which gives the driver the confidence and the pleasure be it any terrain at any time. Its a real pity that the collaboration of Fiat India with its Dealers killed off this great Beast . Buying this vehicle Second Hand is not at all Recommended.
