Owned a fiat punto? Whats your thoughts?

[sagiliam]

Warning this is a car orientated thread. If you feel offended please leave now

Hello all,

So im looking to get a fiat punto. From what i can gather they are cheap, spacious and relatively nice drives. Conversely, they can be unreliable and loud. I am looking at the 94-99 models, 1.1-1.3, petrol and manual. (Also can anyone tell me what model/ year the city steering was introduced as i would like this.)

So i would just like some reviews from people who owned them. The good and bad bits!!

Ta very much
liam

[palmer]

our garage coutesy car is a punto.
not a bad little car, quite roomy, comfortable etc. pedals are well spaced. (compared to my 106)

it is a little noisy (like most small cars), but only at 60mph+ (because of wind, plus the engine is revving a bit)

as ive not driven it myself i couldnt tell you how they drive, or what it feels like.

[binge]

City steering came in on the Mk2 Model.

A mate of mine had a Fiat Punto Mk2. That was probably the best feature on the car.


Wasnt so keen on the handeling or power. But thats all I go for when buying a car.

[ken]

later punto's ok, electro Hydrolic power steering was arount 03 plates, however punto steering is very light anyway, especially on the early models 94-99 as most of the metal has disintegrated through rust, no weight

like a lot of early cars that were not galvanised they rot
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[McGee]

Owned a mk1 punto and loved it.

They don't handle worth a crap stock, and the higher mileage gear box's may fail apart from that they rock
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Its pronounced Jixxer!

[0ddball]

I wouldn't touch one unless it was very cheap. 3/10

[cqueen]

I've got a 51 plate model, it's does all the essentials and is cheap all round. Lacking in build quality though, little things break.

[sagiliam]

[TheShaggyDA]

I hired one for a week, when I came back from a business trip and found my car stolen.

Horrible, nasty, tinny thing.
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[i:6e3bfc7581]But still I fear and still I dare not laugh at the madman...[/i:6e3bfc7581]

[MarkJ]

My mum has the old shape punto:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/70/1994.fiat.punto.selecta.arp.750pix.jpg/250px-1994.fiat.punto.selecta.arp.750pix.jpg
She's not that bothered about it, she says she'd rather have my fiesta as it's far comfier and quieter.

The gearbox isn't that good. The only way I can sit upright in that car is if I stick my head through the bloody sunroof! The hydraulic clutch is a right pain in the arse too.

4/10 from me

[sagiliam]

[WR450_geezer]

Personal opinions are.

- Full of plastic interior.

- Top Heavy

- Poor Handling

Fix
It
Again
Tommorrow

WR
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Siggi, ''Fack, having Daz around is like living next door to PC-World, with a hole in the wall.''

[sagiliam]

Ok so having slashed my idea of a punto lol.

What else can i get for around 600-800 quid. Thats cheap to run and insure (pref. no more than insurance group 3/4), and spacious. I ideally need alot of space, hence the punto being a prime candidate.
Ta
liam

[MarkJ]

Fiesta (if you can live with a bit of rust).

Got mine for £525, 60k miles, M reg 1.1 petrol engine. Fold the rear seats down and there's loads of room. It's also an LX version so the seats are really comfy, it's quiet, and with it being a ford everyone has cheap spares for it.

I generally don't like fords, but for 500 quid its great.

[sagiliam]

hmm just read the full review by parkers on the punto.
And it overall doesnt seem to bad, especially for a first car.
Parkers also suggest some cars to look at similar to the punto, of which one was a fiesta markj, the other was a volkswagen Polo.
Any thoughts on the polo people?

cheers
ls

[Cannon]

Fiat Punto from 94-99 was the Mk1 shape, this does not have the "city" button to make the steering lighter. Expect head gasket failure every 40000 miles or so, gearbox's tend to fail as do rear radius arms, and the brake pipes rot like hell.
Mk2 shape start from 99 on and are generally better, still suffer from head gasket failures but the rest is improved.

If you want a small car that will run forever and a day buy a Nissan Micra K11 93 on.

P.S I am a workshop manager and MOT tester.
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[Phoenix]

1.6 Escort would do well. Easily get a reasonable one for that price. I had a 1.4 and the engine was knackered but I restricted myself to a 1.4 thinking insurance was cheaper but it wasn't I later found out. Loads of 1.6's about not so many smaller engines. Nice to drive, very comfortable and quiet, but it's no VW, things will go wrong.

[faithless75]

Sounds to me like you've been put off by simple things that folk have mentioned here. These things really won't affect you or the car!
For example, plastic interior - not really gonna be a problem is it? Long as you can pick up something that has average milage, maybe a bit of service history, all doors & wheels, and is running well I think you'd be sorted.
Of course if you can get one from someone you know and trust you're laughing but just make sure you ask about the history of the car, it might be worth having HPI & insurance right off checks done?

But if you've been put off Fiats, how about a wee Corsa? Again check it's not been thrahed by a boy/girl racer and they are very cheap to insure.

Good luck
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[sagiliam]

[McGee]

People always slag the punto off

Honestly they are great cars. Better than a fiesta mk3 they rust to easy and most have a lot of tappet noise, ax's are shite, escort 1.6 eats petrol, corsa's are usually ragged out.

The punto may not be expensive but the build quality is fine and the engine is strong in my experience.

If you look after any care it will last for ages

I got my punto with I think 70,000 on the clock it was a N reg in black 55s and belonged an old lady it ran like a dream the only prob I had was at 90,000 the head gasket failed fitted a new one sorted. In the end I lowered it and done some other choice mods and she was sweet. If I hadn't of moved to the states I would still be driving it.

I was ace on fuel economy to I got 500 something miles to a tank of petrol. And still had petrol to go.
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Its pronounced Jixxer!

[WR450_geezer]

Hi,

Fiestas are easier and cheaper to get parts for. Thats a positive in my mind. Plus fiestas are like mechano, easy to fix yourself.

WR
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Siggi, ''Fack, having Daz around is like living next door to PC-World, with a hole in the wall.''

[cagiva gezzer]

8v's eat headgaskets every 50-75,000 miles. Clutch will go at about 80 aswell.

16v's for more go and stronger engines.

1.1's are piss slow, much better to get a 1.2 version.

SPI's are lacking in power but can be tuned easier than the MPI's.

Own a cinquecento 1.1 myself and it's a fun little car. Been messed with a fair bit, so it'll redine 5th.

The Puntos are more fun than most other small cars, but you need to be able to play with little bits to keep them going.
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"because one stroke isnt enough and four strokes waste two"

[McGee]

[sagiliam]

[cagiva gezzer]

But they're not that expensive to fix.

<£100 for parts and skim to do the headgasket on a 8v. OE clutch was only ~£50.

Best bet is to find one that's had it done, or pay careful attention to the header tank. ANY gunk in there walk away or knock the price right down. Look down the rear of the block, as thats where the HG can leak.

www.fiatforum.com is handy.

Punto 55 - 1108cc Fire, SPI, 8v, 54cv
Punto 60 - 1242cc Fire, SPI, 8v, 60cv
Punto 75 - 1242cc Fire, MPI, 8v, 75cv

If you can stretch go for a 75. Or get one of the SPI's and fit a "Tricker" throttle body for it. 40mm compared to the 60's 32mm. Makes a huge difference.

Opps, off track.
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