fiat punto

twink

janninew wrote: »

Hi
My very first car was a Fiat Punto and it was a great little car! I had no problems at all and the only thing i had to change were the 2 front tyres and i drove mine for 3 years! Three of my friends drive Punto's now and there all happy. I see alot of them about, which has to be a good sign. I do think they have an unfair reputation and people can't see that they have got better. You probably wouldn't find a car that nobody's ever had problems with. I've also had a Corso which gave me endless amounts of problems and cost me quite alot to fix, but then you'll get people telling you how reliable there Corsa has been!

I think its pot luck really, go and test drive some different cars and take somebody who knows what they are talking about with you.

Good luck!

i managed to talk to ds1 today who is on holiday in athens, due home tues luckily, and dil had a Punto which she liked very much so will talk to them when they get home, thanks again for everyones input which has been very helpful

blue_haddock

foxyd3vil12 wrote: »

still cheaper parts though! nearly £400 quid for the gearbox and £170 for the wiper linkage (labour included)!

£400 for a gearbox fitted doesn't seem astronomical but £170 for the wiper is a joke. The part can be purchased for £60+ vat and is literally 10 minutes and 4 bolts to fit.

gingerdad

We have a 52 punto, owned since 2005, going well, no major issues.... its done 57,000 miles so happy cost me 3000 quid....and still worth 2 so i'm a happy bunny.

GD

thunderchump

just thought i would add my 2 pence worth!
Had a 2001 1.2 Punto Sporting from 2004 to 2007. did 45k miles and only needed servicing and 2 new tyres. it was a brilliant little car and i loved it. Loved it so much that when they realeased the new 1.4 Turbo engine in the Grande Punto i brought a brand spanking new one. 2 years on and 30k in that and its been 100% reliable and the best looking hatch you can buy IMHO. 75,000 trouble free Fiat miles thank you very much. Just gotta save my pennys for a Grande Punto Abarth :T.

champagne_supernova

I bought a 2002 Punto when it was 6 months old as my first car - the exhaust went within the first year, but other than that never had a problem with it. I was warned that the head gasket going was a recurrent problem. Had the car for 4 years and did lots of miles all over the country on it, most that it needed during the services was tyres/break pads, the usual stuff.

RobC50992

I've had a fiat bravo for the last 5 years - loved the car, pretty similar to a punto but a tiny bit bigger. It ran fantastically over the last 5 years, clutch went once but that was a cheap repair.

However had it MOT'd today and failed, whole undercarriage of the car is either badly corroded or not quite so badly corroded. (fyi mileage is 78k)

Fiats can be great cars, mine was great to drive. All I recommend is if you do get one, make sure its reasonably low mileage and look after it well including the undercarriage so it doesn't end up a rustbucket like mine!

twink

RobC50992 wrote: »

I've had a fiat bravo for the last 5 years - loved the car, pretty similar to a punto but a tiny bit bigger. It ran fantastically over the last 5 years, clutch went once but that was a cheap repair.

However had it MOT'd today and failed, whole undercarriage of the car is either badly corroded or not quite so badly corroded. (fyi mileage is 78k)

Fiats can be great cars, mine was great to drive. All I recommend is if you do get one, make sure its reasonably low mileage and look after it well including the undercarriage so it doesn't end up a rustbucket like mine!

thats what happened to my micra, the engine was great and the bodywork but not underneath the amount of salt on the road in winter here is unreal so my next car will go nowhere if the roads are bad it will be the bus instead

roddydogs

Fiats always get the flack, but what, for example the "So called" reliable Volkswagens and Toyota Yaris, no one ever mentions the Gearbox failures on these cars, i know someone with one with only 37,000 and the GB has gone....quoted £800 (VW) the Yaris GB problem is well documented, just Google if your interested.

aah

my sister had an N reg Fiat Punto for YEARS - she only got rid of it last year because she was going to live in Australia and I have another friend who has a W reg one that is still going strong and she drives around in it a LOT.

I dont think they look that good but am impressed by the above experiences so would buy one.

There's always someone who hates every car you want to look at and will spare no time or trouble to tell you - often without reason eg

...... the fact its a Fiat. (no facts here incidentally)

I would go ahead, best wishes