going to look at a fiat punto today anything i need to look for?

indiegirl_2

pulliptears wrote: »

Headgaskets blow on Punto's, dont kow if or how you could check that, but worth being aware of.

http://www.ciao.co.uk/Fiat_Punto_1_2__Review_5463804

My goodness, that's my original review of our old Punto! Didn't think people still read Ciao!

Ahem, anyway, to the OP: we bought the Punto thinking it'd be a decent city runaround... it was, like many others have said, a moneypit.

The electrics on that age of car are shocking; there is a known issue with the wiring for the airbag loom - if you move the passenger seat to a certain point; it can trigger the airbag light on the dash. Ditto with the glove compartment - put too much in it and the same will happen. Not to mention the head gasket, rear suspension issues, electric power steering failing on right lock, oh, the windscreen wiper motor which died in the middle of a rainy afternoon just outside Bristol... This was all within 12 months of ownership - on a 3.5yr old car as it was at the time!

Couldn't wait to get rid, and would never buy another Fiat again. OP doesn't state their budget but I'm sure that a slightly older Yaris (T/W reg?) could be picked up privately for around the same price; that's the way I'd go next.

pulliptears

indiegirl wrote: »

My goodness, that's my original review of our old Punto! Didn't think people still read Ciao!

It was just one of many reviews that were all of equal doom lol But yours read the best

Wig

pulliptears wrote: »

which reminds me, within a month of buying it the lander (sp?)sensor failed .

Lambda ....λ


Gabyjane,
Don't lose that key.... £££'s

gingerdad

We have a 52 punto with 50k miles have owned it for 3 years and put 38,000 miles on it and not had a single problem. service and mot'd fine each year.

And yes would get another.

GD

zeon999

I gotta agree with dont buy a Fiat Punto whatever you do, even more so at that age your going to have no end of problems compared to other cars you could get instead.

I used to be a mechanic before a car accident a couple of years ago leaving me unable to work and I would definatly never buy any Fiat as they are just so unreliable compared to other makes.

fletcher1985

the people from the fiat forums, have got fiats obviously, and dont you think if they where full of problems people would still buy them, on fiat forums they have hundreds of puntos and i dout there gonna lie to me and say they have no problems when they have that doesnt make sense.

zeon999

You could say them same about me though why would I lie about it?

Thing is people who buy something tend not to like admiting what they bought was not the best option and even when they have problems when your an enthusiast your love your motor even if you do spend a fortune on it in repairs all the time.

The old man had a Fiat punto and his was not to bad to be honest had a few minor problems but nothing major until his ECU went and the car was not worth repairing, if I was fit and well could have fixed it for him but a grage doing it would have cost more than the car was worth, but I am simpley going of my experiance as a mechanic and would not toutch an old Fiat, as they are plauged with problems and the electics are terrible on any Italian car and with age cuase problem after problem.

Asking people on a Fiat forum is daft though cos your asking people who love Fiats, its like saying you went to a Ford forum and they all said Fords are brilliant or a Vauxhall Forum and they all said they were brilliant what do you expect them to say?

What your better off listening to is people who have no loyaltys to any manufacturer as they will give you advise with very little predjudice.

But if your set on getting one then cool go ahead and I hope you get a gooden and have no problems at all, I am simpley telling you my experiance of them thats what using these forums are good for getting different opinions on stuff and then you can take and leave what you want, buit dont argue with people trying to give you advise if you dont like the advise just dont listen to it.

katiekittykat

I have a fiat punto 1.2l elx i6v it is an x reg and i bought it in jan last year, have had no problems with it what so ever.

really depends on how the car has been looked after - i/e regular services etc, cos i was told at my last service mine is in excellent condition cos it has been looked after and maintained.

fletcher1985

thats totally wrong they have given me there honest thoughts on fiat cars they have said a few things like the cam belt at 70k miles etc but they own them and have told me some of the general problems they have had and they dont seem to be the same on each car, every car has problems and people dislike and like certain cars which does not give them the right to judge a car.

fletcher1985

have a fiat punto 1.2l elx i6v it is an x reg and i bought it in jan last year, have had no problems with it what so ever.

really depends on how the car has been looked after - i/e regular services etc, cos i was told at my last service mine is in excellent condition cos it has been looked after and maintained.

mines a y reg 1.2 elx 16v and is also in excellent low miles and the engine bay is spotless.