First Car (and post): Fiat Punto
Discussion
Hello Pistonheads! 
I've been lurking Reader's Cars and General Gassing for longer than I'd care to admit, and having finally had the chance to take some pictures, I thought I'd give you a break from the usual exotic metal and modified speed machines that appear so often around here. After all, when you've seen one heavily modified Noble or a Vauxhall drag racer you've seen them all, haven't you?
My first and only car is a Punto Grande 1.9JTDm/Mjet (take your pick, the manual says one thing and the V5 says another!) Sporting. She's 5 years old, and comes with all the extras you could possibly ask for. Being Italian, she's also got a few things you wouldn't ask for, including an electric window button that doesn't want to stay in the door, a slight draught from the drivers side window (that causes the interior of the car to freeze over) and a tinkling, rattling noise that only occurs when on full opposite lock turning right. Oh, and that wonderful white winter we had killed the battery stone dead. Still! Despite the flaws, I'm still really proud of her. I was a late bloomer in terms of passing my test and getting a car (23 years old for both), and as first cars go, I couldn't be happier. When I started looking for a car, I wanted something that did 0-60 in about 6 seconds, but it had to be small, have plenty of space in the back, have a large boot, be good for fuel, and cost almost nothing to insure. Unfortunately there's currently no such thing as the Honda T.A.R.D.I.S., but the Punto is just as good, if a little slower than I was first looking for!
Anyway, here are some pictures:
Punto Front by Diesel Fury, on Flickr
Punto Left by Diesel Fury, on Flickr
Punto Back by Diesel Fury, on Flickr
Punto Right by Diesel Fury, on Flickr
They don't really do my camera justice, but they were taken in a hurry.
I realise the stripes may not be to the tastes of the PH gents and ladies, but they've grown on me. They were a "stylistic" choice made by the previous owner (guy in his late forties/early fifties I think), and despite initially thinking I'd get rid of them as soon as possible, I actually quite like them now. That could partially be to do with the fact that I got the car just before snow brought the country to a halt in early December, and as I live at the bottom of a hill in a cul de sac, I couldn't go anywhere for about a week and half and spent most of that time gazing longingly out of the window wondering when I'd be able to go for a drive. I guess when you stare at anything for long enough you get used to it
Current plans are to replace the shocks and springs, get a remap, and possibly look at a new exhaust system. Maybe. I'll decide on that last one when I know whether the rattling from the front left wheel is going to cost me any money or not!
I can't really give an informed comparison as to how the Punto stacks up against other warm hatches, since the only other two cars I've driven regularly are a Citroen C3 belonging to SWMBO, and a 1.4 TDCI Fiesta belonging to my parents. I prefer the Punto to both, funnily enough.
Thanks for reading!
I've been lurking Reader's Cars and General Gassing for longer than I'd care to admit, and having finally had the chance to take some pictures, I thought I'd give you a break from the usual exotic metal and modified speed machines that appear so often around here. After all, when you've seen one heavily modified Noble or a Vauxhall drag racer you've seen them all, haven't you?
My first and only car is a Punto Grande 1.9JTDm/Mjet (take your pick, the manual says one thing and the V5 says another!) Sporting. She's 5 years old, and comes with all the extras you could possibly ask for. Being Italian, she's also got a few things you wouldn't ask for, including an electric window button that doesn't want to stay in the door, a slight draught from the drivers side window (that causes the interior of the car to freeze over) and a tinkling, rattling noise that only occurs when on full opposite lock turning right. Oh, and that wonderful white winter we had killed the battery stone dead. Still! Despite the flaws, I'm still really proud of her. I was a late bloomer in terms of passing my test and getting a car (23 years old for both), and as first cars go, I couldn't be happier. When I started looking for a car, I wanted something that did 0-60 in about 6 seconds, but it had to be small, have plenty of space in the back, have a large boot, be good for fuel, and cost almost nothing to insure. Unfortunately there's currently no such thing as the Honda T.A.R.D.I.S., but the Punto is just as good, if a little slower than I was first looking for!
Anyway, here are some pictures:
Punto Front by Diesel Fury, on Flickr
Punto Left by Diesel Fury, on Flickr
Punto Back by Diesel Fury, on Flickr
Punto Right by Diesel Fury, on Flickr
They don't really do my camera justice, but they were taken in a hurry.
I realise the stripes may not be to the tastes of the PH gents and ladies, but they've grown on me. They were a "stylistic" choice made by the previous owner (guy in his late forties/early fifties I think), and despite initially thinking I'd get rid of them as soon as possible, I actually quite like them now. That could partially be to do with the fact that I got the car just before snow brought the country to a halt in early December, and as I live at the bottom of a hill in a cul de sac, I couldn't go anywhere for about a week and half and spent most of that time gazing longingly out of the window wondering when I'd be able to go for a drive. I guess when you stare at anything for long enough you get used to it
Current plans are to replace the shocks and springs, get a remap, and possibly look at a new exhaust system. Maybe. I'll decide on that last one when I know whether the rattling from the front left wheel is going to cost me any money or not!
I can't really give an informed comparison as to how the Punto stacks up against other warm hatches, since the only other two cars I've driven regularly are a Citroen C3 belonging to SWMBO, and a 1.4 TDCI Fiesta belonging to my parents. I prefer the Punto to both, funnily enough.
Thanks for reading!
I looked at your username and almost hoped you had a modified deisel fisher fury, but no. 
I quite like the grande punto, although personally I think they should dump the grande tag. What's the diesel motor like? My mate has a 1.2 and it's just way too underpowered for the size of the car.
I quite like the grande punto, although personally I think they should dump the grande tag. What's the diesel motor like? My mate has a 1.2 and it's just way too underpowered for the size of the car.
Nice first car , i was going to get black but went for orange in the end -
I've had it remapped to 182bhp, had to change the clutch shortly after, and the ride is rather bumpy after you've lowered it, apart from that and lots of niggly problems ( vibrations from the front end?!) there good cars and look nice imo.
Good luck with it! Does your 'blue&me' work by the way? ive never managed to get mine to work.
I've had it remapped to 182bhp, had to change the clutch shortly after, and the ride is rather bumpy after you've lowered it, apart from that and lots of niggly problems ( vibrations from the front end?!) there good cars and look nice imo.
Good luck with it! Does your 'blue&me' work by the way? ive never managed to get mine to work.
Edited by RallyeMike on Sunday 13th February 15:38
slomax said:
I looked at your username and almost hoped you had a modified deisel fisher fury, but no.
I quite like the grande punto, although personally I think they should dump the grande tag. What's the diesel motor like? My mate has a 1.2 and it's just way too underpowered for the size of the car.
The name is a joke from the days of driving my parents Fiesta. A friend attempted to big the car up by using the phrase "1.4 litres of turbo charged diesel fury" and it stuck. Still appropriate given the engine in the Punto.I quite like the grande punto, although personally I think they should dump the grande tag. What's the diesel motor like? My mate has a 1.2 and it's just way too underpowered for the size of the car.
I test drove a 1.2 before I found mine, and it felt really sluggish. The 1.9 diesel is a lot better, but it still lacks power early on. I know there aren't many diesels that launch well, but you don't really get any grunt until you're well over 2k RPM. The power comes in a big lump as well; if you put your foot down in 2nd it'll spin the wheels up, but you need to change up to 3rd pretty quickly if you want to keep up the pace. It's fun, but not exactly smooth
RallyeMike said:
Nice first car , i was going to get black but went for orange in the end -
I've had it remapped to 182bhp, had to change the clutch shortly after, and the ride is rather bumpy after you've lowered it, apart from that and lots of niggly problems ( vibrations from the front end?!) there good cars and look nice imo.
Good luck with it! Does your 'blue&me' work by the way? ive never managed to get mine to work.
I've always like the orange, and I like the black wheels as well. Mine does vibrate a little, but only if I'm inching forward using clutch without touching the accelerator! I've found the ride to already be quite bumpy, so I don't think that'll bother me overly much I've had it remapped to 182bhp, had to change the clutch shortly after, and the ride is rather bumpy after you've lowered it, apart from that and lots of niggly problems ( vibrations from the front end?!) there good cars and look nice imo.
Good luck with it! Does your 'blue&me' work by the way? ive never managed to get mine to work.
. I've got the blue&me to work with my Windows 7 Phone, but it flat out refused with my iPhone. How you get music playing through it God only knows, though. I can only get calls and texts!Where did you have your remap done, if you don't mind me asking?
Thanks for all the kind comments guys!
MrBrightSi said:
Smashing first car. Had one of these as a courtesy car ones, loved the stereo, supposedly they are amplified from standard.
The stereo is fantastic. I've never really been one for the whole ICE thing, but with the speakers in the Punto I don't really need to be... nice crisp sound and enough bass to make the doors rattle!I had exactly the same car as my first one too, actually passed my test in it. Absolutely adored it, only got rid as the gearbox decided to play up and saw a nice RX8 for sale locally. Regretted it within around three months and wished I'd kept the Punto. Got a 57' A3 2.0 Tdi S-Line Quattro now and still miss the Punto like mad!
My GPS....
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
My GPS....
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
GPS M-Jet said:
I had exactly the same car as my first one too, actually passed my test in it. Absolutely adored it, only got rid as the gearbox decided to play up and saw a nice RX8 for sale locally. Regretted it within around three months and wished I'd kept the Punto. Got a 57' A3 2.0 Tdi S-Line Quattro now and still miss the Punto like mad!
My GPS....
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Looks beautiful in red, doesn't it? Really nice. I liked this comment as well:My GPS....
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
GPS M-Jet said:
I see them all the time, but mostly bottom of the range ones. Have only seen a couple of Sporting models since it was launched in 2006.
I've only seen one other Sporting on the road since I got mine, and I've been looking out for them. They still seem quite rare. Absolutely hundreds of basic ones though. You can't move for 4 door Puntos with badly fitted hubcaps round here looks smart! i had one in my first year of driving too and currently awaiting my new car (well actually still have it at the moment only its giving me gerief!) but i went with the orange too and have to say cant fault it......aside the fact my gearbox has decided it no longer wants to be a gearbox with just under 40k on the clock! its in fiat at present awaiting repair! Anyhow nice car 
hope you enjoy it
hope you enjoy it by the way with the rattling noise may or may not be the breather tube for the airbox, very common for the rubber oring to become worn costs about 49p for a new one, or just cable tie it, worth a look! you will see the breather tube when you open the bonnet if it moves cable tie or new o ring
Thanks again for the comments guys, two more pictures with added PH Smiley goodness will be up soon. Also, one of the things on my to-do list has been sorted today... NO MORE RATTLING!
Turns out there was a build up of rust on the brakes, and it was especially bad on the front left, so when I put full right lock on and accelerated the rust rubbed against the brake pad making a rattling scraping noise. Rust is now gone, and so is the hideous sound. Which is a big relief, I'm feeling a lot more confident about taking the car down to London next week now.
On a side note, I'm bloody glad I took the car to another garage after the first one I went to told me it was an exhaust problem (what?) and that it would cost me £200 to fix it. I still don't understand how they got to that conclusion!
Turns out there was a build up of rust on the brakes, and it was especially bad on the front left, so when I put full right lock on and accelerated the rust rubbed against the brake pad making a rattling scraping noise. Rust is now gone, and so is the hideous sound. Which is a big relief, I'm feeling a lot more confident about taking the car down to London next week now.
On a side note, I'm bloody glad I took the car to another garage after the first one I went to told me it was an exhaust problem (what?) and that it would cost me £200 to fix it. I still don't understand how they got to that conclusion!
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