Mk 1 Punto Sporting 1.6
Author
Discussion

Merry

Original Poster:

1,462 posts

209 months

Wednesday 22nd April 2009
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Hi all,

Considering 'upgrading' from my mk 1 55 to a Sporting, as per title. Had a mooch through the insurance, will probably cost me £50-70 over what i'm paying for my 55.

Anything i should be looking for? Any horror stories? I'll probably be keeping the 55 for spares. Is that worth doing? Part of the reason for considering a change is the fact that the MOT is due on my current car, and it will need a lot of work doing (Rear shock, trailing arm, wheel bearings something unforeseen) so now could be the time to change, especially given that the car i'm looking at is Mot'd till February and the tax will be the same as it is currently.


Any help would be appreciated!

Robert060379

15,754 posts

204 months

Wednesday 22nd April 2009
quotequote all
Sell the 55 and buy a Sporting as it would work out cheaper, less hastle and you won't have to pay through the nose for "modified car" insurance. There's a really nice Punto GT on Ebay at the moment the guy wants to part ex' a cheaper car. The Punto GT will go up in value before long the same as my old Renault 5 Raider did (paid £500 in 1998 sold for £2695 in 2004). Future collectors item and a bloody good laugh now.

Merry

Original Poster:

1,462 posts

209 months

Wednesday 22nd April 2009
quotequote all
Just for the record i wasnt planning on modding my 55, just leaving it on the drive for spares. I doubt the sporting would be cheaper, but my theory is that it wont cost too much more.

Thanks for the input though

Robert060379

15,754 posts

204 months

Wednesday 22nd April 2009
quotequote all
Sorry mis-read your first entry. The 1.6 Sporting is an excellent little car. A lot more capable than people give it credit for. The 1.6's were the only modern Fiats that would keep up with my Uno Turbo on the hillclimbs (under 1.6 class anyway).
Not many of the mechanical parts are interchangable. Why not use the 55 as a daily driver and keep the Sporting for occaisions? If the car is over thirteen years old it should qualify for a classic policy and like the GT will appreciate in time if you look after it.

Merry

Original Poster:

1,462 posts

209 months

Thursday 23rd April 2009
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Thanks, Do you reckon the 1.6 would be a better buy over the later 1.2? I'm not so sure about running two cars see, as much as i'd like to. I'm just doing my last few months at uni and dont have a job yet!

P17_GTA

372 posts

209 months

Thursday 23rd April 2009
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You can get a 1.25 16v Sporting cheap enough so if you can find one I'd go for that.
In my experience it was slightly quicker than the 1.6, plus its newer and must be better on fuel and cheaper to TAX too.

Merry

Original Poster:

1,462 posts

209 months

Thursday 23rd April 2009
quotequote all
P17_GTA said:
You can get a 1.25 16v Sporting cheap enough so if you can find one I'd go for that.
In my experience it was slightly quicker than the 1.6, plus its newer and must be better on fuel and cheaper to TAX too.
Is it really cheaper to tax? Both fall under the 1.6 limit do they not?

Robert060379

15,754 posts

204 months

Thursday 23rd April 2009
quotequote all
The 1242cc (fire engine block with a) twin cam is a rev happy little beast. Look out for head gasket issues on engines over 100,000 miles. If they've been well looked after the 1242 is just as good as the bigger one but for less effort on the road the 1.6 will eat the miles. I'd go for the 1.6 personally, but it depends on what you want to do with the car.

Merry

Original Poster:

1,462 posts

209 months

Thursday 23rd April 2009
quotequote all
Robert060379 said:
The 1242cc (fire engine block with a) twin cam is a rev happy little beast. Look out for head gasket issues on engines over 100,000 miles. If they've been well looked after the 1242 is just as good as the bigger one but for less effort on the road the 1.6 will eat the miles. I'd go for the 1.6 personally, but it depends on what you want to do with the car.
Motorway miles, mainly

Just had a mooch on the DVLA website and apparently the 1.6 does fall into a higher tax band. Arsebiscuits.

P17_GTA

372 posts

209 months

Saturday 25th April 2009
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That was just a thought re the tax and mpg, i wasn't sure but thought it would be in the dearer bracket anyway.....and must eat more fuel too so try and find figures for that too.
The 16v is a very nippy and capable little engine.

scottb147

30 posts

206 months

Saturday 25th April 2009
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I've had both of the Mk1 Punto Sportings, 1.2 16v and 1.6 8v.
They were both good cars, but personally i'd lean towards the 1.2 16v.
It's rev-happy, cheaper tax and better mpg, as mentioned above. Similar performance.
The gearing seemed really short on the 1.6, which made it surprisingly quick off the line,
but was at quite high revs in 5th at motorway speeds.
The 1.6's were out on N and P plate, 1.2's ran from R plate to V plate (approximately).
The little 1.2 twin cam sounds great at 7000 rpm !

Robert060379

15,754 posts

204 months

Sunday 26th April 2009
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Have a look at "Panda 1.2 nitrous" on myspace. A 16V 1242 Sporting powered Panda handing it to a Golf GTi over the quarter mile. Respectible time to.

anonymous-user

75 months

Sunday 26th April 2009
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scottb147 said:
I've had both of the Mk1 Punto Sportings, 1.2 16v and 1.6 8v.
They were both good cars, but personally i'd lean towards the 1.2 16v.
It's rev-happy, cheaper tax and better mpg, as mentioned above. Similar performance.
The gearing seemed really short on the 1.6, which made it surprisingly quick off the line,
but was at quite high revs in 5th at motorway speeds.
The 1.6's were out on N and P plate, 1.2's ran from R plate to V plate (approximately).
The little 1.2 twin cam sounds great at 7000 rpm !
what he said!

Merry

Original Poster:

1,462 posts

209 months

Sunday 26th April 2009
quotequote all
Cheers guys. Unfortunately the car I was after has been sold. Just after I got the money together too! Ah well win some loose some.

I will be, however, on the lookout for either a 1.6 Sporting or the 1.2 so if anyone knows of one for sale in the Wigan, Cardiff or Worcester area (dont ask!) let me know!


Also, to save starting a new thread, my 55 needs a wheel bearing and trailing arm doing, any idea of the cost? I would like to get it done before I go to Belgium on Thursday in the bloody thing!

Robert060379

15,754 posts

204 months

Tuesday 28th April 2009
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There's a nice Burgundy one on ebay at the moment £72 no reserve. Used to be my ex's car and she really looked after it.