Fiat Punto 1.2 8v

I bought mine a 5 door for £500 second hand and had problems from the start

1 the battery kept going flat

2 the head gasket was leaking

3 the the clutch kept slipping and eventually broke

Tax was high so was insurance and was a very thirsty car

Would not recommend to any one

The good points comfortable to drive good for city driving didnt get on motorway with it ok for rural roads can get in tight spaces too

ACTIVE

Good- not bad tax, spacious'ish' can fit all my friends in, cd player, electric windows, good size boot, not bad value for money. good mpg. not a bad 1st car. not slow, but its not going to chase a saxo/clio/106 etc of the same year and engine size. nice looking car, especially the re-modelled versions (however mine is not the newer version). its done me good, many good memories, and its never just stopped working at the side of the road.

Bad - total of £675 spent on repairs, breaks and complete engine job, water pump blew, head skimmed etc a bit pricey. insurance wasnt as good as it was suggested. tiny engine. performance - this car does not go round corners.

THE CAR - is a 2000 5dr Yreg punto basic 1.2 8v, it has done under 70,000miles with 2 lady owners. USED FOR - it was used first for town driving, but then, motorway journeys, covering 120miles a day and it was starting to take its toll on the vehicle, ie. it was burning oil, starting to rattle etc.SUMMARY " If you want a car for any kind of mileage, a punto isn ' t the car for you as at motorway speeds it is noisy, slow, cramped and very bouncy and it will tire you out, however, town driving it is much better suited to. It looks pretty, quiet engine, good mpg, light steering, easy to fix, cheap to insure and for the size of the car it had a roomy boot, ideal town car.

The Fiat Punto is a lovely hatch, excellent around town, group 2 Ins, my advise to anyone is to always have a warrenty just for that peace of mind as Fiat's are known to be abit pricey on parts/repairs. However I have a 2004 model and it has sailed through every MOT and Service and for a first car it doesn't have to be a shed on wheels as the Sporting model has the sporty extra's, alloy whels, CD player, front and side skirts etc.

Gven the option i would buy a Fiat Punto again.

I'm really shocked how Fiat can allow this out of thier factory. I loved my '99 Fiat Punto, it was nippy, it felt solid and it was a comfortable ride, none of these things could be applied to this car, the Fiat Punto 1.2 8v "active" from 2006.

I bought the car on its looks, it looked great, but alas, I'll never be a shallow shopper again. I was surprised to see how small the engine looked inside the engine bay.

This is my third Punto; this time the Grande. I think it represents excellent value for money. It looks good and is fun to drive.

I've been able to adjust the position of the driver's seat and steering wheel to provide a very comfortable driving position for me. My back is well supported. It's nice to have the choice of locked doors when travelling that will open automatically from inside when needed.

I bought my Y reg punto when it was a year old from a main fiat dealership. The problems I have had to fix so far are....

Steering Column (managed to get this one free through careful agruing), Windscreen wiper motor x 3, catalytic converter, exhaust x 2, steering bushes, numerous battery replacements due to unresolved issues, starting motor x 2, clutch....the list goes on. I have now been told today that the main ECU is..well to put it politely.....not very well.

I know I have in the last 18 months, spent approx £2000 in repairs alone. Although I feel someone was awarded with an extra days holiday by selling this particular car to me, I would never return to Fiat.

I've had the Punto since new, which is now 8 years. I'm very happy with its all round comfort and control. My car has done.118.000 + my wife and two sons have all learned to drive. I wouldn't be with out it. I have spent very little on it. The biggest cost was replacing the electronic power steering. I managed to get a good quality second hand one. A new one would have cost me £500.00 then it would cost money to have it fitted.

Looks nice. The Fiat Punto 1.2 8v is so light.....I rolled mine four times! I loved my fiat.

Had nothing but problems with this car, buying one is a false economy. Head gaskets blown 3 times, radiators gone, gearbox is causing problems. Badly put together car, buy a Vauxhall Corsa instead.