[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by jacksons

It is indeed very nice write up as I was hooked to it more then blasting Shehwag.

If you can stand little niggles in the car then you will enjoy it much more rather getting angry over it.

Blasting Sehwag! I miss watching IPL. But IPL has too many games nowadays - hence gave up watching IPL for good.

Got only one niggle as of now. Its the rattle from the front doors. I dont think I can live with it for another 10k kms (when 2nd service is due). Will most probably pay a visit to Ignite Garage, Chennai - somewhere around the 7500 kms mark.

Might also change the engine oil same time. Atleast for this initial period, let it not stretch for 15k kms!

Originally Posted by srinath34

and the GP90 is yet to be checked out. This review gave me a good first hand prospective of the GP90.

Two requests from me - when you go to TD the GP 90.

1. Dont TD a brand new car. Punto really transforms (for better) till around the 5k mark, from my personal experience.

2. Before the TD, take some time to get used to the ergonomics (Clutch positioning is ackward compared to most other cars + limited space in the footwell), or even better - take a long TD. The real one fun starts only after you get used to the car properly. Drive it like you would drive normally - and not by burying the throttle. You'll be surprised at the speeds it can carry, everytime you glance at the speedo.

Originally Posted by aravind.anand

It was more of a journey rather than a car buying process for you, looking at the exhaustive list of car you had in mind (You even got married during the process! ) Good that you have made the best choice. The Punto 90HP has the looks, features, performance and the FTD factor to keep you entertained for years together.
Wishing you many happy miles and a very Happy Married life too Bro

Thank you. It was a journey indeed. One that lasted for over 6 years infact. One that started - when I first saw the Swift.

The climax was a totally unexpected one though! And thankfully - I've been enjoying the outcome till now - without regrets.

Originally Posted by bala80

Man, what an review, just awesome. Thank you so much for your time and effort in penning this down. Easily the best review for punto on this forum, very honest, unbiased and elaborate, complimented with great set of pictures. I'm rating this thread a very well deserved 5 stars.

I was following your posts on the choice of new car and was one of those who were surprised and just couldnt beleive when you said you had booked the punto, after all the initial apprehensions you had about fiat. But I'mvery happy for you at the end of the day, you seem to be happy and enjoying your ownership experience and thats what ultimately matters at the end of the day.

Wishing you miles and miles of pleasant and memorable ownership experience.

Not only apprehensions - I was pretty much vocal about it too, on the forum- mainly in the sales threads. Although Punto looked beautiful right from Day-1, I never thought I'd purchase it someday. How a day (A proper TD in my case!) can bring a difference in one's life!

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by khan_sultan

An excellent review & the first impressions report here. Simply straight from the heart. The Punto 90HP is a great all rounder and congrats on buying it. The 90 HP VGT is a FTD engine.

Few Questions (Apologies if they are already mentioned in the review and have missed them)

#1: What was the on road price? Any discounts on 90HP?

#2: Have FIAT worked on the turning radius of the punto? How do you find it, considering a small turning radius was one of your requirements.

Again, wishing you many many happy miles with the punto

DRIV3R has correctly answered your questiones in the above posts.

1. Discounts were significant. Free Insurance, Corporate discount, Mudflap (OE), Floormat (OE) & Sun Film. And this was just 3 weeks before the proposed diesel taxes were supposed to be implemented.

2. Yes. They have, and its atleast comparable to other cars now. From 5.4m to 5m radius is a significant reduction - and it shows! Although not as easy as in a Swift, I was able to park inside our garage without any issues. (While earlier - Punto would just not have made that turn). Taking U-turns is not that big a pain now - IMHO.

Originally Posted by viggienomad

A lively & honest narration of one of my favourite car. I tend to feel that it's too beautiful to run in Chennai's aggressive rush hour traffic.

You mentioned about low seating stance. Since your parents use a WagonR, what do they feel about the ingress/egress in Punto?

Happy married life!

Thank you.

There is no comparison between a WagonR and a Punto, w.r.t to ease of ingress / egress. WagonR is near perfect. You walk in and sit upright.

With Punto - you need to sit down with your knees slightly raised. It also causes a bit of a trouble getting out - but they didnt complain that its hard. They are just in their 60s. I think it will be pretty hard for someone nearing their 80s.

Originally Posted by DRIV3R

Let me jump in and answer you.

#1: Crazy Biker got it for 7.93 L INR, discounts and freebies included. Keep in mind that this is the pre-budget price.

#2: Yes, the 2012 models have a 5m turning radius, as opposed to the 5.4m of the older one/ 2012 Linea. 5m is very much in league of other hatchbacks.

Crazy Biker, congrats on the Punto 90 HP. Get the rattles sorted out on her next visit to the service station. I do not get what's with 2012 Puntos and front LH door rattles!

BTW, your mileage figures say 19-20 kmpl within city. Is it a typo? I manage 14-15 kmpl with our 75HP one, in peak traffic though.

I'm surprised you remember the OTR figures!

The city figure was checked long back. Yet to check the mileage figure in peak traffic conditions. 19- 20kmpl listed above is not peak traffic. My daily drive is 20+ kms from Velachery to Perungalathur (both of which cannot be considered as places having peak Chennai traffic conditions).

Originally Posted by infotech58

do you mind sharing OTR price you paid? was there any waiting period?

Waiting period was just around 20 days.

Figo is again an excellent car. One that sets out to please everyone, IMO - and manages that in a decent manner. Here are the reasons why we chose Punto over Figo -

1. Better looks (Could be subjective)
2. Better interiors. (Although one or two glaring flaws are there, Punto cabin doesn't feel as built to a price as Figo cabin, IMO)
3. Better highway performance. (Figo engine, with minimal turbo lag can certainly keep up with Punto in city).
4. Was not so sure about Ford after sales service and maintenance costs either - for it to be a huge distinguishing factor.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by gemithomas

Excellent Review. Wish You a very happy ownership

Thank you.

Originally Posted by lloydofcochin

Crazy Driver,

This is a fantastic straight from the heart ownership review of probably the best hatch in the country

And it sounds sweet coming from a Maruti convert. My 5 stars added.

Lot of folks miss out on the driving experience of a FIAT since they eliminate it out of their initial list due to negative perceptions about the brand and the not so great A.S.S.

I had a test drive of a 2012 Punto and was blown away by the suspension. So if I decide to upgrade from my Palio SDX to another hatch it has to be the Punto for sure but for now I have my eyes set on the Linea

Not only the A.S.S, lot of rumours about FIAT that somehow came into circulation through word of mouth! Most people dont even take it up shortlist it in their car purchase at all!

For example - one person in my office - waited almost 6 months for his Swift Petrol. Now that his Swift Petrol has arrived, he wanted to go for a diesel, so he is planning to wait another 6+ months for the diesel. Why? Because according to him - thats the only (& best) choice available in the segment. FIAT was not considered just because everyone around him told not to buy a FIAT.

Originally Posted by Turbokick

One of the best ownership reviews around.
I loved the way you narrated your story. It was almost like watching a movie :-D
Congrats for your purchase. Punto is one fantastic looking car and a true Fiat.

My queries :
- How is the 90 HP different from Punto 75 and Swift diesel in terms of driveability and outright acceleration? I don't have any experience with 90HP but I really want to know about its performance.

- Where does Swift's stability at high speeds stand near Punto's?

1. Punto 90HP doesn't feel all that different from Punto 75HP, specially inside City limits. You begin to wonder - where have all the extra horses gone? For outright acceleration - the pulling feel of Swift cannot be matched by Punto 90HP even (I haven't got any numbers - just telling by the feel of both cars). The new Swift diesel has been a bit subdued compared to the old one though.

Where the 90HP really comes into its own is during highway cruising. It just seems to pull and pull, above triple digit speeds.

2. Pretty good. I had only one drive of the new Swift after taking delivery of my Punto - and I did not take very high speeds there. Still, Swift feels a lot tighter and agile - like it would willingly do anything you ask of it- it begs to be thrown around. Punto - however is a lot more solid and relaxed- you would be bored that the car feels slow, but a quick glance at the speedo will show how fast it actually is!

Originally Posted by fiestarry

The car you have bought is certainly one that appeals to the heart. I too did several test drives a year ago but somehow did not put my money on it. I think it is time to take a re-look at the Punto and test drive the car again. Your excellent review has convinced me that the Punto is a good car. What looks maan!
Are you sure that the clutch pedal travel isnt that bad?

If you are prepared for that extra headaches with service - its a very good car. Good thing is - you only need to visit the headache centre every 15k kms.

Clutch pedal travel is bad. You need to raise your leg to step on the clutch pedal. BUT - one week into ownership, you get used to it. Not only the clutch, the cramped footwell also feels weird for the first 2-3 days of ownership, but nowadays I dont feel any issues - even while using my size 10 woodlands.

If you regularly get stuck in peak rush hour stop-and-go traffic, the clutch could still irritate, even if you get used to it.

[Sheel]

That is one heck of a review, thanks for sharing.

One of my friend booked a ZDi on 20th March and the Car has arrived, would be taking delivery in a day or two. Shall post an impression.

GP is in another league though I love my Figo for what it offers costing ~1L less

[lloydofcochin]

Carzy Driver,

If you need more power you should seriously consider adding a Tuning Box. The engine will surely open up after 5k kms and maybe you can add one after 10k kms.

In one of the FIAT meets here in Bangalore I got to drive an FGT Punto with a Race Dynamics box and the torque was insane and the Car was pulling like a locomotive. In the P2 mode it literally flew.

I drove the VGT Punto too within few mins but the FGT with the box was surely thrilling and more fun to drive than the stock VGT. RD box comes with a remote too and you can change modes on the fly.

I'm thinking about getting the RD Box/Racechip installed on my Palio. Racehip I heard is pretty good and is a cheaper option compared to the RD Box.

[nkrishnap]

Belated Congrats on the Car. Fantastic write up. A good half an hour gone during office hours, but no regrests :-).

Looks like the FIAT bug has bit you. A well deserved 5* rating for this thread. Keep em updated.

[StarrySky]

Congrats on the car and wishing you a happy married life!

The "Guess the speed" game is something that I used to play with my wife. After a while she started adding 20 or 30kmph to whatever figure she had in mind before giving me the answer

The ride is yet another high point of the Punto. A friend (who also has a Punto) recently mentioned that Punto literally takes off and leaves the other hatches in the dust after slowing down for speed-breakers etc. I told him that it's probably because the speed-breaker doesn't break the Punto's speed as much as it does for other hatches.

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

I'm upgrading from a WagonR, with a very light electric steering setup. Huge difference!

Infact - I never had any problems with the WagonR during the past 6 years of ownership. However, after getting used to the Punto - WagonR steering feels very vague and lifeless.

I used to be happy driving my father's Wagon-R before I bought my Punto. Now I try to avoid driving it as much as possible. It's not just the steering, but the overall sense of security I get while sitting in the Punto.

[scofield]

Crazy Driver congratulations for the beast and best hatch back available in India.
If you have got anything to know.about the RD tuning chip do let me know
- have already clocked 20k with the chip and its worth the money.

[.anshuman]

Sorry for joining in late, Congrats for the car!! That's one nicely detailed report, thanks for putting in so much effort to compile it.

I own a first batch Punto, my car has done crossed 50,000 kms mark this month. The car has held well despite being used on bad roads most of the time, only issue on bad roads are the rims which get bent easily and are expensive to replace through authorized dealers. Sadly i do not get to drive this car much.

90hp version makes sense only if you frequently cross the 3000rpm barrier, beyond which the 75hp version goes dead, but before 3000rpm both engines have similar power delivery and performance.

Keep us updated!

[DRIV3R]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

I'm surprised you remember the OTR figures!

The city figure was checked long back. Yet to check the mileage figure in peak traffic conditions. 19- 20kmpl listed above is not peak traffic. My daily drive is 20+ kms from Velachery to Perungalathur (both of which cannot be considered as places having peak Chennai traffic conditions).

Hey buddy, yeah, as a matter of fact I do. I bought a Feb make 75 HP Emotion for 7.75 L INR, post budget price though the car was billed to the dealer before the budget. I got a good list of freebies though.

And damn, these 2012 Puntos rattle! Take the car to the workshop, VST Mount road was good, they will open up the door pad and tighten few nuts. Check if any of the door pad plastic locks are broken, it can happen with morons installing sun-film at the dealer's place.

Punto is pure bliss on the highway. And yeah, I even play the guess speed trick with my co-passengers.

Very true on the mileage part, for one, diesels begin to operate with maximum efficiency only after say 5kms of driving, I commute something around that figure one way, plus it is in peak traffic (Interior Chennai).

We will meet up for a photo-shoot, if time permits for both of us.

[raj_5004]

This is the one of the most amazing, unbiased and in-depth review of the Punto I have seen in this forum. Kudos and congrats mate.

Your white beauty looks AMAZING.

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

What I don't:

Me: Media
Car-lady: Media Player. The available commands are ... (Lists out some 5 options!)
Me: Advanced USB Options.
Her: Advanced USB Options. The available commands are... (Again lists out some 5 options!)
Me: Folders.
Her: Folders. Please use the steering wheel navigations to scroll (Blah blah!).

Another 10 secs, and few clicks later - I have the folder I was looking for! Total time taken - Definitely more than 30 secs, even upto a full minute - for what should have been just a button click! And, all that i wanted to do - was to change the music folder!

You dont need to do all this. Just say 'Folders' and use steering controls to change folders.

Or simply just use the steering controls.

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Last and the best post- By my better half, in her own words. The things I had to offer - to get her to write this, on the forum! Anyways - here goes -

This was a good one!

[clevermax]

@crazy driver: You might be knowing, that there is already a 110hp remapped Punto vgt around - any thoughts on making yours the second one with 110hp?

[MAS]

@crazy driver - Wonderful report . Was hooked to it and read the whole report in one go. I did test the 2012 Fiat Punto 75 bhp car two weeks back. The car is amazing, but very low on power. After reading your report, i am tempted to test drive the 90 bhp VGT and check if i find this amusing.

The fault is also on my side as after driving the new Fiesta, everything else seems so blunt.

Wish you a very happy married life (i meant with the Punto, which you can change in 5 - 7 years time!!!)

[deetjohn]

Great review CrAzY dRiVeR. Thanks for all the effort put into it.

Many love the GP, but not brave enough to put money on it. And I am in that list.

Hope Fiat India will make you a fan for life. I know the GP will.

[download2live]

I liked the way you wrote the review.
Nice.
Pictures are good too.
Wishing you many happy miles on the car.