[sidindica]

Three years, uncanny tantrums, lots of expenses, and yet loving it!



And the love hate relationship continues. Just that, we, the car guys, always judge a product from the finer things and nitty gritties and micro millimeter perfection angles unlike many non petrol (sorry diesel) heads.
She has covered north of 65,000 kms, and there were some unpleasant surprises, but Fiat's engineering ensures that all things end well on a pleasant note. A service was performed at World of service, Noida and therein, while returning from a road trip, the turbo (Punto has from TEL-Turbo Energy Limited) started to develop a play in its fin. There was no drop in pickup or FE, in fact, on one stretch of Ambala Panipat highway, with AC off and 70 kmph, she was averaging close to 28 kmpl (yep, its true) and she had developed a whistling noise. But, before that, the car's windows and few areas had rattles and the car was taken to metro motors, Karnal wherein the following things were changed
-Air filter
-AC filter
-diesel filter
-both front power window mechanism motors
-the hose that connects the turbo (costs a princely 2k)
-two clamps were loose, fixed
-Brake cleaning and bleeding
General checkup, and total costing came to north of 9k there.



On calling World of service, Noida, the car's whistling sound was detected to the play in the turbo fin, and I promptly told them to replace it with a brand new turbo. They worked hard and ordered the new turbo in just one day from the direct supplier TEL, and at a much lesser cost (god bless us having a car with the national engine with cheap replacement parts), and the new turbo was fitted, new engine oil (AGIP I-sint 5W 40) and Fiat oil filter was installed and tests were done. The sound vanished but a slight vibration was coming from the underneath the radiator area. There are two possibilities.
-Radiator rubber mounts
-Fan motor developing some imbalance over a period of time. Again, an example of cut price component quality perhaps?
While replacing the rubber gutkhas resolved the vibration to a great extent, the fan motor still has minor imbalance which will be taken care of once I get time. A new fan motor has been ordered by WoS and will be installed soon.
Meanwhile, as a preventive measure, few cheap rubber parts were replaced at oberoi and kashyap based on part availability. Total expenses incurred were north of 2k.
Fiat still makes great drivers' cars, there is no doubt about it. And the pleasure of driving it on hilly sections, on curves, is again unparalled. And maintain it well, and it will take proper care of you, just like I take care of her. We spend a fortune in their maintenance, but at the end, the result is just rewarding. Love the car, but feel sad for the brand as a whole in terms of component quality and lack of focus in Indian operations.



Quiet simply, this is the most gorgeous looking car i have ever owned till date, after the matiz. Signing off with few pics taken from my SLR recently.

[anand.shankar]

Loved your ownership report, to say the pics are awesome is an understatement. The Momos are droolworthy, unfortunately mine is emo variant and is shod with the stock alloys. Need to wait for a while till I can even talk about upgrade.

I am looking to make a small upgrade to the ICE, I want to swap the speakers alone to better ones, looking for deeper bass, would you have any suggestions for me ? Also, could you let me know which Sealant you are using ? I have Meguiars Ultimate Glaze and 2.0 Tech Wax, additionally the Formula 1 Premium Fast wax spray. Not very happy with both the Megiuars products, any wax recommendations ?

[sidindica]

The car is nearing 72000 kms now, and a report will be uploaded on it later. But, just to show what my car is capable of, I did a brief FE run few weeks back on a holiday trip to Jammu. And this was what she returned.

First leg




Further




And again further




This is a brilliant car with brilliant capabilities, let down by the wrong brand on the nose.

[fiestarry]

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[sidindica]

Multijetting at 72,000 kms

Here's how the heart looks at 72,000.



At 71500, a routine quick service was done with new Mobil Delvac 1 engine oil and all filters changed, plus alignment and balancing. Nothing new to report, really, with the bill coming to north of 7k of all things included.
Got the Linea armrest installed and few upgrades done to the audio system.
-Profi Line midbass at front doors
-DL W6 coaxials at rear.





Continues to run reliably, and as good as a new car, all depends on how well maintained it is. Driving on 196/55 R16 hasn't really affected the FE or driving dynamics, which continues to remain a strong point.

[nkrishnap]

Are you using a coolant other than Paraflu? The reason I ask is the color seems to be different and also the coolant level seems to be near the minimum mark.

[nfsfreak]

That's a superbly maintained car. It's gleaming as if it's rolled out of showroom yesterday. Nice alloys too

Originally Posted by sidindica

Got the Linea armrest installed

Is it the old-gen Linea's armrest or the new one (which is short)?

Please do share some pics after installation and the details about cost involved. Also, your views after using the armrest.

I am planning to install an armrest in my Punto. Yet to decide whether to go with Linea's armrest or the Universal ones (which are cheap).
Your views will be of great help

[sidindica]

Originally Posted by nfsfreak

Is it the old-gen Linea's armrest or the new one (which is short)?

Please do share some pics after installation and the details about cost involved. Also, your views after using the armrest.

I am planning to install an armrest in my Punto. Yet to decide whether to go with Linea's armrest or the Universal ones (which are cheap).
Your views will be of great help

Here you go:





Plus a few more images from Sunday's photoshoot, after another audio upgrade (done at driven) and detailing (done at dazzle by notorious).
Both the shops did excellent quality work, as always, to my satisfaction.

Audio:
-pre owned DM2000 mono amp with remote
-new DL-X6 rear components













Benefits:
-Better bass reception and whole lot better surround in the car. It runs a full rainbow setup.

[Leoshashi]

Originally Posted by sidindica

Here you go:

The Linea armrest upgrade looks very nicely executed.

Plus a few more images from Sunday's photoshoot, after another audio upgrade (done at driven) and detailing (done at dazzle by notorious).
Both the shops did excellent quality work, as always, to my satisfaction.

The pains you endure on a daily basis to maintain the Red Italian is an inspiration for us all. Unless one takes a look at the odometer, its impossible to say that this car has done more than 70k kms in the unforgiving NCR traffic. Well done mate!!

I am looking forward to meet you in May, when I'll be seeing your baby again in her full glory!!

A query-Since you have used both AGIP and Delvac1 on your Multijet, would like to know your experience regarding both. Any difference noticed when switching from one to other??

Regards,
Shashi

[sidindica]

75,000 km update

The car just completed its 75,000 km milestone few days back. The running is very less due to other means of transport available, and continues to be reliable and fuss free, as always.



I just wanted some visual differentiation, so installed a flexible rubber made lip spoiler under front bumper made by a brand called Samurai. Prices vary across channels, from as low as Rs. 800 to as high as Rs. 1800. I got it from from a place called auto fanatics and the owner is also a known friend in Delhi. The kit has this flexible rubber moulding of 2.5m and part of it is stuck with original 3M tape. The under bumper portion is cleaned with 3M primer which comes in a dinky bottle and is basically to clean the surface and then its installed, together with being bolted on by 5-7 screws depending on the area of the bumper to prevent it from falling off. Its universal and can fit in many of the vehicles.







Hassle free, economical and also practical to possibly prevent the bumper from getting hit from underneath, besides enhancing the looks. Will post a usability review after a while.

[sidindica]

76,000 kms and now,



What you now see here is her rebirth.
When you turn on the ignition, you are greeted by 90 horses of sheer Italian muscle. And 230 newton metres of torque at crank at your disposal.
When you drive her, you welcome the other side of her.
More torque spread, very, very less turbo lag, increased pulling in 3rd gear and eagerness to rev and lift you off the ground.
Welcome to the Red Beluga V2.0.
Because, when you have the same great taste, you wanna have a whole lotta different essence.
Unlike any stock Fiat tuned Punto diesel you have experienced before.
Take a drive today.
It will blow you away.



When you always set benchmarks, there is no way you stick to the same level. You always work on "what if we could have made this better?"
My Punto was always a competent hatch, but overall performance always begged to be more. I had always read many positives and negatives of remaps, and then decided to take a plunge and see for myself.
GT Tunerz, based in Delhi, and belonging to a close friend of mine, Akshay Titus, did the remap work via OBD port. I was away so didn't see much of the work happening, but after the ECU remap, we did muliple runs and fine tuned the JTD 75 according to my tastes. I wanted improved driveability and torque and mid range and he gave me what he wanted. Took one full day, and what I have experianced:

• The Punto has short first and second gears. The low speed jerks on gear 2 have been masked to a great extent. No need to downshift.
• The turbo now spools at 1400 rpm, down from 1750 rpm when torque starts to build. Means easy city cruising. I can potter along on 40 kmph at 4th gear at 1300-1400 rpms easily without lugging the engine.
• The mid range has drastically improved. Overtaking has become a matter of point and shoot without the need to downshift. The car runs more eagerly with openness.
• Havent tested in dyno or 0-100, but I expect considerable improvement in straight line acceleration also.
• Bumper to bumper peak hour city traffic with AC post remap I have noticed is 14.5 kmpl.
• Have done only 400 kms post remap. Enjoying every bit of it.
• More updates once I clock in more kms and the car gets serviced at 77,500 kms.

Overall, I am very happy with the tune at this moment.

[DRIV3R]

Originally Posted by sidindica

And 230 newton metres of torque at crank at your disposal.
.................................................. .....................[*]Havent tested in dyno or 0-100, but I expect considerable improvement in straight line acceleration also.

Congrats on the remap, keep us posted on how it holds up!

Wonder how you arrived at the torque/power at crank figures without a dyno run?

[srivatsahg]

Sid must admit you should be officially coronated as the Official Numero Uno Punto fan. Your Punto looks younger and better each time i visit this thread.

Being a noob when it comes to such accessories, I have a question regarding the Lip job, Apart from the great looks does it also protect the bumper from the curbs?

Keep posting,
Cheers

[sidindica]

77,500 kms service and further improvements



I took a different route to get my car serviced at 77,500 kms which included
-Purchase of filters from 99rpm.com at the comfort of your home
-Get the filters and oil changed and other checkups at a FNG.

Quite frankly, Fiat workshops are diminishing here in Delhi NCR and are often over crowded now. Besides, I want to get the car serviced in front of myself and also, was scouting for a quality FNG for a long time.
Few of my friends (one owns a remapped swift and another a remapped i20) told me about Shanti Automobiles, a FNG in gurgaon who can do a good job with the service and other related work. I called up its owner, Mr. Rahul Raj Sareen a week ago and took an appointment for a saturday (owing to less traffic and the rainy mess leading to heavy waterlogging in Gurugram).
I took my car and prepared a job card which included things to be done
-Oil change
-filters change
-Brake service
-Clutch bleeding
-underbody check and tightening
-Other general work and EGR valve cleaning

We put Liqui Moly 5W40 fully synthetic oil (Liqui moly is now officially in India with Anand group) and I gave them the filters purchased online. Filters were fitted, oil changed, EGR valve cleaned, whole suspension/axle/steering/gearbox/underbody was cleaned by spraying diesel and all the checkups were done. Took one full day and total bill came to be only Rs. 4200 (minus the filters which costed around 3k).

We drove the car on a test run, and the car performed much better with more eagerness in the low end. To be very frank, I noticed a considerable improvement in low speed driveability which is essential for daily driving in city traffic.
I am happy to report that post remap, the FE was showing 21.2 in the MID in city cruising with 80% AC on since the engine was not lugging at all.
The top end remains the same, with the speedo hitting an indicated speed of 170 kmph as top speed, but focus on making a much better driveability helped a lot.

I would rate the experiance at shanti motors as 3.5/5, since there was looseness in beginning of starting work on time. But Rahul ensured that all was done well and his labour charges are also very competitive.

The next service will be done at 85,000 kms and inlet manifold will be cleaned in that service. The route will be same preferred, as peace of mind and competitive pricing is more important than going at fancy workplaces and coming back with a disappointment.

Overall, the car will complete 4 years soon next month, and insurance will be renewed again with New India Assurance since I am happy with their rates and service in general.



I am happy with my product I drive as a whole, as she only gets better with age. But, what you see on the nose, is what makes me think that what if some sense prevailed on their management which unfortunately, is not the case since the past 20 years.

[saurabh041086]

Originally Posted by sidindica

77,500 kms service and further improvements

Attachment 1536146

I took a different route to get my car serviced at 77,500 kms which included
-Purchase of filters from 99rpm.com at the comfort of your home
-Get the filters and oil changed and other checkups at a FNG.

Quite frankly, Fiat workshops are diminishing here in Delhi NCR and are often over crowded now. Besides, I want to get the car serviced in front of myself and also, was scouting for a quality FNG for a long time.
Few of my friends (one owns a remapped swift and another a remapped i20) told me about Shanti Automobiles, a FNG in gurgaon who can do a good job with the service and other related work. I called up its owner, Mr. Rahul Raj Sareen a week ago and took an appointment for a saturday (owing to less traffic and the rainy mess leading to heavy waterlogging in Gurugram).
I took my car and prepared a job card which included things to be done
-Oil change
-filters change
-Brake service
-Clutch bleeding
-underbody check and tightening
-Other general work and EGR valve cleaning

We put Liqui Moly 5W40 fully synthetic oil (Liqui moly is now officially in India with Anand group) and I gave them the filters purchased online. Filters were fitted, oil changed, EGR valve cleaned, whole suspension/axle/steering/gearbox/underbody was cleaned by spraying diesel and all the checkups were done. Took one full day and total bill came to be only Rs. 4200 (minus the filters which costed around 3k).

We drove the car on a test run, and the car performed much better with more eagerness in the low end. To be very frank, I noticed a considerable improvement in low speed driveability which is essential for daily driving in city traffic.
I am happy to report that post remap, the FE was showing 21.2 in the MID in city cruising with 80% AC on since the engine was not lugging at all.
The top end remains the same, with the speedo hitting an indicated speed of 170 kmph as top speed, but focus on making a much better driveability helped a lot.

I would rate the experiance at shanti motors as 3.5/5, since there was looseness in beginning of starting work on time. But Rahul ensured that all was done well and his labour charges are also very competitive.

The next service will be done at 85,000 kms and inlet manifold will be cleaned in that service. The route will be same preferred, as peace of mind and competitive pricing is more important than going at fancy workplaces and coming back with a disappointment.

Hey Sid, i am planning for first major service for my Punto 75ps MJD(64k odo) soon. Can you please tell more about this engine oil and how is it performing. So far i have been using Mobil 1 fully synthetic since last two service. Also i would like to know what exactly is done in brake service and clutch bleeding. How much exactly did this FNG charge you for all these jobs.

Thanks