[chiranjitp]

Thank you guys for the compliments, means a lot to me .

Originally Posted by i74js

Good to see your fond ownership memories of Grande Punto; In your place, I would not have picked up pre 2012 model because the facelift which was about 60k dearer had many improvements.

I believe, I wasn't very clear in my post. The 2012 Punto that would have cost us 60k more (after discounts & price hike) was the dynamic variant, equivalent to the old Emotion variant (the one we bought). The top end model (with airbags, alloys, ACC) wasn't considered by us mainly because of budget issues.

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

I would be very interested in hearing you compare the driving and ownership experience between the two though - the Ecosport diesel and the Punto diesel - in addition to the gear ratios & ABS calibration mentioned in the above posts.

I have been regularly following your Punto ownership thread since its inception, for me it is one of the best Punto ownership threads.

Let me try to do a brief comparison between the Punto and the Ecosport.

• The NVH is way better in the Ecosport, the engine is almost petrol silent on the inside. In comparison some diesel clatter does filter inside the cabin of the Punto. With regards to keeping the interior cocooned from the outside world, both of them are similar. The heavy build (of both the cars) does help here.

• With regards to performance, the Ecosport has a bigger engine & hence is noticeably faster. The TDCi engine also doesn't have any turbo lag to speak of, easily pulls from the low revs. The Multijet on the other hand only wakes up properly after 1600-1700 RPM. No turbo lag on the Ecosport means there is no turbo kick as well, in comparison even the Punto engine has a more pronounced turbo kick. During my first drive of the Ecosport, I thought the turbo was faulty in that particular car. The power delivery is very linear, almost like a NA engine. The gearing on the Ecosport isn't very weird like the Punto, though it is a bit on the taller side for my liking. The 2nd gear almost goes up to 85-90 kmph in the TDCi.

• The clutch on the Ecosport is easily more heavy than the super light clutch on the Punto. The Ecosport's clutch also has a strong return back action (typical of many diesels). On the other hand, the Ecosport has a shorter clutch travel than the Punto's clutch.

• When it comes to ride quality, the Punto wins hands down, there is simply no comparison. Whatever the speed and surface, the Punto rides flat. On the other hand, the Ecosport has a slightly stiff ride quality at low speeds. At medium to high speeds the Ecosport rides flat, though not quite Punto flat.

• The steering on the Ecosport is way lighter than the hydraulic unit on the Punto, though at high speeds it weights up (almost) sufficiently. The steering on the Punto was something else, it was perfect in every possible way. The EPS unit on the Ecosport is nowhere as feel some as the pure hydraulic unit on the Punto. On the positive side, the Ecosport's steering is very sharp, accurate and has a nice center back action. In short for me the Ecosport's steering is like the Punto's steering, minus the feel & weight.

• The brakes are quite similar w.r.t actual stopping distance. But the feel of braking is different in both the cars, the ABS on the Ecosport is tuned too aggressively and it kicks in too soon. The ABS calibration on the Punto was perfect, it only kicked in during really hard braking. The other problem I have with the brakes on the Ecosport is the nose dive, there is noticeable nose dive while braking from medium/high speeds.

• Both the cars are competent handlers. The Ecosport despite being a tallboy handles nicely. Of course it doesn't handle as well as the Punto, still it is fun to drive on twisty roads.

• Despite being similar in size (length), the Ecosport is easily more spacious on the inside. Even the seats are a bit better in the Ecosport, mainly due to the fact that you sit a bit higher and upright in the taller Ecosport.

• When it comes to equipment, the newer Ecosport has way more equipment (including things like 6 airbags, ESP, TC).

• The high GC on the Ecosport is a boon in our roads, we haven't yet scrapped her underbelly. Our Punto had a lower GC than your Punto (2012 model) and she used to scrape her underbelly very frequently. The solid under-body protection meant there was no major damage to the under-body.

• With regards to servicing, the Ecosport has only done around 37k km. So far the experience has been good, even the warranty replacements were done promptly. The cost of the periodic servicing is easily lower with the Ecosport, though some replacement parts are a bit costly. The alloy costs around 14.5k and brake pads cost a cool 4.5k.

• Both the cars have a strong built quality, I would say best in their respective segments. Somehow, the doors on the Punto feel a bit more heavier and thicker than the Ecosport's doors.

• The interior fit and finish is better in the Ecosport. Having said that, the interior quality isn't Hyundai good.

• If you would ask me, the Ecosport is a not really a upgrade from the Punto, especially in things which matters most to me (road manners, build quality, looks). Still among the current sub 12lakh cars, Ecosport seems like the best compromise.

• I would advice you to keep your Punto for a few more years, they don't make cars like these anymore.

Originally Posted by blackwasp

This report should be read by the chaps at Fiat as to why the company lost its foot in the market. A competent product lost thanks to the lethargy of the company.

You are absolutely spot on, FIAT lost many customers due to their after sales support. If the FASS (in Guwahati) would have been more competent, we would have still had the Punto and the thread title would have read something like "Living with a Fiat Punto for 6.5 years and 1.5 lakh km".

Originally Posted by gp_fanatico

As a fellow ex-Punto onwer, it was nice to read through your experience with your Punto
I now own a pre-worshipped S-Cross 1.6, built by Maruti but Fiat at heart

I like to describe the S-Cross as an European car, made and serviced by Maruti. As the 1.6 variants were out of budget, we didn't consider the S-cross as a replacement for the Punto. As for the 1.3L S-Cross, we didn't want to buy the same engine again.

Originally Posted by justin.das

I faced the same issue with Fiat Linea and contacted many workshop's for better diagnosis and I received the same answer. From my research what I found was the real issue is diesel quality and long service interval

We did get the EGR cleaned once at around the 50k km mark and it was clogged. Maruti recommends cleaning the EGR every 30k km in their version of the Multijet, maybe a 30k km interval is better for our road condition. Even the 15k oil change interval is a bit too long for our environment, especially for cars which are primarily driven inside the city.

How did you solve the problem in your Linea? Did you overhaul the engine?

[Anirudh_sai]

We have a 2003 Palio, the initial ones which were mostly imported. After 15 years getting it re registered is becoming a nightmare and I’m afraid we might have to sell it. Over the last 15 years it has run flawlessly all the parts are solid
Especially the build quality. Doors and the hood are much heavier than our 2018 verna. The plastic quality is also much better. Also like expensive luxury cars it came with 70% transparency glasses. The AC was just awesome.

Fiat Palio was one car that was ahead of its time. With the groundbreaking 32bit ECU. The silent powerful engine which rums flawlessly to this day (without much care). I was 3 years old when we first bought it. Its going to be hard to say goodbye. Stupid Jammu RTO

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by chiranjitp

Let me try to do a brief comparison between the Punto and the Ecosport.

Extremely detailed. Thank you.

Originally Posted by chiranjitp

[*]If you would ask me, the Ecosport is a not really a upgrade from the Punto, especially in things which matters most to me (road manners, build quality, looks). Still among the current sub 12lakh cars, Ecosport seems like the best compromise.[*]I would advice you to keep your Punto for a few more years, they don't make cars like these anymore.

Sums up to what I've been feeling as well. So the car will continue to run further till it can do so reliably.

Compass felt like the perfect upgrade, but (thankfully) I was burdened back then with a recent purchase of the Versys 650 - and had to let go of the oppurtunity to book it post launch. However - looking back, I feel it would have been way too much for my needs and budget - and I'd rather follow your path and get a compact crossover later, but sometime only when it is really required.

[justin.das]

Originally Posted by chiranjitp

We did get the EGR cleaned once at around the 50k km mark and it was clogged. Maruti recommends cleaning the EGR every 30k km in their version of the Multijet, maybe a 30k km interval is better for our road condition. Even the 15k oil change interval is a bit too long for our environment, especially for cars which are primarily driven inside the city.

How did you solve the problem in your Linea? Did you overhaul the engine?

It's better to clean EGR every 20-30k kilometers and service the car every 7-10k kilometers so that longer engine life is guaranteed . For my car the issue was at 74000 kilometers and did a rebuild on engine and turbo .Total bill was around 60k .Now car crossed 1.25k and everything looks fine .

[sdp1975]

Great post with lot's of details ! My Emotion Pack Punto MJD will turn 9 years this year October. I had purchased her in October 2009 , a couple of months after the launch . She's done 1.38 lac kms now. Have had no major problems so far ( touchwood ) . I've taken her on several long drives.

Availability of spares in Bangalore has generally been good , although at times I've had to place orders at the Fiat ASC and then wait for a week or so for arrival. I've also found a good FNG ( Pride cars ) where I usually visit these days. I've thought of upgrading on a few occasions but then didn't see a lot of value in doing so. Will keep her as long there aren't any major problems. Service costs have been reasonable. I did a suspension overhaul some time ago.

Here's a photo taken last year at Tumalapenta beach.

[McLaren Rulez]

Enjoyed reading this very much!

We also moved from a 95 Omni to a European hatch (VW Polo) and my dad would probably relate to everything you wrote about your dad, including the initial adjustment to driving a modern car.

Best wishes for the next 1 lakh km.

[Carrera555]

Hi Chiranjit,

Your review made me nostalgic in a way words can't describe. Your review makes me so go back to 2011 which was the time where Punto's were selling & trying hard to compete with other premium hatches. I believe for any one who has been a Punto fan would believe 2009 till 2014 (till Evo was launched) would be the best years of their life. That's because Punto is much more than a car. Its an emotion & like they said it, its indeed 'crafted for a true fan'. Any one who bought a Punto then was suddenly a close friend & that car surely bought people together.

I own a 2011 Punto diesel & have clocked 185,000 kms. I had a full engine change at 125,000 kms at my own expense & BELIEVE ME the suspension is yet stock, except the lower arm which had to be replaced at 150,000 kms. Punto is an amazing car, I have my ownership review which i penned down in MS Word when the car had done 17,000 kms, but the lazy bones has yet not helped me to get it out of the assembly line. But surely your review has now inspired me to complete that soon & it will be out soon.

Yes, I still own the Punto & its my daily drive. And I have no plans to sell it. Period.

[Leoshashi]

Lovely review bro, straight from the heart, hats off to you.

Rating it a well deserved 5 stars. If only Fiat made a fraction of the effort (which you put in compiling this report) in selling and supporting its cars, the fate of Fiat cars would have been different.

Regards,
Shashi

[chiranjitp]

Thank you guys for the compliments .

Originally Posted by Anirudh_sai

We have a 2003 Palio, the initial ones which were mostly imported. After 15 years getting it re registered is becoming a nightmare and I’m afraid we might have to sell it. Over the last 15 years it has run flawlessly all the parts are solid

The Palio was an awesome car, which was also let down by FIAT. This car was very different from all the small cars of that era (01-02), had solid build quality, good highway manners etc. I believe it was VFM too, the EL and ELX variant were priced very competitively.

Is it that tough to get a car re-registered in Jammu RTO? We have two cars in our garage that are past the 15 year mark, both were re-registered without any hassles. We also didn't take help of any broker, hence the cost was less than 1k for both the cars.

Originally Posted by sdp1975

Great post with lot's of details ! My Emotion Pack Punto MJD will turn 9 years this year October. I had purchased her in October 2009 , a couple of months after the launch . She's done 1.38 lac kms now. Have had no major problems so far ( touchwood ) . I've taken her on several long drives.

It's nice to see someone holding on to a Punto for almost a decade. Your car looks to be in immaculate condition, hardly looks like a 9 year old car. October 09 would mean a BS-3 Punto. Didn't the early Punto emotion PK come with a "Blue and Me" sticker at the back? This particular sticker looked really nice. In my post I have done a brief review of the 1.4L FIRE engine, that particular car was a early 2010 model and had the "Blue and me" sticker at the rear glass. The Blue and Me feature was quite advanced by 2009 standards.

Originally Posted by McLaren Rulez

Enjoyed reading this very much!
We also moved from a 95 Omni to a European hatch (VW Polo) and my dad would probably relate to everything you wrote about your dad, including the initial adjustment to driving a modern car.

I am a regular reader of your wonderful Polo ownership thread, hope your dad is enjoying the Polo. 95 Omni would mean the type-i Omni with round headlights, ours is the 98 face-lifted model (with a different headlight design). Did you sell the Omni? We still have our Omni and even today she chugs along nicely. After getting used to the Punto, my dad stopped driving the Omni. Now he can't drive the Omni, as it lacks things like PS, power brakes etc . Though he is quite comfortable driving my 01 Zen VXi, which has things like PS and power brakes.

Originally Posted by Carrera555

Hi Chiranjit,

Your review made me nostalgic in a way words can't describe. Your review makes me so go back to 2011 which was the time where Punto's were selling & trying hard to compete with other premium hatches.

I own a 2011 Punto diesel & have clocked 185,000 kms. I had a full engine change at 125,000 kms at my own expense & BELIEVE ME the suspension is yet stock, except the lower arm which had to be replaced at 150,000 kms.

Wow, 185k km is a lot of distance. I have gone through your ownership review, I am hoping that you will be regularly updating your thread. The engine rebuild at 125k km is a bit too early, having said that it seems some Puntos (& Lineas) did need a early engine overhaul. I believe this is mainly due to the long 15k oil change interval, 15k interval is too long in our dusty and harsh environment.

Originally Posted by Leoshashi

Lovely review bro, straight from the heart, hats off to you.

Thank you bro, your compliment means a lot to me. The fate of FIAT would have been quite different had they put some effort in their after sales department. Initially lack of availability of parts was a shock to us, mainly due to fact that our previous car was an Omni. When the Omni needed any spare parts, my dad would simply visit any car parts store, and buy the part.

[McLaren Rulez]

Originally Posted by chiranjitp

95 Omni would mean the type-i Omni with round headlights, ours is the 98 face-lifted model (with a different headlight design). Did you sell the Omni?

Indeed, it's with the round lights. It's still with us, 1.5 lakh km but still around for the rough jobs like transporting equipment and going to tight inner city streets.

Some day, I hope to spend enough time to give it a full restoration - and I suspect it'll be a classic