[chiranjitp]

What you'll like:

• Stunning and timeless design.
• Magic carpet ride quality and rock-solid highway stability.
• Perfectly weighted steering along with a perfect centre back action.
• Good handling.
• Brilliant brakes can shed speed very quickly and there is no/negligible nose dive.
• Heavy vault like build quality.
• Very detailed MID (even shows the location of a fused bulb, low fluid warning etc.)
• VFM pricing and also was feature laden for its time.
• Fuel efficient MJD engine with decent grunt.

What you won't:

• Reliability issues, niggles were common.
• FASS was mostly incompetent.
• For a car that is almost 4m in length, the interiors were a bit cramped.
• Weird gear ratios, the first two gears were really short.
• Slightly notchy gearshift quality, especially the 5th gear.
• The performance from the MJD was just about adequate.
• Weird ergonomics, even after 100k km I couldn't find the perfect driving position.
• Interior fit and finish was far from class leading.




Special thanks to Bhpian Tanveer02 for helping me in compiling this review .

[chiranjitp]

WHY A NEW CAR?

Circa early 2011

This has to be the most important question that needs answering before buying a new car, after all a new car costs a lot of money and is a depreciating asset.

Though in our case, the reason was fairly simple. The only car in our family (a 99 Omni) was nearing the 12 year mark. The Omni was really outdated by 2011 standards, though she still was reliable as a rock. The Omni had only done around 80k km by then, the low odometer reading was due to the fact for a good part of the early 00s, 4 members of our family lived in 3 different places.

In 2008, we relocated to a different location which meant that my dad's daily commute increased to around 40km. Now, driving daily 40km in an Omni specially in summers is not an easy task (absence of AC being the primary reason). Hence, it was decided that we would buy a new car and the Omni would be kept as a second car.

WHAT CAR?

Circa July 2011


I was given the task of finding the perfect car for our use and the budget was set at around 5-6 lakhs. Looking at our daily commute distance and price of both the fuels, petrol and diesel, it was decided that a diesel car would suit us best.

By July 2011, I was a regular reader of Team-BHP. So, I went through numerous threads and came up with a list of requirements:

• Must be a hatchback, as the new car should be easy to drive within city limits.
• Diesel powered.
• Should have rear wiper, defogger, head adjustable driver seat (coming from the Omni this was a necessary requirement), fog lights, 4 power windows.
• Airbag & ABS (optional).
• Should have decent space for 4 medium sized guys.
• Should have good ride and handling, not bouncy like an i10.

From the requirements, it was confirmed that we would to be looking at only the top end variants. The car that fit our requirements and the budget was the competitively priced Figo 1.4 TDCi ZXi variant. So, my research was over and the only thing that was left was to check out the Figo in person and book it.

FORD FIGO

We went to the nearest Ford dealer to check out the Figo. Do note that in July 2011, Figo was selling in big numbers. Anyways, a SA was assigned to us, and he showed us a green Figo with brown interior, that colour combo simply looked horrible. Then the next problem were the fixed rear headrests, my dad commented that these would be uncomfortable in long journeys.

Earlier that year we had taken our family's 2010 i10 to Kaziranga National park and back (400 km to and fro) and the lack of rear headrests was a big downer and so was the bouncy ride at high speed. Hence it was decided whatever car we would buy, it must have a decent ride quality and adjustable rear headrests.

Then there was this irritating SA who was pushing us to buy the petrol Figo, citing reasons that the Figo diesel had a waiting period of around 3-4 months. So, the Figo was almost rejected, though the Figo was VFM @ 5.6 lakhs on road for the ZXi variant and 6 lakhs on road for the Titanium variant. The next visit was to the Toyota dealer to check out the newly launched Liva diesel.

TOYOTA ETIOS LIVA

The guys at the Toyota dealer were friendlier than the ones from the Ford dealer. We checked out the Liva GD variant, the diesel was only launched in one single variant. First impressions were bad, the interior was very basic, and there was this big speedometer at the centre with no tachometer. But there were a few positives as well, the interior was very spacious and airy. My mother commented that the rear was as wide as her brother's erstwhile Premier 118NE.

Next up was the test drive, more like a test ride I would say, as I was only 17 then (no driving license) and my parents had only driven cars like the Omni and the M800. Hence, they were not keen on driving a car equipped with things like PS, power brakes etc. Anyways the test ride went well, the ride was not bouncy, AC was powerful. The SA also showed us the tractability of the engine by shifting to 5th gear at around 35 kmph.

To conclude, the Etios was a safe choice, but not an exciting choice. After living with a boring but sensible Omni for 11+ years, we were looking for a change.

Etios Liva Brochure:





Etios Liva pricelist:




Circa September 2011

MARUTI SWIFT

The new 2nd gen Swift was launched and I always had a soft spot in my heart for the Swift. So, we made a visit to a Maruti dealer to check out the Swift and the variant that I had decided was the VDi variant. We checked out the Swift, and the first impressions were good, the interior looked good, the ICE sounded nice and then there was the evergreen sporty looks of the Swift. After that we checked out the back, the rear was a bit cramped but nothing that couldn't be lived with. Finally, we checked out the boot, the boot was very small and also there was no 60:40 split either.

The SA showed us the price-list, the VDi variant was priced around 6.5 lakhs on road and the ZDi variant was around 7 lakhs on road. The prices according to me were not that VFM, but the biggest problem was the waiting period. We were quoted a waiting period of around 6-7 months, which was simply not acceptable to us. There was a TATA showroom nearby, so I thought why we don't check out the TATA Vista.

TATA VISTA

The environment of the TATA showroom was similar to that of a Government office, it looked very disorganized. Anyways, I got hold of a SA and told him that we were interested in the TATA VISTA VX Quadrajet variant. We were told that they don't have a Vista for display and we will have to check out the TD car, which had gone out for a test drive.

While waiting for the Vista to arrive, my mother asked me about that one good looking red car which was standing at a corner. It was a red Punto in the base active variant, we immediately went to check her out. I opened the front doors and slid myself in the driver's seat and closed the door, I was immediately impressed by the heavy doors . Then next up were the interiors, at first glance they didn't seem as badly finished as was written in most of the reviews. The rear looked spacious enough and the boot was big too.

By this time the Vista TD car had returned, so we went to check that out. Frankly speaking, after checking out the Punto, the Vista didn't impress us. Of course, there were positives like spacious interiors, comfortable ride and VFM pricing.

On our drive back home, I couldn't stop thinking about the Punto. I was all praise for the car until my mother interrupted me. She wanted to know to why the Punto wasn't selling well if that car was as good as I had claimed it to be, more importantly she wanted to know why the Punto was missing from my initial list of cars.

To be frank, I initially didn't consider the Punto because of the niggling issues and more importantly because it was a FIAT. Anyways, I told my mother that the Punto was missing from the list because I had simply forgotten about that car . So, one more visit to the TATA dealership was planned, this time to check out the Fiat Punto.

Tata Vista pricelist:

FIAT PUNTO

This time we checked out the test drive Punto car, a 90hp BNW model. The car was looking absolutely stunning, so all the negatives went out of the window. Next up was test drive (ride), the SA took her through some rough roads and floored the accelerator pedal, even then the ride was composed.

So, the Punto was finalized, only thing that was left was to decide the variant. In 2011, FIAT had this scheme where you could get a diesel Punto for the price of a petrol. Anyways, the variant that I chose was the Emotion variant, it was only slightly above our initial budget and met all the initial requirements (except the airbags).

Due to some unforeseen circumstance, the purchase date was delayed by a few months from July 2011 to Dec 2011. By December 2011, the news of a facelifted Punto started surfacing here in Team-BHP. So, it was decided that we would wait for the facelift to be launched and then take a decision.

While waiting for the facelifted Punto, we checked out 2 more cars, the Nissan Micra and the VW Polo.

Punto brochure:





Punto pricelist:

NISSAN MICRA

The Micra looked a bit funky, had some innovative touches like the key-less entry and go. My dad was particularly impressed with the fact that the car could be unlocked and started without using the actual key. Even the interior quality seemed nice, especially the funky ICE.

The main negative point was the absence of any safety features in the diesel variant. I also found the looks a bit girlish, and she wasn't exactly VFM @ 6.65 Lakhs (on road).

Micra pricelist:

VW POLO

The VW showroom felt very upmarket, even the sales advisers were well behaved. Anyways, on to the car, the interiors felt very upmarket with good quality plastics and with no visible panel gaps (like the Punto). Even the exterior looked stunning, even today Polo is one of the better looking hatchbacks in the Indian Market.

Then we checked out the rear seat, the legroom seemed pretty average and to make matters worse the seat base was very short. Then there was the pricing, the base variant was competitively priced while the top end variant was a bit on the expensive side.

Anyways, VW had some scheme going on where they were providing 15k discount. This meant we could buy a Polo diesel under 6 lakhs (trendline variant) and we were excited upon hearing this. The SA advised us to come back the next day and pay the booking amount, as the 15k discount was available only for a few more days. So, we went back the next day to book the Polo Trendline diesel only to find that the showroom was closed. This made me and dad furious, hence the Polo plan was cancelled.

Polo brochure:



Polo pricelist:




Circa January 2012


The face-lifted Punto was launched on 3rd Jan 2012 and the changes were minimal. There was an increase in GC, reduction in the turning radius, and variant shuffling. The slight increase in the price of the face-lifted model and the discount on the older model meant that the new one was expensive by around 60k for the variant that we were looking at. So it was decided that we would buy the pre facelift Punto, as the changes were not big enough to warrant an extra charge of 60k.

Punto 2012 brochure:





Punto 2012 pricelist:

[chiranjitp]

BOOKING & DELIVERY

After it was decided that we would buy the pre-facelift Punto, the next task was to find the stock of our variant. We wanted the Exotica Red colour in the Emotion variant, so we rang up both the TATA-FIAT dealers to get an update on the stock. As luck would have it, only one dealer had the older Punto (in Emotion variant) in stock, but in white colour.

The other option was to book the 2012 Punto, that way we could have it in any colour we wanted. But there was a problem, the older Punto had some discounts while the 2012 Punto had no discounts and was also priced slightly higher. So, this meant that the 2012 Punto was around 60k expensive than the older model. Paying 60k just to get our preferred choice of colour didn't make much sense, hence it was decided that we would buy the preface-lift Punto Emotion MJD in Bosa Nova White.

Finally, we made a visit to the dealer to book the car, luckily for us the car was in their showroom stockyard, this meant that I could do a proper PDI even before booking the car. The PDI was going well until I checked the VIN number, the car was manufactured in July 2011. I was doing this PDI in January 2012, so the car was sitting somewhere for around 6 months and I wasn't happy with this.

Some photos from the PDI:









The SA made some stupid excuses like the VIN shows the month when the manufacturing process starts and it takes around 2-3 months to make a car. Anyways, they offered some more discounts. Also, I didn't find anything wrong with the car during the PDI, so we finally decided to book the car.

On the drive back to home, our OMNI's odometer went past the 80k km mark. The OMNI had done her job for 12 years and 80k km, it was time for the new car to take over the duties.

In the meantime, we got lots of calls from the different showrooms, despite repeatedly telling them that we have already booked a car. Like the rest of them, someone from Toyota also called us. Upon hearing about our decision, the Toyota guy made an interesting comment, he said that there is no doubt the Punto is a superior car to the Liva but the after sales would haunt us in the long run. I didn't pay any attention to his comment then, but in the long run his prediction did come true.

11 Feb 2012

This was the big day, the delivery day. Obviously, I was very excited and was eagerly waiting for the new car to come home. One of my cousins volunteered to drive the car from the showroom to our home, my dad who had only driven the Omni and M800 until then wasn't willing to drive the Punto without any proper practice. So, we left for the showroom in the Omni with my dad behind the wheel.

After reaching the showroom we couldn't find our car parked in the front, upon inquiring we were told that she had gone for washing. So, I went to the washing area to catch a glimpse of our car, she was being washed alongside a huge TATA 709 .

The Punto being washed for delivery:






Now, 11 Feb 2012 was a Saturday (most people don't like to take delivery on Saturdays), hence ours was the only passenger car that was to be delivered on that day. Still, the paperwork took a lot of time and finally after a few hours the car was ready for delivery.

Ready for delivery photos:





One of the showroom guys did a mini puja, and after that we made our way to the gate, only to be told that the particular gate was closed that day. So, after an U-turn we found the gate that was open. Then just out of the showroom we encountered a huge jam, I was worried that some biker would scrape her. Luckily, we were out of the jam without any damage and finally the Punto was home. Coincidentally, the TATA-FIAT dealer, from where we bought our Punto was only about 200m away from the Maruti dealer, from where we took delivery of our Omni way back in 99.

The massive jam that we encountered:



Photos of both the cars together, see how the Omni was shiny and scratch-free even after 12 years:





The first photo that I clicked of the odometer reading:



We were buying a new car after 12 years, now 12 years is a very long time to live with the same car. As expected, I was very excited about the new car. Even today after 6 years, I clearly remember everything about that day.

FINAL COST:

Ex-Showroom: Rs. 6,18,549
Insurance: Rs. 20,000
Registration: Rs. 32,000
Logistic charges: Rs. 3000
Initial on-road price: Rs.6,73,000
Discounts: Free insurance and 10k cash discount

Final on-road price: Rs. 6,43,000

[chiranjitp]

THE REVIEW

Exterior Design-

To put it simply, Punto was and still is one of the best looking hatchbacks to be ever launched in the Indian market. The Maserati inspired headlights look brilliant and are perfectly complemented by the grill at the front. Then up next is the long bonnet, a long bonnet might mean lesser interior space but it surely helps in the looks department.

The near perfect proportions:



The rear looks chic, even the outdated X-mas tree inspired tail-lamps looks good on the Punto. According to me the best angle to look at the Punto is the rear 3 quarter profile. Many hatchbacks look a bit awkward when viewed from the side profile, but not the Punto. The perfect length of the nose, the sweeping window lines means the side profile has perfect proportions.

The other design element that stands out are the ORVMs, they are uniquely mounted on the doors. I personally prefer classic timeless designs as compared to those ''in your face'' fluidic designs that many modern cars seem to have. Hence, for me the top 3 best looking hatchbacks of all time to be sold in India are the VW Polo, the Fiat Punto and the old Maruti Zen (in that order).

Then, there is the build and paint quality. Even after 103k km the body line was in perfect condition, even the paint was shinny. We have two Marutis in our home that have also clocked around the same distance, in both the cases the body panels have lots of small dings and dents.


The brilliant to look at 3 quarter profile:






The chic looking rear:




Maserati inspired front:






The uniquely styled ORVM:




Few random exterior shots:










Interior Design-




The Punto has always been criticized for the poor interior fit and finish and there is no denying that, even cars like the old i10 had better interior fit and finish than the Punto. But, the interiors held up brilliantly during the course of the 103k km, nothing broke and more importantly the interior didn't age a bit. I have access to two 2010 i10s, in both the cars the interiors are showing some signs of wear and tear, e.g the gear knob boot has become sticky in both the cars. The above photo of the interior was clicked after she had done 103k km .

First up is the dashboard, first impressions are good. The dashboard is stylish to look at and is huge in size, I have always liked long dashboards. But as soon as you look closely, you would notice the ill-fitting glove-box, the economy grade AC vents and the small single din HU.

But there are some positives too, like the brilliant looking chrome ringed instrument cluster and the brilliant to hold steering wheel with thumb contours. To put it simply, this is the best-looking steering I have come across among all the cars that I have driven. Beside the steering wheel is the keyhole and the keyhole is simply the worst thing about the interior. Not only are the panel gaps big around the keyhole, the actual keyhole is loosely fitted and every time you insert the key, you curse the guy who assembled the keyhole. Even after 19 years, our Omni's keyhole isn't that loose.


Front view from the back seat:




The boring looking center console:




Closeup of the instrument cluster on the move:





Space & Comfort-




While entering the Punto, one would first encounter the heavy doors that open in 3 stages. The front doors are very heavy and close with a solid thud, once closed the outside world stays outside. Next up is the front seats, the seats are perfectly sized with good support though the front seats could do with a bit more under-thigh support. The front seats also have a long back and fore range, even the tallest of guys could fit inside the Punto perfectly well.

The front seat ergonomics are really bad, even after 103k km I couldn't find the perfect driving position . The steering wheel is a bit too close to the driver and only has tilt adjustment. The ABC pedals are a bit awkwardly placed and the foot-well is a bit cramped (especially for someone who wears large size shoes). Having said that, the weird ergonomics didn't ever cause any discomfort to me over long journeys. I have driven over 600 km in one day, crossed 3 states, and never did I feel any discomfort.

The rear seats are also nicely contoured with a sufficiently long seat base. Even the space at the rear is okay as long the front passengers are not very tall. But the cabin width is simply not sufficient to seat 3 passengers in the back for highway runs, the Punto is perfect for 4 medium size adults, front and back seats combined.

The boot size is one of the biggest in its class at 280 litres. Our variant also had the very useful 60:40 split and we extensively used this feature. Overall space management isn't that brilliant considering the exterior dimensions, even our Ecosport (which is also a sub 4m car) is easily more spacious on the inside. But the upside of this space mismanagement is the perfect proportions on the outside.

ICE & MID-

Ours being the Emotion variant got an ICE without the Blue & Me technology. This meant that the HU only supported a CD along with the omnipresent FM Radio, so I had to burn/buy CDs in this age of flash drive and Bluetooth connectivity technology. The experience gets worse after you switch on the HU, the speakers sound horrible.

The MID on the Punto is the most advanced MID in the sub 10 lakhs category. The MID displays the exact location of a fused bulb with a written message, the message appears (if you have a fused bulb) every time you start the car. The MID also display a message along with a buzzer if any of the fluids fall below the minimum mark. Once while driving through a ghat section, the low brake oil sign message came up on the MID along with the buzzer, sure enough the brake oil was slightly below the minimum mark.

The MID also includes the regular stuff like 2 trip meters, average fuel consumption display and trip time. You can also set a speed limit, adjust the brightness of the instrument cluster though the MID.



Driving the 1.3 Mulitijet-




The 1.3 litre Fiat diesel engine is used in so many cars that it truly deserves the title of the National diesel engine of India. Our Punto developed 74 bhp and 197 Nm of torque, which is just about adequate to move the heavy Punto (kerb weight was 1130kg).

Off the line the Punto is slow mainly because of the first gear which is too short (almost truck like) and then you are forced to shift to second gear quickly. The second gear is tall compared to the first gear, hence the RPM falls below the turbo range. The second gear in isolation is on the shorter side as compared to say a Ecosport TDCi.

From third gear onward, the progress is smooth and brisk. The third and fourth gears are punchy and have a long range, I mostly used these two gears for overtaking on a single lane highway. The fifth gear is a bit on the taller side and keeps the revvs down while cruising.

Overall the gearing is on the shorter side, anyone upgrading from a old Maruti (like us) would feel at home. The Punto can chug along at 25kmph in third gear or at 35 kmph in fourth gear. The downside of the shorter gearing is that at highway speeds the engine spins at a higher RPM, 100 kmph @ 2500 RPM & 120 kmph @ 3000 RPM. I personally found one advantage of the truck like first gear, the Punto is very easy to start on an incline, I rarely used the handbrake while starting uphill.

The clutch is super light like a petrol car, doesn't have strong return back action (typical of many diesels) and easily one of the lightest clutch among diesel cars. For me the clutch has only one negative point, the clutch pedal has a really long travel. Up next is the gearbox, the gearbox has reasonably medium length throws. But the shift quality is a bit rubbery, especially the fifth gear is a bit hard to slot. Cars like the i10, Polo, Swift have a noticeably better shifting GB.

It is a known fact that the Punto isn't the most silent application of the Fiat Multijet engine. From the outside the Punto isn't louder than say a Swift D, but on the inside the engine noise filters more (specially up the revv range), maybe FIAT skimmed on the sound deadening materials. Lower down the revv range some amount of clatter filters on the inside, though not intrusive. While up the revv range a booming kind of sound filters on the inside and this sound can get a bit irritating while cruising at around 120 kmph (3000 RPM). Strangely, I find the engine note of Punto to a bit sporty for a diesel engine.

The 1.3 L Multijet is famous for having a huge turbo lag followed by a strong turbo kick. The Punto is no different, though the shorter gearing meant the turbo lag wasn't as pronounced as some of the other Multijet powered car. The engine, if above 1500 RPM pulls well and gets on it's stride after 2000 RPM. Even below 1500 RPM the engine would produce enough power to move the car, though you won't be making any brisk progress. At around 2000 RPM there is a mild turbo kick followed by a strong mid-range.

The 16 valve and DOHC architecture means the engine is fairly revv happy, the engine on the Punto pulls easily up to 4000 RPM. In terms of outright performance, the Punto is just about above average, mainly hampered by the heavy kerb weight. Having said that the punchy mid-range means that the Punto has sufficient grunt to do a highway overtaking maneuver. Personally, I like diesel engines with punchy turbo action, really helps during overtaking.

Driving the 1.4 FIRE-

I have driven one more Punto for around 100km, a 2010 Punto 1.4 Emotion PK. At idle the petrol engine is very refined when compared to the diesel. Off the mark the petrol is quicker, even the gear ratios are well spaced unlike the diesel. But the mid-range punch of the diesel is missing and the petrol needs to be revved to perform.

In isolation the 1.4 FIRE is better than most 1.2 L engines, specially the low end torque is pretty good. The fuel efficiency from the 1.4L is pretty bad, I only got around 12 kmpl (MID figures) while driving in single lane highways. The owner claims that his erstwhile Petra 1.6 was more fuel efficient that the Punto 1.4.

Ride & Handling-

Among all the B and C segment cars that I have driven, Punto easily has the best ride quality. Whatever be the speed and surface, Punto would flatten everything in its path. The low speed ride quality can be termed a bit firm but as soon you pick up speed the ride quality becomes brilliant. Even in our wavy concrete highways, the Punto rides FLAT without any bounciness.

Even in bad sections of highways where the top layer has been washed out, I used to drive at around 60-80 kmph. In short, the suspension tuning of the Punto is perfect for our road conditions. We also had tall Profile (185/70 R14) and soft (Michelin XM2) tires in our Punto, I guess the tires also helped w.r.t the ride quality.

She also handles very nicely. The body roll is very well controlled and even during emergency manoeuvre the Punto remains composed. The brakes are brilliant and can shed some serious speeds very quickly. There is no/negligible nose dive even under heavy braking, even the ABS was perfectly calibrated. The ABS wasn't very aggressive (like our Ecosport) and only used to kick during hard braking.

The brilliant ride and handling means the Punto is a good car to do those long highway runs. I personally believe that ride and handling also play a role in keeping the passengers comfortable over long distances, over and above things like space and seat comfort.


Steering feel-

The Punto is one of last small cars to be equipped with a hydraulic power steering. The steering is brilliant to use and is a brilliant tool to exploit the ride and handling prowess that the car possesses. The steering is a bit on the firmer side at low speeds (not heavy though) and as the speedometer climbs the steering comes to its own. The steering weighs in perfectly at high speeds and is very confidence inspiring, being an HPS unit it is full of feel.

The steering also has a near perfect return back action, the steering centers itself with the right force after completing a turn. I have exclusively driven the old Fiesta 1.6, the HPS is on the Fiesta is also good, though the HPS on the Punto is in a different league. For me the next best steering to use after the Punto has to be the steering from the humble M800, that steering is also full of feel and has a perfect centre back action. Call me old school, I like a steering which has a certain heft to it.

The brilliant to hold 3 spoke steering wheel:

[chiranjitp]

LIVING WITH THE PUNTO

The beginning-

The Punto was a huge step up from our 99 Omni, the Omni was as basic as a car can get. Now for someone who has only driven an Omni i.e my dad, it wasn't easy for him to drive the Punto straightway. There were many big differences between the two cars like:

• Punto had front disc brakes with brake booster, while the Omni had drum brakes all around without brake booster.
• Punto was equipped with a power steering which was also very responsive. Omni had a manual steering which was very slow and vague.
• Punto had a bonnet at the front .
• Omni had brilliant all round visibility with a low set dashboard. On the other hand, Punto had poor visibility when compared to the Omni, especially the thick A-pillars were a big problem. Even the dashboard was set high, to counter this we made judicious use of the seat height adjuster.
• Punto had a 5 speed GB, while the Omni had a 4 speed GB.

In short, these two cars were very different to drive and my dad isn't actually a petrol-head. Anyways, we first took out the car on one fine morning with my dad behind the wheel. The start was promising, my dad didn't stall the engine and he was able to shift up-to third gear without any problem. Then I asked him to check out the brakes, as expected he pressed the brakes Omni style and the car came to a sudden halt.

Over the course of 1 month or so, he got adjusted to the Punto properly and after that it was smooth sailing. Next up was my mom's turn to try out the Punto, it must be noted that my mom is more of a petrol-head than my dad is. As expected my mom got used to the Punto quickly, especially w.r.t modulating the brake pedal.

Slowly but steadily the Punto became the daily drive of dad and the Omni was driven less thereafter. This was the start of the exciting journey we had with our Punto for 103k km & 4.5 years.

1st service @ 2.5 km

This was basically a check-up and there was nothing that needed replacement during this service. Anyways we reached the service center early and a SA was assigned to us who assured that the service would be completed soon. But even after 2 hours our Punto wasn't moved from the parking lot and we were sweating in the customers lounge (due to a faulty AC). At last some mechanic opened the hood and checked the fluids, as expected all the fluids were at optimum level.

Soon after our SA told that the washing center had run out of water and he will get the car washed during our next visit. In short, we had wasted 4 hours just so that some mechanic could check the fluids, the car wasn't even put on a ramp to the check the under-body. Anyways the first service was over. After the first service debacle at Abhishek Motors, I had decided that we will get the next service done at the other Tata dealer (Ghosh Brothers).


2nd service @ 15k

After a poor experience during the 1st service we visited the other dealer (Ghosh Brothers) to get the 15k service done. The 15k service was the first proper service where things like the engine oil, oil filter, diesel filter, air filter, and ac filter were changed. This was also a free service, so we only needed to pay for the consumables.

We only had one complaint that needed rectifying during this service, the rear wipe washer wasn't spraying water. It must be noted that among all our family's cars at that time, our Punto was the only car that was equipped with a rear wiper. So, I wasn't sure if the rear wiper had a spray option or not.

Anyways all the fluids and filters were changed without any drama. Then it was time to check the functioning of the rear washer, the mechanic assigned to us was curiously checking out the rear of the Punto, he kind of looked confused. After 5 minutes or so he asked us whether this was the top end model with things like ABS and Airbags, to which we told him this was the Emotion variant with ABS but without Airbag. Then he told us that our Punto is most likely not equipped with a rear wash as he couldn't locate the nozzle for the rear wash, he showed us a few Safaris and Vistas, and sure enough the rear wash nozzle was easily visible in those 2 cars.

Luckily for us I had a peek under the bonnet and there was a huge puddle of water under the car. The mechanic looked under the car and found a loosely fitted pipe. After connecting the pipe finally water was sprayed on the rear glass and we found the location of the rear nozzle, it was hidden in the HMSL. The mechanic sheepishly told us that he was a TATA mechanic and the mechanic who specializes in FIAT cars was on leave, he also told us that the rear wash nozzle should have been placed in a more visible location.

It was evening by that time and final bill presented to us was around 4.5k. Very reasonable if you ask me.


Accident at 24k km

I remember this day very clearly, my dad was supposed to pick me up from my tuition classes. While waiting for him to arrive, I received a phone call from him saying that a bike has T-boned the car and he was in the police station. Long story short, after a long day at the police station our Punto was finally released.

What happened was that a bike who was joining the main road didn't see our car. The biker hit the driver side door, more specially on the door hinge, flew over the car's roof and landed on the road. My dad took the biker to the nearest hospital and he was diagnosed with a broken bone.

After the police station drama was over it was time to get the car repaired. As stated earlier the front door had taken maximum damage and the front fender also had a small dent. We went to the same dealer (Ghosh Brothers) from where we had done our 15k service to get our car repaired. We were given a time frame of around 1 week for the work to be completed and they also assured us that they will take care of the insurance claim.

So, after 2 weeks we went to check the progress only to find that the fender and the door was removed from the car. We got hold of the workshop manager and asked for an explanation, he assured us that the work will be completed soon and apologized for the delay. Finally, after 2 weeks the job was completed and the first impression of the work done was good, the paint quality was good. But we are taking of a TATA/FIAT dealer here, how can everything be perfect. Of course, they would need to mess up somewhere.

The front door wasn't properly aligned with the frame and it won't even close properly. Over the course of the next one month, they would refit the door about 4-5 times. Even after all those tries the door won't close properly and the driver side door remained like that till we sold the car.


Photos of the damage:








3rd service @ 30k km

By this time I had acquired my driving license and was raking up the miles. During a highway drive I heard a strange screeching noise from the front and the noise was more pronounced during braking. The odometer reading was around 29k km, hence it was time for a service. This time we got the car serviced at Abhishek Motors after the other dealer Ghosh Brothers couldn't make the front door close properly. This was the last service that we did at a TATA service center, soon thereafter FIAT set up its own dealer and service network.

Anyways on to the service, the SA quickly confirmed that the sound was from the brake pads and the brake discs might have also been damaged due to running with worn out pads. It must be noted that our previous car (a 99 Omni) wasn't equipped with disc brakes, so terms like brake pad and brake disc were alien to us. After inspection it was confirmed that the brake pads would need to be replaced and one brake disc was damaged. We gave them a go ahead to carry out the necessary replacements, only to be told that the brake discs were out of stock.

The final bill was Rs. 8730, the brake pads were priced at Rs. 3290. As for the brake disc, we were told that they would inform us as soon the part was available and they would waive off the labor charge. Finally, the part was made available after 1 month and the cost of the brake disc was Rs. 1123. So, finally the 30k service was over and I was really hoping that there would be no more visit to the service center for the next 15k km.


30k service bill:




Brake disc price:




Speedometer & AC stopped working at 36.8k km

One fine day the speedometer stopped working and without the speedometer the odometer also stopped working. Strangely even the outside temperature display was showing blank in the MID, though the tachometer was working perfectly. The check engine light was on due the faulty speedometer. My dad had some highway trips lined up during that period, so we did around 1000km without a working speedometer.

Around 2-3 weeks later the AC also stopped cooling, the blower was working but the air wasn't cool. So, a visit to the newly opened exclusive FIAT service was planned. The mechanics diagnosed that the AC had stopped working because there was no gas in the system. The no gas situation was due to a leak in the condenser and the condenser was damaged because the horn came in contact with condenser's fins. Our car was involved in a minor accident @ around 28k km and from the outside only the front bumper was slightly misaligned, hence we never bothered to investigate further. Soon after that one of the horn stopped working and FIAT promptly replaced the horn under warranty. Then again around 34k km the same horn stopped working and even this time FIAT replaced the horn under warranty.

So, what happened was that the horn mounting was slightly displaced due to the front shunt. This meant the horn came in contact with the condenser fins, every time we used the horn, both these things would rub each other. Finally, both the horn and condenser were damaged. Now some of you might be wondering why the mechanic who fitted the horn didn't found out that the horn was in contact with the condenser. Well, my SA told me that during horn replacement they don't open the front bumper, hence weren't able to see the misalignment. The condenser was repaired outside for Rs. 1000, the bill read some Condenser aluminum welding. The AC gas refilling cost at FASS was Rs. 1900.

Next up was to rectify the faulty speedometer, FASS traced it to a faulty Milometer sensor. Luckily for us the part was in stock. After fitting the part, the speedometer started working along with with the outside temperature display. Just as we were about to leave, one of mechanics found an oil leak from the oil sump, the leak was a bit strange as there was no physical damage to the sump. I should have probed a bit more on this issue. The leak was mended by using some sealer and the whole thing (including labor) costed us Rs. 1400.


The bill:




4th service @ 45k km

This was a slightly bigger service as things like the brake oil, power steering oil, transmission oil and coolant were changed. Also, this was the first paid service, she had free services up to 30k km. This service was completed without any mishaps though the bill was a bit high at Rs. 8860.


The 45k service bill:





First breakdown (almost) @ 50k km

Many roads in Guwahati get flooded during monsoon and sometimes you have no option but to drive through the flooded roads. During the monsoon of 2014, I was forced to drive our Punto through a waterlogged road, the car was behaving normally until I parked her. After a few hours I tried to start her, all the warning lights came on and went off normally but the engine didn't crank. I tried a few more times and the engine wouldn't just crank, the starter motor didn't turn over.

I called my SA for help and asked if someone could come over and check the problem. He first advised us to try a push start, and if the push start didn't work he would send someone over. So, I put her in 2nd gear with the clutch fully pressed and as she gained some momentum (after pushing) I dumped the clutch, the engine fired at once. After that we let her idle for a few minutes and then switched off the engine, this time the starter worked normally.

So, I thought it was a one off-incident but I was soon proved wrong. The problem reappeared within a week or so, this time the immobilizer light was also on. My SA diagnosed that the immobilizer light was on due to a weak battery and the starter not working (sometimes) was also due to a weak battery. We fit a new battery (Amaron make) which made the immobilizer light go away, but the starting problem was still there. The FASS were clueless and for the time-being we decided to live with the problem.


Mid life crisis-


In June 2014 we had taken the Punto on a road trip to Darjeeling and Gangtok, the car behaved brilliantly in the hills. Just before we were to return to Guwahati, we received a call from FIAT customer care and they gave us the information that the only FIAT dealer in Guwahati (Green Valley FIAT) has shut down. The odometer reading at that time was around 56k km and we were due for a service within 4k km. Do note that our car was still under extended warranty and moreover there are not many FNGs in Guwahati that can properly service a Punto.


5th service @ 60k km

The 60k km mark came and there was no news as to when a FIAT dealer would open here. 99rpm.com came to the rescue, I ordered all the required parts from them, and got the oil changed at a FNG. The FNG owner advised us to change the engine oil at around 10k km rather than the recommended 15k km interval, his reason being that 15k km interval is too long in our dusty environment. Just a few days later the speedometer again stopped working and this time there was no FASS in Guwahati. So, we drove around a month with a faulty speedometer.

I, along with a few of my friends went for a drive in the Omni, after just a few kilometers the car suffered a puncture. One of my friends suggested that before fixing the puncture we should click a photo with the punctured tire. Upon closer inspection of the photo that was clicked I spotted a Linea parked beside the Omni. I looked around and saw lots of FIAT cars parked beside a FNG, inside the FNG I saw lots of familiar faces, most of the mechanics from FASS were working there. Hence by sheer luck I found a place where I could get the faulty speedometer repaired.


Spot the Linea:




But there was a problem as I had only found the mechanic, there was still the task of finding the spare parts. Finding a rare part like the milometer pinion without the help of FASS was almost impossible. Anyways one of the mechanics told me that he might be able to repair the old milometer pinion using some juggad, apparently this part is made of plastic and hence it was fragile. He mended the old part using some glue and it was time to check if the juggad worked. We went for a test drive, initially the speedometer was not working, then after a few 100 meters or so the speedometer came back to life. The speedometer never gave any more trouble till the time we sold her, so whatever juggad the mechanic did was good.

Not everything was perfect though, we had initially removed the bumper for some denting-painting work. During the test drive we didn't put the bumper back as we only wanted to take a short drive. In reality due to excitement (after the speedo started working) we ended up taking her on the highway for a slightly longer test drive. Driving without the bumpers meant that the fender liners weren't fixed and these came in contact with the tires at high speed. This meant that the fender liners were badly damaged and without FASS I couldn't replace the liners.


6th service @ 67k km

By January 2015 a new FIAT dealer (Mahesh FIAT) had opened in Guwahati. So, I made a visit to them to get the starting problem rectified and also to replace the fender linings. This time I wanted to make sure that the starting problem was fixed once and for all, hence requested my SA to do a thorough check up. After checking everything from the fuel pump to the starter motor, they finally found the culprit. The earthing point of the starter motor was found to be slightly loose and corroded, this particular earthing point was located near the front bumper.

They mended the earthing point and the starting problem didn't reoccur till the time we sold the car. After the problem was diagnosed, my SA told me that this is a common problem in cars driven through flooded roads (quite common in Guwahati). Do note that when the problem first occurred the same guy was clueless about the problem, anyways the problem was finally solved and I was happy with it.

Our car was under extended warranty up-to March 2016 and we had done the 60k km service at a FNG, so the 60k km service was still pending according to FASS records. Without complete service history the warranty would have been void, hence I wanted to get the oil changed once more just to keep our warranty intact. Along with the oil change, the SA advised us to change the timing chain as according to him the timing chain was making some unwanted noises. The user manual recommends timing chain replacement @ 60k km only for the 90HP version, for the 75HP variant the interval wasn't specified. Anyhow 60k km interval for a timing chain interval is too short, even many cars equipped with timing belts (timing chain should theoretically last more than a timing belt) have replacement intervals of 100k km or more.

Anyways we gave them a go ahead to complete all the necessary work, only to be told that the timing chain kit wasn't in stock. Then my SA came up with an idea, they would buy the timing kit from a TATA parts store, and fit in my car. He assured me that the timing kit from TATA would fit perfectly and it would be a bit cheaper. Finally, the service was complete and the bill was Rs.11165.


Timing change bill:




Clutch change @ 69k km

During the last service we were told that the clutch was weak and needed replacement ASAP. The clutch had become a bit hard and surprisingly the gearshifts had also became a bit stiff (especially the 2nd gear). Though there was no clutch slippage, even on inclines.

Anyways, we decided to get the clutch replaced and visited FASS to get the job done. Even this time the clutch kit wasn't in stock, they offered to get the part from a TATA parts store. Apparently, TATA Manza and Vista have the exact same clutch as the Punto.

I took a test drive after the new clutch was fitted, the new clutch was really light and the gearshifts were back to normal. So, I guess the old clutch was really worn out. The final bill presented was Rs. 9780. Hence, within 2 months we had spent 20k on servicing, which to me seemed a bit expensive.


Clutch overhaul bill:




Breakdown @ 80k km

This was the only time she broke down on the road and unfortunately I wasn't in the car when it happened. I was told that there was a loud sound from the engine bay, upon inspection it was found that the alternator pulley had broken from its mount. The car had to be towed to the FASS, my SA declared that the alternator belt had broken and they also heard a squeaky belt when the car left the FASS that morning. Do note that the Punto went to FASS that morning to get a fused bulb replaced.

During the morning visit no one warned us about a squeaky belt and moreover my mom was sure that she would have noticed if there was any strange noise from the engine bay. Also during the breakdown, the pulley was dislodged from the mounting. I to this day don't have any idea why the FASS guys didn't want to acknowledge about the pulley problem. Anyways they fitted a new belt and fitted the existing pulley, the bill had something Smart repairing outside written, I guess this was for fitting the pulley back. The final bill was Rs. 2200.


The bill:





Power steering pump changed under extended warranty @ 80k km

During the last visit to FASS (when the breakdown happened) one of the mechanics found that the power steering pump was leaking. This time they agreed to change the part under extended warranty, though the part was out of stock and an order had to be placed for the part. The part arrived after a month and the power steering pump was replaced under extended warranty. Everything including labor was covered under the extended warranty.




7th service @ 80k km

The last oil change was at 67k km and it was almost time for an oil change. Decided to get the oil changed a bit early (13k km interval) this time, mainly to keep the service intervals in the multiple of 5 (80k, 95k & so on). The final bill was Rs. 4843, which was quite reasonable.


80k km service bill:




8th service @ 95k km

There was no unwanted expenses and visit to FASS during this period (from 80k to 95k) and I sincerely hoped that the midlife crisis was over. Little did I know this would be the last time I would be driving a properly functioning Punto. Anyways, this was a slightly bigger service as things like the transmission oil, power steering oil, brake oil were changed in addition to the normal oil and filter change. The final bill was Rs. 5913.

Few months back the glow plug warning light had appeared in the dashboard. FASS diagnosed it was due to faulty glow plugs, two of them were found to be faulty. Luckily for us the glow plugs were covered under extended warranty and FASS changed them promptly. However, there was slight problem while removing one of the glow plugs, one plug was badly stuck and even WD-40 wasn't of any help. In the end they had to open the head to remove the stuck glow plug, removing the head means some gaskets (head gasket) had to be also changed. Finally, both the glow plugs were changed and the glow plug warning light on the dashboard was gone.


95k km service bill:




The end-


I was back in Guwahati in July 2016 for my semester breaks. First thing I did was to peek on the odometer reading, the odometer read 100010 km. The Punto had crossed the 1 lakh km mark in 4.5 years. Then I remembered that even our Omni was nearing the 1 lakh mark, the odometer on the Omni read 00786. It seems that the Omni was first to reach the 1 lakh km mark. When we bought the Punto the Omni's odo reading was 80000km. Hence, after we bought the Punto the Omni only ran 20000km in 4.5 years, while the Punto covered 100000km at the same time.


The odometer reading on the Omni:




The odometer reading on the Punto:




Alternator overhaul @ 100k km

But all was not well, there were some funny noises from the engine bay. I asked my parents about anything that might have happened during the last 2 months, which could have been responsible for the noises. My mom told me that the Punto was driven through a flooded road and water was up-to bonnet level. So, I made a visit to FASS to get the sound looked at, they diagnosed that the sound was due to a faulty alternator. Punto uses a BOSCH make alternator and FASS quoted around Rs. 4000 to get the alternator overhauled.

I decided to get the alternator overhauled from a FNG, Rs. 4000 for an alternator overhaul was absurd. The windshield wiper washer was also not working, the washer motor was found to be faulty, and needed replacement. The front bumper was also a bit misaligned. The final bill was Rs. 4219. The fender liners were also changed once more.


The bill:



Next up was a visit to an electrician to fix the alternator. The alternator was overhauled for around Rs. 2000, the mechanic there told me that he found traces of water on the inside of the alternator. Luckily most of the abnormal noises (from the engine bay) were gone after the alternator overhaul.


Oil Leak from crankshaft oil seal @ 100.5k km

I was on my way towards home one day, just a few kilometers away I was forced to brake a bit heavily. Just after that the buzzer sounded along with a message on the MID "Low Oil pressure, stop driving immediately", even the low pressure light on the dashboard was on. I stopped the car immediately and looked at the road for any traces of fluid, there was none. I gingerly restarted the engine, the warning sign was gone. Anyways we were only a few kilometers away from home, so I decided to drive her home slowly.

Next morning I called FASS and requested them to send someone over to our house. My SA told me that for roadside assistance I would have to call some third-party vendor and it would be better if I could make a visit to the FASS to buy engine oil. So, I bought 1 liter of engine oil (from FASS), poured the oil and finally took the car to FASS. They quickly found the source of oil leak, the leak was from the crankshaft oil seal. As Punto is equipped with under-body protection, the oil had accumulated on the under-body sheet and hence there was no trace of engine oil on our garage.

My SA told me that the crankshaft oil seal was not in stock and they would have to place an order for it. Then it struck me that since this same engine is used in many Marutis, MGP store must have this part in stock. I took a sample of the Punto's crankshaft oil seal and showed it to the MGP store guy. He confirmed that the oil seal is same as that of the Swift diesel, the MGP crankshaft oil seal costs Rs. 201. Then my SA also confirmed that the Maruti oil seal is indeed same as the FIAT oil seal, finally the new crankshaft oil seal was fitted in the Punto. They also poured 1 liter of engine oil, over and above the 1 liter that I had poured in the morning, the final bill (excluding the MGP oil seal) was Rs. 1067.


MGP part number for the crankshaft oil seal:




The bill at FASS:




Power steering rack replacement @ 101k km

Just 10 days after the oil seal fiasco was over the steering rack failed, I was driving the car in city traffic, all of a sudden I heard a loud noise from the engine compartment. As soon as I could find a parking spot, I parked her and saw that some liquid was leaking on the road, the low viscosity of the liquid meant that it couldn't have been engine oil. After all the oil had leaked out, I started the engine and as expected the power steering was not working, in short the steering rack had leaked all the power steering oil.

Driving the Punto without power steering was a task in itself. Do note that I was used to driving a non PS Omni, even then the Punto steering felt really hard at crawling speed. Somehow, I made it back to home and a visit to FASS was planned next morning. My SA diagnosed that the steering rack was faulty and would need replacement, they quoted around Rs. 17k without labor. We were shocked upon hearing this figure and frankly we were fed up of the ever reoccurring problems.

Anyways, we decided to try a FNG which specializes in FIAT cars, basically this FNG specializes in older FIATs like the Palio and Sienna. They also diagnosed that the steering rack was leaking and would need replacement. Though the price quoted was less than what FASS had quoted, they quoted us 15k including labor. We got the steering rack replaced at this FNG and finally the steering was back to normal. Luckily for us the PS pump wasn't damaged, according to one of the mechanics the PS pump can get damaged when run dry.


Power steering rack replacement bill:




Turbo repairing @ 102.5k km

After the steering rack replacement fiasco we were frustrated with the endless problems and subsequent repairing costs. I made a visit to the nearest Hyundai dealer just to get a rough idea of the resale value of our Punto, the used car evaluator guys started by checking out the Punto in every possible way. What followed left me heartbroken, there was a huge cloud of white smoke when then they revved the engine in neutral. The Hyundai guys told us that the engine was weak and would need a overhaul soon.

Our Punto used to smoke a bit under hard acceleration like any diesel car, the smoke would be black in color and would disappear in 2-3 seconds. But this time it was different, the smoke was white in color. The amount of smoke was huge, the smoke could easily blind the following traffic during acceleration. Though the engine was behaving properly w.r.t power delivery, the turbo was kicking in perfectly, and the car was accelerating properly. Then I checked out the mileage reading (MID value), it was reading around 11 kmpl (in city condition). From the beginning the mileage reading (MID value) never went down below the 13 kmpl mark, hence I was sure that the mileage had gone down a bit.

I was a bit sad as I had never in my wildest dream thought that the engine on the Punto would need work at 100k km, after all it was one of the most reliable diesel engines. Anyways this time I went to the FNG to get their opinion on the problem, the main mechanic there told me that this much smoke from the exhaust is not normal and for the time being asked me to monitor the engine oil levels.

Few days later we went on a highway drive (200 km back and fro) and checked the dipstick next morning. The dipstick was almost empty, the engine must have burned around 1 liter of engine oil in 200km. I topped up around 1 liter of engine oil and went to the FNG. Do note that ever since the steering rack replacement I had stopped going to FASS, instead went to the FNG who specializes in FIAT cars. The FNG owner checked the problem himself and concluded that the engine was indeed burning oil and most likely would need to be overhauled. He then told me that in some cases a faulty turbo can also lead to increase in oil consumption and we could try overhauling the turbo once before opening the engine. So, went for a turbo overhaul, and the job costed us Rs. 8000 (including labor).

The turbo was overhauled at a specialist store who only deals with turbos, the guy who did the overhaul told me that the turbo looked in decent shape even before the overhaul. I went for a drive to check out how she drives with the overhauled turbo, the car behaved exactly like she did before the turbo overhaul. Anyways, even before the overhaul the turbo was kicking in properly and the car was accelerating nicely. The overhaul did have a side effect though, the turbo made a whistling kind of noise at around 1800 RPM. I was furious and told the FNG owner that the sound wasn't there before the turbo was opened, so the sound wasn't normal. After that the turbo was opened once more and finally the sound was gone. By this time I was frustrated with the FNG, they seemed even more incompetent than the FASS guys. This would be the last time I visited that FNG.


The turbo overhaul bill:




I was a bit hopeful that the turbo overhaul might have solved the problem of oil consumption, hence went for a short highway drive. Sadly, the engine was still consuming a substantial amount of oil like before, in short the 8k that we spent for the turbo overhaul was for nothing.

Strangely one of the mechanics told my mom (I was out of Guwahati) something unusual, some traces of dust were found on the inside of the air intake pipe. Now dust entering the engine is very bad for the engine's health, even a small amount of dust can seriously damage the internals. I think dust can only get past the air filter box if the air filter box isn't fitted properly, in the Punto the air filter box is located on top of the engine and is a part of the engine cover. Maybe someone during some service forgot to fit the engine cover properly.


Punto sold @ 103k km


So I made a visit to FASS to get their opinion and most importantly get a compression test done. I narrated the whole story to my SA, after checking he declared that the engine was indeed burning substantial amount of oil. The SA suggested that they could try putting oversized piston rings before going for a full engine overhaul, fitting the oversized piston rings would work out to be cheaper. Then I asked for a compression test, to which my SA told me that they had the equipment but they didn't know how to use it and instead asked for my help to run the equipment. Well, I am no automobile engineer and hence I didn't know how to do a compression test. The SA who told me that they didn't know how to do a compression test was the most senior SA at Mahesh Fiat (Guwahati). By this time we had lost confidence in them, if they didn't know how to do a simple compression test, how could we be sure that they would properly overhaul a complex diesel engine.

After that my SA told me that for engines which have done over 100k km, they simply overhaul the engine if there is an issue of oil consumption. Anyways I asked him why did our engine got worn out after only 100k km on the odometer in-spite of being serviced on time. To which he replied that the 15k interval for oil change is a bit too long for our dusty/harsh conditions, but then again there are many Puntos which have done double the mileage we did with a 15k oil change interval.

To conclude, we had a Punto with a (supposedly) dying engine, a bunch of mechanics which were not competent (according to me) and we didn't know the reason for the premature wear of the engine. This was a Deja Vu moment for us. Back in 2013 the fan belt of our Omni had snapped (Omni has a mechanical fan), the car overheated, and was driven around 20 km with a overheating engine. The Omni became terribly unreliable post that incident and lots of mechanics (including mechanics from all the MASS) tried to solve the problems in their own way. Finally later that year we fitted a new half engine in the Omni, even after that there were constant niggles. Of course Omni is a simple car, so it doesn't cost much to fix her, and even with niggles she kind of chugs along.

But the Punto was different, it was more complex than the Omni, and there were not many mechanics (in Guwahati) that could work on a Punto. Even the FASS guys were incompetent. Then there was the huge list of repairs that were due, first up was overhauling the engine. Next in line was suspension overhaul, the Punto was still on factory fitted suspension (at 103k km). My SA also commented that the clutch was a bit weak and timing chain was also due for replacement. Do note that these 2 things were replaced at around the 65k km mark and the replacement parts were only 40k km old. I asked my SA as to why did these two things again needed attention, to which I was told that the replacement parts won't last as long as the parts that came from the factory. Still, timing chain and clutch requiring replacement after just 40k km was absurd.

Finally it was decided that we would sell our Punto. We had really hoped that the Punto would have a lasted a bit more than 4.5 years or 103k km. Anyways we sold her for a paltry 150k and in her place a Ford Ecosport (Titanium+ diesel) came home.


Afterlife


It is not very common to spot your ex car on the road after you have sold her. Not in our case though, we have been spotting the Punto quite frequently over the last 2 years, the last time I saw her was a month back. Heck, once my mom even struck a conversation with the current owner. It feels nice to see her on the road, clocking the kilometers like before .

We sold the Punto to the Ford dealer from where we bought our Ecosport. I was sure that the Ford dealer would sell her to a small car dealer and then finally the car dealer would place an add on OLX. Sure enough I found a add for our Punto only after a week of selling her, with the odometer reading reduced to 42k km. I have written about how the used car business is run in our country in a different thread, quoting myself from that thread:

Originally Posted by chiranjitp

This odometer tampering is quite common all over India even if the car has a full service history. We exchanged our 2012 Punto mjd in 2016 with an Ecosport, the Punto was taken by the ford dealer itself. The odometer reading at the time of sale was 103325 km, the dealership gave us a sale deed as a proof of the sale. There was no mention of the odometer reading on the sale deed & we didn't bother as we were selling to an authorized dealer.

While searching OLX.in after a couple of weeks I came across our Punto, now the odometer reading was 42744km. I was shocked to see this & do note that our Punto had a full service record till we sold her. Few days later I was at the Ford dealership for some documents, got hold of the person who was dealing in used cars & asked for an explanation. He replied that they have sold the vehicle to a used car dealer & he has no responsibilities now. Then I asked whose name is on the RC, I was replied the RC will be changed after the dealer finds a buyer. Isn't this illegal? Almost all dealers do this.

Since then I have spotted our Punto many times, my mother once did talk to the new owner. The owner didn't ask about the odometer reading nor my mother said anything about it. If the new owner comes to know of this fraud & the dealer puts the blame on us, we will not have any proof that we didn't tamper the odometer.

The final odometer reading that I clicked:




The odometer reading from the olx add:

[chiranjitp]

Miscellaneous points:

• Punto was equipped with frame-less wipers. Though expensive to replace, the wipe quality was brilliant.

• The long nose used to scrape over the large speed breakers. Though the solid under body protection meant that there was no damage to the internals.

• The radiator fan was so powerful that it used to kick up a small dust storm when parked on gravel. The fan was also very loud, which I kind of liked.

• The boot was equipped with a useful light.

• The brake pads used to wear out within the 30k km, on the flip-side the brakes were brilliant. The rear brakes were never touched during the car's 103k km stay with us.

• The fuel filler was located on the right side, most cars have it on the left side. Funnily our Omni also has the fuel filler located on the right side.

• Now every time I hit the highways, I miss the Punto. She was something else to drive on the highways, the Punto used to come to its own on the highways. Do note that I have exclusively driven a few other cars with good highway manners like the Fiesta 1.6, Figo, Polo, Ecosport. Even then, the Punto feels better to drive on the highways.

• The Polo is often termed as the most European hatchback that we have here in India with qualities like brilliant road manners, solid build quality, big car like feel. My uncle owns a Polo 1.6 MPI and I have driven that car exclusively over long distances. There is no doubt that the Polo is a brilliant car, but for me the Punto is slightly better when it comes to driving manners. The Punto rides better, has better brakes and has a way better feel-some steering.

• The suspension was not only tuned perfectly, it was also very long lasting. We did 103k km with stock factory fitted suspension which is brilliant considering the fact that we used to travel quite a bit in bad roads.

• All the 4 power windows were equipped with auto-down feature, the driver power window was additionally equipped with auto-up feature.

• All the power window switches were back-lit in the Punto. For comparison the premium i20 only has back-lit switches in the driver side PW panel.

• The front wipers used to come on once more a few seconds after the washer was used, it used to remove the residual droplets. Sadly, this feature is missing in our Ecosport.

• Only a few months after we bought the Ecosport, one of the rear brake lights had fused and there was no warning on the dashboard. Only then I realized the CANBUS system in the Ecosport wasn't as advanced as the one on Punto, the MID in the Punto used to show the exact location of the fused bulb. Apparently Punto and Linea are the only car from the B/C segment that is equipped with such a feature. Give me a MID which can tell these things in place of a stupid touchscreen.

• The headlight stalk was very slippery, I have once or twice switched off the headlights while trying to put the high beams on.

• The leather wrapped steering and gear-knob on the Emotion PK variant felt very premium and was soft to touch. One of my friends used to own a 2010 Punto 1.4 Emotion PK.

• Punto was equipped with a small rear AC vents under the front seats. We kind of never used those, because to activate them one needs to turn the air direction knob to the Face & leg position, which reduces the air flow in the main vents. Hence the cabin used to cool faster without using the rear AC vents.

• The OE headlights were strictly average, the high beam was okay while the low beam was very weak.

• The front fog lamps on the other hand were very powerful.

• Some plastics items like the lever for the seat height adjust was really flimsy. Even the lever used in reclining the seat was flimsy, though it must be noted that none of these things broke during the car's entire stay with us.

• Our Punto (i.e the pre-2012 model) had a huge turning radius of 5.4m, this meant that 3 point turns were common within the city. I believe something like the Safari Storme has a turning radius of 5.4m.

• Punto was equipped with height adjustable seat belts, something which our Ecosport doesn't have.

Some miscellaneous photos:


Key of Omni, Zen, Punto (in that order):




The meaty FIAT badge:




The unique Punto font:




The awesome frame-less wipers:




En route to Darjeeling:




In Meghalaya:




In the picturesque roads of Assam:






In Garo hills (West Meghalaya):




Diwali with Punto:




Zen & Punto together:






Punto spotted after we sold her:

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[Tanveer02]

Great review. The indepth nature of this review has enabled me to understand the Punto better. It was no doubt one of the better vehicles that had stepped foot in our soil. After going through the whole story, I personally believe it was FASS' incompetence that led to the premature near death condition of the engine. And as for the mess at the Tata service places, I know what you are talking about. We too owned a Indigo GLX for 13 years and have been through the same. Anyways, I hope she is happy with her present owner and is chugging miles merrily like she was on day 1

[ARAY]

Thanks for sharing such in-depth details of a Punto. I had a Punto once and still regret selling it off (lack of parking space). The way the car and rider connects to a Fiat machine is remarkable. Beautifully compiled experience of one of the best handlers in town. Unfortunately our love was not enough and we had to part.

Punto 90hp, our lost love ...

[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, the prominent being

- Better part quality to start with
- Blue & Me with steering mounted controls
- Fully automatic climate control
- Alloy wheels

Though the visible items were available as part of emotion (pack), the overall part quality improvement is what you have missed out on.

People those who own the facelift can vouch for the improved reliability of Punto. You may not have gone though this agony & trouble during ownership of the car with facelift.

I use to own Indica and was unhappy with Tata after sales in terms of overall experience. I took the decision of buying Punto after the Tata-FIAT dealership stopped co-existing. Though Kashyap FIAT was not fully competent, they still helped me with regular service and minor niggles (especially the loose driver side latch opener - it gets a lot a play within say 6 - 8 months of continuous usage).

Anyways, you have moved on so the chapter is closed now.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by chiranjitp

What you'll like:

• Stunning and timeless design.
• Magic carpet ride quality and rock-solid highway stability.
• Perfectly weighted steering along with a perfect centre back action.
• Good handling.
• Brilliant brakes can shed speed very quickly and there is no/negligible nose dive.
• Heavy vault like build quality.
• Very detailed MID (even shows the location of a fused bulb, low fluid warning etc.)
• VFM pricing and also was feature laden for its time.
• Fuel efficient MJD engine with decent grunt.

What you won't:

• Reliability issues, niggles were common.
• FASS was mostly incompetent.
• For a car that is almost 4m in length, the interiors were a bit cramped.
• Weird gear ratios, the first two gears were really short.
• Slightly notchy gearshift quality, especially the 5th gear.
• The performance from the MJD was just about adequate.
• Weird ergonomics, even after 100k km I couldn't find the perfect driving position.
• Interior fit and finish was far from class leading.

Perfectly summed up and quite an honest review, chiranjitp. . And congratulations on the new Ecosport.

My Punto was picked up in March 2012, a month after yours - though I did pick up the refresh version. You chose Bosa Nova White because you didn't have other colour options - whereas I forgot other colour options - and was always thinking between White / Tuscan Wine and finally ended up chosing white. It was only a couple of weeks later than I realized that I never even thought about the red!

Yet to face any reliability issues, and I've found my peace with the seating position - so thats two major negatives off my ownership experience. Agree with all other points of yours - FASS remains a question-mark, and the interiors certainly have much less space than modern cars. My Xcent, for example has acres more of space everywhere including the boot - and the packaging just surprises me everytime I consider that both these cars are having the same length! Regarding performance and gear ratios - I do not have much complaints - although the extremely short first gear is irritating for sure. As for part quality and interiors, everything still works just as fine - except for the damn glovebox, which never worked properly ever!

Agree with all your positives as well - it sure is a treat to drive on the highways. I get tempted to upgrade everytime an exciting launch happens, and have considered the new Ecosport S also at some point - but then gave up all upgrade options because of the very little 'value' that I get in terms of product when compared to the actual money that I will need to pay up over and above the Punto - the poor resale value of FIAT doesn't help either! For example - I would have to shell out close to 12.5L to upgrade from the Punto to an Ecosport S, and that sends a cold chill down the spine. So the car will continue chugging along till it can do so reliably - but if forced to upgrade soon, the Ecosport S stands a good chance at getting selected.

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.

Originally Posted by i74js

Though the visible items were available as part of emotion (pack), the overall part quality improvement is what you have missed out on.

IIRC - The features got cascaded down. Emotion Pack pre facelift became Emotion post facelift. And Emotion pre-facelift became Dynamic post facelift etc.

[blackwasp]

Originally Posted by chiranjitp

What you'll like:

• Stunning and timeless design.
• Magic carpet ride quality and rock-solid highway stability.
• Perfectly weighted steering along with a perfect centre back action.
• Good handling.
• Brilliant brakes can shed speed very quickly and there is no/negligible nose dive.
• Heavy vault like build quality.

Nice report there. I'm sorry to see poor after sales service was the main reason for selling off the car. I'm lucky to have a competent mechanic in my city. But that said, Punto is at it's time (around 2009) was quite advanced for its time. Our second car was a 09 Punto 1.2. Even though the engine was low on power, it was a good car. Especially the brakes, steering and the suspension. Bad roads? Bring it on. So much so that we upgraded to an Abarth 2 years go.

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.

[gp_fanatico]

As a fellow ex-Punto onwer, it was nice to read through your experience with your Punto

Apart from the obvious built quality, I really miss the steering feel, braking, suspension and handling.

I now own a pre-worshipped S-Cross 1.6, built by Maruti but Fiat at heart

[sgautam]

Greetings to all,

Nice review chiranjitp, brought back many memories. Made me sit up and write a post after quite a while in this wonderful forum. We too were on the look out in 2011 to upgrade from our Palio 1.9D and went thru all the options that you listed and some more. What made us look else where was that our pre worshipped Palio was the epitome of unreliability. It used to break down at the drop of a hat and returning home without any ordeal after a long journey was like a miracle.

The fuel pump, electronics, brake system, aircon, damages to the low slung oil sump, oil cooler what not, I am just trying to recollect what all broke down. But boy it was a dream when it ran, the lag free pickup, refinement, the steering feedback, suspension, handsome & clean styling and brilliant road manners - mostly enjoyed by me as the rest of my family had that love - hate relationship with it. The best feature by far was the steering feedback. I could sense the tiny details of the contact patch thru the wheel and it spoilt me outright and no other car gave me that feel ever.

Back to 2011, I couldn't imagine myself driving anything else other than a Punto and being the only driver at home I vetoed/reasoned/begged/ tricked my parents into buying a Punto 90HP. However I couldn't prevail all along and we made the sensible choice of booking a Swift ZDI, however the insane waiting period for that variant came to my rescue. On the same day of cancelling the Swift I forced my family to go on a longish test drive in the Punto. The ravishing looks & build made them converts overlooking all the tantrums that the Palio threw.

I got the Punto 90HP from Vizag since they were giving the best deal at that time, got a BNW for 7.5 lacs. Took delivery and drove 600km the same day to reach home. Guntur was our nearest showroom but the cost diff was almost 40k which prompted me to take the delivery there. Incidentally the Palio also was bought from Vizag in 2009. I got it for 1.7 lacs spent another 75k during its 2 year tenure with us and sold it off for 1.4 lacs.

Punto quickly became a darling to all with all its inherent qualities and most of all its reliability. It made us wonder whether the same company made both the cars. It was as reliable as a DOG. The robust build & engine guard egged me to take it unimaginable places and come back unscathed countless times. It was put to test during my stint with a solar MNC as we used to carry lot of equipment to the fields in my car. It used to slide around, got stuck in mud hundred times, got banged underneath and traversed funny looking pothole ridden roads to reach there and always brought us back. The Punto soldiered on thru my marriage, baby boy and was a wonderful companion all the while. Shortly after marriage we went for a seven day 3000 km journey covering Kerala and TN. We made countless long journeys in the car during its course of 6 years with us and covered around 1.4 lac km till we parted ways in 2017. I got a decent price of 3.25 lacs as I took good care of the car despite driving it hard. The damned thing never flinched really, the build quality is simply awesome and its a steal for that money.

As a true TBHPian I chose to upgrade horizontally, added another 3.25 lacs and bought an extremely well maintained Linea Multijet Emotion 2015 model (when I meant well maintained it was really so, the new car smell was still there along with the wrappings etc in place) from a nice gentlemen. He also is a member in this forum and has subsequently bought a Jeep after he gave his steed to me. All the best to him and hope he decides to upgrade from the Jeep soon.

I got the Linea at 29k last May and covered another 50K till date. I average 4k a month and once again the reliability is stellar. I got a RD switchable map - Dieseltronic installed and it has run fine till date in the highest power mode P2. However the diesel pump seems to be loaded and of late the car is a bit reluctant to start. I am not sure if it its related but I will update after a thorough check up.

All in all an extremely happy Fiatian and a grateful member of this wonderful forum,

Cheers....

[justin.das]

Originally Posted by chiranjitp

LIVING WITH THE PUNTO

Anyways I asked him why did our engine got worn out after only 100k km on the odometer in-spite of being serviced on time. To which he replied that the 15k interval for oil change is a bit too long for our dusty/harsh conditions, but then again there are many Puntos which have done double the mileage we did with a 15k oil change interval.

To conclude, we had a Punto with a (supposedly) dying engine, a bunch of mechanics which were not competent (according to me) and we didn't know the reason for the premature wear of the engine.

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 . With the diesel available here in India excessive carbon is created from combustion and EGR gets clogged real fast .As per manufactures EGR need to be cleaned only at 60000 kilometer's and service center's follows the same .In most of the cases EGR will get clogged by 20000 kilometers (checked and confirmed by myself in many fiat car's).Carbon clubbed with city use that is slow traffic driving will result in excess accumulation of the same in EGR valves .Through EGR carbon enter intake manifolds it gets mixed up with oil to create something called diesel soot and damages cylinder wall's wearing out metal way faster than it usually does .That's reason for premature failure .The issue is faced by many manufactures including BMW ,Mercedes etc