[rajathv8]

the second pic really brings out the beauty of the car. the black tint against white makes it look royal. the punto in profile is actually so much bigger than you think it is.

[SpinWizard]

Hi SDP,

The car does look amazing ! Please keep updating the ownership experience

[Klub Class]

Sdp,It was really great going through your recent updates.Your seat covers looks very nice,and goes well with the interiors of the car.I am yet to buy seat covers for our Punto.

Yes,the car looks very amazing,Nice pictures btw.Meanwhile you're getting nice mileage figures too.

Any new updates..?? Keep Updating..Drive her safe :-)

[sdp1975]

Did a trip to Kanyakumari and back, 1400 km. Drive on the NH7 was really good. Odo stands almost at 5000 km . Engine has become smoother although the noise has not completely gone away. I hope it becomes smoother even more.

[theragingbull]

The Punto looks very beautiful in that second pic. Like an Aston Martin at the front!
Love those black tints!

[sdp1975]

I had a *minor* rusting problem in the car. The rear RHS door beading was loose from the day that I had purchased her. And the fact that the car had been lying in the stockyard for some time had probably caused water to get clogged in the beading.

The result was that the metal rod that runs through the beading had rusted( pointed out by bnzjon in his linea thread). The rust had got partly stuck to the door panel, although I don't think that the door itself had got rusted. Took it to the ASC and they replaced the beading and repainted the part on which the rust from the panel had got attached. Again, the rusting was really quite insignificant ( unfortunately I don't have any pics to show it) - nowhere even close to what some Linea owners have reported - but I was worried that it would spread later.

Also, I don't think that they topped the engine oil in the last free service, so they topped it up this time.More than half a litre was consumed, and the balance was returned to me.

The engine definitely feels smoother after the top-up, maybe I should've changed the entire oil.

Overall, quite satisfied with car and fairly satisfied with the a.s.s.

[sdp1975]

Car crossed 8000 km on the odo yesterday. It's been over 3 months of ownership, and I just love to take her out on those long drives. Visited Kanyakumari,Kodai and Turupati recently.

Got the car waxed today ( Formula 1 Carnauba wax ). Engine has become smoother. I'm sure that when the oil change is due at 15,000 km , it's gonna be even more smooth.

Some observations :

1) A pillar reduces visibility in city driving - you got to be careful in bends and corners where 2 wheelers appear out of nowhere. C pillar is also really thick.

2) Mileage I'm getting in city is around 14 with 50% a/c. Highway mileage is above 20 if I drive at 70-80. However , it drops to around 17 if I drive at 120+.

3) Brakes and ABS are really effective. The other day I braked suddenly when I noticed a bumper at around 80kph. As expected , the pedal started pulsating. There was a sound ( possibly of the discs) but the vehicle was well in control in a straight line ( no skidding), and the braking distance was shorter than what I had expected it to be.

4) This car is really comfortable for highway cruising. I've done several trips between 8-11 hrs, and no feeling of tiredness of fatigue.

5) I took her to Kodai recently, and could make out the excellent handling capabilities on the ghat sections.

And here are some pics of the car after today's waxing :

Shankar,

Your spotless and glittering Punto looks great.

[vulpine101]

@sdp1975
Glad that you are having a wonderful time with your punto. Needless to say Punto in white looks serene.
I guess You have enjoyed Punto to the core on the Tirupati ghats
I think you can also write some -ve bits, if you have any.
I want hear about the performance >100kmph and how's the noise levels?
BTW whats the topspeed you have achieved?

[sdp1975]

Thanks Ravi and Vulpine.

Well, the -ve aspects are the rear legroom, the visibility issues with the A and C pillars.There were some other niggles( see previous posts) that were fixed by the asc.

She does really well on the twisting roads - excellent handling and steering feedback. I did not take her to the Tirumala hill from Tirupati - took a bus instead.

The noise level in 5th gear was high initially beyond 2000 rpm, but is much lesser now after driving all those kms. The oil change in the second service should also bring down the noise levels. Also, I've noticed that the sound of air brushing the ORVM/vehicle body is audible at higher speeds.

Performance till 120kph is good, after that the speedo climbs a tad slowly. But I rarely drive at those speeds.

The top speed I've done is 140 on the L&T bypass on NH7.

[sdp1975]

Removed the air filter (after opening the 3 screws on the engine cover ), and it was so horribly dirty. There was a dead butterfly in the casing.

Patted the filter and the dust would not go away, so took it to a local garage where he cleaned it with compressed air.

Goes to show how dusty our road are - and the importance of cleaning the filters regularly.

[Klub Class]

Long time! No updates! That's bad sdp1975

So, you tell me - how do you feel after crunching miles in your Fiat Punto? I'll be waiting for a detailed report from your side.

EDIT:

Originally Posted by sdp1975

Some observations :

1) A pillar reduces visibility in city driving - you got to be careful in bends and corners where 2 wheelers appear out of nowhere. C pillar is also really thick.

I do agree with you. The A-Pillar reduces the visibility to a great extent. But, once you get used, it won't be a big problem.

Drive safe.

Amith

[sdp1975]

Sorry about the belated updates , been lazy .

Car has covered 16,000 KM + now, has been trouble free(touchwood) and fun to drive.

I went on a short drive to Mysore Rd today, covered 140km and came back. Enjoyed every moment of it. This car is really meant for the highways - much more than for city driving. She really sets me free on the highways.

Off late, I have not been able to go out on too many long drives due to family commitments. The last long drive was to AP about 3 months ago - covered around 1,500 km in 3 days.

Did the 15K service at concorde motors, bill details are here :

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...ml#post2007265

Service experience was OK. SA was asking me change brake pads at 15K which I flatly refused. Got the WA/WB done outside , as I always do. a/c performance improved perceptibly after the service ( from the pollen filter change ).

Having driven all these kms on the Punto, one the best parts of the car - and something that I feel on a daily basis - is the ride quality. For a car in this segment, it's 7 stars. There'a a broken patch of road on my way to office that's about 1km one way, and it used to give me a bone jarring ride in my M-800. All that's history now. Broken tarmac, small and medium potholes are admirably taken care of - something my wife keeps appreciating about.

Sump guard is a boon, although I have a feeling that the car scrapes the bottom because of the low lying guard. Engine has become quieter after all these kms, although the noise and the boom at high rpms remains.

Will try to post a few more pics soon.

[sdp1975]

Apologies for not having updated this thread for 4 yrs. Odometer is at 70K now in about 5 years of ownership. Car has been running with a Pete's box since 10K km.

Wife gave birth to twins in Dec 2010, and the amount I drove greatly reduced in 2010-11, but has gone up in recent times.

I drove to Kolkata in October 2013 during the Durga Pujas with family , that trip was around 5000 km. I've visited most of South India in my Punto. Planning on a drive to Rajasthan and U.P. this December.

Ownership has generally been trouble free(touch wood), and regular servicing at FIAT ASCs in Bangalore have been OK. Availability of parts down south is generally not a problem - not in the major cities. I changed the rear shockers recently as the RR shocker was squeaking over bumps, and lubrication did not fix the problem. Battery was changed once after 3.5 years. Tyres were changed to MRF ZLOs at 45K km. One of the OEM GT3s had developed a sidewall puncture, and I decided to change all 4 tyres.

Cost of ownership has thankfully also been moderate , although I do find the labor rates at FIAT - particularly in Bangalore to be high. The 15K service interval is a boon for those with high running.

The only thing I wish for is some extra power and torque from FIAT for the Punto - some additional horses would really help on the highways. On the positive side, the small engine gives brilliant mileage, particularly on the highways . I recently got 22.2 kmpl on a trip to Ganapatipule. The ride quality remains brilliant after 5 years.

I've at times thought of upgrading to a SUV, but then dropped the idea. The car has been doing good, and so long I don't need to spend too much money on maintenance I'm happy to keep her. The awkward seating position is something I don't like - and I have tried almost all variations during my ownership that haven't worked out.

A few things I'll be doing soon :

1) Exterior detailing - rubbing and polishing to remove scratches accumulated over time
2) Windshield treatment - I've seen some marks left on the windshield from the wipers.
3) Upholstery fitment done 5 years ago have started to degrade, needs to be replaced.

I will be posting some pics soon.