Team-BHP - Fiat Grande Punto : Test Drive & Review

Quote:

Originally Posted by gemithomas (Post 1957152)

dr.pankaj send a mail to mangesh.kodalkar@fiapl.com tell him you got the id from PUG (palio users group) and discuss issue with him. i'm sure he'll help you out.

He has already sent a mail to Mangesh as well as had a talk with the supervisor and got a standard reply from Mangesh that we will take up this matter with the Dealer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by fiat_tarun (Post 1957240)

Guys, some help needed. My parents have just collected their 1.4 E+ from Mysore. The dealer has said since this car is euro 4 and there is no euro 4 fuel available in Mysore, we should use only the premium fuels. I don't see any sense in this as the main difference in Euro 3 and 4 fuels is the sulphur content and premium fuels have the same sulphur content. Will using normal euro 3 petrol cause any problems..?

You may find the discussion in THIS thread helpful.

Quote:

Originally Posted by .anshuman (Post 1957303)

You may find the discussion in THIS thread helpful.

Thanks man.. Was actually looking for the very same thread. Got mixed views from there actually. Some people say no problems, whereas some say the emission system life will reduce. Have posted this on the Fiat helpdesk also. Lets see what they say.

Quote:

Originally Posted by fiat_tarun (Post 1957353)

:OT
Tarun, Your parents can try Shell. Shell fuel station is located on Hunsur Main Road, right next to Nandi Toyota / Maruti Suzuki body shop. Also the URS Kar service station is located on the same road.

My Grande Punto has developed a small glitch. Whenever I go on small road undulations / road humps, I can hear a "rolling" kind of noise from underbody. The noise is like "if you put a small stone in a steel container and shake". The noise can be heard only when I am seated in the front seat and not at all audible in the rear. Have planned a visit to service station tomorrow.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MCR (Post 1958023)

Yes.. I know the shell bunk. Now with the petrol deregularisation, the price will also be the same. Fiat also replied to my query saying no problem using BS3 fuel in a BS4 engine.
My dad finds the steering too hard after the NHC...!! Told him he'll get used to it...

Just picked this up from a chat with Sirish Chandran (Overdrive) in IBNLiveChat:

Quote:

Q

Is it true that the punto s fit and finish issues at the time of launch has been resolved..i keep reading about it in so many forums these days. Have u seen a new punto of late?

Asked by: Arun

A

i have seen new Puntos but i haven't noticed an improvement in fit and finish. in fact i just sat in a new Punto in Bangalore and thought its interior fit was worse than the car we tested when it was launched. we said it right then that this will be the biggest failing of the punto and unfortunately that hasn't been looked into strongly enough.

Any opinions from old and new Punto owners?

Quote:

Originally Posted by StarrySky (Post 1958838)

Just picked this up from a chat with Sirish Chandran (Overdrive) in IBNLiveChat:

Any opinions from old and new Punto owners?

Well everybody can have a different perspective. Its highly subjective. I own Mar 10 Punto and I dont feel the fit to be a problem. I have test driven 09 model (Jun 09) as well but then the quality has improved. Even the recent motoroids review of 90HP Punto confirms that the quality of the interiors has improved.

my april 2010 punto has mildly better plastics than that at the time of launch.otherwise the perennial punto problems remain.
For starters the door release handle broke the very first day,now the left rear too acts up sometimes.
seats rattle and settle down occasionally.(and i thought only swift rattles!)
Nvh is the only thing which Fiat can claim to have improved.
If the PLASTICS were of better texture they would have been perceptible.I guess claims on that front are just hogwash.
Lesser said of my 2 colleagues 09 puntos,you name any glitch discussed so far in the punto thread they have it!
No surprise punto sales are dismal.
Only solace- no mechanical or electrical problems so far in any of our cars.
And i am keeping a close watch on my car eating up those rubbers.colleagues 10k tyre look very worn.finally not to mention the brakedust which is coming off at an alarming level inspite on downshifting to reduce speed.
Overall ownership experience among my close friends owning a total of 3 puntos and 3 lineas have been average.

^^ Only the dashboard plastic material has been changed, apart from this all the typical Punto fit and finish issues are same in '10 Punto. There is no audible difference in NVH levels, i have driven both Puntos back to back.

Quality control at Fiat India is a Joke. Fiat India has done a pathetic job of localisation with Punto, most parts in Interiors are misfitted with gaps visible at closer inspection. The quality of most rubber parts is terrible. The plastic console near wipers on the bonnet in Punto dried up within a week of purchase last year, now certain plastic parts feel like they are more than 10 year old.

The only saving grace is the Vault like build, fortunately which Fiat India could not localise.

Quote:

Originally Posted by aditya116 (Post 1959124)

Overall ownership experience among my close friends owning a total of 3 puntos and 3 lineas have been average.

Thats not very encouraging sir!

Quote:

Originally Posted by .anshuman (Post 1959936)

the typical Punto fit and finish issues are same in '10 Punto. There is no audible difference in NVH levels, i have driven both Puntos back to back.

I have a BS3 as well as BS4 Punto MJD - Not much visible difference in plastic quality or otherwise in both. One has done 3K and the other 4.5K kms

FE update after 600 Kmts,
14. 2 (MID Display) greate to see it is going up gradually .

ACC 100% , Temp set at 21-22

Reset the trip meters after the Nandi hills drive so no highway figures included
yet to re fill as I have 1/4 of Fuel left in the tank

My daily commute is 8 + 8 kmts to Office to and from. 4-4.5 Kmts bumper to Bumper and a couple of Kmts empty strech.

Over all I'm happy nothing has fallen off so far :thumbs up, praying for the same :)