Fiat Grande Punto : Test Drive & Review

sbkumar · 22nd November 2010, 17:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Newpunter

Correct, the reminder is only for 15K all the time. I didn't get one either

.

When I took delivery from Prerana Motors - Sarjapur Road, they specifically informed me that I would not get the reminder for the 3K service. It's more of a status check than actual service. I remember him showing the next service reminder from the MID, which showed 15K.

vsk2009 · 22nd November 2010, 18:00

Is it normal that the radiator fan is getting off only after 1-1 1/2 min after turning off the engine in my 1.4 Punto Petrol?

Deep Blue · 22nd November 2010, 23:19

I drove my father-in-law's Punto after nearly a 5 month gap. Some observations vis-a-vis my Figo. The Punto is about one and half year old, run about 12000kms. Both are diesels.

Positives :

Better ride. Ride at lower speeds is much better than Figo.
Better driveability. I thought it would be the other way round. But actually felt, Punto is more driveable in the city with lesser gearshifts.Turbolag was never a bother. Figo requires more downshifting.

Negatives

Interior plastics ageing very much. Looks like the plastics belong to a 4-5yr old car.
Notchy/rubbery gear shift compared to Figo.
Steering felt a bit harder in Punto, but never uncomfortable.
The boomy Punto engine is noisier. Figo sounds better as well ( I could be biased here)

HammerHead · 22nd November 2010, 23:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by vsk2009

Is it normal that the radiator fan is getting off only after 1-1 1/2 min after turning off the engine in my 1.4 Punto Petrol?

Yes it is. Its normal.

MihirC · 23rd November 2010, 00:00

Guys ,Im looking to buy a Punto, a dealer has a Dec 2009 manufactured Punto, Got delivered to their yard in march 2010. Will be going to finalise the deal tomorrow evening.

The dealer is giving a discount of 90 k so OTR is 6.10 L as opposed to 7L.

My queries are as follows,

1)If I consider 15% depreciation for 1 yr then the depreciation value is 1.05L, on top of this, the cars a BS3 so I feel a 20-25 K should be decent sum to be added on to the amount of depreciation , so the total amount which I think should be the right discount = 1.35L, what do you think?

2) Also even if the car has been manufactured in 2009 Dec, bough in the yard by March 2010 then anything specific is required to be checked in the car especially since its not being used for so long, the tyres etc?

3)Did the punto's of this lot have any niggles /AC problems as such?

Guys need your help on this one ASAP as the decision has to be finalised regarding this Punto by tomorrow.

Thanks a ton in Advance.

Now

arunkk · 23rd November 2010, 08:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by MihirC

Guys ,Im looking to buy a Punto, a dealer has a Dec 2009 manufactured Punto, Got delivered to their yard in march 2010. Will be going to finalise the deal tomorrow evening.

What was this Punto doing for so long in the yard? Are you 100% sure that it was not a TD vehicle?

nkrishnap · 23rd November 2010, 10:15

+1, Arunkk. Its better not to fall for this deal.

2010 manufactured to bought by year end is better deal.

Even I have the same question, What was it doing all these days in the yard and why no other customer picked it if the came along with 90K discount.

MihirC · 23rd November 2010, 10:46

The discount is now, well the colour of the car is Electric blue which is not at all a popular colour , here in mumbai.Even Im a bit apprehensive but Im sure I ll be able to pull him down further by around 15k.

Any ways to check if it was a TD vehicle?

vsk2009 · 23rd November 2010, 11:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by MihirC

Any ways to check if it was a TD vehicle?

[COLOR=black]Look for dirt on clutch, accelerator pedal, back side of front seats(especially bottom) and odo reading. [/COLOR]
[COLOR=black]Punto is a fantastic car as far as it doesn't have major issues. Tata service is not adequate to address major complaints. Avoid risk. If it were jazz I would have recommended you since Honda make much reliable product. Another reason is that these days Fiat is resolving many issues and a new car will be with less problem. In my case I baught a march 2010 model in October since I was particular about the tyre size(new emotion model is coming with narrow tyres) and want to purchase before Dessura. Now I am facing some issue with warning lights. I am not sure the cause of the problem but I feel now that I could have avoided march 2010 model.[/COLOR]

Rubbertramps · 23rd November 2010, 16:51

Guys,
I did a PDI of my GP MJD in the chennai stockyard of VST motors !!! . Everything was fine except for the noise levels. It was high. It was awkward. It felt like a test drive car. The odometer read 8 kms.Is this common on the new car. I doubt it.

download2live · 23rd November 2010, 17:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by MihirC

The discount is now, well the colour of the car is Electric blue which is not at all a popular colour , here in mumbai.Even Im a bit apprehensive but Im sure I ll be able to pull him down further by around 15k.

Any ways to check if it was a TD vehicle?

Stay away from this car. Manufacturers keep upgrading the car silently as more and more issues are found after launch. Most of this is never known to us for the manufactures do not want to get negative publicity. And this car is almost 1 year old. And you do not know anything of its history.

Wait for some more time. Collect more of Vitamin M. And go for a new Punto.

binaiks · 23rd November 2010, 21:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rubbertramps

Guys,
I did a PDI of my GP MJD in the chennai stockyard of VST motors !!! . Everything was fine except for the noise levels. It was high. It was awkward. It felt like a test drive car. The odometer read 8 kms.Is this common on the new car. I doubt it.

Never mind.. Punto is very noisy at the beginning. It gets silent as it ages - especially as it munches more kms.

neutralgrey · 24th November 2010, 10:20

I had done my second free service at 12k kilometers instead of 15k because the 1 year period had finished. Now, after crossing 15k kilometers, every time I start the car, the MID flashes an error message saying 'Service Coupon Expired' and it turns into a spanner icon for the reminder of the journey. The service center guys must have set the service reminder during my first free service at 3k kilometers and forgot to reset it during the second free service.

Now my question the Punto owners here is, will the error message turn off automatically after a few more kilometers, or should I go to the service station to get it turned off, or is there any method to turn it off myself?

EARTHed · 24th November 2010, 11:52

They forgot to reset the 15k service reminder at the time of second service that Fiat had set in your new car by default. You got service at 12k Km and it continued to count. Now you have completed 15k Kms and it is reminding you to get it serviced.

Solution- Take your car to the nearest service center. Tell them that you had got your vehicle's second serviced at 12k km (take service booklet along). Its just a 5 minutes job resetting the service reminder. This can only be done at the service center.

neutralgrey · 24th November 2010, 15:56

Thanks EARTHed. I was afraid that it might be the only solution; was putting off going to the service center for quite sometime, looks like I have to drag myself there soon

22nd November 2010, 18:00	#2927
vsk2009 BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Goa Posts: 156 Thanked: 23 Times	Is it normal that the radiator fan is getting off only after 1-1 1/2 min after turning off the engine in my 1.4 Punto Petrol?
	() Thanks

22nd November 2010, 23:19	#2928
Deep Blue BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Udupi Posts: 747 Thanked: 684 Times	I drove my father-in-law's Punto after nearly a 5 month gap. Some observations vis-a-vis my Figo. The Punto is about one and half year old, run about 12000kms. Both are diesels. Positives : Better ride. Ride at lower speeds is much better than Figo. Better driveability. I thought it would be the other way round. But actually felt, Punto is more driveable in the city with lesser gearshifts.Turbolag was never a bother. Figo requires more downshifting. Negatives Interior plastics ageing very much. Looks like the plastics belong to a 4-5yr old car. Notchy/rubbery gear shift compared to Figo. Steering felt a bit harder in Punto, but never uncomfortable. The boomy Punto engine is noisier. Figo sounds better as well ( I could be biased here)
	() Thanks

23rd November 2010, 00:00	#2930
MihirC BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Mumbai Posts: 534 Thanked: 71 Times	Urgent !!!Dec2009 manufactured, in yard by march 2010 Punto Guys ,Im looking to buy a Punto, a dealer has a Dec 2009 manufactured Punto, Got delivered to their yard in march 2010. Will be going to finalise the deal tomorrow evening. The dealer is giving a discount of 90 k so OTR is 6.10 L as opposed to 7L. My queries are as follows, 1)If I consider 15% depreciation for 1 yr then the depreciation value is 1.05L, on top of this, the cars a BS3 so I feel a 20-25 K should be decent sum to be added on to the amount of depreciation , so the total amount which I think should be the right discount = 1.35L, what do you think? 2) Also even if the car has been manufactured in 2009 Dec, bough in the yard by March 2010 then anything specific is required to be checked in the car especially since its not being used for so long, the tyres etc? 3)Did the punto's of this lot have any niggles /AC problems as such? Guys need your help on this one ASAP as the decision has to be finalised regarding this Punto by tomorrow. Thanks a ton in Advance. Now Last edited by MihirC : 23rd November 2010 at 00:02.
	() Thanks

23rd November 2010, 10:15	#2932
nkrishnap Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 3,983 Thanked: 7,407 Times View My Garage	+1, Arunkk. Its better not to fall for this deal. 2010 manufactured to bought by year end is better deal. Even I have the same question, What was it doing all these days in the yard and why no other customer picked it if the came along with 90K discount.
	() Thanks

23rd November 2010, 10:46	#2933
MihirC BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Mumbai Posts: 534 Thanked: 71 Times	The discount is now, well the colour of the car is Electric blue which is not at all a popular colour , here in mumbai.Even Im a bit apprehensive but Im sure I ll be able to pull him down further by around 15k. Any ways to check if it was a TD vehicle?
	() Thanks

23rd November 2010, 16:51	#2935
Rubbertramps BHPian Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Kitchener Posts: 215 Thanked: 267 Times	Guys, I did a PDI of my GP MJD in the chennai stockyard of VST motors !!! . Everything was fine except for the noise levels. It was high. It was awkward. It felt like a test drive car. The odometer read 8 kms.Is this common on the new car. I doubt it.
	() Thanks

24th November 2010, 10:20	#2938
neutralgrey BHPian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 75 Thanked: 16 Times	Service Coupon Expired error I had done my second free service at 12k kilometers instead of 15k because the 1 year period had finished. Now, after crossing 15k kilometers, every time I start the car, the MID flashes an error message saying 'Service Coupon Expired' and it turns into a spanner icon for the reminder of the journey. The service center guys must have set the service reminder during my first free service at 3k kilometers and forgot to reset it during the second free service. Now my question the Punto owners here is, will the error message turn off automatically after a few more kilometers, or should I go to the service station to get it turned off, or is there any method to turn it off myself?
	() Thanks

24th November 2010, 11:52	#2939
EARTHed BANNED Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Greater Bangalore Posts: 420 Thanked: 39 Times	They forgot to reset the 15k service reminder at the time of second service that Fiat had set in your new car by default. You got service at 12k Km and it continued to count. Now you have completed 15k Kms and it is reminding you to get it serviced. Solution- Take your car to the nearest service center. Tell them that you had got your vehicle's second serviced at 12k km (take service booklet along). Its just a 5 minutes job resetting the service reminder. This can only be done at the service center.
	() Thanks

24th November 2010, 15:56	#2940
neutralgrey BHPian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 75 Thanked: 16 Times	Thanks EARTHed. I was afraid that it might be the only solution; was putting off going to the service center for quite sometime, looks like I have to drag myself there soon
	() Thanks