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-   -   Fiat Grande Punto : Test Drive & Review (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/official-new-car-reviews/60626-fiat-grande-punto-test-drive-review-282.html)

Hemanth you are clearly mistaken here, but lets not go OT by discussing Swift on the Punto thread.

I have booked a 2012 Punto and TBH I could not make out any difference in quality between the old and new Punto. The driveabilty definitely feels better though. I also drove a 2011 90HP and that too felt sluggish as compared to the newer car.

Could not compare the AC's as the ambient temperatures were low.
A friend who drives the Vento could not stop raving about the soft clutch, great list of features etc. He says the Vento's clutch pedal is always vibrating but no such issue here with the Punter.

Regards

I drove the 2012 Punto Diesel yesterday and i honestly didn't like the huge gap between the wheels and the arches. Pandit has a new 2012 TD car and i found the NVH on the inside greatly improved. The engine is hardly audible and feels very refined.
The highlight has to be the super light clutch. I drive the 1.4 Punto at home, so not very sure if the earlier MJD versions also had a light clutch (??). Its super light for a diesel.

Punto's clutch has always been very light, even in 2011 cars.

Its been about ten months since I bought my Punto 1.2 Emotion. But have been noticing dismal fuel economy figures. I have been getting only 9 km/l in the city and around 12-13 on the highways. These are the figures with the AC on. I tried a 120km to and fro trip with the AC off and speeds were maintained around 100-110 kph and I got 6.5l/100km. Any suggestions to improve the FE? Its irritating to have to tank up very quickly. The car has covered 6k kms of which a lot has been in the last couple of months. Its been driven quite sedately with most gear changes happening around 2500-3000rpm at the most.

Cheers,
Kaushik

Update!!
Fiat's CSM came down to Pune to have a close look at my car and he confirmed paint issues. He assured me that Fiat will take care of the same and I need not worry. Fiat's personnel, someone from paint dept. will be inspecting my car soon. I will keep you guys posted.


Kaushik, as mention in this thread my Punto 1.4 E-Pk is giving me nothing less then 16-17KM/L on a trip like Pune to Goa.

I would suggest you to try these steps.

• Put the MID on Instant Consumption and keep an eye on FE.
• Maintain RPM between 2K to 2.5K and speed between 70 to 80KM/Hr in 4th.
• Maintain RPM between 2.5K to 3K and speed between 80 to 100KM/Hr in 5th. Anything above 3K RPM your car should be doing above 100KM/Hr.
• You may also try filling it at more reliable bunk than what you are right now.

Guys, after the second free (15k kms) service, I am suddenly feeling my 90 hp has become very noisy.

I hear a constant drone as it crosses 60 kmph. Its not kind of a diesel engine noise but its a constant booming noise. Is it normal in Puntos or should I be worried?

If I remember, my car was very silent till 110 kmph earlier.

Try switching off the engine when the vehicle crosses 60 kmph (Do this ONLY on an empty highway since brake servo wont work with engine off). If the drone is still present, and volume comes down when speed decreases - better get the wheel bearings checked.

Please dont DO THAT!!


The FIAT engine at idle is almost silent and the road and bearing noise if any are more noticeable !!

It could be the tyre noise too!! :Frustrati

Why don't you take it to the A$$ & have a check up? Please check whether the noise comes in the same rpm band in different gears [means at different speeds]. If the noise comes ONLY @ 60 kmph in different gears, it should be tyre noise. Otherwise, if it's a problem in specific rpms, then you should get the sound in all gears when you hit the same rpm band, at different speeds!

I suggest AGAINST this! Once you switch of the engine, brakes will NOT work, guess steering also will be hard to turn [am sure about EPS not working, does HPS work with engine in OFF?]. Being India, we never know what is in store, the next minute in front of us. PLEASE REFRAIN FROM SUCH THINGS!

+1

Guys, Understand your concerns - thats why I mentioned empty highway. Anyways - if the noise is prominent - it takes only 2-3 seconds to diagnose if the noise is still present with the engine off.

Take it to TASS, explain the same symptoms (as mentioned in the post) and watch the SA try the same on a busy road. :D

Its a standard procedure to check for issues with wheel bearing. Would you prefer checking it on an empty highway, or the SA checking it on the busy road with you in the passenger's seat (Or without you knowing!)? :D

I did notice the "empty highway" phrase. So what if some stray cattle/dog or a moron decides to show up from no-where? Otherwise you need to get 2 / 3 people to watch over the distance & then do this stunt. The SAs might be used to this gimmick & I guess they might have a better 'presence of mind' to do this.

Else try this in some open grounds or something where you have a good field of vision & very minimal chance of morons / cattle getting in the way.

I did that & yes, as you mentioned, the noise persists even after the engine is OFF. Its kind of a thrumming/booming noise which gradually decreases as the speed decreases (even with engine OFF).

It starts at around 60 kmph & gradually increases with speed.

Dont worry mate, I took it to an empty stretch. The road is not being used by public as it leads to a dead end & then tried this antic.

It cant be tire noise as I have never experienced this kind of a noise before...

I tried.

The noise is irrespective of the engine rpm or which gear the car is in. It starts at 60 kmph & then increases with speed.

SURPRISINGLY, the brakes were working. YES, even after the engine was switched OFF, I needed absolutely no pressure, the brakes were just like before.

I have read that in SOME cars, even after the engine is switched OFF, the brake booster does work, atleast for 2-3 times. I can confirm that in Punto, it does.

Looks like your car's wheel bearings are gone, get it checked at TASS. Recently my Palio had this issue and I got it fixed at the TASS.

I'm wondering how it went kaput so early in its life. My car is just 12500 kms and exactly one year old.

Did you drive through water logged areas recently?

Water and dirt are it's biggest enemies. I too had wheel bearing issues in my WagonR during Christmas time, after the last Chennai rains.