[damodar]

Originally Posted by sridharj

Hi,

I have booked a Punto Dynamic in Madurai. They are offering free insurance and the sales rep said the insurance will be from Future Generali. But I wanted the insurance from a nationalized insurance company. But the sales rep said Fiat has direct tie up with this insurance company and if i'm going with another insurance company they might not able to offer the free insurance. People who have booked or taken delivery of your Punto kindly enlighten me on this.

Thanks,
Sridhar

When i bought my 2012 Punto on 31st January i got the insurance done by TATA Aig since my previous car had 35% NCB and i wanted to continue with the same company.For this the dealer gave 9000 cash discount in lieu of the free insurance.

[headers]

Originally Posted by sridharj

Again a quick query guys, as freebie the sales rep is offering engine coating. Should I take it? He says it's good for engine but I'm not very sure.

Thanks,
Sridhar

Do NOT TAKE any freebie other than CASH from the dealers! What Engine coating can he offer? Also do you think a brand new car and engine requires any coating?

Ask them for cash discount only. IMO most of these freebies stuff offered during delivery is for pushing stock from the dealers than otherwise!!

Does the coating improve power?

[autocrat]

Originally Posted by sridharj

Again a quick query guys, as freebie the sales rep is offering engine coating. Should I take it? He says it's good for engine but I'm not very sure.

Thanks,
Sridhar

No. If I am right, they may be referring to 'engine waxing' treatment by Wuerth. Not needed on a new car. Ask for cash discount in lieu of this. It may be just a few hundred rupees (discounts are based on their cost and not price)

[Sridhar K]

Originally Posted by Ravenblood

Please elaborate on the above offer, as i was offered insurance + RSA waiver on a charge of Rs 3999, is it the same offer.

I was also initially quoated free insurance with the RSA waiver in small fine print . MAS can confirm.

[sridharj]

Originally Posted by autocrat

No. If I am right, they may be referring to 'engine waxing' treatment by Wuerth. Not needed on a new car. Ask for cash discount in lieu of this. It may be just a few hundred rupees (discounts are based on their cost and not price)

I have already got a cash discount of Rs 4000, free insurance, RSA and they have also promised me Rs 6000 worth of free accessories and they are offering engine waxing as part of this free accessory. I see there are many accessories available in Fiat website, which the dealer did not had in his list. Will be speaking to the dealer about this shortly.

Thanks,
Sridhar

[rider60]

does anyone find that the clutch pedal of the punto is placed too high or is it just me? and please tell if there is a way to set to default clutch pedal position a little lower than the factory position it comes in.

i was really put off by this in the car, i test drove one today and my left foot was hurting a little due to constant Dorsiflexion after a 15min test drive , i would probably pick up a 90HP one to replace by 5year old swift diesel, but if there is no way to mend this, i dont want to pick up a car that practically hurts my foot on every city drive, i do around 30kms one every day through the traffic in hyderabad.

there is one more issue i have with this car, the seat height adjustment when put completely on the lowest level is the way i love to sit in the car, say like in a sports car, and the steering wheel adjustment doesnot come down low enough but i think i can live with that.

please let me know a way in which i can resolve this high clutch pedal position issue thank you.

if not, i would rather wait for a 1.6polo TDI or may be just may be pick up a skoda Rapid (mid variant instead of a Vento topend.)

P.S. the search results did not return anything on this.

[live2dream]

Have booked a fiat punto emotion MJD from VST motors, chennai.

On road price - 796031
Free Ins 25133
Cash disc 20898

Final On Road price for 75 hp emotion - 750000. I specifially told the sales guy that i dont need any free accessories and asked for the max cash discount. If anyone gets a better deal in Chennai let me know. The experince till now in VST was pleasant. Now wondering if should have gone for the 90hp for 40k difference . Expecting delivery first week of March.

[AWD]

Test drove the regular Diesel version. Always loved the looks of the car but things that did not go well during the TD are:

- Slow pick-up
- High engine noise when revved hard.
- Cramped seating
- High clutch pedal

Other than these few issues that bugged me, the car is a fine hatch.
Fiat's long term maintainence costs & service standards also come to mind.

[rider60]

Originally Posted by AWD

- High clutch pedal

okay, did you write this after you read my query or did you notice this before? and thank you, some one is with me on this!

any others find this as a big CON?(pros Vs cons)

did any one try a solution for this???

EDIT: can anyone confirm if its the same issue with the linea's clutch pedal too? if not perhaps we might have a chance to change it linea's which i hope would be a retrojob.

[autocrat]

Originally Posted by rider60

did any one try a solution for this???

EDIT: can anyone confirm if its the same issue with the linea's clutch pedal too? if not perhaps we might have a chance to change it linea's which i hope would be a retrojob.

The long travel of the clutch pedal has its advantage. Due to longer length of the lever, clutching effort is reduced (light clutch). I prefer a light clutch in traffic to a heavier one. The long travel of pedal takes some getting used to, but no longer than a few hours of driving.

I drive my friends Punto Emotion 2010 every alternate day and love the torque... Dont feel stressed on 20 km drive that takes 90 mins each way.

[rider60]

Originally Posted by autocrat

The long travel of the clutch pedal has its advantage. Due to longer length of the lever, clutching effort is reduced (light clutch). I prefer a light clutch in traffic to a heavier one. The long travel of pedal takes some getting used to, but no longer than a few hours of driving.

I drive my friends Punto Emotion 2010 every alternate day and love the torque... Dont feel stressed on 20 km drive that takes 90 mins each way.

Dorsiflexion is my main problem ,in hyderabad the traffic is constantly moving and you need to constantly change gears, which means i need to have my left foot on the clutch pedal almost most of the time, which is leading to this Dorsiflexion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia hence foot pain in a period of 15minute drive, imagine doing this for an hour or so.

the thing is swift's clutch pedal is a bit hard in comparison not so hard to cause a problem, but it doesnt cause this Dorsiflexion of my left foot, albeit i take it as a design flaw ergonomically in the punto, lets face it, we are not the typical weekend car users as the europeans(read most of them) who are blessed with a well implemented mass transportation system, it is our daily drive through the INDIAN traffic.

also, pal there isnt enough free space there to constantly move it between the dead pedal and the clutch pedal. had there been free space, probably this issue wouldnt have bothered me so much.

well at the cost of a real slightly hard clutch pedal(like in swift or a little smoother) which i am willing to sacrifice for the ergonomic comfort so to not cause Dorsiflexion all the time in the city traffic.

the thing is i like to sit in the sports style postion rather i am used to it from my past two cars, accent viva and swift diesel(where we only operate the clutch by moving our chin/calf-lower foot part of the leg) comparted to up right like in a indica where one has to lift the thigh to press the clutch and being in traffic like hyderabad where there is constant movement in the traffic even through the redlights, one has to keep the left foot ready.

pointers on the modifications anybody?


EDIT: i am not sure if i will get used to this car's clutch hence asking this, TEAM BHP gurus where are you i could really use your advice before i choose to book this car, i would prefer to buy this before the budget announcement and the extra excise duty addition to the cost of the car if its fixable or wait for the better options in the market so please advice me people(gurus).

[rider60]

sorry for another post on the same topic, but it just occurred to me, the long travel of the clutch is not my problem at all, incase some one mistakes my foot problem for that, its the angle at which i have to bend my foot where my toe is closest to my chin when placing my foot on the clutch pedal (that is because i have to be ready to depress the clutch dedal, because i dont know when some biker or car tries to cut in the rough traffic) and be ready at all times thats causing this problem! HELP!!!

[AWD]

Originally Posted by rider60

okay, did you write this after you read my query or did you notice this before? did any one try a solution for this?

I had noticed it earlier but got re-iterated on reading your post. Though other issues eclipsed this for me.

Regarding a solution, don't think much can be done about it.

[rider60]

Originally Posted by AWD

I had noticed it earlier but got re-iterated on reading your post. Though other issues eclipsed this for me.

Regarding a solution, don't think much can be done about it.

thank you awd, but some how my heart believes there is one, i want to do just find what it is, to me it would be a real sad thing to discard this car for this reason(yeah it can be a deal maker or a breaker for me) i am going to search some more and consult some gurus before i am completely certain i cant do anything else except live with it.

gurus you listening???

On second thoughts is it possible to remove the clutch pedal, measure the position i want the pedal at, then cut the extra metal that makes the pedal protrude out and reweld to get the desired position?

any thoughts???

EDIT:on third thoughts is there a way in which i can switch the brake and clutch pedals so that this reduces the problem or may be even eliminate it?

[autocrat]

Note from Mod : Please use the EDIT or MULTI-QUOTE buttons instead of typing one post after another!

Originally Posted by rider60

On second thoughts is it possible to remove the clutch pedal, measure the position i want the pedal at, then cut the extra metal that makes the pedal protrude out and reweld to get the desired position?

any thoughts???

EDIT:on third thoughts is there a way in which i can switch the brake and clutch pedals so that this reduces the problem or may be even, eliminate it?

Rider60,

I now understand the problem better.

I have seen a simple solution adopted by ashok leyland bus drivers. They weld a metal plate 2~3 inches fron the floor to rest their heel, ahead of the pedals. May be 1 inch might suffice on cars.

You may try the same on the punto. You may use plywood sheets / news paper / books under the heel, to see what height suits you well. (please test in safe area - dont want these things to slide under the brake pedal preventing you from applying brakes - newspaper wont slide i think) Once you know the height you can get a metal plate fabricated for that height. It must be removable (welding on floor not a good idea) but must not move once placed in the footwell. All sharp corners must be ground off so you dont have to take tetvacs frequently . Must not damage floor mats.

Hope this helps.

@rider60,

Pardon my limited artistic skills, but this is what I meant..