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Old 11th August 2013, 10:44   #5971
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Re: Fiat Grande Punto : Test Drive & Review

Hi All,

My vehicle's stock front left speaker that came with the purchase of the vehicle is making a strange noise when playing bass numbers, but other wise is ok. it sounds as though the diaphragm is torn, can i fix this problem is there a DIY available to diagnose and fix the problem as it hampers the listening experience.

The car is barely 17 months old.
One Off topic question:
2. Does playing songs heavy in bass and synth work consume more power than when playing back a speech.?
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Old 11th August 2013, 10:48   #5972
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sriramr9 View Post
Hi All,

My vehicle's stock front left speaker that came with the purchase of the vehicle is making a strange noise when playing bass numbers, but other wise is ok. it sounds as though the diaphragm is torn, can i fix this problem is there a DIY available to diagnose and fix the problem as it hampers the listening experience.

The car is barely 17 months old.
One Off topic question:
2. Does playing songs heavy in bass and synth work consume more power than when playing back a speech.?
The stock speakers are worst at their best. You cannot repair them. You can try for a warranty replacement if you are otherwise happy with the stock speakers.

If I were you, would have trashed them and gone for replacement speakers outside the A.S.S.
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Old 11th August 2013, 20:11   #5973
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Re: Fiat Grande Punto : Test Drive & Review

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Originally Posted by DRIV3R View Post
The stock speakers are worst at their best. You cannot repair them. You can try for a warranty replacement if you are otherwise happy with the stock speakers.

If I were you, would have trashed them and gone for replacement speakers outside the A.S.S.
1. Right now i am on a tight budget and do not plan for a after market speaker upgrade.
2. My usage is minimal as i concentrate more on road, somehow not got the comfort level to both listen and drive @ same time.
3. My need is when family/friends accompany me for a drive is when i require the job to be done without a fuss.
Could there be a gap between the speaker housing and the driver itself that causes this funny sound (brrrr...brrrr) which accompanies when Bass notes are reproduced.
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Old 11th August 2013, 22:27   #5974
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Re: Fiat Grande Punto : Test Drive & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by sriramr9 View Post
1. Right now i am on a tight budget and do not plan for a after market speaker upgrade.
2. My usage is minimal as i concentrate more on road, somehow not got the comfort level to both listen and drive @ same time.
3. My need is when family/friends accompany me for a drive is when i require the job to be done without a fuss.
Could there be a gap between the speaker housing and the driver itself that causes this funny sound (brrrr...brrrr) which accompanies when Bass notes are reproduced.
That's not a problem as such, more so that it's a problem with the speaker itself..ie it's limitation. The speakers on my Punto are decent enough to play music but when I play Trance or House, the speakers can't handle the additional bass and the (brr..brr) sound is heard. So either you'll have to change your speakers to some good components and co-axial speakers or you'll just have to turn the volume down a bit
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Old 13th August 2013, 10:30   #5975
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Re: Fiat Grande Punto : Test Drive & Review

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Originally Posted by lapis_lazuli View Post
One advantage that I distinctly note in the Punto 1.2 however, is, the effortless city driving. The 1.4 peak torque develops at a much higher rpm and b2b traffic negotiations are, well, tiring. With the 1.2, I do not need to even touch the accelerator even on mild slopes. It chugs along effortlessly as I gradually release the soft clutch! And it pulls easily from 15-20kmph at higher gears making heavy traffic easier to sail through. I doubt, if Brio would be good for the knees in b2b!

However, has it "got bhp?". Er...no, it's "got torque" 97@2500. A new sticker please...

Fuel efficiency? Not bad at all....Hemanth, Biraj, any comments?
Driving a 1.4 Punto, I have never faced any problems in city driving. It pulls cleanly from 15kph in 3rd gear as well. Also considering that torque rises with rpm, unless we actually see the entire torque curve of the 2 engines, you cant say which is more torquey. Who's to say the 1.4 does not develop 97Nm@2500rpm, while on the way to 115@4500??

Also what kind of fuel efficiency do you get in the 1.2??

For the 1.4, I get about 11(+/-1) in city conditions, and about 17(+/-2) in highway driving.
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Old 13th August 2013, 13:55   #5976
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Re: Fiat Grande Punto : Test Drive & Review

Ah OK...! The post 2012 Punto 1.2 dynamic has seat height adjusters indeed, and the mileage normally in cities is 13ish with AC on full-time, moderate-dense traffic. Highways with AC, 17 ish.

Hi Julupani, my experience with the 1.4, was somewhat different: I had to "revv" the car somehwat more than the 1.2 for the same motion over identical stretches and inclines. On second thoughts, the car was fairly old, may be it had a slipping clutch or whatever. Most scientific would be the torque curves, but there isn't any, on the web, that I could find.
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Old 13th August 2013, 18:14   #5977
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Re: Fiat Grande Punto : Test Drive & Review

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Originally Posted by coolkurt View Post
That's not a problem as such, more so that it's a problem with the speaker itself..ie it's limitation. The speakers on my Punto are decent enough to play music but when I play Trance or House, the speakers can't handle the additional bass and the (brr..brr) sound is heard. So either you'll have to change your speakers to some good components and co-axial speakers or you'll just have to turn the volume down a bit
Thanks Kurt, I re tested the issue today once again and found that as volume is increased one speaker alone cracked, (brrr..brr) otherwise the mid range and high frequency are acceptable. I can very well continue using the current setup for the time being, as long as you say it s the nature of the driver that behaves that way.

Will sound deadening help in anyway? a black paste like sound absorbent added to the door's inner panels to seal the cabin better, in order to enhance the listening experience of the stock audio setup.

How to find the make of the headunit ?
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Old 13th August 2013, 20:25   #5978
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Re: Fiat Grande Punto : Test Drive & Review

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Originally Posted by sriramr9 View Post
Will sound deadening help in anyway? a black paste like sound absorbent added to the door's inner panels to seal the cabin better, in order to enhance the listening experience of the stock audio setup.

How to find the make of the headunit ?
Never, the Puntos stock speakers never need any sound deadening. 20 or 30 W is the output. The speakers can handle only that much.

With regards to the head-unit, it should be Delphi, unless it is printed Blaupunkt on your HU explicitly.
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Old 14th August 2013, 08:03   #5979
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Re: Fiat Grande Punto : Test Drive & Review

I've got a 1.4 Petrol and fuel efficiency was the last thing I worried about when I bought it. Petrol prices were hovering around Rs 50 back then. It gives me a mileage of 11 Kmpl in the city. With the current fuel prices, it has started to pinch, to the point where I've thought of selling it off. But decisions made from the heart are hard to reverse

Is there some tuning kit or something that I can install to enhance the fuel efficiency?
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Old 14th August 2013, 10:50   #5980
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Re: Fiat Grande Punto : Test Drive & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by sriramr9 View Post
Thanks Kurt, I re tested the issue today once again and found that as volume is increased one speaker alone cracked, (brrr..brr) otherwise the mid range and high frequency are acceptable. I can very well continue using the current setup for the time being, as long as you say it s the nature of the driver that behaves that way.
I had similar (brrr..brrr sound) issue from right front speaker.

The technician at TASS was knowledgeable enough to find the root cause immediately & fix it.

It was just a loose clip/screw holding the speaker making this sound at high volumes.
Probably its the same loose clip issue in your case as well. Just get this checked.
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Old 14th August 2013, 11:06   #5981
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Re: Fiat Grande Punto : Test Drive & Review

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Originally Posted by DRIV3R View Post

With regards to the head-unit, it should be Delphi..
I am under the impression that the non-branded units are Blaupunkt-designed and made by Bosch.
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Old 14th August 2013, 13:02   #5982
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Re: Fiat Grande Punto : Test Drive & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by coolkurt View Post
I've got a 1.4 Petrol and fuel efficiency was the last thing I worried about when I bought it. Petrol prices were hovering around Rs 50 back then. It gives me a mileage of 11 Kmpl in the city. With the current fuel prices, it has started to pinch, to the point where I've thought of selling it off. But decisions made from the heart are hard to reverse

Is there some tuning kit or something that I can install to enhance the fuel efficiency?
The 1.4L 90bhp Fiat mill is good for a CNG conversion with a sequential kit (your handle reads your location as New Delhi) with a bigger tank 70-75 litres. If you can put in Rs.55k for the conversion, you can easily recover cost of kit in 12-15 months. I think one of TBHP members from Gurgaon - @coolboy007 has this on his Linea Petrol.

I also believe, the tuners are coming up with tuning kits for Bi-fuel cars, which can help you.

Last edited by CARDEEP : 14th August 2013 at 13:05.
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Old 14th August 2013, 13:58   #5983
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sandeepmdas View Post

I am under the impression that the non-branded units are Blaupunkt-designed and made by Bosch.
There are two OE suppliers Bosch and Delphi. One has to remove the HU to know about the brand. Anyways both are crap quality so no need to know which brand it is.
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Old 14th August 2013, 21:12   #5984
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Re: Fiat Grande Punto : Test Drive & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by S.MJet View Post
I had similar (brrr..brrr sound) issue from right front speaker.

The technician at TASS was knowledgeable enough to find the root cause immediately & fix it.

It was just a loose clip/screw holding the speaker making this sound at high volumes.
Probably its the same loose clip issue in your case as well. Just get this checked.
This was one pointer i was looking for, i wil get hold of service personnel to have it fixed, if it turns out to be the cuprict.Thanks for the input.

Secondly, when slamming both front doors left & right sheet metal shivering noise is heard which is annoying & gives a feeling of a poor quality construction of doors, can we avoid it by doing some internal damping, so the clank is avoided and converted to a thud like how one would experience when slamming a polo or vento's door ?
Note: The Thud is experienced when slammed the door slowly and firmly.

The glass also shivers when closed with windows half rolled, any pointers to fix this issue. Tested the same on a polo, no such issues.

Last edited by sriramr9 : 14th August 2013 at 21:14.
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Old 14th August 2013, 22:45   #5985
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Re: Fiat Grande Punto : Test Drive & Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by CARDEEP View Post
The 1.4L 90bhp Fiat mill is good for a CNG conversion with a sequential kit (your handle reads your location as New Delhi) with a bigger tank 70-75 litres. If you can put in Rs.55k for the conversion, you can easily recover cost of kit in 12-15 months. I think one of TBHP members from Gurgaon - @coolboy007 has this on his Linea Petrol.

I also believe, the tuners are coming up with tuning kits for Bi-fuel cars, which can help you.
Ah that's the issue. I'm not comfortable about converting it to CNG. The fun to drive bit will be lost then.
I was hoping for some other solution but one can't expect miracles I guess. I'll just have to drive as sedately as possible
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