[coolkurt]

Originally Posted by Reinhard

I think Fiat should personally thank GTO for that stonker review of the GP. I think I have read it 100 times over the years again and again. Most of the GPs on the road would have been sold due to that review I think .

Indeed S-Cross is a great car. Look at the cars in its viscinity of price range & its not just great - its a real value for money. Offers superb bang for the buck. Gives a lot more car for the price compared to peers.

And indeed - the FIAT DNA lives on in your garage with the legendary bullet proof 1.3 MJD under the hood. You drove the rare 1.4 FIRE in the GP, now you get to own another gem from FIAT. Wish you unlimited safe & happy miles with it. I used this engine for 9 years. It gave 0 trouble and still has one of the best off the mark performances from 0 on an incline in traffic. Just clutch modulation.

Its sad to see this 1.3SDE go. People hate it now simply because its too old. Nobody managed to make an engine that powerful and torquee and almost petrol like rev happy in just 1248cc of displacement. Its a legend. Sad that FIAT didn't think of making a BSVI compliant 1.5 sibling of this engine. That would have revolutionalized the segment again!

Absolutely. And that last line from GTO " this hatch pulls the string to your heart like no other". True to the last word. I used to admire my Red Punto even when it was parked. A really beautiful hatch.

S Cross is a brilliant car. Great features and Maruti reliability. What made it the final choice was the 1.3 FIAT MJD. As you said, what a great engine. I'm getting 18 kmpl on avg after driving it for around 2500 kms. What more can one ask for?

[headers]

Had owned 2 of those machines at one point in time, both of them Top end Diesel Emotion packs.

Did more than 1,70,000 kms together before we parted. One of them is still in the family though! Pretty sweet to look at, even while standing still - YES, ABSOLUTELY

Even at 1,25,000 kms, all I had replaced in the vehicle was routine maintenance stuff and an absolute gem of an engine, which returned 18+ even at insane speeds. Loved the Steering which was really ahead of its time. 2.5 turns lock to lock!!

[sdp1975]

I bought my GP 1.3 emotion pack in October 2009. Despite apprehensions with the FIAT brand, my purchase decision to a large extent was based on GTOs overall positive review.

10 years down the line, and with 1.5 lacs on the odo, this car hasn't disapointed me. The FIAT service was average I would say. But the car has been very reliable and never stranded me on my long drives to several places in the country. The ride and steering has been brilliant. Regular maintenance has kept her in good shape. Parts are a little expensive compared to a Maruti, but overall reasonably priced I would say. Several parts from the Swift and the Vista are a direct fit on the Punto, which has been a blessing. Got a mileage of 19.9 in my recent trip to Ooty.

The only complaint I have is the average performance - 75 horses can be frustrating at times, and the rubbery gearshift. I've got used to the awkward ergonomics with time.

I take her to a FNG these days and am happy. Have thought of a replacement several times as my 2 kids have grown and we find the legroom a little short and the boot cramped on our long drives, but probably a T-jet can only replace her. Will probably keep her as long as I can possibly can.

[igniteddriver]

Originally Posted by sdp1975

But the car has been very reliable and never stranded me on my long drives to several places in the country. The ride and steering has been brilliant. Regular maintenance has kept her in good shape. Parts are a little expensive compared to a Maruti, but overall reasonably priced I would say.
...

Have thought of a replacement several times as my 2 kids have grown and we find the legroom a little short and the boot cramped on our long drives,

Being in the same shoes last ten years, I echo your sentiment. My Punto 1.4 is from the first batch of Puntos in India, July 2009.

As you rightly said, it never broke down en route, never disappointed me. My family has an emotional attachment to it and parting with it has been a painful decision. But due to issues of part availability, service quality, and because the car started showing signs of ageing, I had to decide to upgrade. I am sad, even my kids are, to see the "handing over moment", but no choice left for me with the kind of support FIAT gives.

I have done multiple test drives of the Harrier, and the most recently released ones seem to be impressive. Looks like I am leaning towards the Harrier.

[Reinhard]

Originally Posted by igniteddriver

I have done multiple test drives of the Harrier, and the most recently released ones seem to be impressive. Looks like I am leaning towards the Harrier.

Wow that felt like reading my own thoughts! Even my son still blames me daily for giving away his beloved 9 year old Vista. How old is he? Less than 4!! It was a very emotional moment for us all.

Harrier is wonderful. No wonder you are impressed after a Punto companionship. After using the solid built tank like Fiat/Tata cars, its hard to pick Korean or other lighter cars. Doesn't feel like an upgrade when the car door is closed.

We give up on a lot of gizmos and features to get that solid reassuring thud when closing the door from the driver's seat. But we know why!

[kapilsharma80]

Model: 1.3 Multijet Emotion Pack
Year: 2011
Colour: White
Current Mileage: 1,09,000 kms
Handlers: Only 1 (that's me)


Purpose of the review: To share my ownership experience so that fellow members/owners can benefit from it. I have tried keep it concise since a lot has already been discussed about the 1.3 engine in the forum. This is my first review on Team Bhp.

Prelude: July, 2011 - I had a Palio NV 1.2 EL, which also happened to be my first car. It was 4.5 years old & had clocked 64,000 kms. I was looking for a change since Palio was ageing and new generation of cars was available in Indian market.

I had set my eyes on Punto MJD since 2009 and finally took delivery of 1.3 MJD, Emotion Pk white in August 2011. I considered NO other car because Punto offered 2 Airbags, solid build quality, good dynamics and top of the line features. Also, I was satisfied with Fiat ownership experience.

The initial ownership was full of excitement while discovering new features (Elaborate MID), Blue & Me, Driver seat height adjustment, Follow me home lights, etc. All these brought a big smile on my face everytime I used them. Point to highlight is that the features & controls are well thought of and have been designed keeping the end user in mind.

Let me start with the core competence of Punto – Driving!
City Driving: Maneuvering the car in city traffic is comfortable. Changing gears in stop –go traffic gets boring as Fiat has planted a gearbox which has a ‘cushioned’ feel; it is not slick as Suzuki or Toyota. The gear lever and clutch pedal have a long throw. Taking a U or a sharp turn is tricky due to high turning radius of the car. Quick takeovers are possible without any hiccups if the car is in the right gear. Turbo kicks in beyond 1800 rpm mark. The car doesn’t lug around and has the propensity to gain momentum from a speed of 20 km/hr in 3rd gear till 90. City braking is crisp on low & medium speeds. I always got a mileage between 15 – 18 KMPL while driving in Chandigarh. Punto is best driven on curvy roads where it’s true character is revealed. Its rock steady and you can confidently throw it into sharp corners. I have tested the car in many trips to hills (my native state – Himachal Pradesh) and I never got any jitters while climbing up/down the slopes and hairpin bends (No under or over steer). The body roll is decent on tight cornering. The headlights are just okay for city driving and use of fog lights is advised all the time.

Highway Driving: This is where the Punto shows its true self. Rock steady steering, awesome dynamics while cornering & dodging pot holes at high speeds, good mid range pickup, short braking distance. You always feel in command while driving on Highways. Maximum mileage I have got on highway is 25 kmpl (Chandigarh – Delhi).

Suspension: The car is tuned for hard suspension which offers exceptional handling.It offers just the right amount of comfort to passengers in City & Highway. Minor potholes and rough roads are not felt inside the cabin. The rear shockers produce a thumping sound over speed breakers which can be annoying sometimes.

Tyres: Punto came with Apollo as stock and I found them noisy and less comfortable. Got them changed at 38k with a lot of life left in the tread as I wanted to test Michelin.
Michelin XM2 is a different league altogether. Less road noise, more comfortable (than Apollo) and I observed that the braking distance also reduced comparatively. I am into the 3rd set of tyres and using Michelin Primacy 4ST. Personally I found marginal difference over XM2 but it’s too early as 4ST’s USP is post 30K when tread wears away.
I run my tyres on normal ‘Free Air’ from petrol bunks. I tried nitrogen a couple of times but honestly felt no difference.

Service/Maintenance: I come from the school of thought where prevention is considered better than cure. Therefore, I don’t think twice to logically spend on preventive maintenance. I love to maintain and spend on my car because I and my family spend considerable time in it. I just don’t treat it as a vehicle or utility; I take care of it as I am dependent on it. The service center guys think I am finicky (very particular) on how I maintain my car and go overboard with certain things (oils change technique, checking whether right grade of oils, liquids are being refilled, whether the oil refilling can is clean or not etc). I always get the car serviced at Fiat authorized service centers which are far & few these days and I personally oversee every service operation. Fiat service is something not to boast about (like the Japenese) but at the same time I have never been left dissatisfied. You will not find the FASS as hygienic as Honda but all the work is carried to your satisfaction. I never allow my car to be touched by an outsider / non fiat technician be it for bumper adjustment or any other thing.
Fiat has always been generous in honouring warranty claims from the days of Palio at least to me. At couple of instances, Goodwill Warranty was honoured even after the warranty period was over but only after thorough investigations.

I always get service done at an interval of 10k – 12k Kms even though the company recommends 15k Interval. Never used any additive in the car be it fuel or oils. During service I always get the engine flushed with 0.5 litres of fresh engine oil and let it drain till last drop before refilling it. This gives me a satisfaction that most of the contaminated oil is out of the system.
I have always replaced all oils, lubes, coolants as per the service schedule even if the mechanics insisted not to. I don’t mind spending extra bucks to secure reliability of my car.

For first couple of years my Punto was waxed and polished every quarter. It has been treated with Collinite Marine grade polish, Turtle Platinum wax, Turtle Hard Wax, Sonax Polish to keep the shine going.

Repairs & Upgrades: Suspension upgraded at 13,500 kms mark to increase the ground clearance. Fiat carried out the job well and I had to pay INR 13,000 for the kit. Didn’t feel any difference in car dynamics post upgrade.
The power window motor on back left side door works fine for 2 years and then gives up. This has been the trend with my car. I think there is some design issue with rear left side door or power window in my car.

Steering vibration issue: Around 25k Km mark I felt that steering is misbehaving, it felt vague. Showed it to FASS and they couldn’t diagnose anything - actually they couldn’t diagnose the problem at all. I was depressed with the issue since Punto’s steering is the soul of the car. This issue stayed for couple of weeks and one fine day I decided to get the steering belt changed just like that. To my luck the issue was identified with loose steering belt and the steering was back to its stiffer and accurate self. I felt the same way Sachin Tendulkar would have felt returning to cricket after Tennis Elbow injury.

Got Gear Cables replaced recently as the stock ones had lost its lubrication making the gear shift stiffer. Cost: INR 4K

Some batches of Punto (including mine) were plagued with loose tie rod and elastic pads noise. Both the issues were taken care under warranty by the company.

Mileage: The MID shows real time mileage along with average consumption. The accuracy of the MID varies upto 2 kmpl as compared to tank full to tank full method . For eg: if MID shows average consumption 18 kmpl then actual consumption would be 16.5 kmpl

Interiors & Quality: I find the interiors well laid out but the quality of the plastics is not up to the mark (2011 model). The front seats are broad and offer good comfort however the lumbar support is not enough. The back seats also offer decent comfort and are happy to accommodate 2 people. The leg space is nothing to mention about. Rearview view mirror offers good visibility and has manual anti glare feature.

All the window & steering mounted controls are back lit (amber) which make life easy during night operation. Windows child lock if deactivated makes the light goes off on the back door power window switches – Neat feature.

Punto lacks storage options. The storage capacity in doors and dash board is very limited. Only half litre bottles can be stored (thin ones).
The plastic mounding at the bottom of the front windshield (where wipers rest)was not uniformly laid out and the rubber bidding kept falling off. I suppose Fiat was sourcing the material from Tata Vendors at that time and this issue was because of this only. At one point of time I was scared and prayed that my Punto doesn’t start making whining noise like Indicas do (the infamous belt noise) and to my luck it never did.

Minor Accidents & repairs: Once a biker hit the car when it was stationary and the front bumper had to be changed. Got the same repaired by FASS in four days’ time.
In another instance a lady driving her Maruti 800 backended me at a Red Light in Chandigarh. The rear bumper was damaged and replaced and quarter panels had to be painted just because they had minor dents caused by the impact.

AC: My model has climate control which serves well. During peak summers it cools down the cabin within no time. I would rate Figo’s ac at par with Punto in terms of cooling capacity.
Audio & Sound: The stock system is very basic. Speakers are of the lowest quality. I didn’t change them since I don’t like my car’s electronics to be fiddled with.

The steering mounted controls misbehave sometime but only in winters. You will have to press them HARD to get moving.
Using voice command on Blue & Me can be irritating sometimes as the software doesn’t pick your command.
The Pen drive slot inside the glove box and it is uncomfortable to change Pen Drives. The Company recommends to use a 2 GB drive but I never had problems using a 8GB drive.

Feature List:
• If the front wipers are on and reverse gear is engaged, the rear wiper activates automatically
• You cannot change settings on MID and Blue & Me if the vehicle is moving. The system will not let you do it until the car is stationary because of safety concern
• If outside temperature falls below 3 Degrees Celsius then MID will flash ‘Caution - Possible Ice on Road’
• MID will flash in case brake fluid level goes below the threshold level
• In case of a light bulb failure then MID will clearly indicate the which light bulb is not functioning
• MID flashes text on exactly which door is open
• The car has rear foot ac vents neatly tucked below driver & passenger seats.
• Follow me home head lamps
• Passenger air bag can be deactivated
• Speedo lights can be dimmed to one’s comfort
• The front passenger can lock all doors by pressing the lock lever on passenger side door. One doesn’t have to really bend all over to driver’s door to lock the car.
• All controls on steering and Power window buttons are back lit
• Steering is only tilt adjustable
• Front fog lights can only be switched on if the front pilot lights are on. Fog lights automatically turn off if headlights are switched off
• MID has two trip meters. It shows distance travelled, current mileage, overall mileage, travel time
• If you turn the heater on, the system automatically puts the car on external air circulation
• Whenever you switch on the air conditioning/climate control it will put itself on the external circulation mode
• Windows child lock if deactivated makes the light goes off on the back door power window switches

What’s Next: I plan to keep the car for another year or so before I upgrade to Jeep Automatic.

Verdict: Fiat ownership is considered to be a risky affair but on the contrary I can vouch that they make the safest and reliable cars on road. Punto is like an addiction… nothing will give you a high post it’s experience…No other car gives you the same kick …

[boniver]

Hey, lovely review of a lovely car! Good to know that you're still sticking to Fiat A.S.S. even now. Most Fiat owners I know just go to a trusted FNG. What's the mileage you're getting from the car? Sorry if I missed it. Didn't notice it under the sub-heading: "Mileage".
Do post some photos too!

[kapilsharma80]

Originally Posted by boniver

Hey, lovely review of a lovely car! Good to know that you're still sticking to Fiat A.S.S. even now. Most Fiat owners I know just go to a trusted FNG. What's the mileage you're getting from the car? Sorry if I missed it. Didn't notice it under the sub-heading: "Mileage".
Do post some photos too!

I get 14-15 kmpl in tight traffic conditions.. on highways the punto returns around 20 kmpl...

[kunwar.g]

Originally Posted by kapilsharma80

Verdict: Fiat ownership is considered to be a risky affair but on the contrary I can vouch that they make the safest and reliable cars on road. Punto is like an addiction… nothing will give you a high post it’s experience…No other car gives you the same kick …

A car launched ahead of its time, features it has were never marketed the way they should have been. Its a safe car, but not a modern car compared to present times. You can try Motul Xcess 8100 to reignite the love for your car if that is the reason to sell it in next 1 year :-). For everything else OEM spares are the best. Though your choice of upgrade is worthy too if Fiat is going to be still around.

By the way I drive a 2014 GP myself

[kapilsharma80]

Originally Posted by kunwar.g

You can try Motul Xcess 8100 to reignite the love for your car if that is the reason to sell it in next 1 year :-). For everything else OEM spares are the best. Though your choice of upgrade is worthy too if Fiat is going to be still around.

By the way I drive a 2014 GP myself

Good to e meet you. In fact in my last service I switched from OEM Petronas to Liqui Moly Molygen. Leveraged my relationship with FASS to allow a third party oil 😊. The engine has gone super smooth. Initially I felt loss in pick-up but then things are back to normal now.

[gopikb]

Originally Posted by kapilsharma80

Model: 1.3 Multijet Emotion Pack
Verdict: Fiat ownership is considered to be a risky affair but on the contrary I can vouch that they make the safest and reliable cars on road. Punto is like an addiction… nothing will give you a high post it’s experience…No other car gives you the same kick …

A nice and precise post on your experience with the Punto. Could not agree more on the points listed out by you. I am sure most of the people who have owned a Punto or Linea would agree with you. That is why when it comes to replacing the Punto, it is very difficult for us.

Mine is a 2009 Punto MJD which I dont have any plans of changing any time soon. My wife drives it mostly to work now as I have office cab and she is pretty much hooked to it as well.

[maven]

After reading @kapilsharma80 ‘s post went back to page 1 and read the review again. I must have read the review several times over the years and GTO ‘s observations still hold true after all these years.
I bought mine in May 2014. Awesome on the highways. Very confident ride and handling. I can’t think of anything that can exactly replace it. Here’s a snap of my Punto 1.3 Emotion which has crossed 5 years now.

[nibedk]

Punto Owners - Need some advice as I am sure many owners would have faced this issue.

A little history. I drive a 2014 make GP Sports 90 HP pre facelift model. Impeccably maintained and current mileage is 94 K in a little over 5 years. Absolutely no issues till date other than general maintenance and parts replacement due to wear and tear. Car still feels as good as new from inside. Few small dents here are there on the exterior - result of living in crowded a crowded city like Hyderabad. Fiat service in Hyderabad is among the best in country and hence the ownership has been a breeze.

A few months ago the odometer started blinking (this has happened multiple times earlier and used to go either by restarting the car again or used to vanish the next day). This time it continues till date and I was aware that it is either due to BnMe conking off or battery issues (its 3 years old now). Recently visited SC and was told that BnMe unit is gone and has also affected the battery and starter motor. Yes the car has issues when starting and happens especially if the car is not used for a few days. SC guys disconnected the BnMe and currently only the FM and CD player works. USB and Bluetooth anyway had stopped working since the blinking issue. Will leave the car at the SC after few days if I continue to get starting problems to rule out starter motor issue. Battery will need a replacement for sure in the coming months but SC guys are pretty confident that a battery swap wont fix the BnMe issue.

A new unit costs 14 K and am in no mood to get a new one for a car which has close to 1 Lacs mileage. But Bluetooth functionality is something that I sorely miss. More so my wife uses it regularly when she takes the car out.

Any workarounds? Bluetooth dongle or a new head unit which will be cheaper than the BnMe unit and have android auto support as well. But not sure if the steering controls will work. I rarely used the BnMe functions other than calls over Bluetooth.

But a new head unit will spoil the center console look which anyway isn't any good at the first place. Don't want to play around with the car electronics as well. The car has held up well and I plan to keep it for as long as possible. I plan to get a bigger 6-7 seater may be in a couple of years time but will continue to keep the Punto as a beater car and for some drives when I really feel like getting the experience of being connected to the machine. Though there are no immediate plans to get a new car I have been keeping a tab on all new releases and nothing comes close to the driving experience of Fiats barring the Fiesta.

[anupam00]

Originally Posted by nibedk

Punto Owners - Need some advice as I am sure many owners would have faced this issue.

A few months ago the odometer started blinking (this has happened multiple times earlier and used to go either by restarting the car again or used to vanish the next day). This time it continues till date and I was aware that it is either due to BnMe conking off or battery issues (its 3 years old now). Recently visited SC and was told that BnMe unit is gone and has also affected the battery and starter motor. Yes the car has issues when starting and happens especially if the car is not used for a few days. SC guys disconnected the BnMe and currently only the FM and CD player works. USB and Bluetooth anyway had stopped working since the blinking issue. Will leave the car at the SC after few days if I continue to get starting problems to rule out starter motor issue. Battery will need a replacement for sure in the coming months but SC guys are pretty confident that a battery swap wont fix the BnMe issue.

A new unit costs 14 K and am in no mood to get a new one for a car which has close to 1 Lacs mileage. But Bluetooth functionality is something that I sorely miss. More so my wife uses it regularly when she takes the car out.

Any workarounds? [quote=nibedk;4670009]

My two cents for you,
Anupam00- nice to know your experience with Punto - yes it is a great car and still gives run for money to Many cars of today time,

Well you can get the Blue n me - taken out from car and get the same completely cleaned - may be take the same to some one who repairs the TV circuit - yes I know finding a tv repairer is a tough task may be you know some one who can work on the pcb check the continuity and repair the same

Get it cleaned with the pcb cleaner and then try the system,

Couple of case I have got Blue n me repaired,

Except this - there is an option of blue n me device an add on like Motorolla T505

Hope this helps,

Thanks & Regards
Anupam00

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by nibedk

Any workarounds?

Do not touch the Blue N Me system till the battery is replaced. The blinking odometer, dead Blue N Me and starting trouble is a sign that it is the battery is weak. It is quite possible that nothing is faulty with the Blue N Me system.