[daredeviljpr]

I had never owned a car previously and had only driven a Santro for a few months but still I purchased a Punto 1.4 Fire. It's been a month and "I'm Loving it".

If you really love the car then it makes no difference whether you have driven a car before or not. There is always a first time, so I would suggest go ahead listen to your heart and own the beauty.

[samsan02]

Originally Posted by manavecplan

For someone who has never driven a car before and knows absolutely nothing about them, would a Punto be a good buy?

I'm totally in love with the car but not sure whether it's the right car for me cos have never really driven before. While everyone says it's a great car, my usage is only city driving and <500 km a month.

Any advice would be appreciated...

I bought my first car and its the Punto 1.4, and I have never driven a Manual car before. And I am just very happy with my car and my decision to go for it. Yes even my usage is city driving about 500 to 600 km per month. But the occasional highway trip will be there, and I am sure you too will take it once you own it. Make sure you learn proper driving before you handle any new car, even a small dent or scartch would break your heart particularly if its your own mistake.

EDIT: By the way I need some info from all Punto owners. When at signals when the car is at standstill and engine is running If I have to switch of the engine I need to turn the key off, but even music,display, ac gets shut right. Is there a intermediate position where you can just shut the engine off but not the others. Ofcourse ac would run on battery but it can be turned off from inside. Whats a little annoying is when waiting at long red signals or traffic jams have to switch off completely to shut of engine once and then restart again to intermediate position to hear just the music.

Have seen in US in Grand prixs where the music and dispaly and lights are still on even when engine is turned off and they shut off once you get out and shut the door, its too cool.

[Aquarian20]

Originally Posted by samsan02

EDIT: By the way I need some info from all Punto owners. When at signals when the car is at standstill and engine is running If I have to switch of the engine I need to turn the key off, but even music,display, ac gets shut right. Is there a intermediate position where you can just shut the engine off but not the others. Ofcourse ac would run on battery but it can be turned off from inside. Whats a little annoying is when waiting at long red signals or traffic jams have to switch off completely to shut of engine once and then restart again to intermediate position to hear just the music.

Have seen in US in Grand prixs where the music and dispaly and lights are still on even when engine is turned off and they shut off once you get out and shut the door, its too cool.

As far as I know that feature does not exists in Punto. I had this feature in the Nissan Maxima I used to drive in USA and yes I agree its a small but very convenient feature. I don't believe any car in India below 10 Lkh would have this feature.

[TC_aashay]

Originally Posted by samsan02

I bought my first car and its the Punto 1.4 .......

EDIT: By the way I need some info from all Punto owners. When at signals when the car is at standstill and engine is running If I have to switch of the engine I need to turn the key off, but even music,display, ac gets shut right. Is there a intermediate position where you can just shut the engine off but not the others. Ofcourse ac would run on battery but it can be turned off from inside. Whats a little annoying is when waiting at long red signals or traffic jams have to switch off completely to shut of engine once and then restart again to intermediate position to hear just the music.

Have seen in US in Grand prixs where the music and dispaly and lights are still on even when engine is turned off and they shut off once you get out and shut the door, its too cool.

Yes there is a setting but only the USB wont work in off position. (as for me the USB dosent)

Under menu button on the player there is a setting as "radio off" change it from 00 to "20" mins. all else will work but the USB. I have a small cd stuck so i dont know about the cd. But radio stays on.

samsan02, Its your car!! fiddle with the settings, explore it. no one will scold you for changing a setting or something yaar.
Thats what I did exploring the MID & the player. i prefer practical learning rather than read the book first.

BTW the blaupunkt has the "restore to default" settings if you mess up something. even the blue & me has that to delete all paired data.

The only time I read the book was to find out the tyre pressure (the sticker was not there on the car) and the windshield washer fluid container capacity. was disappointed to know only 2 ltrs!! My turbo had 5 lts. The Blue & me manual to check the compactable USB sticks and the voice commands.

Oh and dont run the compressor ON with the engine OFF!!! You can run just the blower (fan). (<<making this statement coz you didnt specify about the ac)
See that the snow icon is not displayed on the auto ac screen. and keep the circulation on NOT on ventilation mode.

Oh & Yes the ac wont work until you turn the key..

Happy revving the 1.4 FIRE GP!!

[sdp1975]

Does anyone find the anti-crank mechanism a pain in city driving ? I'm scared to shut off the engine at signals because of the problems of starting the car I've had a few times.

[infinitesadness]

Originally Posted by manavecplan

For someone who has never driven a car before and knows absolutely nothing about them, would a Punto be a good buy?

I'm totally in love with the car but not sure whether it's the right car for me cos have never really driven before. While everyone says it's a great car, my usage is only city driving and <500 km a month.

Any advice would be appreciated...

Hi there,
My GP MJD is my first car and I had only about 10 days of driving school training before I started driving it. I've had my share of scratches on the car (and a broken ORVM that service center has not been able to procure for me for the last 1.5 months), but it's a great car. I drive around a 1000 Km per month (half in city), and it's been a dream so far. Go for it

[mech]

Originally Posted by samsan02

Have seen in US in Grand prixs where the music and dispaly and lights are still on even when engine is turned off and they shut off once you get out and shut the door, its too cool.

The power windows works with keys OFF but till you open the door. IF the door is not opened even after the keys are OFF for some time say 1 min, it will not function further. You have to switch the key ON.

[SilentEngine]

Originally Posted by sdp1975

Does anyone find the anti-crank mechanism a pain in city driving ? I'm scared to shut off the engine at signals because of the problems of starting the car I've had a few times.

I faced problems initially, but now i have got used to it.
While you turn off, make sure you turn the key completely to the limit. Then you won't have any problems starting again.

[samsan02]

Originally Posted by TC_aashay

Under menu button on the player there is a setting as "radio off" change it from 00 to "20" mins. all else will work but the USB. I have a small cd stuck so i dont know about the cd. But radio stays on.

Thanks TC_aashay, will check it out with that option of 20 mins. But CD and USB songs if they play would be great thou only radio will also be comforting.

Yes snow flake icon is the compressor setting, which if on with engine off will drain the battery to run the cooling. But I have a small doubt, i have the following configuration compressor is off, outside temp is 24 C, the auto setting is at 23 C and it keeps blinking and air circulation is set to within car. In this case is it still normal fan blower recirculating and no AC.

what about if auto setting is at say 25 C, will the car try to heat up the air when it draws air from outside at 24 C if air vent is from outside. what would happen if its recirculate within car selected, will it try to heat up internal air by a degree. In both cases will it do so at the cost of engine power impacting FE.

[.anshuman]

AC does not work when the engine is not running, Its just the blower fan that will run irrespective of whatever you see on the display. Running fan on stationary car wont drain battery if used for shorter duration.

[TC_aashay]

Originally Posted by sdp1975

Does anyone find the anti-crank mechanism a pain in city driving ? I'm scared to shut off the engine at signals because of the problems of starting the car I've had a few times.

Yes I too find it a pain (you know where..)

But still what i do is (at a timer displayed traffic light/if i'm way behind in traffic and the lights are visible) turn the key off & take the key out and just push it back in. 15 secs left turn the key to MAR, all lights on dash ok, crank around 5 secs left.

it took me some time to just time it right.

Oh and NEVER crank in a "panic" mode, just forget the traffic behind you.

Originally Posted by samsan02

Thanks TC_aashay, will check it out with that option of 20 mins. But CD and USB songs if they play would be great thou only radio will also be comforting.

Yes snow flake icon is the compressor setting, which if on with engine off will drain the battery to run the cooling. But I have a small doubt, i have the following configuration compressor is off, outside temp is 24 C, the auto setting is at 23 C and it keeps blinking and air circulation is set to within car. In this case is it still normal fan blower recirculating and no AC.

what about if auto setting is at say 25 C, will the car try to heat up the air when it draws air from outside at 24 C if air vent is from outside. what would happen if its recirculate within car selected, will it try to heat up internal air by a degree. In both cases will it do so at the cost of engine power impacting FE.

samsan02, about the ac, i cant figure out what you mean exactly.. but i dont use the "auto" ac much or at all.

What I do is, when i start the car, I press auto, after a few mins (1-2mins on the clock) take full manual control. Found it more comfy.
Push re-circulation > set the ~temp. The blower speed adjusts auto.

And at traffic lights, if the engine is off, simply turn the temp to 16 re-circulation & compressor off; that's the general routine.

Since i'm in mumbai, i never use the ventilation. re-circulation is the way; but trips in pune rarely during the night I do use ventilation.

Its simple, the compressor stays ON less FE. The compressor OFF more FE.

In mumbai traffic all time ac 'day' I get 8-10 km/l. Night traffic free I get 12km/l.

Hope its not so confusing..

I guess the CD also works, only the USB + the blue & me stops working.

Aashay B.

[SilentEngine]

Originally Posted by TC_aashay

I guess the CD also works, only the USB + the blue & me stops working.

You know what, if you are already talking on the phone using blue & me and switch off the car, you can keep talking while the car is off. I don't know if there is some time limit, but the call stays on at least for few minutes

[manavecplan]

@all- I think I'm gonna go for the MJD after all.emotion pack here I come!! I didn't know so many people tried their hands on the GP without years of experience. ;-)

[samsan02]

Originally Posted by TC_aashay

samsan02, about the ac, i cant figure out what you mean exactly.. but i dont use the "auto" ac much or at all.

What I do is, when i start the car, I press auto, after a few mins (1-2mins on the clock) take full manual control. Found it more comfy.
Push re-circulation > set the ~temp. The blower speed adjusts auto.

And at traffic lights, if the engine is off, simply turn the temp to 16 re-circulation & compressor off; that's the general routine.

Since i'm in mumbai, i never use the ventilation. re-circulation is the way; but trips in pune rarely during the night I do use ventilation.

Its simple, the compressor stays ON less FE. The compressor OFF more FE.

In mumbai traffic all time ac 'day' I get 8-10 km/l. Night traffic free I get 12km/l.

Hope its not so confusing..

I guess the CD also works, only the USB + the blue & me stops working.

Aashay B.

I tried the radio to 20 mins and it works fine. Regarding the AC, what you said is right. even I try doing that but what I have observed is if the temp setting knob is turned either way i.e to increase or decrease, the digits keep blinking if its greater or less than outside temp. So what does it mean.

[paritosh2k]

Originally Posted by mech

The power windows works with keys OFF but till you open the door. IF the door is not opened even after the keys are OFF for some time say 1 min, it will not function further. You have to switch the key ON.

Thanks for that tip. i have been struggling to find this option... :-)