[ghodlur]

An update.

Mr Sheshadri of 3M thane called up to confirm the availibility of the black 3M Nomad mat. Reached the showroom y'day evening and the damaged mat was replaced free of cost. Sheshadri pointed that the damaged mat would be sent to OEM for analysis and keep me updated on the findings. Overall a good experience.

[ghodlur]

Experts and Punto owners (incl Abarth debadgged)

What is the correct & practical air pressure to be maintained in the 195/65 tyres of Punto. The manual says 29 psi in all 4 tryes when minimum load and 32 with maximum load. With both these settings I still get the bounciness when The car rolls over the speed breakers or the rumbler strips. I also tried 30 psi in all 4 tryes and 32 in front & 30 at rear tryes also but still could feel the thumps. Is it the case that the Punto has now increased GC of 185 mm which is causing the combinations of tyre pressures to be ineffective?

I have driven over potholes and on the smooth highways too. The car behaves well on both with no major surprises with rear seatings.

[SDP]

Spotted you today morning 7:30ish at the Mulund East Toll Naka. Recognized based on the number. I was on the foot-over bridge with my kids.

[vibbs]

Congrats on the car ghodlur. I am closely following your thread as I too am in the market for a new car. Been test driving quite a few ones. Its between polo and the punto as of now with a couple of more cars to go. I am again taking a test drive of both the punto and polo tomorrow as I am terribly confused at this stage. Both have their pluses and minuses.

However I feel it would be the Italian beauty coming into my garage too.
All the best for a trouble free ownership and looking forward to more insights on your experience.

[ghodlur]

An update afetr long time but a bad one.

Got rear ended by a biker today morning while coming to office opp to IIT powai main gate. I was doing a normal 20-30 speed due to traffic and bang. Stopped the car and saw the biker struggling. I pulled over to a side to inspect the damage, meanwhile the culprits had already zoomed away without feeling any remorse of what they had done. The bumper seems to have taken the impact with minor damage but the rear right fog lamp cluster had a broken glass. Pic attached (sorry for the poor quality).

Can the glass be replaced? or will I have to replace the entire fog lamp set.

[SDP]

^^ That's sad. Sorry to hear about the mishap.

Is the glass double-layered? From the pic it seems like there is a transparent layer below the red layer? Please put a tape over it at the earliest, lest it willl blind people following your car. Do get it repaired soon.

[ghodlur]

Originally Posted by SDP

^^ That's sad. Sorry to hear about the mishap.

Is the glass double-layered? From the pic it seems like there is a transparent layer below the red layer? Please put a tape over it at the earliest, lest it willl blind people following your car. Do get it repaired soon.

Yes, there's a second glass layer below the red plastic, I will be putting a red coloured paper over the area for time being.

I guess this happened coz I missed the lucky charm today - waving to you at the Mulund toll.

[KarthikK]

Originally Posted by ghodlur

Experts and Punto owners (incl Abarth debadgged)

What is the correct & practical air pressure to be maintained in the 195/65 tyres of Punto. The manual says 29 psi in all 4 tryes when minimum load and 32 with maximum load. With both these settings I still get the bounciness when The car rolls over the speed breakers or the rumbler strips. I also tried 30 psi in all 4 tryes and 32 in front & 30 at rear tryes also but still could feel the thumps. Is it the case that the Punto has now increased GC of 185 mm which is causing the combinations of tyre pressures to be ineffective?

29 psi works for a softer ride. I usually prefer a firmer ride with 32 psi on all 4 tyres. I don't think the ground clearance bit has anything to do with the slightly harsh ride. The mediocre OEM tyres have a role to play in the ride cushioning (or rather, the lack of it). I feel a world of difference when I immediately switch to the T-Jet (with Michelin PLCs running at the same 32 psi). Did your Punto come with Apollo Aceleres or Goodyear GT3s?? Both are bad, but Apollos are the better of the two.

Originally Posted by ghodlur

An update afetr long time but a bad one.

Got rear ended by a biker today morning while coming to office opp to IIT powai main gate. I was doing a normal 20-30 speed due to traffic and bang. Stopped the car and saw the biker struggling. I pulled over to a side to inspect the damage, meanwhile the culprits had already zoomed away without feeling any remorse of what they had done. The bumper seems to have taken the impact with minor damage but the rear right fog lamp cluster had a broken glass. Pic attached (sorry for the poor quality).

Can the glass be replaced? or will I have to replace the entire fog lamp set.

Originally Posted by ghodlur

Yes, there's a second glass layer below the red plastic, I will be putting a red coloured paper over the area for time being.

I guess this happened coz I missed the lucky charm today - waving to you at the Mulund toll.

I wouldn't suggest the paper method. If it rains, or even when you wash the car, water or dust might enter the lamp. Just the glass cannot be replaced as far as I know. Better to replace the entire fog lamp in one shot. It should be available at your local service centre for a 5 minute swap job. Alternatively, you could pick up just the rear fog lamp for 700 odd bucks independently through this link :
http://www.99rpm.com/rear-fog-lamp-g...t-genuine.html

[ghodlur]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

29 psi works for a softer ride. I usually prefer a firmer ride with 32 psi on all 4 tyres. I don't think the ground clearance bit has anything to do with the slightly harsh ride. The mediocre OEM tyres have a role to play in the ride cushioning (or rather, the lack of it). I feel a world of difference when I immediately switch to the T-Jet (with Michelin PLCs running at the same 32 psi). Did your Punto come with Apollo Aceleres or Goodyear GT3s?? Both are bad, but Apollos are the better of the two.

I wouldn't suggest the paper method. If it rains, or even when you wash the car, water or dust might enter the lamp. Just the glass cannot be replaced as far as I know. Better to replace the entire fog lamp in one shot. It should be available at your local service centre for a 5 minute swap job. Alternatively, you could pick up just the rear fog lamp for 700 odd bucks independently through this link :
http://www.99rpm.com/rear-fog-lamp-g...t-genuine.html

Karthik,
Thanks for the tips.

I normally maintain 32 psi in the front and 30 at the rear with no load in the back (based on my previous experience with Fiesta). The reason for 32 in front is due to engine weight. My Punto came with Apollo Acceleres and had planned to swap with Michelin but due to Vit M had postponed it. I guess I will have to live with it for some time till I go for the swap.

I have some red coloured plastic papers (thanks to my son's extra curricular activities) which I will be using for time being. I had checked the 99rpm site and it talks about replacing the complete set (left & right). I know a number plate shop nearby my place who stocks the coloured plastics, I will visit him to check if that single piece can be replaced.

[Desmosedici]

Originally Posted by ghodlur

An update afetr long time but a bad one.

Got rear ended by a biker today morning while coming to office opp to IIT powai main gate. I was doing a normal 20-30 speed due to traffic and bang. Stopped the car and saw the biker struggling. I pulled over to a side to inspect the damage, meanwhile the culprits had already zoomed away without feeling any remorse of what they had done. The bumper seems to have taken the impact with minor damage but the rear right fog lamp cluster had a broken glass. Pic attached (sorry for the poor quality).

Can the glass be replaced? or will I have to replace the entire fog lamp set.

Thats bad. Next time dont pull to the side to inspect damage. Just get down then and there and bust these morons. Its your hard earned money and love.

[ghodlur]

Originally Posted by Desmosedici

Just get down then and there and bust these morons.

Deperately wanted to do so, but refrained myself from creating a traffic snarl. Wouldnt want others to suffer because of one moron. I have seen many a bikers cutting lanes dangerously on that stretch and have always tried to keep myself away from them but today was not that day I guess. I could see the pillion rider being thrown off balance when the bike hit the rear of the car, luckily for him no one was speeding behind him or else he would have been a victim himself.

[Autocop]

Ghodlur,

Not active on forum these days due to work pressure, being a little stress free day after long time, happened to jump on forum and came across this thread.

Many congrats for your new ride and excellent choice!

Welcome to club of proud FIAT owners.

After going thru thread have some advice and suggestions to offer,

Seat Covers: Fabric should feel good, however, leather/PU-leather seat covers from a decent shop (read - Orchis Powai) improve support, aesthetics and maintainance ease by a long a way. I got it done for about 12K from Orchis for my Linea, would highly recommend getting it done at Orchis, else, not at all.

Additives: Have done about 61K without any diesel additives, FIAT themselves advice against it, why bother?

Mods/Upgrades: As run-in period (10K) and your Punto learning curve build up you should not feel need for any tuning-box, unless I guessed wrong you are enthusiast type. Use stock battery, tyres to fullest before change/upgrade - that will double up the pleasure of upgrade and of having consumed money spent on stock to fullest.

Dont think too much, learn and enjoy driving Punto. All the best!

[ghodlur]

Originally Posted by Autocop

Many congrats for your new ride and excellent choice!

Welcome to club of proud FIAT owners.

Seat Covers: Fabric should feel good, however, leather/PU-leather seat covers from a decent shop (read - Orchis Powai) improve support, aesthetics and maintainance ease by a long a way.

Dont think too much, learn and enjoy driving Punto. All the best!

Thanks a lot mate for the wishes. Your last statement sums it all and thats whats I have been doing these days - pure nirvana.

Although I need to ensure that I put on the seat covers ASAP as my son sitting at the back has been smearing the seats from rear (he claims its monsoons)

I got myself the T-BHP stickers set + keychain set, simply couldnt resist them although I had strictly no sticker policy (even my office parking + Toll stickers are not put). Will be pasting them this weekend. Special thanks to maverick5490 for hitting the final nail.
One question though to all, there are some tar marks on the rear bumper & boot, should I get them removed first and then paste or I can paste them directly?

[ghodlur]

Attaching a pic of the T-BHP key chain.

I was wondering if it would be possible to program the Low fuel indication to be lit when the Range values reach 80 rather than when the fuel gauge needle touched the red mark on the guage. Any thoughts on that?

[ghodlur]

A few surprises springing up in my ride this week.

At the start of the week I saw the odo readings flashing for a couple of minutes and steady for the same interval. For the next couple of days the issue vanished off without a trace.

Today morning a new issue identified. Whenever I enter the car and close the driver side door, the autolocking sound is heard for a couple of times with the doors getting auto locked. This sound is heard if I open the driver side door, the clicking is distinctly heard for a couple of time. Dont know whats changed overnight. Is the car key of the Punto programmable? I had set the auto locking feature when the car reached 20kmph and it was working till yesterday. Has this been over ridden, actually I am yet to check the settings.

Havents checked if opening the other passenger doors also result in the autolocking issue. Experts can help in understanding the mystery.