[vin11]

Congrats on the Punto Evo, anand.shankar. While the facelift made it look a wee bit uglier (still at par with competition but not above it), the flashy red colour you have chosen more or less makes up for it. Straight forward and to-the-point review, enjoyed reading it. Also liked the ambient light.

One thing - I have a Swift with 82k kms on the odometer but the rattles are very much under control (for a 82k km run car) even though the bass (ICE) bashes the car in and out. Trust me, fit and finish has improved, rattles are history. Maybe you drove an abused TD car to make that comment.

[anand.shankar]

Originally Posted by nkrishnap

If you intend to keep the car for over 5 years. Just follow the service schedule provided by Fiat. Stay away from remaps or piggy back boxes. Folks will argue that it may not affect the reliability, but keeping it stock is the safest way out there.

Stop thinking about these till 15k kms at the least and concentrate on getting to 15k kms quicker

I think I'll just stay stock.

Originally Posted by aqualeo2040

Easiest way to find out, cross 5000kms and notice the difference.
Alternatively, some of the other GP owners can tell you.
How did I find out? Drove from Bangy to Sirsi via NH6. The car felt stressed hitting 140kmph on the way, but after crossing 5000kms in the trip, the car didn't struggle to the mark.

Hmm, yea it does hesitate a bit after the 120 mark as of now, I am at 2.5K kms will watch out for that 5000 kms mark.

[avingodb]

Nice post for a lovely car. I will follow this thread closely and please keep it regularly updated. Punto is high on my list when I start searching for upgrade early next year

[GTO]

Congratulations Anand! The car looks fabulous. Wish you thousands of happy kms with the tank .

Originally Posted by aqualeo2040

Not sure if they still have that software lock which limits the engine performance until 5000kms.

It's a myth. I asked someone at Fiat about this 'software lock' and he has no clue what you're talking about.

ALL DIESEL ENGINES feel better once they have a couple of thousand kms logged on (not just the 1.3L MJD). Its an accepted fact that diesels feel distinctly sharper once the components are bedded in. Again, this applies to all diesel engines.

There's another factor that contributes to the car no longer feeling sluggish = You get used to it. One of the reasons people complain about turbo-lag when the car is new, but less after a year or two of driving it.

Originally Posted by anand.shankar

How about the remaps, of late I see many people running Wolf or Code 6 remaps, I am not very familiar with the options. How would you rate a remap vs a Piggy back tuning box ?

Would suggest waiting till at least 15,000 - 20,000 kms. In the meantime, go through this thread in detail - link.

Originally Posted by aqualeo2040

How did I find out? Drove from Bangy to Sirsi via NH6. The car felt stressed hitting high speed on the way, but after crossing 5000kms in the trip, the car didn't struggle to the mark.

More likely, it was the wind direction, road incline or time of day (engines feel better when the air is cooler).

[anand.shankar]

Originally Posted by vin11

Congrats on the Punto Evo, anand.shankar. While the facelift made it look a wee bit uglier (still at par with competition but not above it), the flashy red colour you have chosen more or less makes up for it. Straight forward and to-the-point review, enjoyed reading it. Also liked the ambient light.

One thing - I have a Swift with 82k kms on the odometer but the rattles are very much under control (for a 82k km run car) even though the bass (ICE) bashes the car in and out. Trust me, fit and finish has improved, rattles are history. Maybe you drove an abused TD car to make that comment.

Hmm, that could be possible. Swift was right on top of my wishlist simply because it was a no nonsense buy just like the Liva. But then, rattles was only one of the concerns, the rear space and small boot made me think again. I kinda travel heavy, wanted a more accommodating boot, and slightly more space at the back.

Still love the way the new Swift looks, wish you many more miles on your car.

Originally Posted by GTO

Congratulations Anand! The car looks fabulous. Wish you thousands of happy kms with the tank .

It's a myth. I asked someone at Fiat about this 'software lock' and he has no clue what you're talking about.

ALL DIESEL ENGINES feel better once they have a couple of thousand kms logged on (not just the 1.3L MJD). Its an accepted fact that diesels feel distinctly sharper once the components are bedded in. Again, this applies to all diesel engines.

There's another factor that contributes to the car no longer feeling sluggish = You get used to it. One of the reasons people complain about turbo-lag when the car is new, but less after a year or two of driving it.

Would suggest waiting till at least 15,000 - 20,000 kms. In the meantime, go through this thread in detail - link.

Thanks GTO, I have clocked close to 3000kms now, and yes, I can feel the engine getting smoother by the mile.

[anand.shankar]

Updates :

Some Upgrades :

CR70 Installed : 3Ms the tall claims of 70% heat rejection are questionable! It does tone down the high beam glare. Coupled with the 100/90 upgrade night time visibility has increased substantially.

Window Tints: very mild ones (Supposedly Blaupunkt) : installed for <2K, useless.

3M Nomad mats - Expensive, but good utility. I am happy I bought these instead of the good looking 3D MAX mats.

Magnetic Window Curtains - really helpful on bright sunny summer days! Fits well. Stays put even when doors are opened and closed. Another advantage is I can drive around with the windows open, not worrying about bugs flying in :P

Hella 100/90 Wiring Kit with Ceramic Holders & Osram 100/90 Rally bulbs : this along with relay was the most VFM and useful upgrade! Has transformed the night drive experience. A gentle flash of high beam is bright enough to make most of the stubborn High beam drivers to switch.


Other Observations :

1. Seating position has become familiar now, and feels spot on. The awkward feel from earlier is now gone.
2. Still cribbing about the stupid omission of bottle holders and slots for mobiles!
3. ODO at 4000~ kms. City avg : ~15Kmpl Hwy : ~18-19kmpl. (100% A/C)

Ownership Experience till now:
1. Some minor niggles have cropped up, more details once I have the 5K service completed.
2. I did peek into the KHT service center in Whitefield. Not a very comforting experience especially if you are also a Toyota customer. The service center looks more like a big FNG unlike the huge swanky 'T' service shops.. In fact I know some FNG with better interiors and facilities. Will comment more on this once I get my 1st Checkup / Service done!
3. Few days back, I got a call from a person from the FIAT Factory, he said he wanted to come over for a feedback session. I thought he was from KHT, so I rechecked, he was actually from Pune Factory itself.

So, he was there at my home for around 30mins, giving driving tips and taking feedback. I also got a 8GB Pen drive as a gift. Surprisingly it was more of a generic feedback, but since FCA was investing this much in sending a person to the customers home, it would have been beneficial to them if the survey was more comprehensive.

4. Loving the Highway drives, the engine has become much smoother than earlier. I find a sweet spot between 110-130kmph where the engine goes silent, I only hear a mild buzz. The best mileage was observed while cruising between 90-110 kmph. Its possible to extract atleast 20+ in this band.

5. Managed a couple of very minor superficial scratches on the clear coat. Luckily nothing deep yet, hope it remains that way.



A click from a recent trip to Chennai:

[anand.shankar]

Update :

Completed 6.7K kms, done with the 1st 5K kms check up.

Cost - 1200/- (most of the cost was for the WB, WA and Tire rotation)

Niggles :

1. Tic - Tic Noise while operating the Left window, Now fixed.
2. Front Wipers were not aligned properly, Now Fixed
3. Rear Wiper spray not working, Fixed, was an air lock clocking the water.
4. Small piece of plastic chipped off from the Rear Wiper - NOT Fixed. Fiat rejected the warranty claim. I'm still negotiating with them as it happened on the 2nd day after delivery!
5. Slightly misaligned Rear end of the dashboard, told ASS to ignore that. Its a very minor issue, dont want ASC to mess it further.

New Niggles :

Front left door squeaking a bit.

Everything else is absolutely fine

Mileage : 16.55 kmpl (Mixed highway and City with 99% a/c 4 ppl on board most of the times with luggage). I find its on the lower side, not sure if its my driving style.

Post 5K kms, there was no surge in power delivery like some suspected. Yes, the engine has smoothen-ed out quite a bit.



A click from a recent trip to Chikmagalur.



I am sure I read this some place, the wing mirrors are not aligned ?

[anand.shankar]

Guys, Punto/Linea Owners:

I find the the front wipers to be of lousy quality, they leave a big streak/mist everytime they make a wipe. I have tried every possible combination of a/c and heater, but I somehow feel the wipers are doing a great job. Infact the rear ones give a similar result as well, it always leaves behind mist after the wipe.

Any one else having the same opinion ? I was planning on changing them with Hellas.

[rav11stars]

Originally Posted by anand.shankar

[b]Update :

A click from a recent trip to Chikmagalur.

Attachment 1429845

Excellent pic and nice review indeed. All these days I was sad that mine was the only ownership review of the Evo here
Keep revving and drive safe.

[anand.shankar]

Originally Posted by rav11stars

Excellent pic and nice review indeed. All these days I was sad that mine was the only ownership review of the Evo here
Keep revving and drive safe.

Thanks you

One that note some updates :

Completed 10K last month



A random pic from a recent KL Drive,



Story this far :

Changed Engine Oil at around 7.5K kms. Odo is at about 11k kms as of today, 1st Service is still pending.

Total Avg economy of 16.xx kmpl City & Highway Mix w A/C 100%

NO Major Issues till now, however

1. The left Pulling issue has raised its ugly head, though its so very mild, I am still confused if its the road banking causing it. And its intermittent.

2. Front suspension is making some lousy noise on broken roads.

3. Hatch Door still needs to be slammed shut!

4. Front Wiper quality seems to be low, leaves a streak will replace with better aftermarket ones.

5. Some minor squeaks and rattles from left door panels, roof lining and front seats are audible when very closely observed.

Other than that, the car is performing as expected.

[anand.shankar]

Crossed the 25K mark yesterday, completed 2 FASS Services, 1 year 6 months old now.

Few minor niggles did show up, few are still unresolved. A Detailed write-up is in process.

[aditya.bhardwaj]

Originally Posted by rav11stars

Excellent pic and nice review indeed. All these days I was sad that mine was the only ownership review of the Evo here
Keep revving and drive safe.

Well some of us like me also own a red evo but due to lack of time, my ownership report is also pending in the assembly line since an year now. Have done 24k in the past 1.5 years.

@anand - Great review mate, keep it coming !

[anand.shankar]

Update : 28,000 kms up

Last few months, the running had come down drastically as no high way trips were executed!

Car is due for 3rd Service on 12/Jun.

Some Observations :

1. CR70 : is either faded out due to all the exposure to sunlight or may be I have gotten so used to it that I dont notice any difference!
2. Nomad mats, are still doing their bit, the driver side is worn out, will need a replacement, I still believe, it was too expensive and unnecessary.
3. The Osram Rally bulbs went bust when I switched off the car and tried to activate follow me home at the same time. Replaced with Hella Rally, was pathetic, got it swapped with Phillps Rally, much better, cant match Osram though. Was in a rush, so had to settle for Phillps. Next change would be an upgrade for the H/L and Fogs. As of now its a lil inadequate for all night highway jaunts.
4. Squeaks, from many places while going over uneven terrain. A lot of it comes from the roof lining actually, wierd! -- Ignoring it.
5. Left Suspension has been making noise for a while, 1 elastic pad was replaced during 1st service, no use, FASS SA has been denying that sounds existence. They go selectively deaf!
6. Lost Front left tire due to side wall damage, my fault.
7. Left Pull Issue : after replacing the damaged tire, got a free alignment done at the same place, big mistake, messed it up fully. The steering was off center and he couldn't fix it. After checking out many places, finally was suggested Classic at Kalyan Nagar, Bangalore. The guy does Manual alignment, not sure what he tweaked! but now the Steering is arrow straight. No pull at all! Some folks in the Fiat forums said he plays around with the steering settings which accelerates tire wear, not sure how far thats true, even then I would happily give away few thousand Kms of tire life for a better drive.
8. Wiper - Minor movement issues from day 1, no solutions as its hard to replicate the problem at ASC and camera doesn't capture properly. -- Ignored. time for a blade replacement anyways, will check post replacement.

*Seating Ergonomics, Rubbery shifts, gear ratios are a thing of the past, the only 2 things that still irriate me are lack of bottle/mobile storage spaces and the narrow foot well.



Expenses incurred:

Service Costs :

Service @ 005780kms - KHT - Rs.1258.00
- 1st Service as per manual

Service @ 008373kms - KHT - Rs.2555.00 (additional, not part of service schedule)
- oil, oil filter, air filter change

Service @ 014740kms - Aadya - Rs.6009.00
- Elastic pad replacement - Warranty
- 2nd Service - as per manual

Insurance :
Future Genrali (IDV - 638000) - 16350

Others :

New Tire - Stock - 5650
Alignment (5x) - 2500
Hella horns - 1000
Phillps Rally - 400

Total till date : Rs.35,722.00
(Fuel Costs @ Avg. Economy - 16kmpl and Avg. fuel cost of 52/L -Rs. 87.750.00 )

Thanks.

P.S. : If not for Chronic laziness, I would have put all those costs neatly in a table, may be next time.

[anand.shankar]

The Punto has been nicely chugging along, arrival of a new family member (daughter) has reduced the highway runs considerably in the last 12 months or so. Some minor niggles are present, chose to ignore them for now.

Niggles so far --
* Front Left door Auto lock actuator makes a whirring noise.
* Fresh air/ Recirculation makes a mild whirring noise while switching.
(both the above can only be heard in the absolute silence of the night)
* Right side Steering mounted switches started acting up, switches between FM/MW instead of jogging through stations. Works fine at times, given the number of ads these days, have totally stopped using FM and moved to Wynk.
* Mild judders gets transfferd through the Steering
* Suspension feels like its starting to give up.
* Rear wash hose disconnected (just a 2 min task)

Parts/Mods/Replacements/Repairs

* Hella Windtone horn
* Front Brake pads
* Radiator hose clamps (to stop coolant leaks)
* WOLF REMAP @ 40K Kms

Wolf Remap - got the full 4 Map pack installed when they were in Bangalore last month. By far the biggest investment to go into the car. I have not been able to take it on a highway trip to test all possible situations but in a nutshell 'its worth it'

Map 3(P1) has been the one for me, its punchy and versatile. Map 4 (P2) is really strong from Mid range till the top end, was able to keep up with a 1.6 Creta who was gunning it on NICE road.

Though as you get used to the Map, it kind of feels ordinary, so once in a while I switch back to Stock map just to keep the remaps feel fresh.

On hard acceleration observed a whiff of smoke, nothing alarming. Emission tests came clean.

[anand.shankar]

Folks, My Evo has completed 80000kms and has been trouble-free on every front, except one, and after almost 2 year of troubleshooting attempts I finally thought I'll write about my issue here.

I keep getting the ABD / EBD unavailable error at while cruising at 90Kmph or more for a few seconds. This problem started when the Front left Wheel bearing started to make noise so I got FASS to replace it, and right after that the ABS EBD Error starting coming up. KHT Bangalore, kept taking back the car multiple times assuring a fix, nothing worked, they claimed they changed the Bearing again, still no go.

After a few attempts, and a lot of wasted time at KHT I gave up and kept driving on with the issue in the background. The error goes away once I switch off, and then comes back again once I cross 90 kmph. Because of this reason, it becomes difficult to test the car after someone works on it.

Recently, I took the car out on the highway, as usual, the error came up, and I decided to test if the ABS was actually unavailable on an empty sandy patch, so when the ABS light is on, obviously, no ABS and the car skids happily on hard braking.

The incident made me think about this issue again and I gave it to a FNG, we connected a scanner and drove around for a while, the ABS sensor from the same front Left wheel was giving a slightly lower speed reading, the error margin grew as the speed went up, so we assumed that at ~90kmph may be the error in speed reading from that one sensor breaks some fault tolerance threshold and hence disables ABS. The bearing was replaced still no luck, bled brake lines, replaced the Left front ABS Sensor, no luck at all.

The error is still present and is starting to become a worry especially after the test, I realized how easy it is to loose grip and slide away. I want to probe this and fix it, what else do you guys think I should check ?

Few things that come to my mind and from some Googling -

- Change brake oil ?
- Change battery and check ? (Some have associated this error with Amaron Battery model, I have Amaron, but the car was fine till the bearing replacement)
- Other electrical issues ?
- Clean the couplers in the ABS sensor ?
- May be we are focusing on the wrong wheel ? (but the speed sensor was reporting incorrect speed)

Anything else you guys can think of ?