[chase_nt]

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

Either FCA has dropped the price which I highly doubt or you've been billed for the wrong plugs, which is good. I hope they did not rip you off too by fitting the wrong plugs.

The NGK Iridium plugs for a T Jet engine and I've replaced them twice in 5 years cost no less than Rs. 4500 a set.

Thank you for pointing this out. I retained the spark plugs that were replaced and on checking i found that these were NGK FPT 55249868 whereas the new spark plugs that they fitted are different and they are NGK 55188857. A bit of research on google revealed that the former plugs are 55 euros for a set of 4 while the new ones that they fitted are 18 euros for a similar set. The car is running the same and there is no difference in performance what so ever even with the new spark plugs. What do you suggest i do?

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by chase_nt

What do you suggest i do?

Remove what is on the car and check what type of plug is is.

As the Abarth is based on the 1.4l NA engine, the car should run fine even with normal plugs and the plug cavity size might be the same.

You are supposed to be using Iridium spark plugs though as that is the specification. Check if the electrode is pointed on the old one's and check what's on the car. 5 minute job.

https://www.99rpm.com/fiat/spark-plu...jet-linea.html

[itwasntme]

Am an Octavia TSI owner so a general comment: don't be so worried if the authorized workshop has changed the plugs as it's probably based on official change in specs.

Skoda changed my OEM plugs to a much cheaper set and I cross checked the new part number and lowered price from their online spares system.

If your stunner is driving just as well, relax and enjoy!

[chase_nt]

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

You are supposed to be using Iridium spark plugs though as that is the specification. Check if the electrode is pointed on the old one's and check what's on the car. 5 minute job.

Just checked the spark plugs and they are not Iridium plugs. I guess the next time i get the spark plugs changed i will have to source Iridium plugs from outside and take them with me to the service station. I made it a point to see that all fluids that were changed were according to what was mentioned in the owners manual however there was no mention of the type of spark plugs to be used and hence i just assumed that they would've used the right plugs Earlier there was no Fiat dealership in my town and Fiat just had a tie up with a local multi brand workshop to handle warranty/servicing/repairs of its vehicles however a few months ago FCA had opened a new dealership to cater to Jeep/Abarth/Fiat sales and this service station is a new one as the previous multi brand workshop is no longer authorized by Fiat. I never in a million years expected that a workshop that caters to Jeep wouldn't have Iridium plugs with them.

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by chase_nt

I never in a million years expected that a workshop that caters to Jeep wouldn't have Iridium plugs with them.

The car should run fine so do not worry too much about it.

Having said the above, ideally, one must stick to manufacturer specifications. Clearly; this is not your fault. If the dealer itself isn't following the workshop manual, I do not know what to say. You should bring this to the attention of FCA via their online social network portal.

Considering the Jeep petrol uses a heavily a reworked T Jet motor under the hood, I am pretty sure the engine uses Iridium plugs. They probably have not stocked plugs as the first replacements are due only in two years time.

[snaseer]

Originally Posted by chase_nt

I inquired about any discounts but they said that there were no discounts on the GTI. By now I had almost made up my mind that I’m going to go for the car and also asked the dealer to evaluate my Abarth Punto so that I could just exchange it with them if they were going to offer me a good price. After evaluating my car the dealer asked me for a couple of day’s time to give me a quotation because my Abarth is very sparingly used and is still under warranty.

If you don't mind me asking , could you share how much they quoted for the exchange of your Abarth.

[chase_nt]

Originally Posted by snaseer

If you don't mind me asking , could you share how much they quoted for the exchange of your Abarth.

After checking out my vehicle they wanted a few days time before they could give me a quote however i changed my mind about buying the GTI the very next day, so i called them and informed them that i was no longer interested.....end of story.

[chase_nt]

Two years ago on this very day I purchased the Abarth Punto after contemplation that lasted almost 5 months since its launch in 2015. I ended up getting a September 2015 manufactured Abarth Punto with a nice discount. The ownership experience has been fuss free and although the number of Kilometers I add to my car is pretty miniscule (what can I say I’m a recluse) compared to other Abarths on this forum, I have to say that purchasing the Abarth Punto is the best decision I had made. Some of my negative views regarding the Abarth such as the cumbersome driving position, the pedal placement have changed post owning her for two years as these are things that you end up getting used to and it didn’t take too long for that to happen. You’ve gotta remember that the Abarth Punto is the sort of car that grows on you and it’s not the sort of car that you hop in and feel right at home from the very first second. However the biggest grouse I have is that this car deserves a better gearbox and this continues to be a letdown. The bulk of my driving is within the city however about 1100 of the 2900 odd kilometers that I’ve driven in the vehicle to date constitute long drives and out of those close to 500 km is on ghat roads.





Recently in the month of February I went on a drive to Lammasingi which is around 110 km one way from Vizag along the ghats. I had earlier driven the Abarth to Araku which is also located in the ghats however the drive to Lammasingi was really memorable as the roads are devoid of the usual traffic that is associated with Araku roads. Lammasingi is known as “Andhras Kashmir” however I feel that this is more of an exaggeration as you need to be there pretty early in the morning to experience low temperatures. Apparently the temperature goes down to around 4 degrees in the winter months. The place is pretty isolated and there is no development so basically it’s just a tribal hamlet unlike the touristy Araku. The result was me being able to push the Abarth to its very limits along the twisty roads and this is when it dawned on me that I was driving a really special car when it comes to handling. The ghat roads to Araku do not allow you the sort of freedom to push the Abarth to its limits every minute due to the usual tourist traffic however the roads en route Lammasingi allow you the liberty to do so. In the entire drive along the ghats to Lammasingi I had encountered just a solitary bus, two commercial vehicles, a couple of cars and a few motorbikes. While the drive to Araku is very scenic, the drive to Lammasingi is not (maybe I was too busy having fun behind the wheel to notice). However if you are in the driver’s seat then that’s not an issue and it’s also not an issue if you have passengers who enjoy your antics along the ghats in a car that handles as though it’s on rails (I’ve never been on a roller coaster but I think this is what it might feel like). To tell you the truth you need to have skills to be able to push a car to its limits along the ghats and as a driver I was at my limit too. The hydraulic steering on the Abarth Punto is just so precise that it gives you the right amount of feedback and body roll on the Abarth is also at a minimum which is surprising considering the cars tallish stance. I was a bit worried whether the stock tires (Apollo Alnac 4G) on my Abarth would be able to handle the sort of driving I was doing along the narrow ghat road but not once did they let me down. There were instances of me spinning the wheels in second gear while I was climbing steep sections of the ghats but that was more me showing off by giving the car too much gas than what was actually required (my relatives were in town for a couple of days and a bunch of us set out in two cars to Lammasingi). A few years ago I went to Araku in my GT TSI and while that drive was fun there were a few things missing and those were the handling that was nowhere in the Abarths league, the steering feedback was just vague and not similar to the Abarths hydraulic unit, the brakes were certainly not confidence inspiring like the Abarths and finally the tires which were continually squealing around sharp corners (not once did this happen on my drive to Lammasingi in the Abarth though I was pushing her much harder than I pushed the GT TSI). Oh and before I forget, the best part about driving the Abarth on the ghats is the manual transmission. The whole shifting gears in a fast car while driving along the ghats is just plain fun where as my drive to Araku in the GT TSI was devoid of this engagement. The brakes on the Abarth are just on point and do their job without ado. There’s no way I could’ve pushed a car so hard along the ghats unless I had the sort of brakes that could back me up and they did. If you’re blasphemous enough to wonder about the sort of fuel efficiency the car delivered on my drive then all I can say is 7.7 km/lit (this was according to the MID at the end of my trip). I filled my tank to the brim with 99 octane petrol and I pretty much drove the car like I just stole her except the stretches within the city and at the end of the little drive the fuel gauge showed a quarter tank of fuel left. If there’s one thing that money can buy it’s the exuberant feeling that you are left with after enjoying a brilliant drive along the ghats with extremely sparse traffic in an Abarth Punto. If I were not a recluse I’d definitely take her out for a drive to Lammasingi every month.





Now that it’s been 2 years since I purchased the Abarth I’m just wondering whether this cars gonna take the crown of being the car that I’ve owned for the longest period of time. I’ve been purchasing cars since 2003 and the humble Alto LX is the car that I’ve owned for the longest period of time (3 years 10 months). Only time will tell if this will happen but I have a very strong hunch that the Abarth will reign supreme in the end. I wish I’d taken more photos of the Abarth on my drive along the ghats however I was having too much fun behind the wheel to slow down anywhere.

[roamer012]

@chase_nt
I can fully appreciate what you go through when you drive such a special vehicle. Not having the time to stop for those photography sessions because you are too busy enjoying the drive or the enthusiasm of fellow passengers who can appreciate your antics behind the wheel which keeps you going (Not that one should drive rash at any point of time) so on and so forth. And even though you have the fastest hatch, the itch to get your hands on the ever elusive German petrol powered hot hatch never goes away. For some, the GT (or may be the twins) do the trick, for some GTI / vRS is the answer and for some the BMWs are the answer but that itch never goes away with just one.

[chase_nt]

I've been facing a peculiar problem with my Abarth Punto. There is some sort of squeaking noise that i can hear when i reverse the car. I have had this issue for a while (I've noticed this since the time i purchased the vehicle) and i even asked the mechanics at the service station to look into this issue when i had taken her for servicing a few months ago however i was not able to replicate this problem at the service station as it is too noisy there and you can only hear this sound when things are really quiet. Basically i just thought that i should record a video of what's going on while i reverse my car and share a youtube link for it on the forum. Hopefully some of our Fiat or Abarth experts on the forum have a clue what it might be and i can direct the mechanics to inspect the supposed cause of this issue based on their recommendations. If the video doesn't work here then please click on the link and the video will open in youtube.


Now for a bit of background as to when i hear this sound. Whenever i am in the basement of my apartment (its very quiet in the basement of my apartment) parking my car and i very slowly back into my parking space i end up hearing this sound. When i back up a bit fast i cannot hear any of this squeaking noise. The squeaking noise sounds like one of those old rickshaws of the 80's before the mechanized ones took their place. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the brakes because this noise can be heard even though i do not press the brake pedal and the noise only happens sometimes and not all the time. In the video that i have shared i am able to replicate this noise only twice. Please watch the video at the 0.20-0.24 second mark as well as 0.34-0.36 second mark to hear the noise. I am not able to replicate this noise when the car is moving forward in the same space. Just to clarify the floor of my apartment parking area is cement and there are no tiles in place so it cant be due to the flooring either. Even though i try to replicate this noise by backing up very slowly it doesn't happen all the time and its really difficult to explain something like this to a mechanic as it may not happen at that time and its too noisy out there for them to hear this sound

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNiwNLZx6hc

[Lij]

Originally Posted by chase_nt

I've been facing a peculiar problem with my Abarth Punto. There is some sort of squeaking noise that i can hear when i reverse the car.

I have been hearing a similar noise on my Linea TJet 125s while reversing and it becomes quite audible in a basement parking. Sometimes I can also hear it while the car slowly inches forward, but this is seldom. Its been almost 6 months now I guess since this noise started.

Unfortunately couple of occasions when I visited the service center I couldn't re-produce the noise, could be as you said due to excessive ambient sounds that it gets suppressed.

[blackwasp]

Originally Posted by chase_nt

I've been facing a peculiar problem with my Abarth Punto.

Originally Posted by Lij

I have been hearing a similar noise on my Linea TJet 125s while reversing and it becomes quite audible in a basement parking. Sometimes I can also hear it while the car slowly inches forward, but this is seldom.

Please check the dirt / dust on the disc brakes. The issue mostly cropping up during reversing tell us that it is something to do with the direction of rotation. The same sound can be replicated in low speed braking when there is something struck on the discs (e.g. mud / brake dust, etc.). Please try something like the Wurth Brake cleaner. I did try it once on my Abarth and it really helps getting rid of the unwanted dirt and grime on the discs. Although washing the wheels with pressure washed also does the trick.

[chase_nt]

Originally Posted by Lij

Sometimes I can also hear it while the car slowly inches forward, but this is seldom.

Yes the squeaking noise happens even when you move forward but not very often. I observed it a few days ago but this time on a isolated road while i was slowly parking the car parallel to the kerb.

Originally Posted by blackwasp

Please check the dirt / dust on the disc brakes. The issue mostly cropping up during reversing tell us that it is something to do with the direction of rotation. The same sound can be replicated in low speed braking when there is something struck on the discs (e.g. mud / brake dust, etc.). Please try something like the Wurth Brake cleaner.

I took my car to the authorized service station on Wednesday armed with the video as i was hoping the mechanics might be able to figure out what the problem might be based on their experience having watched the above video. Surely enough i/we were not able to replicate the sound while at the service station. The mechanics had no clue what the cause of the sound might be based on my video. I also told the mechanics that i didn't want them to dismantle my car and go on a wild goose chase unless they had some sort of clue what the cause of this issue might be. The mechanics took the car in to try and figure out what the problem might be and since there were no other vehicles scheduled for repairs/service they spent more than an hour checking everything but they were not able to find any apparent issue. While they were doing their checks they were not able to replicate the annoying sound. The mechanics checked the front disc brakes, the brake pads, the wheels etc. (i am 100% sure that the sound is coming from the front and not the rear wheels). Just to clarify this sound does not happen while braking and if it did i would've concluded that it has something to do with the brakes. At the very end they used a high pressure jet of water to clean the front disc brake area and also used some sort of brake cleaner and asked me to observe if the sound recurs but unfortunately the sound still persists I just don't know what to do anymore and i guess i have to live with it.

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by chase_nt

I've been facing a peculiar problem with my Abarth Punto

I would ignore it.
This noise was present on my 2011 Linea T Jet for all of 5 years I owned the car. To me, it is the gentle scrub of the brake pads on the disc rotors. The brake pads are in contact with the wheel disc even when the brakes are not applied.

I am not sure how the brakes are setup on the Linea T Jet. In some cases, braking is handled by the disc brakes and the parking brake is a drum type system. If it is a dual brake type setup, this noise could be coming from a dirty brake shoe.

Some observations in my case;

I heard it only when the brakes were cold.
On days my security guard washed the alloy wheel, it used to literally jam the rear brake (or something) to the extent that I could hear a "clank" when I reversed the car. I knew it was the brakes. I used to be gentle when reversing the first time after the wheels were washed. I would release the clutch gradually so the brake pad free themselves with least stress to the caliper. It would happen only once and more prominent in cold conditions. I could see a rust patch of the brake pad on the disc at the point where it was stuck due to water getting in between them. A few wheel rotations and that mark was gone.

I would not worry too much about this. If the noise is continuous, then I would worry.

[chase_nt]

To all those who've been following this thread over the past two years I'd like to let you know that i am selling my Abarth Punto. I don't know why but cars just grow on me in a couple of years and i have to go for something new. I'm glad i don't purchase cars in the twenty lakhs range or else i would've gone bankrupt by now due to the depreciation hit My car has been listed on OLX for the past 9 days and i just listed the car on team bhp classifieds today. If everything goes accordingly the car should be sold in a couple of days as i have a party who is interested.