Team-BHP (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/)

-   Test-Drives & Initial Ownership Reports (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-drives-initial-ownership-reports/)

-   -   Exchanged Swift with Grande Punto EDIT: 15000 kms update (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-drives-initial-ownership-reports/60904-exchanged-swift-grande-punto-edit-15000-kms-update-7.html)

Yes i had to negotiate hard,the first quote i got for my swift from the same dealer was 4.4lakhs not negotiable.

A/C is good,cools better than the swift but takes much longer time compared to my other car Elantra.

Post running in experience:
My Punto has now completed 1450kms,one thing i did observed yesterday is The engine now feels more freerevving and the gearshift is getting better even the engine sounds much smoother than i was at time of delivery
I did not expect so much change after running in period as my previous car swift did not change as much after running in except gearbox kept getting better with miles.

Performance and Handling:
The punch after 2K rpm is improving after running in but engine like the one in swift has peak boost till 3k rpm though it makes decent progress till 4200rpm but the staying in 2-3k is more pleasure,Driveability is clearly better than swift, Punto is much more comfortable staying in a higher gear at lower revs,at times i do not downshift till rpm drop below 1k in slow moving traffic.

Handling in the swift was so much fun with a nice controlled slide but the downside was the much lower grip could be a safety hazard at emergency maneuvers,Punto in comparison has much more grip with very good control and nicely weighted steering in the corner.This chassis begs for another 50hp atleast.

Hi Anshuman,

Good to know that your experience with Punto MJD is increasing day by day. This is tempting me to go for the Italian beauty when compared to it's peers.
Can you please let me know if you have TD Punto 1.4L Fire engine (emotion pack)? If yes, can you share your experience comparing it with Punto MJD. Do you see any major concerns/difference between the two?

Here are my requirements with a budget of 5-6.5L ->
1. Low Maintenance cost.
2. Good After sales service. (little worried on TATA-Fiat JV)
3. Good power and pick up with a dependable engine.
Good mileage when compared to it's peers in same category.
4. Low cost on spare parts.
5. Mainly for city driving and an occasional long drive. (200-250 KM/Month)
6. Decent leg room and boot space.
7. Last but not the least, a Very good value for money.


I see many of the TBhpians inclined towards GP MJD and have read many posts on the same. I'm planning to buy Punto 1.4l Fire as my first dream vehicle and hence need your advice on the same as i'm not very technical on these aspects. This is a open question to all..pls advice..

Also, waiting for more pics of your GP MJD. :)
Thanks.

Hi Vishwas,
Yes i have driven the 1.4 version,i chose MJD over Petrol because my requirements were clear i wanted a torquey diesel with easily accessible power and as i travel a lot i wanted the diesel economy,diesel cars in haryana, punjab and Chandigarh have very good resale value thats a added bonus.

1.4 petrol is a good engine it revs with enthusiasm till redline and 90hp power output looks very good on paper but real world performance is very mediocre with the engine lacking punch in midrange and car has not so good driveability.

As i noticed in your requirements you did not list aspects like ride,handling,steering,equipment,looks,solid build etc where Punto excels i would suggest you to have a look at japnese and korean competitors like Ritz,Swift and i20 they might serve your demands better.

And yes more pics are coming in next post.

Here come the pics

:D Here come the pics

This afternoon the gurgaon expressway was empty so thought of some flatout driving,the max i could touch was 160,got till 140 very easily,trick is shift 5th at 1800rpm and let the torque do the job.

Nice pice there Anshuman!

In the side view, I feel G Punto misses the Rear-spoiler!

nice pics and initial report anshuman, yes GP isnt as peppy as swift is but then they both are different categorised, and yes for overall experience and smooth safer ride where GP controls better then swift, is surely a better car to own, i would love to hear your swift v/s GP report.

agree: Have anyone tried to search for a rear-spoiler that looks good on Punto?

Don't know how I'd missed this thread, but better late than never - Congrats!!!!

Hmmm, another car to look out for in Phase V:D

thanks a lot suman sir,please drop in anytime to have a test drive of the car.

Awesome pics Anshuman and thank you very much for your advice..The looks of GP are mindblowing when compared to it's peers with a masculine solid body..Ritz and Swift are out of my choice list as i do not like the exteriors of Ritz & swift is pretty old now..I'm looking for a new car with great design and a dependable engine which can give better ride, handling (apologize for not including this) and a good value for money..I have zeroed in on i20 1.2 kappa Asta engine or a GP 1.4 fire petrol machine as these are the only two vehicles in current market which can fall within my budget. How is the performance of i20 1.2 kappa when compared to GP 1.4 fire?
Appreciate advice from your all...Thanks

Also, any upgrades on your GP MJD over std. OEM?


- Vish

Living with the Punto has been a very good experience so far, i am commenting on some new observations and some old ones i forgot to mention.

1.Overall fuel consumption has come down to 15.6kpl for last 800 kms due to the change in driving style after running in period,FE with light foot is very good yesterday i went to pitampura and back i got around 19kpl for the trip,overall happy with the FE.

2.Bigger turning radius requires more effort compared to Swift and sometimes even more than elantra,reminds me of palio.

3.Somebody scratched the rear bumper when i parked her in GK last week:Frustrati,another scar was added on the front right door when a autorickshaw tried taking a u turn faster than me in kirtinagar.

4.Storage space is limited on the dashboard,i had to move out most of the extra stuff that doesnt bother me in Elantra.

5.Engine feels more responsive after logging in 1700kms,still its not as peppy as i want it to be,even the scorpio feels so peppy after getting used to Punto.

6.Hid lamps and Hella red grilles have made life better.

7.Groundclearance is very good,along with the brilliant ride it loves bad patches.:D

8.For those who do not push the car to the redline do not mind the slow 0-100figures,driveability is very good.

Oh crap! You were in Pitampura! I wish I could have seen the car...

After 1700 Kms, does the engine still disappoint you? Does pete'ing still figure on your list?

How bad are the interiors? Lets say against the Swift...

PS: Where did you take these last batch of pics?