[Gallant]

Thanks Soum, but this babe for a change is "Minimal Grey"

Please give me time till this weekend to come out with a detailed review with pics

[nav75]

Originally Posted by Vikas H

I'm all set to buy a 1.4 E+ Red Punto. I've been running through all posts in these forums on Punto. Finally, found yours on the petrol version.

Firstly, congrats man, on being the proud owner of this haute-hot Italian Bella Donna. One look of her sets the pulse racing faster! Might want to tie the lemon-chilli talisman to save her from 'buri nazar'

Petrol version's FE has been a constant cause of flogging from all reviewers, so far. I was shocked to read of city FE as low as 7-8 in some reviews! I hope these turn out false by miles (pun intended). What's your latest city FE take?

Thanks Vikas. In city I'm getting between 14-15 but I don't drive much in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Mostly in sparse traffic.

Originally Posted by Vikas H

One chink that I noticed was the lack of cooling by the ACC in the back seat even at 16.5 degree cabin temperature. What's your experience of the same?

I think the cooling at back seat takes a bit of time but with the temp set to 16 deg in my car, after sometime I was feeling it when sitting at back seat. Hopefully during my next trip, I'll be able to get better feedback about the cooling part.

Originally Posted by Vikas H

And how's the fit n finish of the cabin, as per your experience?

Since I owned/drove a car some 7yrs back. I'm out of touch with the fit n finish of newer cars. But I think its ok'ish, as compared to i10 and dezire I have sat (of my friends). Yes, I'm finding the compartment space to be on the lesser side.
Some of the plastic parts feel poor.
- The net below the front glass, under the bonnet. It is very soft.
- The levers to open fuel cap and boot.

Originally Posted by Vikas H

Do let me know (will help in driving away my last bits of doubts) :-) And wish you happy driving Ms. Daisy around :-)

Thanks again. Hope you get your soon.

Originally Posted by Gandhi

Hey Nav, any updates on the car? Done with 1st service? Has the engine freed up more?

Please update the thread. Looking forward to your detailed report .

I have completed around 960km's so far. So first servicing is still some time away. Still keeping the revs in check (very difficult). I'm going to Dandeli, next weekend. Hopefully will be able to share more experience after the trip.

Originally Posted by Gallant

Hi Nav, good to know that you are also a proud owner of 1.4 Petrol head. I got my delivered 25 days ago and till now I clocked around 700 KM. Amazing ride and I am enjoying every moment with this Italian chick :-)
Yes, certainly this petrol head has two modes of operations and here you are spot on.
But, FE in my case never crossed 11 KM/lt in bumper to bumper Kolkata traffic and 14 KM/lt in Highway (with AC on all the time). How you are managing to extract such an amazing FE out of this beauty. Could you please let us know couple of tricks to extract maximum out of it.

Thanks and congrats to you too.
I guess in bumper-to-bumper 11 is very decent. My 14-15 is with hardly any driving in bumper-to-bumper traffic. In fact, most of the time I'm over 1,500rpm and driving in 3rd and higher gears.
Regarding extracting max, I'm still learning. Driving a car after 7 yrs. The only tip I can share is that keep an eye on Ic while driving to figure out where you get better mileage. Like I have realised keeping the revs between 1.5-2 to get better mileage.

[nav75]

Had the car parked over the weekend and when I took it out on Monday, everytime I will press the brake (till half way press) some noise will come, feels like coming from center to left side of car. No noise from half to fully pressing of brake. No noise when pressing the brake with engine off.

The noise is something that comes when pulling a metal wire.

Today I noticed that the noise also comes sometimes when I press the clutch.

Initially I thought it could be due to rain but it hasn't rained for last few days now, so water should not be an issue.

Any idea what might be wrong?

Other than this, some quick updates. Have completed 2000km's, thanks to a highway trip. The mileage in ~900km trip was 13-13.5 with the speeds for most part of the trip being 120+, and on the way back car was revved hard for 50 odd km's along side a Swift Vdi. Touched 160 @ just over 5,000rpm mark (in 5th) and car had some more juice to go faster.
Later checked the speed against GPS and found that the error is around 6km/hr.

Suspension, stability, handling - can't ask for anything more.

During my recent in-city driving during peak hour traffic, the mileage hovers between 10.5-11.5 with plenty of idling at red light, 2nd/3rd gear crawls.

[nav75]

Some updates, car has covered ~2,400km's so far.

Had a minor bump at the back, thanks to a female on her Scooty. Thankfully the bump was when I was standing in traffic and she was crawling through narrow gaps. Except for a minor scratch on bottom left side of rear bumper nothing else was the damage, though her scooty had a decent looking dent.

Of late I'm able to hear the engine at idle, don't know if its the increase in engine sound or I have got used to the silent engine that I have started to hear it. Will have to get it checked at first service.

Recently went on a small highway drive with 4 adults. With A/C on, a bit of lag is easily felt somewhere between 1.5k-2krpm but that's it other than that drive it like how it should be and no complains on the performance.
It was a 117km's trip including some city and most of highway driving - a/c being on for all the time, with an average speed of 55km/hr, the mileage shown was 15.6km/lt.

[SOUM]

Let me share a secret of GALLANT with everyone on this forum. After the Minimal Grey Babe, Gallant is now blessed with a baby boy. Congrats Gallant..... We are now all waiting for the pictures....

Note from the Team-BHP Support Team : Please take the time to use proper punctuation as per Team-BHP rules. Avoid...typing...like...this. Thanks.

[samsan02]

Originally Posted by nav75

It was a 117km's trip including some city and most of highway driving - a/c being on for all the time, with an average speed of 55km/hr, the mileage shown was 15.6km/lt.

Hi Nav,
Can you share current mileage figures both in city driving and on highway driving. And any other particular reason you chose Petrol 1.4 over Diesel 1.3 apart from price difference.
Thanks

[nav75]

Originally Posted by samsan02

Hi Nav,
Can you share current mileage figures both in city driving and on highway driving. And any other particular reason you chose Petrol 1.4 over Diesel 1.3 apart from price difference.
Thanks

Haven't driven the car much after the last update, so that's my current mileage figure. 1st servicing is coming up in couple of days. Will update after clocking some distance after 1st servicing.

Reason's for 1.4 over MJD were:
- Cost, as you already mentioned, and then I would have surely be tempted to get it Pet'ed means more money.
- My low running. (In almost 3months I have driven the car for around 2,400km's and that's very much what my usage is going to be).
- Though MJD has that turbo + huge torque, I really liked the revvy nature of 1.4.
- 1.4 engine was too silent as compared to MJD, that too without any sound deading material used.

[Gallant]

Hi Nav,
Please update us on your first service experience, since I also own 1.4 and my service is due next week.

I never new that petrol engines can also be pet'ed (please forgive my ignorance), could you please shed some more information on it? What would be the cost, how much enhancement in engine power after it?

Thanks

[nav75]

One final report before the 1st servicing.

3 months will be done in couple of days time, have fixed the servicing app and decided to drop the car at service station today morning. This is my first vehicle that has reached the servicing period on time and not based on km's.

Was feeling very disappointed so went for a short drive to Panvel, via Expressway. Keeping the speed around 100 mark. By the time reached Panvel the FE was a shocking 18km/lt (almost). On the way back, while climbing up Khandala ghats, was stuck in major traffic crawl, thanks to
- some moron who deiced to have one lane reduced for the climbing traffic and give it to the descending traffic.
- those yawwingly slow crawling trucks occupying all the lanes.
In short, it was a 1st and 2nd gear crawl uphill for a good amount of distance (may be 10-15km's).
By the time I was back at home, have covered 237km's with an average speed of 71km/hr and a FE of 16.2km/lt.

One thing that I haven't noticed earlier was that the powerband is addictive to sample. Was cruising at just short of 4k mark, I floor the pedal in top gear and vrooossshhhhh, nope not in the same league of a turbo shod car but fun. Thanks to this feeling, I kept on doing it every now and then else the overall FE could easily have touched 17 mark.

Originally Posted by Gallant

Hi Nav,
Please update us on your first service experience, since I also own 1.4 and my service is due next week.

I never new that petrol engines can also be pet'ed (please forgive my ignorance), could you please shed some more information on it? What would be the cost, how much enhancement in engine power after it?

Thanks

Will be getting the car on sat (most probably), will update.
Regarding Pet'ed, I wanted to say that had I have gone for MJD over 1.4, the initial cost diff + getting MJD pet'ed would have been just too much for me.

[samsan02]

Originally Posted by nav75

By the time reached Panvel the FE was a shocking 18km/lt (almost).

Wow! nice FE Navendu, I guess by the time you are done with first servicing, your car could start giving even better FE.

[wind_rider]

Originally Posted by nav75

One final report before the 1st servicing.
By the time I was back at home, have covered 237km's with an average speed of 71km/hr and a FE of 16.2km/lt.

One thing that I haven't noticed earlier was that the powerband is addictive to sample. Was cruising at just short of 4k mark, I floor the pedal in top gear and vrooossshhhhh, nope not in the same league of a turbo shod car but fun. Thanks to this feeling, I kept on doing it every now and then else the overall FE could easily have touched 17 mark.

Wow @ the FE ..!
Now i think i should have gone for the E+ 1.4 .

And nice to know about the " vrooossshhhhh " effect . enjoy maadi .

[nav75]

Originally Posted by samsan02

Wow! nice FE Navendu, I guess by the time you are done with first servicing, your car could start giving even better FE.

Got the car back from 1st service on Sat. Yet to hit the highway, might do it in a day or two, will update the FE figures then.

Originally Posted by wind_rider

Wow @ the FE ..!
Now i think i should have gone for the E+ 1.4 .
And nice to know about the " vrooossshhhhh " effect . enjoy maadi .

Thanks.


Got the car back from 1st servicing and dent fix (a qualis kissed and zoomed off in traffic giving a small and ugly looking dent on left rear door and wheel arch) work on Sat. Overall experience I must say was anything but bad (as I was warned by many people about FIAT's A.S.S. reputation).

The dent is removed and it is impossible to make out where it was. Asked my friend to figure it out, with car being parked in bright sun light. Even after I told him it was on the door, wasn't able to see. The color matching is done to perfection. It lighten my pocket by good 3.7k (including all taxes).

Servicing was good, the noise coming (from seat spring) when applying brakes is fixed. Though they said oil change is not needed got it done, along with air filter and got the wheel alignment checked/fixed. Total bill amounting to 2,860.

Car is feeling smooth, might be due to new oil. Driving to office today I found that the clutch release in b2b traffic is much better now, specially when starting in 1st gear, instead of a sudden it is now a gradual acceleration.

I was promised the delivery to be on Sat eve but got the car on Sat morning itself. They rewashed the car, polished dash board, door pastics, polished sidewalls of tyres. I had removed the ash box, they kept a new one (no charge).

[JVH]

Good to know about your experience.

Can you post pictures of the worked area? And which brand of oil did you use? Selenia?

[nav75]

Originally Posted by JVH

Good to know about your experience.

Can you post pictures of the worked area? And which brand of oil did you use? Selenia?

Yes, Selenia. Will try to upload the pic in a day or two. Tried to click one today morning but the sun light was too harsh.

[samsan02]

Originally Posted by nav75

It lighten my pocket by good 3.7k (including all taxes).

Only fixing the dent costed you that much alone ?

Originally Posted by nav75

I had removed the ash box, they kept a new one (no charge).

WOW ! one more Ash tray free of charge, maybe they thought someone else flicked it and you would blast them if found missing, just kidding !