[motor spirit]

Great Pictures sujith . Wishing you happly miles ahead

[Sujith1100]

Originally Posted by funkykar

Looks like your brain, body and more importantly your heart has started to accept the Punto to the fullest level as you have grown up driven extensively with the Fiat 1100.

Your car performance is excellent, especially that its still running in. Take very good care of her

Yes indeed, and that only a FIAT can. I can never fall in love with a car even if its the Best Engineered, there is some thing else other than just Engineering in an FIAT. I can't wait for the manifold to be fitted on to the Padmini. Waiting for a chance to go to the garage, when my mom goes out for some work

Originally Posted by motor spirit

Great Pictures sujith . Wishing you happly miles ahead

Thank you motor spirit

[Sujith1100]

hi all,

Had been to my garage for collection some stuff what I had forgotten there, in my PUNTO. So Just to have a look at the under body layout I drove it over the inspection bay.

We all know that the front portion Ground Clearance is very less, actually extremely low for Indian conditions. But its only the Guard Plate which touches, no component is damaged. Due to this we all Punters have to go dead slow on humps to avoid any touch. If faster or in Ramps the bumper too touches.

Here are a few photos now, the red ring show some rust which worries some owners, please note that the rust formed here are surface rusts. They form on all cast-iron components and protect the metal form corrosion. These rusts pose no danger.

The green rings show the damage due to low ground clearance, scratches on the bumper surface and deep scrapes on the guard plate.

[raamki]

hmm, the front bumper's underside on my car has taken quite a few nasty beatings already, the most recent one on the chennai bypass close to tambaram. There is an entire portion that is black in color on the bumper now, lol!!

[Sujith1100]

Originally Posted by raamki

hmm, the front bumper's underside on my car has taken quite a few nasty beatings already, the most recent one on the chennai bypass close to tambaram. There is an entire portion that is black in color on the bumper now, lol!!

Can't help it. The day we got the car from show-room, I and my dad went for a drive around 0000hrs at night. I saw a smooth type newly laid hump and I was at 40kmph. Thought that hump is of no harm and continued in the same speed, and got the 1st pounding of the car. My dad's reaction was "You did it first for this car ! ", as I always blame him for his punishment on the cars.

[Sujith1100]

Hi all,

Am posting the following information and pictures for trivia sake, And understanding the responsibilities of a True Automobile Engineer. Please note that I love this car lot. But there are a few issues with it. Let me be frank with those issues, as I myself am an Automobile Engineer in production

K now lets come to the problem, my PUNTO was out on the road from 2 weeks, taking all the weather, insects, leaves, etc. On 5th June I got some free time to clean it, so before that I did a thorough inspection of the car for all the expected issues like water logging, rusts, debris getting stuck etc.

Spot where my Punto was standing:



Here is the report:

I. Water logging

1. Bumper bolts, can be seen when bonnet is open, nothing to worry here. But still why din't FIAT think about it ?




2.Strut bolt flange and hub, Why din't FIAT make provision here for the water to flow off ? Or why design AC-duct casing in such a way that water should reach till here ?





3. Side body near the bonnet hinge(RIGHT), when you open the bonnet, the water which some how enters the plastic cladding on the bonnet, flow out from the corners and fall here. Why should water remain in the cladding ?

[Sujith1100]

II. Debris collection at various zones

1. At the gap between the rear bumper and the body. (Can be view only when dicky open).




2. In-between the pneumatic lift's joint and the Dicky's rubber beeding.



3. Behind the taillights, there a small area with and inch of depression which collects all dirt and leafs and accumulates moisture. This secret spot can't be seen easily. How can some one possibly design an metal structure with such zones ?



4. Taillight's plastic cladding attaching itself at the body also collects all dirt within its groves.




I am now considering in cutting the mesh on the duct casing, for maintenance purposes. If possible later in time will study the load bearing characteristic of the Strut hub and the metal around it, in order to make cut or groves so that the water can flow away.

[Sujith1100]

Hi all,

after the inspection and photo shoot for the design issues. I clean my car. And gave it a new look now. I removed the wheel covers, actually to make it easy for me to clean the rims. But the looks too is great !


While jacking the car for removal of the covers, I read this on the jack

[Amartya]

Sujith, the information you shared is great. It is important for owners who love their cars, and want to take care of it. Thanks for this.

I am not so sure about the black steel rims though

[Sujith1100]

Originally Posted by Amartya

Sujith, the information you shared is great. It is important for owners who love their cars, and want to take care of it. Thanks for this.

I am not so sure about the black steel rims though

You got me right Amartya, I seriously love this car. For 18 years I have been with a god knows what hand Padmini but the RC book says 4th owners. And it has given a lot of troubles as all the Padmini owners will know about them. But still you learn to take care of it well, because you just don't own a FIAT, you are MATED with it. And thats how a car becomes an Family member.

I posted all these issues here some that,other PUNTO owners too take note of these problems and care their Machines a little more.

[NutsNBolts]

Great work Sujith. Tells me where all to focus my attention for next cleaning/washing session. Really appreciate the effort. I remember in my Uno, lot of dirt used to accumulate behind the rubber beading around the hatch lid as well as on top of the the rear light assembly. On opening the bonnet, similar dirt can be found in Linea as well.

[.anshuman]

Punto has sufficient GC, the only issue is the long front overhang, to take car of this the car has very good underbody metal plate.

I have taken my car much beyond the high speed breakers, everywhere from broken rural roads to no roads at all. The GC and Under body protection is more than sufficient.

Regarding other issues you have posted here, i can show you much severe of these issues in any car you say.

[aditya116]

chill out dude all cars have same dirt logging issues.clean them regularly with a brush and they will pose no problems whatever.
the quality of some rubber parts are horrible though.you would find better ones even in a nano!
Regarding GC just try to be careful,engine parts protected by plate.so no worries there,however i managed to scratch one of lower arms once.
PS-hows the ride holding up?

[better4worse]

My sentiments exactly, I am going to second anshuman & aditya116 on this one !

Sujith, I'll grant that to you that its not perfect which is where you are coming from, but its certainly not that bad (vis a vis competition). Most cars will give you dirty difficult to clean corners, the wee bit sad part to the entire story is Punto is no exception!

[raamki]

Dont look too much into it buddy, i guess a thorough pressure wash once every two months should take care of the hidden muck. I am however a little concerned about water logging affecting the bolts under the hood in the long run.