[Amartya]

Originally Posted by blueblooded

i have completed 5000 kms on my punto .In the meantime i had got my first service done at Brijlax motors itself .As regards quality of service I dont want to repeat it verbatim as i have already done in punto wriggles thread. In few words Brijlax motors is over stretched .

I have gone engine oil change in the first 3000kms itself as the driving conditions in our part of india is really very harsh,despite people advising against it .
My ac was not cooling properly from the very start , but i noticed it very late ,the workshop guys could not rectify it on the day of first service and i have lodge a stern complain to fiat india ,which jolted the said dealer out of inaction or I would say apathy .Finally they okayed the ac , thanx to the fiat warranty and their timely intervetion all the services were done free of cost .
The mechanic told me that the joint around the condenser had failed causing gas leakage and was suitably restored to the original finish .
Over all punto owners cant stop raving about their prized possession , and I am no exception to it .
AFTER SALE SERVICE IS STILL A CONCERN ,but people at FIAT INDIA PVT LTD would go all the way to help you out .We dont ask much

One thing I have noticed is that Fiat owners log a lot of miles in a short duration. Perhaps this has to do with most of them being enthusiasts, and the fact that the Fiat duo (Linea and Punto) are the best cars on the highway for their segment.

[blueblooded]

Originally Posted by agm

Congrats for the new ride .

This car looks awesome . IMO this is the best looking hatch in our country !

Got 1.4 Fire Emo pk 3-4 months back , this car is a gem .mileage is the only concern with the petrol engine .

Kindly upload few more snaps!

thanks a lot friend,I can very well imagine how much fun it would be drive 1.4 fire , for snaps please wait buddy , my digicam is throwing tantrums these days
.happy riding .

[blueblooded]

Originally Posted by Amartya

One thing I have noticed is that Fiat owners log a lot of miles in a short duration. Perhaps this has to do with most of them being enthusiasts, and the fact that the Fiat duo (Linea and Punto) are the best cars on the highway for their segment.

Dear Amartya ,you are very true that fiat owners really love to hit the tarmac as and when they can ,definitely having car which behaves sedately even @ 100kmh helps pretty much.
Last week ,during my visit to tata workshop ,I came across a gentleman who after buying punto has given complete rest to his old work horse Hyundai Accept ,Reason he simply cant let go his white beauty.

[vidyasagar]

Congrats Brother on the MJD.

I am also planning to pick a white Punto and i have the following questions:

1. Central & Remote locking: Possibility, Price.
2. Braking performance (as there is no ABS in Active variant)
3. Painting of ORVMS and B Pillar: Price quoted, Possibility (Prerana morors, lalbagh are saying that they won't do it).
4. Fog lamps: Apart from looks aspect..would you recommend it..?
5. Rear wiper: Can this be fixed at the Dealer for Active variant..?

Many Thanks in advance.

[blueblooded]

Originally Posted by vidyasagar

Congrats Brother on the MJD.

I am also planning to pick a white Punto and i have the following questions:

1. Central & Remote locking: Possibility, Price.
2. Braking performance (as there is no ABS in Active variant)
3. Painting of ORVMS and B Pillar: Price quoted, Possibility (Prerana morors, lalbagh are saying that they won't do it).
4. Fog lamps: Apart from looks aspect..would you recommend it..?
5. Rear wiper: Can this be fixed at the Dealer for Active variant..?

Many Thanks in advance.

dear vidya ,well sorry for the delay in response.
Now coming to your pointed queries,you can very well go for central and remote locking in the active model ,you better get it fixed at tata-fiat authorised service centre ,price should be around 5-6thousand
2.Well braking in active is quite good until and unless you go over 100 km/hr mark.I would add i had some really heart in mouth incidences on indore mumbai highway this season owing to absence of A.B.S .But again if one drive around 80-90 km/hr and anticipates the traffic one very confident with the stock braking of active punto.
3.Painting the ovrm and pillars , though i have not gone for it and my car is in stock condition ,i request you too keep as it is.
4.Fog lamps are really necessary and it costs around 2500 rupees
5.Finally i really missed during long trips in rain.

[blueblooded]

Dear friends ,sorry for my long absence.
Now , I have completed 15000 kms with my bnw punto .
Its been really great experience to write about.Meanwhile i completed two long distance tours with my punto
1.First circuit comprised of gorakhpur-hardwar via lucknow ,sitapur ,bareilly bijnore and finally rishikesh.
We started from gorakhpur and took a stop at ayodhya on the day one itself.
On the day two we started from ayodhya and reached haridwar the very same day ,total run of around 500kms almost nonstop.
Road condition past sitapur was really poor and it was raining cats and dog till the bijnore in western up.We drove 400 kms in incessant rain and that too over horrible roads.But my baby my punto didnot even sneeze ,and drive was really pleasurable thanks to the rock solid suspension of fiat.
I would not bore you guys with the detail of the trip ,but would really relate one or two incidences which were really scary.
We were getting late a bit , so insticntively speed was around 100kmh,and MY Gosh all of sudden we noticed the speed breaker and railway crossing ,but it was too late for the braking ,so i let punto go over them with only slight braking , we could not risk hard braking as it was raining incessantly .

And bingo the punto jumped the breaker and crossing within an eye blink ,
It took almost half and hour to get over it and we thought the suspension would need a good care now .
Later I got the allignment correct and everything was fine

2.Secondly while in Rishikesh ,we were in easy mood and were going to park our punto at the nearby dharamshala , there again i did not notice a open man hole and puntos front wheel jumped it with elan ,later when we saw the pit ,it was really big one and gave me shivers ,but my poor baby kept its cool and came out unscathed .
Moreover we returned back to gorakhpur without visiting any workshop ,travelling 750 kms without any hitch.
Finally when i got to varanasi then only i could get the suspension checked.
I came out to be minor misallignment and which was suitably corrected.

Overall average came out to be 17.6kmspl and total distance travelled was around 1700 in span of 10 days.

Last month we took the trip to nashik from gorakhpur via varanasi-allahabad-chitrakoot-banda-jhansi-ujjain.
I would soon give the detail write up soon
I would like to add , if one drives the punto mjd sedately i.e.around 70-90 kmh,one gets the average of 19 kml but the average really suffers post 100kmh.
And much to my dislike i was compelled time and again to go post 100kmh
FRiends this car is really fun to drive on the highways ,but often miss the abs advantage in it

[arpanjha]

Hey Blueblood......great experience.
I would like to share with you and other t-Bhpian friends, I have booked a Bossa Nova White Punto 1.2 Petrol Active........

Waiting delivery for it, maybe in 5 days time or so I will get it. I was initially planning to get the B-Pillar painted black, but I saw your BNW Punto with body coloured B Pillar and now I have decided against that. But I think I might go for the painting of the Door Handles and the ORVMs.

Regarding accessories, I had planned to get Central Lock and keyless entry fitted from Fiat, but the guys have quoted a whopping 10k price which after hearing I got extremely disappointed. Then I came through a thread where I got introduced to Mr. Karan who owns or operates Marks & Glix ( a very popular car care outlet) who happens to be a proud T-bhpian. So he has given me an idea of installing a Xenos labelled Central Lock with keyless entry and it would cost within 4k. So I am extremely relieved

Anyways, congrats on ur cool ride.....and keep us posted on ur experiences

[blueblooded]

Dear friends ,finally my baby breached the 20000 kms barrier yesterday.
No serious issue has been encountered in my ownership as of yet except small niggles like rear view mirror falling from its base in the roof and a minor accident which broke my right head lamp and right orvm.
I could only get the headlamp from Brijlax motors ,while they didnot have the right orvm and rear view mirror
.Punto is really fun to drive on highways ,moreover the pick up has really improved .As regards the FE ,spirited driving with ac on tends to give 16kmpl while sedate style gives 17.5 with ac on
I am more than satisfied than the overall package of punto,but the *** is really pain in A**
Fiat should really give a serious thought over it ,for there is no car in this segment like punto but there cant worse *** than currently we are getting ,keeping many a customers at bay

[blueblooded]

After long hiatus i am back with sharing my punto escapades.I can really go on raving about my punto ad nauseum .I have covered 30k plus kms in it .
Car has performed well and appears to quite sober even at 160 km/hr
Regarding the after sales services ,Tata-fiat is fast picking up and seems to be bent on improving it.
Due to severe mishandling of my punto by my younger brother ,driver side front shock absorbers went kaput and was producing loud thud ,i got it checked at friendly garage at gorakhpur where i was told that shocker has leaked,
I went straight to Tata-fiat dealer and was told that they dont have the shocker for right hand side and i needed to wait .I enquired about the same at the goldrush motors lucknow they too did not have it .Finally i decided to wait for the shockers to arrive .
In the meantime i had emailed the fiat india and intimated about my concern.
It took almost a month for the shock absorber to arrive .
Luckily for me when it did ,i fiat was having free service camp and the vehicle was thoroughly checked -never has such a good experience as this time .
Finally the shocker was changed under warranty and receipt mentioned 1250 rs for the same and i had to pay just 322rs for the whole servicing .
Well the moment i get into my punto all my woes are thrown to wind ,its really great car.
the only hitch is *** ,but the fiat customer care is very good , they are prompt to respond and coordinate with the concerned dealer to expedite the whole process.

[blueblooded]

My ownership of Grande punto mjd has had its own twists and turns.
Firstly,as i had to divide my time between two cities it was like a constant journey and on each journey my white beauty has stood me good stead .The only pain though has been related to *** and that too is one can really weather.Fiat service team is quite responsive as opposed to Tata dealership in the North India, I dont have any experience with Tata dealership in other states but in Eastern UP ,it really requires great patience and though
Now coming to car , I have clocked 34000 kms in last eleventh months and my car was mostly driven between the worst stretch of roads in this part of India(Eastern UP).
Punto never lost its nerve over most demanding of roads, though my front drivers side shocker gave in to some spirited driving by younger brother.
At one time car just went into the manhole , ,still it came out smiling .
Probably this could be reason of the shockers failure.
Here I would like to appreciate the fiat guys who coaxed the Brijlax Motors into replacing it underwarranty.
Prospective buyers need not be wary as no other company honors such volume of warranty claims as tatas do.It another story that Tatas are infamous for their substandard quality control.But this is not case with Fiat.
Fiat cars are really built to take abuse and long last .And now with plans like Fiat first ,things are bound to improve.
One thing more can any fiat punto mjd active owner please tell me if they have gone for central locking from tata-fiat dealership?
Brijlax motors guys are simply negative about installing it on active variant

[vidyasagar]

I have fixed remote and central locking from prerana motors, bangalore.
The total cost was approximately 12K.

It is working really fine, with the RKE range of upto 45 Meters. Go for the Authorized spare and you will have no issues regarding warranty getting void.

[blueblooded]

Dear bhpians, I am sorry for the such a long gap.
I was busy with two of my jeeps so could not update the thread
Car is running super smooth as if its still brand new car.
I would rather say that despite so much of negative strong sentiments against fiat ,this fiat is really good in all the departments.
Point wise enumeration is as follows
1.First , its ride quality which brings more smile per kms of ride
2.Handling is so precise that one can easily cruise past 100kmph and still be confident that car will remain rock steady .
3.Steering is pretty good and remains quite responsive at any speed.

I have regularly gone for engine oil change at 7000kms-7500kms given the harsh driving conditions in our country.
Meanwhile the brake pads were changed at 30000kms
I would strongly recommend this car to any one who is not interested in resale value and ready to bear with unpredictable Tata motors after sales service .
As matter of fact the spares availability of Punto has really improved.

I needed a set of wheel covers of punto active diesel which i was able to get after two months for 1000 rs for four wheel caps .
Secondly , when i met an accident I had to change the right headlight which was readlly available at agency though i had to shell out 2500 rs for single headlamp assembly
Thirdly driver side ovrm was also victim of the same accident and there i was conned as I was told by the service adviser that I had to change the whole ovrm ,which again made me pay 2400rs .
Later on when same mirror broke I as given the mirrors for rs100 only
Still i love the car and all my grudges are thrown to wind when i hold the steering in my hands
regards
praveen singh

[blueblooded]

Dear friends ,
My car has been with my kid brother for last year .It has clocked 65000kms on the odometer.It had an accident two days ago in which it was stuck in waterlogged road.The engine stopped while passing through water submerged road and all attempts to start it failed to bear any results.Finally it had to towed back home using a friends car.
Next day I requested the fiat Road Side Assistance for their services,they were really good at attending my call and did arrange for the on the spot help .The road assistance guys couldnot get the car started despite using their own vehicles battery .They reported the matter to Fiat Road Side Assistance which in turn asked them to leave the vehicle as it is and arranged for the breakdown service ,which came in I hour time at our place .The had to be loaded over the flat bed mini truck cum recovery van and was transported to the nearest Tata-Fiat dealership viz SRM Motors ,Lucknow .The car was taken in and scheduled for check up next day as it was already 5pm .Yesterday morning I went to the dealership to get the things rolling
Job card was opened with my complaint suitably jotted down ,then I left for my place .Later after an hour or two I got a call from the service centre and requested to come to their service station soon .
I was told that WATER HAS INGRESSED INTO THE ENGINE -it literally had me shocked and speechless for a moment .They showed me the AIR FILTER element which was almost soaked in water.
Moreover the self actuator motor has gone kaput ,and that left me at my wits end .Slowly i recovered only to be told that Engine might need a major job as it must in all probability got seized .
I left place disheartened and sullen ,later on It was confirmed that one of the connecting rods have twisted and engine needs overhaul costing anything between 35k to 40k .
I wont get any warrant or insurance as the issue is of negligent driving practice .
Please respond and advice me in right earnest as to the check list of things to be done in the process of engine over haul.
Moreover I am loss to make out how on earth water got inside the engine as the level of water on the street was just little above half way mark of my wheels .How could water reach to such a height to enter engine through the air filter element intake hose .
regards
praveen singh

[JishD]

Originally Posted by blueblooded

Moreover I am loss to make out how on earth water got inside the engine as the level of water on the street was just little above half way mark of my wheels .How could water reach to such a height to enter engine through the air filter element intake hose .
regards
praveen singh

Water enters through the exhaust pipe and any other intake directly exposed. Thats why its mandatory that you should never stop your car on a submerged road and also, you need to keep the accelerator pressed down with half clutch if necessary. Once the car stalls, if you try to restart, water WILL get in resulting in engine seizure as in your case. I dont think Fiat will consider the ensuing repairs under warranty.

[blueblooded]

@JishD ,Well I was mistake on part of my brother to take punto through the submerged road in first place,being a newbie he couldnot coordinate between various dos and donts while passing through submerged area.How I was wish I were there in the car on that fateful night .Alas ,thing which is done cant be undone
I earnestly hope to get brand new engine (post the overhaul)would alleviate some pain and heartbreak .Bye the work on car is yet to be started as I could not cull some time to visit the workshop to deposit some amount as requested by the service advisor.Its really bad to ask money upfront to start work -but i presume this the way things are done all the workshop in India
regards
praveen singh