[.sushilkumar]

Originally Posted by raj_5004

No issues faced till now, except for some minor squeaks & rattles here & there, touch wood.

the engine has opened up a bit maybe, I do notice some better in-gear acceleration. I feel sometimes the turbo lag has reduced by quite an extent. yes, in 3rd gear @ 15 kmph, there is a long lag, but the car pulls cleanly.
.

Good to know raj . I am nearing 5 K + Now and looking forward for voluntary engine oil change. I asked that question since i guess you have changed your engine Oil . many people has noticed difference in engine sound after this . hence the question .As for SA ;s goes , they have standard answer "not required before 15 K service"

[MCR]

Originally Posted by .sushilkumar

Good to know raj . I am nearing 5 K + Now and looking forward for voluntary engine oil change. I asked that question since i guess you have changed your engine Oil . many people has noticed difference in engine sound after this . hence the question .As for SA ;s goes , they have standard answer "not required before 15 K service"

I would not recommend an oil change for an interval of 5k+ kilometers. Its acceptable if you change the oil at an interval of around 8k kilometers, considering the environment, quality of fuel etc.. What the service advisor says is according to the standard protocol. They just follow the service policy. For my Punto's as well, I have changed the oil at an interval of 15k kilometers.

[raj_5004]

Originally Posted by .sushilkumar

I am nearing 5 K + Now and looking forward for voluntary engine oil change. I asked that question since i guess you have changed your engine Oil . many people has noticed difference in engine sound after this .

I have not changed the engine oil in my car.

[raj_5004]

How do i explain the 10,000 kms or 8 months spent with my Pintu?

I remember the day when I first bought her home...
I remember her first scratch on the front bumper...
I remember the her first accident (rear ended by a verna)...
I remember my first long trip in my Pintu to my friend's farmhouse...
I remember the worst (10.5 kmpl) & the best (23.5 kmpl) fuel consumption her MID displayed...

What do I remember about my Innova? Well... Nothing! The innova is a reliable workhorse, does its duty well without any hiccups or any troubles. But then thats about it. Its a boringly reliable 'car'. Anybody here believes that a car has a soul too? Well, I do and the Innova lacks that. The Punto begs for your attention, your care & forces you to pamper her! I have never bought car care products for my Innova & have spent thousands for the Punto. Even taken her to car spas twice. That just explains everything.

I have never enjoyed revving a diesel before. I have never enjoyed driving in the slow lane before. I have never enjoyed early morning drives with windows down before Pintu came in my life. Heck, I never used to wake up early to go on early morning drives!

Normally, people bombard me with the following questions -

* Why did you buy a FIAT?
- Because it makes excellent cars, something which fuel efficiency or A.S.S. obsessed people would never understand. There is more to a car than that!

* Never seen many Puntos on the road, its a FLOP car...
- I dont buy cars which others like/prefer. I buy cars for myself.

* Are you mad to plonk 7.5 lakhs on a FIAT? How much would you get when you sell it?
- Why should I think about selling the car when buying it? Should I not be enjoying the car rather? And this car is so good that I would never want to sell it, so...

I really like a fellow member's signature - the only people having problems with a FIAT is someone now owning one! It is true. My Pintu has never given me any issues till now. The only area where it has disappointed me is that my Pintu has some small squeaks & rattles, not something I expected in a sturdy car like this.

No offense to anyone, but I am somehow not comfortable with cars like the Marutis & Hyundais. They are too lightly built & fragile for my comfort. The Punto feels like a tank in comparison and it is... right from the bumpers to the body panels, everything is built heavy & tough.

People who have sat in my car have always appreciated the looks, the comfort, the ride & the features. Its only after you sit in a Punto, you feel how value for money it is. But if you are someone who looks at the insignia/logo first & then the car, the Punto is not for you...

How is my Pintu behaving? Absolutely fine. As said above, apart from some rattles (which can be because I have done aftermarket ICE installs), there has been no problems at all. Infact, even the A.S.S. is fine. I have not had major issues, touch wood, so I cant comment on parts availability.

What about performance? Well, to be honest, it could have been better. Its not that the engine lacks grunt as such but the gearing is pathetic.

How about space? More than enough in the front seats, cramped in the rear.

Features? All that you could ask for in this segment. Yes, it lacks electronically foldable mirrors. Blue&Me is a blessing in disguise. There are many features only known to a Punto owner which is not mentioned in any brochure or ad...

The BEST part about owing a Punto is its steering feel, ride quality & looks. I love the Italian babe. The only external mods I have done on my car is aftermarket alloys & a black roof. And I like it that way. I am not in a mood to mess up it's clean lines. Subtle & classy - thats Punto.

People complain about fit & finish & quality of cabin. Well, I have no issues with the quality of the cabin. But fit & finish can be better.

Would I recommend this car to anyone? Well, it depends. Usually I dont. the majority will like the hyundais & marutis. they are more efficient & enjoy better resale value. but if its a self driven car & the guy is actually enthusiastic about driving, only then I suggest him to check out the Punto. Once I drove a i20 after driving my Pintu (back to back), I realized how well engineered the Punto is, its a shame that it was not accepted by the masses. no offence to i20 owners, its just my personal opinion.

Another reason is FIAT's failure to aggressively market & promote its own products. heck they dont even have their own showrooms or service centres in India.

Am I a happy owner? Hell yes! I got whatever I wanted in my car except good performance! I have not written such a long post for any other car before!

P.S.: I am NOT a FIAT fan, I just love my Pintu...

[extreme_torque]

Originally Posted by raj_5004

Would I recommend this car to anyone? Well, it depends. Usually I dont. the majority will like the hyundais & marutis. they are more efficient & enjoy better resale value. but if its a self driven car & the guy is actually enthusiastic about driving, only then I suggest him to check out the Punto. Once I drove a i20 after driving my Pintu (back to back), I realized how well engineered the Punto is, its a shame that it was not accepted by the masses. no offence to i20 owners, its just my personal opinion.

Lovely write up but I dont agree with you here. You infact should recommend the Punto because unlike i20, it doesn't have any serious issues (read steering rattle and weak A/C) at all and it is indeed more fuel efficient compared to the i20.

[architect]

Originally Posted by raj_5004

Once I drove a i20 after driving my Pintu (back to back), I realized how well engineered the Punto is, its a shame that it was not accepted by the masses. no offence to i20 owners, its just my personal opinion.

It is the depth of engineering that keeps me infatuated with my Palio MJD. I know the dashboard rattles (because the ICE HU does not fit properly) and the door beadings squeak. I know I have had issues, but I have done 75,400 km now. I know the interiors get boomy after 2,000 RPM and I know the brake pedal needs to improve. I am happy with the slow 1st / 2nd gears as they help me crawl in traffic. I have had parts failures but nothing has given up without a few thousand kilometres warning. I have only replaced two suspension components worth a total of Rs 5,000 in the three-and-half-years of usage. I have dents and scratches in my car and I polish it only once a year.

Despite that, it runs trouble-free. What more do I want of a three-and-half-year old with 75,000 km of Indian highways under its tyres?

[raj_5004]

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

Lovely write up but I dont agree with you here. You infact should recommend the Punto because unlike i20, it doesn't have any serious issues (read steering rattle and weak A/C) at all and it is indeed more fuel efficient compared to the i20.

to be honest, FIAT's A.S.S. in some parts is really bad. People have had to wait for some parts for weeks.

I dont mind dealing with a poor A.S.S. if I am getting a great car but for most of the indian customers, a car is just a mode of transport & I dont want to recommend a FIAT to them so that they repent & curse me later!

[architect]

Originally Posted by raj_5004

to be honest, FIAT's A.S.S. in some parts is really bad. People have had to wait for some parts for weeks.

I dont mind dealing with a poor A.S.S. if I am getting a great car but for most of the indian customers, a car is just a mode of transport & I dont want to recommend a FIAT to them so that they repent & curse me later!

Quite true. I don't recommend a Fiat to anyone unless he's an enthusiast. Simply because I don't want to spoil my relationship with people when their car stands for weeks at the service centre without parts. I have even had people asking me why I drive one and why I am so happy with it after so long, when I don't recommend it to them. I simply tell them I know what I am getting into.

At the back of my mind, it is the parts problems which makes me spend Rs 5,000/- every year on maintaining my bike which is ridden only for 1,000 km or lesser through the whole year. That bike needs to be kept working as a back-up vehicle.

However, all said and done, my car has never stopped anywhere and has never stayed overnight at the service centre except for accident repair. Touchwood!

[vigneshram]

my car now looks very similar to yours.take a look.

[raj_5004]

Originally Posted by vigneshram

my car now looks very similar to yours.take a look.

Good that you removed the vinyl from the bonnet. It looks better now.

[dj_turbo]

Originally Posted by architect

Quite true. I don't recommend a Fiat to anyone unless he's an enthusiast. Simply because I don't want to spoil my relationship with people when their car stands for weeks at the service centre without parts. I have even had people asking me why I drive one and why I am so happy with it after so long, when I don't recommend it to them. I simply tell them I know what I am getting into.

Agree to this fully, I also do not recommend it to anyone, but I mention my ownership completely. I did once even before buying mine (that was a Fiat 1.4 E) but that friend of mine is having nightmares with the FE of single digits in Mumbai traffic and rising fuel prices

@Raj, asusual, It was very interesting catching up on your thread after a long time. Enjoy your ride.
Did you have any reviews about race chip tuning for our cars, I am thinking of getting one from racechip.de @129 Euros.

[raj_5004]

Post deleted. Please follow board rules.

Rule #11. Team-BHP maintains a strong stand against drinking & driving, underage driving and street racing. Posts that don't abide by this view, or containing ANY alcohol content (in text or pictures, directly or indirectly), will not be entertained on the forum. This rule affects all posts from 1st Jan 2009 onwards.

[aditya116]

Dude the car is rock solid at all speeds but pls take it easy with others on board.GP's stability at speed is unmatched by others even the new swift.(whatever the reviewers might say).personally, have taken even 60 degree sweeping corners at 130ish clicks without even a squeal(on empty roads obviously).That being in a tall 175/70 rubber too.however dont you find the engine begging for mercy after 3500 rpms? many a time have felt hand reaching out slot for that absent 6th gear which i think is sorely missed for relaxes cruising.Puntos best enjoyed on a medium speed winding track.however as GTO pointed out as precise the steering may be its not QUICK.

[raj_5004]

Originally Posted by aditya116

Dude the car is rock solid at all speeds but pls take it easy with others on board.GP's stability at speed is unmatched by others even the new swift.(whatever the reviewers might say).personally, have taken even 60 degree sweeping corners at 130ish clicks without even a squeal(on empty roads obviously).That being in a tall 175/70 rubber too.however dont you find the engine begging for mercy after 3500 rpms? many a time have felt hand reaching out slot for that absent 6th gear which i think is sorely missed for relaxes cruising.Puntos best enjoyed on a medium speed winding track.however as GTO pointed out as precise the steering may be its not QUICK.

of course I was being ultra safe buddy. I was constantly driving at only 120 kmph but it was only when I found a long & straight stretch of empty road, I wanted to try out how my car feels at high speeds & so I floored!

this was just for a maybe 2 seconds or so & then I came to decent speeds again.

Yes, Punto begs for a 6th gear.

[blueblooded]

Wow,thats great !And do fully agree that in ride,stability and high speed dynamics there is no car like this car read punto ,this side of the 10lakh mark.
Raj, you must be really loving this well engineered machine like I do
regards
Praveen singh