[theexperthand]

All Fiat cars have 5 year guaranty on painting and I think this includes rusting also. Fiat cars comes with under body anti rust coating - if you are really concerned, a dose of Wruth or 3M anti rust coating may give you that extra peace of mind.

Do let us know what is the outcome of your communication with Fiat. I am sure it will help the current Punto owners too.

[mac187]

Dont get too worried about the rusting problem. There is always a work around for these issues - underbody coat of Wruth or 3M anti rust coat will do the job for you. You also get 5 years warranty if done at a authorised 3M center.

I think your mind is just playing with you. Rusting cannot be a deal breaker. You see 40-50 year old cars looking brand new, all it needs is regular care and attention.

Also, considering your low running, may i suggest Punto 90. Frankly, your running doesnt require that you have a diesel. Your purchase is purely as an enthusiast, there is no rationale for you spending 8lakhs on a new car when you have one which you hardly use. The petrol version will save you money and you can expect alot of freebie and discounts too.
OR
At your budget have you considered pre-owned? A Civic or Skoda would surely be a head turner.

P.S: Sorry if i confused you more.

My 100th post.

[RavenAvi]

Originally Posted by theexperthand

All Fiat cars have 5 year guaranty on painting and I think this includes rusting also. Fiat cars comes with under body anti rust coating - if you are really concerned, a dose of Wruth or 3M anti rust coating may give you that extra peace of mind.

Do let us know what is the outcome of your communication with Fiat. I am sure it will help the current Punto owners too.

I shall definitely go for the 3M coating. Better to be safe than sorry later.

Contacted Bhasin Motors, Raipur, and they said not to worry about the rust issues, as it was a problem with very few models till now and persistent customer feedback to Fiat made them sit up and take notice, and all newer models of Punto come with some sort of better reinforced bodywork. Also, the 5 year Warranty covers a lot of stuff and even after the warranty is over, they will help me maintain the car.

Although, I will still send the email to Fiat, just to show them that I am a genuinely concerned prospective customer. If they are serious about this, they should reply back, and in the positive.

Originally Posted by mac187

Dont get too worried about the rusting problem. There is always a work around for these issues - underbody coat of Wruth or 3M anti rust coat will do the job for you. You also get 5 years warranty if done at a authorised 3M center.

I think your mind is just playing with you. Rusting cannot be a deal breaker. You see 40-50 year old cars looking brand new, all it needs is regular care and attention.

Also, considering your low running, may i suggest Punto 90. Frankly, your running doesnt require that you have a diesel. Your purchase is purely as an enthusiast, there is no rationale for you spending 8lakhs on a new car when you have one which you hardly use. The petrol version will save you money and you can expect alot of freebie and discounts too.
OR
At your budget have you considered pre-owned? A Civic or Skoda would surely be a head turner.

P.S: Sorry if i confused you more.

My 100th post.

Yes, now I can rest my mind regarding the rusting problem. Many thanks, guys!

I did consider the petrol. But the rising costs are putting me off. There's no telling where the rates will be going in a year's time (maybe over the roof!).

Yes I used the 800 very sparingly, but that was in the days when I had just got my job and didn't have much to do at home. Now that I have settled into my job, I will need to make more trips (both in and out of the city) in the future. We have at least 4-5 meetings in Raipur every quarter these days, so having my own car for the trips will help (wasn't using the 800 for them and used to travel by bus). Ergo the decision to go for a diesel. Turbo lag is minimal in the Punto, which should suit both my city and highway driving. A future re-sale after about 9-10 years down the line is also boosted.

We shall see about the 90 Bhp. It is a cracker for the Punto, from what I heard! I am thinking of going to Raipur tomorrow and TDing both the 75 Bhp and 90 Bhp Puntos, and enquire about the price difference. Then I shall finally decide.

At one time I was seriously thinking of a second-hand Civic. It's a fantastic car, no doubt. But the streets of my city won't allow me to drive a Civic with ease. Traffic is unruly and out of control, specially inside the city. This place is best suited for a hatch/entry-level sedan right now. Maybe in the future.


Phew, peace of mind at last! Thanks for the prompt replies and putting me at ease, guys!

[theexperthand]

so happy to see that your heart and head are in agreement and you are going to get one of the most beautiful looking and arguably the best handling hatch in India to your home.

Which color are you taking and which variant?

[akhilesh]

Now that you have made your decision, please go for the Emotion Pack.

[ajay_satpute]

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

Phew, peace of mind at last! Thanks for the prompt replies and putting me at ease, guys!

Very Good! So Punto it is.

I am sure you will be happy with your decision. After all Fiat's diesel engine is the National Engine of India. There are so many cars running on that engine. So no worries.

Do let us know the progress and start an ownership thread soon with lots of pics.

[selfdrive]

Considering you want to keep the car for 10 years, of the shortlisted ones I would recommend the Punto.
Of the options you havent considered:
- please TD a Manza; you may end up either extending your budget a little bit or going for the mid range ABS version
- used/ pre owned cars: let somebody else bear the brunt of depreciation or the first couple of years and then you keep the car for as long as you want.
Benefits? more range of cars in the same budget and better/ more features too. Perhaps a bit of snob value thrown in

If you end up buying a used Punto, you will save some money and you will also get a rust free model!

[RavenAvi]

Originally Posted by theexperthand

so happy to see that your heart and head are in agreement and you are going to get one of the most beautiful looking and arguably the best handling hatch in India to your home.

Which color are you taking and which variant?

I like the BNW quite a bit, but white cars are very common in my city. So we decided on Tuscan Wine. I like the color and, coupled with Punto, should make a great presence/sight on the road.

Mom and my wife are in agreement.

Originally Posted by akhilesh

Now that you have made your decision, please go for the Emotion Pack.

Most definitely.

Originally Posted by ajay_satpute

Very Good! So Punto it is.

I am sure you will be happy with your decision. After all Fiat's diesel engine is the National Engine of India. There are so many cars running on that engine. So no worries.

Do let us know the progress and start an ownership thread soon with lots of pics.

Oh yes. The Swift's MJD is the most refined and fine-tuned they say, but the Punto is no slouch either. No doubt, Punto being a heavier car than the Swift, required a bit more fine-tuning by Fiat to perform a bit better.

In comes the 90 Bhp one, which is a much better performer.

I just did some checking and the difference between the 75 and the 90 variants comes to around 37K, and since I will be saving plenty through dealer discounts, I can afford it.

Leaving for Raipur tomorrow to do a final TD of both 75 & 90 Bhp versions. Most probably I will come back with the booking receipt in my pocket, and it should be the 90 Bhp one. (thanks, mac187!)

So, in the end, my research comes to an end with -

The Fiat Grande Punto - 1.3 MJD (90 hp probably)
Variant - Emotion Pack (90 HP is exclusive to this)
Color - Tuscan Wine

Hope I can get body-colored reverse sensors for Tuscan Wine. If not, I can always get them painted.

Mods, a request to change the title of the thread.


Thanks for your valuable inputs, friends! Will update when I return from the capital.

[theexperthand]

Congratulations on choosing TWine.

I had a major confusion when I had to choose the Color - I love Black and always have a soft spot for black colour cars\bikes, but since my previous car and current car is black, LOH was strictly against getting one more black. She wanted the TWine and I wanted BNW if not black, but at last, we decide we will get black itself. I went to concord showroom for one more TD and there I saw a sparkling clean TWine, shining under the sun - I changed my decision at that instant, and got the TWine instead, and every time I look at the color, I love the color more and more. This is one of the best colors on Punto.

You can see the pictures of my TWine Punto at : http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...to-active.html

[CliffHanger]

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

I like the BNW quite a bit, but white cars are very common in my city. So we decided on Tuscan Wine. I like the color and, coupled with Punto, should make a great presence/sight on the road.

Mom and my wife are in agreement.




Most definitely.




Oh yes. The Swift's MJD is the most refined and fine-tuned they say, but the Punto is no slouch either. No doubt, Punto being a heavier car than the Swift, required a bit more fine-tuning by Fiat to perform a bit better.

In comes the 90 Bhp one, which is a much better performer.

I just did some checking and the difference between the 75 and the 90 variants comes to around 37K, and since I will be saving plenty through dealer discounts, I can afford it.

Leaving for Raipur tomorrow to do a final TD of both 75 & 90 Bhp versions. Most probably I will come back with the booking receipt in my pocket, and it should be the 90 Bhp one. (thanks, mac187!)

So, in the end, my research comes to an end with -

The Fiat Grande Punto - 1.3 MJD (90 hp probably)
Variant - Emotion Pack (90 HP is exclusive to this)
Color - Tuscan Wine

Hope I can get body-colored reverse sensors for Tuscan Wine. If not, I can always get them painted.

Mods, a request to change the title of the thread.


Thanks for your valuable inputs, friends! Will update when I return from the capital.

If you are looking to book E.Pack, then just book 90HP E.Pack with eyes shut.
All the Best for your new purchase!

[RavenAvi]

Originally Posted by theexperthand

Congratulations on choosing TWine.

I had a major confusion when I had to choose the Color - I love Black and always have a soft spot for black colour cars\bikes, but since my previous car and current car is black, LOH was strictly against getting one more black. She wanted the TWine and I wanted BNW if not black, but at last, we decide we will get black itself. I went to concord showroom for one more TD and there I saw a sparkling clean TWine, shining under the sun - I changed my decision at that instant, and got the TWine instead, and every time I look at the color, I love the color more and more. This is one of the best colors on Punto.

You can see the pictures of my TWine Punto at : http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...to-active.html

Oh yes, sir! Your thread is the one I went through the most, just for the shots of the Tuscan Wine color in different weather conditions (sunny, raining, after rains, rural ambience, etc.), and showed them to my family. Needless to say, they were impressed by the color.

Originally Posted by CliffHanger

If you are looking to book E.Pack, then just book 90HP E.Pack with eyes shut.
All the Best for your new purchase!

Thanks, CliffHanger! I will certainly look to do that, if only...


Here comes the roadblock, and it's from the dealer at the capital.

Called them through my mobile -

Me: I shall be arriving tomorrow evening. Is the 90HP version available for TD alongwith the 75HP one? I d like to do a comparative final TD before making my decision.

SP: Tomorrow, sir? I am afraid that would not be possible. We just had an Exchange Mela at a nearby city and almost all of our Punto stocks are out. Only an Active is left with us. If you want to TD that...

Me: No way! Haven't you told me before that you always keep a MJD for TD purposes, and that you will arrange for a 90 HP one for my TD when I called earlier in the afternoon today?

SP: I tried to, sir, but it was impossible. We are expecting a delivery soon, and if you can contact us by next week I can have a 90HP ready for TD.

Me: Next week?! When is the delivery expected?

SP: Monday, or Tuesday, maybe Wednesday. Oh wait sir, it will definitely be here by Thursday. If you want, I will call you as soon as it's here.

Me: Humm, okay. Give me a call.

SP: What was your number again, sir?





I gave him my number (for the 5th or 6th time in the past 3 days), and hung up. Trip to the capital tomorrow stands postponed indefinitely.

Seriously, what is wrong with these Fiat SPs?!

[theexperthand]

Is he the only dealer new you? Is there any chance to try to take TD from another dealer nearby?

Seriously - Fiat needs to do something about this.They make awesome cars but it is at the dealer level most of the sales falls through.

When I took my car, I was having a chat with the manager of the showroom about the dismal sales of Fiat - he told me that ALL the sales they get are through word of mouth advertisement \ referrals. There is zero sale coming from the ads or marketing campaigns. Now. couple that with this bad SA experience and I wonder how they manage to sell 1K cars per month.

But do not be disheartened. When you get the car and start driving, all this memories will fade in just about a second and all you will be left with a wide grin on your face.

OT: few years back, my cousin went to buy a Indica diesel - the SA talked him into taking a look at Palio MJD (Punto was not released at that time) and at last, he brought Palio. He still praises that SA. We need lots and lots of SAs like that - seems like they are a lost breed now. Duh!

[RavenAvi]

Originally Posted by theexperthand

Is he the only dealer new you? Is there any chance to try to take TD from another dealer nearby?

Seriously - Fiat needs to do something about this.They make awesome cars but it is at the dealer level most of the sales falls through.

When I took my car, I was having a chat with the manager of the showroom about the dismal sales of Fiat - he told me that ALL the sales they get are through word of mouth advertisement \ referrals. There is zero sale coming from the ads or marketing campaigns. Now. couple that with this bad SA experience and I wonder how they manage to sell 1K cars per month.

But do not be disheartened. When you get the car and start driving, all this memories will fade in just about a second and all you will be left with a wide grin on your face.

OT: few years back, my cousin went to buy a Indica diesel - the SA talked him into taking a look at Palio MJD (Punto was not released at that time) and at last, he brought Palio. He still praises that SA. We need lots and lots of SAs like that - seems like they are a lost breed now. Duh!

There is another one but they are worse.

The first time I called them they were just effusing praise on Tata's cars and weren't even prepared to discuss about Punto. They kept suggesting I should go for a sedan and either Indigo or Manza would suit my needs better, and what offers they were having for either sedan. I told them in plain terms that I wanted info and availability about Punto, and they said to call back and check with them the next day.

The next day, they didn't pick up the phone. After that I didn't call them.

Sometimes I wonder if Fiat isn't paying the dealers enough, or Tata guys have told them in strict terms that they should focus more on Tata cars. Maybe more royalty, or better margins. That's the problem with smaller city joint dealerships like in the capital. Wish they had a separate Fiat section.

Something really needs to be done. I haven't sent that email to Fiat yet, so I will be mentioning this experience in big, bold letters separately.

[PAVAN KADAM]

Punto all the way,

Dont compromise and repent later on buying the Dated, Bland Verito.

Why not a Manza, if you can stretch your budget a little bit.

[vishnurp99]

Why not jazz? in kerala the city can be had for 8.2 lakhs onroad. thinking that jazz will soon come under 7.