Fiat Grande Punto

digitalwolf · 5 Dec 2007 at 18:06

kip02 said:
That would be me

My opinion on the car, i absolutly love it! Get so much equipment for the money, and the Blue & Me is great especially as on some other cars that would be an expensive option.
Since i've had it had loads of comments off mates and people at work, not one negative.

I'm really impressed with the interior, the sloping windscreen gives the impression that it is a much bigger car than it actually is.

Now i know it's no M5 and i'm not making it out to be but i've caught a few people out with it.

I've had it just over a year now and done 20,000 trouble free miles and it still puts a smile on my face.
People have commented on the steering being light, i would agree but i got used to it very quickly but my previous car had no p/s and felt like a tank, it's just what your used to.
The brakes are truly amazing, when you test drive it i guarentee you the first time you touch the pedal you will know about it. Got me out of some sticky situations.

Any questions fire away will try my best to answer them.

I like the look of these, well the sporting version.

Finance deals are not very good on the "Sporting" though

[TW]Fox · 5 Dec 2007 at 18:07

digitalwolf said:
Finance deals are not very good

Correct, pay cash on cars like this.

digitalwolf · 5 Dec 2007 at 18:42

[TW]Fox;10627954 said:
Correct, pay cash on cars like this.

Why, depreciation?

[TW]Fox · 5 Dec 2007 at 18:47

digitalwolf said:
Why, depreciation?

Several reasons..

Cars like this depreciate like mad. So you are pretty much in negative equity right away, the moment you drive it out of the forecourt. Owing loads more than the car is worth sucks.

Cars like this are tools for doing a job. They are not particularly exciting or interesting, so why finance a £10,000 one when you can buy a £5000 one?

If you want to take out finance to buy something finance something interesting - what about a used Mini Cooper S. Cast iron residuals so no issues with negative equity, and you get something genuinelly fun and enjoyable to own.

GeX · 5 Dec 2007 at 18:50

had a 1.2 8v as a rental.. oh dear..

last weekend, covered around 600miles in a mates 1.9 mjet sporting. 3 of us in the car and loads of kit, and car was comfortable on motorway and silly welsh roads. very impressed with it. it had been remapped by angel tuning as well, had a bit more power than the standard version and was still returning great mpg.

digitalwolf · 5 Dec 2007 at 20:09

GeX said:
had a 1.2 8v as a rental.. oh dear..

last weekend, covered around 600miles in a mates 1.9 mjet sporting. 3 of us in the car and loads of kit, and car was comfortable on motorway and silly welsh roads. very impressed with it. it had been remapped by angel tuning as well, had a bit more power than the standard version and was still returning great mpg.

A bit more power........I hear angel take them to 190bhp

Draeger · 5 Dec 2007 at 20:14

Little brother has a 1.9 M-Jet Grande and its actually a nice little shopping trolley to drive.

My missus still runs around in our wee 1.2 ELX 2001 Punto as a second car.

Never had a bit of bother with it bar consumables.

Having said that, I would not buy another FIAT again. Dealer was awful as far as customer service went even for simple things, which put me off totally.

BigglesPiP · 5 Dec 2007 at 20:42

Draeger said:
Dealer was awful as far as customer service went even for simple things, which put me off totally.

FIAT and Alfa are working on that.

There is a set of requirements for dealers going out. The Alfa Dealers in London grouped together and refused to comply, Alfa sacked every Dealer inside the M25 and set up 2 of their own.

MarkDavis · 5 Dec 2007 at 21:45

digitalwolf said:
A bit more power........I hear angel take them to 190bhp

I'm hope that I'm not driving behind you then, with that huge plume of cancer causing, brain damaging, bronchitis inducing soot that gets dumped from your exhaust.

BigglesPiP said:
There is a set of requirements for dealers

Such as what? Fitting the wheels back onto a 156 shouldn't take more than 4 hours?

digitalwolf · 5 Dec 2007 at 21:53

MarkDavis said:
I'm hope that I'm not driving behind you then, with that huge plume of cancer causing, brain damaging, bronchitis inducing soot that gets dumped from your exhaust.

Pah........Modern derv's don't smoke!

BigglesPiP · 5 Dec 2007 at 21:53

MarkDavis said:
Such as what? Fitting the wheels back onto a 156 shouldn't take more than 4 hours?

Prolly something in there about not exceeding book times.

Must have X Courtesy cars.

Receptionists need proper training, and some training in what to ask about problems, save mechanics calling the customer back.

All repairs must be a 1 visit fix, no letting the customer drive round in a broken car till parts arrive, that's what courtesy cars are for.

digitalwolf · 5 Dec 2007 at 21:57

[TW]Fox;10628269 said:
Several reasons..

Cars like this depreciate like mad. So you are pretty much in negative equity right away, the moment you drive it out of the forecourt. Owing loads more than the car is worth sucks.

Cars like this are tools for doing a job. They are not particularly exciting or interesting, so why finance a £10,000 one when you can buy a £5000 one?

If you want to take out finance to buy something finance something interesting - what about a used Mini Cooper S. Cast iron residuals so no issues with negative equity, and you get something genuinelly fun and enjoyable to own.

Valid points fox.

If I was spending £10k on a hot hatch, it wouldnt be on a Mini though.

It'd be on something with more poke like a CTR.

Or I could just spend £5k and buy a Clio 172/182 which is better all round apart from reliabillity.

GeX · 5 Dec 2007 at 22:19

MarkDavis said:
I'm hope that I'm not driving behind you then, with that huge plume of cancer causing, brain damaging, bronchitis inducing soot that gets dumped from your exhaust.

didn't see any plumes of smoke out the back of the angel tuned mjet!

oweneades · 5 Dec 2007 at 22:21

MarkDavis said:
I'm hope that I'm not driving behind you then, with that huge plume of cancer causing, brain damaging, bronchitis inducing soot that gets dumped from your exhaust.

Yes because we all know that on the other hand all petrols spit out is pure fairy dust.

I must admit I am quite fond of the grande punto however I am with fox when it comes to would I buy one.

Personally I would save a bit of money and get a nice tidy albeit slightly older Fabia vRS (if you want a smallish derv with decent power and decentish handling)

[TW]Fox · 5 Dec 2007 at 22:23

oweneades said:
Yes because we all know that on the other hand all petrols spit out is pure fairy dust.

Just think of all those wasted co2's from the back of his 323i

They could be providing him with real power if he'd bought a 328i

digitalwolf · 5 Dec 2007 at 22:24

oweneades said:
Yes because we all know that on the other hand all petrols spit out is pure fairy dust.

I must admit I am quite fond of the grande punto however I am with fox when it comes to would I buy one.

Personally I would save a bit of money and get a nice tidy albeit slightly older Fabia vRS (if you want a smallish derv with decent power and decentish handling)

I thought fabia's just understeered..........a lot?

oweneades · 5 Dec 2007 at 22:27

digitalwolf said:
I thought fabia's just understeered..........a lot?

They do hence why I say decentish handling. The problem for the fabia is the very heavy engine. Its ok up to a certain point but try taking a corner to fast and you can really feel that the car really doesn't want to turn (I had this happen a few to many times when I had my vRS

- Luckily I have calmed down a lot since then).

However I can't imagine the Punto faring much better in this respect.

izzy eckerslike · 5 Dec 2007 at 22:29

http://www.fiatforum.com/forum

merlin · 5 Dec 2007 at 22:30

^

@ forum name.

MarkDavis · 5 Dec 2007 at 23:09

digitalwolf said:
Pah........Modern derv's don't smoke!

They do if anyone tries to map a 8v Fiat engine from 120bhp > 190bhp!