General 1.4 Sporting

[Plug]

Greetings, Citizens.

Plug from Panda section here. We are looking at upgrading the Panda to something a little more modern, and with a bit more poke (not difficult ).

I've spotted this, and wondered what your thoughts were? It looks a little pricey to me, low mileage notwithstanding..

Punto Sporting 1.4 16v

Cheers,

Plug

 

[a1ant]

Hi mate,

Thats not a bad price IMO. Obv dealer price though, so could get one cheaper... but warently etc etc...

Its the Mk2b so the last generation of the Punto, good Sporting spec. The 1.4 16v is a good strong engine and will certainly give you more poke lol

Alan

 

[MikeSalt]

The sweet-spot in the range in my opinion. Only 1 second slower to 60 than the HGT, yet 7 insurance groups lower, better economy and none of the HGT engine trouble. The one thing that worries me is that mileage. Low mileage is good, by very low mileage (less than 4,000 a year) may indicate a lot of stopping and starting, with many running hours of the engine spent with cold oil.

 

[DaveMcT]

There are some nice JTDs about. The 130 will be like wotsit off a stainless garden implement.

 

[Ffoxy]

I agree with WhiteSei... for a Grand more a 1.9 MJet comes into the range, much newer looking, more reliable, much better performance AND economy, Group 6 Insurance to boot...

 

[DaveMcT]

The posh diesel appeared in the late model Mk2a and (of course) the Grande Punto.

I have an HGT which is seriously quick. But, following my brother in his Alfa 156 JTD (which has a turbo overboost problem so limited to 2,500 revs) there was no way I could beat his acceleration punch out of bends and exiting large traffic islands. When he gest the boost issue sorted it will be unstoppable and its a lot heavier than the Punto. Dont ever believe modern diesels are slow.

 

[ChrisUK]

I agree with WhiteSei... for a Grand more a 1.9 MJet comes into the range, much newer looking, more reliable, much better performance AND economy, Group 6 Insurance to boot...

Hey! easy now .

Better looking I'd give you . If your seriously after one look a bit harder and you should find a 54-05 car with similar mileage for £1000-£1500 cheaper.

 

[ChrisUK]

Dont ever believe modern diesels are slow.

Just boring, low reving, soulless to drive and slow on the twisty stuff!

The mk2b Sporting is definatly a more "fun" drive than the Grande m-Jet Sporting (I have owned both..)

 

[DaveMcT]

I was meaning the Mk2b rather then the lardy Mk3/Grande Punto.
A chipped diesel deffo is not boring to drive and much better on fuel. It wont have the variator surge in midrange or that rush at the very top end, but it will punch in the midrange where its really needed.

 

[MikeSalt]

Not the best comparison, I admit, but driving a diesel Transit van, I just got annoyed with the lack of time between gear changes. It was gutsy and dare I say quick once we had unloaded our belongings, but I prefer a bit more time riding the torque surge before changing up. I am absolutely in love with the sounds my HGT makes once the variator kicks in; it's a real turbine-like surge, with no droning at all. I respect the big lumps of torque I feel sitting in the passenger seat of my father's A4 130 TDi, but I don't love it.

 

[DaveMcT]

Agreed, the 1.9 JTD 4 banger isnt going to sound anything special, but the JTD130/150 will chip to 175bhp which will be more than enough for the Punto front tyres to cope with. And as the chip gives a broader torque spread it does not affect fuel economy.

Driving my brother's 156 with 5 cyl 2.4 also chipped to 175 (newer models can do better) has more useful clout than anything else I've driven and the uneven beat sounds like an offshore powerboat. Cant have a boring sounding Alfa can we.

It was good pre chip. After - its something else. We also cant really compare 2 tons of Audi A4 (or Alfa 156) with a Punto HGT even if the engines do make nominally the same power.

Dont get me wrong, the HGT sounds amazing above 4000rpm (and not bad below) and there's another power kick at about 6000 so its nice to use. But if I was spending proper money on a new(ish) car it would be one with a recent 130 or 150 JTD/m-Jet. Its a shame the Punto is now so big & lardy.