General Looking to buy - what to look out for...

[wotnowarninglight]

About this time last year I bought my ex. wife's 5d Multijet 2B Punto, a 2 lady owner car with 70K up and FFSH. Became a bit of a 'wheeler dealers' project so has had plenty of fettling incl. new windscreen, front discs & pads, clutch, gearbox oil change etc. I love it to bits and 60-70 mpg is easy and visiting petrol stations is a rare novelty

However, future Mrs WNWL having tried my sisters 5d 2B Punto 1.2 16v Speedgear has decided to buy it...

Would say service history helps and the only real concern I have with the Punto range is the steering column issues some colleagues have had on various Punto's and Grande Puntos, otherwise seem simple enough to work on and fix and run on a budget. I suppose you also hear horror stories regarding the speedgear/dual logic gearboxes but I suppose as long as the gearbox oil and filter are changed at specified intervals all should be OK.

 

[varesecrazy]

Hi,
have to agree there,
I would avoid a speedegear - just because of it's potential repair costs,

TBH if you buy any 8V 1242cc - Manual 5 speeder,with no obvious faults / warning lights , it's a fairly safe bet,
Charlie

 

[s and b]

pewgots=trouble once out of the safety zone of manufacturers warranty
leave them alone or suffer
i do

 

[austenw90]

What's the difference between the 1.2 and 1.4 8v? - apart from the obvious!

 

[s and b]

What's the difference between the 1.2 and 1.4 8v? - apart from the obvious!

there isnt a 1.4 8 valve its a 16valve
nasty little thing ,plenty of initial low down torque but it eats petrol and is a diy nightmare ,avoid, leave it to those that should know better
keep to a 1.2 8 valve
im assuming we are talking fiat by the way seeing as this is a fiat forumk

 

[austenw90]

My parents have a 1.4 8v in a Punto Evo. Is this a newer engine that wasn't in the older Puntos?

 

[Ziggy122]

My parents have a 1.4 8v in a Punto Evo. Is this a newer engine that wasn't in the older Puntos?

The mk2 has
a 1.2 8v
1.2 16v
1.8 16v (HGT)
a 1.9 Diesel

The mk2b has the same except they introduced a
1.4 16v (Starjet?) Petrol
And a 1.3 16v (JTD?) Diesel

Then when the grande came out we started to see an 8v 1.4, which i believe is just bigger strokes? and apparently i've heard that all 8v's are safe engines still?

Ziggy

 

[wotnowarninglight]

Hi,
have to agree there,
I would avoid a speedegear - just because of it's potential repair costs,

TBH if you buy any 8V 1242cc - Manual 5 speeder,with no obvious faults / warning lights , it's a fairly safe bet,
Charlie

Thankfully the speedgear (6 speed) we picked up today only has 28K up and has had a gearbox oil and filter change etc. Was my sisters and has the 1.2 16v engine. Pulls well enough, even in Economy Mode... appears to be doing 42 ish MPG

The 1.3 Diesel is know as the Multijet and is also 16v and 5 speed manual. Speedgear/Dualogic was an option but rarer than hens teeth (factory order only from what I have have been told).

Had a 1.2 8V 3 door as a courtesy car when my first Stilo was being repaired... struggled a bit 5 up with a boot full, and required a little more gear changing and revs but still enjoyable to drive all the same.

 

[s and b]

Thankfully the speedgear (6 speed) we picked up today only has 28K up and has had a gearbox oil and filter change etc. Was my sisters and has the 1.2 16v engine. Pulls well enough, even in Economy Mode... appears to be doing 42 ish MPG

The 1.3 Diesel is know as the Multijet and is also 16v and 5 speed manual. Speedgear/Dualogic was an option but rarer than hens teeth (factory order only from what I have have been told).

Had a 1.2 8V 3 door as a courtesy car when my first stilo was being repaired... struggled a bit 5 up with a boot full, and required a little more gear changing and revs but still enjoyable to drive all the same.

dont believe the on board mpg er
also the road tax is crazy on these

 

[wotnowarninglight]

dont believe the on board mpg er
also the road tax is crazy on these

... MPG, I will see how it goes. Road tax is £170 for 12 months and yes, my colleague with a 1.8T Audi TT has already told me that that is crazy road tax for a Punto

 

[austenw90]

Just to revive an old thread. I am still searching for that ideal first car and may have just found the perfect one. A 2004 Daewoo Matiz 995cc in light metallic blue, 39k miles, on sale just 5 minutes walk down the road. An elderly guy who has given up driving so just wants to sell it off for some extra cash. It has been garaged since he has owned it so is in near perfect condition. I don't think the back seats have been sat on. He has the service history since he has had it and seems sound all round. Went for a drive, runs well and brakes were fine, no unusual sounds or knocks. 4 excellent tyres. The levels were all fine and the oil on the dipstick looked like it had been recently changed. HPI checked etc and all is ok. A bargain IMO at £975.

Just today we have viewed 10 cars. Several Punto's, adding the the list of about 20 now, none of which I have been happy with. A 2004 Skoda Fabia 1.2 12v today which was a hard walk away but was just too expensive at £2595 but the garage were not willing to do a deal. There just seems to be so many terrible Punto's out there, the good ones must be few and far between!

An example we looked at this morning:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...h/page/1/radius/20/quicksearch/true?logcode=p

Observations:

- The Bonnet would not release. They had to get someone from the workshop to undo somehow.
- the driver seat fabric was very badly worn which made me a little nervous considering the low mileage.
- there was almost no coolant in the tank.
- the oil (what there was of it) had a strange smell of petrol in it when I smelt the dipstick - is this normal??
- the empty space at the back of the engine bay beneath the windscreen where rain water drains away from the windscreen was completely blocked and was holding what looked like 5 litres of green water. Possibly sat there a while holding this water...
- the last stamp in the service book was in 2007 with no evidence of any further servicing.

I've kind of become fed up with searching for Punto's now!!

Anyway going back to see the Matiz again tomorrow as they needed to collect the paperwork off the old boy (grandad) as they had literally just put the sign in the window this morning so fingers crossed it'll be all ok!

 

[s and b]

dont buy the matiz they have many problems at this age including water problems and immobilisor issues,its worth tops 500 nicker
the punto looks dead right to me,been sat in more than driven confirmed by the blocked scuttle

 

[austenw90]

I have struggled to find anything of that age/condition/mileage for less than £1000. I have obtained a valuation and it is listed at £1200 private sale price.

I wouldn't expect anything faultless for under £2k let alone £1k but this would leave some money in the pot for any suprises.

The Punto's we've seen just all seem very poorly maintained and I'm definitely not considering anything without at least recent service history regardless of mileage.

With the Punto in the link above I would immediately be looking at another £150+ for servicing and then road tax as it has none + MOT soon which it failed last time round.

 

[s and b]

the puntos overpriced anyway so bid them less ,they can only say no
only one in 10 puntos at this age i find have service history,they are either first cars for kids to get on the insurance treadmill or wifies second car,always buy on condition never on the book of lies
daewoo is a failed car by a failed company with a 3 pot wonder

your choice
roll the dice

 

[oldhammer]

Matiz are rot box,

you will regret buying one after an hour or so, totally minging to drive
best off buying scate board

 

[austenw90]

I got it today and so far think it is brilliant. It isn't for me but for my girlfriend as a first car and she loves it. The bodywork and underside are sound, engine runs fine and I think it drives surprisingly well for what it is. I am putting it in the garage tomorrow to get it serviced and cambelt and water pump changed.

Otherwise for what she has paid she is happy and as she said, "it is better than the rust bucket KA's we've seen around".

Maybe it will have its problems but you take that chance with any car. And for less than a grand it's not the end of the world if it doesn't see a year or two out! It will do for some driving practice and cheap insurance.

Your honesty is appreciated though!

 

[s and b]

I got it today and so far think it is brilliant. It isn't for me but for my girlfriend as a first car and she loves it. The bodywork and underside are sound, engine runs fine and I think it drives surprisingly well for what it is. I am putting it in the garage tomorrow to get it serviced and cambelt and water pump changed.

Otherwise for what she has paid she is happy and as she said, "it is better than the rust bucket KA's we've seen around".

Maybe it will have its problems but you take that chance with any car. And for less than a grand it's not the end of the world if it doesn't see a year or two out! It will do for some driving practice and cheap insurance.

Your honesty is appreciated though!

excellent
nothing to add now
nice to see people taking advice
as i said not my choice but your covering the bases

 

[austenw90]

The little Matiz is still going strong after about 6 months, runs very smoothly and have been very impressed so far for what it is. It may not be much to look at but am ideal little runner and easy learner car. No MOT advisories in January either and not a spot of rust to be found.

 

[oldhammer]

Hello,

glad to hear alls good with the Mati'sh.

Have you Mod'ed it yet,

 

[dc2014]

Listen for a gurgiling noise when reving if it does just stay away i thought was an air lock turned out to be rot in cylinder head letting pressure from cylinder into water