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Punto (Mk2/2b) The car I wasn't going to change...

Overview Gallery Discussion

Introduction

Bought my Punto back in June (2012): to replace a (well it was originally) white 1994 Clio 1.4 RT automatic, that's now gone to Renault heaven. It was just meant as a second car: spending most of the time sat on the drive... -- especially as we had just ordered a brand new Panda TwinAir Dualogic... (which then failed to materialize: hence the 2009 Panda currently starring in my signature, below...). :eek:

However, something about this (extremely cheap) FIAT really got to me... -- whether just the sheer joy with which it revs; or the way it chucks itself round corners; or even the quirkiness of the electrics... -- and I found myself tinkering with a car for the first time in many, many years. Not since I owned a succession of VW Beetles and Mk1 and Mk2 Ford Escorts, in the '80s, have I had so much fun...! :)

Because I'm disabled, it had to be an automatic, of course. Also, any 'heavy lifting' means that I have to take it to a garage to be fettled... -- so the progress you see below is a mix of me getting (slightly) oily, and Black Cat Motors taking up the slack, and doing much more than their fair share of the difficult stuff...! ;)

I haven't got the stamina (or attention span) to post everything at once: so, for starters, here's the photo that attracted my attention -- and, I must admit, initially put it near the bottom of the list of cars I went to test-drive... (sorry) -- on AutoTrader:



More to follow, shortly...! :wave:

Edit
Here's how the car now looks (May 2014): (y)

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Reactions: Azzam, Alex K, CrustyzMentalz and 1 other person
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homeward said:
Well, it should have been a Freelander... :woot:

...but that was returned late, and without any fuel; so it's this instead... :(





It's okay, but feels like it was designed by a committee; and feels like it has the torques (© J Clarkson, Esq. 2000) of a car twice its weight... -- although, because the steering is immensely twitchy, and oddly assisted, ironically, it's not difficult to bring on torque steer, if you put the pedal to the metal.... :yuck:

It's very oppressive, inside (every part of the car is dark grey...); and the seats aren't as nice as my Alfa 147 ones. The steering wheel is also oddly profiled, making it hard for my poor, weak hands to grip (especially as the thing is as nervous as a virgin bride...). :rolleyes:

On the plus side, the gear-change is quite smooth -- sort of halfway between Priscilla (CVT/Speedgear) and our Mk3 Panda (robotized/Dualogic); and it does have some umph, if you're prepared to floor it -- just takes a bit of effort. It corners quite nicely (if you modulate the acceleration correctly); and is quite economical (45 mpg, so far; compared to the 35 mpg the previous driver(s) got...). :)

If I was test-driving it, though, I'd have taken it back to the dealer after a couple of miles. However, it is free; all I have to pay for is fuel; and it's not a bad car, really. Just anodyne.... :eek:

Dear Top Gear -- next time Mr Clarkson does something wrong, please remember I'm available. I am also in my fifties, and overweight. But not quite as right-wing or opinionated. I do like driving, though -- especially automatics and Pandas...! :D
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1 of my friends has a 2007 Corsa 1.3 CDTI, which has been nothing but grief, to the point where he's now decided to get rid of it. I keep trying to convince him that he should replace it with a Grande Punto 1.4, lol!!
 
homeward said:
Well, it should have been a Freelander... :woot:

...but that was returned late, and without any fuel; so it's this instead... :(





It's okay, but feels like it was designed by a committee; and feels like it has the torques (© J Clarkson, Esq. 2000) of a car twice its weight... -- although, because the steering is immensely twitchy, and oddly assisted, ironically, it's not difficult to bring on torque steer, if you put the pedal to the metal.... :yuck:

It's very oppressive, inside (every part of the car is dark grey...); and the seats aren't as nice as my Alfa 147 ones. The steering wheel is also oddly profiled, making it hard for my poor, weak hands to grip (especially as the thing is as nervous as a virgin bride...). :rolleyes:

On the plus side, the gear-change is quite smooth -- sort of halfway between Priscilla (CVT/Speedgear) and our Mk3 Panda (robotized/Dualogic); and it does have some umph, if you're prepared to floor it -- just takes a bit of effort. It corners quite nicely (if you modulate the acceleration correctly); and is quite economical (45 mpg, so far; compared to the 35 mpg the previous driver(s) got...). :)

If I was test-driving it, though, I'd have taken it back to the dealer after a couple of miles. However, it is free; all I have to pay for is fuel; and it's not a bad car, really. Just anodyne.... :eek:

Dear Top Gear -- next time Mr Clarkson does something wrong, please remember I'm available. I am also in my fifties, and overweight. But not quite as right-wing or opinionated. I do like driving, though -- especially automatics and Pandas...! :D
Click to expand...

my wife drives a 14 plate corsa, she loves it,


hope all goes well with repairs on punto, (y)
 
homeward said:
Not helped, I would guess, by the fact that the front tyres were over-inflated by around a third; and the rear tyres were twice the pressure they should have been.... Surely that's dangerous...? :eek:
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it is for sho, my momma once witnessed how some guy was inflating a forklift tire, booom tire exploded and blew his brains clean off, not something u should playing around with
 
oldhammer said:
my wife drives a 14 plate corsa, she loves it,
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Each to their own...! :cool:

oldhammer said:
hope all goes well with repairs on punto, (y)
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Thanks: much appreciated...! (y)

flisko said:
it is for sho, my momma once witnessed how some guy was inflating a forklift tire, booom tire exploded and blew his brains clean off, not something u should playing around with
Click to expand...

Personally, I think it's carelessness. Nearly every garage that's fitted tyres (in my thirty-odd years of driving) has over-inflated them (apart from the nice guy at Event Tyres, a few posts back...). "Ooh: that looks about right...!" :bang:

It's why I always check every different car I drive; every tyre that's fitted.... :)

Strange thing is that they were exactly the same on each side: as if someone had misread the label under the petrol cap. :confused:
 
(it is for sho, my momma once witnessed how some guy was inflating a forklift tire)

thats just care 'less' ness
but sadly it kills,

but years back there was no training in the workplace,

not like it is now with H&S 1 working and 5 looking after them,
 
I always run my punto tires a bit high for fuel economy reasons and they seem to wear more evenly (about 35-36psi)

Our mini tires are set to 38psi which is again quite high but they're run flats and huge so they seem wear better without curning the edges off
 
Good news! Priscilla lives...! :woot:

Just spoken to the assessor. Car is being repaired; and will be back with me in a week or so. :cool:

The only reason the wing has moved is that it has been replaced in a previous life (a long time ago -- although there is evidence of it being painted blue, before...!), and was not reattached correctly. They will do their best to remedy this, "as a gesture of goodwill"; but can't make any promises. There is no structural damage, though, anywhere on the car -- either from this, or the probable previous scrape (which didn't show up when I HPI'd it, before buying it: so I'm guessing it wasn't done through insurance, etc.). :rolleyes:

Phew. :)

Next job, then, is to replace the exhaust and manicat, before its MOT in October. :eek:

PS: oldhammer -- managed to source a pair of headlight protectors through my dealer, in the end (sourced from another dealership's dusty shelves...): although had to pay (well, the insurance will...) full list price (£44.99); but delivery is free, as their parts van passes my door every day...! (y)
 
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homeward said:
She's being delivered back to me, tomorrow morning...
Click to expand...

And here she is... :D



...after £691.43-worth of repairs (labour: £402; paint and materials: £174.19; VAT: £115.24); £44.95, for the replacement headlamp protectors; and £137.27-worth of car hire charges. Total: £873.65. No excess to pay; no claim registered.... (And to think I would have accepted £100 from the TP, to sort it out myself.) :eek:

The front bumper has been removed, repaired, and resprayed; the front bumper mouldings and grille have been repaired/replaced; the offside wing and bonnet have been realigned; and I've changed the protectors. :cool:



Car insurance by Privilege; repairs by UK Assistance (Birmingham); courtesy Corsa by Enterprise (Leamington Spa). All have been easy to deal with; extremely helpful and courteous; constantly in touch; and made the whole experience a lot easier -- and a lot less stressful -- than I thought it was going to be. :worship:
 
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