(G) Punto advice please

Hay there guys it's me from the Panda forum /wave

We got the wife a little Punto 55 a few month back and she really likes it, but would like one with a bit more go in it.

I've had a little look around and is that right there is a 1.3 turbo thingy about?

If so whats it like, what should I look out for if i'm going to go get one, whats the MPG like and anything else you care to throw in would be more than welcome.

Thanks in advance guys

Darren

Punto GT if I am correct.

Think its a 1.4

Excellent thanks. Now what should I look out for to avoid buying a total shed

Apparentely people on that puntoGT forum say that some turbos may need re-building if they've had a hard life? Suppose some sort of screech or crcking around the turbine bearing thing. Also just make sure the obvious like how many miles,temperature guage after a while, milky stuff in oil cap, blue smoke when warm out of the zorst etc... Drive shafts too - when you go round a corner if you test drive one, listen for any continual click click click. Most of that is just general car stuff i dnt really know much about the 1.4GT apart from its gota nice note wiht a bailey dump valve

for get the 1.4 turbo its an enfusiasts (sp bad) car not realy one for a wife, better off with a 1.2 16v imo

She's used to driving my other car (not the panda) So a little GT turbo i think will not phase her too much

Anyone know what insurance group these are?

Also I kind of know what to look out for in general, just was wondering if there was anything specific to the punto GT that you have to watch for. Like the rear springs on the MX5's and the like.

Thanks for the reply Punto_jr..... I'll make sure and check those

anyone please?

what i mean about the gt is most have been driven hard you will most likely be playing with it most weekends, be better off with a mk2 jtd imo

aahh got ya. Thrashed to death and in need of major overhaul then.

hhmm <ponder>

the problem with all turbo cars is they are driven enthusiatically but not serviced the same way. The Turbo suffers if the oil isn't changed frequently(3-4k miles)Ideally the turbo needs to be left spinning for a while at something less than thrashing speeds when you get to where you are going to give it a chance to cool down( The oil takes the heat away). In a car with a small engine it is a case of keeping the revs up to get the performance so everything suffers.

dont buy a turbo, get a sporting, turbos have all been thrashed and will most likely need alot of money spending on engine work often, find a 1.6 8 valve sporting or a 1.2 16 VALVE, id go for a 1.2 16v becuase dave says its alot more modern engine, and it will be the updated punto mk1.

P.S the mk2 GT (A 1.8 16v) is insurance group 14, the 1.2 16v sporting is only group 7.

It's highly unlikely the mk1 GT will be any lower especially being a turbo so I would guess at the same group or higher.

Aye the Turbo car is a group 14.

Thanks guys, from what I;ve found out other places, the Turbo cars have very bad electrical faults which most have been sorted now via people who have the cars, the faults render them un-usable so they have to be fixed. Once fixed however the new parts seem to be better than the old ones and less likely to fail again.

The stock turbo is very reliable, however with most people doing additional work to 'tweek' their engines the extra strain on them is normally terminal

The gearbox is typical of all punto's, soft as ...

All in all I think that we will be keeping the little Punto 55 she has now untill the summer when the big car will be back on the road propper, then look for a GT with around 50k miles on it and FSH.

Thanks for all the replies guys, anything more you folks can add would be greatly apreciated

rare as hens teeth

Well the search for a car for the missus got a little more desperate today, thanks to a Tarmac wagon takeing her rear end of her punto 55 and placeing it in the back seat

So the search is on