Some don't even ask for test drives.
I've had to stop a few people before they actually sign up to offer the test drive. Quite a few refuse and still buy!
Technical What defects have you had with your Grande Punto so far?
- Thread starter Adametz G
- Start date
Currently reading:
Technical What defects have you had with your Grande Punto so far?
- Status
Some don't even ask for test drives.
I've had to stop a few people before they actually sign up to offer the test drive. Quite a few refuse and still buy!
Some don't even ask for test drives.
I've had to stop a few people before they actually sign up to offer the test drive. Quite a few refuse and still buy!
:bang:knew I should of been a salesman!
as for poor build quality most buyers have a good 'play' around inside before parting with the cash/sign dotted line.
So when I buy a brand new, and unregistered car, I am allowed to take it for a test drive, I don't think so. You dont get a shot of the new car until you have paid for it. I certainly never pay a deposit and advise the dealer that I will not pay for the car until I have given it the once over. I have had to reject a couple of cars from AC over the past 20 years due to exterior damage. However, you cannot test drive a brand new car until you have paid for it, so it is by then too late to say no thanks. The demo. car may be fine for the very short period of time you are in it. However, the car you buy is a totally different kettle of fish altogether.
So when I buy a brand new, and unregistered car, I am allowed to take it for a test drive, I don't think so. You dont get a shot of the new car until you have paid for it. I certainly never pay a deposit and advise the dealer that I will not pay for the car until I have given it the once over. I have had to reject a couple of cars from AC over the past 20 years due to exterior damage. However, you cannot test drive a brand new car until you have paid for it, so it is by then too late to say no thanks. The demo. car may be fine for the very short period of time you are in it. However, the car you buy is a totally different kettle of fish altogether.
Is it not possible that they have already taken a test drive elsewhere, or have driven the car as a hire car, or borrowed it from a friend?Some don't even ask for test drives.
I've had to stop a few people before they actually sign up to offer the test drive. Quite a few refuse and still buy!
You could apply that logic to a house,washing machine,hoover,balloon infact just about any item.My point was you play about in car at showroom to get a 'feel' of it....eg 'mmmm this seat feels flimsy,headcloth looks as though it will mark easily' etc
Sorry T, you really are missing the point about Fiat build quality. Some owners have no problems, but many of us have major problems. So sitting in a lovely showroom in a showroom car tells me nothing about the car I am likely to receive. What I have now learned is that checking the internet is the best showroom available. I can honestly say the Fiat Grande Punto website is an absolute eye opener about the problems likely to be encountered. Wish this information had been available before i bought my car. So anyone looking at this site now will surely think twice before buying a Fiat.
T, this is not a personal go at you, just an expression of my pure frustration with this god awful car.
Last edited:
Difference is we see it from different angles/views.
You see it from your side,you dont like the car...its not what you expected.
I see it from another side,yes the odd complaint (I would be a liar to say otherwise) but in general all round satisfaction...backed up by kind xmas gifts by owners who are happy...chocs & whiskey:yum:
What may bother you (a intermittent rattle for example) dont bother someone else.One owner might notice a very slight misfire between 1800-2000rpm but another wont.One person thinks the interior is crap but another thinks its cool.One owner might love his car more than his wife but to another its a form of transport etc etc etc..... its all subjective to the individual.
You have to ask yourself this....all cars have problems from the cheapest to the expensive it would be foolish to suggest otherwise.The GP is afterall a low priced (relatively speaking) mass produced car,not that thats any excuse for build quality but by the sheer volume of cars produced 'rogue' cars will slip through the net so to speak by the law of probability.Not often do people join this forum without a ulterior motive....to solve a fault with their car but what about the other 99%(?) who never come here because they have no reason too......or dont have a computer:shakehead:
As for poor Fiat techs (not mentioned by you but frequently mentioned on the forum) is rubbish.Technicians will move from make to make dependindant on money,conditions & scope for promotion.I know fiat trained techs at BMW, mercedes etc...I know ford trained techs at fiat etc etc,to call a fiat tech useless for example is calling all technicians useless.
If (and its a big if) your car had all its faults cured would you be happy with it? Is it really the car thats annoying you or your local dealer? I can only repeat suggestions that I have made to others in the past on this forum...
1)make a list of all faults (be honest....a squeak at 80mph will not be sorted or a light that flashes on every few weeks or so is unlikely to be cured by a hour in the workshop) or issues you have with the car.
2)choose a dealer (yes sometimes i'm afraid you do have to travel further afield,annoying but fact of life as you cant have 3 garages within a mile of your house) and talk to them.Present your list to the DET and express your concerns...be sarcastic or aggressive will get you little respect (no one whatever they do deserves that kind of abuse/treatment except council tax collectors) treat them how you would like to be treated yourself which in my experience is by being honest.Hey I have told customers "sorry sir but I accidentally marked your car,I have arranged for a courtesy car & for it to be repaired & despite fearing the worse I get met with "no matter mate these things happen I understand at least you told me.Let me know when its fixed" amazing how understanding customers can be.What I (and no doubt many customers) dont like is b*ll****....lies which wont fool anyone but as in all walks of life it happens & no doubt always will.
3)Stick with the DET,only talk to him so you know exactly whats going on & how things are progressing.
4)Open up a case with customer relations so the progression can be monitored by all parties.
5)Be patient & give the garage time,parts take time to arrive,diagnostics can be a long frustrating experience especially very intermittent faults.A little understanding on both sides goes along way
No one wants you to end up selling your car & telling everyone down the pub how crap fiats are (which come on we all know isn't true) but want you to enjoy your car & buy another........not to mention be a part of the best forum on the web
You see it from your side,you dont like the car...its not what you expected.
I see it from another side,yes the odd complaint (I would be a liar to say otherwise) but in general all round satisfaction...backed up by kind xmas gifts by owners who are happy...chocs & whiskey:yum:
What may bother you (a intermittent rattle for example) dont bother someone else.One owner might notice a very slight misfire between 1800-2000rpm but another wont.One person thinks the interior is crap but another thinks its cool.One owner might love his car more than his wife but to another its a form of transport etc etc etc..... its all subjective to the individual.
You have to ask yourself this....all cars have problems from the cheapest to the expensive it would be foolish to suggest otherwise.The GP is afterall a low priced (relatively speaking) mass produced car,not that thats any excuse for build quality but by the sheer volume of cars produced 'rogue' cars will slip through the net so to speak by the law of probability.Not often do people join this forum without a ulterior motive....to solve a fault with their car but what about the other 99%(?) who never come here because they have no reason too......or dont have a computer:shakehead:
As for poor Fiat techs (not mentioned by you but frequently mentioned on the forum) is rubbish.Technicians will move from make to make dependindant on money,conditions & scope for promotion.I know fiat trained techs at BMW, mercedes etc...I know ford trained techs at fiat etc etc,to call a fiat tech useless for example is calling all technicians useless.
If (and its a big if
) your car had all its faults cured would you be happy with it? Is it really the car thats annoying you or your local dealer? I can only repeat suggestions that I have made to others in the past on this forum...1)make a list of all faults (be honest....a squeak at 80mph will not be sorted or a light that flashes on every few weeks or so is unlikely to be cured by a hour in the workshop) or issues you have with the car.
2)choose a dealer (yes sometimes i'm afraid you do have to travel further afield,annoying but fact of life as you cant have 3 garages within a mile of your house) and talk to them.Present your list to the DET and express your concerns...be sarcastic or aggressive will get you little respect (no one whatever they do deserves that kind of abuse/treatment except council tax collectors) treat them how you would like to be treated yourself which in my experience is by being honest.Hey I have told customers "sorry sir but I accidentally marked your car,I have arranged for a courtesy car & for it to be repaired & despite fearing the worse I get met with "no matter mate these things happen I understand at least you told me.Let me know when its fixed"
amazing how understanding customers can be.What I (and no doubt many customers) dont like is b*ll****....lies which wont fool anyone but as in all walks of life it happens & no doubt always will.3)Stick with the DET,only talk to him so you know exactly whats going on & how things are progressing.
4)Open up a case with customer relations so the progression can be monitored by all parties.
5)Be patient & give the garage time,parts take time to arrive,diagnostics can be a long frustrating experience especially very intermittent faults.A little understanding on both sides goes along way
No one wants you to end up selling your car & telling everyone down the pub how crap fiats are (which come on we all know isn't true) but want you to enjoy your car & buy another........not to mention be a part of the best forum on the web
The beauty of pre reg is that we usually have the car the customer is buying there available to test drive.
T, What a reply, and I really do appreciate that you took the time to give such a considered response. I am purely basing my opinion on over 30 years of car ownership. I have to truthfully say that Fiat is by far the worst brand I have ever bought in terms of problems. My problem is, I like the look of their cars and that is why I keep coming back to the brand. Unfortunately, Fiat does have a terrible build quality record, as I have found to my cost. You make comment about giving the dealer a chance to resolve problems and I do respect your comments. However, when it gets to that stage I give up. I have not had one good experience of dealer support. Again, this is no reflection on your capabilities, I just wish you would tell me where I could contact you so you could SORT It and I'll gee you a big bottle of whisky and some chocolates. If you make a really good job I'll also gee you a bottle of Buckfast.Difference is we see it from different angles/views.
You see it from your side,you dont like the car...its not what you expected.
I see it from another side,yes the odd complaint (I would be a liar to say otherwise) but in general all round satisfaction...backed up by kind xmas gifts by owners who are happy...chocs & whiskey:yum:
What may bother you (a intermittent rattle for example) dont bother someone else.One owner might notice a very slight misfire between 1800-2000rpm but another wont.One person thinks the interior is crap but another thinks its cool.One owner might love his car more than his wife but to another its a form of transport etc etc etc..... its all subjective to the individual.
You have to ask yourself this....all cars have problems from the cheapest to the expensive it would be foolish to suggest otherwise.The GP is afterall a low priced (relatively speaking) mass produced car,not that thats any excuse for build quality but by the sheer volume of cars produced 'rogue' cars will slip through the net so to speak by the law of probability.Not often do people join this forum without a ulterior motive....to solve a fault with their car but what about the other 99%(?) who never come here because they have no reason too......or dont have a computer:shakehead:
As for poor Fiat techs (not mentioned by you but frequently mentioned on the forum) is rubbish.Technicians will move from make to make dependindant on money,conditions & scope for promotion.I know fiat trained techs at BMW, mercedes etc...I know ford trained techs at fiat etc etc,to call a fiat tech useless for example is calling all technicians useless.
If (and its a big if
1)make a list of all faults (be honest....a squeak at 80mph will not be sorted or a light that flashes on every few weeks or so is unlikely to be cured by a hour in the workshop) or issues you have with the car.
2)choose a dealer (yes sometimes i'm afraid you do have to travel further afield,annoying but fact of life as you cant have 3 garages within a mile of your house) and talk to them.Present your list to the DET and express your concerns...be sarcastic or aggressive will get you little respect (no one whatever they do deserves that kind of abuse/treatment except council tax collectors) treat them how you would like to be treated yourself which in my experience is by being honest.Hey I have told customers "sorry sir but I accidentally marked your car,I have arranged for a courtesy car & for it to be repaired & despite fearing the worse I get met with "no matter mate these things happen I understand at least you told me.Let me know when its fixed"
3)Stick with the DET,only talk to him so you know exactly whats going on & how things are progressing.
4)Open up a case with customer relations so the progression can be monitored by all parties.
5)Be patient & give the garage time,parts take time to arrive,diagnostics can be a long frustrating experience especially very intermittent faults.A little understanding on both sides goes along way
No one wants you to end up selling your car & telling everyone down the pub how crap fiats are (which come on we all know isn't true) but want you to enjoy your car & buy another........not to mention be a part of the best forum on the web
Last edited:
To be honest i'm at a loose end tonight so thought i'd bore you all to death
PM me a list of all your faults/issues & i'll see what I can do.
Must admit only had mine for about 6 weeks not to many problems, 3 infact
1 Leaking cam sensor.
2 Window demister cover curling up
3 and an annoying rattle from the passenger door cover, that stops when you press it :yuck:
Other than that tis a good little run around.
1 Leaking cam sensor.
2 Window demister cover curling up
3 and an annoying rattle from the passenger door cover, that stops when you press it :yuck:
Other than that tis a good little run around.
...and me, but we are mellowing.
Had a bad day yesterday and a few too many beers so took it out on the forum. Anyway, I do appreciate that most owners are probably well pleased with their motor. However, I just feel mine has been crap from day one, even the buying experience was pretty poor. So after having slept on it, I have decided to get rid as I am fed up moaning about it while it sits in my garage unloved. Problem is, god knows what to get next because if I am being honest my last few cars have all had a problem or two. Think I'll need to save my pennies and go for a quality brand. Any thoughts? Thanks again folks for help offered.
T, thanks for that. However, I have decided to get rid. On holiday from work this week so am going to go looking over next few days. Any advice on what to buy next would be appreciated. Had initially been planning to give Fiat another chance and get another GPS or T-Jet but I don't think I could cope with the same problems again. Anyway, I am going to part ex. it so that whoever buys it next can have some comeback with the dealer and Fiat if there are any continuing problems.To be honest i'm at a loose end tonight so thought i'd bore you all to death
PM me a list of all your faults/issues & i'll see what I can do.
koksy
New member
1. Grinding brakes (pads etc replaced)
2. Humming brakes when reversing since pads replaced
3. Heater vent cover warped - replaced once and has happened again
4. Intermittent "check lights" warning on dash when apparently nothing wrong with lights - (techs unable to find fault)
5. Side rubbing strips incorrectly fitted (rectified but waiting for paint damage to be repaired)
6. Thumping over bumps (not rectified - techs say its normal)
7. Door locks rattle (not rectified - techs deny any problem)
8. Dashboard creaks (not rectified - techs say "it would be too difficult")
I really don't have the time or motivation to keep taking the car into the garage anymore for Fiat techs to say there's nothing wrong with it. I'll keep it til next summer then flog it whilst theres still some warranty left.
It's a great shame cos i love the look of the car, the driving position and the interior but I wouldn't buy another Fiat.
2. Humming brakes when reversing since pads replaced
3. Heater vent cover warped - replaced once and has happened again
4. Intermittent "check lights" warning on dash when apparently nothing wrong with lights - (techs unable to find fault)
5. Side rubbing strips incorrectly fitted (rectified but waiting for paint damage to be repaired)
6. Thumping over bumps (not rectified - techs say its normal)
7. Door locks rattle (not rectified - techs deny any problem)
8. Dashboard creaks (not rectified - techs say "it would be too difficult")
I really don't have the time or motivation to keep taking the car into the garage anymore for Fiat techs to say there's nothing wrong with it. I'll keep it til next summer then flog it whilst theres still some warranty left.
It's a great shame cos i love the look of the car, the driving position and the interior but I wouldn't buy another Fiat.
Hey T, doesn't wellfan remind you of when I first joined this forum?
oh the memories!Difference is with abit of 'juggling around' I could probably get to see Wellfans car but your just abit too far away.........for which i'm glad:devil: you know i'm only kidding Kev,GP section wouldn't be same without you
Just thought of another thing which affects all makes of car.......technicians time.No garage will let a tech spend a few hours to track down a intermittent rattle when they could be earning the company money servicing etc.Its a problem across the motortrade.Its ok at training courses to be told to do this & that but waste of time when garage doesn't give you the time to do this.
Theres certainly a battle of 'wits' going on between the large dealerships & the manufactures.....in the end the manufacture needs the dealer more than the other way around!
I have to say sledge you've chilled out a lot these days, compared to when you first started here
Difference is with abit of 'juggling around' I could probably get to see Wellfans car but your just abit too far away.........for which i'm glad:devil: you know i'm only kidding Kev,GP section wouldn't be same without you
Glad to be part of the forum
stumac1985
New member
- Joined
- Aug 19, 2007
- Messages
- 215
- Points
- 36
1) On board computer reprogrammed, then replaced.
2) Knocking from steering wheel various bushes etc replaced
3) Flashing mileage display - not fixed but irractic
4) Glovebox doesnt close properly and has to be forced home - not fixed
5) Suspension droplink (connecting the lower arm to the ARB) broken - replaced
Other than that have been through one set of brake pads and 2 sets of front tyres (pirellis really dont last long) in 22k miles
EDIT:
Almost forgot, my road fund license is also £80 a year more than it should be! Dealer mis-sold me the car saying it was band B (now £35 a year and its not is band C which is £115 a year) Fiat dont want to know, finance company dont want to know and trading standards etc havent given me any usefull advice
Was also told that its a hydraullic clutch not a cable clutch..?
EDIT2:
Also get a crunch occasionally going from third to fourth - no fault found by garage
UPDATE: On board computer ducked again
- Status
Similar threads
