I went to see a W reg 1.2 Punto mk2 ELX today.

Looked great as soon as I noticed it. Only thing it really needed was a nice set of sporting alloys.

Blokes on the phone said it had a MOT... turned up and no MOT at all..

So.. with garage plates on I decided id best test drive it... seemed okay slightly more powerful than my 75 mk1. No play in the steering at all, throttle responce was good. Seemed like it needed some newer brakes though.

Seats are a hell of a lot more supportive. BONUS!

When pulling off... I noticed a lovely banging sound like metal to floor sort of sound... what is it? LOL (coming from middle of car)

Came with the built in sub and CD changer? is this normal?
Whilst looking through the V5 and packets of reciepts I didn't notice a cambelt change. This is quite a problem seeing as the car is on 82k mileage...

It was on the garage fourcourt for £1,450

Managed to get the lovely asian garage owner to get it down to £800 after I listed all the lovely faults I could notice He didn't expect the whole list of things that were actually wrong with the car to
come from a 17 year old. Made me smile when I put him right.

Offered him £700 cash for the car. He phoned back and said he would MOT it tomorrow.

SHOULD I OR SHOULDN'T I?


p.s. - Mods if this is in the wrong section please move

With regard to the cambelt ,if it is the 8v engine, go for it. 16v, I wouldn't even risk the drive home before sorting the cambelt. However, cambelt neglect is probably a sign of other neglect too, so check the colour and condition of the oil and coolant.

With regard to MOTs, some people have 'mates' that will pretty much just sign the paperwork (first-hand experience that this does happen). In fact, I am particularly suspicious when they agree a price for the car before they even know what work is required for the MOT. For piece of mind, I would get the car re-tested for the sake of £35-40 for your safety. If it fails miserably, there are procedures to bring the dodgy MOT centre to justice.

MikeSalt said:

With regard to the cambelt ,if it is the 8v engine, go for it. 16v, I wouldn't even risk the drive home before sorting the cambelt. However, cambelt neglect is probably a sign of other neglect too, so check the colour and condition of the oil and coolant.

With regard to MOTs, some people have 'mates' that will pretty much just sign the paperwork (first-hand experience that this does happen). In fact, I am particularly suspicious when they agree a price for the car before they even know what work is required for the MOT. For piece of mind, I would get the car re-tested for the sake of £35-40 for your safety. If it fails miserably, there are procedures to bring the dodgy MOT centre to justice.

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Yeah its 8v engine, I've replaced the cambelt on my engine and it's basically the same one as the mk2 I think. So shouldn't be too hard.
Condition of the oil did look quite merky and sludge like. Needs a good service.
Yeah well I would re-mot it. Because a dodgey asian man saying "i'll get it MOT" is not very re asuring.

Well that seems like a good idea, so do you think its worth risking it or not? I really like the car and it'll do me well for a while. But it could be a big mistake.

EDIT : it's also HPI clear. No recorded damage etc. all Engine Numbers match up.

Personally if a garage drops the price by over £600 just like that then it rings alarm bells to me, no garage drops £600 off the list price on a 10/11 yr old second hand car, a new/newish car i could understand

They want shut asap

I would avoid

AppleSei said:

Personally if a garage drops the price by over £600 just like that then it rings alarm bells to me, no garage drops £600 off the list price on a 10/11 yr old second hand car, a new/newish car i could understand

They want shut asap

I would avoid

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Well they dropped the price off because they wanted a sale. After telling them that it needed a cambelt doing and they agreed that it would cost "£300 from a dealership" they knocked that off.. Plus I stated that the exhaust mounts were stuffed and were making a lovely sound on the underside of the car. After alot of haggling I managed to get it down. Seems like a bargain for me. But if you all tell me to stay away then I will

Just makes me look at HGT's all day instead

not telling you to stay away, you are your own person and can make your own descisions

Would it be worth buying just to sell and hopefully make a profit if you can do most the work yourself?

since its from a garage does it come with a warranty?

as apple says basically halving the price of the car would ring alarm bells, plus it doesn't really seem massively cheap to me taking into account the work it needs doing, prices vary around the country though.

i rekon you wanted talking into it rather than talking out of it lol

**edit, the 8v mk2 is 60bhp right? it shouldn't have felt more powerfuul than your 75 as it has 15 more brake and lighter!

Kier said:

Would it be worth buying just to sell and hopefully make a profit if you can do most the work yourself?

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I've only just sold on my T reg 55s Punto that I brought for £125 and fixed with a budget of £130 and sold it for £450. So it's possible to make a reasonable profit on this car, one with an MOT and cambelt change sometimes reach £1,300 depending on where you look. So possibility for £500 profit.

The Unknown said:

since its from a garage does it come with a warranty?

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Warranty from a garage like i've described... Highly doubt it.

Alex-R said:

as apple says basically halving the price of the car would ring alarm bells, plus it doesn't really seem massively cheap to me taking into account the work it needs doing, prices vary around the country though.

i rekon you wanted talking into it rather than talking out of it lol

**edit, the 8v mk2 is 60bhp right? it shouldn't have felt more powerfuul than your 75 as it has 15 more brake and lighter!

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Yeah see it is strange... It's one of those garages that are dodgey though. Wouldn't normally visit those sorts of places I just noticed the car on the way back from the cinema the other day and decided to go for another look. I'm not sure if i want talking into it... it's just ive worked my whole summer for this money and I dont want it going to waste.

As for the 60hp comment. I think your right. But my car is older and its taking its tole I think.

thanks for all the help Didn't expect to get this much help... Quite shocked.

Fair enough mate, if he's moting it and you know you can sort out the little problems I'd go for it.

But my mk1 is very nearly a second faster to 60 than my old mk2b both with the same engine, my mk1 has 110k miles on too.

Alex-R said:

Fair enough mate, if he's moting it and you know you can sort out the little problems I'd go for it.

But my mk1 is very nearly a second faster to 60 than my old mk2b both with the same engine, my mk1 has 110k miles on too.

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I'll go have another drive of it. See what i think after that.

Think my mk1 is under performing as it is. Needs a new exhaust

mk1's are great little cars They clock up all the mileage and still keep going!

The car in good serviced condition isnt worth more than £1000. They were kidding themselves with the original price as many garages do.

It doesnt seem a bad deal once you have all the bits done but certainly not going to make you a lot of money IMO.

If you like it its up to you. Could you not wait and get a sporting? They are the best Punto's and possible Fiat i have ever driven.

Don't risk it mate. Seems like one of those cars that seem a bargain at the time (not even that though tbh!) but then with all the work that needs doing it just simply won't be worth it!

i'd say get it cheaper . I recently got offerd a 02 punto for £850.

IF you know the punto well enough go for it. As we all know the fire engine is pretty solid. And £700 for a car with a year MOT, i don't think is that bad, but defo see if they can do any better than that.

Ming

ycming said:

i'd say get it cheaper . I recently got offerd a 02 punto for £850.

IF you know the punto well enough go for it. As we all know the fire engine is pretty solid. And £700 for a car with a year MOT, i don't think is that bad, but defo see if they can do any better than that.

Ming

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Oh yeah, apart from the oh so common head gasket failure.............

think you agreed a reasonable enough price from a dealer. i'd not sell it to you for that, and thats despite me knowing that punto of that age rust like hell. if its solid its a good buy. i think you've done well at spotting the points and if it gets an mot no worries. i think your switched on enough to know i its ok or not. there maybe better or worse deals on ebay but difference is you've looked and not taken a punt.
cambelt not too bad a job to do, and with a good service i'm sure it will do you proud and tbh with price of good mk1s being constant run it or a few years what can you lose, couple of hundred.