I've just bought a MK 1 Punto for a learner driver, but I've come across horror stories about drive shaft gaiters letting go and dumping the gearbox oil at about 60K mls - any truth?, my ones at 56K now, so getting worried!

well it is a Fiat
I can't say i'm experienced at all with Puntos, but if m cinq is anything to go by, things may start going wrong at about 70k miles, i've had a new gearbox.

But don't take my word for it, see what other people think.

The cinq will return

i have a 1995 cinq sporting (same running gear as a punto 55 mk1, and same gearbox as the punto60 i think) - its done 76k and its still on its origonal box, no problems


Cinq Sporting - and yes, its broom yellow!

My '94 55SX had a severe gearbox failure about 16 months after I bought it - the final drive packed in, meaning that it only drove one wheel! That was at around 67,000 miles, can only assume that the previous owners never paid any attention to the gearbox. Cost me £75 for a 'box from a scrap car, and about 3 hours to fit it! [xx(]

No probs with driveshafts though (yet)

Got 2 cinqs, if yours is a punto 55 or 60 we use the same gearboxes.
I've not been careful, and mine are both fine. Think a lot of it is down to maintenance - yours is due a 'box oil change soon.

btw if the gaiters split it won't dump the oil - just the grease from the joints.

Pete.
1242cc cinq,turbo cinq,Cinqs&Seis Yahoo group,Clubcento

Thanks for the info - doesn't sound as bad as I was first led to believe. Cheers

It rarely is. As soon as you mention Fiat people come up with all sorts of stories, usually they are exagerrated drivel.

Fiat Brava 1.6 HSX, Fiat Uno 1.1 ieS.

Check the oil level regularly (every engine oil replacement) and possibly use a synthetic stuff, even if it's more expensive!


Passion has neither brands nor models!

La passione non ha nè marche nè modelli!
(Quite happy dark met. blue Panda driver!)