Punto (Mk1) 1998 Punto Cabrio 1.2 16V

Didge3 · Mar 20, 2016

I read your other thread before this one so I'm replying in both now

I saw this one hanging around on Autotrader/eBay when I was looking for mine, however it was about £1000 more than I wanted to spend and about £1300 more than I ended up paying for mine but I bought mine knowing it was a project, yours certainly looks significantly nicer :worship:

I don't know how long you'd been looking for one but did you see the white Cabrio on eBay for £995? I phoned/emailed the seller several times and got no response unfortunately.

I'm sure you'll find the forum of great help as I have for my last 3 Fiats (I fear I have a bit of an obsession :devil

SpeedHunter1992 · Mar 20, 2016

Didge3 said:
I read your other thread before this one so I'm replying in both now

I saw this one hanging around on Autotrader/eBay when I was looking for mine, however it was about £1000 more than I wanted to spend and about £1300 more than I ended up paying for mine but I bought mine knowing it was a project, yours certainly looks significantly nicer :worship:

I don't know how long you'd been looking for one but did you see the white Cabrio on eBay for £995? I phoned/emailed the seller several times and got no response unfortunately.

I'm sure you'll find the forum of great help as I have for my last 3 Fiats (I fear I have a bit of an obsession :devil

Funnily enough I also replied to your other reply before reading this one.

I did see the white one on eBay, but several factors swayed me towards buying the one I now have:

1. It has the 16V engine, which I'd read was just as capable as the 1.6, but with lower fuel consumption, lower road tax, lower insurance group, etc.

2. It appeared to be in great condition and wasn't a million miles from where I live.

I wasn't exclusively looking for Punto Cabrios, though. I was considering stuff like the Ford Puma, given how much I like my Fiesta. Ultimately, the higher purchase price, lower running costs and rarity of the Punto outweighed the lower purchase price but higher running costs of a Puma.

I was basically after a second car to my Fiesta that was a bit more interesting as an ownership proposition. I hope somebody else is as daft enough as us, and buys that white Cab - I reckon it really deserves a good home.

Good luck with your Cab, by the way. I'll be following your progress.

Didge3 · Mar 20, 2016

SpeedHunter1992 said:
It has the 16V engine, which I'd read was just as capable as the 1.6, but with lower fuel consumption, lower road tax, lower insurance group, etc.

I'd be interested to drive a 16v Cab as everyone says the engines are very similar in power output but as you say the 1.2 has lower tax/ins/consumption, I really didn't care which engine I ended up with, I just wanted a cheap one to fiddle about with

I wasn't exclusively looking for Punto Cabrios, though. I was considering stuff like the Ford Puma, given how much I like my Fiesta. Ultimately, the higher purchase price, lower running costs and rarity of the Punto outweighed the lower purchase price but higher running costs of a Puma.

Before I bought my last car (Panda) I had considered a Puma, 1.7 looks like a good engine and would be fun to throw about but just never fell in love with the styling...

I hope somebody else is as daft enough as us, and buys that white Cab - I reckon it really deserves a good home.
Good luck with your Cab, by the way. I'll be following your progress.

I hope someone gets the white one too, it's probably a rare colour on a mk1 Cabrio.
One thing I really want is electric rear windows, I saw some on the first Cabrio I looked at, an orange '98 car, unfortunately the car was at the other end of the country and sold within days! Does yours have rear electric windows out of interest?
I'm hoping one day I might be able to pinch the motors and switches/wiring out of a scrap/spares Cabrio if one ever appears...

digger58 · Mar 21, 2016

Nice one, I was putting the dash back in mine today after the new heater matrix! Mine is far from perfect but very original with 65K miles. 1999 with all electric windows and manual roof. I have just replaced the clutch and brakes as well. Stuff is cheap and plentiful. Hope to have it on the road soon.Welcome to the forum, plenty of help here.

SpeedHunter1992 · Mar 21, 2016

Didge3 said:
I'd be interested to drive a 16v Cab as everyone says the engines are very similar in power output but as you say the 1.2 has lower tax/ins/consumption, I really didn't care which engine I ended up with, I just wanted a cheap one to fiddle about with

Before I bought my last car (Panda) I had considered a Puma, 1.7 looks like a good engine and would be fun to throw about but just never fell in love with the styling...

I hope someone gets the white one too, it's probably a rare colour on a mk1 Cabrio.
One thing I really want is electric rear windows, I saw some on the first Cabrio I looked at, an orange '98 car, unfortunately the car was at the other end of the country and sold within days! Does yours have rear electric windows out of interest?
I'm hoping one day I might be able to pinch the motors and switches/wiring out of a scrap/spares Cabrio if one ever appears...

One thing I really want is electric rear windows, I saw some on the first Cabrio I looked at, an orange '98 car, unfortunately the car was at the other end of the country and sold within days! Does yours have rear electric windows out of interest?

Mine does have electric rear windows. They're very handy, too. One issue I failed to mention before is that the front windows only go all the way up if the rears are down. It's more of a problem on the passenger side - if I try to close the front window with the rear window up, I'm left with a gap of an inch or so. With all the windows being electric, it's easy enough to raise all the windows in the 'right' sequence to get them all to close! Yours has the electric/hydraulic hood, though, right?

Speaking of different specs, does your Cab have any of the following: one-touch up and down on the drivers window; height-adjustable steering column; audio control on the steering wheel; luggage compartment-mounted CD-changer? Mine features all of these, but I'm pretty sure the last one was an accessory.

digger58 · Mar 21, 2016

Mine has the lead for the CD changer but no changer.Steering wheel controls. The front windows need serious work as they are very slow.

renaultvation · Mar 21, 2016

Welcome to the world of Cabrios, it looks like you've got a good one. It is a rarer colour which looks particularly good on the Cabrio. We have a 1996 1.6 Cabrio which has just passed its MOT. Interestingly, I also have a Fiesta, but with the 1.4 zetec engine and a Jaguar XK8.
The earlier Cabrio appears to differ in specification as well as engine having a power hood, but manual rear windows (it helps if you have double jointed shoulders). The driver's window has one touch operation and the steering wheel has radio controls. We have a cd changer, but it is an aftermarket addition.
I don't know how the 1.6 engine compares to the Fiesta 1.25 engine. My son has a 2008 1.25 Fiesta which does run out of steam on hills when loaded with four adults, whereas our old Cabbie copes with four up with no problem. However, this could be more to do with the gearing on the 1.6 Cabrio.
A couple of hints with the roof: It is easier to close if you drop the windows a little. If you get small drips from the front corners when it rains, smear a little silicone grease on the front corners of the header rubber. Most importantly, be careful when opening the hood and make sure the middle rail is in the correct position, otherwise the frame can work like a pair od scissors on the hood. There is a separate thread on this subject.
Most importantly, enjoy your car!

Didge3 · Mar 21, 2016

SpeedHunter1992 said:
Mine does have electric rear windows. They're very handy, too. One issue I failed to mention before is that the front windows only go all the way up if the rears are down. It's more of a problem on the passenger side - if I try to close the front window with the rear window up, I'm left with a gap of an inch or so. With all the windows being electric, it's easy enough to raise all the windows in the 'right' sequence to get them all to close! Yours has the electric/hydraulic hood, though, right?

I think most later Cabrio's had rear electric windows but not all... However all UK Cabrio's have a electric hood

Interesting that your fronts close easier with the rears open, I should try that as my fronts are glacial slow (as has become the term for slow windows now).

Speaking of different specs, does your Cab have any of the following: one-touch up and down on the drivers window; height-adjustable steering column; audio control on the steering wheel; luggage compartment-mounted CD-changer? Mine features all of these, but I'm pretty sure the last one was an accessory.

I've got one touch up and down, although the one touch up doesn't really work as the windows stops going up about an inch short of closing... Height adjustable steering column and steering wheel controls but no CD changer although have a button on the HU for it so evidently an option.

SpeedHunter1992 · Mar 21, 2016

Thanks everyone for your warm welcome to the forum and to Cabrio ownership.

Didge3,

My front windows, particularly the nearside, are glacial when motoring up. I only ever drop them an inch or so when opening or closing the roof, so I haven't found it much of an annoyance yet.

My CD changer is a 6-disc Philips unit. I intend to do some digging around the net to try and find out some info on it. It was clearly installed after the car left the factory as the boot carpet is bent out of shape (upwards) due to being displaced by the changer. I'll get a picture uploaded tomorrow if your interested.

renaultvation,

I agree; 'rosso corsa' suits the Cab well. To be honest, though, I just like red cars! My Fiesta is painted a similar hue called 'Radiant Red'. Is your XK8 a '96-'06 model, or later? Those mid-nineties XKs are one of my dream cars - I love the sleek-but-menacing styling.

I believe the later Fiestas put on weight above that of the Mk4 - despite being a 5-door, mine weighs in at a scant 975 kg. I imagine the same 1.25 in a later Fiesta would make for a slower car.

Lastly, your username hints at Renault ownership. Have you any Renaults to your name? I grew up with the family car being an Espace II. I loved that car, and hope to find one for myself someday.

-SpeedHunter1992

renaultvation · Mar 21, 2016

The Jag is a 2001 model (my mid-life crisis). I agree about the styling, it has elegance which I believe has been lost with the later models. The Jag is great to drive on long journeys, particularly in Europe, but I still love driving the little Cabrio round the Suffolk lanes.

The Fiesta is my sensible car!

Yes, my user name is a bit of a clue: I am currently restoring a 1972 Renault 17 TS. I bought it 'restored', but have been undoing the restoration ever since. There is still a long way to go, but you can see a snippet here: http://renaultccc.proboards.com/thread/1589/1972-r17-ts-1313

fostertom · Mar 21, 2016

Yes SpeedHunter - welcome. Those pics look like Dartmoor - where are you?

Here's mine
https://www.fiatforum.com/cinquecento-seicento/328987-1368-mk-1-punto-elx85.html
https://www.fiatforum.com/punto/351131-punto-cabrio-roof-issue.html?p=3488994

SpeedHunter1992 · Mar 21, 2016

Very nice. Being only 23, I guess I'd have to call the Punto my mid-mid-life crisis car!

That Renault is fascinating - I don't ever recall seeing one, even at classic car shows. The side profile reminds me of AMC's Gremlin (long-ish bonnet and raked rear hatch). Looks like you've got a lot of work ahead of you with the restoration, but I'm sure it'll be well worth it. If I had the space to work on a car indoors, I'd have probably been looking for a project instead of the Punto. Or perhaps even considered a Punto project.

-SpeedHunter1992

SpeedHunter1992 · Mar 21, 2016

fostertom said:
Yes SpeedHunter - welcome. Those pics look like Dartmoor - where are you?

Here's mine
https://www.fiatforum.com/cinquecento-seicento/328987-1368-mk-1-punto-elx85.html
https://www.fiatforum.com/punto/351131-punto-cabrio-roof-issue.html?p=3488994

In fact I live in Sheffield. Those pictures of my Cab were taken out in the Peak District this last weekend. It's great to be in this part of the UK - quick access to so many great backroads which, at this time of year at least, have very little traffic.

By the way, in the first of the pictures you'll catch a glimpse of my brother's 'Rosso Swift' '96 Punto 55 S. Given he's had it for over two years - and has even named her: Pattie - I should really encourage him to join the forum!

Didge3 · Mar 21, 2016

renaultvation said:
If you get small drips from the front corners when it rains, smear a little silicone grease on the front corners of the header rubber.!

Thanks for the tip actually, my front corners drip a little in heavy rain so will give that a go

digger58 · Mar 23, 2016

Putting my 1999 back together, New heater matrix, new discs, pads, clutch, gearbox seals, rear crankshaft seal, grease nipples on balljoints, new balljoint boots. Slowly getting there

SpeedHunter1992 · Sep 9, 2016

Not been on the forum for a while due to a busy summer at work - and much more time spent driving the Punto than doing anything else with it!

Here's an update for those interested:

Back in June I had new, but pre-2001 style, plates made up for a more period look.

July saw the miles start piling on as I commuted top-down rather a lot, but the Cab developed a misfire when cold or when under load at low rpm. No fault codes logged to suggest the coils were at fault, so I pulled the plastic gubbins from atop the engine to check the plugs and leads. Found that 3 of the original leads were still in place, but accompanied by a random other one without the correct shape insulator. Wasn't really any evidence of arcing but I renewed all the leads and plugs anyway and that seems to have done the trick.

Having got it running well, I treated it/myself(!?) to a new set of alloys. Picked up some Bravo/Brava fitment 14x5.5s locally for a very good price and they really give the Cab a wider stance.

Latest is that I'm in the process of installing a Sony CDX-605 10-disc changer (as featured in Fiat's accessory catalogues) along with a compatible steering column-mounted rotary controller to accompany the Sony head unit I fitted earlier in the year - Philips' and Sony's equipment not being compatible 'out of the box'. Main issue with this one is the sheer size of the CD changer! New brackets required.

Punto (Mk1) 1998 Punto Cabrio 1.2 16V

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