Hi everyone new to this forum.
quick question Thinking of buying a Fiat Punto 1.2 16v Active Sport 3 door.

The car is in mint condition 12 stamps in service book with FSH.

It has covered 99,000 mls and had the head gasket done plus cam belt and water pump.

Is it good for doing that type of mileage and more.

I have had peugeot diesels for the last 10 years so a bit new to the petrol type.

all help would be greatly appreciated

Our 8V is at 126 000 and going strong. So the 16V must be good for double - right

cheers Brendan how often is servicing and is there much else i need to keep an eye on.

stuart 41 said:

Thinking of buying a Fiat Punto 1.2 16v Active Sport 3 door.

The car is in mint condition 12 stamps in service book with FSH.

It has covered 99,000 mls and had the head gasket done plus cam belt and water pump.

Is it good for doing that type of mileage and more.

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Hi, and welcome,

they are a good , well proven car,
biggest issues tend to be through neglect, FSH SHOULD be a reassurance there..,
HG failure CAN just be age related..

like a diesel a timing belt failure will be catastrophic, may actually have been done TWICE..5 years apart

do NOT pay big money for a 10 year old punto though, £1000 to £1500 is all it will be worth,


Charlie - Oxford

Nice one this is all a big help

floorpan corrosion and faulty electric power steering, are the biggest issues over time,

Charlie

stuart 41 said:

cheers Brendan how often is servicing and is there much else i need to keep an eye on.

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The timing belt is the big issue with the 16V. Get that done on time without fail.
Thermostats need to be replaced if the needle isn't getting to the middle after a few miles and staying there, give or take a needle width.
Gurgling in the heater is a no-no. Bleed the coolant and find the leak. Head gaskets are an issue with Puntos. Coolant level needs checking every week without fail.
Our car gets annual oil and filter changes and the other stuff as required. No drama and has outperformed our Diesels, Volvo and Pugs in the NCT/Mot department consistently. Still on original springs, shocks, brakes, coilpacks, leads, waterpump etc etc etc.
The electrical system needs cleaning of connections especially the earth strap from the gearbox to the battery and the plugs to the rear light clusters tend to corrode the black earth wire and cause disco lights if you don't stay on top of them.
The front face of the sump rusts through. Aftermarket part about £40.
Watch for a notchy clickiness halfway up the clutch pedal travel indicating release bearing and pressure plate having a go at each other.
The electric power steering can give problems. Provoke it by putting on lights, heater fan and then go full lock left right forward reverse and see if it trips out.
Corrosion of rear floor panels and sills beside them.

Brendan W said:

Still on original springs, shocks, brakes, coilpacks, leads, waterpump etc etc etc.

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You are doing well. Water pump has been changed on mine a few times and I got a new set of front brake pads 40,000km ago. Original clutch and rear pads. Coil pack changed recently. Needed a bush for original suspension last week, one wheel bearing was changed 6 years ago. Alternator would have been fine had I not decided to take it apart. 224,000km, 2005 mk2b 16V.

I wonder how many of us will still be going in 5 years time?

Well enough, although the dreaded corrosion has started to raise it's head.
The clutch was replaced at 42 000 and then there was the obligatory headgasket - no smoking gun - put it down to one of those things and power steering niggles sorted eventually with relays.
It's been exemplary for a car that has such a poor reputation reliability wise. Can't help but feel there is an element of the self fulfilling prophesy about the Punto. They get sold cheap and treated cheap and everyone is surprised the car doesn't like it. For what it is the driving experience is streets ahead of it's contemporaries.

Brendan W said:

Well enough, although the dreaded corrosion has started to raise it's head.
The clutch was replaced at 42 000 and then there was the obligatory headgasket - no smoking gun - put it down to one of those things and power steering niggles sorted eventually with relays.
It's been exemplary for a car that has such a poor reputation reliability wise. Can't help but feel there is an element of the self fulfilling prophesy about the Punto. They get sold cheap and treated cheap and everyone is surprised the car doesn't like it. For what it is the driving experience is streets ahead of it's contemporaries.

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I did not realise they had a bad reputation for reliability - I have been really impressed with our car.