Same thing. Hard to downshift from 3rd/4th to 2nd/1st and almost impossible to switch to 1st while car is moving. Sometimes, even, does not want to go from neutral to 1st when car is stopped. Most of the time when I switch from 1st to 2nd, I have to move it through neutral position. No strange noises, clutch is not so hard to press, with engine off it's very easy to change from any gear to any other.
I have read a lot's of post here regarding similar problems but still not sure what's the case. Some clues found are: clutch, synch rings, oil...
Fiat specialized serviceman told me "clutch should be replaced". Great, but it took him exactly 4 seconds to tell me after I let him sit and touch gearbox. Such quick diagnostics makes me uncertain. Test with starting from 3rd gear is showing that clutch should be in very good condition.
Non-Fiat specialized serviceman told me "man, that's Fiat, what do you expect, start driving it as a Fiat".
I think they are both wrong, but it does not solve my problem.
I don't know does gearbox works the same way when it was new, because I have just bought this Punto.
So:
1. Is it normal performance on all Punto's?
2. Average mileage to replace clutch?
3. When should be gearbox oil replaced?
4. How complex and expensive is it to change gearbox synchs. Does it require whole gearbox to be taken out?
5. How complex (number of hours) takes it to replace a clutch?