Went to the garage and spoke to the GM on Monday night. Total fob off, his point of view was that it was Fiat UK's fault and he would ask them for compensation.

The garage called today and told me that they are on their 5th roof liner and they are still arriving faulty. Also told me that if I didn't take their car back today they would start charging me £5 per day....so I'm off to collect mine tonight....will have to get booked back in for the roof liner.

[!]

04 Punto Sporting
1.4 16v
Broom Yellow

You're kidding?[:0]
They're going to charge you just for leaving the car on their premises?
Have you ever spoken to someone at Fiat UK directly? what's their slant on things?

Mk2.5 Sporting in Broom Yellow...
Hated it when I picked it up, love it now!

that is totally f**ked up, i can't believe this story, i would definatly demand compensation man and f**king kick them all in teeth. yeah do what alexb says and contact fiat uk they might be able to help you more then that s**tty garage.
bad luck anyway dude[V] hope it gets all sorted soon

If only i had money for my car?!

Collected the car, knocking noise is still there despite their promise that it had been fixed. Also lost my temper over the paint chips. They totally missed one and f**ked the other two up. It looks a total mess.
The service guy had the nerve to ask me "just what are you expecting?" to which I replied quite loudly "something that resembles a f**cking new car!!!"

alexb, when you accelerate from standing, do you get a kind of knocking sound when the gear engages?

04 Punto Sporting
1.4 16v
Broom Yellow

Space Cowboy, sorry you haven't got your car sorted yet. Get onto The Sunday Post and your finance company, go back to my post of 27/05/04 for contact details. Keep on and try to be civil with them as they will use it as an excuse if you don't. Rise above them and stay calm as you have everything on your side. Tansy

Originally posted by spacecowboyalexb, when you accelerate from standing, do you get a kind of knocking sound when the gear engages?

Click to expand...

It "used" to knock primarily when lifting the clutch up in (1st)gear, but now the techs have rerouted the offending hoses, it doesn't really knock on clutch-up anymore (still waiting for these to be renewed though).
It still makes similar noises over rough roads/pot holes/etc

So in answer to your question...Yes, it does knock on acceleration from standing, but only when engaging 1st.

Book a test drive with one of their master techs - You drive the car, not him and point out when it makes the noises. It's the only way. Mine pulls to the left quite a lot, but the tracking is cool. I had to take a tech out in the car before they would accept there was something not quite right.[}]

Mk2.5 Sporting in Broom Yellow...
Hated it when I picked it up, love it now!

To be honest Alex you have described my fault exactly. I think I'll mention this to them next time I'm there. If you have any more details as to the 'fix' perfomed on your motor I would be grateful, I would enjoy explaining how to fix my fault to them!

Cheers, Paul

04 Punto Sporting
1.4 16v
Broom Yellow

You got PM, spacecowboy...

Mk2.5 Sporting in Broom Yellow...
Hated it when I picked it up, love it now!

At least you didn't ask them for the tinted windows or steering wheel imagine the mess they'd have made of that!! Youu'd have been going along and the steering wheel would probably have come off in your hand and the windows fall out! The least you get them to do the better!

Goodluck & keep us updated.

March '04, 5 dr 1.4 Stilo Active & Sept '00, 5 dr 1.2 HLX Punto.

Yeah I'D definatly go with Tansys Idea with National Newspaper / Watchdog or both?!? but make sure you threaten the garage first that if the work isnt done to a "New Car Standard" in a weeks time you will do it, it might make them get there thumbs out there asses and get a goddamn roof liner that aint creased!!!! as well as sort out the knocking problem. If my new car pulled to the left slightly id be just slightly worried. Im rather lucky my local Fiat/Lancia Dealer "Reg Vardy" are competant and get things dont that they say they will do.

One bit of advice is that you have bought the car through a finance company - my sister did this and car was unroadworthy. On contacting a solicitor she was told that her gripe for money and the like was with the finance company. It is a strange way around but she took it up with them and got her money back, meanwhile trading standards took the garage to court for selling unroadworthy cars.

Not sure if this is applicable in your case but worth looking into.

Craig