Hi There! I have a Fiat Punto 1.2 1995 model... The car struggles to start up and when it does start, it idles strangely and doesn't revv at all even when the petrol pedal is down to the floor. If you pump the petrol pedal it slowly builds up revvs up to 3500 rpm and the stops climbing... When driving the car it feels like it has has no power and struggles to move the car. It also backfires and sometimes backfires flames. Any ideas or suggestions?? We have changed the fuel filter, checked the spark plugs and cleaned out any place on the engine that may be dirty... Someone suggested it may be the needle and seat in the carburetor and it would need to be replaced, to him it seemed as if it was feeding too much petrol into the engine Thanks for your time!

Someone is a chump. You have fuel injection, not a carburetor.

I suspect that the car needs (at least) a full service. Before that, I'd give it a compression test.

The part I believe you are refering to is the throttle body (does look a bit like a carb I suppose) with a injector.
How did you check the spark plugs?

The backfiring would suggest that the timing is out or/and huge valve clearances, which is worrying. And why I suggest a compression test first. DFry and wet, if you can, and post the figures.

The last thing you want to do is to spend money when a fresh(er) engine might be a better/cheaper solution.

What's the mileage on it?

Alternatively -- silly thought, but I just saw where you are -- maybe the Puntos supplied to SA in 1995 still had carbs and distributors?