hi again guys, thanks for all your help by the jtd and have come to a decision that the short driving i do on a daily basis would not require the jtd and wouldnt be good for the engine, although id love the power!.
So basically i now have 2 choices either the 1.6 or 1.8 i currently own a 1.2 8v punto and find it nippy but want quite a bit more power, so i need that "ooomphhh" factor when you put the foot down, ie,,thers power there to use! i cannot afford the insurance on a abarth and they wouldnt insure me anyway!!! so is the 1.8 alot more powerful than the 1.6 or should i just get the 1.6,im wanting power to be there most id not all the time and want to be quick of the mark etc,will the 1.6 be quite a difference to the punto im currently driving???
Thanks in advance Alex

Why not get the JTD, but give it a good blat come the weekends?!

The 1.6 would be different to the 1.2 Punto, without doubt; there are a lot of people who really rate the 1.8 as well

sooo many decisions lol, im thinking its gonna cost me atleast another grand+ for the jtd and im on a strict budget of around 5k max probably, is there a considerable difference in power between the 1.6 and 1.8. i have tried to book a test drive in a 1.8 but fiat have them nowhere round me apparantly!

The 1.8 is quite rare, whereas the 1.6 is more common

I think the 1.6 is lacking, but i had a 1.2 8v punto as a courtesy car a bit back when i had my car in for it's servicing, and that the difference is quite substantial, the 1.6 active Sport has it hands down.

The 1.6 makes all the right noises .... however it does run out of steam and needs to be revved quite hard to get the best out of it ... but it is enjoyable to drive .... I've tried a 1.8 as well and it seems a lot smoother than the 1.6 .... unfortunately buying second hand and wanting a yellow Stilo meant I ended up with a 1.6..... I would always say go for the biggest engine you can afford!

I went from 1.2 8v punto to my 1.6 stilo and was quite pleased with the performance..............from most reviews of the stilo the 1.6 is described as the good all rounder,

Saying that im getting bored of mine and am thinking along the lines of a punto hgt abarth

My dad owns the 1.8 16valve 3dr 53 plate (weird n mysterious Stu Bai Tal version) and tbh, its nice but not amazingly qucik. I have driven this car and ebing 17 with no liescence, didnt find it as quick as some other cars. My dads had it at 125mph before, dnt think that was quite its top end but it was a smooth ride - gorgeous looking and goreous interior in the car. Maybe its because ive driven bigger engined cars, but even my dad who has had about 1000 cars seemed to find it a bit sluggish for a 1.8 16v three door. I know that the 1.2 16valve bravo is quicker than the 1.4 12valve bravo maybe its the same kinda story with a stilo?

You can't compare the 1.2 Bravo/a to the 1.4 Bravo/a - the 1.4 is the one to avoid, only has 12 valves, whereas the 1.2 has 16 valves and more BHP/torque iirc.

I went from a mk1 1.2 Punto SX to a 1.8 Stilo Dynamic.... and am loving it

I have a 3 door JTD so am biased.

but...........

I did drive both before buying and the JTD definitley feels a lot quicker, probably the turbo.

And, the 26mpg average on the 1.8 compared to the 47.5 on the JTD certainly swung it for me.

I know for a fact that the "depends on what kind of driving you do" brigade will be along soon.

I bought the JTD for two reasons.

Yes if you don't do the mileage you probably won't get your money back on the extra for the diesel. It just drives better for me.

Believe it or not, I use less resources than petrol drivers. I'm not a tree hugger but I believe that less is more.

michael2208 said:

I'm not a tree hugger but I believe that less is more.

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I didn't buy my JTD to save money either (only averaging about 4K a year for the last 3 years) but I did buy it for what it represents....

It's always been my view that the perfect car offers luxury, performance & economy and that's what I'm prepared to pay for. ...and that's what I believe I've bought.

Perhaps rather strangely my 2nd choice would have been a Stilo 1.2/1.4 but then you loose the performance and quite a few of the toys.

Stuart DemonD said:

You can't compare the 1.2 Bravo/a to the 1.4 Bravo/a - the 1.4 is the one to avoid, only has 12 valves, whereas the 1.2 has 16 valves and more BHP/torque iirc.

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Sorry, just meant, i wonder if its the same story as the bravo's as in, even though one engine is bigger and therefore some would asume better perfomance, wondered if the stilo engines were the same in relation, even though one is bigger, not as good performance as a smaller lighter engine, n/m, just an idea

The 1.8 are quite rare...not to many of them around in comparsion to the 1.6! as with to 26mpg, i dont fink so... i drive my 1.8 hard and have a heavy ice install and get around 30mpg and 35mpg if i drive like a granny! I only use optimax in it aswell... Mine tops out at 135mph (on my private test track!).. its cheap to insure only group 7, i got mine when i was 18 and it wasnt to expensive to insure and i did the same jump from a 1.2 8v punto! In my opinion you dont feel the speed as much in the car as it more of a softer/luxurious ride! But if you lowered it 50mm you get back that stiff suspension, throw around car feel like in the punto? the 1.8 Hgt punto will obviously be faster than the stilo as its the same engine but half the car? A Jtd would be good fun if you get it remapped, bags of torque to play with - id go for the 170hp remap! But the most important fing is to try all of them and get what you like best, no two cars are ever going to be the same!

I think in this case, the 1.8 outguns the 1.6 - nice thought, though

My opinion of the mpg is not made up by the way.

I tried a 1.8 at Reg Vardy, Sunderland

Pressed the stalk 3 times and the average MPG was 26.

So unless I can't read it is in fact 26mpg

47.5 for the JTD doing the same thing. Checked the trip meter on both and it hadn't been reset for hundreds of miles.

Thing is.... I can accept a fact when it is patently in front of me. Even if I don't like it!

by the way the official combined for the JTD is 53 and 1.8 35 so work it out for yourself

I don't think the petrol people like to admit how un-economical their vehicles are

michael2208 said:

I don't think the petrol people like to admit how un-economical their vehicles are

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I admit my Abarth drinks fuel like it is going out of fashion

BUT so much fun :slayer:

Stuart DemonD said:

I admit my Abarth drinks fuel like it is going out of fashion

BUT so much fun :slayer:

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Nice one Stuart.

Now if only the guy who claims 45mpg on a 1.2 could admit it to himself

michael2208 said:

Now if only the guy who claims 45mpg on a 1.2 could admit it to himself

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Tad unfair that comment I think!

Small petrols can be very efficient if you drive them right ( or wrongly - depending upon which camp you belong to )

I remember getting 48 mpg out of an old Rover 414 of mine and that was on a genuine tank to tank fill-up.

Tad unfair that comment I think!

I know why you say that

However the 45mpg man's comments on diesels are a tad unfair too

Normally along the lines of extra cost and "log burners"