General 1.2/1.4 Petrol questions

[bohdathone]

Hi everyone,

I used to have a Punto years ago (2001) as my first car and it was brilliant; fun and reliable. Still have fond memories of it. Want to recommend a new Grande Punto to my brother and I hope you can help me with a few questions

- On the website I see 1.4 mentioned as the default petrol engine, but I see used 1.2 engined cars for sale. Has this engine option been deleted?

-What's the general opinion of the Dualogic automatic transmission?

-Does the car come with xenon headlights? I can't see any mention on the fiat site mentioning them as either standard or option..

- What are the 15" steel wheels like? On the car configurator they look great...almost smoked like the Abarth's but I can't imagine they look this cool in real life...can they?

Thanks in advance for your help!
B

 

[Aircooledbug]

Hi everyone,

I used to have a Punto years ago (2001) as my first car and it was brilliant; fun and reliable. Still have fond memories of it. Want to recommend a new Grande Punto to my brother and I hope you can help me with a few questions

- On the website I see 1.4 mentioned as the default petrol engine, but I see used 1.2 engined cars for sale. Has this engine option been deleted?

-What's the general opinion of the Dualogic automatic transmission?

-Does the car come with xenon headlights? I can't see any mention on the fiat site mentioning them as either standard or option..

- What are the 15" steel wheels like? On the car configurator they look great...almost smoked like the Abarth's but I can't imagine they look this cool in real life...can they?

Thanks in advance for your help!
B

Hello mate, I own a 1.9, but there are a few chaps on here will help you out, but dont get an auto, manuals are better. I think the Xenon bulbs are optional, 15" steels are ok, you can always upgrade them to 16", 17" or even 18"... yeah I think Fiat are having a reshuffle with the engines because the 1.9 has gone off of it too. But see your local Fiat dealer and Im sure they will sort you out, check out this forum too... https://www.fiatforum.com/grande-punto/162991-i-like-gp.html

Hope it helps, but like I said, there are some chaps on here that will help you out

 

[Stripes]

The 1.2 engine has been removed from the line up the smallest new engine GP you can get is a 1.4 8v.

Good too, because the 1.2 is as quick as... well a 1.2 in a HEAVY car (Very slow)

Done a few bits and pieces to mine, my Xenon HID's were added my myself at a cost of around £70, there is no option to have these standard from FIAT as far as I know!

Anymore questions just ask!

Oh, and Automatics suck.

 

[Obrooks]

automatics are poo

xenons are only optional on the bravo, not the grande, will have to buy them seperately

the 15 steels look a bit small, best going for the sporting 17's if you ask me, the car is quite big, looks odd with small wheels.

 

[dave]

automatics rock :slayer:

 

[punto_matt]

Automatics are good depending on the car

 

[Skitz]

Auto all the way tbh no idea about the GP's auto box though

 

[colin79666]

Don;t write the 1.2 off unless you have tried one. Yes its not quick but if your using the car mainly about town then the 1.2s fine (and the most fuel efficient petrol).
Of course you can't get a new car in the 1.2 config as they dropped it in the series 2 lineup.

 

[steve119]

Don;t write the 1.2 off unless you have tried one. Yes its not quick but if your using the car mainly about town then the 1.2s fine (and the most fuel efficient petrol).
Of course you can't get a new car in the 1.2 config as they dropped it in the series 2 lineup.

i have, my 1.2 was rubbish when it went from 0 -30 eventually!! that engine is too small for the car hence why i went up an engine size!!:slayer:

 

[punto_matt]

A 1.4 8v will be better fuel economy as the 1.2 8v struggles to move the car which puts the engine under more load meaning it has to work harder to move it. Where as the bigger 1.4 one will be under less load and less stress to move the car meaning its working in its preffered revs so to speak and there for not using as much petrol.( i have explained that really badly i know)

 

[colin79666]

Combined the fuel economy is the same for the 1.2 and 1.4. As punto_mat (above) says the 1.4 will rev lower (important in the extra urban area) so at higher speeds the 1.2 is not as good. If you do mostly town driving however the 1.2 and 1.4 are more or less identical so if a 1.4 costs £500 extra and you mainly drive in town then the extra expense may not be worth it for you - that's all I'm saying.

Of course as has been said this is all irrelivant for the series 2 as you can't get the 1.2 on a new GP (unless you have a special order).

 

[Stripes]

Agreed. The 1.2 @ 70 is sitting @ 3,500rpm which is rubbish for fuel eco!

Roll on next year when I get my Mjet!

 

[OCZedd]

Agreed. The 1.2 @ 70 is sitting @ 3,500rpm which is rubbish for fuel eco!

Roll on next year when I get my Mjet!

Mines 3600 rpm :chin:

 

[Flappingwings]

i have, my 1.2 was rubbish when it went from 0 -30 eventually!! that engine is too small for the car hence why i went up an engine size!!:slayer:

With respect, how quick do you want to go? Unless your on Top Gear, or a boy racer, or anything else, why?

I checked out the forum, and some of the reviews of the 1.2 before the car arrived, and was pretty scared that the thing wouldn't move - and ok, it's not the fastest car i've ever driven, but in the city, especially London, you rarely need to pick up speed that fast.

If i'm 100% honest, i would have preferred a bigger engine with more torque, but the 1.2 engine isn't the worst, and it certainly does the job capably.

 

[Fastfred]

Having driven both the 1.2 and the 1.4 quite extensively I can only tell you that the 1.2 is/was a sweet little engine and easily capable of cruising at 70 on the motorway. The 1.4 was quite gruff and not as happy to spin in the upper rev. range (like 4K+).
In terms of economy the 1.2 was much better around town and returned a regular 43-44 over 10,000 miles. The 1.4 struggled in the mid/upper 30s.
The extra performance had to be wrung out of the 1.4 and it was not a pleasant experience (and the mpg really suffered).
Now in a 1.4S Golf and it is effortless by comparison with heaps of mid range torque. Fiat's figures for the 1.4 don't seem to stack up at all & other 1.4s that I have tried seemed equally lethargic.
Yes, I know the Golf cost nearly twice as much, before anyone says it!

 

[hennabm]

We used to have a 54 Punto Chill with 1.2 and even in that body it was slow and embarrassing on hills . We then bought a March 06 1.4 Dynamic GP and it was far better . The current Tjet is something else altogether though