General 10 reasons why I should buy a punto...

[wozza]

There better than most small cars but clio is a better driving car the punto looks nicer though on the lower end models.

Cheap nippy hgt isnt quite up to what most hot hatches are. Not as good handling or as quick but its cheaper.

But saying that you could get a clio 172 for a little more. And i personally know id rather have the clio deffinately better handling and a lot quicker.

 

[CinquePunto]

There better than most small cars but clio is a better driving car the punto looks nicer though on the lower end models.

Cheap nippy hgt isnt quite up to what most hot hatches are. Not as good handling or as quick but its cheaper.

But saying that you could get a clio 172 for a little more. And i personally know id rather have the clio deffinately better handling and a lot quicker.

Traitor!

 

[JonnyBoy]

There better than most small cars but clio is a better driving car the punto looks nicer though on the lower end models.

Cheap nippy hgt isnt quite up to what most hot hatches are. Not as good handling or as quick but its cheaper.

But saying that you could get a clio 172 for a little more. And i personally know id rather have the clio deffinately better handling and a lot quicker.

On the other hand, the Clio is hideously ugly, has possibly the nastiest interior since the Metro went out of production, and worst of all, is French.

 

[dave]

theres this one on a 54 plate for £5k http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4601913919 he might take a bit less if you ask

 

[wozza]

On the other hand, the Clio is hideously ugly, has possibly the nastiest interior since the Metro went out of production, and worst of all, is French.

I dunno in 182 guise its rather tasty to be honest and so is the MK1 172. the newer interiors were nicer than the old ones. But the whole point of the 182 is to have the best handling hatchback on the road.

Its cheap cause well it is cheaply built. But its quick and capable of surprsing a lot of other bigger more expensive cars. EVO loved it as was shown by the recent article where it beat a lot of other MUCH more expensive cars.

I like puntos have driven them and used to own a clio and i can tell you the clio is deffinately a better driving car any of the punto owners who have driven one will probably say the same.

The clio in its segment is unbeatable if your after a hot hatch its that simple. Think next best thing is probably the Fiesta ST150. If you werent looking at the higher end models i wouldnt have said look at the clio but if your looking at an HGT it usually means you want something thats gonna make you smile. And well the HGT just isnt as good as the clio is and they have similar costs.

Best thing is the clio driven softly will still return 40mpg but theres always that power there shoudl you want to nail someone to the back window when you can go from 0 - 60 in under 7 seconds. EVO tested it got 6.3

 

[dave]

festas and clios are cento/new panda size not punto size

 

[wozza]

How you work that one out?

Clio is 10mm wider and 30mm or so shorter theres not that much in it mate. We have had this discussion before

Its just one of those cars that looks smaller than it actually is. Got me and 4 friends in one so there not that bad.

 

[dave]

Clio still sounds like a girls car when you say it out loud, an they rust

 

[wozza]

What an puntos dont

Older clios rust the new ones are mainly made of aluminium or plastic Explain to me how plastic rusts and im all for that.

And yeah they are a bit girly but its impossible to get a faster car for less cash. The only thing the might be offputting is its 2 group higher insurance wise over the HGT.

But the Clio sports deffinately arent girly cars. The 172cup especially when they take out the abs to save some weight its gotta save something about the car lol.

 

[supermcc_afc]

puntos are great cars! I fell in love with mine when i first saw it, its a mk2 sporting, pretty nippy for a 1.2 (hgt's will be a lot faster), its super sexy, love it...

...but the only disapiontments ive had is that everything seemed to fcuk up just as the warrenty ran out, how convenient

 

[AppleSei]

Save yourself a bit of money

https://www.fiatforum.com/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=2020

 

[wolfracepunto]

I dunno in 182 guise its rather tasty to be honest and so is the MK1 172. the newer interiors were nicer than the old ones. But the whole point of the 182 is to have the best handling hatchback on the road.

Its cheap cause well it is cheaply built. But its quick and capable of surprsing a lot of other bigger more expensive cars. EVO loved it as was shown by the recent article where it beat a lot of other MUCH more expensive cars.

I like puntos have driven them and used to own a clio and i can tell you the clio is deffinately a better driving car any of the punto owners who have driven one will probably say the same.

The clio in its segment is unbeatable if your after a hot hatch its that simple. Think next best thing is probably the Fiesta ST150. If you werent looking at the higher end models i wouldnt have said look at the clio but if your looking at an HGT it usually means you want something thats gonna make you smile. And well the HGT just isnt as good as the clio is and they have similar costs.

Best thing is the clio driven softly will still return 40mpg but theres always that power there shoudl you want to nail someone to the back window when you can go from 0 - 60 in under 7 seconds. EVO tested it got 6.3

My mate's Clio 182 Cup is great and I love it! But you mentioned in there its capable of surprising bigger, more expensive cars:- We had a Vauxhall Vectra up our arse once (in the 182), looked totally standard and had a young rep driving it. I said to my mate- right.....drop it and foot down So he had it screaming to the redline in 2nd at 60-70mph and the Vectra stayed on his arse all the way I couldnt believe it and neither could my mate LOL.

Dont know what my point is exactly, because it is a quick car- just thought I'd argue

Ive driven both 1.2 Clios and Puntos. Nothing in it really for me, both were good small cars but the Punto looks alot better imo and the driving position in the Clio was awful. Clio had better performance (16v) but sounded ****e lol.

 

[Milks]

The same garage have a Clio 172 on an X plate for an extra thousand, though given the higher price, milage and insurance I think its a little out of my reach, as much as I'd like to buy it, its going to be hard enough finding the cash for the hgt. I used to have a clio and it was a chics car, its only the sporty models that stand out. And for the money the hgt is a lot of car, air con, sat nav, 6 air bags... oh and the Alpha built engine will probably purr like a honey

supermcc: they're some sweet wheels you've stuck on your punt, looks really shiney, have you had it lowered?

 

[Hellcat]

Although I don't mind my mates clio (02 plate 1.4 16v) I would rather be in a fiat. The clio often feels quick but I think thats just because of its lower seat position. My mate drove my tipo to pick me up from a scrap yard (long story) and he was shocked by how fast the Sedici was. Not sure if new punto's have similar seating?

 

[faster4_tec]

The clio does handle better, and the 2.0 sport's and cups both make the clio a very quick car, but what renault say is 182bhp I think is a bit 'generous', I'm not saying its not quick, they are, but they lack torque and mid range anything, it just sort of goes fffffffflllllllllllluuuuuuuuumpppppp *redline*, fllllluuuuuu. if you get what I mean, I have kept up with one (on an a road) in my dads audi, I got past it when he got to about 110, either he backed off, or my superior 276lb.ft ate him.

Punto HGT is the best in the current range, not that many about, and unfortunatly not 'as' quick as the 10yr old mk1 GT's were, but thats the enviromentalists for you. THe punto has always been sorta van like in shape, so whilst other small hatchs aren't that much smaller, the puntos interior space is big and usefull, I can get two 6,0ft guys/gals in the back and they fit no problem, still a good 4" above their heads too!! ANd I can get all my uni stuff in the boot (4x apple box's with cloths/gear/bike stuff, and a laptop bag and a bookbag) without having to lift parcel shelf. Mines a mk1, the mk2s boot is even bigger and sqaurer again.
*edit,just an add--- when I drive mine I have the drivers seat all the way back, then forward one click, still enough space in back, but I just want to be as far away from that round weapon of death as poss, partly that and partly the pedals are quite vertical, and if I was any closer I wouldn't be able to drive the thing, check that while your their.------*edit


Go and take a test drive, fall in love with it and get the last bit on 0%credit.

 

[wozza]

Clios got a fair bit of torque. And on rollers they usually get around 150bhp at the wheels which is about right with the 182bhp at the fly. Torque is around 150lbs.

But yeah you do need around 5000rpm before the clio gets...hmm fun lol. And it all depends on the driver the cloi is fairly quick in a straight line but theres quicker cars when you put corners in the mix though it'll gladly sit on the bumpers of much more expensive cars.

And couple thousand on the engine and getting it over 200bhp and you get 0-60's in the sub 6 second area.

Seriously considering the new renault sports clio for my next car. Looks the absolute dogs danglies if you ask me

 

[helpimonfire]

I drove a 96 Clio RSi a few weeks ago... while it handled well and had a decent amount of power, it was uncomfortable. and that put me right off. I'll be sticking to my Punto thanks very much

Wolfrace - Vectra's are surprisingly quick... my brothers will do 80 in 2nd@about 6k rpm. mind you... it is the 2.5l V6 model...

 

[Hellcat]

Wolfrace - Vectra's are surprisingly quick... my brothers will do 80 in 2nd@about 6k rpm. mind you... it is the 2.5l V6 model...

But a cinq could probably have it on a twisty road! Horses for courses. Just wish these big cars would stop panicing just because there is a corner! Number of times I have to brake to avoid rear-ending beemers slowing down for corners.... argh!

 

[wolfracepunto]

Hellcat- I think that would be more the incompetent or safer driver behind the wheel of the Bimmers, more than its handling

I dont know what Vectra was behind us, apart from it was brand new and had those 17" sportier alloys on it. Could have been a tweaked DTi, 2.0T or 3.2 V6 Not sure.

 

[KurtB]

Undercover traffic cops have unmarked Vectras round here, always makes me nervous when I see purple ones

I hear the new Vauxhalls are getting pretty quick now, with the VXR 3.2 being brought out for many models.