General HELP PLEASE: Sporting Punto

[symarshall]

Hi everyone.

I am currently looking for a "Sporting" punto to replace my 8V ELX.

I have found the perfect car with perfect miles! V low! Good age late 2002. And has all the extras that i want at a LOW price!

HELP: This is called "End of batch" car as this was one of the last punto Mk2's to be made. Therefore quality isn't high. Just small things like the seat mechanism in both front chairs have gone so need a new lead?

The outside is in an ok state but has slight surface rust under the front left wheel arch. This can be repaired as it is out of sight for little money. Also inside the door sills, the paint is chipping showing the red undercoat. This could be due to not enough paint sprayed when it was built.

Finally the drivers door clunks when shut. I think the connection needs adjusting for that nice door sound.

PLEASE, PLEASE I would be very grateful if you would tell me what you think?
Would you buy it?

Shorly a car of this age shouldn't have problems like this but is "Rushed" end of production car.

Please advise me what to do. I drives like a dream and just needs TCL but could this car be a problem?
Thank you,
Regards SIMON MARSHALL

 

[thomash]

Wouldn't pay much for this, it's a 2002 car and shouldn't be falling apart. 'End of batch' for FIAT probably means 'Friday car' x2.

Just my advice.

 

[symarshall]

Yeah thanx mate.

I really want it as it 16,500 miles, late 2002, all the extras e.g side airbags but has this minor faults. £3,995 they are offering it for.

WHAT YOU THINK?

I could get all these things sorted for little but don't know what I should do.

You are correct in saying its like a Friday car. I suppose the managers at Fiat were telling them to quickly finish the last thousand to get the NEw models built.

What do you think?

 

[Dr_Pepper]

I guess it depends how much less they want for it than other sportings of the same age that don't have any problems

At the end of the day 2002 cars shouldn't be falling apart, but to be fair to Fiat I've never heard of such a recent car starting to rust...

Finally, I don't think much of the "End of line" claim on a late 2002 car. Mine is also a Mk2, made in Feb 2003, so later than yours and no apparent problems. The Mk3/2.5 whatever wasn't introduced till June 2003 I believe so a late 2002 motor is hardly end of line!

 

[JTD Monkey]

End of the line being worst quality is utter tosh. Most first of the line cars suffer from poorer quality as faults/ poor suppliers are weeded out.

Any '02' Punto with rust has either missed its rust protection at the factory (I have heard of this before) or has been in an accident and the repair has been poorly done.

Not sure on the lead you refer to on the front seats (is this to tip the seats forward)

Despite the age, I would expect a Sporting to fetch more than that (especially if it is at a garage).

I would walk away, there are plenty more fish in the sea. Sounds like a money-pit...

 

[thomash]

I've seen a 1.2 16v Sporting 2002, 16,500miles for £3995 on Autotrader.

 

[symarshall]

I've seen a 1.2 16v Sporting 2002, 16,500miles for £3995 on Autotrader.

Yeah thats it. Its a good car but has its downfalls as you know.

Silver best colour don't you think?

simon

 

[JTD Monkey]

Silver best colour don't you think?

For sheep. Silver is the choice of colour for those with zero imagination. Any other colour offered in the Sporting (even that yuk orange) is better than silver

 

[alexb]

Silver best colour don't you think?

NOOOOOOOO!!

Broom Yellow all the way! (hmm, or black, if you have to!)

 

[MR.COATES]

Definitely - call me an attention-seeker of course but yes, yellow is the way ahead!

 

[symarshall]

Definitely - call me an attention-seeker of course but yes, yellow is the way ahead!

What do you think of BABY BLUE then?
Black is dull and boring!

 

[MR.COATES]

My girlfriend has got a black 8v and that looks superb when it's clean and polished but otherwise it blends in a bit.

The blue (not sure which blue it is though) is nice - that was the other colour I was considering. It's the matt blue - not the sky blue metallic.

 

[symarshall]

The blue (not sure which blue it is though) is nice - that was the other colour I was considering. It's the matt blue - not the sky blue metallic

No, its the SKY metallic Blue that i wanted!
What you think of that colour?

The Tesco Blue colour. Is that the one you mean. In between light and dark?

Thanx

 

[JTD Monkey]

Sprint Blue is the non-metallic colour you used to be able to specify on the Go, Active Sport, Sporting and HGT.

Astral Blue (which is very nice) is the light metallic blue

Teseo blue is the dark metallic blue

 

[Dr_Pepper]

Mine is astral blue - and I think it's naff. Yellow, Black and Silver are all good colours in my opinion but they all collect dirt something chronic.

 

[dave]

stay away from it puntos are made of galvenised steel. they only rust after a bodged crash repair

 

[wolfracepunto]

I cant see how its one of the last mk2s produced.....im sure they were made up until (at least) March 2003

Id stay away aswell if I were you