Hi folks, newbie with questions

[stonesie]

Hi folks, Im Matt from doncaster and I'm looking to buy a cheap-ish punto as a run about.

It should either be a 1.2 or a JTD (looking at MK2's)

What should a JTD drive like? I had a test drive in one today and it was just, well, flat.. No pull above about 2.5K that was worth bothering with and a load of other faults like a warning light telling me a bulb was blown, but they all work. suffice to say I wont be buying that one but are there any specific things I should be looking out for?

Please dont say rust, I'm just selling a 23 year old BMW and that has plenty of that...

 

[stonesie]

Well today was a productive day in my Punto hunt, £200 deposit paid on a nice Black 2001 1.2 16v sporting, It is mint on the outside bar 2 tiny scuffs on the rear bumper and a loose rubbing strip, mint on the inside except the gear knob is loose and the drivers right bolsters are worn. It looks like its been looked after for its 77K miles.

No test drive though, and for one very good reason....

The cylinder head is at a machine shop for skimming/pressure checking, it was sold to another fella but as it was being prepped the eagle eyed mechanic spotted oil in the coolant....

By the time it is ready for me it will have..
New head gasket
New Cam belt
New water pump
A full service... I will be inspecting the plugs and air filter
A full 12 months MOT
And a 3 month/3000 mile warranty

But the cream on the cake, after nagotiations(to be fair, with all the new stuff/work he would only budge £50) I asked about tax, they haven't weighed it in yet so I'm paying the full asking price and getting the tax disc with it, valid untill the end of jan next year.

The cherry on top has to be the baby pink "hello kitty" tax disc holder:yuck::yuck::yuck:
£1500

 

[dave]

i would have run away from that one myself,

 

[stonesie]

Well it is subject to a test drive, if I find anything wrong I can stil get my deposit back and walk away.

It is the best condition (body / chassis) I have seen because unfortunatly my budget won't reach any higher, most cars in my price range are battered old turds round here. To gather £1500 I have had to sell the old BMW and my old 125 honda motorbike, money is tight so a 25mpg beast and a bike I never use both had to go.
For the next week or so my only transport will be a Suzuki SV650


As for problems that may pop up, I am a former mechanic and also had a year or so of building engines for a living, sad as it may be I actually got a bit of insight about the engines history by looking at the bores and piston crowns.

Fianlly the reason I decided to go FIAT is my dads S plate Brava 1.6, in 5 years it has needed bearings in 1 rear suspension arm, pair of shocks, clutch, starter motor, exhaust and a radiator. Other than general servicing and a cam belt that's not bad... She's just clocked up 170K and is ready for another set of belts but still going strong

 

[dave]

you might not find anything wrong, but id they haven't used new head bolts or cleaned top of the block fully gasket will go again in 3 months time, traders fixing to sell dont always do job right if selling anyway to keep costs down.

If they don't user the correct cambelt locking tools there could be problems with that later too

 

[stonesie]

Hmmm well the BM has just driven off with its new owner so I'm kinda stuck now. I will have to quiz the mechanic and hope he has a similar eye for detail and pride in "do it once - do it right"..... Was I really such an oddball as a mechanic? I was slow, but it was very rare one of my jobs came back with problems.

If it blows then hell will be raised and hopefully they will cover the parts cost of doing it myself.

 

[stonesie]

If they don't user the correct cambelt locking tools there could be problems with that later too

After a good nose round this site prompted by what you said here, I've hit Amazon for a haynes manual and confirmed that my old mate pete (my friendly MOT tester) owns a set of locking tools for the 1.2 16v lump

When I double check they have fone a FULL service I shal also check the cam timing... Dads brava 1.6 16v is getting ready for its belt's doing too so I might aswell do that while I have the tools

Ford's smaller zetec lumps are as bad, no woodroof keys and all 3 pullys must be free-spinning to set the timing, driveshaft out to get the crank locking tool in (back of the block at the pulley end).
That was untill I gave the back end of the tool some love on the bench grinder. The boss nearly had a heart attack, untill I showed him that it was now usable with the shaft in:idea:

 

[dave]

not the same tools for a 1.6 http://www.shop4parts.co.uk/?name=s...&secondary=120&opts=57&btnViewProducts=Search

 

[stonesie]

Thanks again, my FIAT specific knowledge is growing quickly


Speedgear = auto?
If that's the car your breaking then thats a shame, I think im going to need a mk2 sporting manual gear knob.

 

[dave]

ah yes that needs an update