Grande Punto Introducing Our New(er/ish) Grande Punto

[Most Easterly Pandas]

What a shed

 

[ChrisUK]

Looks a bargain for a little over a grand

 

[alexGS]

"All in all an awesome purchase" (the drum machine) made me laugh out loud! ::

Considering that I paid about four grand in your money for my Grande Punto 1.4 8v, I'd say that's a good price looking at the colour of yours though, hope you have a paintless dent removal guy on speed dial...

-Alex

 

[homeward]

So last Friday I had to have surgery on my right knee the result of this was strong pain killers, and eBay, apparently its not a good combination.

So First of all I bought a drum machine, I did this from my phone while still recovering in hospital immediately after the surgery.

all in all an awesome purchase although the Missus wasn't happy

Immediately post-op (general anaesthetic), I once telephoned everyone's numbers that I could recall, and told them all I loved them -- including my staff. To this day, I still don't remember doing it -- although my mobile had about an hour's worth of outgoing calls on it from that time... -- and I got ribbed mercilessly, when I went back to work....

PS: Hope the knee's feeling okay....

 

[Paterson1]

So last Friday I had to have surgery on my right knee the result of this was strong pain killers, and eBay, apparently its not a good combination.

So First of all I bought a drum machine, I did this from my phone while still recovering in hospital immediately after the surgery.

all in all an awesome purchase although the Missus wasn't happy

Then a couple of days ago after a very heavy dose of strong pain killers I bought this.

Grande Punto 1.4 8v active sport (i'm not entirely sure why)

looks very much are deceiving and this thing is an utter mess, its so badly scratched its untrue every panel especially the roof and there are quite a few dings in the doors that need attention

the interior is filthy and need to come and and have a full and proper clean.

however.
everything works, which is amazing in its self, its covered just over 101k miles and the one owner its had from new has spent on the mechanicals and not bothered with anything cosmetic, the foglight is smashed after a run in with a rock and the lower grill is missing after a run in with a thieving scrote

a couple of plastic clips are broken on the interior but other than that its all there, original unmolested.

total bill was £1040 which is very cheap for this car even with all the body damage.

will get some more pictures tomorrow and give it a good look over but it got me home nicely over 170 miles with no issue.

the main aim is (if you don't know me) I make videos for YouTube on how to look after your Fiat Punto and i plan to use this very rough little car to make lots of Gande punto videos and eventually sell on so in the comming weeks it will be getting

full service
throttle body clean
maybe a cambelt
maybe a clutch

and lots of body work attention. i'm sure i'll find other things but essentially everything i do will go up on youtube for others to follow

Do you have a video on how to clean the throttle body? Is it delicate?

Jake

 

[AndyRKett]

Do you have a video on how to clean the throttle body? Is it delicate?

Jake

Not yet but it is pretty easy and i'm not very delicate with anything so i wouldnt worry to much

 

[AndyRKett]

on Examination, its not all as bad as i first thought

most of the scratches are superficial so I will be able to polish them out

I've ordered a new lower grill and a foglight from ebay to sort the front out

and the small clips and bits will be ordered from Fiat later today

everything is filthy so interior will have to come out for a damn good clean

steering wheel is a bit of a state, but i have a plan.

dents in doors are probably the most difficult thing to address

Broken clips and minor things

Engine by is filthy

This is the sort of scratches that cover the car especially the roof and bonnet

 

[Paterson1]

Would like to see this cleaned up

 

[puntofan01]

With a bit of work, that will be a very nice car!

 

[AndyRKett]

I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that this car has NEVER been cleaned inside or out

this was confirmed by the ton of Lego under the back seat when the guy I bought it from had adult children, and the colour of cleaning cloth after I used it to wipe over the dash :yuck:

 

[AndyRKett]

Interior out for a proper clean



Years of not being vacuumed


The back seat base washed and back still filthy

 

[puntofan01]

The paint on my Grande is covered in fine surface scratches. How many times will I need to polish it before they start to disappear? I'm rather attached to the car, and would like to get it looking really top notch.

 

[AndyRKett]

The paint on my Grande is covered in fine surface scratches. How many times will I need to polish it before they start to disappear? I'm rather attached to the car, and would like to get it looking really top notch.

You'd be best to get a machine polisher and spend a day going over it, hand polishing will take for ever

 

[puntofan01]

You'd be best to get a machine polisher and spend a day going over it, hand polishing will take for ever

I see! For the time being then, I'll just have to persevere with the auto glym super resin!

 

[AndyRKett]

I'll just have to persevere with the auto glym super resin!

I wouldn't brother with super resin polish for getting scratches out try a drop of Autoglym paint renovator or similar, it actually has some 'cut' in it which will help get rid of the scratches

 

[puntofan01]

I wouldn't brother with super resin polish for getting scratches out try a drop of Autoglym paint renovator or similar, it actually has some 'cut' in it which will help get rid of the scratches

I tried metallic t-cut, but that didn't make any difference.

 

[AndyRKett]

Oil and air filter change with some nice new oil done today, not all out of choice the oil level was right on the bottom of the dip stick so I thought if I'm buying a can of oil I might as well bung a new filter on for £6
And the air filter was a tenner: total £40


The brand new bottom grill arrived and fitted looks much better now £18


And the interior is all cleaned up now and scrubbed to within an inch of its life


I also did a quick test on some of the scratches with a machine polisher and most of them came out the rest will be gone with a bit more time and effort

 

[homeward]

I tried metallic t-cut, but that didn't make any difference.

I find T-Cut blummin' hard work, compared to the Autoglym paint renovator -- which works a treat: even though I have neurological problems with my hands. You may need a couple of goes -- with a little bit of elbow grease (sadly, Autoglym don't make this: or I would be buying it in bulk...) -- but, followed by the super resin polish, and then protected with their sealant or wax, you should get pretty good results.

If you want to do it 'properly' -- i.e. the Andy Monty way... -- you will need to attend either Hogwarts, or apprentice yourself to your local car care Jedi....

 

[homeward]

I also did a quick test on some of the scratches with a machine polisher and most of them came out the rest will be gone with a bit more time and effort

It's fascinating watching you deal with this from scratch (sorry); and I think it will be a good thread to point people at when they say "I've bought a slightly tatty FIAT, and I want to make it look good, and run well", etc.. :worship: