General Some comments on my 1.4 8V Dynamic

[sassyboy]

I previously owned a 1.2 16V Punto and part-exchanged the 1.4 8V Dynamic which arrived last week. I have since done 40 miles. In comparison with the 1.2 16V, this car is very quiet inside even on the motorway (thanks to those sound absorbers built-in).

When moving the car forward from stand-still, the 1st gear reaches its threshold very quickly but the car seems hardly accelerated, so I found myself force to switch to 2nd gear very soon for more acceleration. And this is not very good either. I had to rev the engine up to 2500 rpm to get a decent speed of 25 mph in 5 seconds. Normally in 5 seconds I would have been in 4th gear at 25 mph in my 1.2 16V Punto. I guess 16V makes a big difference in comparison to the 8V. I cannot understand why Fiat(UK) didn't lanch the 16V petrol at the start and bother with the 8V petrol version.

Secondly, when I am on the motorway doing 70 mph exact. The rpm reads 3500. Now in the 1.2 16V it read only 3100. This means that my 1.4 8V petrol consumption will definitely be more than with my 1.2 16V at motorway speed. However, the inside of the car remains very quiet at such speed which I can compromise with.

My average fuel consumption after 40 miles is 32.5 mpg. My previous punto experience tells me only around 7000 miles mileage is reached would the average fuel consumption be close to the official figure of approx. 46 mpg.

In conclusion, I am only disappointed with its slow start and painful to watch a SMART car overtaking me. :bang: Otherwise, the car is perfect! If you are a petrol fan, worth waiting for the 16V. Also ask for a free Fiat floor mat sets!

 

[gavin]

In conclusion, I am only disappointed with its slow start and painful to watch a SMART car overtaking me. :bang: Otherwise, the car is perfect! If you are a petrol fan, worth waiting for the 16V. Also ask for a free Fiat floor mat sets!

Have you tried the 1.3 75 m/jet engined Grande Punto, you will be suprised how good it is!

 

[sassyboy]

Gavin, thanks for the reply. I have tried the Diesel version. It is brilliant and of course I would have prefer it. But I am not a long mileage driver, so diesel will not benefit me in the cost of ownership. Hence I have been sticking to small engine petrol version instead. My former 1.2 16V was quite quick and cheap to run. I thought the 1.4 would at least be as quick, but I am disappointed as it is not. I admire those who has a diesel or a 16V version!

 

[diablo_NL]

I bought a 1.4 16V but I made a test drive in a 1.4 8V and I was already quite pleased with the 8V. The only reason that I bought the 16V is that the price was not so much higher and for that I rather have the extra power in case I'm next to a SMART at te traffic lights

 

[JTD Monkey]

Economy on new engines is well-short of what to expect in normal running, so wait a while before making judgement; likewise the performance will loosen up once you get past 1000 miles.

Autocar managed quite good economy figures from their run-in 1.4 test car (46mpg from memory) and they tend to abuse cars quite alot.

The 1.4 is indeed quite short geared (higher revs at a given road speed) due to the extra weight it shifts around, although this is at-odds with the low-revving 8-valve engine. I think the actual figure is 19.0mph/1000rpm, so it does about 3700rpm at a true 70mph (like most cars, you speedo over reads).

Due to the extra weight, I recon the 1.4 8v is probably closer in real world performance to the Mk2/2.5 1.2 8v rather than 16v. I would have waited for the 1.4 16v if good performance was on your wish list, or got the diesel as has been said. The 1.3 16v 75bhp m-jet is more than quick enough, although you might not fancy the Active Spec.

 

[lalli]

there are other chocies of engines but you choose the 1.4 petrol. If you tests drove most of the engines and expect a 1.4 75bhp to be quick comapared to ????? then i sorry but you should have waited. but i know that can be very hard!!!!

 

[AlexGP]

You have GOT to wait for that engine to run in.

There is a massive difference between an engine with 20 miles on the clock, and one with 1000.

New engines on the GP are very tight. Give them a few weeks to bed in and you'll have your foot to the floor, revving the nuts off it.

 

[sassyboy]

Thank you guys for your useful comments. You have boosted my confidence that I will soon see my 1.4 8V GP better perform after more miles on the clock. So, I have just booked a ferry ticket to Calais in May and then drive to Monte Carlo via the French Alps to give the car a good run. Cheers

 

[AlexGP]

You have done well!

I will have to arrange a special trip to run mine in.

I drove 6 different cars whilst making my mind up, half had delivery miles, the other had about 800-1000 miles.

There is a genuinely big difference.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[Oldschool]

You have GOT to wait for that engine to run in.

There is a massive difference between an engine with 20 miles on the clock, and one with 1000.

New engines on the GP are very tight. Give them a few weeks to bed in and you'll have your foot to the floor, revving the nuts off it.

To add to this from personal experience. I had to drive a lot of new 75.t ton trucks which we used to sell from a specialist box manufacturer from Manchester down to London. Two miles from the factory I joined the motorway. Every time the vehicle struggled with the new engine to get to 60mph. Belting it was impossible as it wouldn't want to move initially. After the first 100 miles it loosened up quite a bit and nearer to London it would go off the clock going well over 80mph.

Engines are so tight that they even sound different till they are run in. Give it some time. After a 1000 miles it will be even slightly better. And generally an engine is fully run in at about 7000 to 8000 miles and only fully destressed after 50000 miles (up to about 80000 miles), which is the best time to do work on the block for the best tuning results.

 

[PNL]

To add to this from personal experience. I had to drive a lot of new 75.t ton trucks which we used to sell from a specialist box manufacturer from Manchester down to London. Two miles from the factory I joined the motorway. Every time the vehicle struggled with the new engine to get to 60mph. Belting it was impossible as it wouldn't want to move initially. After the first 100 miles it loosened up quite a bit and nearer to London it would go off the clock going well over 80mph.

Engines are so tight that they even sound different till they are run in. Give it some time. After a 1000 miles it will be even slightly better. And generally an engine is fully run in at about 7000 to 8000 miles and only fully destressed after 50000 miles (up to about 80000 miles), which is the best time to do work on the block for the best tuning results.

Thats an interesting comment peter ie-50,000/80,000 the best time to do tuning work that would be ok though surley if the engine hasnt been thrashed

 

[Oldschool]

Thats an interesting comment peter ie-50,000/80,000 the best time to do tuning work that would be ok though surley if the engine hasnt been thrashed

It relates first of all to the block, Phil. As long as the block is cooled down by the water and the engine is given a proper oil quality and quantity it doesn't matter to the block when it was driven hard (in most of the cases the block will be overbored or bored out to take the biggest pistons possible or at least the bores honed). The block is the most stressed component when cooling down after the casting process because of its structural complexity. Although the cylinder head might come fairly close, it hasn't got to live with the stresses thereafter. Even then you have to slacken the head bolts in the right order to make sure not to get any problems, which usually result in cracks.

To all other components the thrashing problem would apply.

 

[PNL]

I read your post wrong and I now see what you mean and correct me if ime wrong so the 50/80,000 miles on the engine is a settling in period BEFORE any extensive modification work is done eg- machining /reboreing etc where as i thought you meant that the engine could be modified at the 50/80,000 mile stage with out any work being done to any of the internal components like crank/mains and big end bearings etc you are useing that mileage to stress releave the block and cylinder head or

 

[sassyboy]

You have GOT to wait for that engine to run in.

There is a massive difference between an engine with 20 miles on the clock, and one with 1000.

New engines on the GP are very tight. Give them a few weeks to bed in and you'll have your foot to the floor, revving the nuts off it.

I wonder if the official 0 to 60 MPH figure for the 1.4 8V is based on new cars with very little mileage. If so, would the 0 to 60 mph timing be shorter then the official figure after say 7000 miles done? Just a thought!

 

[diablo_NL]

I wonder if the official 0 to 60 MPH figure for the 1.4 8V is based on new cars with very little mileage. If so, would the 0 to 60 mph timing be shorter then the official figure after say 7000 miles done? Just a thought!

I presume this info is based on ideal conditions.

 

[Prestissimo]

The Autocar road test of a 1.4 (8v) Dynamic recorded a 0-60 time of 13.0 seconds with the odometer reading 2513 miles at the start of the test, so there should still be room for some improvement. I have briefly driven two 1.4's and one did feel quicker than the other, plus the one that felt quicker even had a salesman passenger on board.