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Punto (Mk2/2b) The car I wasn't going to change...

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Introduction

Bought my Punto back in June (2012): to replace a (well it was originally) white 1994 Clio 1.4 RT automatic, that's now gone to Renault heaven. It was just meant as a second car: spending most of the time sat on the drive... -- especially as we had just ordered a brand new Panda TwinAir Dualogic... (which then failed to materialize: hence the 2009 Panda currently starring in my signature, below...). :eek:

However, something about this (extremely cheap) FIAT really got to me... -- whether just the sheer joy with which it revs; or the way it chucks itself round corners; or even the quirkiness of the electrics... -- and I found myself tinkering with a car for the first time in many, many years. Not since I owned a succession of VW Beetles and Mk1 and Mk2 Ford Escorts, in the '80s, have I had so much fun...! :)

Because I'm disabled, it had to be an automatic, of course. Also, any 'heavy lifting' means that I have to take it to a garage to be fettled... -- so the progress you see below is a mix of me getting (slightly) oily, and Black Cat Motors taking up the slack, and doing much more than their fair share of the difficult stuff...! ;)

I haven't got the stamina (or attention span) to post everything at once: so, for starters, here's the photo that attracted my attention -- and, I must admit, initially put it near the bottom of the list of cars I went to test-drive... (sorry) -- on AutoTrader:



More to follow, shortly...! :wave:

Edit
Here's how the car now looks (May 2014): (y)

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homeward said:
Ta! (y)

However, it's a case of 'needs must', now... -- being the victim of three rather savage motor accidents, I have "this terrible pain in all the diodes down my left-hand side"; and a few other (what are charmingly described as) "neurological deficits".... But I have to say, the Speedgear's pretty good; and I prefer it to the Dualogic in the Panda... -- it's very smooth; revs cleanly and freely; you just, occasionally, lack that little bit of control over the rev range.... :cool:
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oh man the accidents suck :(
 
Totally changing the subject: on the recommendation of many on the Forum, I've been dealing with Big Mick, from Eurocarcare, by email (as I'm quite hard of hearing, and therefore struggle on the phone...) -- and what a star he is: helping to source parts for me (from Italy) at prices around 15% lower than list; and that are only usually available through FIAT dealers.... (y)

Extremely helpful, courteous, and just an A1 guy to do business with. Add me to the long and growing list of his fans...! :worship:
 
Won some Hertz speakers (including fitting...) in a competition (ESK 165.5 in-door speakers and tweeters): so took the opportunity to upgrade the HU at the same time (Pioneer DEH-4500BT). :cool:

The tweeters wouldn't fit in the existing slots, by the mirror controls: so have been installed in the A-pillars:



Also: the speakers needed new 'pods' to fit in the doors. Personally, I think these are rather neat... (although, sadly, I've lost that useful little pocket that used to be there...:



Here's the HU, for sake of completeness:



Haven't yet had time to look at the rather large PDF of a manual; but a quick fiddle with the controls means that Radios 3 and 4 are now pre-set; and that Joni Mitchell (yes, I have eclectic tastes...) now sounds clear as a bell... -- even whistling down the A46 at 70 mph with my hearing aids on.... :D

At some stage, though, I shall have to (i) learn how to route my iPhone through it, via Bluetooth; (ii) copy some music across to my iPhone (or attach my iPod or a USB stickum); and (iii) clean the car... -- as you can probably tell from the photos, it's disgusting.... :yuck:

A big, big thank you to Lee Dunstan at Platinum In-car, for the time and care he took fitting everything. If you're in or around Coventry, I can heartily recommend him: a genuinely nice guy, and a true professional. (y)
 
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Thought I'd drop by show your thread some love :p it's looking clean in all these piccies yet Coventry it was another story! :D

You attending Brooklands by any chance? :) if so I will utterly disappointed if it's clean ;)

Keep up the good work, get some more updates going! I'll be doing more mods to mine after Brooklands....but no details on that yet....

That is all!

Benny
 
benny279 said:
Thought I'd drop by show your thread some love...
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Thanks, Benny! (y)

Things have been a bit hectic, lately... -- not helped by suddenly coming into the possession of a pair of classic Pandas! :D

Once things quieten down, and the weather's a little more consistent, I shall go through all the stuff that's currently sitting in the boot -- probably starting with replacing the breather hose and air filter holder; and then gradually working backwards. I may even give her a proper clean and wax...! :eek:

Sorry to say that my next meet will be Prodrive: and I'm aiming to bring the blue Mk2 Panda to that. :cool:

Hope to see you there! :wave:
 
homeward said:
Thanks, Benny! (y)

Things have been a bit hectic, lately... -- not helped by suddenly coming into the possession of a pair of classic Pandas! :D

Once things quieten down, and the weather's a little more consistent, I shall go through all the stuff that's currently sitting in the boot -- probably starting with replacing the breather hose and air filter holder; and then gradually working backwards. I may even give her a proper clean and wax...! :eek:

Sorry to say that my next meet will be Prodrive: and I'm aiming to bring the blue Mk2 Panda to that. :cool:

Hope to see you there! :wave:
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A full wash and wax :eek: you feeling okay? :p

Well i cant say for certain at the moment but will pm you if i can make it mate :)

If not see you at any other meets you may attend!

Benny
 
Priscilla's had a slow puncture for the last couple of weeks: so I took her to the local tyre centre (who were brilliantly attentive and patient... -- which is why we go there for MOTs...) for some minor surgery, poor thing... -- as I'm heading oop north to see my parents, this weekend, for Father's Day. :)

As she's not had any loving for quite some time -- Pippin having taken precedence, I'm afraid... -- I also decided I'd sort out a few niggling faults, etc., at the same time. :cool:

I started with the easy stuff: new side repeaters (as I rather like all the dark stuff on the side of the car -- mirrors; rubbing strips; wind deflectors; mudflaps, etc....), and new wipers -- a pair of Bosch Aerotwin Retrofit Flats. (One of the repeaters was slightly cracked; the other kept filling up with condensation. And both wipers were, at a year old, starting to reach the end of their usefulness.) :eek:



And, yes, benny279, I know the car still needs a clean. But 'twill have to wait until I get back from my trip up the M6.... :p



The next thing to tackle was the leaking breather hose -- which was starting to mess up the engine compartment... -- and the cracked air filter box (which was also lacking a bolt: and therefore vibrated annoyingly at certain revs...). :(

After taking the old box off (and throwing away the year-old filter -- which seems to have attracted rather a large number of dead wasps, during its short life...), the hose simply disintegrated.... :eek:



It actually came off in three pieces -- one of which was very badly perished -- and was more repair/tape than rubber.... (n)



I cleaned everything up; got out the new air filter that I'd just bought; discovered there was already one in the new box; and then reassembled everything -- using jubilee clips, rather than those stupid metal bands that FIAT so seem to love.... :rolleyes:



If anyone can spot the 'deliberate' mistake, then I'll buy them a drink at Stanford Hall. :confused:

Anyhoo: the car now seems quieter (especially on tickover); and it'll be interesting to see if this has any effect on economy.... :idea:

PS: Big thanks to Big Mick at Eurocarcare; Rob at PuntoSpares.com; Daron at TMC Motorsport; Autobulbs Direct; and Wiperblades Ltd, for supplying all the various bits and pieces. :worship:
 
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homeward said:
...it'll be interesting to see if this has any effect on economy.... :idea:
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Well, I must have done something right...! :D



This is from a 170-mile trip of mostly motorway miles.... And, yes, I know the gauge is optimistic... -- for instance, for the last tankful, it said 47.4: versus a calculated figure of 43.83 (so about 8% over...) -- but my reckoning is that this equates to about 52.0 real miles per gallon. (y)

PS: According to automobile-catalog.com, the official consumption/economy figures for my Punto are 33.6 mpg EU urban; 51.4 mpg extra-urban; and 43.5 combined... -- which is pretty much what I'm getting (using Shell's V-Power Nitro+ super unleaded...). :)
 
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homeward said:
Well, I must have done something right...! :D



This is from a 170-mile trip of mostly motorway miles.... And, yes, I know the gauge is optimistic... -- for instance, for the last tankful, it said 47.4: versus a calculated figure of 43.83 (so about 8% over...) -- but my reckoning is that this equates to about 52.0 real miles per gallon. (y)

PS: According to automobile-catalog.com, the official consumption/economy figures for my Punto are 33.6 mpg EU urban; 51.4 mpg extra-urban; and 43.5 combined... -- which is pretty much what I'm getting (using Shell's V-Power Nitro+ super unleaded...). :)
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i can so beat that!!
mine has said 63mpg....somehow i dont think thats ultra realistic and the ecu being very optimistic,...
but i like to think thats what im actually getting:rolleyes:
 
homeward said:
Ooh: you should so try the TwinAir engine.... :cool:

Actually, your official mpg figures are rather good: 38.7/58.9/49.6; and Mrs h averages just less than 50 in her 1.2 8v Mk3 Panda.... (y)
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those figures are pretty good:)
i think ill stick to my new engine next year a zetec engine......oops did i mention that on a fiat based forum:rolleyes:
 
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