I bought this car new in March 2002 and was attracted by the stylish interior & exterior design, spacious cabin and low price Over time the Punto has impressed further with its excellent seats, well-suppressed engine noise at motorway speeds, well-weighted steering and decent performance/economy mix and the optional radio/CD + 100W subwoofer audio unit is the best in-car system I have experienced But it has not been without its faults. The handling looses grip easily and rolls too much despite the firm ride. And then the legendary Fiat quality, including the following faults 1. Noisy harmonic clutch operation on gradient 2. Headlamps out of alignmen 3. Ignition would turn but engine would not fire? Accompanied by CANCHECK message displayed on radio display 4. Heavy clutch judder 5. Juddering wipers 6. Electric Power Steering (EPS) failed once. Restarting engine fixed the problem 7. Passenger airbag or low fuel light would occasionally light up under braking 8. Interior rattles 9. Noisy brakes? Had to be rebuilt twice 10. Vibration through steering wheel when braking from high speeds 11. Squeaking from rear suspension over poorly surfaced roads 12. Creaking from rear suspension on gradients 13. Quality of exterior paint and fittings was appalling 14. Key broke (my own fault) in the door lock. A complete lockset had to be purchased This car has now been replaced by a Honda Jazz. |
