Faults:

I had to replace my gearbox at 85000. Also a new clutch.

Cam belt at 58k and 99k.

Oil and filter every 5k.

Always well maintained, despite cost.

General Comments:

For a 1.2, this car has more than enough power for its size. Can't beat a good sprint in the morning to wake you up LOL.

Very well equipped, and the seats are fairly comfortable for long journeys.

The only thing is that they dent easy. Other than that, they are brilliant.

The power it has to offer is brilliant. I've often got 120mph out of it on a flat road, free revving the engine all the way to 7k. Can't beat that little kick at 5k LOL.

Very economical car. Combined driving 430 miles to tank of petrol, with the cat removed of course; unleashes a few horses LOL.

Faults:

It was only 5 years old when I bought it, with nearly 60k miles on the clock.

Headlight bulbs blew the first week.

Rear brakes cylinders/drums broke.

Radiator leaked.

Ignition problems.

Clutch started slipping before I scraped it.

Nothing major apart from these.

Road grip was poor, the car once slipped into the nearby field, while turning at 60mph.

General Comments:

It was OK, nothing really exciting about it. Not been so reliable as my previous cars, such as Nissan Micra, Peugeot 205 etc. But is surely more reliable than my current Volkwagen Polo (getting rid of it soon).

Handling was poor, the car was only 5 years old when I bought it, but had many problems during the first month, then drove it over 6 months without any problems.

On the plus side, it was good looking, comfortable for size, cheap parts, good rear visibility and a fast car.

Faults:

40,000 - head gasket £280.

42,000 - The footwells filled with water in heavy rain (mechanic said a pipe had come loose, but only £5 to repair - but a very wet interior!)

44,000 exhaust (normal wear and tear)

48,000 oil Leak £25.

48,000 & 55,000 radius arms (left and right)

60,000 washer bottle leaked (non return valve replaced) £10.

Normal wear and tear, i.e. new battery, new tyres, new bulbs etc.

General Comments:

The main concern with Puntos in my experience and in what I have read on this site, is the head gasket, as it seems to go on ALL Puntos around 40,000 and is an expensive repair.

I have had other things go wrong (see above) but nothing that has taken it off the road; most were covered when it went in for MOT and Service.

It has been generally very reliable and is very spacious; much more spacious that most superminis and is comfortable.

The 60S is a fairly basic spec, but has a decent stereo with four speakers (front and back) and a good heater. For a 1.2 it is quite nippy, but anything over 80mph is pushing it.

I am a bit disappointed with petrol consumption. 85 miles for £10 based on 90p litre (not as good as my old Micra).

The bodywork has no rust, but even a shopping trolley seems to dent it! I would say they are good cars, not up to Japanese standard, but then again very much cheaper! So if you do need to spend money on it, this is money you didn't spend in the first place if you'd have paid more for a Mazda!

Faults:

In the last eight months I have owned the car, I have driven it daily and added 6,000 to the clock and have had NO problems. It always starts first time, runs smoothly and drives well. Gearbox is good, it has good power. All of the accessories (i.e. tape, heater etc) work perfectly.

General Comments:

My previous car was a Nissan and I was under the impression that Fiat had a bad reputation for bodywork and reliability, but I was offered this Fiat from a female work colleague who had owned it since new. It has amazed me how superb it is. I cannot fault it for reliability or performance. The petrol consumption is slightly higher than my previous Micra, but the Fiat has a slightly more powerful engine. The Fiat does 170 miles (town driving) for £20 based at 85p/litre unleaded. It is incredibly spacious inside. I am 6 ft tall and there is ample leg room in both the front and the rear. Boot size is good too. It has significantly more room (SIGNIFICANTLY!!) than my parent's car which is a Fiesta. The only slight thing if I have to be picky is the rear inside door handle has come loose (but the car is 6 years old and that isn't much to moan about!). I might add the previous owner who bought the car new, also had no trouble with it and bought herself another Punto. I believe Fiat dealers are expensive so I have my car serviced at my local garage.