Faults:

Where do I start?

The clutch has completely gone.

Seals are rubbish.

Power steering detrimental. Clicked off when hitting full right/left lock.

Windscreen wiper linkage torn, had to get major welding work done, costing 300 pounds.

Unpredictable driver's seat, flies back when you're driving, very dangerous.

General Comments:

The car was a first car and served its purpose, but I would never recommend a Punto to anyone. It gobbled fuel like there's no tomorrow, and insurance was quite pricey compared to other small cars.

It was quite comfortable and joyous to drive, but the constant fear of being flown back and not being able to reach the pedals wasn't great.

Faults:

Gear Linkage (£90).

Split in manifold (£170).

Steering column failure (Quoted £1000+ from Fiat, but purchased a 2nd hand one on eBay £170 + £65 to fit).

Cam-Belt snapped valves and head gasket replaced (£550).

Rear suspension replaced (£250)

Electrical failure (car kept stalling when foot brake was applied) (£200)

Gear Box failure (£700)

Total cost of repairs alone in just under 3 years £2195!

General Comments:

I can say with confidence that I will never own a Fiat again.

My first 2 cars were Fiat Puntos, 1.1 S60 first and a 1.2 Active second. My 3rd car was the HGT.

To be honest the HGT is great fun, but little more, very quick at the lights and surprises a few people, but the fact that I have spent £2195 on repairs in only under 3 years and just 15000 miles gives some indication of the build quality.

The ride is very poor due to the stiff suspension, but this helps the handling a great deal. The exterior looks nice, and compared to the 1.2 Active is high build quality, however if you compare it to a Golf, it's not even close, the interior feels cheap and tacky.

For the size of the car, it’s quite spacious inside, boot is on the small side though! The engine is sound, but everything else is frustratingly unreliable! Expect the steering column to fail, as this is a common fault (1st time it happens can catch you off guard too). Another common fault is the electrics which will no doubt also fail at some point.

Overall, I cannot fault the HGT for its fun aspect as it really is like driving a go kart on steroids, but it’s hugely unreliable and cheap feeling!

Faults:

I have had my Punto 1.2 ELX for over a year and already I'm thinking... what have I done!!!

After 2 months, the clutch went.

The oil is going somewhere it shouldn't be (haven't quite figured out where it's going yet???)

Just waiting for the head gasket to go!!!

Brakes also wear quickly and fluid goes with it!!

General Comments:

Although a comfortable drive, I am constantly thinking I hope my gasket doesn't go ETC.

The pedals are very close together... although not a problem for me, it seems to be a major for others...

The car does stick to the road very well and gets a lot of tire screech... bonus for the loons on the road.

...so...

If you're looking to buy one of these... you best have some spare cash or you're in trouble LOL!!!

Faults:

The drivers seat has collapsed on the right hand side from people getting in and out.

Head gasket blew at 92k.

Air con need re-gassing.

General Comments:

I'm 17, this is my second car and I love it. I think it looks stylish (though this is down to personal opinion)

It has a built in subwoofer, which for what it is can actually sound quite good =).

The car handles great, There is a slight hint of understeer when cornering at high speed, but this could probably be put down to my budget tyres. It has firm suspension, with little body roll.

The cars power band is very defined, until 3500 rpm the car has little performance, but from 3500 till 5500 the car has a good pick up. The car pulls well through all 6 gears, to get the best acceleration from it you have to really work the gears, ensuring that you stay in the power band in each gear.

I find the electric power-steering makes the steering feel a bit too light, I prefer mechanical as you can feel what the car is doing more. There is a 'city' mode, which makes steering lighter for parking or city driving and makes the throttle response more smooth for start-stop driving.

I find that the sports seats have a comfortable position, and grip you into your seat.

This car is not the fastest car, but for a 17 year old most things that I can insure aren't, but I think the car has a great balance of economy and performance. Even when driving hard, you can still return about 33mpg from a tank, but when driven sensibly you can easily get 40+ mpg, even around town.

The trip computer is a good feature, I didn't expect a smaller car of this age to have one, it displays average mpg, how many miles you can get from the rest of your tank, average speed etc.

The car is spacious, with an excellent boot size. The cabin feels like that of a bigger car, however if you are over 6ft (like me), then passengers in the rear will have limited leg room.