Faults:

Only thing that it needed was a new ECU unit, as it was misfiring on two cylinders.

I now just need new wipers as it's knocking on the bottom of the window.

General Comments:

The car is fairly quick, to say it's only a 1.2 8V with 60BHP, it really handles like a GO-Kart now I've got the new 15" alloy wheels 195/45/R15.

Overall, the car is really reliable, but you have got to expect faults.

Faults:

51,000 miles: Windscreen wiper motor mechanism failed - result was a new complete motor etc needed @ £55.

58,200 miles: Timing belt tensioner failed - new tensioner & belt needed (lucky no engine damage).

Since above - engine management lamp on, yet no fault codes?

Numerous rattles inside the car.

General Comments:

Thought it was a good buy - got it for £2000 with loads of service history.

Now thinking it maybe time to get shot and invest in something better recommended!

Faults:

The wipers on a Punto are pretty much rubbish, and cost £150 for a wiper motor.

I do not like the clutch and gear shift, as they are pretty old fashioned.

Apart from that, it is very reliable, never broke down and cost efficient.

Comfy - good.

Takes ages to heat up - dad.

Not reliable in winter, as the locks and interior glass freeze over.

Fuel consumption is very good.

General Comments:

The car has its problems, but is by far not the worst car I have owned. Better than Peugeot for sure...

Faults:

My head gasket blew at 54,000.

Wiper motor arms failed at 90,000.

General Comments:

Where to start, well firstly it's a small Italian car with not much on it. The engine makes a load of fuss and achieves nothing.

The driving position is good and the seats are comfortable, even on long distance runs.

Overall I love my Punto; yes things have gone wrong, but no more than any other car I have owned.

Remember it's Italian; if you want reliability buy a Honda.

Faults:

Acceleration lumpy in 1st gear.

Plastic cladding separating from driver's side door.

Unexplained rattle from near side rear window.

Radio signal dire + tape player is temperamental.

Indicators often do not self terminate.

General Comments:

Feels surprisingly nippy for a 1.2, very nice handling and fun to drive.

The car does not much like driving slowly, especially in town, but that is not to say that it is not easy to do so.

The city button is great for really tight parking, but the steering is so light anyway that it is hardly necessary; if anything it needs a speed button to make it a little less twitchy on dual carriageways.

Faults:

Exhaust rattles against underside of car when more than 2 occupants.

Exhaust unhooked from mountings a few times.

Starter motor starting to give up.

Front passenger sun visor broken and just hangs, swinging about.

Cigarette lighter not working (and not just a fuse blown).

Windscreen wiper mechanism snapped.

Front passenger electric window starting to fail.

Cassette player starting to fail.

Clutch replaced twice in 3 years.

General Comments:

Was bought this car by my parents in 2001 as my first own car. Very quickly things started falling off (exhaust, etc).

The interior is cheap, but functional with everything you would expect from a cheap car. The seats themselves are not very comfortable for tall people, but do have adjustable back arches.

Overall a surprisingly fast and responsive drive, considering the engine size and price, but the quality of build is appalling.

Faults:

Exhaust fell off.

Headlamps misted severely in cold/damp weather.

Trim under glove box fell off.

Engine became excessively smoky under hard acceleration.

Fuel gauge erratic.

Uneven tyre wear.

All electrics in passenger door (mirror, window, illumination) packed up due to an electrical short.

Boot leaked.

General Comments:

Bought privately as a one owner, full main dealer historied car. Nothing but trouble from day 1.

I would expect to have to replace the exhaust on a 5 year old car. However, I would not expect £1,000 worth of fuel system work on an 80k diesel engine (2 new injectors and an ECU recode needed) as the engine began to smoke heavily under load from about 6 months in. I also wouldn't expect the constant niggling problems - this was a car that ALWAYS had at least one thing wrong with it.

HLX trim is very generous. Plush velour seats, air-conditioning, CD player, electric windows and mirrors etc. It's still a sharp looking little car as well, and at 2 and a bit k at 5 years old, is a lot of late-ish car for the money. Although it lacks the muscle of a current generation diesel, the 1.9 JTD engine is surprisingly perky, reasonably refined, and returns about 48 mpg in daily use. It's a good drive.

Sadly, several weeks of ownership shows why they're cheap. Total rubbish and never again. Not a patch on a Fiesta or even a Corsa.