1995 Fiat Punto ELX 1.2 Multi Point petrol from UK and Ireland

Faults:

Sunroof motor.

Remote central locking.

Intermittent electrical problem that caused the engine to cut out when the brakes were applied.

Fuel economy was a disaster - 25 MPG.

Radio had to be replaced twice.

Dealer unable to fix the car, a real case of Fix It Again Tomorrow.

General Comments:

The lethargy of the dealer and the distributor - Fiat Ireland left an awful lot to be desired.

I ended up demanding a car of equivalent value from the dealer in place of the junk I stupidly bought.

In short Italians know how to make nice looking transport, but their electrical and mechanical skills do not guarantee reliability.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 27th April, 1998

1st Feb 2001, 03:42

Your comments are spot on, I had the same engine as you in SX trim. I bought 1 year old with 10k and sold at 20k, gearbox was on the way out and the steering and brakes always pulled to left whatever the dealer did to try and fix it.

Replaced the car with 1.4 Seat Ibiza which is in a different league for quality although the interior is a sombre affair compared to the Punto, having said that it doesn't creak after 30k miles.

14th Mar 2003, 03:15

I bought a fiat punto 2 years ago, it's a 95. Every month for the last year something has gone in it. First the brakes, the headlights, the radio, the timeing belt, the exhaust my list goes on. They should be taken off the market. Buy a fiat be always on your feet.

Susan.

7th Jun 2005, 06:54

I have just bought a Fiat Punto for my daughter with 45k miles on the clock. I noticed during the test drive that it creaked. I hope I have better luck than the other contributors to the survey.

For information, it was a pleasant drive, with the car coping well with humps. Gear selection, while slightly clunky, was positive. The engine ran very nicely up to 75 mph. There was noticeable understeer on corners, although no signs of pulling to either side on braking.

I will keep you posted if I have any problems.

10th Feb 2010, 12:22

Having problems with radio coming on by itself when not in use.

1995 Fiat Punto 75 SX 1.2 petrol from UK and Ireland

Faults:

Nothing much.

The battery failed after a year and the ECU had to be replaced, the dealer did that free of charge even if guarantee period had expired.

General Comments:

A very spacious comfortable car, with surprising performance for a 1.2.

Feels solid, a great improvement from previously owned Fiats as regards to build quality. Very appealing design although gets easily dented. A car I would recommend to anyone. Keep it up Fiat!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 16th March, 1998

1995 Fiat Punto SX 1.1 petrol from UK and Ireland

Faults:

Nothing!

General Comments:

What can I say, I have had no problems with this car what so ever.

I am looking forward to ordering the new model shortly.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 23rd February, 1998

1995 Fiat Punto Sporting 1.6 petrol from UK and Ireland

Faults:

Well where shall I begin? I experienced problems from day one which are as follows, Alternator Failure, Airbag system failure, Broken passenger seat runners, Paint defects, both electric window motors were replaced, Fuel cap broke whilst in place, major problems with first and reverse gears jumping out of gear whilst travelling, Indicator switch and arm was replaced twice due to failure.

General Comments:

Due to the problems experienced with this car I sold it within seven months of ownership. The dealer from which I purchased the car, has now closed down. This does not surprise me at all, if they concentrated on customer after sales more effectively then perhaps they would still be in business today.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 25th October, 1997

12th Jan 2003, 11:03

I bought a Punto Sporting new from the dealer in 1995 and it is one of the best cars I have driven (and I have driven a wide variety). It was responsive, fast, nippy, economical, roomy inside and fun. It even had the satisfyingly heavy clunk associated with certain German cars when the doors closed! I had no problems whatsoever in the four years that I owned it and, basically, I wish I had kept it. It brings a smile to my face when I see one nowadays.