1998 Fiat Punto GT 1.4 turbo from UK and Ireland

Summary:

A brilliant package at a sensible price

Faults:

Door trim broke at 3 months old.

Side skirt split at 9 months.

Three leaks within the first year.

General Comments:

Roomy, comfortable and breathtakingly fast.

The seats are good, and it comes with all the equipment needed to enjoy driving.

Performance is great when the boost cuts in, and the handling is great in anything except the most adverse conditions.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 26th March, 2001

11th Oct 2001, 12:32

How fast is it, I want one I'm 17, by the way I've got an insurance quote for 2000 LOL.

31st Jul 2002, 21:13

Mines is a series one g t with the 137bhp. I'm 22 and the insurance is £789 which is steep, but worth it for a car that can beat any standard boy racer car even cavy turbos up to 90 MPH. Compared to other cars I've had its the fastest, but the handling is terrible standard. I've had to lower mine -40mm and have 17x7 wheels, but the bigger wheels slow the car right down. This means the torque isn't the best, but the series 2 and three have more torque, but less brake horse power. Common problems are the rear radius arms bushes and turbo cutting off when driven hard, but at the end of the day it is a fiat and you have to put up with little problems from time to time.

8th Jun 2003, 09:51

I've just bought a 1995 punto gt and I'm having problems with the boost. this is my first one and looking at peoples comments this car is a neck breaker. my car has never been out of garages and I'm having problems with the boost.I've changed the engine loom, boost valve, fuel filter, oil, pipes.the car has a racetec boost gauge on the dash and it reads perfect, but the car does not have the kick that it should!please can you give me any helpful tips that I might of missed for that I seem to be spending money and getting nowhere.

1998 Fiat Punto 60S 1.2 from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Absolute rubbish

Faults:

Head gasket at 11,000 miles, dealer did not want to know as car owas ne month out of the warranty period.

Cooling fan electrics.

Seat covers wearing badly and coming away from the seat frame.

Brake calipers seizing.

Clutch problems.

Exhaust fell off as the mountings rusted.

Drivers door window fell out.

I could go on for ages yet!!!

General Comments:

Very disappointing car.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 8th March, 2001

1998 Fiat Punto 75 SX 1.2 from Finland

Summary:

Compact comfort

Faults:

Some minor problems in the first year, like the back door lock jammed and central locking malfunction.

Second year and some leak from the gearbox, one bolt too loose.

Now (2001) everything seems to be OK!

General Comments:

Very reliable car and easy driving.

Small but roomy at the same time.

Good engine 75hp, enough power for long holiday journeys (2000 summer 4000km on German highways with no problems, only brakes overheating in the Alps!) and good in cities.

45000 service ahead... maybe some work with the brakes.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 8th March, 2001

1998 Fiat Punto 60 SX 1.2 from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Typical Fiat

Faults:

Rear wiper.

Horn (twice)

Heater (no temperature control - it's either on very cold or very hot).

General Comments:

Nippy enough below 40, but as soon as you get to 5th gear things begin to slow down. This is understandable for a 1.2 engine.

I would have given the car a higher grade except for the little things that continually went wrong.

The dealer was great before I signed the cheque. After that, they didn't care if I was going to be a repeat customer or not.

Crap resale value.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 14th February, 2001

3rd Apr 2001, 16:23

Hey... all Fiats are budget cars... I think they are the very best economical car that money can buy... so if you want some thing that is going to last get a German or Japanese built car...

13th Jul 2001, 17:17

OK, so they are cheap, you should still expect them to be of merchantable quality, my wife's Punto 60SX dropped a valve into the cylinder head at 5000 miles, rear wiper only works in the dry, she's done 20000 miles now and it has had more sets of brake disks and front suspension components than I care to remember... and the dealers aren't interested as soon as you've got the keys, they know only a fool would buy a Fiat after owning one... and it's a dog to drive, and worth a third of what we paid for it after less than 2 years.

12th Aug 2001, 11:49

Yes they are cheap cars. I bought one 60s and I have done 46000 miles. I have flogged the 1.2 engine to death and all I have had to replace is a new injector, for some reason it packed in. I have owned it for 2 years now and I'm well happy with it. Cheap motoring! Cheap car! You can't go wrong!

12th Aug 2002, 14:14

I have been driving my Punto 60S for nearly two years now, I have done about 30000 miles in it and its still going strong.

Mu recent MOT showed nothing wrong with it and I am yet to replace anything other than the tyres.

19th Sep 2002, 10:08

I own the 85SX 16V version- so far so good.