Faults:

Had the car for some years, and bought it from a family that let it sit for almost two years.

Head gasket twice at 150000 and 220000.

Brakes seem to be an issue, seeing that it's hard to find anti-rattle clips that actually fit.

Front brake discs rust very quickly.

CV joints on both sides; I have replaced twice. CV boots do not have a long life, and crack easily.

Fuel pump (manual) needed to be replaced, and couldn't use a pirate part; had to get one from the agent.

Shock bushes replaced first at 130000, and again at 240000.

Windscreen wiper motor packed up, and I only have one speed. This was replaced twice.

I was plagued with electrical issues until I replaced the coil and had the distributor modulator customised. Since then it's been like a dream.

Spark plug cables do not last long, and need to be checked at every service.

Radiator is not very good; went through two; seems that they crack after a certain amount of use.

Plagued by oil leaks from the engine. It seems that the threads of the block get worn, and the bolts can't turn correctly 200000km. Had this customised to stop this.

Front driver's wheel bearing replaced at 160000, and passenger side at 190000.

Sensors get worn at about 180000. This was replaced, but the quality is not the same and they break easily.

Back brake cylinders wear out at about 160000. Had both replaced in case.

Door handles and door panels wear out because of wear and tear.

General Comments:

I know it seems that I have been overwhelmed, but this is not true. It's the most economical car I have ever had, the interior is awesome if maintained correctly, I have really made use of this car, and I am quite a rough driver

The car handles great, and I get about 900km to a tank on the highway. I used to be on the road for work a lot, and on average did 5000km business a month and about 2700 personal.

Also keep in mind that this is on South African roads, which are not up to scratch, so most of the suspension issues are due to that. Even though I have done so much work to the car, I can't see myself selling it. It still has some oil leaks, which need to be seen to.

This car is awesome for those that have a tight pocket, also seeing that I paid ZAR12000 for it. I suggest this model to anyone.

As I said, most of the work done is wear and tear due to the usage and bad roads, but the coil, distributor modulator and fuel pump are known factory issues here.

Faults:

Brake pipes rusted - had difficulty getting replacements.

Clutch master cylinder failed - cheap to fix but inconvenient.

Handbrake poor - fitted new cables, brake shoes, wheel cylinders & brake drums, handbrake now OK.

Road wheels (2 No.) rusted out dangerously under wheel covers - only discovered when the tyre started deflating. Second hand replacement wheels bought very cheaply from scrapyard solved this problem.

Head gasket failed on return trip from French holiday. Cost £600 to get home by train without car. Cost £950 to get car fixed in France because french garage insisted on replacing water pump, thermostat, cylinder head and cambelt. Cost another £250 to pick up car & drive it back, since when the exhaust fell apart on trip to Cheshire - only cost £55 to fix this.

The latest problem is difficult cold starting - hoping this is water temp sensor.

Body is rusting badly. Had to fix door bottoms due to perforation & tops of doors also perforated. Cleaned these up & sprayed cavities with Waxoyl. Also sealed junction of window rubbers & window frames. Had to have one flitch plate welded where bonnet closes. Now noticed that sill flanges rusting & rear axle beam rusty, also rust creeping under rear bumper and one rear light. Intend to have these areas cleaned up treated or welded before winter.

General Comments:

Car is really economical on fuel - did 180 miles at 70 MPH on half tank of fuel both ways to Cheshire. Not much acceleration, and slow on hills, but otherwise drives like a much larger car.

Handling reasonably good, but not so good with 4 on board.

The way the seats fold back is brilliant and it's easy to get a bicycle loaded in. Pity the car was not built to last.

I love this car and am hoping to solve its many problems, but I'm worried by how rapidly it is becoming a scarce sight on the roads. Also understanding why this is happening.

So much better looking than the Punto.