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Any thoughts from you lot in the know on the Fiat Punto 1.9JTD Is it a good nearly knew buy?? Oppinions welcome
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Hi Miss Jenny,
If the Punto has the same engine as the Tipo 1.9Td and the Fiat Scudo 1.9Td then you've got a good lump of metal under the bonnet. The Punto is probably the best car that Fiat make with lots of room inside. The only down side is the rather light-ish build quality. Also, all Fiats have galvanised bodies and they will only rust if they have been crashed and poorly repaired.
Have a look at the car by car breakdown on this site to see what HJ thinks of them !
Regards,
Ash.
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Can only speak for a petrol Punto, which I found roomy, comfortable and economical. All literature I have seen says the diesel is disappointing and not much more economical. Go for the petrol unless you have a good reason not to.
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Hey Miss Jenny !
Go for the 1.2 petrol punto, it's very economical, there's no incentive to get a diesel version unless you do a lot of driving in Europe, where diesel is 2/3rds the price of petrol.
These are a fine car and you'll not go far wrong.
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My parents have a diesel Punto. It does between 50 and 55 miles to the gallon, depending on the driving and has been very reliable over 100K miles. I think you'd be doing well to get much better than 40-45 mpg in the 1.2 petrol, so it's twenty-five percent more economical. It's also very quick. BUT because it's a small car and the sound-proofing has been skimped on to make the interior more roomy, there's quite a bit of engine and road noise at speed.
Chris
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My experience with the 1.2 petrol Punto (96N) was that it did 50 mpg whether the trips were long or short. Diesel advantage not worth the hassle.
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Jenny,
Ask about any car here and we'll soon descend to the petrol vs diesel debate!
Assuming you are thinking about a '99 on model you will like this small car. Drive both petrol and diesel a good few miles before deciding. As much as anything the two engines give the car a quite different feel. The petrol is nippy and quite smooth. The diesel is a little more coarse but, being a larger torquey engine, can actually give the car a more relaxed feel to drive.
You will achieve better fuel consumption from a diesel. If Andrew T gets 50mpg from a 1.2 petrol he would get 63mpg from a diesel. You have to compare like for like here, in both personal driving style and type of useage.
Lastly if you are buying from a dealer without the benefit of HJ standing with you make sure you buy nearly new at the right price. The actual loss of value in the first year or two is far steeper than the dealers would ever like to admit. They often price such cars at an apparently attractive figure which is still miles over reality. Try trading in a nearly new and see what I mean!
David
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Try instead for a 1.9 TDI Fabia Comfort. I've driven the Punto as a hire car, and a number of other small cars.
The Fabia is an excellent environment to be in and generally cannot be faulted except by badge-snobbery.
Build quality, ride, handling, and residual values are all superior for the Fabia.
The other car I'd consider is the Seat Arosa 1.4 TDi. Again, build quality, interior, and residuals are all good. Even better fuel economy. The only downside is the small (and unfurnished) boot.
Neil.
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