Faults:

Two weeks after I'd bought the car the head gasket blew, luckily fixed under warranty.

The radiator started leaking.

Had a new heater matrix fitted.

Recently had to have a new alternator.

General Comments:

The car is quite slow to get up to speed on the motorway.

Is very spacious inside and the boot is a good size.

The doors dent easily.

Seats are comfy and the fact that you can move them up, down, backwards, forwards leaves you with no excuse to be uncomfortable.

Faults:

The Coil Pack needed to be replaced at 40,000 miles - symptoms were stalling engine and poor running at low revs which became progressively worse over about 10,000 miles.

New exhaust at 50,000 miles.

New clutch at 60,000 miles (a little early I thought).

Head gasket appears to be leaking.

Rear wash/wiper squirter never worked even though at every service I have asked Fiat to look at it and they say they have fixed it.

Door lock covers froze open once when I washed the car on a cold day and they have never sprung back, so you can't wash the car on a cold day in the winter, otherwise the water gets in the locks and freezes.

General Comments:

Other than the above the car has been great. It's cheap to run, maintain, service and insure and is reliable - it starts first time, every time, no matter what the weather is doing.

I like the car - it just has a few oddities - like the wash wiper on the passenger side isn't big enough, the indicators cancel too early etc.

Faults:

Clutch went at 58,000 miles.

Head gasket blew at 70,000 miles.

I am on the third exhaust.

Rear suspension arms at 78,000 miles.

Sump is badly corroded and leaking - very costly to replace.

Timing belt at 56,000 miles.

Mysterious loud squealing when turning full lock from cold after 70,000 miles.

Erratic engine temperature control after head gasket replacement.

Rear windows keep undoing themselves over time.

Front windows rattle when half-open.

Pulls to the left and wears tyres on the inside, adjusting tracking does not solve the problem.

Oil leak not from sump - unable to source.

Wafer thin bodywork very prone to denting.

Difficult to fill with petrol.

Exhaust front section replaced at 78,000.

General Comments:

Nippy off the mark, but runs at 4,500rpm at 70mph.

Roomy interior. Good spec.

Faults:

My head gasket blew at 30,000 miles, got it replaced and it went again within 11 months!

Steering pulls to the left (always has), I had Fiat check it out and they could not fix it.

Timing belt popped at 32,000 miles, but caused no long term damage (even though I had it towed and tried to jump start it).

Intermittent failure of one rear light. Works most times though.

I had a rear suspension arm replaced at 58,000 miles and then the other needed done for its MOT at 32,000 miles.

The car does dent very easily (door bumps).

The heater matrix popped and soaked the interior of the car at 63,000 miles.

..but one of the most annoying points to the car is that the drivers seat squeaks when moving. I have heard of other Punto owners with the same problem, what about you?

General Comments:

Great looking little car, cheap to run and nippy when there are no passengers. I hate to drive it with 3-5 people, you can really feel the loss of power.

A nice cabin and SX models have enough toys to make it fun to own (when it's running).