1996 Fiat Punto Reviews - Page 2 of 11

I can only further back these comments up. I thought for the price it looked nice, which it does, there is no arguing against that.

However...the low initial outlay and insurance for a nice looking 1.6 convertible soon proved a poor investment. Cheaply thrown together, it becomes like a cancer patient, slowly withering away in front of your eyes. First it was the electric windows, then the Exhaust manifold, then the gearbox, then the fuel injection, the the power roof... you get the idea. And I only owned the *&!£*!" thing for 6 months!!!

And I am amazed no-one has mentioned the brakes! They are terrible, you have to stand on the brakes to get them to do anything, and they still don't do a lot. They really are that bad! I put it into the garage and spent £300 trying to tighten them up and they were just as bad as before, I had two accidents which I blame squarely on the brakes, and tonnes of near misses. I never had that problem with quicker cars before, and I am no boy racer. You would be better of sticking a carrier bag out of your window (if the windows worked, of course), and using that to slow down.

I also have to agree the engine is poor, very very poor in fact. It hates being in 1st or 2nd gear, I am too scared to take it over 3500 revs for fear of explosion. It shakes, and I don't mean wobbles a bit, I mean aggressively launches into death throes like a Parkinson sufferer on acid when you take it past 50 mph or bring it down to less than 15 mph. It regularly won't start, for no apparent reason. one in every 30 or so times you try to start it, it does nothing. It will bump start, and there will be no problem for weeks, but then it will happen again, and no-one can tell you why. The steering alignment changes daily, the airbag didn't work in either crash.

You just have to drive this thing for a month and you will hate it more than you hate that ex-wife that you caught sleeping with your best mate and left you taking the house, kids, money and dog.

Listen, I could list its faults all day, but there is not enough room on the internet to describe my hatred for this car or tell you how cheated I feel, so I will sum it up thusly. I bought the car in September for £1600, I spent £2400 on it, and sold it for £700 in February.

I will try to end on a high, it has a very nice footrest by the clutch that all cars should have, and the lights turn themselves off when the engine is off, both very nice.

And that is all the good points I can think to write about this cheap piece of filth.

Well what can I say!!!

I have seriously considered buying this car for the summer.

And have finally been put off. Don't think I will be buying one of those.

Many thanks.

I have had one - just the tin top and it has been marvellous. Engine lacks a bit of poke perhaps, but it revs out very nicely indeed.

In response to the comment above, Fiat would have pulled out of the USA as they were losing market share to that other 'exotic' chain of manufacturers, the Japanese. Any American car would be at least as inferior to a Fiat. I have driven GM rentals, and back to back with a Fiat they were positively awful. Come on! You want trouble? Try a Renault, or a Pug...