2000 Fiat Punto Basic Model (new shape) from UK and Ireland - Comments

Back silencer of Exhaust fell off at 44000 miles.

Ok ...a word about the exhaust... the back box dropped off at the connection of the middle pipe to the front of the back box. A clean break... bang it went at 70 on the motorway. RAC said that it was because the original ones are a very heavy back silencer. Its a regular occurance for them apparently.

Went to Kwik Fit for a back box to be fitted and they advised me that whilst their replacement exhausts are in 2-3 pieces, the originals are practically in one piece. Thus he had to cut a section of pipe away and hope their back box replacement was not the same size as the original middle pipe. As it happens it was a tight fit, but they were successful. £73.00 and full marks to Kwik Fit (although there was a concern that a middle section would be needed at a £100.00 more...Phew!).

Front light bulb blew and my word, what a problem it was to get the back headlamp housing off, on the passenger side. Only attempt a change in full daylight and when you have plenty of patience. I recall it was immensly infuriating at the time.

£3.00 for a replacement bulb - cheap.

Firstly, I am amazed at how many there are of them. It is stunning to see them lined up in a row on the jammed roads of Manchester. It's like the Fiat Appreciation Club is in convoy sometimes!!!!

Excellent looks on outside. Especially the super stylish rear panel of lamps, which are so much better that those older Fiats.

Super area in the front to hold drinks, phones, books, and all the clutter of daily life.

Boot a tad small for the family shop, albeit we seem to buy out Asda's entire stock of food every week.

I personally find that the suspension seems a bit tinny. Not quite as comfortable as my old sierra, I always feel like its going to bust over the speedbumps that litter Englands villages and hamlets.

The wind screen wash reservoir takes 4 pints to fill it. Far too small for my 36 mile drive to work over the pennines with salted roads and lorries with out mudflaps. I now take a bottle of water in the car all the time.

As ashamed as I am to admit it.... it took me 10 mins and two attempts to find the wind screen wash reservoir, which is basically a little blue cap on the passenger side over the wheel arch. It needs a big sticker saying "WIND SCREEN BOTTLE HERE!"

The car screen does mist up, which on reading other reviews may be due to a leak in the well or arches???? (I'll have to check this out). But the windscreen ventilation/blower does clear it in a jif.

Goes like the clappers for a 1.2 even up hills. I admit it...I giggle and chuckle as I tear past those in the bigger slower cars that are newer than my w reg. It's hilarious. The glee. The pure joy of it all.

Hey, I got a Fiat Punto 2000V 1.2, I had the same problem. My back box of my exhaust fell off at around 35,000miles. Wasn't too impressed. It costed around £60 to fix. The front headlights keep on going out. This has happened several times. Now I'm hearing a squeeking noise from the drivers side rear. It happens constantly while I drive. Does anyone know what it could be? Thanks.

The noise at the back is the lack of pressure in the tyre mate, I had the same prob. just match up the pressures to every tyre.

I wrote this original review about 18 months ago... I regret my perception of this car has changed a tad.

The clutch went... at 53000 miles... and I'm not talking a slipping clutch here... Oh no...

I was plunging the clutch down one day and it felt like it was meeting resistance... There was a clicking on the clutch each time I pressed the pedal. I decided to have the garage sort it... Booked the appointment - Put it in first... wouldn't slip into gear. Crunched it into second and off I went heading towards a t junction and couldn't get it out of gear! Ooo er!

Had to stall the car to bring it to a halt... and tore it out of gear. The clutch was completely stuffed! "One tow truck with orange lights required please!".

Got to the garage (thanks to my red autobreakdown service).

New clutch required... the clutch pedal bar had punched right through the clutch casing and stuffed the insides up totally.

£300 pound repair.

As they were taking the clutch out the middle exhaust snapped of (just one of those things as it was the original middle box). It added to my misery.

And hey guess what... I think the left back suspension is on it's way out too.

Would I buy another fiat... no way... I look for a barge pole each time I pass a fiat dealer now.

Indeed, I should have known better - I used to have a fiat 128 in the 80's and I had to replace the clutch on that too... too much of a coincidence in my opinion. My sierra went to 137000 miles prior to needing a new clutch, by which time it was falling to bits (literally) and had to be scrapped - what a work horse.

Comment from the local general garage whilst booking in the punto... "ah yes... that will be the clutch casing - we've had three or four of those punto's go recently with that fault"

I'm now loosing confidence in the car, but will run it a while longer to see if things improve. I'll keep you posted.

28th March, 2005.

I wish that I had read the contribution shown below before I went to Kwik Fit yesterday! The back box fell off my Punto (2002 model, with 37000 miles) yesterday morning, and it was also a 'clean break'. I went to the local Kwik Fit and the fitter jacked up the car, had a look, and then told me that the replacement would cost £190. (What I saw was a complete unit from the manifold backwards.) I paid for it too - stupid! That's the last time I'll ever go to Kwik Fit.

'Once bitten'.

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'Minor irritations still allow this car to be a corker'!

What things have gone wrong with the car?

Back silencer of Exhaust fell off at 44000 miles.

OK...a word about the exhaust... the back box dropped off at the connection of the middle pipe to the front of the back box. A clean break... bang it went at 70 on the motorway. RAC said that it was because the original ones are a very heavy back silencer. It's a regular occurance for them apparently.

Went to Kwik Fit for a back box to be fitted and they advised me that whilst their replacement exhausts are in 2-3 pieces, the originals are practically in one piece. Thus he had to cut a section of pipe away and hope their back box replacement was not the same size as the original middle pipe. As it happens it was a tight fit, but they were successful. £73.00 and full marks to Kwik Fit (although there was a concern that a middle section would be needed at a £100.00 more...Phew!).

Being the originator of this review, just popping in to see what has been added. Really sorry to hear of the other driver being stuffed by kwik fit!!... Wakefield branch rules I guess and the other drivers local kwik fit sucks?? Just shows that theres no consistency in national providers.

Now then... as regards my punto... so far so good again. Just had the front brake pads changed at 60000 and a couple of tyres. Nothing more than you would expect.

Still a grating noise occurs when fatty arbuckles get in the back, but the engineer says it's all sound. He can't find the problem. Crazy?

Would I buy another fiat though... Naaa... I'm still clutching that barge pole!

Punto!!

I bought a mk1 1.2 punto 3 door about 2 years ago as the wife was learning to drive, I had very few problems with the car especially as it stood for 5 days and was then driven by a learner for the next 2. Once my good lady passed her test we went looking for a newer car with airbag and the works, we picked or should I say she picked a mk2 2002 1.2 8v punto 5 door elx with 30000 miles we have now had the car 3 months and it has had a new gearbox (something to do with reverse and a clicking noise) and new cluch, 2 coil packs and a rad fan. The car is nowhere as quick as the last one, but slightly more refined, but as one poster said fiat and along barge pole seems to be the order of the day, it’s a shame the car has the problems as it’s a good drive and the underpower is my fault due to not doing research and buying a 1.2 8v where the 16v is the way forward, hope the mk3 is better, but somehow don’t think it will be do you?

I got a fiat punto 2004 that has a a slight, but annoying problem... its when ever I go to the gas station to refill the fuel tank it only takes about 3 liters and the gas gun in the machine automatically stops. Then I find some of the fuel comes out from the car as if the car if completely full where its not really full... I got it 4 months ago and I made 3700 km ONLY!!

On reading others comments on the back Box I too had the same issue. The back box came clear off. Now I normally avoid Kwick Fit like the plague, but had no choice at he time. ramped it up and told me one back box would be 73 pounds. I accepted it as you do, but to my horror a received a phone call from the robbers there to tell me I needed a ful system as it was one full unit that gets fitted by Fiat. 190 pounds lighter I had a badly fitted system by the cowboys at Kwick Fit.

I don't blame the car as such as these things go and it had done 35,000 miles, but avoid Kwick Fit is my recommendation.

Nige - a happy 2002 Punto Sporting owner.

The back box and my 2004 1.2 Punto have just 'divorced' after 35,000 happy miles. Hopefully I can get it, not the entire system replaced by a friend. I was worried about the Kwik Fit (Look) "..ah.. we've got a problem here Sir..."

I've had Puntos for about 12 yrs, but have always changed them at about 3 yrs old so have not experienced 'long term ownership issues'. I've found the car is practical and inexpensive and I can easily get 60mpg out of this Dynamic 1.2 petrol one. Suspension is 'harsh' and front tyre wear is heavy, but all in all I'm happy enough.

My Punto's lights keep going out when I indicate to turn. It's happening all the time. I got told the earth had gone in the back light. Got it fixed, still same old Fiat ha ha. Anyone know what could be up?

I got a 2002 mk Punto about 3 weeks ago and already had a breakdown! Was told the clutch has gone and not covered under the warranty, so looking around £200 to fix. I'm already thinking of getting rid of the car and getting another make altogether, and with all I've read about them, it seems more and more like a good idea! What do you think?

Clutches go on any car with the right age/mileage, so if you are repairing it, you would hope it should be OK afterwards.

Not a fan of Fiat, but you take a risk buying any car out of manufacturers warranty, and at least you know this car now.