[shashank.nk]

Originally Posted by Arkin evoisrevo

We felt no such problem with either of the Punto 90s we drove.
Which dealership's car did you test drive?
BTW, I BOOKED ONE yesterday!!!!!!
Dispatch from Ranjangaon in </= a week.

Can't wait to get my hands on this gem of a car; we chose it over the ANHC!

Aah! Nice!! after all the talk of REAL discounts towards diwali, you just couldn't wait is it ? Superb decision man! Anyway if i buy this car it will be after two cancellations. One Swift ZDI and second Jazz X MT. Did you drive the ZDI? After reading GTO's review its a serious contender.

I drove the TD car of Prerana motors on west of chord road and except the gear shift and fit n finish(nitpicking to be mentioning this) the car was perfect.

Can you please PM me the deal you got ?

[Arkin evoisrevo]

Originally Posted by shashank.nk

Aah! Nice!! after all the talk of REAL discounts towards diwali, you just couldn't wait is it ? Superb decision man! Anyway if i buy this car it will be after two cancellations. One Swift ZDI and second Jazz X MT. Did you drive the ZDI? After reading GTO's review its a serious contender.

I drove the TD car of Prerana motors on west of chord road and except the gear shift and fit n finish(nitpicking to be mentioning this) the car was perfect.

Can you please PM me the deal you got ?

We didn't bother. Sure, it's outright might be better than the Punto's, and handling (as per GTO) might be on par or better than the Punto's, but -
The Swift's price comes to ~6.8 no freebies. 76HP. The Punto's about the same + a couple of thousands, with a couple of freebies.

What I get with the Punto:
1) FIAT
2) Mightier Engine
3) Better ride.
4) Better Bootspace.
5) Betterr rear bench.
6) Enough features.
7) Scintillating looks (my perception)
8) Better BUILD & RUGGEDNESS.
9) ^^ implies SAFETY
?? Check these out: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ml#post2528141
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ml#post1754736
This one takes the cake:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ml#post1422879
10) EXCLUSIVITY.
11) 15000km service interval.
12) Overall, an all-rounder
The swift seems to be a good car, but I'm buying for 80% highway usage; mind you, we've chosen the Punto over the ANHC and Fluidic Verna, period.
. Buy the Jazz or swift, if your usage warrants a diesel - if you rarely cross 80 and use the car only in stop and go Bangalore traffic. Look no further than the Punto for the rest.
The Rest is your call.

Price will come to ~6.85 max. depending on your employer / the car you will trade in - excluding LTT.

Hope we bump into each other some time, in the process of getting our FIATs!

[shashank.nk]

Originally Posted by Arkin evoisrevo

We didn't bother. Sure, it's outright might be better than the Punto's, and handling (as per GTO) might be on par or better than the Punto's, but -
The Swift's price comes to ~6.8 no freebies. 76HP. The Punto's about the same + a couple of thousands, with a couple of freebies.

. Buy the Jazz or swift, if your usage warrants a diesel - if you rarely cross 80 and use the car only in stop and go Bangalore traffic. Look no further than the Punto for the rest.
The Rest is your call.

Price will come to ~6.85 max. depending on your employer / the car you will trade in - excluding LTT.

Hope we bump into each other some time, in the process of getting our FIATs!

We have a highway car so looking to buy a good city car, the only issue with the Punto in the city is the turning radius but i guess i can live with that as the drivability was better than the Ritz atleast, haven't TD'ed the new swift yet. As per ACI the turning radius of i20 and punto differ by 0.1m, punto being on the higher side.

I don't understand how neither in the official reviews nor during ownership reviews of i20 no one cribs about it.
On the highways i'm never seen doing less than 100kmph plus this will be my car so any highway outing will be enjoyed to the fullest only in the Punto.

Btw, you mean 7.85 right ? For the Swift ZDI or the 90HP Punto. I'm not eligible for any corporate discounts being practising CA's.

I think i'll book the car tomorrow. Are you dealing with the same dealer i mentioned ?

[.anshuman]

My Replies inline in BOLD-

Originally Posted by Arkin evoisrevo

What I get with the Punto:
1) FIAT How is this an advantage? The brand value in India is poor.
2) Mightier Engine But slower real world performance
3) Better ride. Agreed
4) Better Bootspace. Agreed
5) Betterr rear bench. Only marginally, both are tight at rear. Front seats roomier in Punto
6) Enough features. Blue&Me great but Audio quality is POOR
7) Scintillating looks (my perception) Stunner no doubt but facelift is due. Swift is also a very good looking car. Remember, looks are subjective
8) Better BUILD & RUGGEDNESS. Agreed, vault like build unmatched but fit and finish of plastics better in new Swift.
9) ^^ implies SAFETY Not really. Both cars have 5 star euro NCAP rating. Come with similar safety equipment.
10) EXCLUSIVITY. Can be a bad thing too, check out the resale prices.
11) 15000km service interval.But extra cost of Oil and filters offset the balance making it more expensive to service than Swift.

[Arkin evoisrevo]

Originally Posted by shashank.nk

We have a highway car so looking to buy a good city car, the only issue with the Punto in the city is the turning radius but i guess i can live with that as the drivability was better than the Ritz atleast, haven't TD'ed the new swift yet. As per ACI the turning radius of i20 and punto differ by 0.1m, punto being on the higher side.
My dad is pretty okay with the Punto in the city. FYI, he drives an Hyundai i10 & is chauffeured in his Fiesta.
I don't understand how neither in the official reviews nor during ownership reviews of i20 no one cribs about it.

Make no mistake; all the reviews and ownership reviews of the i20 are w.r.t the 6 - speed model. For the record, I'd told my dad that he'd definitely have bought the i20 for it's performance, had Hyundai NOT chucked the 6th gear without changing the gearing ratios.
On the highways i'm never seen doing less than 100kmph plus this will be my car so any highway outing will be enjoyed to the fullest only in the Punto.
For highway usage, Punto's the best; forget the rest.

Btw, you mean 7.85 right ? For the Swift ZDI or the 90HP Punto. I'm not eligible for any corporate discounts being practising CA's.
Nice! But Docs and Dentists can get Corp. Discount, so you too can try. Are you going in for exchange?

I think i'll book the car tomorrow. Are you dealing with the same dealer i mentioned
?

Nice! Yes. Jayanagar. What color do you have in mind?
And please look at my replies in bold above.
BUT, however convinced you and I might be by the Punto, I urge you to TD the New Swift & i20 once before inking the deal. All the best & keep in touch.
OT: Add me on facebook (First Name: Arkin ) or PM me, if you need to talk about it.

Originally Posted by .anshuman

My Replies inline in BOLD-

What I get with the Punto:
1) FIAT How is this an advantage? The brand value in India is poor.
2) Mightier Engine But slower real world performance
3) Better ride. Agreed
4) Better Bootspace. Agreed
5) Betterr rear bench. Only marginally, both are tight at rear. Front seats roomier in Punto
6) Enough features. Blue&Me great but Audio quality is POOR
7) Scintillating looks (my perception) Stunner no doubt but facelift is due. Swift is also a very good looking car. Remember, looks are subjective
8) Better BUILD & RUGGEDNESS. Agreed, vault like build unmatched but fit and finish of plastics better in new Swift.
9) ^^ implies SAFETY Not really. Both cars have 5 star euro NCAP rating. Come with similar safety equipment.
10) EXCLUSIVITY. Can be a bad thing too, check out the resale prices.
11) 15000km service interval.But extra cost of Oil and filters offset the balance making it more expensive to service than Swift.

Thanks for the reply .anshuman! I understand you've had bad experiences with your Punto....
FYI, I'll be keeping the car for at least the next 10 years, so dad has told me himself, not to care about the resale value. About the performance, my dad had nothing but praise for the 90HP's performance; he doesn't mind the T-lag as long as he can keep the revs above 2k rpm; we need this as a highway hatch, and the i20 (comes with the 5speed box now ) was disappointing from the 4th gear on - the guys at Hyundai don't seem to have changed the gear ratios after chucking the 6th gear,

Agreed, both cars have 5 star NCAP ratings & similar safety equipment, but I have no doubts about the rigidity of the Punto. About the audio quality, after saving ~1.5 lakh by not going in for the City + saving at least 40% on fuel, an audio upgrade is affordable. Coming to the Punto Evo, I'm not such a great fan of its looks; I like the plain looks of the Punto in comparision. I myself love the Swift's looks, but my parents have never liked it's backside.
No. 11) - Food for thought, but given our priorities, the Punto 90 seems more lucrative.
Again, thanks for your unbiased advice.

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by Arkin evoisrevo

Thanks for the reply .anshuman! I understand you've had bad experiences with your Punto....

My Punto experience has been a mixed bag, most of it has been excellent but other was equally terrible. It's a very nice car but with some distracting downsides. This is a car i always recommend but with a clear disclaimer, surprisingly 2-3 people amongst my family and friends bought this car after consulting with me(they are equally or more annoyed with Support).

[shashank.nk]

Originally Posted by Arkin evoisrevo

Nice! Yes. Jayanagar. What color do you have in mind?
And please look at my replies in bold above.
BUT, however convinced you and I might be by the Punto, I urge you to TD the New Swift & i20 once before inking the deal. All the best & keep in touch.
OT: Add me on facebook (First Name: Arkin ) or PM me, if you need to talk about it.

Yup. Mostly Bossa nova white, you ?.Going for a TD of new swift and if possible i20 tomorrow before i apy up on my booking amount. We're dealing with the same dealer different showrooms though, i am buying it from the dealer at woc,rajajinagar.
Hope to book a car and seal the deal tomorrow. God! never been so confused in life before

[muni]

Arkin evoisrevo and shashank.nk , I am also looking to buy a car this month.

Originally Posted by shashank.nk

Yup. Mostly Bossa nova white, you ?.Going for a TD of new swift and if possible i20 tomorrow before i apy up on my booking amount. We're dealing with the same dealer different showrooms though, i am buying it from the dealer at woc,rajajinagar.
Hope to book a car and seal the deal tomorrow. God! never been so confused in life before

I am in the same state now.

I did a test drive of the Punto 90 Bhp today and was pretty impressed with the car. I had checked out the Swift, Polo, Liva( test drove) earlier during the day.

Polo build quality seemed the best of the lot followed by Punto. Swift Zdi variant i checked out did not impress me quality wise though the fit and finish seems to have improved. A test drive is pending for the Swift and I20 though.

The quality seemed quite okie to me and could not find much to complain about except for the flimsy feeling plastic levers for the seats. The footwell seemed a bit cramped with all the pedals a bit close. Nothing extreme though.
The clutch travel is a bit long though.

Boot looked and felt spacious and the 60:40 split rear seats are just right to compliment the boot space incase a need arises.

The audio is pretty weak and definitely warrants some sort of upgrade. If I decide on the punto eventually, am thinking of adding 2 components at the front + 2 channel amp + bass tube. Nothing concrete as yet.

The price quoted was 7.92Lakhs for the 90 bhp Epack and 7.52L for the 75Bhp Epack after all discounts including corporate discount of 5K

[clevermax]

Originally Posted by Arkin evoisrevo

6) Enough features. Blue&Me great but Audio quality is POOR

Enough features is still 'enough features' even with poor audio quality. Everyone knows that one just need to replace the speakers with a good quality set (Hertz?) to have a very decent audio quality with stock HU.

So do not worry much about it, just throw away the OEM speakers and get better ones.

Moreover, no better hatch for highways yet. If you love driving, then it is the car to go for. You can see many small cars walking by when you cruise along the curves. No sweaty pair of palms holding the steering tight, no stressed face with eyes popping out to the road in front... it is so easy on a Punto

[Karthik1100]

Originally Posted by clevermax

Enough features is still 'enough features' even with poor audio quality. Everyone knows that one just need to replace the speakers with a good quality set (Hertz?) to have a very decent audio quality with stock HU.

So do not worry much about it, just throw away the OEM speakers and get better ones.

clevermax: Yes rite. For Sujith's Punto, as suggested by Pavan, I upgraded to Hertz speakers and I was surprised by the amazing outcome with original HU. I wonder why not FIAT spend that little extra and provide such good speakers as OE.

Moreover, no better hatch for highways yet. If you love driving, then it is the car to go for. You can see many small cars walking by when you cruise along the curves. No sweaty pair of palms holding the steering tight, no stressed face with eyes popping out to the road in front... it is so easy on a Punto

Exactly the reason why Punto is so popular among enthusiast drivers.

Waiting for FIAT's brand stores and own A.S.S in future.

@Arkin: Which showroom did you book the Punto? I will join you for the Pdi.

[ego4evr]

After having owned 3 Fiats , Palio 1.2 , 1.6 and 1.9 decided for the fourth one ,booked a 90hp color is hip hop black i have not had any problems with spares or anything till date with any of my cars ..i test drove almost all the cars i was not able to get sense of confidence that i got when i drove the Punto ..will write in detail about my fiat history and ownership of my 90hp

[vidyasagar]

Hello All,

I have covered 15K kms and now the car is due for its II service.
Done this exactly 10 Months from date of purchase. (with one full month of inactivty when I was onsite..so only 9 months of driving). It had always been a pleasure to drive this beauty.

Regarding the service, I had a priliminary check with the Prerana motors, Hosur road, yesteraday, they apparently spotted a crack in the oil sump. The claim that it has to be replaced.

I have 3 questions:

1. There is a thick plate under the car to prevent such damages, can such a crack really occur due to rough roads..?

2. I have been quoted Rs 2500/- for the oil sump replacement, Can any other punto owners who also replaced the oil sump, comment on the accuracy of the price..?

3. The wipers are now showing age and are leaving water lines (curves rather) during wiping. The price for original wiper blades are being quoted as Rs 1000/-. Again someone who replaced the wiper blades could comment on the price please.

Many thanks in advance.

[ms001]

i got my car serviced from them recently and they said the same thing that the protection plate is bent and oil sump is dented as as precaution they want to change it.They charged less than 1000 for the same.

Do ask them to show the damaged sump if you decide to change

[Soccerfan]

Originally Posted by vidyasagar

Hello All,

I have covered 15K kms and now the car is due for its II service.
Done this exactly 10 Months from date of purchase. (with one full month of inactivty when I was onsite..so only 9 months of driving). It had always been a pleasure to drive this beauty.

Regarding the service, I had a priliminary check with the Prerana motors, Hosur road, yesteraday, they apparently spotted a crack in the oil sump. The claim that it has to be replaced.

I have 3 questions:

1. There is a thick plate under the car to prevent such damages, can such a crack really occur due to rough roads..?

2. I have been quoted Rs 2500/- for the oil sump replacement, Can any other punto owners who also replaced the oil sump, comment on the accuracy of the price..?

3. The wipers are now showing age and are leaving water lines (curves rather) during wiping. The price for original wiper blades are being quoted as Rs 1000/-. Again someone who replaced the wiper blades could comment on the price please.

Many thanks in advance.

Do visually inspect the oil sump and see if theres any leak. Wipers cost around 440rs each for front.

[aditya116]

i got my car serviced from them recently and they said the same thing that the protection plate is bent and oil sump is dented as as precaution they want to change it.They charged less than 1000 for the same.

@ms001 it must have taken a bomb blast to cause that damage ;-).As far as i know the protection plate may be the sturdiest bit on the car.Mine had taken quite a few hits but only one of the bolts holding the sump had come loose.
One more point regarding the hot handling debate about GP vs Swift going on elsewhere, test drove the new swift and found the steering more responsive.coupled with little understeer compared to punto it is a delight at 80-100 speeds.punto is capable of carrying 20% more speed into long sweeping corners provided you get the initial trajectory right.Mid corner direction changes are wallowy.But the steering and chassis feel are miles ahead.but these subtleties are not percieved by most drivers.