Advantages: Fun! Cheap!
Disadvantages: Expensive to repair / unreliable

...Punto's! I have had and used three fiat punto's in the past. I am currently using a 2001 Fiat Punto 1.2 16v Sporting. I'll start with the 1997 Fiat Punto 1.1i 55 SX 45000 miles. The car was mediocre from the inside, electric windows for the SX version with a manual sunroof. No power steering, but it's cut my trips to the gym! The problems I've had with this car have been the clutch. The clutch needed replacing costing quite a bit. There was a few cases of misfiring which needed to be sorted by buying new leads and spark plugs. The second punto was a 1996 Fiat Punto 1.1i 55 S 50000 miles. No electric windows, nothing fancy here. Drive quality was not very nice, quite a bumpy ride. The problems with this were the clutch again but the main problem was when the integrated Fiat immobiliser failed. Fiat garages are not very helpful and VERY... Read review

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Advantages: Cheap, economical
Disadvantages: Servicing expensive, noisy, lightweight and problematic

...My last car was a Fiat Punto 1.2 8v active, a 53 reg. I bought it brand new, as I wanted to have a brand spanking new car for once, rather than inherit someone elses problems. The car was excellent initially, very cheap to run, nippy in the city, and to be honest, extremely reliable. The interior was plush yet basic, with electric windows and a fairly nice dash set out. I then took a job which involved a 60 mile round trip every day, and this is where I found the car lacking. As a city car, the punto is solid, speedy, and quiet. Take the car on the motorway, and it rattles in too many places to mention, and feels extremely lightweight, in addition to the steering and brakes feeling rather inadequate, and overall, the car does not instill you with confidence on the safety side. Servicing is not the cheapest, and you have to stick... Read review

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Advantages: Fairly inexpensive to buy
Disadvantages: Parts are expensive, insurance grouping is high

...As you fellow Ciaoers may know by now I do like to write the occasional car op. After having driven the face-lifted model Fiat Punto I could not resist putting "pen to paper." The Fiat Punto has been "re-invented" since it first appeared on our roads, the very latest version has modified light clusters and a few other adjustments, but is very similar to the range made up to 2003. What does it look like ? ************************* The Punto is one of the smaller Fiats (Fiat have just launched the NEW Panda), the Punto is available in both 3 and 5 door. Compared to most cars if it's class it is not that distinctive, it blends in with most cars on the road. The main head turner with these cars is usually the colours they are manufactered in, I really do not understand who would buy a car in some of the shocking paintwork they produce... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Cheap and cheerful
Disadvantages: The brake pads need replacing often

...The reason for my buying a Punto was that I was trying to work my way up the insurance ladder. I had recently passed my test and my husband had a few penalty points (men drivers!!) so insurance cost was a nightmare. The first car I had was a Cinquecento which I kept for a year before moving up to the Punto. Having had the small Fiat I had no hesitation in buying another in the form of the Punto. This decision turned out to be a good one when I had the misfortune of someone running into the back of it at speed. The high design of the rear bumper definately saved what could have been a quite nasty situation. In the event there was little actual damage done, save for a new bumper and removal of a slight dent. When I traded the Punto in for another Fiat (a bravo) I was sorry to see it go. I did consider buying another and had the newer model... Read review

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Advantages: good all rounder
Disadvantages: -

...There always comes a time when we are fed up with our current car and want to move onto something new and that time has come for me. I currently have a Fiat Punto Active Sport in Imola Yellow (Bright Yellow) to suit my personality but its warranty has just expired, I'm a little bit fed up of of and want to try something different, particularly looking at Honda Civic or possibly Seat Leon. Over the years, I have had 4 Fiat vehicles, at one point I was marketing manager for a Fiat dealership so I suppose I was being loyal to the brand there and tended to stick to what I knew best but overall I have found every Fiat that I have owned to be superb little motors. My current Punto is 1.2 Active Sport, 54 plate therefore manufactured in 2004. All Fiat vehicles when purchased new come with three years warranty and as per usual are not needed... Read review

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Advantages: Reliable, Cheap, Look good, Small, Great learner car
Disadvantages: Old model doesnt have central locking or E.windows

...I have bought a Fiat Punto 1.2 v-reg. I have just started to learn to drive, and I think that it's a great car to learn on, it's small enough to park easily, but solid enough to feel safe. They are cheap to buy, usually somewhere between £1000-£3000 is reasonable. My sister also learnt on a Punto, and it has lasted her 10 years. They are very reliable, my mechanic said only 3 things ever go wrong with a punto, all are easy to fix. A Fiat Punto is a great buy, i recommend the car to anyone, espcially those looking to learn on it. The only difference between the old models and the new models, is the dash interior, and the back of the bodywork. For a learner i would recommend the old model as it might be more sensible to learn on an older model incase accidents happen!!!... Read review

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Advantages: Cheap and Cheerful
Disadvantages: Very little boot space, not built to last.

...THE PRICE This has to be what attracts people to buy the Fiat Punto. It is very reasonablly priced and is ideal for a first time driver. If you shop around you can get a perfectly good Fiat Punto second hand. I strongly suggest you do this. THE LOOK The Fiat Punto comes in many different colours. They are all perfectly fine apart from white. It gets dirty very quickly and will have you cleaning it once a week. The Fiat Punto is a very european car, it is small but elegant. Perfect for a small family. The overall look of the car is excellent. No bits stand out or look out of place. HOW DOES IT RUN? Unfortunately this is what lets the car down. It isn`t exactly made to last. I usually only get around five years out of one before it plays up. I have been to the garage several times with the car to fix repairs. Is it just my car... Read review

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Advantages: Cheap, reliable, fun!
Disadvantages: Electrics!

...a petrol car the petrol really does go a long long way! I think approximately 30 miles per gallon. The tank is full with between £30 – 35 and mine normally doesn’t need filling up for about two weeks, even though I do motorway trips twice a week of about 60 miles each direction. So pretty good. Insurance If you aren’t convinced by the fuel consumption, then believe me the insurance is good value. Fiat Uno’s were in the lowest bracket for insurance but I think the 1.2 Punto is in Group 2, obviously as with all cars the larger the engine the more the insurance goes up. But to give you an idea cost wise what this means, Ive been driving for 10 years, without making any claims. My Punto is now a year old, and the insurance for fully comp is just under £300 a year, I think last year it was £280. Obviously this varies according to where you live... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Cheap, roomy, stylish, nippy, practical, reliable.
Disadvantages: A bit of a struggle on motorways, not comfortable enough for long journeys.

...I bought this Punto 1.2 ELX new in March 2002 and as this was the fifth Punto that I have owned, I thought I new what I was getting into. I have driven a lot of other cars but I always seem to come back to this charismatic little car. Some painless negotiating at Piccadilly Fiat in Ripon soon sorted me out with 35% deposit on a £9,800 car, leaving me with a comfortable 0% finance deal of £135 a month for 4 years. A 5 door model, in black with burgundy cloth interior, extras included side airbags, a CD player, 6 speaker stereo with factory fit subwoofer in the boot, boot protector, carpet mats and 6 spoke alloy wheels. Obviously, for this price you are not going to be the envy of the street but it looks pretty good. Imitation being the sincerest form of flattery, one of the neighbours has just bought a 3 door 1.2 Active model... Read review

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Advantages: Performance and looks
Disadvantages: Could have more feature and comfort

...Fiat Punto This is a car with style and class; this shows through the performance of it for the size that it is. With a maximum of 130bhp and 1.9 litre engine depending on the model which comes as a diesel or a petrol car. There are some lovely details. The high-mounted rear lights, a huge filler flap, which has a pleasing sound as you open it as well. The interior is beautifully crafted and finished. Overall the car is fairly noisy and firm on the suspension but it's really fun and enjoyable to drive and pleasing merely to behold. You can take out the corners like Nigel Mansel in your little Punto. This is a car that's is worth buying because of it's looks and pure performance.... Read review

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