I BOUGHT A CHEAP FIAT PUNTO FOR £350

[@clivesanderson4011]

Owned a 1.3 diesel Punto since 2011. Excellent car. Very reliable. I'd recommend a Punto to anyone as long as it's been looked after, but that goes for any brand of car.

[@lce124]

How much looking after it requires does depend on the brand

[@clivesanderson4011]

@@lce124 that is not disputed. You have to look after a Ferrari differently to a Fiat. Regardless of the brand of car, if you service it as per the recommended servicing and make sure scratched metal surfaces are not left to rust, your car will be reliable unless they have serious design faults. A lot of owners do not look after their cars correctly so they become unreliable. A Honda that is serviced correctly will be more reliable that a Punto that has not been serviced in year's.

[@murphyebass7837]

@@clivesanderson4011 ah but a Honda that hasn’t been serviced is still probably more reliable than the fiat. I say this as someone who owned an Alfa GT for 3 years. The 1.9jtd couldn’t be faulted once service but fuck me pretty much everything else just broke as soon as you looked at it. The clutch the window regs, control arms and bushes etc.. just disasters of cars unless you’re a mechanic 😂 I should say though I LOVED my GT and miss it dearly to this day almost 10 years on! Had to move to a more sensible family car unfortunately. Might get a brera as my mid life crisis car if I can find one in ok shape.

[@clivesanderson4011]

I also have a Fiat coupe 20v turbo that untill this year has been very reliable. I've had it since 2006 and had to replace the radiator after 18 years. It is unrestored. If you believe some of the hype about this car it would be unreliable but it is not. The Punto (mine has a 1.3 GM engine like the the Corsa has) has definitely not fallen apart and my wife is not gentle with it. The most unreliable car I've had was an mg ztt. That was more German than British as it is based on a BMW floorpan and had a BMW diesel engine. Nice car though but had an issue with water leaks I never sorted out (sunroof leak issue). Had 3 fiats over the years with few issues.

[@peterowen4456]

@@clivesanderson4011 My late step father was the transport manager for Burmah Castrol back in the day. He was very pro British in terms of cars and dismissed people who complained about unreliability as feckless individuals who drove them too hard and didn't maintain them properly. A bit harsh but he was adamant. He was also a great advocate of preventative maintenance changing, for example, shock absorbers after a certain mileage/age. I think he exaggerated a bit but the roads are full of old cars that are never cleaned and almost certainly never serviced. A lot of these cars will, surprise surprise, give their owners trouble.

[@chrishalstead4405]

My daughter (who is awful with her cars) ran a Grande Punto for eight years and put 90,000 miles on it with no major issues. I don’t know which of us was more stunned at how it lasted, but she LOVED that car. Who’d have thought??

[@ProGamerTRHD]

my is at 300.000 kilometers

[@daves4330]

Fiats are fine and they’re no different from any other brand, my family basically only has fiats and/or fiat group cars, they are reliable and really nice to drive, pretty sure it’s just stereotypes about unreliable fiats.

[@alessandromazzini7026]

i would've thought, people always talk shit to fiat, but they are strong and fun as hell, the problem is the 500

[@shroudedenigma8607]

I'm a Car & Van Valuator & I've seen plenty of FIATs with a tidy MOT & Service History. I once had a FIAT Tipo with 95,000 miles and it ran like a dream

[@Hameed_Kh]

@@ProGamerTRHD mine now 260kilometers 2011 evo

[@person.X.]

Fiats have always been great value used in the UK because most people assume they are unreliable rust buckets. I did my research as a young and impecunious driver back at the start of the 90s and settled on an Uno and it lasted me for years with no significant problems. I have always enjoyed the challenge of buying undervalued used cars and it has meant I have had a lifetime of very cheap and enjoyable motoring. The money I have saved has gone towards a lifetime of adventurous travel and early retirement.

[@margaretjohnson7625]

Ditto the above ! .....and no power steering ...not necissary !! RIP L82 VTC !!

[@robertwalker1742]

A very underrated car Matt, I had three Puntos, no problems, my daughter had that model there you have, she did a experiment, no more than 2k revs for a month, low and behold that month over 60 mpg, brilliant cheap little car.

[@howardlake6178]

😂I bought a 20 year old small Fiat to prevent salt in winter on my Alfa Romeo. Donkeys years later, the cost of MOT repairs, go from £50 to £20. But the revs, never go above 2k. I think it could really go like a go go dancer, but this epic little car doesn’t need to. I LOVE MY FIAT 😂

[@hardworker645]

I have a 6 years old punto and never had problems with it petrol & lpg, i have another punto from 1997 petrol & lpg the only problem is during the winter in North Italy when need to warm it up properly on petrol and then you can run it on lpg otherwise lpg cilinder freeze😁 i also have a 1994 fiat panda 0.9l petrol & lpg this one is used during the hunting season not a 4x4 but is better than new model panda and it goes everywhere and never let me down,,,,,, fiat is a good car especially older models

[@Usatoday906]

Very true the petrol consumption is amazing

[@alcorfield1157]

Pleased to hear positive news for FIAT instead of a slagging off ....in my younger days I had a mk2 Uno, mk1 Punto & mk2 Punto.... each fun to drive, comfortable, economical AND reliable. When you look back at FIAT'S back catalogue they had so e cracking models , especially in the 60s 70s 80s ..... they have lost their way design wise , which is a massive shame.

[@longdonglarry]

My first car was a 45 HP Uno and it took me all over Europe with no problems. Unfortunately, the rust divorced us later, but the tiny engine was still running like a clock after 250kkm

[@notroll1279]

@@oscarwilde5473 Whoa...cheating tax for a small banger is what I'd consider a venial sin - driving without insurance, however, should carry a heavy flogging... I hope your "steep learning curve" covered that as well.

[@25myma]

Totally agree, .. not only Fiat, most Italian and French models these days have turned to 'German', boring designs to fit in while their cool looks were a selling point,..that's what you get when cars are 'designed' by CEOs and the marketing department...I guess it's only fitting in the social depression we're in; people have lost their cool and individuality, cars are the same.

[@notroll1279]

@@oscarwilde5473 I wonder how driving without insurance still appears to be a thing in the UK even today. In most countries, the public vehicle registers get electronic insurance records and automatically report uninsured cars to the police who usually ground them very quickly. I read that as of 2020, this was still 4% of all UK cars with up to 10% in some post code areas. Beats me, really....

[@notroll1279]

@@oscarwilde5473 When I studied in the UK many years ago, a bloke with an aging Daimler Double Six (no less) lived next door and offered to let me drive it for a few miles. I gladly did - and only when we had returned, he told me he had displayed an older tax disc from his sister's car and no insurance at all. I almost fainted retro-actively. His idea being that driving without would ruin him if he had an accident - but that paying the insurance would ruin him no matter what. He was so broke that the amounts of "ruin" made no difference to him. I guess the sanctions for driving uninsured aren't enough of a deterrent to those types... maybe it should be jail time... or really a flogging...

[@jandaniel3872]

I am driving Grande Punto with slow 1.2 petrol. And I really like it, every service is cheap and there is nothing that is annoying. I can imagine more silent cabin and better seats but it’s small and friendly car.

[@alex-025x]

Exactly

[@organiccold]

Fire Engine , non interference meaning inf the timing belt snaps doesn't cause any damage to the engine m, is just re timing, put a new belt and lets go

[@astronix99]

Bought an 8V 1.4 petrol grande punto 09 plate as a first car, the car itself only cost me 1.2k and it passed MOT no advisories whatsoever. MOT only cost me £40 🤣

[@robertchobot5450]

Driving same piece of bucket here, but its realiable as f. Everything is cheap. And as you state more silent cabin would be appreciated. The only time where it left me stranded on road was, when cable that connects gearbox and shifter snaped off, and needed to be towed. But replacing cable with labor costed around 80€ so no big deal. That was when car had around 150 000 km, at the moment it has 198 000 km on clock, and going strong. Only issue I have is with exhaust ( got hit with curb ) and small leakage of oil, but thats it! Great car.

[@liorwohl]

@@organiccold i've heard that the modern 1.2 fire are actually interference, and that only up to the mk1 punto you can skip replacing the timing belt

[@markbrennan4693]

Someone got a bargain there Matt. Decent cheap motor. Good to see a car that's been looked after can have a long lifespan.

[@alandavies1054]

My wife had a brand new 55 reg Punto back in the day and loved it. It never let us down and never failed an MOT…economical to run and maintain. We gave it to my son when he passed his test who later sold it to my niece…so the car has really “stayed in the family” as they say. Great car and we do actually miss it…the wife drives a 500 now. Great video Matt 👍

[@Ilias_Geo]

My mum owns a Grande Punto in this colour with the 1.4 petrol. Brilliant little car, quite slow, but very reliable and easy to drive. Here in Greece an example like this would cost more like 4.5 grand(e) believe it or not. Those car prices in Britain are crazy

[@tardeliesmagic]

In Spain it prob go for 3 grand,crazy prices there too.

[@Tromi1986]

Here in Serbia 3-4k, funny thing mk2 is 2500-3000... MK2's are uglier but they last forever... Grande Punto, well you have to take good care of them ... I have MK2.5 with 18k miles...

[@Danse_Macabre_125]

@@Tromi1986 ima nas!!

[@Tromi1986]

@@Danse_Macabre_125 Ooo da :D

[@jeremywentworth1833]

And theirs us here thinking all our cars are far dearer than they were precovid .

[@JamesClark-uz9wq]

Good to hear the Grande Punto getting some love, I think it was the best looking supermini of its generation.

[@Andy-eo3mq]

I think it's still the best looking supermini ever made, full stop! Modern designs are just fussy and naff, whereas Giugiaro got the design for the Grande Punto absolutely spot on. A fantastic car.

[@richardhargrave6082]

Punto's are very underrated, FIATS generally more reliable than the previous reputation, but as you say, Matt, most cars are if you look after them. A good cheap car for someone

[@o_o-_-8639]

Say what you want but diesels fiat are usually quite reliable, they can have a bit of rust but generally reliable and the 1.3 is very reliable and punchy too, though it needs service at the right time otherwise it will break down but won’t cost a fortune to fix.

[@80sfordman]

I’ve got the 2.0 Diesel in my 2012 Vauxhall Astra (Fiat derived) and it’s been brilliant. Almost about to hit 100,000 miles on the clock.

[@r0z3d]

Say reliable one more time I dare you I double dare you MF

[@alexanderoshaughnessy3176]

My work van is a 1.3 diesel fiat van and it does burnouts right through first and second gear, i abuse it every day and its never had an issue

[@harry.bethwaite]

@@alexanderoshaughnessy3176yeah they can, I occasionally use one and a handbrake turn every so often hasn’t broke anything yet

[@slimboyfat3306]

Great little car Matt - but alarm bells are ringing. As a Punto -punter I would trust the car vertical report, not stolen, damaged etc, etc. You however using your specialist car dealer eyesight you immediately spotted that it had had paint. Shouldn't that be mentioned in the report. How about doing us a feature on spotting if a car has "had paint."

[@bobibest89]

My dad used to drive a blue Fiat Croma (gen .1) back in the mid 90s. It had electric windows and a sunroof. People here in Bulgaria used to look at that Fiat like it was a goddamn Rolls Royce. I really miss that car.

[@organiccold]

I had many Puntos and all good. The steering issues starts when you use the button CITY as it increases the voltage for the power steering motor and burns the solder joints in the motor causing the issues. You can repair them by re soldering if caught early or simply never use the city button.

[@BadBoy-ez1wc]

Wow

[@DennisBonich]

makes sense

[@BerrieHJ]

I had 2 Opel (Vauxhall) Corsa's with the 1.3CDTi engines, great engines, in 200K KM's never had any issues with 'em. And as you mentioned, yes, they're a bit loud and grumpy when cold, but once they're warm it's a great engine.

[@garywinterbottom6073]

My swift 1.3 ddis same engines but mine has been troublesome having had to replace an injector after only 50k. But apart from. That it's been ok

[@Tonyx.yt.]

@@garywinterbottom6073 i have 2 1.3 mjet engines at home, a 75hp euro 5b with 186k km and a 95hp euro 6b with 90k km, both them work flawlessy, but i change oil and filter every 15k km meanwhile back then fiat said 30k km... yeah sure 30k... that's the best way to get a noisy engine chain by 100k ish km...

[@ProGamerTRHD]

our punto evo at 300.000 km

[@BerrieHJ]

@@Tonyx.yt. Exactly. Currently drive an Astra 1.6CDTi, but with all my cars I changed the oil every 15K instead of the factory given 30K. Saves you a lot of chains over the years.

[@Andy-eo3mq]

If they're looked after, Fiats are actually very good. I've owned a Grande Punto 1.4 Eleganza for over 8 and a half years now, and I'm still absolutely over the moon with it: fantastic to look at, lovely to drive, perfect spec for me, and practical. £4k very well spent, I'd say!

[@garysimpson3900]

Owned a Mk 2 Punto from new 2001- 2017. Yes, over the years I replaced the electric power steering pump 3 times & the engine sump twice. I did 90k miles & at first glance it looked immaculate, but the rot was in the floor & needed welding for a couple of last MOT's. I sold it cheap & the following year it failed its MOT due to further corrosion & according to the DVLA site was scrapped. Sad really as it was a great little car & save for the underside rot looked amazing for its age.

[@laurataylor824]

I drive a 21 year old fiat punto mk2 ,1.2. 16v cvt 95.000 miles on the clock , and it still is an excellent car , 55 to 60 mpg on a long journey , totally rust free , I will keep it for some years to come yet . Credit to fiat for making cars that do the rest of time ,

[@surajbalajr.4016]

Fiat diesel engines are so reliable that they literally powered an entire country's automobile sector for more than a decade! Fiat's 1.3L MultiJet diesel powered almost 80% of all diesel cars on Indian roads (until BS6/Euro6 kicked in and they got discontinued).

[@tardeliesmagic]

Never knew that,thanks for the info bother. ❤

[@dazspurs9899]

all older diesel engines are more reliable than those made today,plus no DPFs

[@J2onton]

Owned 3 puntos. Low cost to buy, run, insure and repair. Good MPG. Soft comfortable ride.

[@MrDabadabadu]

My new PUNTO (2010.) was flawless for first 6 years and 100.000km, than it had it's first problem problem with oxygen sensor. Replaced it for 85 EUR, made another 20.000km in 7th year and than had to replace 2nd oxygen sensor for 90EUR. I was so sad to sell it a year later (2018). It had 150.000km at that point, no problems, don't know what to say except "thank you little FIAT". I hope my new car will be as reliable as that little PUNTO was.

[@SA-zoom1]

That's a really good little car. I am sure you could have sold it for quite a bit more considering most cars for £850 are close to scrap.

[@Tonyx.yt.]

in Italy is sold from comparable years and mileage from 3000 to 4500€ ... but just 2 years ago would had cost like 2-3000

[@minotauruskt]

Even worse today, just bought Punt Evo 1.2 for 4k and that was a steal given it has only 115000 km​@@Tonyx.yt.

[@legatus9081]

For the milage it has I'd say the engine still has 50-60% of it's lifespan left! You got the variable geometry turbo one as well, awesome find

[@onewayroby7292]

i'm from italy and over here there are grande puntos for sale on the internet with more than 400,000/500,000 km and they are still running in the cities, the 1.3 mtj and the 1.9 are indestructible engines

[@legatus9081]

@@onewayroby7292 il 1900 si.... Il nuovo 1.3 con DPF in città si rovina:(

[@originalchill]

16 years old 😳 that’s a tidy little motor Matt! A great first car or daily driver for someone and cheap too. Good job and another great video 👍🏻

[@jamessalinger2069]

My first car was a 2006 grande punto in this colour. Purchased it at 2.5 years old as an ex hertz rental. Ran it 18 months and made £500

[@rob7891]

I got a 2015 Punto 1.2. I commute to work everyday about 210Km. Yes everyday ! and Punto till now have no problems. Just changed the Timing Belt and still driving me :). Excellent car.

[@DennisBonich]

I just bought a 2013 1.2 167.000 km really surprised how good the car is for the money. far better than equivalent peugeot, renault, citroen, ford, polo etc

[@soaunknown]

This was my first car in exactly that colour 🥲 but the 1.2 petrol version. No one stood a chance at the traffic lights 😂 All in all, a great first car and a good looking one at that 👌🏻

[@CresuZClips]

The s class reference, and this is why no matter what the video may it be on a fiat Punto or a w220 the video is worth watching. Knowledge on luxury cars is second to none 👏

[@CresuZClips]

P.S Matt, If you want a project car to stretch out like you were doing the phaeton I would recommend a w220. Most unreliable car ever if you want a project car buy one of them cause my own current one is very much a project

[@MahanandMario]

I have owned a Fiat Punto 1200 16-valve 80 horsepower petrol engine for about 7 years. The car is from 2002, and has almost about 300,000 km (187 miles). A LPG (liquefied gas) system was also installed about ten years ago. The machine does not consume oil or water. It turns on with half a turn of the key. I've changed the coil lately, but it has a great motor. Then with LPG consumption I practically walk almost for free. I am very pleased with the quality, and reliability of this engine. The bodywork is still of good quality.

[@philevans3764]

I've had numerous Puntos ranging from a 1995 1.1L to a 2011 1.6 Diesel Sporting, never had any issues, as with cars in general if you look after them they'll last, I would never slate a Punto can be as good as or better than alot of cars of the same age.

[@topgazza]

My wife had two petrol Puntos in the late 90s. First one was just perfect and a lovely drive. After 3 years she got the updated model, same colour as yours, but after 3 years the passenger side kept filling with water when it rained. Turned out to be a scuttle weld failing which to be fair was done free and new carpets under a Fiat recall. We were never told. But it was great after that. Biggest problem we had was a seized brake callipers, again done under a recall and a totally incompetent Fiat garage. They really were rubbish. After a service the wife drive out with no brakes and on the next one they had forgotten to tighten the steering column clamp. No steering.

[@dazheath1]

You are living my dream Matt. Well done on what you have achieved. I loved buying and selling cars in the UK but I made the big mistake of emigrating to Western Australia in 2014 where the used car scene is flat, corrupt and well over priced. Most cars are three times the price of cars in the UK and every time you buy a used car you pay a government fee of upto 6% of the purchase price. And most cars are highly faulty as there’s no MOT here.😢

[@Mooba456]

Yeah, only state in Australia that has a somewhat MOT is New South Wales (called a pink slip).

[@shroudedenigma8607]

There's no MOTs at all...? That sounds like a terrible idea 😅

[@dazheath1]

@@shroudedenigma8607 Yes, No MOT at all, most cars are just run into the ground unless they get pulled by the police and the car removed off the road for being dangerous.

[@baronvonjo1929]

I can't believe how cheap cars on the UK are. But also just based off this channel I will bet money UK cars are driven into the dirt more than anywhere else in the world lol. My God, the abuse these owners put these cars through. MOTs sound weird and very annoying. I don't know what it's actually like having them, but to be honest, it sounds very annoying. Absolutely no tests of any kind in my state.

[@dazheath1]

@@baronvonjo1929 UK cars are ok but can get rusty from the road salt in the winter

[@markdoyle6414]

Mother in law had a fiat doblo, seriously reliable car, no nonsense, great body work as well.

[@nomdeplume798]

I've had a FIAT 128, Uno 60DS, Stilo 1.4, Punto 1.2, Panda 1.3 Multijet and a current model Panda 1.2 petrol, as well as a couple of Alfas. All of them have been reliable, the Panda MJ the most reliable of the lot passing 120,000 miles with a clutch that lasted 95,000 miles, the only other failure being an indicator bulb that faded to white.

[@eltonwelsby787]

I have a 2003 vw polo 1.2, I'm only the 2nd owner. Its the best car I've ever owned.

[@robinstebbings6296]

I recently used car vertical for the 1st time and avoided a car with loads of underbody corrosion. Will use them every time now. Thanks Matt.

[@richardjones2468]

Over here in New Zealand Fiat Puntos are regarded as tough and reliable which is exactly what I have found as a Fiat owner and Euro workshop proprietor, now car dealer. They are easy and cheap to service also which makes them a cheap car to own.

[@whitegptjet]

Grande Punto is really a fun car to drive. I own a 1.4 TJET version with bigger turbo,CAI and tune(around 185hp). Got Koni Sports with Eibach 30mm lowering springs. Stock brakes are amazingly good. Also handles like a dream. Its cheap to maintain , easy to work on and parts are also cheap.

[@mustafacartrader]

I have the same vehicle, did a stage 1 map to 170hp, one thing that is quite expensive is the clutch, which I had to replace cost me close to 1k. These t jet are fitted with a flywheel, which was very surprising, apart from that I really love and enjoy the car

[@whitegptjet]

@@mustafacartrader what turbo

[@whitegptjet]

@@mustafacartrader btw every car has flywheel. Its just dual mass that makes it a little expensive. It costs 550 euros to replace everything here including clutch and labor.

[@mustafacartrader]

@@whitegptjet yeah 1.4 turbo

[@mustafacartrader]

@@whitegptjet majority of the time a petrol vehicle doesn't have a dual mass, its normal a 3pc clutch kit.

[@bblair2627]

I had a six speed and a sporting back in the day. full of character and kind of reliable...Great to see this car get a new future

[@NGMonocrom]

I suspect the previous owner spent more for new parts than the car was worth, realized later what he had done; and he was indeed done with the car. He must have decided, enough! So he sold it. Probably worried he'd have to sink more money into it in the near future. Worked out great for you, Matt. 🙂👍

[@alessandromazzini7026]

you clearly never owned a punto, those things are undestructible lol

[@chriswilkes4350]

Nice one, Matt. It's always nice to complete the circle and to hear about the sale.

[@split_pin]

Great result. The dash is indeed inexplicably clean. It makes me wonder why the previous owner part exed it for the Mazda. I saw the video for that and out of the 2 I'd say the Fiat appears to be the better car!

[@jdmguy44]

The Fiat's the better car of the two? You've got a sense of humour mate. I'll give you that! 😄

[@brotherfromanother1971]

ULEZ

[@warrengeew]

They're both absolutely shite 😂

[@robbieshaft]

@@jdmguy44 your username explains this comment

[@Quattro_Joe]

I had a 1.2 16v sporting and I currently own a MK2 HGT and love it. Puntos are great little cars

[@damien5442]

I had the 2007 1.2 Fiat Grande Punto as my first car which I absolutely loved, anyway issues that popped up I learned to do my self on that car. Including an oil/filter change, fitting a rear window regulator, changed the exhaust and the shifter cables.

[@iBout]

My first car was an '09 Fiat GP, 1.3 also but the 70hp. Slow as you can imagine, but pulled up any hill and still had enough torque to accelerate decently on the motorway. Theyre great little cars, very basic but enough fun to drive and cheap as to run.

[@stevew3196]

Years ago a guy I worked with dabbled in cars as a sideline and did a few mechanical repairs. He earned about £800 a month in addition to his wages for doing something he enjoyed. This was about 25 years ago. Worked from his own garage minimal overhead. There is and always will be a demand for cheap cars. My first car of my own an Austin A30 bought from the original owner for £30 b in 1977. Needed a new water pump and a dent pushing out of the roof and we put a 'vinyl' roof from 2 spray cans on it! 😊

[@imonlytellingthetruth6562]

So your old …….jog on

[@jimmer1976]

That’s a bloody good little motor, Fiats have certainly got better over the years, I had a couple of uno’s in the 90’s (including the turbo) and at that time they weren’t as old as this punto is now, yet they both rotted like there was no tomorrow!

[@skimmingstoness]

Always had a soft spot for the Fiat Bravo from 2007-2014 onwards, They looked quite nice in Abarth form.

[@jeremywentworth1833]

I've always quite fancied a bravo particularly in 1.4 T -sport 150 don't think they do the Abarth bravo in the UK were I am infact I know they don't shame with the Amount of Abarth models with the same Engine in the 500 .

[@imthejoker1310]

The fix it again tomorrow always tickles me. I uad a 2.2 24v fiat Merea Weekend for 3 years and the only problem i ever had was a dodgy coil pack. Another great video Matt, keem em coming.

[@bennycovelly960]

Hi Matt, when I was a mechanic at Fiat I bought a 64 plate Punto 1.4 8v petrol. And 97k miles later I still have it. Whilst having many company cars and lease cars I’ve always kept it. It’s only just had a clutch and I’ve done a cambelt. Apart from general serving it’s wanted nothing. Absolutely faultless. I think it’s how you look after them like you say. That is a Fiat engine used by Vauxhall you are right, As for the numbness you mention, if you get one very flat get your mechanic to check waste gate isn’t seizing or seized. wd40 usually sorts it and it’s down to the lack of use (Nana driving). Love the videos, especially on the day to day cars 👍👍

[@Andy-eo3mq]

I also have the 1.4 8v, and I find it to be an excellent engine. Enough grunt to get about with comfortably, and over 45mpg on a longer run.

[@gileshalliwell3591]

I had one of these and it was faultless in the time I had it… The series 2 panda was brilliant and almost 15 years on the one I bought is still running with its new owner. I do think Fiat get a “bad rap” and are underrated as I’ve read a few reviews that stated they are pretty reliable on the whole though years of poor servicing will take its toll, as it would on any car. Great video..!

[@jondavies7593]

My 1st car was a Fiat (131 Miafiori) and despite it eventually rusting away, I’ve always had a soft spot for them. They have personality, style and quite often quirky elements that make the stand out. It’s just a shame they’re not a bit more robust/long-lived.

[@david-hf3dk]

I still own one, a 2000 t/c sport. I bought it in July 1995 and won't part with it.

[@peterstanford9720]

I love the interior smell of a warm Mediterranean Fiat and the soft, yielding plastic trim.......

[@Aruneh]

A Punto like that is the only car I’ve ever been in that produced fuel. The fuel gauge actually went up as you drove along. Or maybe Tony just put a wire on wrong, who knows.

[@Mossy06]

Mine does that as well but makes me worried when getting low on fuel as not sure how much fuel I actually have left.

[@nigelparish2631]

One of the many many reasons this channel is so good. So many others start off with cars under a grand then before you know it they're splashing out 20k on a car with a cameraman in tow and a pre prepared script. Plenty of people have a budget of £500 to spend on a car and there are so many top tips in these videos. As for car vertical...I recently changed my van and it helped me a lot to avoid buying a lemon.

[@ra55575]

Woo! Loving the frequent vids

[@HighPeakAutos]

Thanks for watching! Its a lot of work but people seem to like the mid week vids

[@Ryan.90]

A friend who grew up in Devon but lives on Sardinia once told me there's a hefty fee and fair bit of bureaucracy to change the ownership on a car out there. He was driving about in a 1994 Panda borrowed from his uncle.

[@AndySnap]

Thats one well looked after, stylish hatchback. I hope it's new owner takes care of it too, that Punto deserves it. I had a Corsa with the 1.3 Multijet engine, a great engine in a small car.

[@chappy2121]

I remember when these came out. Cheap finance, free insurance, there were loads about. Always thought they were quite smart

[@TheOwlsarewatching606]

I've had an ELX petrol for bloody centuries, still has under 70k on the clock. It has been excellent and usually does 60 mpg, It must think it is in Italy!

[@ifyouarefeelingsinister]

I may be delirious from a long day of work but that interior looks really quite nice to me. And I’m definitely a sucker for ‘feminine’ paint colours too by the sound of it!

[@davocc2405]

Don't know much about these myself but I always liked the design of this model. It can't be easy to design a car in this bracket especially considering size constraints. New owner must be happy and only a small number of months escaped his wallet.

[@chuckmaddison2924]

About 25 years ago I bought a fiat 124 from a customer that couldn't afford the quote I gave him. I repaired in my lunch breaks. I can honestly say it was the most fun I've had. Drive it like an Italian and make it scream.

[@Brucecarmaintence71]

Everytime I go to the Scrappies I always see rows of these and always think , they all look in good condition bodywise, then I didn’t realise about the electric steering rack that must be a killer for them as People scrap them possibly for this problem, Cheers Matt.

[@GarfieldBrown]

I'm still driving my 56 plate Grande Punto 1.2 petrol, which I've owned since 2008. Currently on 106,000 miles. It's had problems with build quality and random parts that need replacing, but the engine is solid and is still fun to drive. Still got a few good years left I hope. Wish my interior was a nice as this one though 😂

[@lazylad8544]

Did very well on that one matt for a 16 year old car. Good condition and looked after. You wasn't your usual sarcastic witty car sales person on this video. Should we be worried 😉. Locking nuts on a fiat, someone's got a sense of humour. I know the alloy wheels are worth a few quid. Keep up the good work 👍👍

[@dusankocisevic6823]

Had my white Punto mk2 1.2 FIRE for 13 years, driven across Europe even without a flat tire on the road… but his power steering sensor was completely BONKERS, across town 🙃🙃🙃

[@andrewbass6837]

Great video by the way. Previous generation & the one before that Fiat Punto were very popular but by 2014 there was not meny new puntos sold & I believe it ceased production with no direct replacement in 2018. & I do find the nickname Fix It Again Tomorrow very funny & I heard it also referred to as Fix It Again Tony. Keep up the good work Matt 👍

[@Lorenzo_Velasquez]

Italian guy that lives in England here, the min 1.44 put me a big smile on my face!! Bravo Matteo!!

[@bulltraderpt]

Good call, what a great buy. Shame the previous owner didn't realise it was worth £900 in the open market.

[@dilan4123]

They probably did know that it was worth more but they also know selling to dealers is less hassle even if dealers do mug them off with the buying price they offer

[@Snarl616]

I'm a proud owner of a Mk2 Fiat Punto 188. I love her so much. To hell with prejudices about fiat: that car rocks.

[@ferdvds]

They last in Italy because the weather is so much better. The damp weather in the British Isles is what makes them rust like mad when you make them with cheap materials

[@marcelhandsome6042]

Fiats haven't rusted since 1988 when the Tipo model (European car of the year 1989) was launched Fiat introduced fully galvanized steel bodywork! I owned a 1985 Fiat Uno 70S 4-door for 14 years and only had minor surface rust on the door sill but not bad at all! Around 1983/1984 onwards rust wasn't an issue.

[@simonelucente2863]

the Fiat Grande Punto is an excellent car, it consumes little fuel and is super reliable, if well cared for it is an eternal engine, but all Fiats are extremely reliable and eternal cars

[@Czechbound]

Nice one Matt. I like them. I remember my Dad telling me that when Fiats were on the road in the 70's in Ireland, their suspensions would fall apart. So Fiat had to strengthen the suspensions to cope with the rubbish Irish roads of the time.

[@antoniopalmero4063]

The roads in Ireland are unbelievably bad 😤

[@smantha2398]

This engine..is one of the best in recent times...it ruled Indian cars for almost 10years on millions of cars opted by Fiat,TATA and Suzuki in India..it still the best beast

[@Rabscuttle3]

Hey, nice one Matt! Good to see you make some profit... That's quite unexpected on a 16 year old Fiat with quite a lot of miles. I always smile at your adjectives - "quite tidy" & "quite clean"! Dealer spiel, I suspect! 👍😅

[@MANTHELEXUS]

Italian cars last longer in hot climates for some reason. I think it’s to do with the plastics not liking cold weather. Also rust, Especially with how much the UK salt their roads.

[@Jenkov365]

I've never owned a Punto but that looks to be in decent shape 👌 Obviously been looked after. After watching vids of GT3s and the like, it's nice to watch a relaxing video like this. Also another Partridge quote made it in "Thanks, thanks for nothing!" 😆

[@philipmoulden1780]

As in other comments Matt though not top quality but Fiat cars are under rated & have been for years we had two of these & never let us down once both reaching decent mileage by the time we got rid of them.Many thanks once again.

[@chrisjones6017]

These wreck of the week vlogs are always my favourite

[@HighPeakAutos]

Haha thanks

[@gibboj]

well done MATT , a good first car for a new driver . i would have thought a £1000 all day with 12mt mot on it , but again you sold it cheap for a quick sale , someone`s got a bargin for the next 18mt , cheap running as well

[@hugobloemers4425]

I never got the whining in the UK about FIAT reliability. I lived many years in Italy and know FIATs very well as company cars. They can take an lot of abuse and the engines are quite tough. I actually kind of expected this outcome at the start of the video. The 1.3 Diesel does need it's regular oil change, or the chain will go bad. But this car has been looked after quite well.

[@kevincockburn7805]

A legacy of the 1970s when the fiat cars rusted like there was no tomorrow, due to the thin Russian steel a lot of them were made from. Ford's and Vauxhalls of the same era also rusted, but not at the same rate of knots.

[@matthewsmith2787]

Fiat engines are really strong and reliable, the electronics are often bad, but that’s common with Italian and French cars

[@nextbest]

I had a 1.2 Petrol 2006 with 36,000 miles on it.Was gutted when somebody drove into it and it was written off.Really attractive car.

[@charlesmorgan8440]

Two more tyre brands I've not heard of. Less rot in Italy, less demanding MOT and '"lexible" testers. I'm toying with a 1.3 multijet Panda 4x4 for Dartmoor lanes, and this is actually rather reassuring.

[@hugobloemers4425]

Actually a strict MOT prolongs the life of a car because you can not neglect it over a longer period of time.

[@TheOwlsarewatching606]

my Punto Mk2 ELX has batted gleefully uphill and downward over Dartmoor and anywhere else you care to think of and is ideal for tight lanes. Good luck!

[@Ilias_Geo]

@@hugobloemers4425 the uk has proved this statement completely wrong, because people still scrap their cars earlier than most people from european countries

[@MaveRick01]

I own a 1.4 16V red Grande Punto that is kitted out very well. It is arguably the best Fiat that fiat made for that price point, since it never lets me down, doesn't rust like an Alfa Romeo and it looks really good. It has enough quirks to make it an interesting car too.

[@krivickas]

I believe all depends how owner looks after the car. If you like the car and take care, then the car will take care after you. Had 2 Puntos for few years. Only few bulbs and pads replaced. While with Mercedes or VW had loads troubles..... Well used car is used car. Just like someone said: sometimes its gooood, sometimes its sh...... 😂

[@driver5o]

i own exact same car, and it's indestructible. i drove it with timing chain jumping one teeth next on cam gear and there was no damage to the engine. never let me down no matter what happened to it. this fiat in this exact same shape (which i gotta admit its better than mine) will sold here in Serbia for at least 2500euros which is about 2150 pounds. yeah thats right. grande punto has that price here and people will pay that price with no hesitation

[@rory5229]

takes a lot of skill make a video about a fiat punto really watchable and dare I say it ...actually entertaining

[@HighPeakAutos]

Thanks

[@jaiallen8674]

I remember the old Grande Punto, had a 57 plate with factory Racing Strips. Love it when I first bought it. After 6 months, hated it. Issue after issue, wasn't even high millage. Most of the interior trim came off, multiple times with new clips. Bluetooth stopped working. Heater fan kept getting clogged with leaves. Gear Gater kept coming off when going into reverse, then the electricals started going, mainly rear lights. I have told myself never to by another Fiat again. My now partner had a 500, which had just as my issues. Glad you got a good one!

[@alancraigie7951]

Really enjoy these videos Matt, also looking forward to the property updates. 👍👍

[@HighPeakAutos]

Thanks! Got another one coming soon

[@danigonzalez4299]

Many years ago in Ibiza (like 15 or more) we got one as a rental. I loved the steering wheel. It was so good in hand. I do still remember it as one of the best in hand I have touched/used. Now, I don't know how does it feel today and/or in your case.

[@stephenlane9168]

Another good video Matt. Always entertaining buddy 👌

[@HighPeakAutos]

Thanks

[@andrewmainprice2179]

I think the dry climate may help.Our climate is too damp in the UK and that is why it rusts.

[@karenjennings1236]

Hi Matt, another great video. Great little inexpensive car too. I’m really interested to know why you didn’t sell it for more, it certainly seems worth more?

[@TheRealKlinky]

I had a little fiat diesel van as a courtesy car once when i was living/studying in England...same engine as the Punto I believe...what a cracking little van it was & basically ran all over the country on fumes! Much respect from zimbabwe 🇿🇼

[@Brian-om2hh]

Looks exceptionally clean for an old Fiat.....what's the catch? I'm waiting for the door to fall off when you open it...... But no, it all turned out quite well in the end!

[@Garffey]

Did well there Matt... Salvage rebuilds just lost out on a 'cheap' Focus, ( that I think was a bumper car in a former life!! 😄😄) so you did better than them, but as you say start with something half decent and should do ok....Must admit I quite liked the Grande, as the daughters boyfriend had the earlier version and think this looks more grown up....Wife used to like the 'city' button for parking on the early one we had, but then the head gasket blew!!…Well done on a SPQR!...👍👍

[@Kamil_28]

Fantastic car! I love Punto😍

[@Wellibob68]

Love this channel. Matt is fun & pleasant to watch. My kind of humour too. Be Interested to see a newer Fiesta mk7 video (will the boot leak) and ecoboom v 4 cylinder. Me I stay away from the ecoboost in the 2nd hand market for sure. Punto looks a great car, especially for that money. Catch you next time.

[@looneytune6955]

A high peak autos car purchase without a fixing list as long as war and peace. I feel cheated 😂😂😂.

[@HighPeakAutos]

I’ve got plenty of those coming soon