No Budget Reviews: 1994 Fiat Punto Mark I 1.2 75 ELX - Lloyd Vehicle Consulting

Google Form Link for ordering Mugs, Stickers and T-Shirts: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FA...
-One 1994 Fiat Punto Mark I 1.2 75 ELX
-One Mobile Phone
-No Fancy Outfits
-No Obscure In-Jokes
-No DSLRs
-No Shotgun Microphones
-No Fluid Head Tripods
-No Idea about Exposure
-No Budget Whatsoever
It is time for the newest instalment in that beloved cinematic automotive KZbin experience where we film practical cars that can be bought for less than £1,000 in a manner befitting of their inexpensive value! This may go horribly wrong (and frequently does)...
This time, as we test a 1994 Fiat Punto Mark I 1.2 75 ELX, we give incorrect information about parking lights and the boot release, experience surprisingly light unassisted steering, discuss rampant corrosion and drone on about very little of any importance at all. Nothing untoward, then...
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As an independent vehicle consultant, I take potential buyers through the whole car buying process from choosing a make and model to a vehicle handover and road tax. In addition to information on this service, I also have a selection of written and video reviews of cars that I have owned, hired, borrowed or have somehow come into my possession. Please use the Contact Me page on my website to get in touch, visit my Facebook page for latest updates and share this video if you like it! Thank you for watching.
Website: www.lloydvehicleconsulting.co.uk
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[@127palio]

Thank you Joseph. I’m glad you enjoyed driving the Punto. Just to clarify, the black button on the ignition barrel is for the parking lights. If you hold the button in and turn the key backwards one notch the parking lights come on - key back in and forward one notch turns them off again. (It was a Fiat thing for decades, but you’d never know unless someone told you, or you’d read the manual). The Punto does have a boot release lever on the floor next to the driver’s seat too. You don’t need the key to open the boot. 👍😎

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Thank you again, sir! Sadly, we did not see that lever next to the driver's seat, and were unaware of the black button next to the ignition barrel having never driven one of these older Fiats before, but everything else we seem to have managed...

[@simonhodgetts6530]

Ah, the mk1 Punto - my 2nd car. Loved it. Mine was the rare 6speed model. And yes, it succumbed to HGF……..traded it in for an Alfa 145!

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Oh sir! Sadly, the FIRE engines of this time did have problems with Head Gasket Failure, it would seem. Haven't ever seen a six speed one.

[@alaricbragg7843]

Thanks for this video! Many old Puntos are alive and well in New Zealand, especially a yellow Abarth version roaming around Palmerston North!

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Glad you enjoyed this, sir! These are very rare in this country now, mainly due to rust and still very low values.

[@GentilsGarage]

Remember these very well when they were launched and how fresh they looked compared to its equivalents in the market. The novelty at the time was the 6 speed gear box. Drove many of these back in the day and they were fun. The HGT was nice too! On the other hand, love this one in this burgundy colour. I love burgundy cars!

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes, this one is just part of an extensive collection of older Fiats, and this colour is rather nice. The six speed ones are quite rare, I don't think I have ever seen one... Thank you ever so much indeed for watching, sir!

[@scottishcarenthusiastsandtrain]

A excellent Review Sir and nice to see a Yorkshire Car, the garage on the dealer plate Miskin and Knaggs in Scarborough used to be a 5 minute drive from where we used to stay in Scarborough on holiday. I remember when these came and thinking these looked much better than the fiesta and the Corsa of the time, think its stil a stylish car even to this day.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes, we do like Scarborough, sir. My lady wife and I had a very nice visit there around five years ago. The Punto would have been a bang up to date design when these went on sale in 1994.

[@frothe42]

I actually like this Italian classic! Thank you very much for your review Joseph!

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

No problem at all, sir! Glad you enjoyed the video. Lots more to come from this collection.

[@seancooke7332]

I had a 1995 Fiat Punto 60S on hire briefly and I was very impressed, I would have bought one. Good handling, light manual steering, lovely gearchange and nice raspy exhaust. Comfortable seats and lots of head and legroom front and rear. Nice spongy suspension, not as firm as the old Uno. My friend owned a 1994 Punto and sadly the head gasket failed. While my Brother owned one when he lived in Oldham and he found it to be indestructible until it got written off by another motorist. His conclusion was that the Punto was very strongly built and very well designed as far as collision protection was concerned for a car of its size. Very attractive looking design too.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes, the steering isn't too heavy, despite the lack of power assistance. The steering feel did seem a bit lacking, though. Gearchange was fine, engine sounded great, and very spacious for a car of this time. Head gasket failure was quite common, sadly... Certainly was a safe option for the time.

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

Fiat were making some really good looking and interesting cars in and around this time period, The Brava and Bravo were great cars to drive.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Sir, I am not sure that it is easy to get hold of a Bravo or Brava these days. Can't remember when I last saw one....

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

@@lloydvehicleconsulting Absolutely true MR Lloyd, I don't recall seeing one on the road in years, the last one I did see lately, was on Only Fools & Horses, a white Brava on a P-plate, drove passed the 3 wheel van outside Sotheby's, If you can remember that scene.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

@@paulie-Gualtieri. , if we are talking about old scenes in Only Fools and Horses being the last time that we saw a particular type of car from the 1990s, then they really must be rare!

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

@@lloydvehicleconsulting Yes would of been a new car then in 1996.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

@@paulie-Gualtieri. , yes, I think that they came out in around 1995-6.

[@mattw8332]

Nice! The design has aged well. Quite rare to see rear quarter windows on 5 door superminis these days. Gives the cabin a lighter feel and aids visibility. I quite like those centre vents on the dashboard.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes, the interior is very light and spacious for something in this class of this time. The centre vents are rather interesting, aren't they? Thank you ever so much indeed for watching again, sir!

[@alexmcwhirter6611]

Brilliant auto. I ran a 60S Team (special edition) from 2003 for some 10 years. One of the last models to be built in 1999 at the Fiat's Palermo plant which I believe closed down since. Free-revving engine (no head gasket issues) but the gearbox wasn't the best or maybe had been over used by the original owner. But the Punto is aerodynamic and despite the low gearing one could easily cruise the motorway. These models look best in metallic paint. As an aside the 6-speed 1-1 models were aimed at the young market (especially in Italy) as a way of getting lower price insurance.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Thank you, sir! Yes, the gearbox in this one wasn't the best I have ever encountered, either, but it could be for either of the reasons which you mentioned as well. Not sure if Palermo is still open or not, I am afraid. Yes, I remember that the 1.1 six speed was mainly aimed at young Italian drivers.

[@alaricbragg7843]

I hear that the contemporary Alfa Romeo 155s were notorious for lost key-related horrors...

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Got to be really careful that you don't lose those master keys in particular, sir!

[@angryslaw9055]

I was taking my driving lessons and passed my exam in Punto II back in 2001,🤣

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

I am sure that the electric power steering system, which allowed the Mark II Punto have a "City" mode for lighten the steering, must have been one of the reasons the instructors wanted to buy them!

[@aslandama]

I've had at least six Puntos, the last one a nice '98 Sporting but I sold it on as the rear inner arches were gone. I'm always on the lookout for a nice MK1 Sporting or early 1100 (55). The is a nice blue 55 on classic cars but it has about £1800 asking price although it's open to offers, Nottingham is a long drive though!

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes, you can still get these for under £1,000, but it sounds like the more desirable models are a lot more these days. Good old rear arch corrosion...

[@zzhughesd]

On an L. Lovely. Older than my old N reg Cappuccino

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Did you enjoy the video, sir?

[@zzhughesd]

@@lloydvehicleconsulting I did , and didn't, however today's '86' Punto my first , sorry second car, first meaningful car, I miss it greatly, bought it 1998

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

@@zzhughesd , there must have been tonnes of these around in 1998!

[@martinclapton2724]

The head gasket problem was really a problem from initial servicing. 1st service should really include re torque down of head when stone cold , but it get not get done causing problems for later, not just a Fiat problem , you understand as many cars were sold , as they are today on wider and less detailed service intervals . Liked the Punto , a successful period for Fiat. Gavin usually finds theses older cars in good nick .

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Well sir, I have eight Rovers, three of which had 1.4 K-Series engines, so we know all about potential head gasket failure around this time... Lots more from this collection coming up soon, thank you for watching!

[@jennydonne8946]

I do like the mk1 Punto, still a very stylish car

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

It's quite an amazing survivor. Steering was quite strange in terms of it being very light and not being power assisted.

[@jennydonne8946]

@@lloydvehicleconsulting I had a brief time with a white 55sx 5 door on an N reg, even though it was a small engine, it was certainly eger, zippy and rev happy. I did actually like the car a lot. I found the mk2 wasn't an attractive car until they facelifted it.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

@@jennydonne8946 , yes, the 1.1 was in the 55 Puntos, and I think that was shared with the earlier Uno. The main issue with this car was the steering, which was a bit too heavy when parking, and then too light when going faster. I wonder if the ones with power steering were better...

[@stuartsaunders4518]

I had a 1994 L Reg 3 door 55S when it was about a year old and it was a fantastic car & felt very solidly built having had previous & subsequent Fiat's. My mother also had a brand new 1994 M reg TD SX and went onto having two more petrol models. They all proved to be 100,% reliable The larger tyred cars without power steering were very heavy but the smaller engined cars with small tyres were fine and drove very nicely. I felt the MK2 Punto was inferior, I had one but didn't like it and didn't keep it for long

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes, this car was light enough with the 1242cc engine and no power steering, but the weight of the unassisted steering at higher speeds did not seem to be there for some reason. The cars with larger wheels may well feel a bit different. I am not sure that Mark II was that good, it didn't last very long (apart from in Serbia)

[@alaricbragg7843]

King For a Day, Fool for a Lifetime by Faith No More? 1995, but close enough.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Close, sir, but no cigar....

[@markonmotoring]

An ELX 75, we are being spoiled sir. Certainly much flashier than the MK1 Punto 55 S that my aunti bought new. I think the vast majority were the 55 or 60 in period though the few MK1s I've seen over the past few year have been the more desirable models such as the sporting, GT or Cabriolet.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Sir, we aim to please, as you know! The 55 S must have been absolutely at the bottom of the range. I think my friend had one of these in around 2003, and another friend had one in 2012, when they were starting to disappear quite fast... Thank you for watching!

[@markonmotoring]

@@lloydvehicleconsulting My pleasure. From Memory my Aunties 55 S was the base model but with its black paint, three doors and a set of optional alloy wheels it looked pretty smart.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

@@markonmotoring , yes, the black paint would have hidden some of the black plastic trim, I imagine!

[@MongoPayne]

I'm sure my dads Mk1 was a 65sx

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

The 65 bhp version of the FIRE engine came out in 2005 with the Mark III Grande Punto, so I think it is unlikely that your father's Mark I was a 65. I imagine it was probably a 60 or a 75.

[@nickyboy.]

3rd

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Have you ever had one of these, sir?

[@nickyboy.]

@@lloydvehicleconsulting unfortunately not, sir