Punto 1.9jtd sporting

[Iceman299]

I fancy getting a 2006 model for a cheap commuter. My 330d averages ~40mpg at the moment, mainly motorway miles. I do 100miles/day now, so even 10mpg increase means i'll save £100/month.
Anyone had experience with the punto's in terms of reliabilty/mpg?
I miss my 306, wish i kept it now  

Any info would be appreciated

[Orta]

I would imagine it's the same CR Diesel 1.9 Fiat sell to GM and therefore I had in my Astra. So it will have endless issues from the swirl flaps, egr etc. I wouldn't touch anything with that engine

[Jonny81191]

Don't do it!!

If you want a cheap car to commute in, get a 106 NAD. It'll do decent MPG and with a bosch pump you can run it on veg. Plus, they're that cheap that if you kill it it's disposable..

[Toms306]

100 miles a day in a 106 NAD...right...

Is the Punto a 120 or 150 CDTi? Fewer problems on the 120.

[ozonehostile]

It's a Fiat, no end of stupid problems

[Jonny81191]

100 miles a day in a 106 NAD...right...

Is the Punto a 120 or 150 CDTi? Fewer problems on the 120.

Depends how much you want to save money, doesn't it?

I'd avoid any Fiat, they're unreliable in almost every aspect and are godawful to drive. Drop a vauxhall engine in and you're really asking for trouble..

[Iceman299]

Thanks for the advice folks! I'll steer clear then. No way could (or should i say 'would') i do a 100mile daily commute in a 106 lol
I'll prob just keep the 330d tbf, rather than risk buying a car to save money and end up with stupid repair costs. Spending £300 odd in diesel a month now, Walsall to Warwick/Gaydon everyday

[ozonehostile]

I'd rather spend more on fuel and have something nice to commute in. It's bad enough doing 50/60 miles a day in the dturbo at the moment but I'm trying to save for a van otherwise I'd be looking at getting another mile muncher gt kind of car

[reese]

It's not a Punto but I bought a 2004 Mk5 Golf GT TDI 140 for daily driving. On a motorway commute at 70mph I'll see an average of over 50mpg. Anything VAG with a 1.9 or 2.0 TDI will see similar MPGs and be well suited!

[Iceman299]

A golf does look like a good option. Although now i've just realised alpha romeo mito's are around 3k, the 1.6 diesel is very tempting!

[welshpug]

should be able to get more than 40 mpg from a 330 sat on rge motorway, youd get that from a petrol one unless youre breaking speed limits.

other option is to sack off tgd 100 miles a day.

[Iceman299]

should be able to get more than 40 mpg from a 330 sat on rge motorway, youd get that from a petrol one unless youre breaking speed limits.

other option is to sack off tgd 100 miles a day.

The on board computer shows high 40's but i work it out to ~40mpg. Thats with a lot of stop/start rush hour traffic and local use as well. It's an e46 auto, so only has 5 gears. 
It's just for a year while i'm at warwick college full time, really.

[reese]

Before the Golf I was looking at Megane 1.5 DCIs. High MPGs, £30 road tax and you can get nice ones with good spec for under 2k.

Are you looking for something fun to drive as well or just cheap with good MPGs?

[Piggy]

The mito is a punto with alfa badges

[welshpug]

I'd move house.

I get 50 mpg from my old mechanical 525tds on the motorway.

[Toms306]

You must be sitting at 60...and behind a lorry...to get that lol?

My 1.6 only just scrapes 50mpg at 70. The 1.9CDTi Vectra was lucky to scrape 45mpg at 70. Only one I've had any good at motorway speed was the 1.9 PD130/180 Golf, 60mpg+ on cruise at 70.

[Iceman299]

I'd move house.

I get 50 mpg from my old mechanical 525tds on the motorway.

Was based off on the on board computer or you working it out for yourself? 

I did think that about the mito, but have read nothing but good reviews so assumed maybe the 1.3/1.6diesel engines may be different.

2007 2.2 cdti civic was another option but apparantly the clutches/flywheel don't last very long.

A 2.0tdi golf seems to be a sensible choice then

[r3k1355]

We ruined the clutch in our 2.2 Civic in about 50K miles IIRC, just normal driving and the POS fell apart.

If you're doing a fair number of miles you'll want something relatively comfortable, Golf or something equivalent seems like quite a good bet IMO.

[welshpug]

working it out myself, I can get even more if I keep the speed down.

[Ruan]

V50 is well into the 50s on cruise at 70mph - economy stays almost identical to around 130kph (surprise surprise...)...

Drop to 55-60mph and you're well into the 60s. Bet if there was work on EGR/SOI/RP around the 1900-2200rpm area, could increase it a lot.

[reese]

We ruined the clutch in our 2.2 Civic in about 50K miles IIRC, just normal driving and the POS fell apart.

If you're doing a fair number of miles you'll want something relatively comfortable, Golf or something equivalent seems like quite a good bet IMO.

When we test drove a brand new 2.2 Civic demonstrator a few years ago the clutch was already starting to slip! 

[Iceman299]

i'm going to have a look at a 206 hdi this evening. thought i'd play it safe and stick to something i know

[Eeyore]

not sure how a 330D is only getting 40. Our diesel landrover gets about that. The 2.8 V6 turbo saab gets 33 on a run.

[Iceman299]

not sure how a 330D is only getting 40. Our diesel landrover gets about that. The 2.8 V6 turbo saab gets 33 on a run.

It's around 40-45mpg depending on how much traffic i encounter and how many local trips i do. It's fine generally but if i can save £100/month for a year while i'm at warwick, i'd might as well. Can put it towards a 530d next year, hopefully.

[reese]

i'm going to have a look at a 206 hdi this evening. thought i'd play it safe and stick to something i know

Is it the 110 version? If so they're pretty nippy!

[Iceman299]

i'm going to have a look at a 206 hdi this evening. thought i'd play it safe and stick to something i know

Is it the 110 version? If so they're pretty nippy!

Its 90bhp, same as the 306 i think. £695 for a d turbo with arch trims/spoiler etc, cambelt done as well. Just want something to last a year without costing me a fortune in maintenance

[r3k1355]

So naturally a 15 year old French car is your first port of call.

[Matt-Rallye]

i'm going to have a look at a 206 hdi this evening. thought i'd play it safe and stick to something i know

Is it the 110 version? If so they're pretty nippy!

Its 90bhp, same as the 306 i think. £695 for a d turbo with arch trims/spoiler etc, cambelt done as well. Just want something to last a year without costing me a fortune in maintenance

spending over a grand on buying a car, taxing and insuring it & even if you only allow for servicing, tyres and an MOT test... might aswell just keep the money in the bank

[reese]

i'm going to have a look at a 206 hdi this evening. thought i'd play it safe and stick to something i know

Is it the 110 version? If so they're pretty nippy!

Its 90bhp, same as the 306 i think. £695 for a d turbo with arch trims/spoiler etc, cambelt done as well. Just want something to last a year without costing me a fortune in maintenance

spending over a grand on buying a car, taxing and insuring it & even if you only allow for servicing, tyres and an MOT test... might aswell just keep the money in the bank

If he ends up selling the BMW and buying a new car for less, getting a rebate from his insurance for a smaller car and gets something that has been looked after well and doesn't need work then it could make sense!

How did you get on with viewing the 206??

[Iceman299]

i'm going to have a look at a 206 hdi this evening. thought i'd play it safe and stick to something i know

Is it the 110 version? If so they're pretty nippy!

Its 90bhp, same as the 306 i think. £695 for a d turbo with arch trims/spoiler etc, cambelt done as well. Just want something to last a year without costing me a fortune in maintenance

spending over a grand on buying a car, taxing and insuring it & even if you only allow for servicing, tyres and an MOT test... might aswell just keep the money in the bank

If he ends up selling the BMW and buying a new car for less, getting a rebate from his insurance for a smaller car and gets something that has been looked after well and doesn't need work then it could make sense!

How did you get on with viewing the 206??

Exactly that. 20k miles in a year will take the 330d past 200k miles and reduce its value by around £500, not to mention any potential maintenance. I'll be selling both the 330 and 730. So will have a fair bit in the bank by having a cheaper car instead.
I bought the 206, nice little car but feels so weird driving it lol
Temp insured it for 2 weeks to see how it does in terms of mpg