Punto diesel

[pompei]

There's a Punto 1.9 diesel on a '52 plate parked up down the street, with a for sale note in the window asking for £1500ono. 50 something thousand miles, t&t and looking pretty cool in black. 1.9 should be pretty fast thought I until I looked it up - according to Autotrader, they're only 70 or 85 horses, so I imagine a pretty dismal drive (although 70 mpg is an attraction)

 

I was wondering if they are detuned versions of something a bit more peppy and can be tweaked to give a bit more push?

[Albert Ross]

If I'm right.... they are the baby model of the 150 that goes into the Vectra/Alfa etc. Difference being, these are 8 valve, and as such the max is 120 brake IIRC. They also do a 90 and 110 for FIAT use, and the 120 in the Vauxhalls. I believe they may eat EGR valves for fun.

[fiatdaft]

130 bhp max out of the fiat ones ,if its an 80 bhp model you can get to 100 bhp easily.

[oman5]

my sister has a Y reg Punto 1.9. its ok...pulls pretty briskly actually, although in real world motoring 60 mpg would be absolute maximum. Beware dodgey electrics and underbody rust. the underseal dries out and shrinks leaving bare metal exposed.

I don't like it, engine feels too heavy for the car and if you drive "enthusiastically" it has lift off oversteer that bites you on the bum

[pompei]

Ah, thanks My Saab has a 1.9 (though 16v) and I had wondered if it was fundamentally the same or something totally different I imagine another 20% on the standard 80hp would make for a better drive; I've had 3 petrol Puntos in the past and they were all ok to drive - a bit slow perhaps but quite engaging.

[Guest Len H]

Looking at the statistics, they really aren't that slow. They have quite a lot of torque which should give it that excellent 'small car/big engine' feel.