Fiat Punto II/Bravo

Mr Benevolent

First time poster in Motors, great forum you guys have here. I'm about to get my first provisional, and while I'm aware that the insurance is roof-high (I'm 28, male and never needed to drive, am close to the DART, bus etc - my girlfriend's the same).

So I've been looking at the post-2000 Punto and Bravo, both good cars, and I know FIAT have shaken off their reputation, but no idea which one to get. My budget is around €2k - 3k (not including insurance). I won't be revving them to bits, just want to clock up the time till I get my full licence.

Any ideas which is better, or is it apples and oranges??
Niall

Biro

Confab wrote: »

First time poster in Motors, great forum you guys have here. I'm about to get my first provisional, and while I'm aware that the insurance is roof-high (I'm 28, male and never needed to drive, am close to the DART, bus etc - my girlfriend's the same).

So I've been looking at the post-2000 Punto and Bravo, both good cars, and I know FIAT have shaken off their reputation, but no idea which one to get. My budget is around €2k - 3k (not including insurance). I won't be revving them to bits, just want to clock up the time till I get my full licence.

Any ideas which is better, or is it apples and oranges??
Niall

The post 2000 Bravo 1.2 is a better option, the Punto has had a few issues and more often than not was owned by someone on a budget who didn't bother looking after it.

masseyno9

Drive a bravo myself and i love it. Engine replaced a while ago, but it was thrashed a bit before I got it by all accounts. Runs sweet as a nut again, and is a lot more comfortable than most other cars of comparable engine size or price.

Check when timing belt was done on any that you look at. Fiat recommend every 72k but enthusiasts recommend 36k. Anywhere in between these 2 figures and you'll be grand. There should be a red key with it. This is the master key and has extra codes or something on it. Its a potential problem if it isn't with the car. i.e. if you ever need it its expensive to get a new one. But having said that, even with the engine change, which obviously involved disconnecting the battery for a long while I didn't need one. If its not there I'd tend to use it as a bargaining tool rather than letting it put you off buying the car.

Here's a buying guide from a uk bravo website http://www.fiatboo.co.uk/buy-a-bravo.htm The lads there really know their stuff. The forum is busy enough so if you've any questions they'll get answered pretty quick.

€2k should get you a decent '00 example with 60k-70k miles.

colm_mcm

safety wise, the Punto would be ahead, and as mentioned earlier, quality on the later Bravos was much improved on the older ones. you'd also pick up an early Stilo for similar money, but again, later ones were better built.

I'd go for the Bravo, try and get a "special series" model, which are identifyable by lack of spec badge on the back (normal ones will have "Bravo S, Bravo SX etc, special series just says "Bravo) these came with rear spoiler, leather steering wheel, front fogs, and other goodies)
www.fiatforum.com is an invaluable resource for buying tips and troubleshooting problems.

Common faults on the Bravo would be crashing noises between 1st and 2nd and between 3rd and 2nd. (syncromesh) and faults with central locking, rear wiper, and other electrical gremlins. 16v engine not too bad for head gaskets. make sure you get the red/brown coloured master key, and ensure with all keys that the "CODE" light goes out after the engine is started

masseyno9

As colm_mcm said, the higher spec models are good to look out for. Elx or hlx models are the ones with the goodies (also special series) but there's not too many of them around. Not sure if they were even sold in Ireland. Mine is an sx and its grand.

A lot of parts are shared with the bigger Marea. Whole front end is interchangeable so if you need panels/headlights etc they're a bit easier to come by. The dash is the exact same. If you go see one and the exterior door handles are all torn/tatty, don't worry, its a problem with them. Bravo handles are made from a rubber material that perishes, but (again!) Marea ones are interchangable and are plastic and don't perish. Alfa 147 ones also fit but with a bit of work. On the boot it will often look like the moulding isn't colour matched properly to the rest of the car, but this was the same on every one i went to look at so I think its just the way it is.

colm_mcm

massey: wings, front bumper and headlights are all different on the Marea, but can be swapped to the Bravo. Think the HGT Bravo gets the wider Marea wings though.


Special Series was available in Ireland at the end of production along with the chrome-tastic Marea special edition (St. Marritz or something).

Mailman

The premium 1.2 brava carried a HSX designation. Alloys and more tasteful seat fabrics were the main selling points.

colm_mcm

Mailman wrote: »

The premium 1.2 brava carried a HSX designation. Alloys and more tasteful seat fabrics were the main selling points.

Brava HSX had lovely blue or maroon cloth interior with rear headrests, electric sunroof, colour coded electric heated mirrors, 7 spoke 15" alloys, 3 spoke steering wheel, delayed courtesy light, optional ABS, as well as the usual stuff such as dual airbags, central locking, integrated cassette player, electric windows, colour coded bumpers. the special series gained leather steering wheel and gearknob and spoiler as well as HSX spec but lost the electric sunroof, it may have got a CD player as well.

don't think there was a HSX equivalent in the Bravo before the special series came out though, think you had to go to the 1.6 GT to get goodies?

I'm pretty sure the ELX models were only available on the older generation Brava (the one with the 12 valve 1.4 engine)

miceal

I drive a bravo and love it to bit!

It is a great small car, mine is a 80sx 2000 model.

If you treat it ok whuch you seem to be going to then you would have no problems. Mine was an import from the north so had to replace the brake lines due to them using salt on the road.

It has had a gear box and clutch about 6 months ago - It needs new shocks but that is to be expected with the roads around my house

All electrics and airbags!

Sweet car go for a bravo!

Mailman

main selling point of the Brava over the Bravo is not only 2 more doors but the car is less likely to have been bought by a boy racer and should be in better condition at this stage in it's life.