Being a short person (5ft nothing), when I look for a car I like to be able to see over the steering wheel….it is also quite handy to be able to see the back end ! I have driven some tanks in my time and, after 20 years of driving, I wanted something small, sexy and comfortable….like me ! Luckily the company I work for offer substantial discounts on all new Fiats. So off I went to my local Fiat dealer, to see what they could offer me in the small hatchback range. They were extremely helpful and I finally settled on a 1.2 Fiat Punto.I will also say at this point that their after sales service was also excellent.(I had to call them regarding my immobiliser warning light, it wasn’t a problem with the car it was something I was doing, but they were lovely and helpful, probably laughing at me after I was off the phone though) .I even got a bunch of flowers when they delivered the car to my door. That was 6 years ago, I purchased my first Punto for 4,800, that was with a total discount of 1,200, a bargain. Then when it was 3 years old I decided to trade it in for another new Punto. The price for this new was 6,300, the discounted price was 5,500 minus the trade in of my old 3 year old car 3,500…..do the math….this meant to buy another brand new Punto all I had to pay was..2,000 ! I think that was an excellent deal. Plus with all new fiats you get 3 year warranty and 3yrs Fiat AA assistance, the breakdown assistance alone is a saving of 300. THE LOOK Mmmmm, nice body ! Not to everyone’s taste, but in my opinion, cute and dinky. The tail is almost flat, with high up , mounted, brake and rear lights. This is excellent for me especially when it comes to reverse parking, I can see exactly how close I am to the car behind. The front, nose, is stylish and cheeky looking, very plain (the newer shape has a visible front grill but I think it is quite ugly looking compared to the old shape) with the small inconspicuous Fiat badge. I chose black for mine, but other basic colours are Blue, red, silver. Expect to pay more if you want other colours or a metallic paint finish, there are several more metallic finishes including Orange (pretty disgusting).The interior is a neat grey cloth, comfortable but not anything special. They do have a choice of interior trim colour, including blue and dove grey, I chose a simple dark grey ! You have to pay extra for body coloured bumpers and wing mirrors as the standard is black…of course having purchased a black one this didn’t Category:Home › Autos • Will the trend toward economy-size car models lead Americans back to buying smaller-sized cars? — part 2 • You should never use after-market auto parts when maintaining or fixing your car • Should a new car be rust-proofed? • Will the trend toward economy-size car models lead Americans back to buying smaller-sized cars? — part 1 • Five safest cars in North America • How to ensure your teen drives safely after getting a license • Pros and cons of using an hydrogen generator for your car • DIY automotive maintenance: How to change the oil
