The Fiat Abarth Punto isn’t a car to sell early, its a machine to cherish for life. You see when this car goes in community meets, it still gets respect
BHPian sidindica recently shared this with other enthusiasts:
6 years | 60,000 kms
At the end of 6 years, most people either get bored, sell off their cars and claim to have “upgraded” to a so called better car.
Or
After 6 years, people suffer from mid life crisis, and get confused on what to buy.
Or
Continue to enjoy the last of their kind.
In today’s world, there is no such thing as “upgrade”. Expensive cars are becoming uglier, soulless, with downsized engines, people are paying 12 lakhs for a commuter AMT slow hatch or a nondescript turbo 3 cylinder “performance” cars which have everything but performance and there remains many SUVs and crossovers with no USPs of their own. Its the craze for the latter that has killed the taste of consumers and the hot hatch market has all but vanished.
In the coming days, Abarth Punto owners will sell their cars, make hue and cry about their decisions, and new owners will go on disrespecting this car. This isn’t a car to sell early, its a machine to cherish for life. You see when this car goes in community meets, it still gets respect that even a polo or a N line or a fronx etc wont get at first place.
A lot has been said about the unethical practices that FCA does with Abarth owners. Increase part prices, make ownership more akin to owning a Mercedes, discontinue lot of cosmetic parts. But owning this is a cherish of a lifetime. Not for the powerful engine or the ride and handling, but because of the raw character and driving involvement it imparts, without all the modern gizmos or electronic aids.
But the community of “good” Abarth keepers has gone down considerably. Cars are getting abused, have jugaad stuff around, and insane prices for badly kept cars are being asked for. FCA too, has discontinued lot of cosmetic parts for this car, and its a pain to keep it in top shape but the select few who have this car, are keeping it.
Few months back, I changed the discs to EBC GD series slotted and dimpled at front and rear, which gives far more sharper braking performance and less of brake fade.
Also got the 4H-Tech short throw shifter kit installed above the gearbox bell housing, which has improved the throw space on the OE gear shifter assembly. Meanwhile, service of 60k kms was performed with timing kit changed few thousand kms earlier, and the car continues to provide everyday fun of speed and dynamics, even after 6 years.
Touchwood no major issues with the car, and I intend to keep this for many more years to come.
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