Italian beauty..Go GOA Again!

Completed almost 5000kms within 2 months flat!!!

On my first drive on highway,somehow could not take my car neyond 120 kmph...but around 3K itopened up ...and now...120 is default speed

140 is easy and with a little push I could manage till 165 kmph....did not push further...

Other cars like i20 can manage this speed too...but the way Punto feels at 165kmph is totally different...u fell like u are at 100...u will feel nothing if ur windows are up...it still moves in straight line with the awesome suspension keeping u gliding...and when u leave behind cars its a slight shift of steering to left/right...precision incision !!!

NOTE : My car was fully oaded with 5 fully grown human beings with avg weight as 80 + a hefty 30 kg kid + boot full of cocunut, mangoes,suit cases and what not

This time I took my dad along and he was wondering whether we are actually doing 150 & above...

I'm am immensely satisfied with my buy !!!


apart from minor niggles,no issues seen..mielage has been very good around 17 to 18 (when I'm doing > 120) otherwise its 20

Also, I'm more at ease with 1st & 2nd gear now than when I bought the car...

I have been driving non-stop for past 2 months on all weekends...and I'm continuing it driving to Waynad this weekend

5000 kms update & pics above..

 

Top view ..of my baby taken tdy...

 

Suddenly I see all the rattles disappearing...

No front left door rattles...no sound in suspension...no ratles on seats etc..from past 1 week.

May be this is becoz I'm going for 1st service tmrw

Guyz let me know of points to remember on 1 set service,charges etc..

 

Just back from a 2 day Wayanad (Banasura)->Thiruneeli,Nagarahole trip...

Will update details later...


Also, I just got a call from FIAT india,Pune who asked me about first service experience...

I gave all my opinions..and the lady replied saying someone from FIAT servicing will call u directly & fix issues u will have..

She also said we are reaching out aggressively to owners now...and being an Italian company we wan't to give world class experience...

 

More details about Wayanad/Banasura/Nagarahole trip


Started at 5:00 am on June 2nd...from B'lore..reached Mysore at 7:00 am moderate traffic...

I was around 130 kmph...and in on of the curve there were huge humps after Mandya...I failed to notice it ..it was in a curve...

i breaked hard..did not use gear..no ABS in my car...car skidded a little...and jumped lightly over humps...even without ABS..breaking is good...but I rued not having ABS...this is the only grouse I have till date..

I bet if it was any other car at 130...it would have been totally different..

After this ..reached Mysore..had bfast at Gundlupet...then touched bandipur scanctuary on Wayanad road..

Note that Bandipur national park is much thicker and much longer in Wayanad road ...than in Ooty road

Saw two elephants playing in a waterhole...fantastic sight...before Moolehole border...forest was at its prisitine best...

Crossed to Kerala...spotted an Abarath punto at Sultan Bathery..BNW..with an antenna on back side KL reg..looked very good..

Then had a race with Porsche 911..on slightly rougher roads...I clearly won...but once road got smooth he showed me what car he had ..no probs its a 911...he zoomed away..

One red swift right from B'lore was playing hard...I was always at front...but he did well to tail me all the time...he was overtaking me at traffic in Kerala towns...because of better acceleration in low gears..but once corners started I left him way back...

We reached our resort at below link:
SEAGOT

Stay was fantastic with marvellous scenery all round...



We had a speed boat ride at the Banasura dam backwaters...it was fun..we came to our villa for the night..had some brandy...chicken & good biryani..slept





Next day we went to Tirunelly temple near K'taka border...peaceful temple with a stunning & smiling Vishnu idol...



After this crossed K'taka border and hadlunch at Kutta..this was eventful..

We desperately wanted to have fish..and we were searching for a good resort..we found one signboard which said Bison retreat 1.5KM..we took a deviation,..we were not prepared for what happened next..

ALmost entire 1.5KM was in a forest estate road...up/downs..these estates are known for elephant menace..nobody for 1.5KM..we were wondering ..how can a resorty exist here..

Then the surprise..In the middle of nowhere...we see a huge colonial bungalow..and one person pops out and says hi...we are closed today..no lunch...I was pissed off..

After driving for about 1 hr from Tirunelly temple and another 1.5KM in forest road risking my car & life..this guy says no after having put signboards saying lunch available every 500 mts..

I said I'll wait till night but I wan't food...then the owner of bungalow cum cook came out and graciously said 30 mins we'll have lunch ready...

What he prepared was out of the world..fish fry,dal,ghee rice,chicken curry,rasam & jamoon...all utterly delicious...fish pic below..



Thnaked him ..he charged Rs 200/meal...nd left fo Nagarahole..after about 15 kms drive in ..saw a huge huge lone tusker...with ivory about 6ft..awesome sight..he was about to charge and we drove away..then after some time saw another big lone elephant playing with mud....near a waterhole by the road...

Sorry no pics..as they were far away..and I was not carrying any zoom lens...


After Nagarahole...we reached Mysore and then the worst part began..it was bumper to bumper traffic till B'lore and I took a mammoth 4 hrs to reach B'lore....with jams in Ramnagara & Chennapatna...

People have become rich and almost all of them travel on weekends to Mysore & Coorg looks like


It was like driving in B'lore for 4 hours...

Reached b'lore at 9 pm...and end of a wonderful trip

 

BTW..pictures were taken from my mobile...

 

Looks very serene, both the car & the place.
Are those door protectors removable? I put the same kind on my OB but I want to remove them. Will it scratch the paint?

 

hi puntosat! i had been to thirunelly last month! how did you find the drive from thirunelly temple to thet road cross (where roads divert for manathavady and tholpetty)! i used to spot elephants and bisons on this road itself! newly laid road with beautiful curves through the forest!!

next time for going to mysore try kanakapura road. i had taken kanakapura road while going to thirunelly for both onward and return! reached bangalore from mysore in 2.5 hrs flat at 11 pm in the night! from mysore to malavalli (around 40 kms)the road is reasonably good with few humps as its a state highway. from malavalli to bangalore (around 90 kms) its NH209 all the way without a single speed breaker. two lane all the way from mysore to bangalore