First impressions with a courtesy car

[Gav]

I'm driving a 54 reg Polo for a few days while My 5 year old Punto is in for repairs. I picked it up yesterday, and have worked out from the paperwork that it's a 1.2E. I thought it worth sharing my experiences for anyone considering such a vehicle.

First off, what it has, and what it doesn't... Electric mirrors and 4 speed intermittent wipers - woo hoo! Now they are useful, and on a basic spec, really great to see. What else does it have? 5 head rests, my Punto only has 4, so it's looking good. But what's it missing? Electric windows (in this day and age!), no sunroof or air-con, only a 4 speaker (as in only in the front) radio cassette. I may be used to more luxury with a CD-changer, and electric sunroof, but being honest it's okay when it's not too hot.

What about the engine? Before I saw it was a petrol I thought it was a diesel (I've never driven a diesel though!). I've had that before on a Hyundai. Loud clatter on startup from the 3 cylinder 1.2, which vibrates you slightly when stationary, and the noise - probably down to a lack of sound proofing (I know on the Fiat Punto there's a big differnce between basic and next model up in noise refinement). In a word, unrefined. It goes, especially mated to the close ratio gearbox. I thought my gearbox was low, but this one is lower! Oh, and there's not an awful lot happening up the rev range (it's not my car, so I can try it out knowing I'm giving it back soon), but it's powerful enough to overtake slow vehicles. The gearbox itself is good, it doesn't crunch even when provoked by changing gear without using the clutch (just a lot of force). I found that out because the pedals are offset for me and I'm not used to the left foot rest.

The handbrake is another matter. If you're on a hill and you engage it a normal ammount the car rolls. So you have to pull it right up which is uncomfortable. In doing this a few times (through traffic jams - I dislike leaving my foot on the brake, since I hate others who blind me with brake lights), and I have a blister from it. You see, this Polo has a ring of hard plastic on the end of the handbrake. The rest is good quality soft plastic, just the end which has rubbed, and rubbed my hand with the excessive height needed to stop the car rolling. The dashboard is a lovely soft plastic, wonderfuly screwed together, but I don't touch that, I touch the controls, and they need to be user friendlty, not sharp and hard.

It also lacks any seat height adjustment, which means I'm sitting higher than I'd like, and find it easy to misjudge speed. Combined with the low ratio gearbox, I've often zoomed off to 5-6000rpm, since the engine's accelerated faster. Something that can be got used to. This Polo only has 4k on the clock, but the seat is hard. Very hard. It's a bit uncomfortable since you can't relax back in it. I think I've been spoiled having a good seat with lumber supprot in my Punto.

Handling wise it's fine. It goes, it goes round corners, and it stops. The breaks aren't so intrusive (as in put your foot near the pedal and you're emergency stopping), which is what I like, a good progressive feel. Perhaps it's my driving not being suited to the Polo, but a few times it's been scrambling for traction away from a junction, but then it's not like I've ever done that in another car.

I had been thinking about changing my Punto, and a nearly new GT or Sport or SE was a possibility, but this experience has really changed my opinion of the Polo. I've never liked basic spec cars, but to me this one falls so short, I can't see the other models being vastly better. I had a Passat hire car for 4 days last year, and thought it was great, but it seems the Polo hasn't recieved the attention it needed. At least they didn't give me a Ka - I'm thankful for that!

[carmadaaron]

thank you for your input, just a few points to clear things up.

as the base model is £6995, quality of build is top notch, so i dont see why you are complaining about the equipment level. and VW will hold its value more than other cars, so at this price, i think you are asking for too much. (air con on a base model?!)

if you drove the "S" model, which is one level above the entry "E" model, u get air con as standard, electric windows! as this a 3 cyl engine, i think the performance can match the rest out there with similar 4cyl engines.

foot rest does offset the pedals, but i think the brake pedal is right in the centre when aligned to the centre of the steering wheel. hence its just a matter of getting used to. (same with high handbrake)

as for brakes, every new polo has ABS as standard which is good to know. traction wise, were u just too agressive ? wider wheels than the skinny 165 tyres on the "E" models will sort this out no bother at all.

cheers

[Gav]

as the base model is £6995, quality of build is top notch, so i dont see why you are complaining about the equipment level. and VW will hold its value more than other cars, so at this price, i think you are asking for too much. (air con on a base model?!)

if you drove the "S" model, which is one level above the entry "E" model, u get air con as standard, electric windows! as this a 3 cyl engine, i think the performance can match the rest out there with similar 4cyl engines.

I had no choice in the equipment level, it just seems odd to me that VW fit electric mirrors but not electric windows, 5 headrests and fancy wipers, but no CD player. The performance is fine, just it's unrefined. It's more that it's new to me, where as I'm used to my own car and its niggles. It assured me that my Punto doesn't kangaroo in 1st/2nd like some owners complain, since the Polo does the same (ie in gear, moving slowly with no feet on any pedals). My Punto did shake a bit similar earlier this year, but that was down to the head gasket going. I'd be worried if that was the reason for the unrefinement, but I suppose it could be a problem with this exact courtesy car and not general.

foot rest does offset the pedals, but i think the brake pedal is right in the centre when aligned to the centre of the steering wheel. hence its just a matter of getting used to. (same with high handbrake)

as for brakes, every new polo has ABS as standard which is good to know. traction wise, were u just too agressive ? wider wheels than the skinny 165 tyres on the "E" models will sort this out no bother at all.

cheers

I'm used to 185/65 R14's on my Punto, so probably pretty much the same. It's more a case of getting used to it. At what model in the range does the handbrake not have a hard plastic ring at the end to give a blister because it's so high?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not starting a campaign against Polo's. I see some shortcomings in this basic car, that if addressed could make it into a cracking little vehicle that holds its value. I would never buy a basic model simply because they fall short of my requirements, and this is no exception. I can't personally see any reason to get a nearly new (which I tend to go for, as I've saved ~40% off new list on 9 month old cars) Polo, because that discount isn't there because the image is of high quality, refinement and reliability.

[neilw]

I had a brand new Punto when my polo was being fixxed. Was ok But the build quaity was poor even compared to a 5 year old Polo. Other thing that annoyied me was turning out of junctions, goto look right to check for traffic and the door pillar is right in your view.

[Andrew B]

Interesting views, always good to get someone else's opinion, I have the Twist which gets electric windows, aircon alloys and metalic paint. It was 8K new.
I noticed the 3 cyl clatter the 1st time I drove mine, seems to have gone now though, have I got used to it or has it bedded in, only done 2k though as yours has 4k I suspect the former maybe true, I love the short throw gears though,
once under way engine is so quiet I often end up revving to the redline before I know it. Need to fit that BMC air filter to see if a bit of induction noise wakes me up.

[dave-h]

I have just moved over from a Fix Ii Again Tony and all the sayings
about fiat were right "you can get all of the electrics to work some of the time but you cant get all of the electrics to work all of the time.Just go to the fiat bravo forum.
The Bravo was alright dont get me wrong but thats all it was,you were never sure what would happen when you turned the key And it was a nightmare trying to sell just no holding price.I now have a 1.2 polo 9n and i am highly delighted I turn the key "engine starts first time" Wipers Work and the radio works all the time and
engine does not have a mind of its own.The Polo is quite nippy for a 1.2 insurance group 2 not a group 5 "fiat bravo" and the 1.2 VW 40mpg. 35mpg fiat bravo.
But the thing i like best about my Poslow it looks nice sitting on my drive
dave-h

[Del_GTi]

I use to have a Fiat Punto, it was a 97 P-reg. I had it almost 4 yrs, and it never let me down once. Only thing i had to replace was the swinging radius arms as the bushes had perished. Other than that it was a great car.

Came with dodgy pizza-cutter wheels as standard which were scary for at roundabouts, as suffered badly from understeer, but i fitted 15" wheels with 195 tyres and lowered it 40mm and this improved it dramatically.

It was just a base spec car so didn't have many electrics anyway and the ones it did have worked perfect. Was a bit rattly, though to be honest my GTi can rattle like a good'un at times too.

To be honest i was sorry see it go

Here's a pic.

[dave-h]

Italians can certinally design a good looking car.and i really liked the Bravo.Trouble is they cant build them to the same spec as VW.Its only my opinion and at the end of the day i would rather have a VW than a Fiats(that is a good looking fiat by the way)
cheers
dave-h

[M7]

i had my mates punto hgt on the track not so long back. totally different feel to the polo.

i drive a fiat van all day and that has a heavy clutch, but the hgt was even worse! i was struggling for good gear changes on the track. the box felt heavy and didnt just fall into gear as easy as the polo.

but as you only got the E spec model as a courtesy car, the S and SE models will offer much better features

[Gav]

Thanks for the comments. Last night I managed to get my wife to have a short drive. She prefers the Polo to my Punto. Only because of the sterring column, which unfortunatly is too close on the legs in the Punto. She also thought it was a diesel at first startup, and promtly stalled (her car has quite a high biting point). She was aprehensive since her family had an old Polo which she hated driving. They'd had a Golf GTi before that which was the car she leared in!

This Polo does have some go in it, and it's easy to redline. I'm finding myself braking a lot more than usual simply because of its willingness to rev off the line and catch up the slowly accelerating normal cars... I think I could get used to a Polo that had a better spec: decent handbrake, decent seats, decent stereo...

Until 65k my Punto had never let me down, (when the head gasket went, as is comon on the 1242cc FIRE engine) and the electrics are fine. Blown a few bulbs, but that's expected. I know my Punto lets me know if a bulb has blown (although not which one), does the Polo do the same? My wife's 307 doesn't, which I found out after a week of ownership when I got pulled over by an over enthusiastic policeman!

I've averaged 50mpg in my Punto, and I can see the smaller engined 1.2 Polo has slightly worse fuel economy. Being realistic, my next car is highly likely to be a diesel. Since my wife is insisting I have a 5 door car for practicality, I'm looking to a good performing diesel, of which VAG do them - the HGT MJTD Punto is only a 3dr. I've admired the Audi A2 since it came out, and am saving up should I like them when I try.

2fast: I've found the Polo's 'box to be easier than the Punto, but then the Punto's better than the Vauxhall ones I'd had before, so it's progress for you.

Fiat are rather in debt at the moment, and managing to stay afloat. Not as bad as MG Rover, since with new cars (Panda, Croma, new Punto & Stilo just around the corner) and improving quality. These days cars are built with an expected lifetime, and all cars depreciate. The total cost of ownership is the only figure I'm interested in, along with the passion a car can give. The TCO varies depending on how long you own a car, and so many other factors...

[dxg]

I had a Punto before my Polo. I have to say that the Punto was more fun. I used to love the sliding it round roundabouts, feeling the understeer through the steering and right on the point of washing out. All this at about 20-25mph! All I had was the base model (55S), so it was slow and uncomfortable. But defnately more fun.

It did let me down once -- it powers 2 cylinders off one coilpack and one of those died on me -- great fun creaping past trucks on the outside lane of the M42 while it tries to shake itself to bits by only runnning on two cylinders (22.5hp!). Loved that car. Only sold it because it was starting to get a bit long in tooth. I got it serviced in a local country dealer, too - who were extremely good (don't beleive what they say about Fiat dealers). For example, lost a wing mirror due to a truck once -- bought the rpelacement from their parts department and the parts guy offered to fit it himself there and then for free. Can you imagine a VW dealer doing that?

The Polo is a different proposition. I wouldn't base your assessment of thre whoe range on the 2cylinder petrol. While lots of people (myself included) love the noise they make, they are rather unrefined and the equipment spec in those cars is lacking. I would consider the 3cylinder diesel in SE spec the minimum for a decent Polo. Have a look at one of those if you're interested...

Deek.

[xx_loopy_xx]

What about a Seat TDI.... I saw an Ibiza Diesel Cupra, and it looked lovely, Had cupra R alloys and a kit!!! I was going to get one, but then i saw my rolo polo and fell in love.... it wasnt even on my list of cars to get, but i wouldnt change now!Havent really found anything wrong with it.... took a while to get used to the handbrake tho, gotta admit. I like it how you just push the indicator a little bit and it flashes 3 times... thought that was really clever.....