Hi
I have just joined this site and I am looking for advice on the 500.
I currently own a Micra 1.2 80bhp ( to me looks similar in many ways) which is a cracking engine and performs reasonably well on the motorway apart from suffering slightly in strong winds.To me(only having looked inside) the 500 appears quite narrow for shoulder width.Could someone please confirm the front shoulder width by measuring if possible.
Also what is it like on motorways.I do not do many miles on the motorway,but going to work I do about 10 miles.Is the 1.2 better than the 1.4.I would also appreciate any general comments anybody feels is relevant.
I will of course take a test drive,but I do not feel you can judge a car fully on a half hour drive,so thats why I would appreciate any comments,
particually from those who have driven the Micra and 500.

thanks
Steven

Apparently the 1.2 500 is slightly quicker 0-60 (0.7 secs!!!111!) than the micra (as it's a 1.2 I guess it's a K12 (03 onwards)).

From memory there's no problem with shoulder room (with two adults) in the front. Only thing to watch is delivery times. With scrappage and (more significantly) the BSM order, they are a bit stretched atm.

I've got a 1.4 lounge spec 500 and it holds its own on motorways. I drive 20 miles each way on a motorway everyday and I find myself intimidating other, slower cars. And the idiots who think 60mph is acceptable in the fast lane on the M1.

jnoiles said:

I've got a 1.4 lounge spec 500 and it holds its own on motorways. I drive 20 miles each way on a motorway everyday and I find myself intimidating other, slower cars. And the idiots who think 60mph is acceptable in the fast lane on the M1.

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Do you tend to find it moves about though in crosswinds as it is slightly smaller and I assume a bit lighter than a Micra.

i have a 1.2 tht i do motorway miles in daily-

it is quite fast enough, absolutely stable in cross winds, very solid, and feels much much bigger in the front seats than you might expect- it is a wide and tall car, when you look at it parked next to others.

def one to buy!

you wont be disappointed!

I think the Micra is a more solid and planted drive than the 500. Not to say that the Fiat is unstable, just that it seems like the younger pupply that wants to run around and nip at your heels. Nothing to be too concerned about as long as you don't drive like a maniac!

The 1.2 petrol is a great little engine and I'd be very happy to drive it on the motorway (have the diesel because I do 20k miles a year). You shouldn't have any problems with crosswinds, never experienced any issues even on very open roads at 70+ mph.

Inside, the 500 is surprisingly roomy. Lots of people have commented to me that it feels a bit tardis like. I've had no problems touching shoulders with a variety of passengers (some wider than others!).

Personally, I think the 500 is an ideal Micra replacment. It's got a cool image, low running costs, and has some cool tech with things like Blue&Me.
Plus if Nissan were to take the Micra back to the drawing board, I think they'd come up with something that looked even more like the 500 than the Micra already certainly does.

The best advice now is get a test drive and then ask yourself the question... Do you speak Fiat ??

STEVENM1001 said:

Do you tend to find it moves about though in crosswinds as it is slightly smaller and I assume a bit lighter than a Micra.

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Yup. It's a short, tall, skinny car. It's always gonna do that. Less so with lowered springs fitted but still a bit wandery.

I havent had any crosswind problems at all and I drive five days a week on the last 5 miles of the A19 before the Cramlinghton roundabout. Its mostly a raised dual carriageway. So far it is way better than both my last car an 02 Punto and way better than my Siecento Sporting on the same road.

jnoiles said:

Yup. It's a short, tall, skinny car. It's always gonna do that. Less so with lowered springs fitted but still a bit wandery.

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I find my 500 is quite good in crosswinds.

306maxi said:

I find my 500 is quite good in crosswinds.

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here here!

a sign of a stable car not even thinking about stability.....from the drivers seat the 500 gives the impression of a much bigger car due to width of cabin, height, and rake and depth of the windscreen and dashboard...

its only when i look over my shoulder that i realise how small it is!

possibly on the m way the ride can be a bit choppy-

i drove 150 miles to suffolk in one go recently and arrived fresh...it never ever feels out of its depth!

STEVENM1001 said:

Hi
I have just joined this site and I am looking for advice on the 500.
I currently own a Micra 1.2 80bhp ( to me looks similar in many ways) which is a cracking engine and performs reasonably well on the motorway apart from suffering slightly in strong winds.To me(only having looked inside) the 500 appears quite narrow for shoulder width.Could someone please confirm the front shoulder width by measuring if possible.
Also what is it like on motorways.I do not do many miles on the motorway,but going to work I do about 10 miles.Is the 1.2 better than the 1.4.I would also appreciate any general comments anybody feels is relevant.
I will of course take a test drive,but I do not feel you can judge a car fully on a half hour drive,so thats why I would appreciate any comments,
particually from those who have driven the Micra and 500.

thanks
Steven

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Hey
Just wondering why you were changing your Micra? If you think its similar to the 500 are you not better saving £4k and getting another? Just being devils advocate... only had mine a day but fab so far! And it seems wide to me but maybe its just the panic of hitting anything!

keeforelli said:

i drove 150 miles to suffolk in one go recently and arrived fresh...it never ever feels out of its depth!

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Got to wholeheartedly agree with this. Have done several longish journeys (100+ miles) in mine and arrived fresh and without aches and pains.

Driving experience is fantastic. I commuted for 12 months over the Snake Pass (Glossop to Sheffield) and found it a delight round all the twisty bits (at speed limit too) and she was also surefooted when the wintry stuff arrived.

Hi

Haven’t been on this site for a long time, well not since we got rid of our Multipla! I am having withdrawal symptoms so we are getting a Fiat 500 Pop!!! Why not!

Anyway can someone tell me if there is an alarm system you can ask for when ordering the car, and how much approx?

Thanks

Robin

Hi, I have owned both cars

I had a Micra 1.2 SE in 2003.
A 500 1.4 Lounge in 2008/9.

Cant really compare performance exept to say I did try the 1.4 in the Micra which I found awful, didnt rev and made a horrible racket. The Micra 1.2 was a real gem though.

Comparing the Micra to the 500 is easy though.
The Micra does have more interior space, but isnt as nice and the 500 seems better made too. The 500 I found had poorer body control and handling compared to the Micra, and the Micra rode much better.
But, my Micra had loads of issues and although it drove well was always at the dealers.

If you like your Micra you will like the 500, they are very different cars but both fun to drive.

Having also owned a 1.2 Micra, 1.2 Panda and 1.4 500 and driven all on the motorway I can a 10 mile trip would be no problem for any of them. I used to do a 70 mile round trip everyday in the Panda and never had and problem keeping up with traffic. Fuel consumption was significantly better than the 1.4 500 too. Only issue was accelerating from 50-70, 60-80 etc where it would lag sometimes.

Cross winds don't effect the 500 any worse than the Micra where as the Panda used to fell off the road everytime there was a breeze! As for room inside, if you can fit in a Micra you'll have no probs in the 500 but if you do maybe you should think of a Multipa, or a diet.

Overall, the 500 is a great replacement for the Micra which is an under-rated car itself. The 1.2 engine is great, reliable, and offers great fuel comsumption, if you want something a little more lively step up to the 1.4.

PandaCraig said:

Overall, the 500 is a great replacement for the Micra which is an under-rated car itself. The 1.2 engine is great, reliable, and offers great fuel comsumption, if you want something a little more lively step up to the 1.4.

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I had a couple of new shape Micra rental cars (Point which should be mentioned) and didn't like them much tbh. The interior IMHO is not even as nice as the Panda and it doesn't feel as well made either. The 1.2 is characterless and although when wound up it does go it just didn't feel good low down which is really where you need the power in a city car. Handling was vague and especially scary on gravel at rather pedestrian speeds and I'm an rather confident on gravel!

Minty Moo said:

Hi

Haven’t been on this site for a long time, well not since we got rid of our Multipla! I am having withdrawal symptoms so we are getting a Fiat 500 Pop!!! Why not!

Anyway can someone tell me if there is an alarm system you can ask for when ordering the car, and how much approx?

Thanks

Robin

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Hi Robin. There is an alarm but hardly anyone has bothered with it. The immobilizer is usually enough to keep people happy security wise.
Part code is 50901734 but personally I looked at it and decided not to bother.

Thanks Miss R, Sorry I have not answered earlier but I am trying to get used to this site and working out how to view any replies!!!! I have decided against it, thought it could be fitted when being built.

RT