Looking at purchasing a 500C and would like to know what the reliability is like. I do around 25000 km's a year and need to have something that is reliable. Can anyone help???? I live in Sydney, Australia........

ssgirl57 said:

Looking at purchasing a 500C and would like to know what the reliability is like. I do around 25000 km's a year and need to have something that is reliable. Can anyone help???? I live in Sydney, Australia........

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What engine are you going for ?

Nothing chronic. Some irritations (fuel breather pipes anyone?), quirks (particularly stop and start) and cost cutting (short lived exhausts) but certainly nothing that should put you off buying one.

ssgirl57 said:

Looking at purchasing a 500C and would like to know what the reliability is like. I do around 25000 km's a year and need to have something that is reliable. Can anyone help???? I live in Sydney, Australia........

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Hi ssgirl57, as a native of Australia I know exactly what image you've got in your head.

Fiat don't have a great reputation in Australia but the 500 is a completely different story. The cars suffer from niggly problems like the breather pipes splitting but this really is a minor issue and one that is very quickly sorted and they have got an upgraded pipe which seems much better now.

Other than that there really aren't any widespread problems with any of the engines.

Thank you for your replies. No, Fiat I am afraid does not have a great reputation in Australia but I have now heard this is changing. For the money that would be spent on another small car - say a Holden or a Ford - you can have the Fiat with all the mod cons and a convertible.....

The model is the 500C with the 1.4 litre engine and the dual-logic automatic transmission. The only thing that worries me is the amount of driving. It would involve a lot of traffic (stop / Start) but also highway.

Thanks
Suzanne

ssgirl57 said:

Thank you for your replies. No, Fiat I am afraid does not have a great reputation in Australia but I have now heard this is changing. For the money that would be spent on another small car - say a Holden or a Ford - you can have the Fiat with all the mod cons and a convertible.....

The model is the 500C with the 1.4 litre engine and the dual-logic automatic transmission. The only thing that worries me is the amount of driving. It would involve a lot of traffic (stop / Start) but also highway.

Thanks
Suzanne

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In all honesty there have been very few complaints about the 1.4 engine

I've got a 1.4 engine. I'm at 65000 miles, so just over 100,000kms in 3 years. No engine problems. And I drive mine hard.

Mine's a manual though, not the dualogic trans. I have a non specific feeling of dread about dualogic. I can't articulate that beyond a couple of forum posts, it's just a feeling I get. The ghost of selespeeds past.....

Hello I have a Fiat 500 1.4 Duallogic, so other than the convertible the exact same type that you are getting! The 1.4 engine seems to be very reliable (i have only done 20,000 km of hardcore athens (it is very hilly so the clutch gets quite a lot of work on reverse hill parking to the point where the duallogic box said relaxx with the clutch as its overheating!) city traffic start stop driving mixed with some rural driving by pushing the limits of the engine but this has been done in less than a year, i plan on doing 30,000 km a year and it seems everything is fine!).
Regarding the Duallogic box, so far its been perfect (ok i would prefer a dual clutch system as its faster with the gearchanges but for a single clutch its fine) and i change gears using the manual mode almost all the time!

So do not worry at all about reliability, just do the basic maintenance and servicing as it says in the service booklet and you will be fine!

If you are worried about the Duallogic gearbox, just have a quick read of the duallogic supplement that comes with the car and it will answer all of your worries. Basically it says, just drive it the way you want and enjoy the ride!

I can understand jnoiles reservation on the duologic. A spirited driver will always look to shift gears himself. On the woman that have drove my 1.4 with the 6 speed gearbox they have always remarked how easy it is to change gear remarking that it seems to change gear by itself ! The 1.4 is the kind of car that likes to be driven on the boil but it will happily cruise along as well. It is not as jekle and hyde as the TA. Given the mileage you're doing the multijet might be another engine choice with some recent advances in the PDF department. Although I would struggle to put a diesel in a 'convertible'. Either way 500c is a beautiful car and is a 'practical' convertible without the drawbacks and the 1.4 is a good motorway cruiser.

multispoke said:

Given the mileage you're doing the multijet might be another engine choice with some recent advances in the PDF department. Although I would struggle to put a diesel in a 'convertible'. Either way 500c is a beautiful car and is a 'practical' convertible without the drawbacks and the 1.4 is a good motorway cruiser.

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Diesels aren't really an option in Australia. The running costs of the 1.4 petrol and the 1.3 diseasel in Australia are probably about the same due to the fact that diesel is quite a bit more expensive than petrol.

The 1.2 and 1.4 use technology that has been around a long time and are very reliable. Its still early days for the twin air, but so far its been just as reliable.

Dont forget that Fiat make engines for other major brands like Vauxhall, Saab, Alfa (i know alfa is pretty much fiat but still).

It always makes me laugh when someone say "i'll never buy a Fiat" when their car has a Fiat engine.

mjsmke said:

It always makes me laugh when someone say "i'll never buy a Fiat" when their car has a Fiat engine.

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Mind when I was still selling an old guy came in talking about how crap Fiat and their engines were. Then i sold him a Astra CDTI! :slayer:

Venters said:

Mind when I was still selling an old guy came in talking about how crap Fiat and their engines were. Then i sold him a Astra CDTI! :slayer:

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I had a work colleague who put diesel into the company petrol Astra. It was so noisy he thought it was a diesel. The guy was an Engineer in the US company I worked for - it didn't exactly do his career any favours !

mjsmke said:

The 1.2 and 1.4 use technology that has been around a long time and are very reliable. Its still early days for the twin air, but so far its been just as reliable.

Dont forget that Fiat make engines for other major brands like Vauxhall, Saab, Alfa (i know alfa is pretty much fiat but still).

It always makes me laugh when someone say "i'll never buy a Fiat" when their car has a Fiat engine.

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I heard that up at the Ford garage in harmonstown only last 2 months ago from a guy looking for a cheap car for his missus. He was in a Fiesta and then he hopped into the ka. I didn't say anything .

Venters said:

Mind when I was still selling an old guy came in talking about how crap Fiat and their engines were. Then i sold him a Astra CDTI! :slayer:

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OT I know but what do you do these days Venters?

306maxi said:

OT I know but what do you do these days Venters?

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Out the motor trade, that's the main thing.

Back on-topic

I am from Sydney also and have had the experience of dealing with dealers here when purchasing my Abarth 500

Firstly - by all accounts the Fiat 1.4 is reliable

The Duologic is in fact a Selespeed by another name - but with the important difference that the previous "issues" appear to have been sorted. I am involved (a bit) in the Italian car scene here and there has been zero talk about DuoLogic problems. Local services centres appear to be quite conversant with this tranny - very different when the Selespeed was first introduced (just what I have been driving for the past 11 years ??)

Have you driven the 500c yet ?? Your thoughts ??

What dealer have you been speaking to ??

If you have any Q's re: dealers / service centres / etc - please feel free to PM me

Cheers and Good Luck - the 5oo is such a cool car