General Hello, I want a 500, but what's it really like?

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General Hello, I want a 500, but what's it really like?

Cooper D

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Hello Everyone,

I just want to say I really want a 500.
I currently own a Mini Cooper Diesel and it has been fantastic as my commuter, it's covered 95,000 miles in three years without one warranty claim (unbelievable I know). However as much as I love this car it's now out of warranty, and i just cant justify the depreciation again.
I've lost £16,000 on the initial purchase price:eek:

So i'm looking at a 500 multi-jet lounge with all the toys. I'd just like to know how it compares?
Whats the real world MPG on single carrige ways?
What are the xenon headlights like? are they worth it?
How much does servicing cost?
What are the must have accessories?
Who is the best dealer near me?

Thanks people.
 
I'll avoid most of your questions as I don't own a 500 yet, but ..... Your best dealer is rockingham fiat in Corby, probably 30 mins from you. Stone acre are poor. Oh I'm Stamford (y)
 
Hello Everyone,

I just want to say I really want a 500.
I currently own a Mini Cooper Diesel and it has been fantastic as my commuter, it's covered 95,000 miles in three years without one warranty claim (unbelievable I know). However as much as I love this car it's now out of warranty, and i just cant justify the depreciation again.
I've lost £16,000 on the initial purchase price:eek:

You only lose £16,000 if you sell the car. Why sell it if it works and is reliable? Or do you just want a shiny new number plate on your drive?
 
Hello,
The full story is I'm also buying a new Z4 and don't want to commute in it.
I love the Mini but as I work in the BMW group I'm aware ot the cost of running this vehicle without a warranty and its scary.
A clutch is £1650 and lasts between 80,000 and 140,000
The tyres are £196 each as they are run flat low profiles. Thats at cost and they only last 20,000 tops.
and the labour rate at the dealership I use is £125 per hour. Although the service plan lasted until 80,000 and was only £530.
I have rear pads and discs due.

I like the peace of mind of a warranty, rather than paying for unexpected bills

And I really fancy a change I have had BMW vehicles with out change for 6 years, cars and bikes.

As for moving closer my girlfriend works an equal distance in the other direction.
 
With regard to making a decision on going for a Fiat Multijet, you shouldn't have any issues, they are very good engines and are used by several manufacturers.

If you are commuting and driving quite a distance every day I assume you are travelling on motorways so clutch wear won't be so bad? Are clutches even covered by warranty?

Why use a garage with crazy labour rates? - Many smaller independants are much cheaper and much better and can use genuine parts. Just find a reputable one.

Sorry if this is a stupid question but I'm not all to clued up on RF tyres. Do you have to buy them? Can't you buy standard tyres? It's probably cheaper to buy a complete new set of alloys and tyres if you can't run on standard tyres.

The Mini diesel is fitted with a PSA Peugeot/Citroen HDi engine I believe? They are renowned for realiability and achieving high mileage with few problems aren't they? Yours at 96k is probably only half way through it's life. Can't you just take out extended warranty?
 
you can fit standard tyres to the mini, most swap the alloys at the same time :) 16k is some depreciation though, i'd be tempted to throw 3k at a cheap Saab 9-3 diesel and run it into the floor :)
 
I like the peace of mind of a warranty, rather than paying for unexpected bills

Then don't buy a FIAT. The warranty is crap.

Many folks have had unexpected bills even when the car was in the 2yr manufacturers warranty period - and the clutch isn't covered:mad:.

The 3rd warranty is an insurance-backed scheme covering only a limited number of items - and there is no 3rd yr cover at all beyond 60,000 miles:mad::mad:.

Sorry but that's saying it like it is.

Surely it'd be cheaper to keep the mini, even if you had a £2k bill every year - it's not going to depreciate much more.
 
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I dont understand something. 16,000 depreciation? isnt that the price of the whole car? Are you saying your car is worth 0 or even negative now?


Wirht regards to your questions, I think the Mini is a better car overall.
Xenons help but only if you are driving in unlit roads in the middle of nowhere.
Parts are much cheaper than Mini's thats for sure, servicing it depends where you go.
 
Or think totally outside the box.

Deliveries begin of the Dacia Duster in January. A very handsome car: 1.5 Renault Diesel, as used by Nissan, and 107 bhp. 45 +mpg. 0-60 in 11.7 seconds. Masses of space, good handling, 8" ground clearance, easy to get in and out of, fantastic visibility and the option of 4X4. A seven year warranty including roadside assistance can be had for about £850, on top of a price of about £11,500 for the mid range car, which includes A/C, remote locking and a proper spare wheel (for £50 - hello Fiat!). I'd say it's a great deal. Nothing cutting edge (good!) and the third most reliable car in Germany.

Just a thought...
 
I chose my Fiat 500 specifically for the duty that I had in mind which is one 200 mile round trip on a weekend exery six weeks or so and a 7 mile commute which I do 60% of the time on my motorbike plus some bobbing around town. ie short journeys with the occasional long one but very good "not being used while I'm on the bike" costs (£30 tax/£200 insurance [group 6]).

If I was going to spend what sounds like 3 hours a day, every working day - I doubt I would have chosen the 500 for that.

I would assume that you don't do all those miles through town traffic cos that would drive ya mad - so if it's on motorways - brakes and clutch hardly used - diesel engine barely working/wearing - I would do as others have indicated and run the Mini until something serious goes.
 
Or think totally outside the box.

Deliveries begin of the Dacia Duster in January. A very handsome car: 1.5 Renault Diesel, as used by Nissan, and 107 bhp. 45 +mpg. 0-60 in 11.7 seconds. Masses of space, good handling, 8" ground clearance, easy to get in and out of, fantastic visibility and the option of 4X4. A seven year warranty including roadside assistance can be had for about £850, on top of a price of about £11,500 for the mid range car, which includes A/C, remote locking and a proper spare wheel (for £50 - hello Fiat!). I'd say it's a great deal. Nothing cutting edge (good!) and the third most reliable car in Germany.

Just a thought...


They sell Dacias in the UK. I thought they were for 'eastern bloc' countries only in europe.
 
They will sell them here soon. My local Renault dealer has one already but they are not officialy launched until the end of this month, and deliveries begin in January. I saw a few in Morocco earlier in the year and was impressed. They look great on our roads too.

They build them in Romania, Russia, Brazil, Columbia, Morocco and India.

They are selling very well all over Western Europe, including Switzerland, Germany and the Low Countries. Great value you see.

But you have to think outside the box. If image, whatever that means, matters then it will have to be someting fashionable I suppose, until anti-fashion takes over of course;)
 
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To the OP, it sounds as though a lot of your decision making is being determined by cost. If that is the case, why on earth have 2 cars, one of which you don't want to use for your regular commute? Surely it must be cheaper and better to run just one car that works for all aspects of your driving?

Of course, if money was no object I'm sure most of us would have their own version of a garage full of Caterham, Range Rover, RS6 etc, but seeing as you are being driven by your finances, getting one car right seems to be a lot more sensible than getting two cars wrong.

I don't have the diesel 500 so Iam not really qualified to comment, but I would not relish the idea of doing your mileage in a 500. I love the car, but it's really not meant for want you want to use it for. I would be concerned if it could cope with 30,000 miles a year. The warranty is not all that either.
 
I suppose we all want him to make the right decision. Ultimately a whole host of nonspecific emotions will kick in of course.

How many people truly choose a car rationally I wonder?
 
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