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Technical Fiat 500 Twinair 0.9

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Technical Fiat 500 Twinair 0.9

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Aleck002

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Good Morning all,

Firstly I am new to this forum so wish to say a little hello!

Secondly I joined up as I feel this is the best place, full with the right people to help me get my head around this (possible?) issue I am about to explain.

Essentially, last night I bought a 2012 Fiat 500 0.9 Twinair, with 5k miles on the clock so not really run in yet, thus why I expected it to be spot on straight off the mark!

Now this is meant as a gift to the girlfriend for Christmas, so I am trying to get my head around this before then :D

The problem is... The car feels underpowered, now I have read up on this and it seems that maybe I am expecting a bit too much from it. At times on the way home it would struggle past 60 to even hit 70, and it resulted in most of the 100mile return journey having my foot down, yet not making any progress. Considering official specifications for it rate the top speed at 100mph odd (I could be wrong, when I say official I mean autocar....) I cannot see it ever hitting this, again I've no intention of doing anywhere near this but I am trying to understand why my essentially new car cant!?

What I would like to know is whether there is an underlying issue and what that could be or whether I, whos day to day vehicle is a GSXR1000, am just used to having the a bit more ooomph!

Any help in this would be most obliged!

Kind regards

Aleck.
 
Aleck002 said:
Good Morning all,



Firstly I am new to this forum so wish to say a little hello!



Secondly I joined up as I feel this is the best place, full with the right people to help me get my head around this (possible?) issue I am about to explain.



Essentially, last night I bought a 2012 Fiat 500 0.9 Twinair, with 5k miles on the clock so not really run in yet, thus why I expected it to be spot on straight off the mark!



Now this is meant as a gift to the girlfriend for Christmas, so I am trying to get my head around this before then :D



The problem is... The car feels underpowered, now I have read up on this and it seems that maybe I am expecting a bit too much from it. At times on the way home it would struggle past 60 to even hit 70, and it resulted in most of the 100mile return journey having my foot down, yet not making any progress. Considering official specifications for it rate the top speed at 100mph odd (I could be wrong, when I say official I mean autocar....) I cannot see it ever hitting this, again I've no intention of doing anywhere near this but I am trying to understand why my essentially new car cant!?



What I would like to know is whether there is an underlying issue and what that could be or whether I, whos day to day vehicle is a GSXR1000, am just used to having the a bit more ooomph!



Any help in this would be most obliged!



Kind regards



Aleck.
Click to expand...


You should be fine. Why don't you do a 0-60 test? If you manage between 11-12 seconds you are doing fine
 
Aleck002 said:
Good Morning all,



Firstly I am new to this forum so wish to say a little hello!



Secondly I joined up as I feel this is the best place, full with the right people to help me get my head around this (possible?) issue I am about to explain.



Essentially, last night I bought a 2012 Fiat 500 0.9 Twinair, with 5k miles on the clock so not really run in yet, thus why I expected it to be spot on straight off the mark!



Now this is meant as a gift to the girlfriend for Christmas, so I am trying to get my head around this before then :D



The problem is... The car feels underpowered, now I have read up on this and it seems that maybe I am expecting a bit too much from it. At times on the way home it would struggle past 60 to even hit 70, and it resulted in most of the 100mile return journey having my foot down, yet not making any progress. Considering official specifications for it rate the top speed at 100mph odd (I could be wrong, when I say official I mean autocar....) I cannot see it ever hitting this, again I've no intention of doing anywhere near this but I am trying to understand why my essentially new car cant!?



What I would like to know is whether there is an underlying issue and what that could be or whether I, whos day to day vehicle is a GSXR1000, am just used to having the a bit more ooomph!



Any help in this would be most obliged!



Kind regards



Aleck.
Click to expand...


Are you sure it was not switched to ECO mode?
 
Aleck002 said:
Good Morning all,

Firstly I am new to this forum so wish to say a little hello!

Secondly I joined up as I feel this is the best place, full with the right people to help me get my head around this (possible?) issue I am about to explain.

Essentially, last night I bought a 2012 Fiat 500 0.9 Twinair, with 5k miles on the clock so not really run in yet, thus why I expected it to be spot on straight off the mark!

Now this is meant as a gift to the girlfriend for Christmas, so I am trying to get my head around this before then :D

The problem is... The car feels underpowered, now I have read up on this and it seems that maybe I am expecting a bit too much from it. At times on the way home it would struggle past 60 to even hit 70, and it resulted in most of the 100mile return journey having my foot down, yet not making any progress. Considering official specifications for it rate the top speed at 100mph odd (I could be wrong, when I say official I mean autocar....) I cannot see it ever hitting this, again I've no intention of doing anywhere near this but I am trying to understand why my essentially new car cant!?

What I would like to know is whether there is an underlying issue and what that could be or whether I, whos day to day vehicle is a GSXR1000, am just used to having the a bit more ooomph!

Any help in this would be most obliged!

Kind regards

Aleck.
Click to expand...

Twinairs seem to need a bit of time to loosen up and give their best. When I bought mine (new) I was seriously underwhelmed but now, after 6000mls it's a different car. It performs better now in ECO than it did at first with ECO switched off. Of course, if you say yours has 5000 up then it should be well on the way. Perhaps it's been coddled and been puttering around the streets without being stretched at all. Turn the ECO off and give it some welly.
 
Hi, thanks for the reply thus far.

In terms of the ECO mode button, throughout the journey I did keep switching back and forth to see if there were any differences in how it reacted.

I'm assuming this is common sense but a little 'ECO' logo appears in the rev counter when in ECO mode? and presumably without that there, it isn't in ECO mode? it seems the light on the button doesn't work as this never came on?

Leading up to a hill I was running at maybe 65-70 saw an artic lorry, and went to overtake, however there was already another artic overtaking and it got to the point where that second lorry was pulling away from me despite having dropped it down to fourth? Now again this could be down to having to change my ethic to driving and overtaking on a hill is now a no no but it does seem that the second it hits 30/40 or 3rd gear the progress just stops, up until then its fairly nippy?

Thanks again.

Aleck
 
Aleck002 said:
Hi, thanks for the reply thus far.

In terms of the ECO mode button, throughout the journey I did keep switching back and forth to see if there were any differences in how it reacted.

I'm assuming this is common sense but a little 'ECO' logo appears in the rev counter when in ECO mode? and presumably without that there, it isn't in ECO mode? it seems the light on the button doesn't work as this never came on?

Leading up to a hill I was running at maybe 65-70 saw an artic lorry, and went to overtake, however there was already another artic overtaking and it got to the point where that second lorry was pulling away from me despite having dropped it down to fourth? Now again this could be down to having to change my ethic to driving and overtaking on a hill is now a no no but it does seem that the second it hits 30/40 or 3rd gear the progress just stops, up until then its fairly nippy?

Thanks again.

Aleck
Click to expand...

Yes. when the ECO indicator in the speedo goes out you're in full power mode. These days I drive mine in ECO mode most of the time and performance is adequate for my purposes. On long uphill stretches, or overtaking as you describe, though, I'll hit the button for more 'go'. This results in a very positive push in the back, far more than when I first bought it.

Having said that, you do have to keep your momentum up. I find that if I let her get too slow in 5th just dropping to 4th isn't enough - I go straight to 3rd.
Try holding it in the lower gears a bit longer, from what I've read it's happier above 3000rpm.

Speaking personally, I feel the Twinair isn't as flexible as my old Daihatsu Cuore 1.0 3-pot, but is more engaging and more fun - it's an engine that demands your full attention but repays it handsomely once you get into its groove.
 
Hmmm, I think maybe after work, ill take it for a reasonable drive and see if I can pick up a noticeable difference between the two modes.

If not I may see about asking a Fiat dealer to have a go and see if there is an issue in comparison to standard twinair 500s. But in all honesty it isnt meant for me but the girlfriend who quite frankly would find this lack of any real oomph a plus!!

Thank you all, one last thing though in terms of issues with the twinair 500 has anyone heard or noted a similar thing to this? Or know of any common mods to increase the performance? I hear mapping is a thing, but I am always a touch dubious about playing around with ECUs.

Regards

Aleck.
 
Firstly I would suggest that for lively driving you need to keep the turbo spooling which will involve more gear changes than you are possibly used to, remember its only got an 875cc engine.

Driving on a straight flat road and keeping the throttle as still as possible try turning the engine from eco to normal, you should feel the car accelerate (without anymore throttle) its a wierd feeling the first time it happens.

FWIW the day I took delivery of my new TA I took it up a 1 in 5 hill near where I live and in normal mode it accelerated to above 60mph by the time I got to the top.
 
Aleck, I endorse what Scout says above about engaging ECO at a steady speed, but would add that this should be at a minimum of 40mph as the TA doesn't like pulling from 30 if it's not in ECO mode. If you cruise at 45-50 with ECO switched on, then disengage it, you should experience acceleration without pressing harder on the pedal.
The other thing to note is that, being a twin, the engine doesn't sound as if it is revving as high as it is, so if driving enthusiatically "by ear" it's easy to hit the rev limiter in the lower gears!
 
Yes, the twin cylinders seem to rev differently and you need to learn a new "ear".

Our 500TA goes like a rocket! I was actually very surprised by the performance, but a little pocket rocket it certainly is. Ours has done a little over 14,000miles.

Not had it flat out yet but (says this very quietly) 85mph was easy, and there was still way more to go. :)

Good luck,
Mick.
 
scout said:
Lets just say with 21000 under the belt it will happily play with the big boys in the outside lane as long as they aren't going flat out ;)
Click to expand...

This is the sort of thing I've been hearing from owners but as yet my experience has been a bit underwhelming but mainly at the top end past 40mph!

Thank you all for your replies, I'll try playing with the Eco mode tomorrow presumably if I don't feel that acceleration you've mentioned then this could be where the problem lies?

On the way home from work I had her in second going up a hill and I could feel the revs dying off! I'm sure this can't be right!

Test driving would be an ideal way to tell if there is an issue, would there be any difference between my 2012 twinair and a current model twinair?!

Thank you all again!

Aleck
 
Aleck002 said:
Test driving would be an ideal way to tell if there is an issue, would there be any difference between my 2012 twinair and a current model twinair?!
Click to expand...

Probably about £5000 ;).

Seriously, they should be the same unless you drive the new 105HP version.

When very new, most folks report them as being rather tight.
 
Looks like your Twinair has an issue. We have had ours for over 30 months. Had loads of issues, however acceleration and performance have never been a problem. I am also a biker, and appreciate the difference in acceleration between a car and a bike. I would describe the Twinair engine as a bit of a gem. Have lots of fun dropping a gear and letting it just go. Overtaking is a breeze. Not sure if I have helped you, other than noting the description of your Twinair's performance is very different from ours.
 
Aleck002 said:
This is the sort of thing I've been hearing from owners but as yet my experience has been a bit underwhelming but mainly at the top end past 40mph!



Thank you all for your replies, I'll try playing with the Eco mode tomorrow presumably if I don't feel that acceleration you've mentioned then this could be where the problem lies?



On the way home from work I had her in second going up a hill and I could feel the revs dying off! I'm sure this can't be right!



Test driving would be an ideal way to tell if there is an issue, would there be any difference between my 2012 twinair and a current model twinair?!



Thank you all again!



Aleck
Click to expand...


You could always take another Twinair for a test drive and see how it compares to yours, mind you it would want to be one that's run in and not a dealer demo with low mileage
 
Mercky said:
You could always take another Twinair for a test drive and see how it compares to yours, mind you it would want to be one that's run in and not a dealer demo with low mileage
Click to expand...


This seems to be a good idea, it more than likely is that I am not used to this 'city car' ethic of driving and that my first journey with the car was a 100 motorway centric journey.

I have tried searching this forum and doing a broader search on google for similar things but it seems a lack of acceleration and power is not really a thing or at least I couldn't find anything on it!

Thank you

Aleck
 
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