Having said that... It might be worth hanging out for the Series 4 if it's getting here in 2017. Of course FIAT might still sell the new base model in Series 3 guise just to use up parts.

http://www.drive.com.au/motor-news/fiat-unveils-refreshed-abarth-20160513-gouysp.html

Slightly off-topic: The title of this thread puzzled me. Series 4??? A search with Google gave me the impression that this naming is unique for Australia. Is that correct? Besides, why is it called series 4? I would expect the facelifted model to be called series 2.

AGH1965 said:

Slightly off-topic: The title of this thread puzzled me. Series 4??? A search with Google gave me the impression that this naming is unique for Australia. Is that correct? Besides, why is it called series 4? I would expect the facelifted model to be called series 2.

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Absolutely not a clue! It's a bit weird; there's the Series 1 - the original car from 2008; then the Series 3 - the one that introduced the TFT display; and now the Series 4 facelift. Series 2 appears not have gotten a look in. I wasn't aware but maybe it is an AU thing...

Series 2 = revised rear suspension 2010 on.

UFI said:

Series 2 = revised rear suspension 2010 on.

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Ah, right UFI, that might explain it...

Hey Everyone

Im from Brisbane Australia and I need help deciding.

I have a 2013 Mini Cooper 1.6 Auto - Baker Street edition car (built in sat nav and all the options ) at the moment.
its about 3.5 years old now.
I was thinking of selling it and putting a small deposit on a new car before the mini starts costing me money in parts over the next few years. I already need to pay $600 2moro for new break pads and tyre rotate and balance.

I really love Fiat 500's and decided it is my next car of choice.
I test drove the new series 4 Auto 1.4 Lounge and realy love it!

My only thing is - It doesnt have cruise control or automatic aircon.
I love the new Sat Nav it has on it.

Im also a little afraid of the glass roof - I never park under cover so I dont wanna be to hot when driving in summer.

That said.. I cant afford a new Mini Cooper ($37000) and for $24000 for the fiat seems ok.

Does anyone else been in this situation before?
Im a little confused as to what to do

If the auto you test drove is the Duralogic I personally would steer well clear as opposed to the American version that has a "traditional " auto box.

Adriano Valentino said:

I already need to pay $600 2moro for new break pads and tyre rotate and balance.

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Must have seen you coming, seriously don't give the bastard dealers a cent more than you have to ever. Would have probably been no more than a $300 job at any independent.

I wanted to stick with mini servicing before I privately sell it.

I have driven the American 1.4 also - it's a real good drive.

However - I didn't mind the Australian 1.4 too.

I used to own a twin air plus fiat in 2012 - I had it for a year.
But it didn't have the power I wanted - but I enjoyed this 1.4 .

Why should I steer clear??

Adriano Valentino said:

I wanted to stick with mini servicing before I privately sell it.

I have driven the American 1.4 also - it's a real good drive.

However - I didn't mind the Australian 1.4 too.

I used to own a twin air plus fiat in 2012 - I had it for a year.
But it didn't have the power I wanted - but I enjoyed this 1.4 .

Why should I steer clear??

Click to expand...

If you've driven the Duralogic and are happy then go for it but sell it before the warranty expires as should it go wrong as has happened it's crazy money to fix like half the price of new.
Have you considered a Mazda 3? maybe a bit more expensive

John202020 said:

If you've driven the Duralogic and are happy then go for it but sell it before the warranty expires as should it go wrong as has happened it's crazy money to fix like half the price of new.
Have you considered a Mazda 3? maybe a bit more expensive

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I'm not really a Mazda 3 sort of guy.

My past cars were
Fiat 500 twinair plus
Mini Cooper - Baker Street edition

A Mazda is just to bulky - even a Mazda 2
I do hear great things about the Mazda 2 in the media.

Adriano Valentino said:

I'm not really a Mazda 3 sort of guy.

My past cars were
Fiat 500 twinair plus
Mini Cooper - Baker Street edition

A Mazda is just to bulky - even a Mazda 2
I do hear great things about the Mazda 2 in the media.

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Both Mazda 2 and 3 are undoubtedly very good cars, and extremely well-equipped, but they're just too, too bland - and this from someone who's driven exclusively Mazda for 45 years until I bought the Twinair.

The FIAT may not be as reliable, well designed or well-built, but it's got a fun factor sadly missing in today's products from Hiroshima.

Adriano Valentino said:

I used to own a twin air plus fiat in 2012 - I had it for a year.
But it didn't have the power I wanted - but I enjoyed this 1.4 .

Click to expand...

I wouldn't have thought the 1.4 is that much more powerful than the TwinAir -- but if it makes you happy, go for it. Happiness is the reason I bought my 500. My car still gives me joy after more than 3 years

If you're a previous 500 owner then I'm guessing you're already familiar with the Dualogic transmission and its pitfalls.

Yes in 2012 there were a few things I didn't like about my twinair plus fiat 500.
1. It didn't have good power on hills till the turbo kicked in
2. The blue and me was bad and call quality wasn't the best
3. No built in GPS - having a job on the go it's nice to have a GPS in the car. My clucky suction mounted GPS kept falling off my windshield.

Now all the bad points that I disliked from 2012 are no longer in this new 2016 series 4 - it seems fitting to buy a 500.
I'm keen on getting a fiat 500 now cause I'm sure in 3 years time a completely new model will come out - big and bloated like a new Mini Cooper or look like a two door version of the fiat 500 X. So this fiat 500 2016 seems good before they replace it all together in a few years.

Do any of you think they will replace this model in a few years time with a complete new version ?

Adriano Valentino said:

Yes in 2012 there were a few things I didn't like about my twinair plus fiat 500.
1. It didn't have good power on hills till the turbo kicked in
2. The blue and me was bad and call quality wasn't the best
3. No built in GPS - having a job on the go it's nice to have a GPS in the car. My clucky suction mounted GPS kept falling off my windshield.

Now all the bad points that I disliked from 2012 are no longer in this new 2016 series 4 - it seems fitting to buy a 500.
I'm keen on getting a fiat 500 now cause I'm sure in 3 years time a completely new model will come out - big and bloated like a new Mini Cooper or look like a two door version of the fiat 500 X. So this fiat 500 2016 seems good before they replace it all together in a few years.

Do any of you think they will replace this model in a few years time with a complete new version ?

Click to expand...

My 2013 (Oct 2012 built) Twinair displays none of the negative symptoms you describe - mind you I had to buy the bespoke TomTom and mount for the dash socket. The Blue&Me might be limited compared to other systems but what it does do it does well I find.

It'll be interesting to see where FIAT takes the 500 but I daresay no matter what they do we aficionados won't be happy.

In my country the Series 4 has one advantage: the sporty 105 HP TwinAir engine is finally available for Dutch 500 buyers.

Say what you like about the mini but one thing they do really well is the infotainment system 'mini connected' and sat nav, it's the same basic system they fit to Rolls Royce and back in 2012 it was the very best system fitted to any new car.

These days the mini system is still very good but with the likes of Apple car play and android auto it's beginning to get a bit dated. Fiat haven't kept up at all with this technology which is a shame, though to be fair back in 2005 when they first launched blue and me, while the world bough iPods fiat fitted a Microsoft Windows compatible set up, so they're not great at making decisions.

From what I understand other fiat group brands are fitting the new technologies but fiat still plod on with their own system

Hello everyone.

I'm looking at buying a new series 4 - 1.4 lounge. Perfesionaire pack (Leather seats ect) but it comes with a glass roof/moon roof.

Living in Brisbane, this scares me a little. Will it be excessively hot with bad glare and all? And how will this affect the leather seats?

Any suggestions?