Hi all, been lurking for a while just having purchased my first 'B'. What a BRILLIANT car! An ex Germany to UK and now to France car in blue (mostly, if you ignore the parking scrapes) with blue hood and what would appear to be Fiat alloys. Spent the first week of ownership with the seats out and the mat up drying out the floor. Now the weather is decent we might just get out in it this week.

Questions:-

1. Car covers, as ours lives in an open barn and one of our cats likes the hood material, I need a cover. Have looked at various on the interweb, but does anyone have any recommendations?

2. I have the Fiat handbook (in English fortunately) but can find no reference to make of OEM tyres. Were they Pirelli?

3. Any other owners down here in south west France?

FWIW had the cam belt, tensioners, water pump, service and new brake pads (rear) done at a main Fiat dealership, 660 euros. Which I didn't think was too bad...

Any suggestions gratefully received.

Regards to all, Steve.

not as far down as you but our( non-permanent at the moment ..) house is in Deux Sevres .. went down as far as Bordeaux last week, and we'll be at Angouleme for the Circuit des Ramparts in september ..

Sounds nice..lets see some pics up..

Blue hood sounds like a replacement..hope they did the rubbers top and sides at the same time. B's have a habit of leaking, mine was very bad in the joint between the passenger door and the frame. The only real cure is either to spend serious time adjusting the windows to the frame (they adjust up-down and tilt) from screws inside the door..or buy a hard top.

I use Pirelli P6000 tyres which are fine..rated higher than the B's top speed and not too expensive and last well.

B engine is the same as the Punto HGT and fairly bombproof so long as you service it properly. B bodywork is different..very lightly made and scratches / dents easily. The paint is 'orrible for chipping and leaving white scabs..Fiat used an early treehugger non-lead formula which isn't really up to spec..most B's with over 60k miles up are looking at a re-spray.

Overall an excellent car..but treat it carefully..especially in hypermarket carparks where its a dork magnet for ****s thumping it with 4x4's.

welcome blue hood i like the sound of that.
if the car is indoors why not put a blanket on the roof for your furry friend
i have 2 car cover neither very good in the wind and they rub the paintwork.

Johnv, hope your weather is as good as ours is. I presume you are back in Surrey. We are down mid-way between Auch and Tarbes, about 3/4 hr from the mountains, where hopefully we will take the 'B' for a run on Thursday. I will take the 'smile please' and post some pictures, (if I can work out how to do it).

Steve.

Rustbucket/WMWO, having enjoyed the grip of Pirelli's many years ago I shall look around to see what is available.

Re the scratches, there are a few already and the way they park around here I can see a few more turning up. I was sitting in our 2CV, (now sold to fund purchase of Barchetta) which had been totally restored to as new condition, in Leclerc car park and some closet pushed his trolley into the wing and gouged the paint. When I pointed it out he just shrugged and wandered off with his girlfriend. I was soooo cross!

The day I picked the car up it chucked it down and there were no leaks around the hood, so I'm pleased about that. All I have to do now is get a new winder mechanism for the drivers door as it doesn't work. Chez Fiat want 300 euros for one and then charge to fit it... Are Barchettaparts any good?

I have an old quilt cover on her at the moment, just fancied something a little more...err, umm, less floral, shall we say Fortunately she is well protected from the wind and rain in the barn, so flapping shouldn't be a problem.

Many thanks for the replies, Steve.

.. yes, weather was scorching ... we're hoping to make next year's road trip over the pyrenees now we know how good the car is!

Crachat said:

Johnv, hope your weather is as good as ours is. I presume you are back in Surrey. We are down mid-way between Auch and Tarbes, about 3/4 hr from the mountains, where hopefully we will take the 'B' for a run on Thursday. I will take the 'smile please' and post some pictures, (if I can work out how to do it).

Steve.

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Steve, have sent you a Private Message.