(G) Replace Uno with a Cinq/Sei?

I currently have an '89 Uno which is a good car, but is 15 years old and falling apart at the seams. However this car cost me £300 quid 3 years ago wheras a decent cinq or sei would cost considerably more.

So before i spend some money i havent got (am a student) i wondered if anyone had answers to some questions

Is the 1.0 FIRE engine that is in my Uno basically the same as the engine in the cinq in all but capacity?
How expensive are the tyres and is it true they wear out every 10,000miles? Does the tracking need to be corrected all the time?
I have read reviews saying the handbrake is a nightmare and sticks, is this true?
Basically i can get away with running my Uno on about £150 quid a year maintanence, is the cinq gonna cost me more than that to run?

Cheers for your help, i really wanna newer fiat!

I might be wrong but here goes.
It is the same engine.
Tyres are a bit pricey for the sporting but you can find them for £35 fitted each if you hunt about. They wear out quick because of all the enthusiastic driving but no more than any other car. Ditto the tracking.
Handbrake is dodgy if not kept greased but is a cheap fix.
A newer car will cost you less in repairs but it's all down to the maintenance.
[8D]

As markG said the handbrake is mnormally bad, but as soon as u've bought the car you can put it right with a couple of hours of elbow grease. Once its sorted it shouldn't give you any more problems for a couple of years, theres a FAQ on here about it, have a read thro

Engine is same as Cinq Sporting (Both are FIREs, one is a 1108 and the other may be)

Tom (AofB)

GrpN Catback Exhaust system on...rattles like f**k, but very nice!!!

If you're after a 1.0 ie (injection) M-reg Uno in Nottingham one will be for sale this October when I go off to Uni;)

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Uno 1.0ie Start. Standard.

I am a schizophrenic currently so please bear with me whilst I try to get rid of the 40+ personality.

No no paul he said he wanted a Cinq or a Sei! :p;)

The cinq will return

When my bargain is for sale, you'd have to be mad! Anyway, my Uno is a Mk2 and I expect not too different from a cinq!

Oh and I wasn't being serious incase I was mistaken!

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Uno 1.0ie Start. Standard.

I am a schizophrenic currently so please bear with me whilst I try to get rid of the 40+ personality.

The most vital difference tween a Cinq/Sei and the Uno is Zinc.

Centos are mainly galvanised and only rot when the coating becomes damaged. Unos rot period.

Cheers

D

Grumpy old git going fast downhill rather than downhill fast!!

Your above comment is incorrent, all Mk2 Unos (J onwards?) had significantly galvenised bodies in a similar way to cinq's. Both cars should therefore corrode at a similar rate and looking at the amount of rust on my M-reg compared to an M-reg cinq at school, this is fair enough.

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Uno 1.0ie Start. Standard.

I am a schizophrenic currently so please bear with me whilst I try to get rid of the 40+ personality.

The tyre's would probably last more than 10,000 miles even if you're screeching around every corner and wheel spinning everytime you pull away. You can expect them to last 50,000 miles quite easily. My ones have done just over 35,000 and they're almost like new, and they do get some hard use. I think they last longer because it's a light car, but I may be wrong.

The handbrake hasn't been a problem for me. It sometimes rusts after washing my car, but it just takes a bit of gas to free it up.

I've got an 899cc V reg Seicento and it's cost me a new exhaust, new air filter, an oil change and a service. Just into my 2nd year and I think I need a new exhaust manifold gasket. £150/year isn't much, for me that would only cover servicing and an oil change.

Thanks for your advice people

I have been looking around and reckon the seicento sporting is the one for me. I have heard that cinqs are a bit more of a drivers car and i think they look better, but i got some private plates for my 21st birthday and they can only go on 1998 s reg or newer, and am not sure if you can get a cinq this new.

I guess i am gonna go out and test some now then, i am hoping to be impressed with what the slightly larger engine will do in a smaller car.

thinking about it, i am pretty sure i could service this car myself on my budget as the mechanicals are gonna be pretty similar to my unos, but i guess with such a new car you have to consider the effect that "dealer serviced" has when you come to sell it.

Seen some decent ones around the £2000 mark, with only 30k miles, but i know that a higher milage one would probably be safe, as my uno engine is still as good as new at 115,000 miles.

What you were saying about Unos is true about rust, although my uno seems to be very sound it is just a design flaw with doors, where the drain holes have been placed higher than the lowest point of the door, hence every uno you see has rusty doors. what where they thinking!?

i think you can get a s reg cinq, (think) not too sure, if you can will literally be a few, otherwise, sei is also good :p

My uno has finally died and has been sent to the crusher so i need a new car fast. One of my mates has a cinquecento sporting that he wants to sell as he has just started in a new job and has a ford focus company car.

I wondered what you guys think

he wants £650

N registration

good points

62,000 miles
everything works
standard except exhaust and air filter (but he still has standard ones)
interior mint
has a new JVC head unit with receipt from halfords for £120
has 6 months tax /12months MOT, new pads, 2 new front tyres, and has just been serviced.

bad points
Is red and severely faded on the roof, although we t cuted a corner and colour did come back
has small dents on drivers side door and rear wheel arch, gives it a slightly tatty appearance.

Any views would be appreciated, is £650 reasonable, a bargain or rip of? Having driven it i was instantly in love, but we can so easily be blinded by love at first sight.........

cheers

Phil

Seems ok, red is a bad colour at that age though, will need constant t-cutting to keep it good looking.

Aside from the wheelarch dent all Cinqs have some sort of supermarket or car park dings so no worries there.

I'd go for 600 myself.

Liam