Granvilleb said:

don't knock it till you have had one

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Exactly....I think its one of the most under rated cars around...and its got that armrest compartment with air-con flow into it to keep your drinks cool
If I had the money I would buy one...but I aint so will have to wait for a secondhand one on ebay in 10 years time

Originally Posted by Granvilleb
don't knock it till you have had one

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Well, I have one (since 10/2005) and can tell a few things:

-) Make sure that the dealer has updated the software of the car. Otherwise very strange things may happen to your window-openers and wipers.
-) Always doublecheck that all the windows are closed after you have locked the car. Sometimes one of the windows opens a few centimeters AFTER locking the car.
-) I will never understand how it was possible to design the handbrake handle in such a perverted way. (one more thing i will ALWAYS remember to check when buying a car)
-) The original CD-radio is one of the worst I've ever seen. (extremely poor reception)
-) The compartment in the center console armrest is a great example of a misdesigned closing mechanism (try to open the upper compartment with only one hand!)
-) There seems to be a construction problem with the 120HP engine (a "grinding" noise at verly low RPMs/1st gear. No fiat-shop was able (or willing?) to repair it in the last 7 months.)

-) Otherwise it's an average car. Which seems to be a great achievement for a FIAT product.

Well Wabbler I am suprised you bother to be interested in Fiat cars. I gather from your list of negatives you must be an engineer if you rate cars by their radios.

I dont think wabbler will be a regular on these forums somehow














:tosser:

Granvilleb said:

Well Wabbler I am suprised you bother to be interested in Fiat cars. I gather from your list of negatives you must be an engineer if you rate cars by their radios.

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Well, I rate my cars by what I get for my money. If a manufactorer charges me 200.- euros for a 3th-class radio which is available for 45 euros in a hifi-store, this says a lot about the car maker.
(BTW: The croma is not available without a radio here.)

I've seen about half a dozen on the road so far. When I was buying my Grande Punto I asked the dealers how many they had sold, and answers varied from none to no more than 3.

I have seen a TV ad for this car. It's AWFUL. It's one of those whole ad break ones, and is for cost reasons seemingly kept to the cable channels. I last saw it on UKTV History. It's a look through the brochure, with no actors and music and narration very similar to that in 'How It's Made' which you can see on Discovery every day.

If you thought the old Bravo/a ad was bad ('Wow, imagine driving it!'), you haven't lived.

I did think that the Croma was the most pointless car on the road until I learned of the Cadillac BLS. It's a Saab 9-3 with an ugly, fast dating body, upon which is a badge no-one takes seriously and which has been developed at a large cost to GM, only to be sold through 19 dealers in the UK.

19. There must be more Ferrari dealers in the UK. How in the name of Christ do they expect to sell any? No wonder GM is about to roll over and die!

I have the use of one today - a courtesy car from the dealership whilst my Stilo is being serviced.

It is a Multijet 150 the car is large, although I am used to the Ulysse so nothing untoward there. Lots of gadgets, as expected, although nothing that I haven't got already - I did spot the bottle holder in the arm-rest though...

Will try that 15% thing later on, when I go back to the multi-storey.

As for the handbrake, nothing I am not already used to on the Stilo, so don't see it as a problem - the Ulysse has it on the right, so that makes it more interesting

As for the engine - seemed quite pokey, but it is only 150bhp and I always need more than that will give it another blat tonight, once I leave work....

AlexGP said:

...to be sold through 19 dealers in the UK.

19. There must be more Ferrari dealers in the UK.

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No. There are 16 UK Ferrari dealers. Thought I suspect that Ferrari owners would be more willing to travel to buy their car. :chin:
H

i picked one up 2 days ago, a 9 month old ex demo with 5000 miles and £7500 off the new otr price, wanted something a bit different from scenic & picasso but needed the same amount of room which it has. to be honest i have not seen another one on the road and that is great as i like to drive something different from the rest of the crowd.
agree with the handbrake and centre console points but everything else seems to be positioned and works as it should, 150hp engine seems fairly quick to me and as with any engine it is the amount of torque and the way it is delivered that can make the car feel fast or slow. i've recently tested a 260hp mazda6 and a megane 225 and I don't feel the fiat is that much slower when on the road with other traffic.
was dissappointed by the supplying fiat dealer (poor preparation) but problems with fiat dealers seems to be an age old problem. hopefully my local dealer will be ok, as to get the spec i wanted I had to travel nearly 200miles to get this one and returning there for servicing isn't an option !!

My Dad got a new Croma a couple months ago. He drove it to France for a holiday and and said it was great (very comfy drive, cruise control on the motorway, climate control etc.). I pick mine up on Thursday. I've gone for the Prestigio with some extras. I'm looking forward to getting it.

I agree with the handbrake, but my Dad says he's just got used to it (he has an automatic as well) and is quite fussy with his cars. It certainly sounds a quiet drive. Servicing is every 18,000 now for the diesel - even better.

I've not paid full price by the way... through a relative I got 26% discount, including the optional extras.

I wish to inform you gentlepersons, that I purchased a new 120 multijet dynamic in silver, november last year. It went into the garage for 59 days just after having it about 3 weeks, over christmas and returned in the new year. The reason it went in was because it failed to start. and then failed to start. Explanation upgrade disc needed from italy. It has been in for aprrox 15 days up until last wednesday 19 july due to, at 1500 revs jumping or juddering. Fiat cannot find thje problem. I have started looking around for another machine. I had a multiwagon before this 2 fiat unos fiat srada 105 twin cam and supermirafiori twin cam. Can anybody advise me what the juddering could be around 1500 revs.

The car other than this is a dream to drive.

I think it's a handsome car. Very conservative, but quietly distinctive.
The ease of access is wonderful, and if you adjust the seat to sit good and high then comfort is pretty much guaranteed.
Wonderfuul for long journeys I should imagine.
But...
A pity that the front passenger seatback doesn't fold forwards to accomodate really long loads...
and, and - here we go again,
that stupid handbrake is the no-no clincher.
Its horrible; utterly inaccesible and therefore uselss. Stuff automatic handbrakes, I want a real one where I can reach it. This is a safety item not a soddin ashtray:yuck: .
Fix the handbrake Fiat, and give it gorgeous blue velour seats like the old 130, and some cool exterior colours, and a decent stereo. Make it a cool luxo-barge...and it'd begin to move.

i'm getting worried now as i feel myself drawn to the croma esp the prestigio model with 200bhp. stupid handbrake doesn't bother me as i own a stilo.

i can't put my finger on why i like it i just do!

prices already coming down (saw a fully speced up one with leather and satnav for 12995, retail about 22000). i think i will wait a little while yet and get one dirt cheap

Yeah noticed that myself...wish I had the money

Not a big hit in ireland and way 2 expensive...almost €30,000..could get a passat for that money!!the exterior is not nice...its not ugly in a quirky kind of way the multipla was..its just plan ugly!!My dad has a stilo multiwagon but the croma is a lot bigger..interior is quite nice especially in the cream coloured fabric we test drove!!some bits inside do lack quality, the indicator stalks feel really cheap n i hate the inside door handles!!if they brought the price down and re-stlyed the exterior it could do a lot better!!fiats are getting too expensive!!!

As KEV1 stated above...........

"saw a fully speced up one with leather & satnav for 12995, retail about 22000"

they dont drop by that much over here!!!

I've had a Croma JTD (Prestigio 150) for over 4 months now, racking up over 7,000 miles to date. My previous was a Stilo Multiwagon.

I've got a few extras such as the winter pack, comfort pack and MP3 stereo. General comments:

Good
A lot of room (especially at the back)/comfortable
handles the road well/good acceleration for a diesel
large sunroof
good selection of extras compared to the Stilo e.g. cruise control, better seat adjustment, better climate control, more storage
The winter pack is good - heated seats, headlamp wash and the best being heater screenwash (brilliant now it's frosty). This was always a problem for other Fiats I've had.
6th gear is good.
Boot storage is good - finally a couple compartment to put things and the shelf that can fold down is good.

Bad
stereo could be better for this price of car (the traffic announcements are too loud)
location of the handbrake is awful (you do get used to it)
there's a bonnect 'rod' that has to be used to keep it open (it was automatic on the stilo)
no seat belt adjustment (I'm getting picky now)
rear seats don't fold down all the way (again picky) - they fold most of the way down
Not so good on the fuel consumption compared to the Stilo (used to get a little over 500 miles on a full tank, now about 450 on the Croma).
Reversing sensor - quieter than the Stilo. Have to make sure the stereo is too loud and the heater isn't blasting when reversing.


I got 26% off the price (inc. accessories). I like the car. I wouldn't pay the full price, looking at other contempories you could probably get better value for money. For the price I paid, it's well worth it. I've got the light blue and when clean, it's a cracking colour.

Ulpian said:

I think it's a handsome car. Very conservative, but quietly distinctive.
The ease of access is wonderful, and if you adjust the seat to sit good and high then comfort is pretty much guaranteed.
Wonderfuul for long journeys I should imagine.
But...
A pity that the front passenger seatback doesn't fold forwards to accomodate really long loads...
and, and - here we go again,
that stupid handbrake is the no-no clincher.
Its horrible; utterly inaccesible and therefore uselss. Stuff automatic handbrakes, I want a real one where I can reach it. This is a safety item not a soddin ashtray:yuck: .
Fix the handbrake Fiat, and give it gorgeous blue velour seats like the old 130, and some cool exterior colours, and a decent stereo. Make it a cool luxo-barge...and it'd begin to move.

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A pity that the front passenger seatback doesn't fold forwards to accomodate really long loads...

Mine does - font passenger seat goes all the way forward, just llike the Stilo.

Hehe this thread reads like the minutes of an alcoholics amoymous meet.

Hi.. I'm Hellcat, and I own a Fiat Croma.