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Help I might be turning away from a life of Fiat for a Fiesta!

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Help I might be turning away from a life of Fiat for a Fiesta!

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fiatbravodriver

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Apr 3, 2003
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After owning the following for the last 20 years I might be ditching my punto mk2b for a Fiesta.

Uno 903cc B Reg
Tipo 1.4ie Black L Reg
Bravo 1.8 hlx blue R Reg
Bravo 1.8 hlx V Reg Green
Bravo 1.8 hlx Red N Reg
Bravo 2.0 HGT Blue P Reg
Coupe 16VT Blue N Reg
Punto Mk2b Blue 55 Reg

Can anyone convince me why not.

A Fiesta Zetec 1.25 has all the toys a million airbags and common as muck but safe cheap motoring.

Any suggestions? a Punto Lounge maybe. I don't want a 500 although I have driven a few and found them fun.

Ahhhhhhhhh!
 
I know.....

My mk2b has been hit 4 times by drivers over the last 9 years luckily all at low speeds I just feel if someone hit me if I was in a fiesta I would have a much better chance of getting out.
 
fiatbravodriver said:
I know.....

My mk2b has been hit 4 times by drivers over the last 9 years luckily all at low speeds I just feel if someone hit me if I was in a fiesta I would have a much better chance of getting out.
Click to expand...

Get a Croma, one of the higest safety ratings and it's big enough to be seen. It even has a drivers knee airbag.
I am biased, having a Croma 1.9 16V Eleganza.
More seriously, any small car will be less safe thn a big car (Flame suit on). A Fiesta is not the first car that comes to mind when thinking of a safe car. Used to drive a works Fiesta van years ago but that had no airbags at all.
What will you use the car for, running around town, motorways, commuting to work? There are so many things to consider.
The Wife has an '09 Focus 2.0 auto estate Titanium and while it's very nice, I still prefer my '06 Croma. The Croma cost a quarter of the price of the Focus, is quicker and does more MPG. It does of course have its Fiat foibles, but I enjoy tinkering with it. I'm not a die hard Fiat owner, the Croma is my second, first was a Marea.
Robert G8RPI.
 
Well apart from the 2B the rest of your list suggests you've suffered enough so if you like the Uncle Fester go spoil yourself! Just don't have the ****ty little diesel.
 
Why not inspect a Panda - plenty of choice there, better visibility than the Fiesta and probably just as safe in a prang.
Cannot understand why anyone would willingly choose to spend their own money on a Dagenham dustbin.
 
Using a Fiesta for learners, I find it disappointing and soulless. After lots of Fiats, you'll be left wondering where the emotion and fun has gone.

The 125hp will not be as economical as expected.
It is also highly strung, very perky, but hard work to drive gently. Very small pressure on the accelerator will have it eager to go, great fun occasionally, very quick, 20-70 all in 2nd gear, but irritating longer term.
If run briskly, then stopped, the water-cooled turbo will boil the water, ejecting into the expansion tank like a kettle. This can't be doing the turbo any good, so I'm expecting failures at higher mileages.
Abundance of supply may be due to driving school use, so check its previous use. I can't tell you how to identify the AA cars, but have a look at any in your area to find the clues.
 
The Fiesta is far better to drive than any 500, Panda or Punto with excellent handling and good ride quality. They are also reliable cars that don't suffer silly faults like the Fiats do. Yes it may be soulless however I rather be having driving the car and not being stuck at a dealer having niggles looked at.

I wouldn't bother with the 1.25 engine though it's completely gutless. The 1.0 Eco boost engines are very good and punch well above their weight and will achieve mid 40's realistically.
 
JimbbobW1977 said:
The Fiesta is far better to drive... ...with excellent handling and good ride quality.
Click to expand...

Having had 7 of these now since Nov 2010, I have to disagree about handling and ride quality. Zetec and Titanium specs.

They do stick to the road very well, but turning the wheel does not give an immediate response, so handling, not so good.

Whilst the wheels stick very well, the car going where it is pointed despite provocation not to, the body bounces and flops around all on its own, as if not actually attached to the wheels. On bumpy roads this gets irritating very quickly. Bumpy corners are very annoying indeed. They remind me of my two Morris Marinas, ok on bumpy straights, ok on smooth corners, but very wobbly on bumpy corners. Good to know we've improved in 30 years. (not)

The Fiesta is a work car, for personal use, I prefer the Panda, you feel the bumps more, but at least each bump only once. The body moves, rebounds, and stays. The Fiesta bumps, rebounds, then drops and wobbles, before regaining its composure, unless you've hit another bump.

The press love them, but perhaps they've only tested the stiffer sporty models.
 
JimbbobW1977 said:
I wouldn't bother with the 1.25 engine though it's completely gutless. The 1.0 Eco boost engines are very good and punch well above their weight and will achieve mid 40's realistically.
Click to expand...

My 1.9 16V mJTD Croma does mid 40's MPG on a 10 mile each way commute to work on the busy A14!
 
portland_bill said:
Having had 7 of these now since Nov 2010, I have to disagree about handling and ride quality. Zetec and Titanium specs.



They do stick to the road very well, but turning the wheel does not give an immediate response, so handling, not so good.



Whilst the wheels stick very well, the car going where it is pointed despite provocation not to, the body bounces and flops around all on its own, as if not actually attached to the wheels. On bumpy roads this gets irritating very quickly. Bumpy corners are very annoying indeed. They remind me of my two Morris Marinas, ok on bumpy straights, ok on smooth corners, but very wobbly on bumpy corners. Good to know we've improved in 30 years. (not)



The Fiesta is a work car, for personal use, I prefer the Panda, you feel the bumps more, but at least each bump only once. The body moves, rebounds, and stays. The Fiesta bumps, rebounds, then drops and wobbles, before regaining its composure, unless you've hit another bump.



The press love them, but perhaps they've only tested the stiffer sporty models.
Click to expand...


Here in Tenerife at the moment I had much amusement yesterday watching a hire Fiat 500 in front of me on a mountain road over a series of undulating bumps. It looked hopeless bouncing up and down like some kind of bucking donkey effect as the dampers could not cope, where as the Opel Cascada stayed fairly flat.

Having driven numerous Fiestas, 500's and Pandas the Fiats have very light steering with sharp initial turn in however, they run of grip very soon, lack any feel due to lightness.
 
I think there is a certain appeal to something that is well engineered and fit for purpose (in general not necessarily relating to a fiesta). It may not have the last 2% character that comes from the flaws but as a result it's nicer to live with long term. It may feel anonymous initially because you aren't forced to make allowances for it, but doesn't mean it is bland, just that it's personality isn't an over-powering imposition that becomes frustrating and annoying with time.

I have fun whenever I've had Fiat's short term...always glad to get my car back though.
 
StevenRB45 said:
I think there is a certain appeal to something that is well engineered and fit for purpose (in general not necessarily relating to a fiesta). It may not have the last 2% character that comes from the flaws but as a result it's nicer to live with long term. It may feel anonymous initially because you aren't forced to make allowances for it, but doesn't mean it is bland, just that it's personality isn't an over-powering imposition that becomes frustrating and annoying with time.



I have fun whenever I've had Fiat's short term...always glad to get my car back though.
Click to expand...


I've said all along I get the whole Fiat appreciation factor for the manufacturer however they are falling seriously behind the competition now with their products, quality and engineering and driving have taken a nose dive over the years.

A Croma can hardly be described as a true Fiat as it is well known it is a Vauxhall Signum in a frock.

The only current Fiat that has a chance against the competition is the 500X.

You could hardly call a 500MPW a stylish thing to behold??

I wanted to love my GP and appreciated its 'Italianess' however I also needed a reliable functioning car, it's spent a lot of time being repaired for warranty, my current car on the other hand is great to drive, well built and importantly reliable.
 
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