I may regret this post as the multi is due an mot in May.......


To add a bit of perspective, many of the things that people are complaining about replacing are, in my opinion, consumables. Shocks, springs, drop links, bushes, ball joints DO wear out. I can't believe that the multipla, with a heavy 1.9 diesel engine and being a big, wide car is unique in these components wearing out. Most of these items are designed and made by companies other than Fiat, e.g. MAF sensors. Even clutches wear out, although the multi's seems to be a fairly poor design.


That said, I didn't have mine replaced until it had well over 100k on it, my mechanic is an old fashioned one, did a proper job and it's been like a different car ever since. I've only had one front spring break, the original shocks were on for around 8 years, it's still on the original exhaust, ARB bushes replaced with polys years ago. It does seem to eat drop links but this says as much about the quality of the replacement parts.....


My point being that it's perhaps a bit unrealistic to expect many of the above parts to last indefinitely, bushes and the like going at 68k doesn't seem that bad to me, my old Peugeot 406 needed rear bushes on it's first mot!


Unless of course I've just been a bit lucky?

The Multipla is very popular as a taxicab in the big, crowded, Italian city's.
We all know Italian cabdrivers treat their cars with respect and care, do we...??

I suspect this post has provoked reaction from the many loyal Multipla owners in this forum....me too...
In its defence....
I've had 4 diesel multiplas, never had to change an exhaust, quite an expensive item on any car?
Many owners keep their multis for high mileages, hence more consumables and maintenance..
The multi, apparently was built on something like a bravo/brava chassis?, so a heavy old bus shoved onto an average saloon car, no wonder the chassis and clutch cant cope. Personally my no1 job when I get a multipla is to fit an uprated clutch from someone like CG motorsport, 30% uprated. I fit and forget, good for another 65k?
Drop link quality seems to be abysmal, when one goes the other one goes, I seem to be fitting one or two every year, just as well its easy and cheap...
Never had the need to fit a new maf or egr valve...
Top gear described it as a hooligan people carrier due to its wide track, short wheelbase, making it fun to drive...
You can park them anywhere, shorter than a VW Golf, amazing for a people carrier....
Never had big problems with electrics...
Many multis travel abroad for all its practical qualities, plus its reliability...
Just my last one, touching wood, I repeat, I've had 4, I've never, ever broken down with one, so badly I couldnt get home, even if I've had to sort a problem out when I got there...Respect.

I agree MultiplaAbarth, I'm up to 140k/9 years old now and most of the components have gone well past what they are expected to do. I have no issues what so ever before 60k,but once past it's needed constant attention for one thing or another. I only replaced all 4 coil springs as I had a front one break. Shox only last 60k and should be replaced on safety grounds as they deteriorate. I'm also on my original exhaust,although I did replace the front flex. The clap snapped and I never got round to tak welding it back up. So that was my fault. Had an alternator last year,lasted eight years but the casing cracked. Just done a trailing arm bearing that had lasted 5 years, I last replaced the full arm with a Fiat item. The rear subframe bushes lasted until 95k… They are fantastic vehicles and I would genuinely by a brand new one if they were still made today and on sale in England. The JTD engine has never failed to start or let me down in the last 95000 miles since getting the vehicle with 45k. Still goes like stink up the A1. Best of all it's even been around the Nurburgring back in 2012.

We loved ours for its practicality given the size of the thing but when driving it it constantly felt like something was going to break.
We replaced quite a bit on it in the 2 years we had it and it was only at 60k when we sold it on.
Had a Grand scenic for the last 2 and a half years, just sold it last week, it was 8 years old and needed nothing but servicing while we had it, what a reliable motor.
Not normally two words that you'd put together Renault and reliable.
This is what we're going for next as the family is growing.

Like the bit about doing the Nurburgring, when these cars are remapped they have amazing mid range torque coupled with the wide track and able suspension, they can fly around bends making other cars trying to keep up wonder if their own car has a serious problem!
Admittedly these cars dont suit everybody, they do need constant nurturing and attention, a bit like a Tamagochi!, neglect them and they die...
Alpitlum, looks like a pretty cool super van/mpv , never seen one, is it a jap import, their market always seem to get the interesting models...

It's a Nissan Elgrand. The photo is of one I just missed out on but currently have a bid in on another that is very similar.
It's an import and it's something different, you get the feeling that you are driving something different in a multipla, in a scenic you get the feeling of being in something that is dull and the same as everyone else.
Model I am bidding on is an E50, 2000 model year imported last year, 3.0 16v turbo diesel automatic.
I toyed with the idea of another Multi but I have been tempted by one of these for a few years.

Peter Pick-Up said:

So now you're saying it is in fact a reliable car..??
I don't get it...??

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I think we are talking at cross purposes and I fear that is my fault for misinterpreting your post. I thought you were saying the VM425 engine fitted to the Voyager was unreliable. However now re-reading your post I sense the sarcasm in the fact that the VM engine is Italian. My apologies.

The one thing that is Super reliable on the Multi is the engine. Italians do seem able to make exceptionally good engines. However for some reason after that point they lose interest and all other parts are then held together with spit and pasta.

My very first car was a Fiat 600D, which I now know was also called a A Multipla. It was a 1961 model with doors that opened the other way (gangster style) I don't really know how much mileage it had done because the odometer never worked. And no I am not that old but grew up in the ex-British Colony of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and like Cuba, due to sanctions, we had no choice but to keep old cars going.

The brakes were a lottery one out of every 5 pushes might work, the inner door panels kept falling off, the windscreen was lose, the engine was located in the rear and exhaust fumes were always circulating around the car. I could turn left or right by simply applying the brakes (although I never knew which way it was going to go) AND had to push start her every morning as the generator (note NOT alternator) was shot.

BUT the engine never let me down. :slayer:

My current multi is nearly at 179k miles, has had around 600 quids worth of work this mot to keep her on the road, I only paid 500 for the car with 159k on it this time last year! My last jtd snapped the belt on the way to get it replaced, apart from that it was 100% reliable. Current one now needs a battery but that came from the previous one so was due changing anyway. Also needs bushes and drop links done up front and timing belt kit done this year. Hope to nurse it to the grand sum of 200k!

Alpitlum there is one of those (white also) here on my estate and its sooo cool, often think I could be tempted ...

hastingsmum said:

Alpitlum there is one of those (white also) here on my estate and its sooo cool, often think I could be tempted ...

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Wow, you have an estate? shouldn't you have a Land Rover to drive around it?

slobo said:

Wow, you have an estate? shouldn't you have a Land Rover to drive around it?

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Hahaha, ok on the council estate I live in then ?