500 Hi all potential 500 owner here.

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500 Hi all potential 500 owner here.

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Hi all I'm John and I'm looking at buying a 500 S twin air 105ps in electronica blue.
I currently drive a Jaguar X Type 2.0D on a 57 plate which I've had for 5 years and took it up to 103,000 miles on the clock.
Some think I'm mad going from a Jaguar saloon to a city car, but I've driven the 85ps twin air and found it just as powerful and quick as the Jag. The space will be less but its usually just my wife and me in the car and I'm looking at returning to small car fun and easy parking.
We already have one 500 in the family, a 14 plate 1.2 lounge in chillout purple and its fantastic. purple
So here's my first question to the folks on here,am I mad for thinking of changing from a Jag saloon to a 500 city car ????
 
Hi
No you are not mad - I used to drive a big car too, then decided i had enough with traffic jams and bought a smaller one for the city, better parking spots and fuel economy specially when you live / drive in crowded places - these are the main reasons i went for a 1.4 500 (wanted a quicker one than the lazy 1.2).
I suggest buying the 105HP versions will be great (i will prefer manual)
 
I swapped an Alfa Guilietta for my 500S and my wife who said she never wanted a small car changed from a Mercedes G Wagen (don't think you could get much more extreme than that!).

She's delighted with hers, I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss the Alfa but I'm really happy with mine also. I've done some long journeys, 300mile type ones and the only downside is lack of cruise control and road noise. 11k miles in about 8months on mine.

Compared to the competition it's got that aditional "something" same as the Alfa, you feel good walking up to it and just sitting in it. Dynamically there is no doubt better options, the UP or its clones for example. Again some with the Alfa, a Golf or a Focus are actually better cars but would you want one?

Only regret, should have gone for the 105TA or an Abarth(y)

Oh and by the way I hardly ever go near a city so it's not just a city car.
 
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Yeh likewise, moved from a 3.2 Merc to my 85 TA, no regrets whatsoever and I regret all the years of gas guzzling! I'd imagine a 105 won't disappoint - go for it!
 
Cheers for that guys.
I've had my fair share of different cars over the years :- Ford escort, Rover 111, Renault Laguna, Jeep Cherokee, Daewoo matiz, Seat arosa, Volvo 850 and Jaguar x type.
The Jag is the one I've kept the longest, but as its getting on a bit I'm starting to worry about the "common problems" that eventually get them all. Which can add up to repair bills heading toward £4K, these are clutch and DMF, fuel pump, injectors, sills and shocks and springs ( which are best bought from Jaguar, as the specs changed from the Mondeo ones).
I know the 500 only takes £35 to fill, but what sort of range should I be expecting to get from the twin air ?
The Jag takes £70 to fill but I can get anywhere from 500-700 miles on a tank full.
The 500 1.2 we already have has indicated up to 400 miles on a tank, which I think is fantastic on only £35 of petrol.
 
Well done John!
Big cars are nice, but small cars - especially the 500TA are FUN.

One thing I cannot get to like with our 500TA, is the pitifully small petrol tank. I always say that our TA takes me back to the fun of driving a Mini - I've had seven of them over the years. Vans, estates, saloons, and I even had a 1400cc 100bhp one ............ and that was FUN too.

Those Minis had 6gall tanks originally, then upped to 7galls. Although our 500TA returns 50mpg, I'm filling up the tank too many times and very reminiscent of the Mini.

We have 1.6 16v Clio and she returns 40odd MPG on a run, but the tank is huge at 11galls. Any benefit you get from having a 50mpg 500TA is spoiled by the small 7.5gall tank.

We had a Peugeot 205 for some years, and I could get from here in Cornwall all the way to Glasgow on one tank. 500miles at a steady 70+ on the motorway. 12gal tank if my memory serves me.

You try that with a 500.

However, I LOVE our 500TA ........... we call her Rosa. :)

Regards,
Mick.
 
Cheers for that guys.
I've had my fair share of different cars over the years :- Ford escort, Rover 111, Renault Laguna, Jeep Cherokee, Daewoo matiz, Seat arosa, Volvo 850 and Jaguar x type.
The Jag is the one I've kept the longest, but as its getting on a bit I'm starting to worry about the "common problems" that eventually get them all. Which can add up to repair bills heading toward £4K, these are clutch and DMF, fuel pump, injectors, sills and shocks and springs ( which are best bought from Jaguar, as the specs changed from the Mondeo ones).
I know the 500 only takes £35 to fill, but what sort of range should I be expecting to get from the twin air ?
The Jag takes £70 to fill but I can get anywhere from 500-700 miles on a tank full.
The 500 1.2 we already have has indicated up to 400 miles on a tank, which I think is fantastic on only £35 of petrol.

Expect around 300 miles per tank or less if you exploit the 105!:)
 
I went from a 3l v6 x-type to a 1.2 500, I found it muuuuch slower but much better at going round corners!

I have now changed to an abarth 595 and speed issue is fixed!
 
Mick you are so right, big cars are lovely but boy do they come with big bills.
I'm not too worried about the small tank as to go to work and back is only 26 miles. The Jag has a 55litre tank and gets filled every 3 weeks, but by my calculations if a twin air can get 300-350 miles per tank then I will be making fuel savings over the Jag as it will be every 2 weeks for a fill up. Anyway the worst I've had out of a full tank in the Jag is 348 miles in the winter of 2010 !!
Seagull your 595 is amazing, a truly stunning motor. Also an ex X Type driver too eh !! The problem with the 3.0 X was the power is restricted by the exhaust routing, would have been better as an inline RWD only car. It is good to know you are a happy bunny with your choice to move to a 500 from an X Type. I think I've been caught up in the "status car" for too long and its time to get back to having some fun.
I'm off to talk numbers with the fiat dealership tomorrow, so I soon could be a 500 owner if they work out to my liking.
 
Update time....well I've signed on the dotted line. I've ordered the 500 twin air 105 in electronica blue with satin chrome mirror covers, red brake calipers and tom tom prep.
The numbers came in at a brilliant deal, so I bit the bullet. Delivery is going to be September and will possibly be the last electronica blue S before the new model facelift.
Just got to contain myself until then, but I can always get my hands on the Mrs 500 for some fun lol.
 
My wife recently changed from a big, heavy, thirsty Renault Megane convertible to a 500, which I have been encouraging her to do for ages. We love the 500. I took a similar step and traded in my giulietta 2litre diesel veloce for a smaller mito 1.4 TB multi air QV. Again love the lightweight agility and fuel saving on both. Big cars are unnecessary, small is future. Our driveway now appears huge.
 
I did look at the Mito twin air, and although its a stunning car, at least in the spec I was looking at. The price however was just a bit more than what I was willing to pay, plus I had already set my heart on the electronica blue 500 S.
One thing I do know is this wait is killing me arrrrrrggggggghhhhhh !!!!
I've already stripped some of my "mods" off the Jag in preparation for the hand over, I can't wait for my 500 to arrive lol.
 
Like the electronica blue. You have some patience. I couldn't take the 12 week wait to order my mito, so asked the dealer to find one already in the UK with as close as spec as possible as I wanted. Got it in ten days. It was also my first brand new car, which agreed, is good. Enjoy it.
 
I can't part with my big car (live in the country and need to be mobile in all weathers/go to garden centres etc) but as my 85 TA is low insurance and tax free, having two cars is cool. Can't afford an economical SUV right now but the top spec Jeep Renegade is on my radar for when the prices drop! My 500 makes me feel happy :)
 
I'm out in the countryside too, between Durham and Stockton on Tees.
I used to have a Honda CG125 in my mad younger days and rode that all year round, so driving any vehicle in any weather doesn't bother me.
I drive buses for a living and those things are harder in bad weather than any car, especially as they are all auto gearboxes. Power sliding a 40ft bus is great fun lmao.
The best car I think I've had in the snow was my Rover 111, great fun and very easy to control.
The Jag is a nice big planted car, but it also comes with big bills. Rear control arms are £70+ each, and there's 6 back there. All with a bush at each end that goes. They have to be genuine Jag as well because the Mondeo ones push the camber out and destroy rear tyres very fast.
There's a lot of stuff on the X Type that has to come from Jaguar meaning big bills.
I've recently read on the Jag forum that 1 member has just had a £2000+ bill for injectors, fuel pump and recoding !! Most X Type's are only worth that now.
As I said before I've had my share of different cars, and been caught up in the "prestige" brand. Now it's time to get back to having some fun again, big money hungry cars aren't all what they are made out to be.
 
Hi all I'm John and I'm looking at buying a 500 S twin air 105ps in electronica blue.
I currently drive a Jaguar X Type 2.0D on a 57 plate which I've had for 5 years and took it up to 103,000 miles on the clock.
Some think I'm mad going from a Jaguar saloon to a city car, but I've driven the 85ps twin air and found it just as powerful and quick as the Jag. The space will be less but its usually just my wife and me in the car and I'm looking at returning to small car fun and easy parking.
We already have one 500 in the family, a 14 plate 1.2 lounge in chillout purple and its fantastic. purple
So here's my first question to the folks on here,am I mad for thinking of changing from a Jag saloon to a 500 city car ????
Hi there

I recently switched my 2004 Ford Mondeo 2.0D to my red TA Street 85, and it was the best decision. It is normally just me and the other half so it is perfect for us to drive round the city, it is super cheap to run, and incredible fun.

I also own a 1998 MX5, and in may respects, it is more fun than that to drive (which is saying something!). Enjoy!! (y)
 
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