(G) Can I have some opinions please

Hi All,

I have just taken a 2002 Abarth for a test drive. I am interested to hear any opinions anyone has on it's reliability and general comments please.

If I purchase it will mostly be used as a city car, however we need to do some longer trips.

Cheers.

Welcome to the forum
good choice of car it will be fine

This thread might be helpful....
http://www.fiatforum.com/stilo/20297-had-do.html

Welcome to the forum

Buy it..you'll love it..and don't be put off too much about unreliabilty problems as a most cars can have these and there are a number of people who have not had a problem with theirs..just try to get a good warrantee and you wont need to worry...
I read a lot of stuff about the cars having problems and it nearly put me off, but once you get it you wont care..
Personally i wouldn't want to own any other car... I love it and if i ever sold it or wrecked it I would want the exact same car..
power is there when you need it, in fact if you have the selespeed having no clutch its hard to drive it slow cuz you know if you put your foot down that little bit more its just gonna go..
What else can i say.. i love my car..
see it and other Abarths by clicking on my signature below..

Go for it ....my Abarth is mainly used for short trips with the odd long motorway trip, probably every other month, it still averages about 24mpg.

not that i have an abarth, but if i had the cash and was in the situation to be able to afford one, i wouldn't give a second thought - go on, take a chance!

i dont have an abarth, but i have the 1.8 dynamic, with the leather and a few other extras; but the stilo's are lovely cars! and you cant complain for the money the goodies you get espcially with the abarth! maybe just need to check out what could be seen as common faults! But i would defently go for the abarth; only if i was a lil older.

Do it. You'll love it.

Hi All,

Thanks for the info.

Have now been and test driven a couple more cars. Golf TDI and Pug 206GTi WR (180 in NZ). For vaule, plus loved the selespeed I am tending towards the Stilo (loved the sexy pull away feeling of the Pug Gti but bloddy expensive with little vaule for money).

Looks as if I am going to get the Abarth.

Can anyone give me a clue on common faults that occur, Please.

Lisa

welcome lisa, buy the abarth, you will not be dissapointed.
the stilo did have some technical problems, electrical, tyres wear etc but from what we can make out the new 04 mobels are pretty well sorted. my abarth has certainly had no problems whatsoever.
remember and haggle a good discount, a fiat dealer should sell you a selespeed for around £13000.

enjoy.

Hi Lisa
I have had a 2002 5 door Abarth for around 7 months. I am very pleased with it and the only thing that has gone wrong so far is that the key remote stopped yesterday (and it is not the battery) and one of the tail lights is growing a small fungus garden. The selespeed takes a bit of getting used to but once you have the knack, it provides an excellent drive. Very well optioned but no navigation CD for NZ that I can find as yet. I mainly use it around Auckland but it goes really well on longer trips.

I have had my '02 Abarth for two and half weeks now and Love It!!!

It is going back in to have the Climate control checked - occassionally hota air only to passenger side, but I don't care. It's a great drive. So far I get about 29mpg on long runs 100 miles or so and average 24/25 around town.

It's the driving experience I love though.

Drove it, bought it, love it.

Pug 206GTi trouble with peugeot they look niceish when new but seem to look out of date after a couple of years

Problem with Pugs, they look like blobs when they are new and still look like blobs when they aren't.

My brother loves Peugeots, that should be enough reason for anyone not to buy one.

I like some others only have the 1.8 Dynamic on an 02 plate. I knew my budget was tight and my credit would leave me little breathing space, so I was looking for the most reliable car I could get for my money, then I bought a Stilo. Many things have gone wrong, but they are only little niggle problems. They can be annoying and on occasions I wonder if I should have bought something else. Actually I know I should have bought something else, but I didn't and given the choice to do it over again I probably wouldn't.

http://topgear.breedbandportal.kpn.com/cars.aspx#

Go to that site and scroll through until you find the clip about the Alfa GTA. I know it's not the same, but this clip is like a more extreme version of why people buy Stilo's.