Ok, im sorry to say i'm thinking of geting rid of the Stilo. I still love the car but just don't trust it anymore, everyday is like a gamble waiting for something to go wrong and I dread taking it back to the biggest bunch of to##ers at FIAT.

Its more to do with reliability and dealer sevice not so much the car as It still looks and drives like the muts!

Anyway looked at some 55 plate Astra 3 and 5 dr's yesterday zzzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZz - enough said!!!! and silly money for what you get!!!

Today however I test drove a Skoda Fabia Vrs!!! ok I know what you thinking but im not too fussed about badge (obviously) - I think it looks great - not as good as the Stilo though! however when i took it for a test drive It was great!!! so much torque! and I really enjoted it!!!!
Great car cheap to run/insure/buy etc..... and decent dealers too - I think they came 4th in recent Top Gear survey!!!!!!
However im reluctant to start the old finance off again as I only owe 3k (about what its now sadly worth) on Stilo and soon I can say I own it and no more monthly payments!!!!!
the other thing about Fabia is that its due for a change in 2007, however VRs wont be out for another 12months!

This is as far as I've got I mean what else is there???????? its hard to convince people but there still isn't much out there as good as the Stilo (looking + extras + price)

Focus - again ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Honda Civic - To much £££££££££
Seat Leon - To much ££££££££££
Peugeots - Terrible reputation
Renault - as above!!!!!!!

All the above are souless vehicles and I still maintain that the 3dr Astra is a Stilo rip off!!!!

Anyway cut a long story shrt what do you think?? keep the Stilo until paid for and enjoy it??? just prey nothing goes wrong or buy the Fabia??? or something else!!!!!

Is it likely that something else is gonna go wrong with the stilo in the near future?

Go to a better dealer or get a punto Grande

Well you never know if it is going to go wrong - but It doesn't fill you with confidence!!!

Grande Punto!! Thanks but no thanks!!!! I would consider that a down grade!!!! not that i dislike it or anything but its a FIAT again and thats why i would be changing!!!

As for dealers I've used other dealers and found them all the same!!! I suppose thats why FIAT cam bottom in the surveys!

Shminkypinky said:

Ok, im sorry to say i'm thinking of geting rid of the Stilo. I still love the car but just don't trust it anymore, everyday is like a gamble waiting for something to go wrong and I dread taking it back to the biggest bunch of to##ers at FIAT.

Its more to do with reliability and dealer sevice not so much the car as It still looks and drives like the muts!

Anyway looked at some 55 plate Astra 3 and 5 dr's yesterday zzzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZz - enough said!!!! and silly money for what you get!!!

Today however I test drove a Skoda Fabia Vrs!!! ok I know what you thinking but im not too fussed about badge (obviously) - I think it looks great - not as good as the Stilo though! however when i took it for a test drive It was great!!! so much torque! and I really enjoted it!!!!
Great car cheap to run/insure/buy etc..... and decent dealers too - I think they came 4th in recent Top Gear survey!!!!!!
However im reluctant to start the old finance off again as I only owe 3k (about what its now sadly worth) on Stilo and soon I can say I own it and no more monthly payments!!!!!
the other thing about Fabia is that its due for a change in 2007, however VRs wont be out for another 12months!

This is as far as I've got I mean what else is there???????? its hard to convince people but there still isn't much out there as good as the Stilo (looking + extras + price)

Focus - again ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Honda Civic - To much £££££££££
Seat Leon - To much ££££££££££
Peugeots - Terrible reputation
Renault - as above!!!!!!!

All the above are souless vehicles and I still maintain that the 3dr Astra is a Stilo rip off!!!!

Anyway cut a long story shrt what do you think?? keep the Stilo until paid for and enjoy it??? just prey nothing goes wrong or buy the Fabia??? or something else!!!!!

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i know how you feel, thats why mines for sale............focus and astra etc are main strem cars, easy to fix, cheap to service, and if something goes wrong it may be easier to fix. fiat dealers have put me off from ever buying a fiat again

seat ibiza fr's are good fun, same engine as the skoda, but with less doors!

No point in arguing or trying to change your mind then is there...sell the stilo.



p.s.they didn't come bottom.

T14086 said:

No point in arguing or trying to change your mind then is there...sell the stilo.



p.s.they didn't come bottom.

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Sorry i didn't wish to offend anyone (sorry if I have). Dont get me wrong I do like the Stilo and the Punto and even the Croma! its not about the cars but the dealer!!!!! This is my point!!! It may sound as though my mind is made up but its not! I would be very sorry to see the Stilo go!!!!which is why im struggling to decide what to do!
everytime I look at it I thing 'why do you want to change it !! look at it' then you drive it and rattle! skweak!!! 'thats why' - I'd love to take it some where an get all minor faults fixed for good, but they always return after about 2months!

Ok so they didn't come bottom!!! was it 4th from bottom????? (the dealers not the car!) but as good as!

Shminkypinky said:

Ok, im sorry to say i'm thinking of geting rid of the Stilo. I still love the car but just don't trust it anymore, everyday is like a gamble waiting for something to go wrong and I dread taking it back to the biggest bunch of to##ers at FIAT.

Click to expand...

If I may say so it's a bit dumb changing a car you like just because you think it might go wrong There are plenty of warranty companies out there who'd be happy to give you insurance and of course breakdown insurance is very easy to add to many car insurance policies.

If it's out of warranty find an independent specialist Fiat garage to service it as T1 suggested.

I've had my JTD almost a year and the only problem I've had (discounting silly messages) has been an intermittent fault on the sky-port. I realize other people aren't so lucky (something you can't fail to notice on this forum) but I'd already rate mine as more reliable than other cars I've owned. Far better than my previous Rover which had a ghastly engine management fault for example.

From a financial viewpoint alone you're almost certainly better off keeping the Stilo

Shminkypinky said:

Sorry i didn't wish to offend anyone (sorry if I have). Dont get me wrong I do like the Stilo and the Punto and even the Croma! its not about the cars but the dealer!!!!! This is my point!!! It may sound as though my mind is made up but its not! I would be very sorry to see the Stilo go!!!!which is why im struggling to decide what to do!
everytime I look at it I thing 'why do you want to change it !! look at it' then you drive it and rattle! skweak!!! 'thats why' - I'd love to take it some where an get all minor faults fixed for good, but they always return after about 2months!

Ok so they didn't come bottom!!! was it 4th from bottom????? (the dealers not the car!) but as good as!

Click to expand...

No offence taken at all but there are good dealers out there that are more than capable of fixing your car...its just finding them!
I have worked for other manufacturers & at autoelectrical specialists for many years & I can assure you Fiat are not the worse.One advantage to owning a Fiat is most (in this case stilo) problems are well known/documented & I cant understand why they are not being sorted?
Just out of interest what kinda faults are you having?

also to take in to consideration no car is perfect you will get things that need changing due to mileage and general wear and tear! But you could also say you can either get a good un or bad un (if that makes sence!)

For instance my mate has a clio 182 sport and his back in the garage every month with problems, just trying to say that its not just fiat! He has found them to be completely useless trying to sort intermitten faults....... then the astra, another freinds has the 1.8 sporthatch version (basically the 3door version) and that things has had just as many problems as the clio! Yet the both admitt the like my car but take the **** because its a fiat, yet its had **touch wood** not even a quarter of the problems they've had! and both have commented on dealerships being ****!

I havent driven the skoda, but i do fink the fabia vrs are very understated cars and again with the stilo you get alot of car for your money - plus there cheap to run and insure what more could you ask for! Plus the dealerships did come high the autoexpress dealership survey aswell......... but then if you look at the financal aspect of it, you would be in a whole load more fianance/debt again? Depends is it werth 10k ish debt or to stick with the 3k your owe now?

also withe the reference to a new fabia coming out, updated models and version are coming out all the time now adays alot frequently - a car is always going to loose money!

I personally say if you like the stilo that much, stick by it and if it needs work it dose although it cant be as expensive as they intrest and amount of money you will need to borrow in respect to getting a new car - if you see my point!

Or try going further a field to another dealership - i know my local dealership are quite good, not really had a problem with them yet! Apart being expensive and leaving dirty marks all over my car when it has a service, etc... but thats nothing that bad as long as i get quality service!

Shminkypinky said:

Ok, im sorry to say i'm thinking of geting rid of the Stilo. I still love the car but just don't trust it anymore, everyday is like a gamble waiting for something to go wrong and I dread taking it back to the biggest bunch of to##ers at FIAT.

Its more to do with reliability and dealer sevice not so much the car as It still looks and drives like the muts!

Anyway looked at some 55 plate Astra 3 and 5 dr's yesterday zzzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZz - enough said!!!! and silly money for what you get!!!

Today however I test drove a Skoda Fabia Vrs!!! ok I know what you thinking but im not too fussed about badge (obviously) - I think it looks great - not as good as the Stilo though! however when i took it for a test drive It was great!!! so much torque! and I really enjoted it!!!!
Great car cheap to run/insure/buy etc..... and decent dealers too - I think they came 4th in recent Top Gear survey!!!!!!
However im reluctant to start the old finance off again as I only owe 3k (about what its now sadly worth) on Stilo and soon I can say I own it and no more monthly payments!!!!!
the other thing about Fabia is that its due for a change in 2007, however VRs wont be out for another 12months!

This is as far as I've got I mean what else is there???????? its hard to convince people but there still isn't much out there as good as the Stilo (looking + extras + price)

Focus - again ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Honda Civic - To much £££££££££
Seat Leon - To much ££££££££££
Peugeots - Terrible reputation
Renault - as above!!!!!!!

All the above are souless vehicles and I still maintain that the 3dr Astra is a Stilo rip off!!!!

Anyway cut a long story shrt what do you think?? keep the Stilo until paid for and enjoy it??? just prey nothing goes wrong or buy the Fabia??? or something else!!!!!

Click to expand...

Know how you feel, like my Stilo one the whole, only things that let it down are soggy road holding (which can be fixed with uprated shockers) and APPALLING DEALERS!!!!!!! If Fiat want to get a better market share they really need to sort their dealers out.......only thing they seem to be able to manage is charge a fortune, never find a fault first time, not have the parts in when they do and think you have nothing else better to than "just pop back in with it" and ignore anything you tell them when you do.
Any brand of car can have a 'Friday car' and most have some sort of problems but sure thee not all as CRAP as Fiat at fixing them........had many Fiats in past but very much doubt I would get another mainly because of expensive, ignorant and generally crap dealers

T14086 said:

No offence taken at all but there are good dealers out there that are more than capable of fixing your car...its just finding them!
I have worked for other manufacturers & at autoelectrical specialists for many years & I can assure you Fiat are not the worse.One advantage to owning a Fiat is most (in this case stilo) problems are well known/documented & I cant understand why they are not being sorted?
Just out of interest what kinda faults are you having?

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Not had too many problems lately, but in the first year of ownership I was at the dealer all the time, its been well documented on here!
Heres a few I can remember:
- Inside wear of front tyres (6000miles)
- Rattling suspension front and rear (still creaks) even after home fix suggestions (very annoying)
- Coil pack failure (warranty)
- Air Pressure Sensor
- Broken handbreak cable (failed MOT)
- Numerous paint probs - some sorted by warranty others not
- 2 new headlights due to them going rusty - (warranty)
- Had a spoiler fitted 2 years ago by FIAT and now it looks cack!! started to lift!
- Front break pad rattle - this is the one that really annoys me along with creaky suspension!! if that could be fixed then superb!!!! the pads rattle in the calipers and the fix (grease) lasted about 1 month (ANY SUGGESTIONS???)

I agree with you all on the financial side definitely!!!!! But I just feel like I should pass this one on and start a fresh!!!! I do like the car but am slightly put off by all these problems!! Also its a running joke at my work!!!! I dont tend to listen and give as good as I get as most of them drive Escorts or Astras etc......

I'd say that when I wrote this post I was 50/50 swapping or keeping but after all the replys Id say 70/30 in favor of keeping Stilo (will I regret it??) so keep typing and hopefully by midday tommorrow i'll be 100% to keep Stilo as thats the time i've arranged to go back to Skoda to discuss car!

Thanks for all your replys!

Sid said:

Know how you feel, like my Stilo one the whole, only things that let it down are soggy road holding (which can be fixed with uprated shockers) and APPALLING DEALERS!!!!!!! If Fiat want to get a better market share they really need to sort their dealers out.......only thing they seem to be able to manage is charge a fortune, never find a fault first time, not have the parts in when they do and think you have nothing else better to than "just pop back in with it" and ignore anything you tell them when you do.
Any brand of car can have a 'Friday car' and most have some sort of problems but sure thee not all as CRAP as Fiat at fixing them........had many Fiats in past but very much doubt I would get another mainly because of expensive, ignorant and generally crap dealers

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How many times do we read this.......

And how many times have I wrote the following.....

1)Fiat DO fix their cars.
2)Technicians are trained to same standard as BMW/Vauxhall & Ford techs,in other words IMI approved.
3)Fiat have a very healthy share of the market...better than most thesedays.
4)First time fault finding can be difficult with intermittent faults,no one like to guess & i'm not afraid to tell a customer that I cannot find the fault as it is not apparent while under diagnostic testing.I was also never afraid to say this at other franchises I have worked at.I have found if you are honest with the customer,reassure them you will get to the root of the fault when it re-occurs(if it does)and explain how the system works they are very understanding & realise you are doing all you can to help.You cant fix a fault that isn't there at the time.
5)If your not happy with service at a particular dealer...go to another.Dont 'tarnish' all dealers because there are a few you are not happy with,thats unfair & untrue.
6)Fiat have a faster 'field engineer' response time than any other franchise I have worked for.
7)Dealers do (or should) listen,your information can (and often does) lead to a quick & efficient diagnostic.
8)Always talk to the technician working/worked on your car,he/she will be able to explain things better to you.
9)Expensive?....no different from anyone else,infact some of the larger dealer networks have good pricing & allow discounts for older cars.
10)I understand you have had problems Sid (I have read ALL your postings so far!) but there are some excellent garages out there who will go that extra bit further to keep you happy but at the end of the day its your money,your car,your choice to buy what you want...oh and your opinion
It's 'disheartning' for all those good dealers to get dragged down with the 'poorer' ones as some are trying really hard.

I ran a Fabia vRS for a year and they are good cars but don't be fooled into thinking that because your buying a Skoda you wont have any problems. I was lucky and had 12 months worth of trouble free ownership but a mate of mines got one and he's had no end of problems and the dealer he brought the car from has been far from helpful (car was damaged when it was delivered and they used superglue to repair the front grille but forgot to mention this when he picked up the car).

I'll get hung for this,

If the car is unreliable get rid of it. If mine starts to play up that's exactly what I will be doing and I wouldn't buy another Stilo. There is nothing worse than jumping in your car and embarking on a journey wondering if you're going to make it or not, panicking everytime the car makes an odd sound.

ScottyP said:

I'll get hung for this,

If the car is unreliable get rid of it. If mine starts to play up that's exactly what I will be doing and I wouldn't buy another Stilo.

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If you’d said "If I knew the car was going to be unreliable then I'd get rid of it" then I'd agree with you but it would be interesting to know how you knew these things.

What you're really doing is getting rid of what is most likely a perfectly good car for the benefit of someone else at your expense!

If I had a fault on my car which nobody could fix then I'd want to see it go too but there are very few faults that fit this category. Most problems can be tracked back to a single component (or adjustment etc). The biggest problem with incompetent servicing is that the numbers of problems with a car can actually increase! This is why the choice of a good dealer is so critical.

Agree with the above.

If you doubt that every journey will be successful, then why have you still got it? I have thought about selling my Stilo many times before, due to very poor reliability. I agree that the dealers do not do themselves any favours when it comes to customer satisfaction. Rude, arrogant, argumentative and poor general knowledge of the car. I am not saying all dealers are crap, just the ones I have been unfortunate enough to have used. This really lets down the car. I like the car, when it works. It's just I am forever watching the dash and waiting for the beep beep beep.

Don't think I would buy another Fiat, i have zero confidence in the dealer support. Prices charged are very expensive, i really cannot understand how it costs so much to change the oil and filter and kick the tyres. I also understand that Fiat are probably not alnoe with these very high prices and also they are a business. BUT to charge that price you need to offer a good service - something I have not witnessed (yet)

You are correct in the assumption that fiat are not alone in charging exorbitant sums of money for an oil and filter change my wife has just last week had this done to her Vauxhall Meriva and it cost her £70 for the privalige that was just the labour charge the total was £110

Stilo_ste said:

Agree with the above.

If you doubt that every journey will be successful, then why have you still got it? I have thought about selling my Stilo many times before, due to very poor reliability. I agree that the dealers do not do themselves any favours when it comes to customer satisfaction. Rude, arrogant, argumentative and poor general knowledge of the car. I am not saying all dealers are crap, just the ones I have been unfortunate enough to have used. This really lets down the car. I like the car, when it works. It's just I am forever watching the dash and waiting for the beep beep beep.

Don't think I would buy another Fiat, i have zero confidence in the dealer support. Prices charged are very expensive, i really cannot understand how it costs so much to change the oil and filter and kick the tyres. I also understand that Fiat are probably not alnoe with these very high prices and also they are a business. BUT to charge that price you need to offer a good service - something I have not witnessed (yet)

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My thoughts excatly!!!!!!! Every time I come away from dealer I feel P#ss#d off, thankfully its now out of warranty and I don't need to use them for servicing.......If only you could get servise indicator reset out of Stealerships..................

It doesn't matter what make or model of car you have, there is always a risk that something might breakdown, it's goes hand in hand with owning a car, in the last few weeks I've seen BMW, Jags and even a Ford Focus being towed, it all boils down to how well the car is serviced and of course driven.

If you're that unhappy take it to another dealership, there is no harm and explain to them the troubles you've had, you'll get an idea fairly quickly if they are any better than the one u are using at the moment.

I think you will also find that whenever you deal with any dealer's service department, you will always encounter at least 1 wonker that spoils it.