Having just taken off an old bumper and having done too many times than I care to remember it's really not a 5 minute job. The two bolts in the wheel arch, are fiddly and often really tight, as well as the 3 underneath and the four on top there must have been 2 of them doing it. The cheek of it!
General A Cautionary Tale - the front of the new Fiat 500s unbolts and can be stolen
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General A Cautionary Tale - the front of the new Fiat 500s unbolts and can be stolen
OP
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ronmanager
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Unbelievable!
So they even took the time to unscrew the screws holding the wheel arch liner to the bumper. They were not in any hurry.
OP
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I bet they were! - Like a F1 pit crew. The screws were laid out round the car. I bet they've done it loads of times.
Still haven't got the car back BTW. Unknown part coming from Italy.
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you can see them in this picture unbolted and placed straight on the floor.
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Welded 'wings' went out in the 60's (and were mostly a British thing it seems). I've never owned a car where the front panels didn't unbolt. I noticed the other day that my Renault has no screws securing the wheel arch liners to the bumper - just slot and tab.
TrevC
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Catch 22 - make the the parts quick and easy to replace, should reduce repair cost and insurance, but if lots are stolen, insurance goes up. Make them hard to replace, harder to steal, but harder to repair, insurance goes up.
Of course, all the design is really based on production engineering to streamline assembly.
Of course, all the design is really based on production engineering to streamline assembly.
OP
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It would be helpful if Fiat recognised the problem and had the parts readily available in the UK. Instead there's odd bits having to come from Italy which is taking ages. It went in the same day as it happened and will be over 3 weeks before I get it back.
Parts list for info
Parts list for info
It would be helpful if Fiat recognised the problem and had the parts readily available in the UK. Instead there's odd bits having to come from Italy which is taking ages. It went in the same day as it happened and will be over 3 weeks before I get it back.
Parts list for info
Why does the left headlight cost 50%, £200, more than the right???
Robert G8RPI.
TrevC
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If Fiat can't supply those parts quickly for accident repairs, that probably explains a vibrant black market for stolen bits.
Which is why Cars like mine get written off. Ridiculous.
So I was right re the cost of the lights being possibly the biggest cost?
And taking ages for parts these days is a very poor show, Honda could get me difficult parts next day from Belgium, REALLY difficult ones would only be a week from Japan?
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The worry is you get the work done and they come back again! But I believe you are having the alarm fitted so that should help?
Not unless they come back with a Hiab. An old thread, but it has happened in the past and indeed a couple of years back a young lady had hers stolen overnight outside her flat I believe by someone using a Hiab:
https://www.fiatforum.com/500/222007-fiat-500s-being-stolen-sheffield-area.html
At the end of the day, if the whole car is stolen, the best thing is to have a tracker installed, though most folk don't want to fork out the annual subscription. I agree, that won't stop parts being stolen.
It's such a shame that crimes such as these are no longer considered serious enough by the police to bother even investigating. It's a sad reflection of our times.
https://www.fiatforum.com/500/222007-fiat-500s-being-stolen-sheffield-area.html
At the end of the day, if the whole car is stolen, the best thing is to have a tracker installed, though most folk don't want to fork out the annual subscription. I agree, that won't stop parts being stolen.
It's such a shame that crimes such as these are no longer considered serious enough by the police to bother even investigating. It's a sad reflection of our times.
OP
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Finally got the car back today. Won't be able to sleep until an alarm is fitted!
If you've got an understanding neighbour, or you have two cars, in the meantime, can't you park your 500 nose to nose up against another car or nose to the rear of another car so that your number plate is quite literally pressed up against the front or boot of another car? At least that will have the benefit of not allowing anyone direct frontal access to the car.......
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They broke in last time to release the bonnet. They could push it back even if I full lock to the kerb. They're only light to push.
Sadly then, the only other thing I can think of, is an exploding dye pack similar to what they use in cash in transit cases. Bonnet opens, bag explodes covering said scumbags in dye that doesn't wash off for weeks.
