General Advice on buying Twin Air

[Tbkbabab]

I’m looking to buy a 105hp Twin Air, have found a 2017 car with 50,000 miles with a dealer,
preferred colour and with other specs I prefer to have.

Car has had a new clutch and flywheel and been told they have changed the boot
release mechanism as a preemptive move as they can fail and car will have a full
service done before sale.

Issue is the service history, it has had 5 services at 1 year intervals but the last
one was March 22, since then the car has done 16,000 miles. Is this enough of a reason
to walk away or is there anything that I can check to see if this may have caused
any serious issues?

With most modern cars this wouldn’t worry me too much but it’s an unusual engine.

Must admit that I’m a little confused about the service intervals as I’ve seen some
People saying it’s 10000 miles or 18 months but that if the car does less than 6000
(Have also seen this stated as 9000) miles in a year it should have an oil change.
I’ve also read that they should have an oil change at 9000 miles or 1 year whichever comes
first.

 

[jrkitching]

A recently replaced clutch & flywheel deals with one of the three common big ticket failure items on the TA; the other two being the Uniair actuator & the turbo.

It's hard to know how to advise, since some folks have run 100k on these engines without major issues, whilst others have had problems anywhere from 40k onwards.

It all depends on how much you value a car with this sort of performance, and how much you're prepared to pay for it. Be aware you can't run one for 1.2 money, because you can't; you'll pay considerably more for fuel, repairs and insurance.

If the possibility of a £1000+ engine repair bill in the next couple of years doesn't frighten you, then go ahead; this may well not happen, but it can't be entirely ruled out. A proper test of the uniair system needs highly specialist diagnostics which are not available to most garages, so you can't really check this before buying.

Needless to say, if you notice anything during a test drive that doesn't feel right, be very wary.

If you go ahead, I'd suggest changing the oil and filter every 9k or 12 months, whichever comes first, and be aware use of the correct oil is essential with these engines.

 

[The Panda Nut]

Agree with HH. Also I would want a full serviec history. Uniair is really advanced and more or less racing tech back then. If its meticulously maintained I feel its going to be fine. I would check very carefully for water leaks. Give a decent test drive and also insist on you starting it up first time for the day. If you think they started it first DONT TRUST THEM. WHat occurs when you start up, in the morning seems to be an indicator or engine health that cannot be ignored with a TA. As a thing to drive they are a total hoot and outperform any reasonable expectation, but it took a while to get comforatble for me. My Mrs still doesnt like it. Can understand the eco button. (Or indeed any of the switches other than lights and wipers)

 

[jrkitching]

also insist on you starting it up first time for the day

Good advice.

I'm always wary when viewing any secondhand car if the engine is warm and there's no reasonable excuse.

 

[porta]

I like mine and, as folk have said, some love it, some hate it, some have had bad experiences some have had none…in other words, it’s like any other engine, be it an Audi or Fiat

 

[Cornish Ian]

I’m looking to buy a 105hp Twin Air, have found a 2017 car with 50,000 miles with a dealer,
preferred colour and with other specs I prefer to have.

Car has had a new clutch and flywheel and been told they have changed the boot
release mechanism as a preemptive move as they can fail and car will have a full
service done before sale.

Issue is the service history, it has had 5 services at 1 year intervals but the last
one was March 22, since then the car has done 16,000 miles. Is this enough of a reason
to walk away or is there anything that I can check to see if this may have caused
any serious issues?

With most modern cars this wouldn’t worry me too much but it’s an unusual engine.

Must admit that I’m a little confused about the service intervals as I’ve seen some
People saying it’s 10000 miles or 18 months but that if the car does less than 6000
(Have also seen this stated as 9000) miles in a year it should have an oil change.
I’ve also read that they should have an oil change at 9000 miles or 1 year whichever comes
first.

I’ve also read lots of different things about service intervals oil required etc.
My advice would be to have a read of the cars handbook before you part with any money.
In 2003 our fiat main dealer suggested waiting until 18k miles before they serviced our TA inline with the handbooks 30k km (18600 miles) That might well be down to the earlier euro5 cars using thicker oil but either way the handbook should tell you for certain.

 

[Tbkbabab]

Thanks for various replies, as on any forum you obviously hear more about the problems
than people just posting to say they haven’t had problems but it’s useful info.

Not worried about fuel or insurance costs and this will very much be a 2nd car which won’t do
a lot of miles but obviously don’t want to buy a 7 year old car and have to spend £1000+
short term on maintenance. I would go for a 1.2 but when I do drive it I want it to be fun
and it’s just a bit low on power and torque, maybe I should look at an Abarth although
more worried that these would have been thrashed and modified.

 

[jrkitching]

My advice would be to have a read of the cars handbook before you part with any money.
In 2003 our fiat main dealer suggested waiting until 18k miles before they serviced our TA inline with the handbooks 30k km (18600 miles) That might well be down to the earlier euro5 cars using thicker oil but either way the handbook should tell you for certain.

The car's handbook will tell you what Fiat's servicing recommendations were when the car was new.

If Fiat subsequently changed that recommendation because they found a lot of cars were failing because of the extended oil change interval, then knowing the car had been serviced in accordance with the original handbook's instruction wouldn't exactly reassure me.

 

[jrkitching]

maybe I should look at an Abarth although
more worried that these would have been thrashed and modified

Actually I'd have thought that risk was just as great with a 105HP TA.

Personally I think the Abarth would be the safer option, all else being equal.

 

[Tbkbabab]

Not sure there are many modified 105 TAs and the Abarth definitely attracts
more of what I will call unsympathetic drivers.

 

[The Panda Nut]

I’ve also read lots of different things about service intervals oil required etc.
My advice would be to have a read of the cars handbook before you part with any money.
In 2003 our fiat main dealer suggested waiting until 18k miles before they serviced our TA inline with the handbooks 30k km (18600 miles) That might well be down to the earlier euro5 cars using thicker oil but either way the handbook should tell you for certain.

They changed the oil spec and service interval at teh end of 2016 and its 9000 miles now. Im sure 9K is quite enough for uniair and a micro engine pumping out 100bhp per tonne. Serice is little more than oil change every other time.

 

[The Panda Nut]

Actually I'd have thought that risk was just as great with a 105HP TA.

Personally I think the Abarth would be the safer option, all else being equal.

Me too as its possibly the best small 4 cylinder engine ever made. Robust, reliable and decently powerful as well as smooth as silk and capable of revving to dizzy heights that few will do very often, if at all.

 

[Cornish Ian]

The car's handbook will tell you what Fiat's servicing recommendations were when the car was new.

If Fiat subsequently changed that recommendation because they found a lot of cars were failing because of the extended oil change interval, then knowing the car had been serviced in accordance with the original handbook's instruction wouldn't exactly reassure me.

Very true.
My wife bought hers new but I’m almost 100% sure she hasn’t received any notifications of any schedule changes but I think it might be interesting to check with a main dealer.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Me too as its possibly the best small 4 cylinder engine ever made. Robust, reliable and decently powerful as well as smooth as silk and capable of revving to dizzy heights that few will do very often, if at all.

But enough of the 1.3 Multijet

 

[Cornish Ian]

They changed the oil spec and service interval at teh end of 2016 and it’s 9000 miles now. Im sure 9K is quite enough for uniair and a micro engine pumping out 100bhp per tonne. Serice is little more than oil change every other time.

You wouldn’t happen to know if that also applies to the older euro 5 / 85hp engines with the thicker oil spec?
Not that it will change my servicing intervals as the car doesn’t do much now anyway but it would be good info to know if I chat to the dealer.

 

[steveras57]

T/A Trouble Anticipated!

 

[GettinBetter]

...and been told they have changed the boot
release mechanism as a preemptive move as they can fail....

What's that I smell .... imagine if all garages/dealers did that. Not saying they didn't, but find it hard to believe. So they've got a big pile of boot catches handy then? When dealers say this sort of thing, it would make me look harder.

 

[steveras57]

Thanks for various replies, as on any forum you obviously hear more about the problems
than people just posting to say they haven’t had problems but it’s useful info.

Not worried about fuel or insurance costs and this will very much be a 2nd car which won’t do
a lot of miles but obviously don’t want to buy a 7 year old car and have to spend £1000+
short term on maintenance. I would go for a 1.2 but when I do drive it I want it to be fun
and it’s just a bit low on power and torque, maybe I should look at an Abarth although
more worried that these would have been thrashed and modified.

+the hefty insurance hit you will get! if your willing to pay that then there is likely more exciting cars you could buy than ANY Fiat 500!

 

[Tbkbabab]

What's that I smell .... imagine if all garages/dealers did that. Not saying they didn't, but find it hard to believe. So they've got a big pile of boot catches handy then? When dealers say this sort of thing, it would make me look harder.

Why would they say anything if they haven’t done it, just draws attention to it and if I went to see
the car I’d ask more details of exactly what was done.

 

[Tbkbabab]

+the hefty insurance hit you will get! if your willing to pay that then there is likely more exciting cars you could buy than ANY Fiat 500!

Am I missing something?

Any case whichever Fiat 500 I ended up getting would cost less for insurance
than my current 2nd car, this is a downsizing (down costing)exercise but Looking for something
that can still be a bit of fun on occasions and when driving it within legal limits.