General Cinq purchase

[Pandarus]

Hi all

I can no longer resist it! I will be looking to buy a Cinq (not necessarily a Sporting, I particularly like the Soleil or any good example) in the early part of next year.

Would appreciate your help with the following:
What should I be looking for rot wise?

Are the clutch cables really that bad?

Interiors do not seem to wear well, is there a particular sort to avoid?

Is there a Cinq buyers guide somewhere online?


Thanks guys

 

[custard]

theres tons of info in this section inc a buyers guide.
interiors not wearing well?what do you mean?
bar seats tending to break with lard asses/high miles there fairly basic/robust interiours.
clutch cables break but its not every 100 miles lol

mind you the later sei seats are a little better and the black/grey ones are really nice.
custard looks to his unfitted set

 

[LanciaMad]

Good luck, its a mission to find a good one.

I have twice set out to buy a cinquecento sporting, veiwed loads of cars and twice bought a seicento sporting instead.

 

[arc]

hi. i only know with the sporing interior, it is the drivers seat that wears badly. other than that, they're ok.

clutch cables arent imo that bad. i'm being careful and not tempting fate here, but i have had my car 3 years, i drive it hard, and have had the engine/gearbox out and the clutch cable at funny angles and never snapped it.

buyers guide:

http://www.caranddriving.com/carsourceb/ucmg_c.asp?maker=FIAT&id={C8EE8063-F1E7-11D4-A9B0-0050BAA3D8A0}

 

[chaos]

hi. i only know with the sporing interior, it is the drivers seat that wears badly.

Applies to the base models as well.

 

[CaneyJ]

It's probably already been mentioned in the buyers FAQ but check the boot for corrosion. Especially check under the carpet and make sure water isn't entering around the rubber foam rear light cluster points as this can run down the side sills and give your feet a soaking in the foot wells. It's also been known to be starting around the front wiper arm point.

 

[Steven]

In place of the Panda Martin?

I've had a couple of Cinqs and Seis and keep coming back to the Pandas. Centos are a lot more useful as a daily driver in terms of comfort, they are just as easy to work on as well.

If you want a car to compliment your Panda and to use as a daily driver I would recommend buying a Seicento. They are a lot more refined. The Cinq is very Pandalike and one of each doesn't really make sense if you know what I mean. I've been there and done that. A Sei as a daily driver makes keeping the Panda seem justified.

 

[Pandarus]

Hi Steve,

Thanks for that - I really like the look of the Cinq. As for selling the 750, not sure I could. Will take on board your comments and perhaps up my budget for a Sei!

Thanks also guys for your thoughts, will let you know how it goes. Cheers!

Martin

 

[CaneyJ]

Nooo compared to the cinq a sei is characterless (the rattles are it's charm) and is the diat coke of 90's small fiats

 

[fingers99]

See the stickies above by Mase and J333EVO.

Clutch cables are not that bad, the Sporting interior and engine/gearbox is the best (and Sei seats are pretty much a bolt in replacement). Rot tends to start at the very back (inside boot) and creep forward and upwards.

 

[Pandarus]

Nooo compared to the cinq a sei is characterless (the rattles are it's charm)

I must admit, there is something about the Cinq...love that shape!

 

[The younger modder]

To be honest the seicento is often classed on here as the girls cento (perhaps unfairly) personally i think the sei looks better but after driving both in sporting guise i think the cinq is more for the driver with lack of PAS etc but drive each and decide, the sei's dont go for alot more and in some cases less from what i have seen

wayne