500 Nipster - 500TA Lounge in Volare Blue

[bgunn]

A bit like autopilot and manual flying then! Yes Auto is easier but i am not paying 200 pounds for something that is just in the end of the day lazier and not any better.

Good for you. I'm sure that 200 pounds will be very useful for you in whatever else you want to spend it on. This is why the world is a great place, we all have a choice to spend money on whatever we like.

 

[nemchenk]

bgunn, how would I get the ACC to blow hot 23C air on my feet, while I open the window and let a cool fresh breeze on my face?

 

[bgunn]

23 degree air isn't particularly hot, but it's not difficult. Press the 'feet' override button, select 23 degrees air temp, and set the fan speed override to the speed you wish. Then open a window.

 

[nemchenk]

Hahah But of course, but that's overriding the ACC, and we are back to pushing buttons versus flipping dials. My point is that personally, I don't really want an "ambient" temp in the car, so the ACC does nothing for me. I should try it some more, of course. But at the moment I am seriously missing the old-skool dials

 

[bgunn]

My point is that personally, I don't really want an "ambient" temp in the car, so the ACC does nothing for me.

So you prefer to yo-yo the temp between hot and cold? Or just feel very cold, or very hot all of the time? Your statement makes no sense at all.

 

[nemchenk]

No, I mean that I like hot air, but on my feet (or hands if it is really cold in the morning, like it is now.) But I don't want the entire cab to be hot. Circulation problems, probably

Anyway, I had to top up Nipster's oil a few weeks back as it was below the low marker on the dipstick, and now I've ordered 5L of Selena K PE oil and a filter from shop4parts.co.uk, so I can swap out the oil that's been running in the engine. Should be fun

 

[grimwau]

A bit like autopilot and manual flying then! Yes Auto is easier but i am not paying 200 pounds for something that is just in the end of the day lazier and not any better.

ahmett, some people might say that dualogic would fit that description, as well as costing considerably more than £200.

 

[nemchenk]

Nipster passed the 2,000 mile mark the other day, and I have noticed a significant improvement in performance -- the engine feels much more free-revving, and I'd say the car feels as agile in ECO mode now as it has been in normal mode previously.

Doing a couple of long straight runs off the lights yesterday I was very impressed, and chuffed to leave a BMW 320d for dust not once but twice

 

[loveshandbags]

Nipster passed the 2,000 mile mark the other day, and I have noticed a significant improvement in performance -- the engine feels much more free-revving, and I'd say the car feels as agile in ECO mode now as it has been in normal mode previously.

Doing a couple of long straight runs off the lights yesterday I was very impressed, and chuffed to leave a BMW 320d for dust not once but twice

If must have been a pretty worn 320D. The last one I drove was pretty quick with a 0-60 of around 8 and a bit secs not that I have any interest in diesel engines or even BMWs.

 

[nemchenk]

Maybe he just had the 320d sticker on his boot lid

Bear in mind also that this is basically a race from 0 to 30. I've beaten Range Rover Sports in the little TA :nerner:

 

[JTD_Liam]

FloJo & nemchenk - thanks for your help. I will give the dealer a call to check the situation on the TomTom port. We don't even have a sat nav at the moment so it's not life or death but if we did get a satnav it'd be a bonus to be able to plug it in without wires dangling over the dashboard.

Not heard anything from the dealer since placing the order 3 weeks ago, though i suppose all they can say is 'it's ordered, we'll ring when it's on the boat' so it'd probably be a waste of a phonecall!

Safe to say the Parents are VERY much looking forward to it, especially when i show them these threads. It's already got a name & probably isn't even built yet. She will be called 'Rosa'!

 

[nemchenk]

The dealer should be able to update you on the progress of the car, Liam -- they have a system which tells them things like "order placed", "car on production line" etc. Though mine went back and forth a couple of times, once memorably from "at the dockside in Poland" to "on production line" Either they forgot to fit an option, or someone keyed in the progress code wrong, or my first car ended up going to someone else

 

[FloJo]

My dealer refused to give me status updates - I think it depends how helpful they are! The first I heard that it was in the country was when he rang me to tell me a reg number (even though I had previously told him I'd bought a private one). Hopfully you've got someone who knows what customer service means

 

[RobinPJ]

Maybe he just had the 320d sticker on his boot lid

Bear in mind also that this is basically a race from 0 to 30. I've beaten Range Rover Sports in the little TA :nerner:

Or maybe you were the only one taking part in the "race"?

 

[JTD_Liam]

The dealer should be able to update you on the progress of the car, Liam -- they have a system which tells them things like "order placed", "car on production line" etc. Though mine went back and forth a couple of times, once memorably from "at the dockside in Poland" to "on production line" Either they forgot to fit an option, or someone keyed in the progress code wrong, or my first car ended up going to someone else

My dealer refused to give me status updates - I think it depends how helpful they are! The first I heard that it was in the country was when he rang me to tell me a reg number (even though I had previously told him I'd bought a private one). Hopfully you've got someone who knows what customer service means

Thanks again. I don't think there'll be a problem getting info out of them, i think it's just a case of not much to say.

We initially enquired with them about the 500 last summer and had 2 test drives (1.2 & TwinAir), quotes etc over the course of 2 visits & at no time were they pushy or anything so after deciding to mull it all over & assess the competition (the Parents were initially worried it may just be too small after our Renault Laguna), we returned & had another test drive in the TwinAir as the first one seemed very noisy. We got several quotes with the new Jan-March finance rates and went for it. The saleswoman and her manager have both spent a number of hours going over everything & have been professional but natural throughout so i've nothing really negative to say about them tbh.

I just did expect a courtesy call but it's not really a major thing & i'm pretty sure theyre the best dealer we'll find within an hour of home as the ones closer have never impressed us - we're in abit of a Fiat/Alfa/Abarth black-hole in Oxfordshire - not even got an Alfa/Abarth dealer

I intend to phone in the next day or two so will update after that

Liam

 

[Littala]

It's bloomin' gorgeous. Nipster could be my Enzo's twin or clone- nice to see another volare blue with the white side stripe- mine's the only one I've seen in that combo on the road/in the flesh so far, and he's nearly 10 months old now. Excellent taste- but I'm biased.

 

[nemchenk]

Or maybe you were the only one taking part in the "race"?

Not really. Maybe he was just rubbish. I have to ask: Do you have a 320d or something, Robin? Just curious...

It's bloomin' gorgeous.Excellent taste- but I'm biased.

Thank you, thank you I do agree -- the blue+white combo looks the business, and it's nice to see there's someone else with the same taste I'm seeing more Volare Blue 500s out there now, but still have not seen one like ours.

@Liam: Good luck, keep us posted!

 

[RobinPJ]

I have a 330d touring. It is everything the Fiat 500 1.2 is not, including being very fast.

I'm sure it will be difficult but I will try not to take your ability to drive your car faster than a car a bit like my other car as a personal sleight on the size of my genitals.

 

[nemchenk]

I'm sure it will be difficult but I will try not to take your ability to drive your car faster than a car a bit like my other car as a personal sleight on the size of my genitals.

Oh cool, that would be brilliant! Thanks bro!



Anyway, back on topic -- I think there might be something wrong with the Stop-Start on Nipster I've kept it turned off till now to reduce the wear on the engine while it was running in, but now that we've done 2K I've stopped turning it off. And the fool thing shuts the engine down then starts it up again at most 3 seconds later. More about the problem here.

 

[RobinPJ]

Interesting that even (bow/curtsey at this point) Gordon Murray seems to be a fan of Volare Blue:



It is a lovely colour for a small car.