Technical The new rear suspension finally appears

[Nick2]

No official word, but as soon as the new engines arrive I guess it'll be fitted to all 500s. Spring next year?

Having test driven a 500 I was not overly impressed with the ride/handling. This is one of the reasons why I am dithering a bit. I would be prepared to wait to order one to ensure that we get the improvements. When do you think I will be able to confirm my order to ensure that I get one of these?

Thanks

 

[Nick2]

Is that you Puma boy?

No idea what that means.....

 

[306maxi]

Having test driven a 500 I was not overly impressed with the ride/handling. This is one of the reasons why I am dithering a bit. I would be prepared to wait to order one to ensure that we get the improvements. When do you think I will be able to confirm my order to ensure that I get one of these?

Thanks

NO ONE KNOWS.

When it is confirmed that the hatchback with the revised suspension is going into production someone will post it but are you really prepared to lose out on scrappage just to get a slightly better rear suspension? If you're REALLY that bothered about it order a car now and look for a 500c or Abarth which is being wrecked and grab the rear beam off there, it'll be cheaper and quicker than waiting for this new revision to launch which will undoubtedly come with a price rise on top of the rise in VAT etc etc.

Puma Boy was a person who came on here and asked a million questions, pointed out flaws in the 500 and decided that he didn't want one and kept his Puma.

 

[Nick2]

NO ONE KNOWS.

When it is confirmed that the hatchback with the revised suspension is going into production someone will post it but are you really prepared to lose out on scrappage just to get a slightly better rear suspension? If you're REALLY that bothered about it order a car now and look for a 500c or Abarth which is being wrecked and grab the rear beam off there, it'll be cheaper and quicker than waiting for this new revision to launch which will undoubtedly come with a price rise on top of the rise in VAT etc etc.

Puma Boy was a person who came on here and asked a million questions, pointed out flaws in the 500 and decided that he didn't want one and kept his Puma.

Thank you

Frankly I am not too bothered about the money side as I just want the best car we can get for our needs at a sensible price. My wife's previous two cars have been Minis which in my view drove really well. Having driven Minis for over five years she wants a change, especially as she does not like the slightly bloated look of the latest series so much. So yes I would forget the scrappage deal if the revisions are as much of an improvement as people seem to say that they are or perhaps we will just go for a 500C which we are considering.

I spoke to BIS today who organise the scrappage scheme today and they indicated that they suspect that it will be available into the new year so plenty of time for me to dither about.

Oh may I ask you very kindly not to shout at me and you are welcome to call me Puma Boy if you really wish

Many thanks

 

[Ulpian]

Having test driven a 500 I was not overly impressed with the ride/handling. This is one of the reasons why I am dithering a bit. I would be prepared to wait to order one to ensure that we get the improvements. When do you think I will be able to confirm my order to ensure that I get one of these?

Thanks

If you want a test drive take out the new Ford Ka, which had the softer rear end from the beginning. It runs with the usual range of Fiat engines and should give a pretty accurate idea of how the revised 500 will run. It won't have the Multijet2 1.3 though, just the standard 1.3.

 

[306maxi]

Thank you

Frankly I am not too bothered about the money side as I just want the best car we can get for our needs at a sensible price. My wife's previous two cars have been Minis which in my view drove really well. Having driven Minis for over five years she wants a change, especially as she does not like the slightly bloated look of the latest series so much. So yes I would forget the scrappage deal if the revisions are as much of an improvement as people seem to say that they are or perhaps we will just go for a 500C which we are considering.

I spoke to BIS today who organise the scrappage scheme today and they indicated that they suspect that it will be available into the new year so plenty of time for me to dither about.

Oh may I ask you very kindly not to shout at me and you are welcome to call me Puma Boy if you really wish

Many thanks

Fair enough.

But you're making the mistake people often do with PC's. Waiting for the next best thing. Sure the new rear end is better, I've experienced it myself but it's by no means perfect and is probably still inferior to the Mini. In the time you'll spend waiting for this new revision to come out you could be enjoying this new car. People at the moment seem to be waiting at least 16 weeks for their cars and in some cases even more so you may have already blown your chance at scrappage on a 500. Like I said you could just get the rear end from and Abarth or c and be done with it. If you didn't like the hatchback I'll wager the new rear end still won't impress you but anyhoo.....

 

[Nick2]

Fair enough.

But you're making the mistake people often do with PC's. Waiting for the next best thing. Sure the new rear end is better, I've experienced it myself but it's by no means perfect and is probably still inferior to the Mini. In the time you'll spend waiting for this new revision to come out you could be enjoying this new car. People at the moment seem to be waiting at least 16 weeks for their cars and in some cases even more so you may have already blown your chance at scrappage on a 500. Like I said you could just get the rear end from and Abarth or c and be done with it. If you didn't like the hatchback I'll wager the new rear end still won't impress you but anyhoo.....

I do take your points and my wife tends to agree with you completely!

We will get there.....

Thanks

 

[Ulpian]

But since the new cars are coming very soon, and there isn't a pressing hurry, why not wait?

In December we should have the price spec in pounds for the new Multijet 2 cars and orders will then be taken. Sure, the 500c can be ordered now with the soft rear end, and the current engines, but if I was in the market, and could afford it, I'd be very tempted by the 1.3Mjet2 with its better performance and economy.

It's true that we can wait for ever for the optimum product, and then have it be dated a day later, but in this case we know a range upgrade will be here by new year, so I'd certainly wait. Imagine waiting for your car to arrive and then taking delivery while looking at the shiny new models, with all the uprated stuff on them, sitting in the showroom next to your already dated car that you are about to drive away in. No point in that if you can avoid it is there. One of the advantages of this forum is that we have a bit more model info than the general punter out there, and so we can avoid at least some of these disappointments.

As for the twin cylinder engines though, I see those as being a little beyond this time frame and not worth putting off for.

 

[DraigFlag87]

I think the range of small simple Fiats are soon to become very confusing with new prices, suspension setups, MJ engines, MA engines, Turbo engines etc etc...

 

[306maxi]

I think the range of small simple Fiats are soon to become very confusing with new prices, suspension setups, MJ engines, MA engines, Turbo engines etc etc...

They're not going to have the old suspension and new suspension side by side.

 

[keeforelli]

i love my 500 as it is....they have missed a trick tho if they dont get the new MJ engine under 100g/km tho- vauxhall have just put this engine in the upgraded corsa...free road tax and good performance!

as for suspension- i am used to the way the 500 rides and handles now...its totally stable at speed, makes me feel very safe, and i really rather like it.

test drove the ka 1.3tdci....was underwhelmed- might ride better, tho i couldnt tell, but it simply had no charm for me....

love my 500 just the way it is!...the improved ones i guess will be even more covetable!

 

[Ulpian]

Does the Corsa really have the Mutltijet2 engine though? I doubt it because this is only now being rolled out in Fiats. I'll guess it has the 95 hp current 1.3, especially as Fiat has said it is being very hedgy about letting competitors use its new technology this time.

Interestingly the new Doblo, which is coming in January, has a 95 Diesel 1.3 as well, but I suspect it isn't Multijet2 either as no mention of this has been made in the blurb - and it would be, also it is only Euro4 compliant, which means it isn't as clean as it might be. Again, I expect this is because they can't switch overnight to the latest technology for all engines, and also perhaps there is a cost issue on what are supposed to be cheap cars.

I'd like to know the real reason for these various engine choices, especially with Fiat's intent to apply the new technology to everything as soon as possible.

 

[Lloyd71]

I love my bouncy bum.

 

[Puma Boy]

I`m still here .

I have been reading that the scrappage scheme is almost certain to end at the end of Feb 2010 as the money is now not going to run out apparently.

 

[Ulpian]

I wish it would last until August 2013.

 

[keeforelli]

Does the Corsa really have the Mutltijet2 engine though? I doubt it because this is only now being rolled out in Fiats. I'll guess it has the 95 hp current 1.3, especially as Fiat has said it is being very hedgy about letting competitors use its new technology this time.

Interestingly the new Doblo, which is coming in January, has a 95 Diesel 1.3 as well, but I suspect it isn't Multijet2 either as no mention of this has been made in the blurb - and it would be, also it is only Euro4 compliant, which means it isn't as clean as it might be. Again, I expect this is because they can't switch overnight to the latest technology for all engines, and also perhaps there is a cost issue on what are supposed to be cheap cars.

I'd like to know the real reason for these various engine choices, especially with Fiat's intent to apply the new technology to everything as soon as possible.

its def very clean!...not sure if mj2 tho...

 

[YouKnowWho]

I love my bouncy bum.

Me too - I for one wasn't too fussed about road handing when cornering at 90mph and in 3rd year. The rear end can slide and bounce all it wants!!

I don't think I would have bought a 500 if my aim was a driver-focused car. But surely a better rear suspension can only be a good thing. I'm counting down the hours .. maybe they will release some preview shots ... oh saucy

 

[306maxi]

Me too - I for one wasn't too fussed about road handing when cornering at 90mph and in 3rd year. The rear end can slide and bounce all it wants!!

I don't think I would have bought a 500 if my aim was a driver-focused car. But surely a better rear suspension can only be a good thing. I'm counting down the hours .. maybe they will release some preview shots ... oh saucy

90 mph in 3rd gear? Ummmm the 1.2 won't do 90 in 3rd gear.

 

[306maxi]

I do take your points and my wife tends to agree with you completely!

We will get there.....

Thanks

Honestly though just order the thing. The 500 is more of a fashion item than a drivers car. The Mini manages to be both but the Panda genes do show through and it's just not a drivers machine.

We don't actually know what timeframe the new cars will be delivered by and tbh I don't see Fiat rushing it because they've got full order books at the moment so there's no incentive. My guess is you'll be waiting at least another 6 months to get the keys in your hand if you want the revised car.

Sure you might be in the showroom and there might be a model with the revised rear end but at least you'll be driving your car around for a good few months before anyone gets their car with the slightly better rear end.

 

[baxwalker]

If we start to see favourable reports on here about the new suspension it might worth finding out the cost of buying required parts and retro fitting to our existing 500s. Having said that, my 500 seems to have settled considerably now - 18,000 miles on. It has lost that little sideways twitch when cornering fast and catching a slight bump.

What I don't like it the way the back end is quite ferocious over those small but steep speed bumps. The back seems to jump off the ground even at moderate speeds and makes quite a thump!