Off Topic We don't realise what a nice car we have...

[RobW]

You clearly have no idea what you're talking about.

My high spec bravo is flawlessly built, with a much better cabin than your car and better options than any Focus.

The Golf has very high end models that are undeniably better than the bravo but they're expensive like a bmw or merc so it's stupid to buy it.

You don't seem to have the highest speced Bravos in the UK so I don't blame you for your ignorance.

 

[STILO NEWBIE]

I don't understand the argument of the low-spec. Bravos, I've seen more basic astras, golfs, 307s, Meganes, focuses and even cars like the 320s which I classed as low-spec. (in the 3series range) so whats the problem?

 

[danijel]

Do I love it ? - not really - I do I like it ?- yes for what it is, a cheap car.

I bought it because it was cheap - i ws looking for a small car to trade in my Sciencento against (family 2nd car) and realised I could get a Bravo cheaper than an old style Ford KA - thats why I bought it.

If I was looking to spend more - I would definately buy an Golf, Astra, Focus or Yeti before it everytime.

Any Bravo better spec'ed than the 1.4 active is just a more expensive, cheaply built car.

Yeh it looks fantastic but it its cheaply put together and built to a price. It drives okay and is very quiet but its not as good to drive as a Golf, Astra of Focus (all which i have driven recently).

No way Astra is better car then Bravo. What are you talking about? Are you talking about last astra or astra before? If last then maybe a little. But she is later relased. And its to heavy. And too expensiv.

 

[JFL]

the only thing i miss about the bravo is the media player (i have bluetooth connectivity though)... and the 50mpg (i only get 46 in the passat)..

other then that i actually get out of my car not aching on anything more then a 30 minute journey

 

[lyubohar]

You clearly have no idea what you're talking about.

My high spec bravo is flawlessly built, with a much better cabin than your car and better options than any Focus.

The Golf has very high end models that are undeniably better than the bravo but they're expensive like a bmw or merc so it's stupid to buy it.

You don't seem to have the highest speced Bravos in the UK so I don't blame you for your ignorance.

Why do you keep calling your car hi-spec?
Sorry, but apart from the roof and the xenons, you don't have 18" alloys, leather or even the top diesel engine...Since you say you are rich, you probably just didn't want them, but still - your car is far from hi-spec, it's more mid-spec bravo with roof and xenons

 

[cardinalbiggles]

Yep, the Alfa too is an old design on an elongated Tipo platform but booger was she pretty, inside and out.

You can say what you like but I'm talking about the underpinnings of the car, any Focus, Astra or Golf (of the same year) would batter the Bravo around a circuit, the dynamics of the car are shocking. I got beaten by some chav in a Pug 306 GTi the other day, for one simple reason, not power, but cornering, my Bravo kept lifting its rear wheels where it shouldn't and couldn't hold any sort of line round a roundabout, straightline was fine, equally matched, but in the end I had to let this idiot pass as the Bravo isn't up to racing an old 90s peice of shiiiiit, the mind boggles...................

No offence mate but if your managing to get your rear wheels off the ground your driving far too fast and will end up killing someone.

Had my 2.0MJet for 24k miles now and am really happy with it, but then again I never bought it expecting a fast car I bought it as, well quite frankly Golfs are overrated and rattly (as are Civics) and Focuses are extremely uncomfortable on long trips with their rediculously firm ride. I have heard nothing but bad things from family and friends with Renaults and Peugeots and had an extended hire of a Megane which put me off big time.

Believe me I spent 18months deciding what to buy, I have driven them all.

The only other car I liked enough to buy was a Saab 9-3 Aero, I liked that car but it was a couple of years old and I am not middle aged for at least another 15 years or so ;-)

 

[DickBarton]

Might one digress and ask how you carry the bike ? on the roof, on or in the boot ?

On the roof or in the boot - depends if it is just me and if the rack is on...I've got some pics to really bore you with -

[ame="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26900201@N02/sets/72157612328320126/"]Fiat Bravo - a set on Flickr[/ame]

My Flickr set on my Bravo - have a fair few shots of the roof rack with bikes on it...

I prefer my bike inside if it is just me but the size of my bike means I need to remove both wheels and fold both seats down - unless you ride a 14" framed bike I can't see how the bike would fit with the rear wheel still attached - I just can't get it to fit in my car. So I put the bike in with both wheels off - no issues so far.

I haven't noticed any discernible drop in MPG with the rack on - when it goes on it stays on for several months - dead easy to fit and pretty solid once on BUT make sure you have some clear tape over where the feet of the rack will sit - I've got scratches where the feet must have moved slightly.

Very simple to fit by yourself but if you leave the racks and bars built up - get someone to help you fit it otherwise you'll end up with a couple of we scratches where the feet have knocked the roof.

Ebay was cheap for my bars/feet - £50 delivered for an unopened set of Fiat bars - but they appear to be very similar to Thule kit.

 

[JTD_Liam]

I don't understand the argument of the low-spec. Bravos, I've seen more basic astras, golfs, 307s, Meganes, focuses and even cars like the 320s which I classed as low-spec. (in the 3series range) so whats the problem?

Im also lost by the comments about the high numbers of low-spec Bravos. Active's are the ones i see the least. In the last week (i've only been out driving a couple of times) i've seen:

Bravo Dynamic M-Jet - Silver - 57 Plate
Bravo Sport - Maranello Red - 59 Plate
Bravo Dynamic - Cool Jazz Blue - 60 Plate
Bravo Dynamic T-Jet - Maranello Red - 58 Plate

Considering how many low-spec (and battered) Stilo's i see, i think the Bravo has done okay in managing to sell in the higher trim levels. Certainly seems like more of a car that's bought by people who look after their cars, rather than just a means of A-B like previous Fiat family size cars (Brava, Stilo). The Bravo name may help, as the old Bravo appeared to be quite a cared-for car too & people who didn't bother replacing Bravos with a Stilo may well have gone for a new Bravo.

The biggest trouble with this Bravo is the lack of advertising & decent warranty. Regardless of any dynamic flaws, it's stunning to look at so people would buy it. You can sell anything if you push it enough, just look at the Citroen Xsara. Fiat could've got alot more outta the Bravo i think, but they simply havn't bothered with it.

 

[hitherematey]

Here's what lets them down:

Build Quality. I'm not talking about materials used. I'm talking about cars leaving the factory that are physically assembled correctly.

My Grande Punto (at 10,000 miles) constantly went back to the dealership for ridiculous things:

- Suspension not mounted correctly (lol)
- Power steering light on most of the time
- ENGINE not mounted properly (lol)
- City Steering occasionally working
- Plastic trim around the windscreen vent distorting due to heat (epic fail fiat)
- Front grill fell out under an emergency braking situation.

I didnt have ANY of these issues with the MK1 Punto...... its a bit silly.

Totally agree, the GP is full of little problems including:

• vent trim lifting
• water in the boot lid
• condensation problems
• loud noise when reversing and braking
• suspension 'creaking' from the rear

Which is why I traded it in for a Bravo

The Bravo feels a quality product IMO. Build quality is so much better and have yet to find any 'niggles'.

 

[udtrev]

I've got some pics to really bore you with -

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26900201@N02/sets/72157612328320126/

Nice looking red example

but bugga -9C for a game of soldiers

I now have a vision of a squad of petrified brass monkeys

 

[Tad-bravo]

Why do you keep calling your car hi-spec?
Sorry, but apart from the roof and the xenons, you don't have 18" alloys, leather or even the top diesel engine...Since you say you are rich, you probably just didn't want them, but still - your car is far from hi-spec, it's more mid-spec bravo with roof and xenons

I'm calling it high spec because it is, the 150 bhp and 18" alloys aren't sold here.

I have :
9 speaker Hifi stereo with sub.
skydome
xenon with headlight washers
higher spec 17" wheels
bizone climate control
blue&me
hill holder
cruise control
chrome kit
tinted windows
spare wheel kit
refrigerated armrest
and a bunch of other stuff I'm forgeting...

 

[Andysan]

I've just bought my Bravo (upgraded from a '58 Fiesta) and as I'm pretty open minded I looked at pretty much every car in the class before settling on the Bravo. I agree that there doesnt seem to be anything else that can match it for style, interior/exterior design, options and value for money. Not sure I agree with the complaints about low end models - about 75% of the Bravos on Auto Trader are Active's - without these sales I imagine many people wouldnt have been able to afford the Dynamic/Sport and hence would have bought a low end Megane/Focus etc....

The Bravo seems to be the only car that the designers have thought of inside and out. Whilst I like the Astra, Leon, Golf and C4 from the outside (not as much as the Bravo), they are all horrendously ugly inside. Then theres the focus thats just ugly whichever way you look at it and common as muck IMHO. I think the only thing that comes close is the Civic and I can still make my mind up as to whether I love it or hate it.

Bravo FTW!

 

[RobW]

I've just bought my Bravo (upgraded from a '58 Fiesta) and as I'm pretty open minded I looked at pretty much every car in the class before settling on the Bravo. I agree that there doesnt seem to be anything else that can match it for style, interior/exterior design, options and value for money. Not sure I agree with the complaints about low end models - about 75% of the Bravos on Auto Trader are Active's - without these sales I imagine many people wouldnt have been able to afford the Dynamic/Sport and hence would have bought a low end Megane/Focus etc....

The Bravo seems to be the only car that the designers have thought of inside and out. Whilst I like the Astra, Leon, Golf and C4 from the outside (not as much as the Bravo), they are all horrendously ugly inside. Then theres the focus thats just ugly whichever way you look at it and common as muck IMHO. I think the only thing that comes close is the Civic and I can still make my mind up as to whether I love it or hate it.

Bravo FTW!

well said

 

[udtrev]

I've just bought my Bravo (upgraded from a '58 Fiesta) and as I'm pretty open minded I looked at pretty much every car in the class before settling on the Bravo. I agree that there doesnt seem to be anything else that can match it for style, interior/exterior design, options and value for money. Not sure I agree with the complaints about low end models - about 75% of the Bravos on Auto Trader are Active's - without these sales I imagine many people wouldnt have been able to afford the Dynamic/Sport and hence would have bought a low end Megane/Focus etc....

The Bravo seems to be the only car that the designers have thought of inside and out. Whilst I like the Astra, Leon, Golf and C4 from the outside (not as much as the Bravo), they are all horrendously ugly inside. Then theres the focus thats just ugly whichever way you look at it and common as muck IMHO. I think the only thing that comes close is the Civic and I can still make my mind up as to whether I love it or hate it.

Bravo FTW!

Well said, but you missed one thing, they are surprisingly frugal too


Trev

 

[Andysan]

Well said, but you missed one thing, they are surprisingly frugal too


Trev

Thanks - beauty is in the eye of the beholder we must remember. On the Citty C4 forum that I was a member on before I decided I didnt want one (sat in one and the glovebox collapsed on me) people feel the same way about the C4 and were lambasting me for buying a Bravo.:yuck:

 

[udtrev]

Thanks - beauty is in the eye of the beholder we must remember.

you won't find me using that phrase - I wear glasses from unigate !!!!!

 

[Andysan]

The biggest trouble with this Bravo is the lack of advertising & decent warranty. Regardless of any dynamic flaws, it's stunning to look at so people would buy it. You can sell anything if you push it enough, just look at the Citroen Xsara. Fiat could've got alot more outta the Bravo i think, but they simply havn't bothered with it.

What frustrates me is that the 500 is selling in droves, yet the Bravo which is a great looking car isn't selling at all. The cars are from the same manufacturer, the only difference is that the 500 has history and retro kicks behind it. Suprises me how fickle people are really, especially in these hard times when you consider what a bargain the Bravo is.

I'm calling it high spec because it is, the 150 bhp and 18" alloys aren't sold here.

I have :
9 speaker Hifi stereo with sub.
skydome
xenon with headlight washers
higher spec 17" wheels
bizone climate control
blue&me
hill holder
cruise control
chrome kit
tinted windows
spare wheel kit
refrigerated armrest
and a bunch of other stuff I'm forgeting...

Seems pretty darned high spec to me, props!:slayer:


EDIT - I always wanted the refrigerated armrest but the Sport model seems to have an extra air vent for the passengers in the back.

 

[Tad-bravo]

Thank you

 

[RobW]

What frustrates me is that the 500 is selling in droves, yet the Bravo which is a great looking car isn't selling at all. The cars are from the same manufacturer, the only difference is that the 500 has history and retro kicks behind it. Suprises me how fickle people are really, especially in these hard times when you consider what a bargain the Bravo is.

Seems pretty darned high spec to me, props!:slayer:

I sold my 500 1.4 Sport and bought a Bravo 1.4 TJet Sport
Bravo is a better car in every respect, I even got a younger car and £1100 in change

But the 500 has the 'cool' factor which makes it desirable and priced accordingly

We should feel very lucky in the UK that the Bravo is such a bargain, not the case in Europe

I went to look at the new Alfa the other day and concluded the Bravo was better

 

[MikeWhitcombe]

...not the case in Europe

I hate to point it out... but...

(And yes, I knew what you meant, but still )