500 Why did you buy a Fiat?

[colinkelly714]

Hey guys,

I am doing a project where my team has to reposition the brand of Fiat. We wanted to start by asking current Fiat 500 owners why they chose to buy a Fiat.
So simply put, what were some of your main reasons for buying a Fiat?

Thanks,
CK

 

[Piccolo Nero e Bella]

Hey guys,

I am doing a project where my team has to reposition the brand of Fiat. We wanted to start by asking current Fiat 500 owners why they chose to buy a Fiat.
So simply put, what were some of your main reasons for buying a Fiat?

Thanks,
CK

Hi; Mainly because I wanted something 'different'. The car has a charm and character which is missing from the run-of-the-mill small cars currently available and it's made driving fun again. Add to that (in my case) the Twinair engine, convertible roof and bright red upholstery and the car sold itself.

What I didn't do was buy it because it was a Fiat - I have no particular allegiance to the brand, I just love the car.

 

[scout]

Something similar to the answer above. I had a Hyundai coupe V6 and wanted a car that would give me the same buzz without the attendant costs. My TA 500c does that in spades, nearly two years on and I still smile when I go out to drive it.

 

[Mick F]

Hi; Mainly because I wanted something 'different'. The car has a charm and character which is missing from the run-of-the-mill small cars currently available and it's made driving fun again. Add to that (in my case) the Twinair engine, convertible roof and bright red upholstery and the car sold itself.

What I didn't do was buy it because it was a Fiat - I have no particular allegiance to the brand, I just love the car.

That's me in a nutshell.

Nicely put.

Regards,
Mick

 

[JimL]

I, like most other responders, bought my 500 lounge for the look and the Twinair engine. I have had and still do own classic minis, the 500 gives me the same smile factor. I too have no allegiance to Fiat as a brand, I just love the look of the car.

 

[ahmett]

It was the best car i could by for that money in my opinion. If i had more money, i would have bought something German.

 

[wellfan]

Bought it for the Twinair engine, compact size, price, and most important factor was the wife liked the look of it.

 

[snes]

I bought it in spite of it being a Fiat.....

 

[Fischini]

Like the other replies, mostly for the car not the brand as such. I bought mine for my daughter but wanted something my wife and I would like to jump in at the weekend.

 

[Melanabb]

I like everything about it: the looks, how it goes, interior... Especially the fact that it still says Fiat everywhere (windows, anywhere under the bonnet, wheels...) Its Grande Punto Abarth Very Italian I thought...

 

[RUI]

Every time I have to go anywhere near a dealer I ask myself the same question.

 

[frupi]

We're on our second 500, the first being a 1.2 POP and now we have a TA. Primarily, the reason for buying a 500, was to take advantage of a major reduction in road fund licence. By the time we got shot of the wife's Mazda MX5, the VED was £260 I think, and that in my opinion was too much for a daily run about for work.

We'd never owned a Fiat before and of course the 500 definitely has an appeal. With the £3k we got in part exchange for the MX5, which was 7 years old, we got a four month old 500 for an additional £4.5k and 30 quid a year VED. Last November, we traded the POP for just short of 6k and forked out an additional 4k for a pre-reg TA Lounge and so of course, we now pay zero VED.

All in all, very happy. Had some warranty issues with the old POP which were all sorted FOC and apart from one minor issue with the new TA which was also sorted under warranty. We are both impressed with the TA engine.

 

[Mercky]

Used to drive a 3.2 Merc, road tax almost 2000euro in Ireland! My TA is 180! Is that a good enough reason?
Not to mention 45mpg versus 18! Oh and I'm an Italian car fan and used to own an original 500. If you set out to buy an interesting characterful and economical car there are not too many alternatives.

 

[RussH]

We traded a 2012 Giulietta for a 500S and a Lounge. By the time you take in to account insurance and the saving we will make on my wife not using a Merc G Wagen, doing maybe 12mpg, as her daily driver we’ll save money. That’s the logical reason.

Of course we could have got a couple of Kia’s or similar but the appeal of the 500 is difficult to deny. Italians know how to make appealing, well designed, stylish and it could be argued classless cars. As a mate once said anyone with say a 3 series BMW or Audi equivalent may as well staple their pay packet to thier front door

Other cars in the running. VW Up or Seat equivilent. Competent but pretty tedious/predictable.

It wasn’t out of any sort of brand loyalty but that’s not being derogatory to Fiat, I don’t really have loyalty to any marque.

 

[Vitesse]

Hi everyone my first post on this part of the forum. I am normally on the classic 500 forum but sneak over here for a read from time to time, as we also own 61 plate 1.2 Lounge.

I bought a new 500 for obvious reasons, because of its link to the classic 500. When I test drove the new car one thing I particually liked was the position of the gear lever and the fact that when looking out the front it a similar view where you don't really see the bonnet of the car. It also drives well, MPG, road tax are obvious draws. Living in the South East you can only go as fast as the traffic, so the Fiat 500 performs that job well. I like the little touches on the new 500 that draw back to the original, like the flatten exhaust tail pipe, obviously the retro shape.

The classic I have owned for over 20 odd and sat in a garage for 17 years as it got badly vandalised in the street. Last year it came out for a full restoration in time for its 50th birthday in 2016. It's quite ironic really but it is probably worth now what I paid for the new 500 two years ago. The arrival of the new car really pushed up demand for the classics.

Tony

 

[PsFiat]

There aren't many cars that after you park it, you look back over your shoulder and smile. I've owned lots of cars over the years but the 500 is a delight to own, drive and simply look at.

 

[Piccolo Nero e Bella]

There aren't many cars that after you park it, you look back over your shoulder and smile.

So it's not just me...

 

[scout]

So it's not just me...

No, you're not alone

 

[Username Unavailable]

I needed a car to commute about 130KM a day there and back. I didn't want to risk a second hand car. I looked at the options available - and the Suzuki Alto came out as the best value. Of course I ignored this and bought the car that I wanted... a Fiat 500 pop. Why?

Emotional
Retro styling - a car with personality and a nod to the past, where cars weren't designed in a wind tunnel. Ivory ambiance interior sealed the deal.

Rational(isation)
Price - one of the cheapest cars available in Australia.
Fuel efficiency.
Safety rating.
Warranty.

And I love it. I'd really like an Abarth, but I can't justify twice the price.

One day.

 

[UFI]

Warranty.

In the face of 4,5 and 7 year warranties with unlimited km, Fiat's 3 years/100,000 isn't really a strong reason to buy one.