Ok guys...now I'm really embarrassed and I won't mind a few of these
or these:doh:
or, indeed, these

Ok...here goes.

I'm thinking of changing the engine now...to a 1.2...

So the spec will look like this
1.2 Lounge
Pasodoble Red
16" Multispokes
Chequered Ivory Interior
White sports stripe
Tinted windows
ESP Hill holder
Auto climate control
Ivory Leather gearknob
Side rub strips with 500 logo
Chrome mirrors dealer fit
Front Fogs
Auto Dimming rear view mirror
Parktronic
total cost £10,920

INSTEAD of the 1.3 which would take it to £12,320.

Reading what you said about the 1.2 and seeing that the economy and performance difference ain't sooo big but that the price difference IS big, well it seems like a no brainer!

So

my question is: Is my dealer gonna tell me to eff off after all the changes that I have ALREADY MADE!!!

I'm kinda nervous but know that this is gonna keep me up all night.

Thing is Suasexed was right about the price/performance difference between 1.2 and 1.3....it kinda makes sense to go for 1.2 even if you are a fan of diesels.

Beasty do you think this might royally screw and delay my order? Or is this just a simple matter of entering the new spec into a computer and pressing the send button?

Its your money, so you can do what you want .

For me I want the 1.3 for its torque as well as its low mpg figures. I think 54mpg for the 1.2 and 67mpg for the 1.3 is quite a big difference so I am willing to pay the extra for the diesel.

The 1.2 will be fine and the rest of your spec looks pretty cool, so I am sure you will be very pleased

PS: Unless things have changed you can change the spec and your engine up to 4 weeks before your car is confirmed for build. Other things such as colours, alloys up to 2 weeks before.

This hasnt been strictly true as one or 2 peoples orders got changed to 'confirmed for build' before it was even 2 weeks before, so they lost the chance to make any last minute changes.:bang:

thanks for the replies seadragon....ok I'm probably gonna go for the 1.2 as suasexed says the price difference is too good to ignore and it means I can kit it out a bit more!:chin:

Even if your order was 'frozen' I'm sure someone will like your spec choice and take it off FIAT or the dealer's hands.

seadragon said:

Its your money, so you can do what you want .

Click to expand...

I agree with that, but...

...you may not actually be able to change the engine, even if the rest of the specification is identical.

If your order has not passed the stage where the engine can be changed your dealership won't mind at all. If it has, they will have to order a completely new car, and will be stuck with your original car to sell to somebody else, so they are entitled to refuse.

Scrogg said:

I agree with that, but...

...you may not actually be able to change the engine, even if the rest of the specification is identical.

If your order has not passed the stage where the engine can be changed your dealership won't mind at all. If it has, they will have to order a completely new car, and will be stuck with your original car to sell to somebody else, so they are entitled to refuse.

Click to expand...

I was asked for my body colour and engine requirements weeks before I was actually asked to spec the car. OK, mine was a pre-launch order but I was having second thoughts on the body colour about a week later and the dealer said "too late".

I would imagine that with the demand and getting the cars through on time chopping and changing could either delay things or screw the order up!

1.2 and 16" alloys? Stick with the diesel. All the torque you need.

Nero500 said:

I would imagine that with the demand and getting the cars through on time chopping and changing could either delay things or screw the order up!

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Fiat cars are listed as status 10 - heavy variability, 13 - light variability and 16 - fixed for production. It all depends on what week your car is due for build, but when you first place your order, again depending on your dealers 500 allocation, the status will be 10. This means you can change spec (whether it be a Pop, Lounge or Sport) colour, alloys, everything but engine size. When it turns to status 13 (it would usually turn to light variability 2 weeks before it goes to 16 (fixed) but be careful - you won't always have 2 weeks, I was caught out there) you can only change the colour, alloys, options. Once it goes to 16 it's fixed for production and you won't be able to change anything.

Bushboy said:

1.2 and 16" alloys? Stick with the diesel. All the torque you need.

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The 16s with the lower profile tyres have a smaller rolling radius compared to the standard 15s so performance won't be affected Apart from the extra weight of the 16s -it will be hardly anything- there won't be any noticeable effect to performance

Cheers for that. Mines on a week 5 build so it should be a physical car by now . . . hopefully on its way to the UK. :slayer:

Nero500 said:

Cheers for that. Mines on a week 5 build so it should be a physical car by now . . . hopefully on its way to the UK. :slayer:

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Mark Elvin has a Week 5 build 500 too and his has been built and is due on the next boat destined for the UK! His dealer expects to have the car in his compound for the 3rd week of February, so you could have yours within the month too!

Suasexed said:

This means you can change spec (whether it be a Pop, Lounge or Sport) colour, alloys, everything but engine size.

Click to expand...

So does this mean changing from a 1.3 to a 1.2 is impossible at the stage that I'm at now....about a week and 2 days since my initial order?
BTW thanks for the info and green with envy at the week 5 build guys!!!

Baerius said:

So does this mean changing from a 1.3 to a 1.2 is impossible at the stage that I'm at now....about a week and 2 days since my initial order?

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It depends on what status your order is at, which has very little to do with when you actually ordered it.

Without knowing that, which clearly you don't, it is an impossible question for anyone on here to answer definitively.

You need to speak to your dealership.

It's quite possible Bae, it's what I was told when I was ordering mine, but I could have got muddled. There's so much information to absorb and when you're all giddy ordering a car I may have understood incorrectly. The best thing to do is give your dealer (or pop in) a ring first thing tomorrow to see where you stand in terms of order status and spec change

Suasexed were you guilty of being....a bit giddy! You should check your order as I bet you ordered a orange multipla with steel wheels and an 8 track player

Scrogg said:

It depends on what status your order is at, which has very little to do with when you actually ordered it.

Without knowing that, which clearly you don't, it is an impossible question for anyone on here to answer definitively.

You need to speak to your dealership.

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Only thing I'd add is. The quicker the better aswell. For all we know you might only have days to make the choice.

Get onto your guy as soon as possible, and then again first thing Monday.

I've been in contact with Mark on another forum and then I find this place and see he's here too. Another guy from the other forum has joined too this morning and he's already got his car. Funny thing is we've all got different names on this forum from the other!

Will try contacting my dealer today as I emailed him over a week ago about PXing my 04 plate 156 1.9mjet 140 Veloce SW, which I bought from them but have heard nothing back since!

Thanks a lot guys for the post, this forum rocks. Defo gonna donate something (small) upon delivery

Despite my late night doubts, I've had a long discussion with my better half and we've come to the conclusion that we'll stick with our order and go for the diesel.

Yes it IS a huge price difference, but the diesel is supposed to be very very good, and yes the extra torque is always great to have... that and the economy, (although it'll take five years at filling up every 10 days to pay for itsel at 107p per litre)...and it's quiet for an oil burner...

Plus I just can't wait and I don't want even to suspect that changing the engine will put weeks onto delivery times...

I just phoned my dealer again a few minutes ago to check on the variability numbers that Sua was talking about but he says there are no admin staff so he can't tell me anything.......can't he get into the order with his password?

O well

Baerius said:

I just phoned my dealer again a few minutes ago to check on the variability numbers that Sua was talking about but he says there are no admin staff so he can't tell me anything.......can't he get into the order with his password?

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That's a strange one, I wouldn't think it would need an admin staff to access that info.

Another thing to consider with the Multijet; is it will have a higher resale value compared to the 1.2 so you should get some of the inital premium when you come to sell it