Only had my 500 three days and I've already had to book it into the garage. When I picked it up Sunday I drove away in auto mode and the change was terrible so i used manual shift. Being used to BMW auto's i just assumed it would never be as smooth so didn't bother. However when my other half took it to tescos she came back saying it would not change from 2nd to third and that she to had to use the manual mode also which works perfectly. I decided to take it for a drive and to my horror it would not change from 1st to 2nd never mind 2nd to third. However again manual shift was perfect even when you kept your foot down the shift was very smooth. I also tried on E mode and it was a little better but not much.

Dealer confirmed at around 4pm to-day that there was a problem and the workshop foreman was on the phone to fiats tech center for info and could they keep in for another day I of course said yes but I'll be looking for a car to use from Friday night if they need it longer.

Should this not have been picked up during the PDI FFS to add to the woe there are three small bubbles in the paint on the passengers door and the left turn won't self cancel and now I'm reading on another thread on here that the sunroof option has been stopped owing to problems an option which my car has.

So much for improving the quality FIAT. NOT Effin good enough. Love the looks of the car but I new I should've listened to the wee voice that keep saying mini, mini, mini :bang:

I'm one of your new customers Fiat I would NEVER!!! have considered any of your other cars but I was bought in with promises of better build/quality etc etc for this model I must've been mental

glad you got that off your chest, but I personally would actually tell Fiat rather than us lot You could get any of those problems even on a £50,000 car, overall the 500 and in fact any modern Fiat is way better built than many other makes. Give your dealer a chance to fix the faults and if they then mess up, by all means have a moan

nuovapanda said:

glad you got that off your chest, but I personally would actually tell Fiat rather than us lot You could get any of those problems even on a £50,000 car, overall the 500 and in fact any modern Fiat is way better built than many other makes. Give your dealer a chance to fix the faults and if they then mess up, by all means have a moan

Click to expand...

I'll be telling them alright... in a quite calm and collected manner of course

LOL throwing a fit in a dealer generally doesnt help... cool is good Good luck btw.

roadster1_98 said:

I'll be telling them alright... in a quite calm and collected manner of course

Click to expand...

There is always going to be teething problems with a new model regardless of the brand. My GF had one of the new micras when they first came out and it had several recalls and faults but they where soon fixed. I have a grande punto the quality on those is no different to any other manufacturers. Just try and be a little patient It sounds like you have already made your mind up the 500 won't be as good as your mini. If this is the case you should not of bought it becasue you will always be disappointed but try and think of the price difference!

My indicators have a mind of their own too: never mind, no big deal. The paint can be fixed: my friends with an E Class estate have had a rusty tailgate resprayed under warranty - and that car, which has had myriad faults, cost £36000.
The gearbox may only be a (Bosch) software issue.

All new cars can have glitches, and new Fiats are actually better than most.

I mentioned to the dealer about the indicators, he said its a Fiat thing, something to do with lack of roundabouts in Italy and they way they are set up?? Lost me totally but at least I know it isnt something wrong with my individual car!!

slimgimli said:

I mentioned to the dealer about the indicators, he said its a Fiat thing, p

Click to expand...

I sense bovine effluent at work here.

Cheers

D

lol, Yeh pretty much wot I thought but there you go

slimgimli said:

I mentioned to the dealer about the indicators, he said its a Fiat thing, something to do with lack of roundabouts in Italy and they way they are set up?? Lost me totally but at least I know it isnt something wrong with my individual car!!

Click to expand...

It is true there are relatively few roundabouts in Italy however things are changing and they are now springing up everywhere due to a change of heart from the highways agencies.

So look for the issue to be sorted within the next decade.

Fiat indicator stalks have been rubbish for ages, Pandas, Cinqs, Seicentos... all awful, they dont cancel properly, sometimes you just cant change them during cornering like on roundabouts... its character

Both my Fiats must be the only ones with properly cancelling indicators. Aren't I lucky.

Cheers

D

Mate you've already posted these at https://www.fiatforum.com/500-technical/140800-duologic-problem.html haven't you?

You sound awfully like me when I first bought my GP. Believe me over time you'll just get so used to the problems that you either live with them, or just sell it and never buy another Fiat again.

Hope it all works out for you.

clearly judging by some of the coments I shouldn't expect my paint to be perfect my auto gearbox to work and just put up with my indicators as it's character. I guess I'm just to used to all those German cars I've had which have never gone wrong and the second to none service I've always gotten when ever using the dealers. Yes I know friends who have had problems with their german cars but singular not three at once or all in the same week.
in saying all that a Ducati I had would not run after the first week because I was using unleaded petrol in her

luvduvs said:

Mate you've already posted these at https://www.fiatforum.com/500-technical/140800-duologic-problem.html haven't you?

You sound awfully like me when I first bought my GP. Believe me over time you'll just get so used to the problems that you either live with them, or just sell it and never buy another Fiat again.

Hope it all works out for you.

Click to expand...

Aye thats me alright couldn't find my original post when I came back online so I posted again

roadster1_98 said:

I guess I'm just to used to all those German cars I've had which have never gone wrong and the second to none service I've always gotten when ever using the dealers.

Click to expand...

Why the switch from BMW to Fiat?

roadster1_98 said:

Being used to BMW auto's i just assumed it would never be as smooth

Click to expand...

dualogic is not a true automatic...no torque convertor

Even robotised manuals should be pretty smooth. Once you get the hang of them, lifting off the throttle at the right time and changing just when; you should get a pretty smooth change (once your gearbox is fixed of course ) The press really slate the new Fortwo for having a really jerky slow change... I didn't find that at all. I guess it's just down to technique.

As for the inticators, I'm feeling you! They usually cancel half way round a round about or refuse to cancel after going round a bend, even a pretty sharp bend. Ahh well!

Are you able to take photos of the defects in the paint?

roadster1_98 said:

clearly judging by some of the coments I shouldn't expect my paint to be perfect my auto gearbox to work and just put up with my indicators as it's character. I guess I'm just to used to all those German cars I've had which have never gone wrong and the second to none service I've always gotten when ever using the dealers. Yes I know friends who have had problems with their german cars but singular not three at once or all in the same week.
in saying all that a Ducati I had would not run after the first week because I was using unleaded petrol in her

Click to expand...

Not at all the should be fixed,damaged paintwork is unforgiveable and should be sorted. All I am saying is be a bit patient with the teething problems and then in six months or a year if the car has still had more faults then fair enough in your comments.

The indicators are the same on my car too, any less than 1/2 turn of lock & they don't cancel.

It's what gives a car character.

As for the paint, I have a small, what look like piece of dirt under the paint on my bonnet. I'll get the dealer to take a look next time I'm down there.