General 10,000th mile - Status Report :)

Currently reading:
General 10,000th mile - Status Report :)

Joined
Jul 2, 2006
Messages
376
Points
63
Location
North Yorkshire
Did my 10000th mile escaping a carjacking would you believe! I think that’s proof that the car is sought after. But I still had time to take a picture.
IMG_0075.JPG

Here’s my report on the car…

1.2 Manual Engine- It’s really great, not a huge amount of pull with 69hp, but with petrol at £1.12 I don’t want it to be a binge drinker.

Highly competent on the motorway too, cheaper insurance, less than £3 per month on road tax.

Initially I chose the 1.2 because it appealed to the head rather than the heart, but now that’s leaving me with more money than the SexySexyStilo did, it’s getting the love it has earnt. (y)

Paint - I got 2 stone chips in the first 200 miles then nothing since, makes me wonder if it was something to do with fresh paint?

Also getting those miniscule rust spots on the boot. I will sort them out one day… :rolleyes:

My 500th Mile!
Image806.jpg


Dash – the plastic covering the instruments is attracting dust (as you can see!) which is a bit annoying but easy to wipe off, the dials are clear, the readouts are really useful, it is just quality.

Love the interior when it’s all lit up at night. Turning the wheel with the B&M buttons lit up is a bit special!

I’d recommend owners have a look under the dash on the passenger side – not a lot of stuff under there, you can see why the car is so light.

The chrome gear knob needs a bit of polishing from time to time, as does the chrome exhaust, which is still pristine even now.:woot:

ESP has been a lifesaver already on more occasions than I can count! I drive on a lot of twisty roads in the Dales and without the ESP Bob would have been in a hedge by now i'm sure.

DRLs – Really useful, get flashed quite often by busy-body drivers (if I actually had my fogs on then they’d be right to flash – shame some people can’t tell the difference between two sets of lights yet they have the self-importance to tell me what to do!), but they are useful and they look good too.

I keep checking the car out in shop windows :D

Image862.jpg


Blue&Me- Have christened the woman ‘Sharon’, you can tell when she’s having bad day with Bob because she just says ‘sorry command not available when the car is in motion’ or something equally as helpful. Cheers luv.

The cornering is excellent. What lets it down is the headlights. You are able and willing to go fast round corners, you just can’t see them coming (on low beam); that’s when it’s accident time. :eek:

As for the future, here’s to the next 10000 miles! However, the ride is a nightmare on British Roads (or in other words; ‘fun’). This will be the reason I go to the chiropracter and Bob goes to the car shop and a nice cheque comes my way (or possibly a Bravo if I can get my head round the styling).

:worship:And once again a round of applause to the FiatForum team for being brilliant generally:worship:

Final pic of Bob having a break at the new A1 Wetherby services - they're really good and they have those scary dyson hand-dryers in the loos.
DSCN1909.JPG
 
Hi the beeps! 10,0000 miles :eek: .. I will come back from Italy and STILL have nowhere near that. What is your annual mileage down for with your insurers?!

Carjacking - what!!!????

Great report and it sounds like you are still really enjoying your 500, very reassuring stuff.

Love the shop window pics (y)
 
What is your annual mileage down for with your insurers?!
not that much, should i be worried? its not like they can check, unless of course i have an accident

Carjacking - what!!!????
sat in the car waiting for a space in the car park outside my flat and some bloke walks up and tries the door (thankfully it was locked or God knows what he would have done) then he tried to get the keys off me:eek::eek::eek: so it was sensible shoe to the metal and away - scary stuff. i was lucky though, it happened to my friend and they got away with the car
 
40,000th mile nearly one year on, just thought I'd give everyone an update and something to look at :D


Engine and mechanicals-wise everything's great. Top car. Made me appreciate what a great little car the Panda must be!

I'm starting to think the 500 is getting an image problem! Controversial, but I'm seeing far too many estate agents in them, then there's BSM's contract, and the fact the it's had such good reviews.
People are buying the 500 because it's a great small car to run and buy; and it's cool and fashionable.
But I wonder how many people appreciate the history, the Fiat badge, the character?
Clearly we do; but what about girls that are probably called Felicity Candace-Walker, or Pandora Smythe-Butterfield, going out with Mummy to buy thier first car?
This is what worries me; that 500 drivers don't wave anymore, they don't 'get it'.
I'm sure BSM chose the car because of it's list price/tax band rather than the fact it's predeccessor helped post-war Italy to rebuild.
Strong sales are great for Fiat though!
I love my car but I'm now going to consider the Bravo facelift when that emerges next year!


^^ I just adore these 2tone wheels, they look their best at night






^^factory original lamp unit
Compare this headlamp to the next picture, you can see that it is developing a film on the inside of the lens, it was so bad on the other lamp that i got it replaced under warranty-that one was covered in yellow spots!


^^replacement headlamp unit (crystal clear)


^^ the bubbling Fiat badge that someone else has written about-it's got so much worse since i took this picture in August!


^^those wheels again!
 
What a great thread -thanks beepbeepbeep! So after 40000 miles, what are the comfort levels like? Or is that one of the reasons you're looking to change to the Bravo (obviously comfort's subjective but I'd be interested in your opinion)? Oh, and thanks for the heads up on what things to look out for (mental note made:)). Mine's still being made ready at my dealers -they must be applying the gold leaf by now for the time they've had it there. So here's to your 40000+ miles and my 1st:)
 
Great post beepbeepbeep! - good to hear that the car is up for some serious mile munching!

1st time I've seen this thread and have to say great pics, especially the one of your car all alone outside the Wetherby services. I was there last Saturday and couldn't hardly find a parking space it was so busy.
 
What a great thread -thanks beepbeepbeep! So after 40000 miles, what are the comfort levels like? Or is that one of the reasons you're looking to change to the Bravo (obviously comfort's subjective but I'd be interested in your opinion)? Oh, and thanks for the heads up on what things to look out for (mental note made:)). Mine's still being made ready at my dealers -they must be applying the gold leaf by now for the time they've had it there. So here's to your 40000+ miles and my 1st:)

Comfort levels are what I expected; that is to say I dread driving down to Southampton or up to Glasgow! If I had to say my main reason for considering a Bravo it would be comfort/ride...after 40000 miles my spine has adjusted to the ride but i do so much driving that I'd welcome a bit of comfort!

Also look out for flaking paint on the alloy centre caps, hopefully getting mine replaced!

It really is a great car, hope you enjoy 40000 miles in your (gold leaf!) 500!
 
40,000 miles!!!

I thought I was bad with 30,000

633500706_529k5-L.jpg


Well, actually 33,000 now but still. 40k miles! Whoa.
 
They shouldn't, but it gets to me that they don't
I was properly proud of Fiat when they got Car of the Year (Fiats always win, but anyway) in 2008 and I know there are people driving 500s who don't realise what an achievement the car is, and that is sad!
You're telling the wrong guy, 306maxi couldn't give a toss about any of that, as far as he's concerned, it's a small, cheap, mass produced polish car, right? (oh wait, he's right :confused:)
 
Back
Top