I was chatting to one of our Fiat Techs today whilst he was trying to teach my Abarth GP to speak English (long story, not the point of this thread) when a 500 1.4 16v Sport rolled in for PDI.

The Tech that drove it in got out and said, "No wonder we get so many bloody complaints about the suspension!"

Do many 1.4 owners find the suspension too hard? I've driven loads and can't say I've ever noticed...

The 1.4 is pretty stiff. Although, my 1.2 will be a little stiffer soon as I've got some Apex springs to go on as it looks too high on the 16's

THe 1.4 16v suspension is over sprung and under damped, riding far too high, unstable at the rear and uncomfortable

doesn't even work that well on track...

didn't realise quite how bad until I got my SPAX kit

the Abarth is a different league

For once I agree with Rob, along with the turning circle the suspension is the 1.4s biggest letdown... just come home from work and a bit tired, and thats when the car becomes unlovable.

Nuova500 said:

For once I agree with Rob, along with the turning circle the suspension is the 1.4s biggest letdown... just come home from work and a bit tired, and thats when the car becomes unlovable.

Click to expand...

i don't know how they managed to get it so wrong - honestly a week with Spax and it was transformed:worship:

fair enough if the development was done using simulators but someone must have driven it before signing it off:bang:

i don't mind the turning circle as it reminds me of my Alfa

I hate the turning circle, as I keep the 500 in a lock up which is hard to get into and out of as its tight... the turning circle makes it look like I cant drive properly so its something that annoys everyday twice.
I dont know how they got the suspension so wrong, but it is something Fiat manage regularly! Thats why we love them

Actually, although there may be an element of just "getting used to it" involved, the 1.4 suspension does improve quite a lot with time and running-in. When I first had the car it really was dreadful, but after a year of speed bumps and pot-holed farm lanes the dampers seem to be doing something at last. And contrary to some folk's experience, it is totally solid and tight - not a single knock or rattle thus far, anyhow.

John

I agree with John. My 1.4 Sport's suspension doesn't seem as hard and unforgiving as it did when it was new, it's now 10 months old. Could it be the dampers improving as John says or just a matter of me having gotten used to it?
There have been times though, over really rough road surfaces, where I've 'almost' wished I was driving the Renault Megane, my previous car.

Still love it to bits though!

Mine has softened too, but its still poor... however our roads are pants which doesnt help at all.

Littala said:

There have been times though, over really rough road surfaces, where I've 'almost' wished I was driving the Renault Megane, my previous car.

Click to expand...

Now comon. Nobody "wishes they were driving a Renault"

Here here, thats very true... it is a bit off when my Vespa rides better than my car though!

It all rather depends what turns you on, I suppose. I have to tell you that a certain Mr Smith of advancing years (who just happens to own a little red 500) is also of a rather anti-social and juvenile disposition, quite unsuited to his age and reprehensible for his possible influence on the young. This Mr Smith has very fond memories of his old Mini-Cooper, bored out to 1340cc and with hot cam, duplex timing chain, big carbs and straight-cut gears. It was on the old rubber suspension, had been crudely lowered and had monstrous wheels on big spacers. This thing was the most enormous fun uphill in the steep lanes, the more bumpy the better, because at full throttle in second you were wrestling with torque steer as it flew from bump to bump with virtually no control over its direction at all, except in a very general sense. Mr Smith loved it - the hellish noise (no rear seats, carpets or soundproofing), the wheelspin, the lack of any suspension, it was great. Eventually, sadly, he broke the crankshaft doing standing starts (true, I swear - I still have the bill for the engine rebuild). So the fact that my Fiat 500 is a bit bouncy at full throttle in second on those same hilly lanes is just fine by me - it feels rather like my old Cooper and that's OK

John

Youve hit the nail on the head, because the 500 is so quiet and refined it makes the suspension feel worse. If the 500 rip, roared and snorted about with loads of noise then the suspension would be in keeping
I had a 1978 Mini and have to say on standard suspension the rear wasnt as harsh as the 500, I would say its on par with an old Panda!

Nuova500 said:

Youve hit the nail on the head, because the 500 is so quiet and refined it makes the suspension feel worse. If the 500 rip, roared and snorted about with loads of noise then the suspension would be in keeping
I had a 1978 Mini and have to say on standard suspension the rear wasnt as harsh as the 500, I would say its on par with an old Panda!

Click to expand...

sounds like all you needed to be happy was an induction kit

Nuova500 said:

I had a 1978 Mini and have to say on standard suspension the rear wasnt as harsh as the 500, I would say its on par with an old Panda!

Click to expand...

By 1978 they had the Hydralastic suspension, which was rather more forgiving. Mine was a 1965, C reg.

John

Mark Elvin said:

Now comon. Nobody "wishes they were driving a Renault"

Click to expand...

i had a lot less "niggles" with all of my past clio's ( 4 of them ) than i have had with the one 500, and no i dont see it as character i see it as a pain in the ass having to take the car in pay £10 for a loaner and then to get the problem re-ocur a week later

white 500 said:

i had a lot less "niggles" with all of my past clio's ( 4 of them ) than i have had with the one 500, and no i dont see it as character i see it as a pain in the ass having to take the car in pay £10 for a loaner and then to get the problem re-ocur a week later

Click to expand...

Sell it & buy a Renault then!!!!!!

Mark Elvin said:

Sell it & buy a Renault then!!!!!!

Click to expand...

erm.......no
had a brand new vw before the 500 so am used to garage visit's, paying for a loaner is very anoying though

white 500 said:

erm.......no
had a brand new vw before the 500 so am used to garage visit's, paying for a loaner is very anoying though

Click to expand...

I always tell my dealer I refuse to pay.

white 500 said:

erm.......no
had a brand new vw before the 500 so am used to garage visit's, paying for a loaner is very anoying though

Click to expand...

You can arrange to use your own insurance, you just ring the insurance company from the reception and give them the details and then they confirm to the service advisor that you are covered.

My problem last time was that I take the car in early and when I phoned the insurance company they were closed until 08.30 so I used the dealers insurer rather than wait 25 mins.