Really daft question but I thought the 500C wasn't available yet?

Sounds odd but one drove passed me yesterday when I was sitting outside a pub, I think in funk white (the pearlesant one) with a red roof down at the time. Looked really good but I reckon a darker body colour would suit it more.

I'm not sure if it's available officialy yet but I'll be willing to bet they will be rare given the absolutely ridiculous price. What the hell inspired them to go mental with the pricing all of a sudden?!

It probably does cost a bit that finely engineered electric cover. And this is going to be so chic that they can get away with high pricing. Fashionistas will love it: I love it, and if it was the right car for me I'd be very tempted. And I am not, I think, a fashionista :yum:

Goth blue: red/tan leather (can't decide), ivory roof, chrome mirrors, front and rear dams, tints, 15" wheels ( I like my comfort), interscope, side protectors, no graphics, coat hooks - probably would cost an absolute fortune - but soooooo cute, and actually sensible, if that roof doesn't buffet at high speed either open or closed.

This is going to be my favourite 500 by a country mile. If it gets the new engines late next year I might even be tempted . How mad is that!

Lloyd71 said:

What the hell inspired them to go mental with the pricing all of a sudden?!

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There's no excuse for it: it's simply greed

There's no excuse for it: it's simply greed

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Not really. They need to make as much money as they can in this very competitive market, and if they have a premium product they can charge a premium price. The company has a duty to its shareholders to be as profitable as possible, and it has to have a surplus to invest in new product; only this way will it survive. The market will decide, and if nobody buys the c the price will come down.

Ulpian said:

Not really. They need to make as much money as they can in this very competitive market, and if they have a premium product they can charge a premium price. The company has a duty to its shareholders to be as profitable as possible, and it has to have a surplus to invest in new product; only this way will it survive. The market will decide, and if nobody buys the c the price will come down.

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Ah, greedy shareholders! That's ok then

That's life I'm afraid. The alternative is economic collapse.

Profit > food, heat, medicine, shelter etc. > good.

Loss > bankruptcy > hunger > ruination > death.

How is it expensive? 11.300 pounds starting price i heard. if thats correct, then its a real bargain in my oppinion for a affordable run around convertible with some practicality. the barchetta was a bargain but sadly as it was left hand drive.so i think at just over 11k, the 500 c is cheap

compare it to other convertibles like tigras and mini convertibles.

salvo's yellow punto said:

How is it expensive? 11.300 pounds starting price i heard. if thats correct, then its a real bargain in my oppinion for a affordable run around convertible with some practicality. the barchetta was a bargain but sadly as it was left hand drive.so i think at just over 11k, the 500 c is cheap

compare it to other convertibles like tigras and mini convertibles.

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Compare it to a new 1.5 Mitsubishi Colt convertible - with a folding hard top - for under £10k. I've seen pre-reg micraC+Cs for £8k with delivery miles, and pre-reg Tigras under £10k.

£11.3k for a 1.2 Pop, lacking much of the equipment people see as necessary these days, is no bargain. £13.9k for the 1.4 Lounge even less so.
And it's not even a proper convertible, or cabriolet come to that.

£3k for a bit of structural bracing and cloth seems rather excessive to me.
But, if someone's willing to pay for it, good luck to them

Ulpian said:

That's life I'm afraid. The alternative is economic collapse.

Profit > food, heat, medicine, shelter etc. > good.

Loss > bankruptcy > hunger > ruination > death.

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Excessive profits are never good. That same money would simply have been spent on other items instead. Most people tend to spend the majority of the money they earn in thier lifetimes.

Funny I post 'I saw one in the wild it looked great' and the thread turned into evil capaitalist pigdogs discussion. Got to love the randomness of the net

olopboy said:

Funny I post 'I saw one in the wild it looked great' and the thread turned into evil capaitalist pigdogs discussion. Got to love the randomness of the net

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It gets worse than that - I reckon my 500 shares more than a passing resemblance to this bloke: [ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benito_Mussolini[/ame]

Moving on from the relative merits and evils of a capitalist market economy.....does anyone know what the waiting time is currently for the 500c? Also are there any reviews anywhere yet?

Thanks,

Lloyd71 said:

I'm not sure if it's available officialy yet but I'll be willing to bet they will be rare given the absolutely ridiculous price. What the hell inspired them to go mental with the pricing all of a sudden?!

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Well they fooled lots of people to pay over the odds for the tin roof version so why not chance their arm. In 2 years time there will be discount galore so the prices won;t look bad in reality.

but the tin roof version costs more now than it did a year ago, and i would hardly class the 500st (spam tin) version to be "premium" as for cabrio's the 500's effort is laughable and will probably be the first 500's to get big dealer discount's

Compare it to a new 1.5 Mitsubishi Colt convertible - with a folding hard top - for under £10k. I've seen pre-reg micraC+Cs for £8k with delivery miles, and pre-reg Tigras under £10k.

£11.3k for a 1.2 Pop, lacking much of the equipment people see as necessary these days, is no bargain. £13.9k for the 1.4 Lounge even less so.
And it's not even a proper convertible, or cabriolet come to that.

£3k for a bit of structural bracing and cloth seems rather excessive to me.
But, if someone's willing to pay for it, good luck to them

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as for cabrio's the 500's effort is laughable and will probably be the first 500's to get big dealer discount's

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The Colt is a nullity. It looks like zilch and that hardtop weighs. The Micra is possible the ugliest car on the road. The Tigra is a same-as mini convertible; again, just another charmless little open car.

The 500's roof is true to the original, it's comparably light, it offers 90% of the fun of a full convertible with added simplicity, and four proper seats with an ucompromised boot. Pretty clever stuff. Yes, the 500 is more expensive than some similar sized cars, and Fiat can't build enough because it offers what the others don't - charm with practicality.

It's a brilliant effort. If you want a full open sports car get a Mazda, the 500 is different, and for some the additional structural integrity offered by the lack of decapitation is an added bonus, not a disadvantage.

We had three Dyanes with a similar roof system: no leaks, no noise when fully open, no added weight (came as standard), and a real joy to use in good weather, and on those long balmy summer nights when having the stars overhead is a joy.

I don't think some people appreciate just how clever the 500 is to offer practically all the benefits of a full convertible with all the benefits of the standard car left intact. And it looks great too.

No, it isn't cheap, but I'm sure it will sell well, and I can imagine many people just loving it. I do.

Maybe it was a press car you spotted? Was it LHD or on foreign plates? It's quite cool i suppose, not many cars are camp AND cool, but the 500C can be described as both imo. I can imagine the roof being an electrical disaster though and will probably leak water. I would wait a year until all the faults have been rectified. Not that i don't have faith in Fiat's (despite the Abarth going very wrong after only 13 weeks of ownership)

Well we will have to wait and see re leaks etc... tho my friend had a 207CC that leaked all the time she had it, and was told it was the Spaniards fault who built it, as it doesn't rain enough in Spain... also another friend of a friend has a brand new ford Focus convertible whose roof leaked also... and they are both hard tops. And cost more than the 500c! How were the old Punto soft tops for leaks? Anyone know?

Ulpian said:

The Colt is a nullity. It looks like zilch and that hardtop weighs. The Micra is possible the ugliest car on the road. The Tigra is a same-as mini convertible; again, just another charmless little open car.

The 500's roof is true to the original, it's comparably light, it offers 90% of the fun of a full convertible with added simplicity, and four proper seats with an ucompromised boot. Pretty clever stuff. Yes, the 500 is more expensive than some similar sized cars, and Fiat can't build enough because it offers what the others don't - charm with practicality.

It's a brilliant effort. If you want a full open sports car get a Mazda, the 500 is different, and for some the additional structural integrity offered by the lack of decapitation is an added bonus, not a disadvantage.

We had three Dyanes with a similar roof system: no leaks, no noise when fully open, no added weight (came as standard), and a real joy to use in good weather, and on those long balmy summer nights when having the stars overhead is a joy.

I don't think some people appreciate just how clever the 500 is to offer practically all the benefits of a full convertible with all the benefits of the standard car left intact. And it looks great too.

No, it isn't cheap, but I'm sure it will sell well, and I can imagine many people just loving it. I do.

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So how long have you worked for Fiat's marketing department?

If only!