gordysmit
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Is 11500/12000 for well spec fiat 500 really worth the price as keep looking at other car festa/ clio/ corsa/ or just A panda run it in to the ground ??
General what to pay?
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General what to pay?
You will never look back, it's a whole new world, loads of new friends to make, fantastic cars, - ok if you dont mind being looked/admired all the time.
:worship::worship::worship:
From experience:
Fiesta - very nice car, but you won't get the spec of the 500 for the same price.
Clio - never tried one
Corsa - horrible to drive & cheap feeling
Panda - To spec up to a "well specced 500" level would be similar £s,but you could probably get better discounts. If you are lookig at a cheap Panda, you could also look at a cheap 500. Is the 500 worth the extra, probably not - just in the way that a £60 dinner isn't worth more than a £40 dinner, but it is nicer.
Not sure what the re-sale on a Panda is like -v- the 500?
I think people are looking at things with rose tinted glasses. Sure the occasional person will look at you, but you won't have people gawping at you like some on here seem to think.
A few things about the 500. It's smaller inside than all the cars you mentioned above. It's a LOT more expensive than a Panda (why would you want to run a Panda into the ground btw?), it's more expensive to service than a Panda, the ride can be a bit rubbish at times and a Clio or a Fester will run rings around it.
Don't let the people who are blind to the negatives of the 500 make you think it's a perfect car because it isn't. That said we bought one and if we had to we would buy one again.
It's a nice car, no doubt but I wouldn't have paid full price and if not for scrappage we'd have got a Panda
I agree it's not perfect, and like you I would still probably buy one again. But, without discounts (I don't know what's available on the Panda) there's not much in it. A Panda 100 bhp with a few extras to bring it line with a 1400 Sport 500 lists about the same, and an 1.2 Eleganza brought up to 1.2 Lounge specced is near enough a match price wise.
I suspect the Panda can be had substantially under list though..
if you order a new car now you stand next to no chance of getting it before VAT goes up.
Therefore unless your desperate for a new car you could wait and see what happens to prices after scrappage runs out. I think car makers might struggle for a while, and maybe some deals about again, as I think non scrappage customers are funding scrappers discount to an extent.
A fiesta 1.25 Zetec is about £10,500 on dealdrivers, similar price to a lounge, far more accomplished car overall, buts its not a 500.
Therefore unless your desperate for a new car you could wait and see what happens to prices after scrappage runs out. I think car makers might struggle for a while, and maybe some deals about again, as I think non scrappage customers are funding scrappers discount to an extent.
A fiesta 1.25 Zetec is about £10,500 on dealdrivers, similar price to a lounge, far more accomplished car overall, buts its not a 500.
Grande Puntos are tempting at that price. Very nice cars to drive. If I were looking for VFM they would be on the list (although the Evo may hit their resale value).
But, I'm trying to talk myself out of an altogether different beast right now (a new Land Rover Defender as a toy...)
But, I'm trying to talk myself out of an altogether different beast right now (a new Land Rover Defender as a toy...)
I reckon the Bravo would be better VFM. There are hardly any of them on the road and I'm sure a dealer would go a long way to sell one.
Most of those cars you mentioned seem keenly priced but read the small print! Add up all the extras that the 500 has and you will soon realise the 500 is actual well priced.
gordysmit
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Yes thats what I keep saying to my wife I would get a new polo or golf GTTdi if i could afford it my last car was a mini cooper that I keeped for 2 years and slod because at the time wanted a same year car for 5 k less thats why I got a sportin tjet now I wish I would keeped the mini better on fuel and tax
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The spec on a 100HP is excellent with really nothing that needs adding. The 500 has it's faults - for one the interior plastic - door panels etc. is no where near as good as in the Panda and very easily scratched, but the 500 just looks so good.
Is 11500/12000 for well spec fiat 500 really worth the price as keep looking at other car festa/ clio/ corsa/ or just A panda run it in to the ground ??
I think you could buy two basic Pandas for the price of one well spec'd 500, the point is would you want too.
There is tones more to buying a car than the price and that ultimately is a personal choice only you can make. If i was only interested in price I wouldnt have bought new, a second hand 500 1.3 might have been my choice if there had been any.
It might be YOUR perfect car but not everyone is like youIt's my perfect car
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I keep seem to post the same comment recently, but really, the single biggest factor in car ownership costs, by a significant margin, is the residual value - and yet it is almost always ignored.
The 500 is good VFM because of the expected residuals, just like early minis were. Pandas and likely all other Fiats have appauling residuals in comparison.
i.e. 57 plate 1.3MJ Panda, private sale according to Parkers @ 65% of price when new. 500 1.3MJ is nearly 80%.
Rose tinted glasses - absolutely; that is precisely what is happening in the used market
The 500 is good VFM because of the expected residuals, just like early minis were. Pandas and likely all other Fiats have appauling residuals in comparison.
i.e. 57 plate 1.3MJ Panda, private sale according to Parkers @ 65% of price when new. 500 1.3MJ is nearly 80%.
Rose tinted glasses - absolutely; that is precisely what is happening in the used market
Yes but you've got to remember that the Panda was cheaper to buy in the first place.I keep seem to post the same comment recently, but really, the single biggest factor in car ownership costs, by a significant margin, is the residual value - and yet it is almost always ignored.
The 500 is good VFM because of the expected residuals, just like early minis were. Pandas and likely all other Fiats have appauling residuals in comparison.
i.e. 57 plate 1.3MJ Panda, private sale according to Parkers @ 65% of price when new. 500 1.3MJ is nearly 80%.
Rose tinted glasses - absolutely; that is precisely what is happening in the used market
So while you're losing a larger percentage, it's a larger percentage of a smaller number.
True, although When I did the numbers on mine, according to Parkers, if I sell mine privately after 1 year and 10,000 miles : -
On the 500 I will lose 14% or approximately £1,400
On the Panda I would lose 40% or approximately £2,000
So for me it seemed that I was better off on the 500 in both % and cash terms, as far as depreciation is concerned.
That being said, that 14% and 40% comparison might have changed due to increased numbers of 500s on the second hand market??
yes but if the Panda is £600 then the cost is the same for both, in fact if you bought the Panda you could put that money away and earn interest or you could be paying less on finance.
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