General More and More People Unhappy with the Fiat 500?

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General More and More People Unhappy with the Fiat 500?

It may now be a tad expensive, but balanced against low-cost finance, low depreciation and reasonable running costs, the 500 still stacks up nicely against the soulless competition.

Agreed. However, I'm getting more rational as I get older and I'm accepting that cars don't have souls. So it's back to design, quality, function, and price. That's why I try to sidestep emotion when it comes to cars.

I was very attracted to the new Citroen Cactus, until I sat I one and found it was impossible to get comfortable behind the wheel - big big fail - and that the touch screen for all the controls, including the aircon, was too elegantly simple by half. Add in a cramped rear seat and various other fails to the list and all the clever detailing just fell away. Shame, but interesting nonetheless.
 
Agreed. However, I'm getting more rational as I get older and I'm accepting that cars don't have souls. So it's back to design, quality, function, and price. That's why I try to sidestep emotion when it comes to cars.

I was very attracted to the new Citroen Cactus, until I sat I one and found it was impossible to get comfortable behind the wheel - big big fail - and that the touch screen for all the controls, including the aircon, was too elegantly simple by half. Add in a cramped rear seat and various other fails to the list and all the clever detailing just fell away. Shame, but interesting nonetheless.

You're right of course, but as I get older (50 next b'day) I can't help but feel that life's too short to always be choosing the sensible option.

The Cactus does look interesting but I have a hunch it may be all 'fluff'. It would be good to see Citroen getting back to building quirky, clever cars.
 
I bought a 500 1.3 MJET in Sept 2008 The only one within 5 miles :) loved it ,only one thing went wrong the flashing mileage but it was cured. ,i let her go regrettably ,then moved in with a female got a bigger car that went pear shaped not the car lol,so 2 years 4 months ago i got the newer Punto ,also been a cracking car ,but now my job is a lot closer to home 2.3 miles away i will have to think about changing again ,i would consider a 500 but wonder if they will update the design ,i like the sound of the 105 ta ,,any way i would still recommend one ,they do make you smile.:)
 
Always felt a lot of buyers bought the 500 trying to turn it into something it isn't engineered to be. Mileage muncher. High spec motorway cruiser. Tuned up sports car. Even in abarth form it's isn't really anything more than a shopping car with a few bolt ones.

Bought ours 2.5yrs ago. Got the pop version BECAUSE it didn't have too many gadgets and it has been used for school runs etc since. I love the difference it brings to my mile muncher and the wife loves how it can park nearly anywhere. Servicing has cost £80 for each service on low mileage plan. It's approaching 12,000mls now and it's been exactly what I paid for.

It can last the next 6yrs in general use. By this time I will have had my monies worth and I will buy another car for the wife and then I will have a nice little car to give to my lad whilst he learns etc then after him 4yrs later his sister. Then it can sit in my garage and rot or restore.
 
Always felt a lot of buyers bought the 500 trying to turn it into something it isn't engineered to be. Mileage muncher. High spec motorway cruiser. Tuned up sports car. Even in abarth form it's isn't really anything more than a shopping car with a few bolt ones.

Bought ours 2.5yrs ago. Got the pop version BECAUSE it didn't have too many gadgets and it has been used for school runs etc since. I love the difference it brings to my mile muncher and the wife loves how it can park nearly anywhere. Servicing has cost £80 for each service on low mileage plan. It's approaching 12,000mls now and it's been exactly what I paid for.

It can last the next 6yrs in general use. By this time I will have had my monies worth and I will buy another car for the wife and then I will have a nice little car to give to my lad whilst he learns etc then after him 4yrs later his sister. Then it can sit in my garage and rot or restore.

Disagree re your comments about the Abarth. A few years ago I had a Pop. Now have a 595. Apart from the shape and the fact that it will still have usual 500 niggles, they are like completely different cars. The bolt on bits really do make a huge difference. I would admit it's a tad overpriced though.
 
Nope it's still engineered as a small shopping trolley car. Yours is just a small shopping trolly car with more go faster bits on. End of the day a simple everyday Ford Focus/fiesta is engineered more substantially than your sports car. The fiat 500 is the closest descendant to the original 500 possible. If you want a modern over engineered equivelant then look at how the mini turned into the latest mini
 
Nope it's still engineered as a small shopping trolley car. Yours is just a small shopping trolly car with more go faster bits on. End of the day a simple everyday Ford Focus/fiesta is engineered more substantially than your sports car. The fiat 500 is the closest descendant to the original 500 possible. If you want a modern over engineered equivelant then look at how the mini turned into the latest mini

End of day I just said that the "bolt on bits " make a huge difference when compared with the underwhelming 500 Pop . Don't recall calling it a sports car.
 
Nope it's still engineered as a small shopping trolley car. Yours is just a small shopping trolly car with more go faster bits on. End of the day a simple everyday Ford Focus/fiesta is engineered more substantially than your sports car. The fiat 500 is the closest descendant to the original 500 possible. If you want a modern over engineered equivelant then look at how the mini turned into the latest mini

Er, no! for one the original 500 had its engine in the rear.
 
Sorry, I did not mean to be rude. But I still don't know what you mean.

When I ordered mine back in 2008 built to my spec at the factory ,then received it ,they had been out less than a year and I never saw another 500 back then in the five mile radius around me ,I enjoyed that rarity,:) I still would have another bags of character and fun on any road :D and no offence taken (y)
 
Merckx, my point was last seen flying straight over your head.

Original 500 basic, cheap (ish) fun little car.
New 500 basic, cheap (ish) fun little car

Original mini basic, cheap, fun little car
New mini EXPENSIVE, over the top, over engineered, looks nothing like original and basically a rebadged bmw to sell to the funky bmw owners.

If you want a modern car that is engineered for everything then unfortunately, even in its sporty guises, the 500 isn't that kind of car
 
After almost a year of owning and several years of wanting I still love my 500. I find in Australia at least, the complaints seem to be from people who didn't do any research into their car purchase.
 
Merckx, my point was last seen flying straight over your head.

Original 500 basic, cheap (ish) fun little car.
New 500 basic, cheap (ish) fun little car

Original mini basic, cheap, fun little car
New mini EXPENSIVE, over the top, over engineered, looks nothing like original and basically a rebadged bmw to sell to the funky bmw owners.

If you want a modern car that is engineered for everything then unfortunately, even in its sporty guises, the 500 isn't that kind of car

I'm inclined to both agree and disagree with you, few years ago I had a base spec punto mk1 and a top spec one. They only thing those cars shared was a silhouette. by the time you've fitted a different engine, steering, tyres ,suspension, brakes, seats, and interior trim you may as well have had a different car.

Engineering wise I get what you are saying, the mk3 panda chassis was never designed for this i'm guessing the bloke designing it in the early 00s had no idea you'd be able to buy a version at 40k.

On the upside its 6 years old and still selling well, the bloke who delivered the OHs DS3 actually said I'm so glad you've got one of these I'm sick of delivering 500s.
 
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40k punto.......gulp.

Last 2 comments kinda make sense. On the one hand it wasn't designed to be the car some expect. On the other it has been played with to the point some would expect more.

I like the 1st point more though
 
40k punto.......gulp.

Ignoring the tributo business for the moment, the punto was retailing for more than an abarth does now. I had the original bill of sale from 1998, with the alloys and six cd changer it was just over 12k, with inflation that would be 19k in todays money. The basic one retailed about 6 iirc or about 9.5k at todays rates so the price ranges are pretty similar to the 500.

However the main thing to come from that for me was F**k me someone paid 19k for a 5 dr mk1 punto??
 
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