Hi

After 17 years with a BMW 320d I finally decided to bin it and buy a Fiat 500 Sport as I have always admired my neighbour's Fiat 500 Pop.

Anyways I've had it for a week and it's great around town (I live in Spain) but it scares the hell out of me on fast roads!!! The car is fine until I hit about 90kmh and it starts bouncing and I feel really unsafe. I get the sensation I'm going to lose control of the car. Also everytime a fast car overtakes me I get blasted and feel as if I'm going to fly off the motorway. Is this all normal? I've been reading around and it sounds like it is and I'll just have to get used to it.

I'm looking for some reassurance really but I am really not enjoying the car on the motorway.

Thanks for listening

BTW I love the darn thing. I could just sit in it all day. And it smells new!!

Hi, welcome!

Coming from a 320d to a 500 is quite a change! It might be a bit scary at first, but I'll happily push mine to 75mph (120kph) and only then do I get dubious. I'm still not a fan of people flying past me close, but that's just driving!

But as I say, part of it I imagine is that you've come from a fairly big car to something that weights under a tonne! My mum hates driving my Fiat (she drives a people carrier) - says it feels like a rollerskate!

I'm sure you'll get more used to it. Glad you're enjoying! Any photos?

Lol! This is definitely one of the most notable differences changing from a large family car with superb handling and typical German hi tech and build technology, to a ahh, very small hatchback!

Trust me, I notice the same differences when I swap cars from my Saab 9-3 which is my own daily driver, to the wife's TA. To be honest, as fun as the TA is, it in no way has the driver and imvho, safety appeal of my rather boring Swedish fully leather clad all the toys you want, eleven airbag, 9 speaker stereo built in satnav blah blah

I guess you'll get used to it. Our 500 is driven on the M1 every single day and whilst it does get buffeted by extremely large HGV's, it still copes reasonably well.

gateta said:

Hi

After 17 years with a BMW 320d I finally decided to bin it and buy a Fiat 500 Sport as I have always admired my neighbour's Fiat 500 Pop.

Anyways I've had it for a week and it's great around town (I live in Spain) but it scares the hell out of me on fast roads!!! The car is fine until I hit about 90kmh and it starts bouncing and I feel really unsafe. I get the sensation I'm going to lose control of the car. Also everytime a fast car overtakes me I get blasted and feel as if I'm going to fly off the motorway. Is this all normal? I've been reading around and it sounds like it is and I'll just have to get used to it.

I'm looking for some reassurance really but I am really not enjoying the car on the motorway.

Thanks for listening

BTW I love the darn thing. I could just sit in it all day. And it smells new!!

Click to expand...

I find my TA S surprisingly good on a motorway and I came from large mercs! Worth checking your tyre pressures, mine were all over the place when I picked it from the dealer. Yours could be over inflated.

I've driven my car exactly once - 100km down the motorway at 100km/h, in driving rain and 50+km winds from the dealer. I was impressed with its road holding abilities.

I agree with the above poster, maybe check your tyre pressures.

I agree with previous posters, I think its something you need to get used to... I went from heavy Subaru Outback to light 500 and it was a bit unsettled in high winds and in the fast lane on the motorway, until I got used to it. I still prefer less skittish car (I have Grande Punto which I find more securely planted) so it might be just a matter of preference...

I had no problems with my pop at 120km/h

Hi

Thank you so much for your reassuring replies. I guess I didn't see it would be such a big change. On Monday I'm taking the car in so they can check a couple of things but my husband (lorry driver) says the car is fine and it's just me! He drives a Lancia Phedra (people carrier) and also finds the 500 unstable.

I guess I'll stick to the slow lane for the moment until I get used to it and drive like a granny!!

Thanks again and I might put some photos up next week when I've washed it!

The 1.2 lounge we have is quite 'bouncy' but I wouldn't say it feels unsafe unless driving like a nut on fast country roads.
However our Twinair with koni FSD and Eibach springs feels really secure even at Autobahn flat out 120mph!

The Twins said:

The 1.2 lounge we have is quite 'bouncy' but I wouldn't say it feels unsafe unless driving like a nut on fast country roads.
However our Twinair with koni FSD and Eibach springs feels really secure even at Autobahn flat out 120mph!

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My 500 feels glued to the roads down country lanes! I guess it really is down to the driver!

Would love to take mine to the autobahn! Jealous!

I remember when I bought a Punto Sporting (2001, Mk2) - after driving up in my 1992 Alfa 164, driving back in the Punto felt 'perilous' on the motorway, exactly as you described

Some of it is inherent to having a car which is shorter, narrower, and taller than what you are used to. But there are a couple of other factors that should be checked and eliminated as well. Particularly if you have bought a used 500.

The first thing to do is to get a wheel alignment check done. Having the correct (not excessive) toe-in on the front wheels (i.e. wheels steered very slightly toward each other) is important for stability and control and this will be adjusted after the check. The rear axle, which is not adjustable, should also have toe-in on the rear wheels. If the alignment check shows that the rear wheels have no toe-in, perhaps due to bumping into kerbs, that would explain an unstable feeling. Correction would be to replace the rear axle, unless its mountings have moved and can be reset.

Tyres also have a part to play - tyre pressure, as already noted by Mercky, but also the tyre quality itself. Get a specialist to inspect the tyres - or check their manufacturer and age yourself - the age is usually four digits embossed within a rounded rectangle, which may be on the inside wall of the tyre if not on the outside. You're looking for something like '2412' which would mean the tyre was made in week 24, 2012. I believe that tyres have a useful life of about six years before the compound becomes too hard. Perishing between the tread blocks is a sign that this ageing is taking place. Of course, no 500 is much older than six years, but some people fit second-hand tyres to save money, so you never know until you check.

-Alex

Hi guys
Thanks again for your replies. I've just come back from the dealer and they have let some air out. They say that when the car is in the showroom they have the tyre pressure to a maximum and they usually let some out in the free service at 1500km. (It already has 900 km on the clock and it is only 2 weeks old!).

The kids at the back have alreaady said it is smoother!! Tomorrow I'm taking it on the motorway again. I think it is more of a confidence problem. I felt so safe in my BMW - I loved it loads

I also mentioned the 16" wheels and he said they were fine for this car, and he said the Sport has a hard suspension which obviously get softer with time. He told me to try an Abarth which is much harder (as you all know). If I wanted something like the BMW I should have bought that he said!

Thanks again for listening - you have all been a great help

So you were supposed to drive 1500 km with a tyre pressure that is too high? That's ridiculous!

What nonsense! Best to check the pressures yourself to ensure they're correct. Sport does not have firmer suspension then other models in the range btw, more nonsense!!

AGH1965 said:

So you were supposed to drive 1500 km with a tyre pressure that is too high? That's ridiculous!

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Looks like it! I can just imagine all the nonsense these guys drool to keep an ignorant lady driver happy.