Technical Fiat 500c 1.4 petrol Duologic Transmission Failure - Australia

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Technical Fiat 500c 1.4 petrol Duologic Transmission Failure - Australia

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djay5759

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Hi Fiat family, this is my very first topic to start. I'm from Melbourne, Australia. I bought my 500c 3 months ago (used) at 50,000 kms mileage.

The Duologic transmission started playing up, won't take my gears n stay in neutral. Guess what! Gears stopped responding on my birthday (yesterday) on the most busiest street of Melbourne :(

So I did take it to the Fiat dealer n this is what they send me in an email
.........................................
Following is the information from Zagame Automotive Group, Richmond VIC 3121 Australia (Fiat Dealer)

"We checked and investigated to find the gear selector actuator failed and leaked out lost pressure etc.
To remove and replace the gear selector actuator is $5990.00 supplied and fitted.

Please note the part is already at trade price."
.........................................

I'm not sure if the dealer is telling me the truth.

Ok so it's a BLOODY EXPENSIVE PART!!!! it's like half of what I paid for this car.

I love my car more than anything (except for my MacBook).

Here in Australian there are not much fiat users hence its very very very difficult to find someone like a local mechanic to fix this.

Guys I need HELP!!!! your FIAT BROTHER from AUSTRALIA needs HELP!

I have seen some other members having similar problems but I didn't quite understand the solution to it.

Please provide me with some kind of solution where I don't have to spend AU $6000.

Any response are appreciated.

Thanks a ton in advance.
Love from Australia. :D
 
Hi Fiat family, this is my very first topic to start. I'm from Melbourne, Australia. I bought my 500c 3 months ago (used) at 50,000 kms mileage.

The Duologic transmission started playing up, won't take my gears n stay in neutral. Guess what! Gears stopped responding on my birthday (yesterday) on the most busiest street of Melbourne :(

So I did take it to the Fiat dealer n this is what they send me in an email
.........................................
Following is the information from Zagame Automotive Group, Richmond VIC 3121 Australia (Fiat Dealer)

"We checked and investigated to find the gear selector actuator failed and leaked out lost pressure etc.
To remove and replace the gear selector actuator is $5990.00 supplied and fitted.

Please note the part is already at trade price."
.........................................

I'm not sure if the dealer is telling me the truth.

Ok so it's a BLOODY EXPENSIVE PART!!!! it's like half of what I paid for this car.

I love my car more than anything (except for my MacBook).

Here in Australian there are not much fiat users hence its very very very difficult to find someone like a local mechanic to fix this.

Guys I need HELP!!!! your FIAT BROTHER from AUSTRALIA needs HELP!

I have seen some other members having similar problems but I didn't quite understand the solution to it.

Please provide me with some kind of solution where I don't have to spend AU $6000.

Any response are appreciated.

Thanks a ton in advance.
Love from Australia. :D
OUCH!!! IS THAT SOME KIND OF JOKE!

Call Fiat CS immediately and report that kind of extortion. Then go to the Australian Press and name and shame everyone invovled.


I paid 1200 Euros to get exactly the same thing fixed.
So call Fiat CS and let us know what comes out of it.
Failing that, you may have to order the part yourself from UK. But lets call that plan B.
 
Hi thanks for a quick reply. I did read ur post. Seems like in on the same boat but mine is too expensive.

Ok so did u had the same problem with urs (exactly same?)

If so then they are ripping me off!!! Big time!!!

I will consider ur option.
 
So it's
Euros 1200 = AUS $1700

That's a big difference. Of bloody $4300.
 
Hi thanks for a quick reply. I did read ur post. Seems like in on the same boat but mine is too expensive.

Ok so did u had the same problem with urs (exactly same?)

If so then they are ripping me off!!! Big time!!!

I will consider ur option.
yes same problem. it doesnt get more expensive than mine as they had to replace the whole dualogic unit from scratch, exactly the same repair they are recommending you. I called Fiat CS and got a 10% discount.
Mind you, another dealer was trying to charge me 2000 Euros.

So the best is, call Fiat CS and tell them the full story from top to bottom.
At the same time call other Fiat dealers and tell them that you have this problem and get a quote.

I personally don't want you to pay that ridiculous money and make the cheat Fiat dealers or Fiat in general any richer, so I will help you to the best of my abilities. Please do keep us informed and call them immediately if you have not done so already.
 
Thanks!
Yes I'm on it but seems like their lines are very busy so had to leave a voice message for call back.

Your car was not under warranty right? Because mine is not and its a 2010 model.
 
Thanks!
Yes I'm on it but seems like their lines are very busy so had to leave a voice message for call back.

Your car was not under warranty right? Because mine is not and its a 2010 model.
it wasnt. mine is also a 2010 model.

keep on calling them. voice message to Fiat? give me a break =)
 
Please provide me with some kind of solution where I don't have to spend AU $6000.

Sorry, and ouch!

You have my condolences.

As I see it, these are the options:

1. Negotiate some form of goodwill payment through Fiat CS and get the part supplied and fitted by a main dealer. This is what Ahmett did. Unfortunately, on a 2010 car, I doubt you'd get much, if anything. Negotiations could take quite a while, and you'll be without the car for the duration. Once you've authorised the work, I doubt you'll get anything.

2. Buy the part from a franchised local dealer and pay an independent to fit it. You probably won't save much, if anything - and if you have further problems, it might be hard to get any kind of redress. But this could be the cheapest way to get back on the road quickly and still have any confidence in the car.

3. Buy the part in Europe, get it shipped, then find an independent to fit it. Probably cheaper, though you'll either pay a lot for shipping or have to wait months for it, plus the same redress issues as plan 2.

4. Try to source a secondhand unit from a salvage vehicle. The risks of doing this should be obvious.

5. Find a local specialist who can somehow patch together the old unit. It might prove difficult or impossible to find someone who can do this, and even if you do, it's unlikely the repair will last. If you go this route, I'd sell it on quickly to the trade.

6. Sell it "as is". You'll clearly take a big hit on the resale, but it'll be someone else's problem and you can put it behind you and move on.

It's been said before by several folks, but owning a dualogic out of warranty leaves you vulnerable to an unexpected bill for thousands, with little option but to pay if you need the car back on the road quickly. Secondhand dualogics are perhaps best left to enthusiasts with access to salvage.

The selespeed unit is, as far as I know, essentially unrepairable since individual parts cannot easily be obtained.
 
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Sorry, and ouch!

You have my condolences.

As I see it, these are the options:

1. Negotiate some form of goodwill payment through Fiat CS and get the part supplied and fitted by a main dealer. This is what Ahmett did. Unfortunately, on a 2010 car, I doubt you'd get much, if anything. Negotiations could take quite a while, and you'll be without the car for the duration. Once you've authorised the work, I doubt you'll get anything.

2. Buy the part from a franchised local dealer and pay an independent to fit it. You probably won't save much, if anything - and if you have further problems, it might be hard to get any kind of redress. But this could be the cheapest way to get back on the road quickly and still have any confidence in the car.

3. Buy the part in Europe, get it shipped, then find an independent to fit it. Probably cheaper, though you'll either pay a lot for shipping or have to wait months for it, plus the same redress issues as plan 2.

4. Try to source a secondhand unit from a salvage vehicle. The risks of doing this should be obvious.

5. Find a local specialist who can somehow patch together the old unit. It might prove difficult or impossible to find someone who can do this, and even if you do, it's unlikely the repair will last. If you go this route, I'd sell it on quickly to the trade.

6. Sell it "as is". You'll clearly take a big hit on the resale, but it'll be someone else's problem and you can put it behind you and move on.

It's been said before by several folks, but owning a dualogic out of warranty leaves you vulnerable to an unexpected bill for thousands, with little option but to pay if you need the car back on the road quickly. Secondhand dualogics are perhaps best left to enthusiasts with access to salvage.

The selespeed unit is, as far as I know, essentially unrepairable since individual parts cannot easily be obtained.

mind you i got it fixed by a main dealer = ) my independent gave up on me and said yeah sorry nothing we can do about it, Fiat will charge us the earth to get the part.
it was the main dealer who negotiated with Fiat 10% off with me also calling Fiat and making them aware of the case.
so, despite costing me over a thousand, at least i have peace of mind for a year as it is covered by a Fiat official warranty. After that, if things go well i plan on changing the car.

I believe Fiat will give a discount, but I also believe you must go from main dealer to main dealer as I have personally experienced main dealers to be very erratic in their pricing and standards of service, something Fiat is obviously doing nothing about.

Oh and going back to the OP, the part is at trade price? Are they joking? Even if it has to go all the way to Australia, there is no way it can be 3 times the price. The trade price without a discount is 1200 euros, even with Aussie jetset tax no way could it be over 2000. And it takes the dealer about 1-2 hours to fit it.
 
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mind you i got it fixed by a main dealer = ) my independent gave up on me and said yeah sorry nothing we can do about it, Fiat will charge us the earth to get the part.
it was the main dealer who negotiated with Fiat 10% off with me also calling Fiat and making them aware of the case.
so, despite costing me over a thousand, at least i have peace of mind for a year as it is covered by a Fiat official warranty. After that, if things go well i plan on changing the car.

Sorry Ahmett, my mistake - I've updated my previous post and your quote :).
 
Sorry Ahmett, my mistake - I've updated my previous post and your quote :).
No problem!

Oh and finally, even with main dealer intervention, it took 1 month for the part to get from Italy to Greece, and Greece isnt so far away. So either case you may be off the road for a while.
For the record, it took about a working week for Fiat and the dealer to reach an agreement on the price, so please do get Fiat involved ASAP.

I feel sorry for the OP in the sense that, after my experience, there is absolutely no way i would buy a second hand Fiat 500 fitted with dualogic. If i was buying a 2nd hand Fiat 500, i would make sure to save about 1000 EUR to spend on changing the dodgy parts in the car, with the dualogic you would need to budget around 2000 EUR.
 
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Ok so here I am after I spoke to the Fiat Australia CC.

First thing thanks for ur suggestions guys. :) really appreciate.

So Fiat CC said their dealers are telling the truth and the part might be that expensive "they won't lie". But then I did explained them the Case of you guys where it was very cheap to fix the same problem. Fiat said it's a different country and we cannot comment on it. So the guy on phone didn't really help.
Hence I got the email ID from him, n I'll be send an email tonight.

Also I have found a local Fiat specialist who I'll be meeting tomorrow so let's see what he comes up with.

Hopping for the best.
Cheers!
 
Ok so here I am after I spoke to the Fiat Australia CC.

First thing thanks for ur suggestions guys. :) really appreciate.

So Fiat CC said their dealers are telling the truth and the part might be that expensive "they won't lie". But then I did explained them the Case of you guys where it was very cheap to fix the same problem. Fiat said it's a different country and we cannot comment on it. So the guy on phone didn't really help.
Hence I got the email ID from him, n I'll be send an email tonight.

Also I have found a local Fiat specialist who I'll be meeting tomorrow so let's see what he comes up with.

Hopping for the best.
Cheers!
yes but tell them you cannot afford $ 6000 and if Fiat will contribute to the repair. call them again and tell them that. Keep on bothering them until they get fed up of you and help you to some extent.

In the meantime, check other main dealers and as you say specialists.

If you really have no choice, order the part from EU. Here it is - > https://www.shop4parts.co.uk/?name=store&op=Details&ProdID=15048&sku=256831

As you see, MUCH CHEAPER even if you include delivery to Australia. Fitting wont take more than 2 hours from someone who knows what he is doing.
Do keep us informed and we will keep on helping.
 
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Wow not what I want to hear! I'm at 40k already so I hope it blows before my warranty expires next year! Then I'll sell it maybe.

Zagame looked after me service wise but they aren't cheap. Look up Alfa dealers?/indies they may be able to help? I at least know zagame service the car but you get hit like always at a dealer.
 
Wow not what I want to hear! I'm at 40k already so I hope it blows before my warranty expires next year! Then I'll sell it maybe.

Zagame looked after me service wise but they aren't cheap. Look up Alfa dealers?/indies they may be able to help? I at least know zagame service the car but you get hit like always at a dealer.

Maybe I should advise the partner to trade in the 1200 DL before it reaches similar km, reading these things does nothing for one's confidence in the car.
 
Wow not what I want to hear! I'm at 40k already so I hope it blows before my warranty expires next year! Then I'll sell it maybe.

Zagame looked after me service wise but they aren't cheap. Look up Alfa dealers?/indies they may be able to help? I at least know zagame service the car but you get hit like always at a dealer.


Good idea. At least the manual gearbox has many less things that can go wrong if you want to switch it to that !
 
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