Our 500 is coming up to 60,000 miles at 8 years old and is booked in for a service on Monday.

We have been quoted over £700 for a 72,000 mile service, however I am not sure that sounds right. As the car has only been doing about 5,000 miles a year for the last few years it had a low mileage service (oil and filter change) last year. The year before it had the 54,000 service plus timing belt change - we were told that we'd missed that the previous year. However they are saying it is due again this year, which doesn't sound right to me. When should the timing belt be changed on the 1.2 500? My wife said they also mentioned other belts that needed changing, but the service schedule only says to the auxiliary belt tension needs to be checked this time.

Does this sound correct?

Sounds like they're quoting you for a service plus cambelt change. If that's just a service price then run a mile!

If you've only had the cambelt changed a couple of years ago, it can go at least another couple of years (i believe the interval is 5 years on the 1.2) so it'd just be a full service this time and anything else the schedule states for a major service. I'd reckon on no more than £300 at a main dealer and less if you asked them for the special rates for cars over 3 years old.

Similarly if you went outside the main dealer network it'd be under £300 too.

5 years for the cam belt rings a bell. I'm sure it was missed in year 5, as it just had a low mileage oil & filter change, so we had it changed at year 6. I've got the invoice from that service and cambelt was a large part of the cost. Going to tell them not to do the cam belt this time.

It is at a main dealer who have looked after the car for a number of years. I would have preferred to use a specialist, but would have to drive quite a way past the dealer to find our nearest one.

Craikeybaby said:

5 years for the cam belt rings a bell. I'm sure it was missed in year 5, as it just had a low mileage oil & filter change, so we had it changed at year 6. I've got the invoice from that service and cambelt was a large part of the cost. Going to tell them not to do the cam belt this time.

It is at a main dealer who have looked after the car for a number of years. I would have preferred to use a specialist, but would have to drive quite a way past the dealer to find our nearest one.

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any competent mechanic will do. there is nothing specially complicated about Fiat 500's that would need a specialist. It's a very simple car.

Didn't have the cambelt done in the end, which is a good job, as the service threw up a few extra items - shocks and exhaust.

Shocks are fair enough, I could tell that it hasn't been riding right for a while, and the cost was fair. However Fiat want £300+ for the exhaust back box - I'm sure that it was only £90 when they did it last time! I'm also sure that going through two exhausts in 8 years is poor quality. My MR2 is 13 years old and still on its original exhaust.

Are there any alternative exhausts for the 500, that may last longer?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/STAINLESS-STEEL-SPORT-EXHAUST-REAR-SILENCER-BACK-BOX-FOR-FIAT-500-1-2-8V-/230661467075?fits=Car+Make%3AFiat%7CModel%3A500&hash=item35b47eabc3:g:ANMAAOSwoBtW1wEM

or this one, slightly cheaper:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIAT-500-...el:500&hash=item1c269c270d:g:GOEAAOSwYlJW2Dgs

Make sure that the whole of the back box is corroded, as they look like the whole thing is gone, but its usually the outer skin. Inside should be sound. I'm sure there is somebody coming along soon to explain exactly how to check

You can get the back box and mid section for about £100 (standard) or just the rear box for about £40
As for the cam belt, my local Fiat dealer was actually the cheapest @£215, independents were quoting £300

John202020 said:

You can get the back box and mid section for about £100 (standard) or just the rear box for about £40
As for the cam belt, my local Fiat dealer was actually the cheapest @£215, independents were quoting £300

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Eg,
Rear box £32.98

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fiat-500-...048622&hash=item20f9dca293:g:arEAAMXQVERS2Q1R

Center pipe £51.99

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIAT-PAND...776519&hash=item3f7345d569:g:o64AAOSw9GhYdLew

Melanabb said:

Make sure that the whole of the back box is corroded, as they look like the whole thing is gone, but its usually the outer skin. Inside should be sound. I'm sure there is somebody coming along soon to explain exactly how to check

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Thanks, I haven't had a chance to check it myself yet, but it has sounded like it was blowing for a while, and it has the usual 500 exhaust rattle.

John202020 said:

You can get the back box and mid section for about £100 (standard) or just the rear box for about £40
As for the cam belt, my local Fiat dealer was actually the cheapest @£215, independents were quoting £300

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Thanks, I'll have a word with my local general mechanic and see what he'll charge for the exhaust and if he'll let us supply it.