hi there just joined the forum posted this on newbie section but thought might be better here , my names mark 54yrs young from uk.
I passed my test only 18 months ago late in life but passed both theory and practical first time. 9 previous scooter , bike rider)

I have been driving a Peugeot 107 that I purchased from friend nice reliable car was low mileage when purchased and has never missed a beat in the past year.
I kind of got thinking of wanting something a bit more refined and have always admired the 500s.
I am currently deciding whether to buy a lounge 2014 that is cat c at 11,000 miles for 4,000.
I went to look at a few used at local dealer and he looked at me a little confused when I mentioned about the ride apparently being a bit harsh 9as if I had just dropped of mars kind of look) but I guess being a dealer he wouldn't be keen on admitting any weakness. I sat in a couple and I love the inside and outside , love the panoramic scenic roof , be nice to have a bit more refinement but I keep thinking about the harshness of the suspension > having just read the buyers guide on here it confirmed my fears that its a bit unforgiving. I want my next car to last me and don't want to regret the purchase. So I am just canvassing some opinions of day-day driving. here in Derbyshire we are plagued by speed bumps and pot holes and was wondering if my teeth are going to chatter every time I drive it. It is about the only thing holding me back. I know what your thinking go for a test drive , I tried yesterday at dealers but I think he guessed I was a tyre kicker. I could go and try the one I'm thinking of buying but I am not very good at those kind of situations and wanted to get more of an idea before I did. I am presuming performance would be similar to the 107. The lounge is the standard 1.2 any opinions thoughts would be really appreciated. Thanks Mark.

I had a 2014 lounge, and the ride is fine, it doesn't have a big car ride, well it's not a big car,lol but is was a very nice car to drive,

I would phone a near by fiat dealer and arrange a test drive, it's the only way to tell if you like it, just don't say you only want a test drive , just that you're thinking of buying one.

Or you could book the test drive online from the fiat website.

Thanks for the speedy reply , I'm not fussed about the big car feel I not into big cars it was more the comfort than anything and pleasurable driving. So not overly harsh then over speed bumps etc. ? what do you drive now ? why did you get rid of the lounge ? just curious. Thanks Mark. I guess its a subjective subject anyway ride comfort.

No matter what anyone tells you on here you really gotta go and drive one for yourself! I drive my daughters 58' 1.2 Lounge on a regular basis ( she ain't passed her test yet so can only drive to or from work, not both!) Personally I would not want to go on a super long drive as I feel it IS a bit harsh and noisy.
'Course the dealer is not gonna mention any negatives but I gotta say your gonna spend a bit on 'running' it besides just petrol! Unless of course your handy with spanners.

Paul m.

ok thanks , 58 is that 2008 ? I gather there were some upgrades after 2010 the one I'm considering is 2014. have some spanners but hopefuly wont need them much with only 11,000 miles on clock. part of me wants to throw caution to the wind and get a mini 1.4 one. But I'm trying to be sensible ;-)

Yes is a 2008 and I don't think your spanners are gonna gather cobwebs if you have any year of fiat!

We have a 16-plate 500 TA 105 lounge and the ride is noticeably more supple and less crashy than our previous car, a Suzuki Swift Sport. The 500 could never be described as harsh, but I understand that early versions could pitch a little on some uneven surfaces.
As others have said, the only way is to have a test drive.

I'm a new (1 month) owner of a 1.2 lounge. I've driven several small cars over the years and my initial findings of the Fiat are that it is a good ride for a small car, it is a responsive and light drive. It is also good fun! I'm through with boring cars, life is too short.

I had a Mini a couple of cars ago and had a couple of expensive warranty repairs. My partner's Mini had a new engine at 8,000 miles! So not a fan. I understand that Fiats are generally not too expensive to repair.

I was unsure about the 500 like yourself and went to Sturgess in Leicester and they let me have a 500 for 24 hours there and then! That let me drive around my usual routes enabling me to compare the ride to previous cars.

DO try and get an extended test drive, that way you will know if you like it or not. As for pot holes/speed bumps I don't think any small car will ever match up to a larger car, but some are worse than others. My last car (an Aygo) let you know about any bump in the road!

mac1012 said:

I want my next car to last me and don't want to regret the purchase.
So I am just canvassing some opinions of day-day driving. here in Derbyshire we are plagued by speed bumps and pot holes and was wondering if my teeth are going to chatter every time I drive it.

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Any 500 WILL require attention after 3 years old, you must be able to work on the car yourself if you want to keep the cost down and it will require more than its fair share of new parts, far earlier than you might expect, so in your case most of the front suspension may require replacing at say 5 years.

For an example of possible things that could go wrong(of which ours has suffered 50%) look here; https://www.fiatforum.com/500/457368-500-common-problems.html

Parts are thankfully really cheap,,, as there's such demand for new bits!

Take someone with you who is used to test driving and buying secondhand cars if in any doubt

Steer clear of large alloys and the ride is fine.

The 59 plate i had recently jumped around a bit at the back on uneven roads but not long after they put the bar across the back of the rear axle which made a big difference. I’ve driven a TA down the motorway from Stockport to Kent and it was a comfortable ride. It’s a city car but I think they are very comfy to drive.

Part of the Ford ka suspension design that was added.

Worth mentioning that Honest John rates the 500 as having very comfortable seats for a small car (and I guess he has driven a lot of cars)

I think my only complaint would be that the driver's seat doesn't locate my bum very well and it feels like I'm sat 'on' the seat, not 'in' it. It needs a bit more bolstering at the sides.

I went from a Nissan X-Trail to a 1.2 lounge, and found the seat position about 95% the same. Very comfy for a daily commute to Orpington. Speed bumps are ok (if you get the straddle right) and it`s small enough to dodge the pot holes. As for long drives, I`ve found it actually quieter than the Nissan, road noise wise. Happily do a couple of hours and get out feeling fine. The drivers seat can take a bit of fiddling to get just right, but after that, it`s all good.

Thanks for all the replies and looking at the feedback my concerns have moved from the suspension to the reliability factor and MPG , I have ben reading that 500s don't get anywhere near the mpg stated in the blurb. Are they really so unreliable that I have to resign myself to lots of repairs ? no amount of endearing character could make me sacrifice reliability especially in the winter. being plagued with continual problems is not my idea of fun motoring. or is that a few who have complained of lots of repairs have just been unlucky ? if they are not unlucky then that means everyone on here has had to complete 50% of the repairs on the common problem list ? The 107 I have got has 22,000 miles and is nearly seven years old and apart from brake pads that's it. Sure enough sooner or later something more expensive is going to need changing which I am expecting but its not a continual list of repairs all the time. Are the 500s that bad ?
Maybe i should look elsewhere if i want reliabilty like a fiesta or at least a bit more reliabilty. Cant see point of paying more money and getting something less reliable because it looks nice but thats just me i guess.

Hi.. perspective..

If youve ridden bikes..scooters..and done the basic servicing yourself.. then thats basically what you will see.

The mechanicsl package isnt too different from our panda.. now in its 14th year.

It has had front and rear dampers.
Lots of tyres.. 1set of discs and drums. Now at @85,000 miles.

Issues.
The 13 year old headlight bulbs got yellow.. so changed them.

We had a heater matrix fail...
Lost 1 headgasket... then 2 months later failed again.. through lack of coolant..( most of it was in drivers footwell.
Cost of parts.. £94.00 for all ISSUES.

The panda doesnt have the same wiring or door handle design flaws though.

The panda has been so good I bought a Twin air..punto.

5 years . 36,000 no reliabilty concerns.

5 minor paint claims...

Charlie

mac1012 said:

Thanks for all the replies and looking at the feedback my concerns have moved from the suspension to the reliability factor and MPG , I have ben reading that 500s don't get anywhere near the mpg stated in the blurb. Are they really so unreliable that I have to resign myself to lots of repairs ? no amount of endearing character could make me sacrifice reliability especially in the winter. being plagued with continual problems is not my idea of fun motoring. or is that a few who have complained of lots of repairs have just been unlucky ? if they are not unlucky then that means everyone on here has had to complete 50% of the repairs on the common problem list ? The 107 I have got has 22,000 miles and is nearly seven years old and apart from brake pads that's it. Sure enough sooner or later something more expensive is going to need changing which I am expecting but its not a continual list of repairs all the time. Are the 500s that bad ?
Maybe i should look elsewhere if i want reliabilty like a fiesta or at least a bit more reliabilty. Cant see point of paying more money and getting something less reliable because it looks nice but thats just me i guess.

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I wouldn't say they are unreliable I've done 7k miles in about 8 month in my 8 year old 500 and its head two front tyres and front discs and pads due to being very rusty on the back side of the disc
Oh and a service no other faults
Not the longest ownership term but still

I find the ride quite hard on the bumpy country lanes around here, it’s a Lounge but has 16” wheels, it rides much better on the 14” steels on winter tyres, so I guess 15” alloys might be a good compromise.

mac1012 said:

Cant see point of paying more money and getting something less reliable because it looks nice but thats just me i guess.

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A significant part of the price you pay for a 500 is because it looks nice. Just check out the price of a similarly aged Panda and you'll see the difference.

IMO I'd steer well clear of a Cat C car of any make or marque; there's just no way of knowing what potential problems await its future owners. They're cheap for good reason, and most of those reasons are reasons you don't want. Plus you'll find it difficult to sell on, should you wish to do so.