My wife needs a car. She loves the 500 shape. My daughter has a Panda which is fairly reliable.
To all you old hands......
Is a 500 very unreliable?
It must have air con. Is this a problem.
It must be automatic. My Lexus is the hallmark on auto reliability. Is a 500 really too big a risk here?
Any help and experience much appreciated

Take a look on here regarding the 500 do your homework A car needs to be more than pretty to be a good buy. Personally I’m not a fan at all, better cars out there, that’s just my view. The only Fiat I would purchase would be the Panda, but again that’s just my view again. Some owners will come along and say they love them and have trouble free motoring. Do your homework.

I wouldn't advise auto simply as any faults with the system normally bring large costs

Hello and welcome to the forum

MLW said:

It must be automatic. My Lexus is the hallmark on auto reliability. Is a 500 really too big a risk here?

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In my opinion, yes.

Read this thread and make your own mind up. The thread rarely moves far from the front page.

The only way I'd consider recommending any dualogic Fiat is if you were buying new with the intention of trading in before the warranty expires, and even then, I'd probably recommend something else.

Be aware also that, whilst the A/C itself is adequately reliable, there have been numerous issues on models with automatic climate control; I'd not advise buying any 500 with auto climate, whether manual or automatic.

500 prices are based on fashion, not function. If you want a small Fiat, a Panda is mechanically near identical, more practical, has fewer inherent faults and will likely be considerably cheaper. That said, the warnings about automatics and models with auto climate apply equally to the Panda, which shares the same systems.

If the primary appeal of the 500 is its looks, I'd look elsewhere.

Edit: I'd just finished typing, to find someone else has posted this.

MLW said:

My wife needs a car. She loves the 500 shape. My daughter has a Panda which is fairly reliable.
To all you old hands......
Is a 500 very unreliable?
It must have air con. Is this a problem.
It must be automatic. My Lexus is the hallmark on auto reliability. Is a 500 really too big a risk here?
Any help and experience much appreciated

Click to expand...

How funny you have come to fiat forum and everyone is saying don't buy an automatic fiat 500.

Good advice in my opinion .

Regarding other "automatic" gearboxes from all makes , don't get a robotised manual from any manufacturer.
Don't get a dual clutch autobox.
Don't get a cvt autobox.

If reliability is a prime concern

Go for a traditional autobox that has a torque converter. But be aware many manufactures say autoboxes are filled for life and the fluid never needs changing.
That's simply not true.
You can think of it as the fluid doesn't need changing during the vehicle warranty period.

Jack

jackwhoo said:

How funny you have come to fiat forum and everyone is saying don't buy an automatic fiat 500.

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That's because we're honest, impartial and don't get paid for what we post .

We love our Fiats, but we don't let that blind us to their known shortcomings and wouldn't want to see someone with less experience of the marque make an unwise purchase.

Don't get a cvt autobox ! Would disagree with that, I’ve had two cvt auto’s and still have one, mind you one was a Lexus RX400H and the other s RAV4 which are brilliant and so smooth and reliable But Japanese.

You "can" have a automatic 500 just buy brand new and always get rid, before the warranty expires ?

What an honest and true assessment. That's why I have used this site for my daughter's Panda, which has a basic manual and is OKish.
My theory is I like torque converters - 4 cylinders- 'normal manual air con.' I would do a Toyota CVT because on a Prius it is bomb proof., and is made by Asian.
My first preference is for a Toyota Yaris. But my wife is so-so. Although she cannot stand unreliability as it scares her, when she is driving alone.
Gentlemen/ladies..... it looks like a Yaris or....Hyundai i20.
Also would never buy a GDI injection car with all that carbon build up.

Honestly I prefer manual a.c. having driven a car with a.c. since 1982! And have/had cars with full climate control I find manual a.c. gives more "fresh air" auto being some what stuffy

We have had 2 500s over a period of 8 years, and both have been very reliable. However, I would certainly avoid the auto, which is really an automated manual.
Be aware that the i20 in 1.0 litre form has a GDi engine and DCT gearbox, but I think it's mostly VAG dual clutch transmissions that are to be avoided, and if buying new or nearly new you have the protection of the 5 year warranty. Also, Hyundai engines tend to be chain cam, which avoids the large bill we are about to have on our 1.2 500!
Final thought, the Kia Rio is mostly an i20 under the skin, and has an even longer warranty.

I've been reminiscing about auto city cars I've known; for me, the pinnacle was probably the 1300cc version of the BL ADO16 in Vanden Plas trim.

In its day, this offered a previously unheard of comfort and refinement in a small car and (though it may now be a somewhat rose tinted memory) had one of the sweetest 4 speed auto transmissions I've ever driven. The can't be many left now; (they were veritable rustbuckets even compared to a 1970's Fiat); good ones are starting to fetch serious money.

For those who don't know the car, this is a pretty nice example.

Ah, memories.

jimboy said:

Ah, memories.

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:Offtopic:

It saddens me to think of what might have been at BL, had management been more imaginative and the workforce less intent on strike action.

Pininfarina designed them an amazing bodyshell for the ADO17 chassis in 1967. One prototype was made and exhibited to some acclaim at Turin, but BL management rejected it in favour of their in-house design; the result didn't sell well and affectionately became known as the landcrab.

Hard to believe the two cars pictured below share the same running gear.

When I said memories, I was referring to the early seventies as an apprentice mechanic, I drove quite a lot of cars including BL. Some were a very comfortable experience indeed.

When I set out to buy my very first car in 1971 top of my shortlist was the BMC Morris 1100. It was pipped at the post by the Mazda 1200 Coupe and I've been a Mazda man ever since but I really think the MG 1100 version was the pick - even if it did look vaguely like a Routemaster....

MLW said:

My wife needs a car. She loves the 500 shape. My daughter has a Panda which is fairly reliable.

To all you old hands......

Is a 500 very unreliable?

It must have air con. Is this a problem.

It must be automatic. My Lexus is the hallmark on auto reliability. Is a 500 really too big a risk here?

Any help and experience much appreciated

Click to expand...

If you’re in the U.K, do not buy the dualogic, there are many posts of problems with the dualogic on this forum. If you’re in the U.S than the AISIN 6AT is a great transmission. The 500 is using the Panda’s platform. As for engine choices, I would advise you get the 1.4 16v 100HP, or the 0.9 8v TwinAir Turbo 105 because they actually have usable power. These engines are fairly robust. The 1.2 8v 69 and the 1.0 TwinAir 60 are gutless (especially on hills) to say the least, but they are fun engines to wind up... if that’s your thing. In the U.S only the 1.4 16v MultiAir 105 and 1.4 16 MultiAir Turbo 135 are available without getting the Abarth.