General Went mad and bought a 500L!

[nottsfiat07]

After an ever longer list of failings for our 10 year old peugeot 307 SW, we went and bought a one year old 1.4 500L Popstar in white! Also has front fogs which I was told were an extra (could be a lie) and the full length fixed glass roof, and all round electric windows. Impressed with the quality so far, very bright inside and commanding driving position. So now we have a big sister for my Abarth 500! Going back to dealer tomorrow for the valet they didn't do and the magic space shelf that was missing.

Also test drove a peugeot 2008, which left both me and the Mrs cold. Once we got back in the 500L it kind of made sense. It's the kind of car that either makes sense to you, or doesn't.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Also has front fogs which I was told were an extra (could be a lie)

A lie, I believe they all come with them as standard and incorporate cornering lamps at low speed

 

[nottsfiat07]

It's deffo got cornering lights, I thought the lights were faulty this morning lol kept going brighter and dimmer!

 

[JTD_Liam]

It's a £160 option for front fogs now, and I believe I've only seen them fitted standard on Lounge within the standard 500L range - I think Trekking gets them standard too though

 

[dave]

dont get the out side valeted they will add swirls

 

[MJG]

After an ever longer list of failings for our 10 year old peugeot 307 SW, we went and bought a one year old 1.4 500L Popstar in white! Also has front fogs which I was told were an extra (could be a lie) and the full length fixed glass roof, and all round electric windows. Impressed with the quality so far, very bright inside and commanding driving position. So now we have a big sister for my Abarth 500! Going back to dealer tomorrow for the valet they didn't do and the magic space shelf that was missing.

Also test drove a peugeot 2008, which left both me and the Mrs cold. Once we got back in the 500L it kind of made sense. It's the kind of car that either makes sense to you, or doesn't.

Welcome to the world of 500L ownership, good choice of spec. and colour BTW

AFAIK the fogs are indeed extra - or rather they where when we got our Pop Star last Sept.

(You may be aware you can set your fogs to operate as cornering lights, you turn left the left fog lights come on and the opposite.)

We too test drove a Peugeot 208 and I hated everything about it from the raucous engine to the horribly designed dash and internal high gloss finish on the trim...yuk

Keep us posted with any glitches particularly any thing electrical a few of us have had a couple of niggles in that area.

 

[nottsfiat07]

The lights are already set to cornering mode, didn't know it was an option to turn them off. I like it anyway!

Just back from so called valeting... Gave me a nice case with cleaning stuff in, which was covered in dust so it's made the back seat where they chucked it more dirty than it was when I took it in. Plus they tried to give me the wrong missing bit for the boot so I have to go back tomorrow. After sales service is alive and well and living in Worksop.

The 208 had a very light gear change but oddly for a bigger car I felt I have more elbow room in my Abarth 500 than I did in the pug.

 

[MJG]

A lie, I believe they all come with them as standard and incorporate cornering lamps at low speed

They were certainly an option when we got our Pop Star back in September, an option we didn't go for so we don't have them.

(FIAT are currently listing them as a £160 pound option on the FIAT web site for a 500L Pop Star.)

Interestingly we got a colour that was supposed to be an Option (BNW, the Red was the standard at the time) at no extra cost so like the OP they gave us an 'option' that was supposed to cost for nothing.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Interesting, all 500L's I've seen have had them - and I thought it was a premium product over the standard 500

 

[MJG]

Interesting, all 500L's I've seen have had them - and I thought it was a premium product over the standard 500

Well my take is I suppose it remains a 'premium' product' by virtue of all the other stuff it has over an equivalent 500.

Before the advent of the new 500L Pop version ours was the most basic L you could get and yet it still has a range of stuff the 'equivalent' 500 didn't have including Cruise control/speed limiter, Six speed gearbox, Hill holder, ESC, 12v socket in luggage copmt., much more storage, an infinitely configurable folding seat system, touch screen Bluetooth Audio system etc etc.

But yes as it was so well equipped anyway it does beg the question why they omitted fogs as std.

 

[Blue2U]

We picked up out new 500L Trekking on Monday and I must admit I was surprised to find it had the "cornering lights", I didn't expect them on any car in this price range. In fact the only minor disappointments I have is that the wing mirrors don't automatically fold and the "follow you home" lights aren't programmable to work every time.

Regarding the cruise control on the 500; I was told it's only available on USA specced 500s...Which IMHO is plain daft, as somebody who drives around 70,000km per year and who spent 10 months on 11 points it's a must, why they think that only our Septic cousins need, or are worthy enough to have it, is beyond me!

 

[MJG]

Regarding the cruise control on the 500; I was told it's only available on USA specced 500s...Which IMHO is plain daft, as somebody who drives around 70,000km per year and who spent 10 months on 11 points it's a must, why they think that only our Septic cousins need, or are worthy enough to have it, is beyond me!

Cruise control (and speed limiter) was certainly standard on our UK spec. 500L Pop star when we got ours in September last year plus the Lounge and Easy versions that were out at the time had it. I don't know about the Trecking though as that was just being released.

I'm trying to discover if it maybe has been dropped as standard on the current UK models but trying to find out in FIAT's web site is like wading through treacle....

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

In fact the only minor disappointments I have is that the wing mirrors don't automatically fold and the "follow you home" lights aren't programmable to work every time.

They do work every time, you just pull the main beam stalk, never had any issues with it not working

 

[Blue2U]

Exactly, you have to pull it every time, on most cars with this feature you set it up in the settings and it works every time.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Exactly, you have to pull it every time, on most cars with this feature you set it up in the settings and it works every time.

I can't understand the point in that, will often be on in the day or dazzling on coming road users which isn't what they're for. Some find they'll never need to use them, and most like myself will only be once or twice a week.

 

[MJG]

Exactly, you have to pull it every time, on most cars with this feature you set it up in the settings and it works every time.

I find the 'see you home feature' on the 500L works in exactly the same way as it did on other cars I have had including BMW's.

I think like MEP has said if it worked every time you turned the ignition off the lights would come on in situations where you didn't want them to, including during daylight hours (Unless of course some sort of ambient light sensor was included in the system).

Giving the driver the control of when to use them is on balance a better system IMHO and it's no real hardship just to flick the stalk when you need them to come on.

 

[Blue2U]

In the other cars I drive, mainly newish Mercs and occasionally a 2013 Renault Scenic, they come on both automatically when leaving the vehicle and also when pushing the remote when approaching, as most (95+ %) of the time I park in garages I find this most useful. Seems silly to have the feature but not make the most of it.

 

[MJG]

In the other cars I drive, mainly newish Mercs and occasionally a 2013 Renault Scenic, they come on both automatically when leaving the vehicle and also when pushing the remote when approaching, as most (95+ %) of the time I park in garages I find this most useful. Seems silly to have the feature but not make the most of it.

Even in daylight?

 

[kyle96]

I can't understand the point in that, will often be on in the day or dazzling on coming road users which isn't what they're for. Some find they'll never need to use them, and most like myself will only be once or twice a week.

I've literally just tested this on my car, I never even knew this feature existed
Can't say I need to use it though

 

[Blue2U]

Even in daylight?

Yes....I've got my company Merc set at 30 seconds, and it'd never caused me or anybody else any problems whatsoever, (why would dipped headlights dazzle somebody in daylight?) I'm not sure about the Scenic as I don't drive it much, but that's the beauty of having it auto, you don't even think about it, given the plethora of electronic options on the 500L (sensitivity settings for the light and rain sensors are not even on the Merc S Class) I'm just surprised they didn't throw it in, it's great when going into a dark garage in the early hours, but as I have undercover parking both at home and at work, and am a bit of a night owl, I probably have more use for it than most.