I have just taken the remote key off my wife's key ring as it is going for repair tomorrow - how pathetic i wonder how many cars costing 16k have one penny pinching remote .and don't get me started on the rear mats issue

Matizman

Flawed and damaged 500L Lounge

matizman said:

I have just taken the remote key off my wife's key ring as it is going for repair tomorrow - how pathetic i wonder how many cars costing 16k have one penny pinching remote .and don't get me started on the rear mats issue

Matizman

Flawed and damaged 500L Lounge

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TBH every car bar one marque I have ever owned has only had one remote and then a 'none remote' spare.

The only exception were the two BMW's I owned and they cost a lot more than a FIAT . They also had a clever re-chargeable battery in each key which re-charged when the key was in the ignition. You were encouraged to regularly swap which key you used to keep the battery in them charged.

They also came with a third key called a 'valet parking key' (posh eh?) this would allow the car to be driven but wouldn't allow access to the locking glove box so you could keep stuff in there when you handed the car over to a garage/body shop/valet parking service and whoever was driving the car couldn't get access to your valuables.

Clever....(but not cheap!!!)

Wife's 2010 Hyundai i20 which was £10k came with 2 remote keys, dad's 63 reg which was only £8k from drive the deal the same. Agreed - Just stupid and bordering on unacceptable penny pinching by FIAT IMO, especially if the car regularly has two drivers. Luckily I got the proper mat set with rears and embroidered logos as part of the deal so the cheapo included ones are just spares.

Its not penny pinching, I'd rather 1 key than £200 more on the price of a new car, most don't need 2 remote keys.

It can't be that much of an issue or people wouldn't be buying them would they.

If you want a 2nd key then order one, or get it included in the purchase deal.

My Multipla came with two remotes originally. Both, however were a porrly constructed. We had a fix for them in the Multipla section.

I've only had one remote and one standard key with the Mk2 Punto (2000) and Stilo (2004). Parents 500 (2012) is the same. Didn't bother me as the remote on the Punto in particular was sensitive to the point that walking away from the car with it in your pocket could sometimes activate the locks and unlock the car, so I tended to use the non-remote key most of the time. However, with the 'premium' image Fiat are trying to create with the 500, you'd think 2 remote keys would be a given. Then again you'd think when a common fault is reported, it'd be remedied at the factory, but that doesn't happen either.

Alfa's have 2 remote keys, but I think that's because Alfa's are seen as the more expensive brand - the fact that the 500L costs more than some MiTo's doesn't seem to come into it!

Most Easterly Pandas said:

Its not penny pinching, I'd rather 1 key than £200 more on the price of a new car, most don't need 2 remote keys.

It can't be that much of an issue or people wouldn't be buying them would they.

If you want a 2nd key then order one, or get it included in the purchase deal.

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I think it is an issue, you get two on a lot, if not most, cars costing a lot less than the €23000 my Trek retailed at. I do need a second remote as I keep one in my company car and one at home.

IF I'd have even thought that there was only one remote I'd have nailed it into the deal, I regularly buy new cars in my work and on all Renaults and Skodas bought in the last 7 years we have two remotes, on the BMWs/Mercedes class for at least the last 12 years.

It wouldn't cost FIAT anything like the £200 for a second remote as the economy of scale and the cost saving on the non-remote spare would bring it down to a few quid tops.

I'm sorry to say that FIAT accessories are a rip-off, in particular the plastic tray boot liner which here is retailed at €200+, about the same as for a Mercedes Viano and a Renault Scenic, there's no comparison, it's like a piece of paper compared to the others....Luckily I did get that, the coat hanger for the headrest, the 4 door sill protectors the battery air freshener, a couple of tri-colour logos and a couple of 500L T shirts nailed into the deal, but if I'd ordered it and paid I would be very pi$$ed off!