General Daily Driver or not?

[zutanoz]

Is the B a good car to have as your only car and to drive you 2 and from work everyday about a 30 mile round trip each day?

I dont really need the space so size wise it should be ok.

Whats it like driving on the left everyday?

Is it safe to leave parked in places?

Currently drive a punto but fancy something like a B

 

[leenay]

You can definitely use a b everyday.

I used mine everyday for about 8 years as it was my only car. This included many trips from London to Merseyside and back again. Now I use it every few days as I have an aygo as my main car.

My b has always been reliable and fun. Driving on the left is not an issue after a couple of hours of getting used to it, except when at things like parking barriers or a drive thru when you have to stretch over or take someone with you! If anything it is better now than ever with new shocks and exhaust.

Parking it tends not to be a problem but I guess that depends on where you live or park. Someone stuck a knife through my roof once and also scratched the paintwork but this was because the people near the local station had a vendetta against all the cars parked there rather than against the b.

 

[sjladopoulos]

I use the B for the everyday home->work->home trip which is 55km total.
The B has proven to be very reliable, very involving, very economical on fuel (9.8lt/100km) and very noisy. Don't be put off though, its a great car all around.
Parking safety is fine so far, especially in winter with the hardtop on. I have never heard the alarm so had to test it to prove it's existence.
I would rate the B as a perfect 10 for being your only car, as long as you don't need to carry more than 1 more person. Luggage is ok as well as you can use both the trunk as well as the space the roof goes which is rather ok.
The only drawback for the home->work route is that it is not equipped with a coffee cup holder

I have had the car since sept 06 and have done 14.000km. No probs.

 

[ricky952]

I drive a 30 mile trip everyday in my Bee love it choice of roof up/down
and some of the looks you get people trying to guess what it is you cant beat it
found this one on ebay 20 miles on the clock

 

[ricky952]

I drive a 30 mile trip everyday in my Bee love it choice of roof up/down
and some of the looks you get people trying to guess what it is you cant beat it
found this one on ebay 20 miles on the clock

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1998-FIAT-BAR...60QQihZ001QQcategoryZ9843QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[doolahrock]

20 miles in 9 years and two owners. Methinks someone has made a typo somewhere.

Bargain if it's true though

 

[ricky952]

maybe me but the roof window looks brand new the interior is spotless and everything looks new and shiny 20mls since 98
if true a steal for someone

 

[zutanoz]

whats it like for costs also, is it ecconomical on fuel and how much are servicing costs.

Does the roof need any maintainance etc?

 

[gar074]

If you look on the website of the firm selling the car, all their cars are listed as being "20 miles, from M25 junction 30"!!

 

[sjladopoulos]

...very economical on fuel (9.8lt/100km) ...

For servicing cost I leave it to someone that lives in the UK to tell you as well as for insurance etc as I live in greece.
Servicing is not bad in general, parts are a bit chilli hot

The roof just needs cleaning just as the rest of the car.

 

[LittleRedB]

Re: Daily Driver or not? - Yes

I have had mine for about 2 months now and have put 1.5k miles on it - no doubt its a great daily drive!

We have 2 cars in the house, Citroen bus thing that my wife drives and the B - my car! At the weekend the kids argue over who gets a ride to the shops in the B - if they have a birthday party they always want to go in the B........

In terms of living with it on a daily basis no problems at all - it is a little quirky, you have to open the drivers door to get into the boot but that just gives you an excuse to use the extremely cool door handles, also getting tickets from car park barriers can be a challenge (being LHD) and overtaking stationary buses etc can be erm, fun?

Overall I would say GO FOR IT! Make sure you get one with full service, make sure the cam belt and variator have been changed, check the jacking points (on my hunt I noticed a lot of them rust around the jacking points on the floor), check the exhaust if it does not have a DTR s/s exhaust as they crack in the middle, try to get leather (best for cleaning bird poo when the roof is down) and try to find one with a mohair roof, they are out there but you need to be patient to find a good one at a good price.

I spent about 2 months looking for mine but eventually paid 2.9k for a '99 with FSH, years MOT in very clean condition!

Happy hunting

 

[Mad Matt]

I use mine for commuting for about a 40 mile round trip. I've also used it to get to the train station everyday and recently for commuting to Luxembourg (about a 250 mile round trip for me).

Mine's ten years old and I would say it costs about the same as other cars of that age.

It is noisier and a more "raw" driving experience than some cars (my hood isn't in the best nick), but I drove it to the South of France and to Glasgow and it's really not too bad. The noise doesn't bother me becasue the engine sounds nice and the car is fun to drive.

In terms of economy, I get between 35 and 40mpg even if I'm doing 75 - 80 on the motorway.

Learning to drive LH isn't a big problem, just give youself time and space. The usual problems are judging where the curb is, looking in the wrong place for the rear view mirror and hitting you hand on the door when you want the handbrake!

 

[zutanoz]

Well I think i will keep my eyes out for one in the next few months

If anyone lives near Bracknell in Berks and fancies taking me out in theres to see what its like let me know.

Allan

 

[LittleRedB]

Well I think i will keep my eyes out for one in the next few months

If anyone lives near Bracknell in Berks and fancies taking me out in theres to see what its like let me know.

Allan

I live in Binfield so if you fancy a spin let me know................I have only seen two other 'B's' in the area, a nice clean yellow one and a metallic blue one........mine is bright red so 'gis a wave if you see me!!

 

[zutanoz]

Well if your free at the weekend to give me a spin that would be cool

There is another red one that lives quite near to me in Bracknell i see around

 

[LittleRedB]

Well if your free at the weekend to give me a spin that would be cool

There is another red one that lives quite near to me in Bracknell i see around

Hi, this weekend should be OK (my wife has a small op scheduled on Wed of this week, as long as she is OK I should be fine to get out for an hour or two).....

I work in Bracknell (Arlington Square) and go to the Esporta gym near Coral reef most days so it could be me that you have seen buzzing around - if it's a T-reg and a bloke with a big grin on his face it'll be me!!! - At the moment its sporting a Pistonheads smiley on the back of it (leftover from a trip to Goodwood)....

Alternatively if you work in Bracknell and could slope off for an hour at lunch we could go for a spin?

 

[DJ Overdose]

I use my B daily. I do the run to work and back, and also when I go out, or visit friends/familiy I take it. Only time I take the GF's Punto is when we have more passengers!

Can't complain about the economy of the car, and at least I'll be in the motor when I see another B more often than not!


DJ OD

 

[zutanoz]

Work in slough but live quite near to coral reef so anytime should be fine im quite free most of this week and weekend

 

[Zem]

Is the B a good car to have as your only car and to drive you 2 and from work everyday about a 30 mile round trip each day?

Yes - 30 mile round trip here also, Still fine after seven years and 145,000km

I dont really need the space so size wise it should be ok.

Yes - Plenty of room for a week[end] trip. I made the mistake of telling someone plenty of room for the shopping, so now it's always plenty of room for a week[end] trip.

Whats it like driving on the left everyday?

Fine - How much overtaking you do you on single roads anyway - tractors can be a pain, but then we all know to hang back a bit before overtaking.

Is it safe to leave parked in places?

All relative to where you park :bang:

Currently drive a punto but fancy something like a B

If it has to be italian then the b is your only choice
[well ok there are others but this isn't the place.]

 

[docorangepeel]

I have some systems in Syngenta in Bracknell but I am always in my CCar.