General Doblo - the ultimate MPV?

[T14086]

Is it? when taking all things into account.............

cheap to buy
cheap to run
decent engine
plenty of space

but can it be described as comfortable, reliable etc ?

 

[Ulpian]

Comfortable: yes. Conditional upon the steering needing to have a reach adjustment to be perfect, and the wind noise being a bit too much sometimes. The ride isn't too bad, but can get jiggly.

Reliable: yes. Problems with wiper mechanism collapse, aux belt collapse and the dual mass clutches. But by and large very good cars, and since I learnt yesterday that a colleague's new Skoda has just melted it's fan and engine cover, and sprung an oil leak, and that a two year old Honda Civic has also been taken in with a blown up engine, I really can't complain about my lovely seven year old bus.

And very good value for money all things considered, because they are no less comfortable, and often far more so, than conventional cars that cost the same or more. Lots of room and a commanding seating position, and storage for stuff everywhere are added bonuses.

The new 2010 cars appear to build on this with added quietness, better stereos, better economy and even more room for stuff. And the integrated sat-nav has to be worth having. Now add the apparently far better ride and class leading handling and the car has to be a winner. I love the look of it too, but then i was very drawn to the oddity and cleverness of the original.

However, the new one seems expensive. We shall have to wait and see for the reality, but I will certainly take a test drive.

In short, I'd rather go on a long journey, or a short one, in the Doblo than most other cars i know; and the reliability isn't bad at all. They are fun to drive

Great cars, and my favourite Fiat models.

 

[hcampian]

Yep, it's surely the ultimate MPV. Budget MPV i'd say. It has everything except one thing (that I don't really care about): style. A lot of persons being in my Doblo said that the plastics are cheap, and they couldn't buy a car with this kind of interior materials I don't really understand this point of view, so for me it is almost the best. Only thing I wish is a better system of folding the rear seats, to obtain a flat surface up to the front seats. And it lacks the possibility to fold the right two seats and leave the left one unfolded, at least without some modifications.

The width of the folded rear seats is exactly what I would find usefull to:
- sleep in the back
- carry the bikes
- carry the skis

I would be totally happy with the 5 seats Doblo Combi Maxi, but unfortunatelly it will be registered as a van, not as a car, meaning greater insurance and taxes, and the warranty would be in Romania only 2 years, compared to 5 years for the Panorama.

http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/5741/doblomax800iu0.jpg

:slayer:

 

[ivantate]

Its not all things to all people but it is a very useful car. Nothing can do everything so if it has the right mix for you it is perfect.

Good at: (as said)
Cheap to buy and run
Simple to repair
Space for seven
Unpretentious


It can't:
Off road
Tow big weights
Offer a sporting drive
Be particularly refined
Fold its rear seats into the floor (family especially)

 

[Ulpian]

Just had a look at the new Doblo.
Very handsome, and all my gripes pretty much addressed. The steering has full adjustment, so it is possible to get perfectly comfortable. The rear wiper appears to have an intermittent facility, and I suspect the front seats are just a little bit more comfortable, although that was never an issue. The headlamp bulbs, including the near side ones, also look easier to change.

There does not appear to be room in the door for my bottle of water, however, although I'll check properly later. And the spare wheel is extra, as is the B&M on the Dynamic. The Dynamic also charges extra for alloys and electric mirror adjustment. The one in the showroom had these. The only thing I didn't like was the grey interior and the reversion to rectangular and fiddly air vents. I wouldn't want to sit in a grey cocoon, but to get the colourful interior I think you have to go for the Eleganza. My old bus has lovely blue and red flecked seats, and a blue/grey dashboard and wheel: smart and cheerful. Later ones went dull and grey and looked worse. I hate to have to pay more for a bit of style. And now I see that the Dynamic has the useful height adjustable Parcel shelf as standard, but the Eleganza charges extra for it. Time to look at the specs closely. Oh: the Blue and Me etc. only comes as standard on the Eleganza too. !!

Apart from that, great. The door mirrors are fine, except for having the repeaters on them: silly Fiat.

But it looks like I need the Eleganza to get what i want

Just seen i can get the fogs, alloys and tinted glass as a pack.