Good evening all from a newbie on here.

I currently run a Citroen Relay van, that since it hit 80k (now on 110k) has been a nightmare with costly repairs. I am for a number of reasons considering downsizing to a Doblo Multispace . I am a carpenter, but that will shortly be changing but still want to be able to do work if I desire.

However... Traditionally Fiats don't have the best reputation in the world. I want something with really good boot space and good pulling power. The Doblo JTD seems to fit the bill. I am considering about a '02/03 plate version so I guese mileage will be around the 100/110k mark. I appreciate buying any vehicle is a gamble, but Genuinely, are they fairly reliable? I just cannot afford to get a wrong vehicle here, unless I also want a new girlfriend

Also I live in rural West Wales and the nearest dealer is about 1 1/2 hours away and, secondhand I will have to travel hundreds of miles to get to see one in the flesh. I don't want to waste time an fuel if they really are a pain in the rear.

Are they comfortable? Occaisionally I may need to do a long trip in it, otherwise it will have fairly heavy use on country roads.

I really do appreciate any help comments or suggestions you may have.

Kind regards
woody

Hi Woody,
You really are asking the impossible here. Mine has been very reliable for the past three years, and before that nothing really serious happened except for a window wiper mechanism collapse and the need for a new auxiliary belt under warranty. Tiny other things but nothing serious. Regular annual servicing though, and I do take reasonable care of it: 70 thou. But I'm not sure I'd recommend any car when the nearest dealer is so far away. I find my car very comfortable and love it, but I find being three miles from a main dealer very reassuring. If I was near a Citroen or Peugeot dealer I'd be looking at a Berlingo/Partner.

Any of these small vanny things would do the trick, but the Doblo is very good.

Hi, unfortunetly that is one of the joys of living rurally, and why there are so many independant garages. Our nearest Citroen, nissan and peugeot delears are also about an hour away. It only becomes a problem when you need some thing only the main dealers can supply.

Woody

In that case you need to find somebody with one locally and ask to sit in it. The pedals are quite close together - a Fiat characteristic - but I find the seat very supportive and the steering very good. The visibility is brilliant. You will be most comfortable if you are relatively long in the trunk. No, it's a very good car. Mine is the pre-'04 100hp, not the 105. No probs with this engine and decent economy.

I do use it for quite long runs in occasion and I reckon this helps. Good on hills too of course.

With this sort of mileage any car will be a bit of a gamble. Make sure you see the full service history though. If they haven't kept all the papers don't bother.

It should have had a cambelt change, been re-gassed at least once (A/C) and have had a couple or three coolant changes. Plus the rest.


There is one chap here whose Doblo has done over 250,000 miles. Used for long journeys and regularly and properly serviced: reliable too. Can anyone ask for more?

Good luck.

Ulpian said:

In that case you need to find somebody with one locally and ask to sit in it.

Good luck.

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I'm trying! Theres one blue one around, but I cant seem to locate who owns it at the mo - which is unusual as around here as everyone knows everyone, and those they don't they think they do.

Anyone in Pembrokeshire here???? LOL

I'll keep trying. Good to know they do high mileage without too many probs.

cheers
woody

Ulpian said:

There is one chap here whose Doblo has done over 250,000 miles. .

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370,000 Miles since 7/1/2004 and counting (this was 4 months ago)

Strewth; I knew it was amazing, but not that amazing!

T14086 said:

370,000 Miles since 7/1/2004 and counting (this was 4 months ago)

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Hee hee, it's not like Triggers broom is it? It's the same car but had 7 new engines and two new bodies...

woody

Ulpian said:

In that case you need to find somebody with one locally and ask to sit in it. The pedals are quite close together - a Fiat characteristic - but I find the seat very supportive and the steering very good. The visibility is brilliant. You will be most comfortable if you are relatively long in the trunk. .

Click to expand...

I'm 6' 4" and weigh almost as much as your average American. I take a size 14 shoe/boot. My work shoes measure 5" across the widest part of the sole and I don't have any problems whatsoever with the pedals.
The dobbie has excellent headroom, plenty of room for my gut & a comfy seat for my lardarse.
Heck, it's one of the comfiest cars I've ever driven (OK, I've driven high end stuff with plush upholstery but all this comfort is no good if you haven't got headroom or legroom (or room for your backside to spread out).
I've driven range rovers, discoveries and landies - again, they just don't have the room behind the wheel like the dobbie has.

T14086 said:

370,000 Miles since 7/1/2004 and counting (this was 4 months ago)

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And why not, it's a diesel. Just look at the old London taxi, those black cabs just go on forever - but then they are serviced far more regularly than domestic vehicles.

ukwoody said:

Hee hee, it's not like Triggers broom is it? It's the same car but had 7 new engines and two new bodies...

woody

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original engine

sludgeguts said:

I'm 6' 4" and weigh almost as much as your average American. I take a size 14 shoe/boot. My work shoes measure 5" across the widest part of the sole and I don't have any problems whatsoever with the pedals.
The dobbie has excellent headroom, plenty of room for my gut & a comfy seat for my lardarse.
Heck, it's one of the comfiest cars I've ever driven (OK, I've driven high end stuff with plush upholstery but all this comfort is no good if you haven't got headroom or legroom (or room for your backside to spread out).
I've driven range rovers, discoveries and landies - again, they just don't have the room behind the wheel like the dobbie has.

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Thanks for that. Ironically I have the opposite problem,- I'm a shortarse. But it's good to know thanks.

Think my mind is made up, just gotta sell the Relay now (and convince the other half that ugly duckling is the way to go

woody.

Just got a 2006 1.9MJT Doblo Family with 100,000km on the clock a few weeks ago. Overall impression so far is that it is a good car - easy to drive and park, very comfortable in terms of headroom/elbow room. You get used to it and other cars even start to feel narrow and cramped by comparison. It doesn't seem to have complicated electronics etc so that could be help - less things to go wrong.

Where I live we see loads of FIAT Doblo vans on the road so they must be reasonably reliable.

I take a size 14 shoe/boot. My work shoes measure 5" across the widest part of the sole and I don't have any problems whatsoever with the pedals.

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But lots of other people do. I have on a number of occasions accidentally pressed the throttle with the brake, because of the poor pedal spacing. This is a Doblo Characteristic and one that often crops up in complaints.