General New Doblo

JTD_Liam · Feb 8, 2011

Hi all

Was just wondering if anyone had contemplated buying or looking at the New Doblo?

I've seen very little mentioned about it on here, only seen 3 on the roads (2 looked like demo cars) & have read that it's not selling at all well.

I put it down to it being too expensive & lacking in the sort of kit you'd expect given its price (MP3 CD player is an extra on all but top spec for example), but thought i'd ask if anyone else has any thoughts on where the New Doblo has gone wrong. Would you look at the cheaper Qubo as a replacement for your current Doblo's, for example?

Liam

johnhififan · Feb 8, 2011

Up until recently I agree there were hardly any about, but in the last month or so I've seen quite a few commercial new doblo vans about. Only ever seen one passenger version and that was in Germany. Maybe fiat are pushing them now. The looks are growing on me.

JTD_Liam · Feb 8, 2011

Ive also seen a few of the commercial vehicle variants, mostly Scottish & Southern Energy (SSE) who appear to have a contract with Fiat as they have Doblo's, Fiorino's & the odd Grande Punto Van driving about.

In the last couple of weeks i've heard a radio advert for the new Doblo van, so maybe theyre giving it abit of a push ready for the 11 plate, but i don't see anything happening with the Doblo Passenger version. Not seen anything since the initial launch adverts in magazines.

I guess the Qubo will take some Doblo sales, but i expected to see a few by now, so just wondered what existing Doblo owners thought of the new one. Is there something fundamentally wrong with it?

ivantate · Feb 8, 2011

There are more about over here now and a few at the airport as hire cars today.

I think it looks a bit gawky without the clean functionality of the original Doblo. Internally it is a similar problem, I had a look in the back of one the other day and there are now massive plastic mouldings up the sides of the boot. Great for noise suppression and magazine reviews but not for people who want to use it as a van based car as they will scratch and break them. The girls who run the stables near to where I live have had 2 Dobs in a row (03 & 08) and it comes past full of people, hay, farm gear, bags of feed etc... what ever is needed.

Also Fiat have put very little thought into the details for example:
Look at the roof bars on the Berlingo/Partner van, they can be fitted longitudinally or transverse without any extra parts or cost.
Considering the costs there are few snazzy features like the mega sunroof/storage option on the Berlingo which uses the height nicely is a people carrier function.

So overpriced and overdetailed for the majority of the customers (taxis, businesses and wannabee van drivers) and not conventional and useful enough for the people looking for a people carrier. In reality for most people what would be the monthly cost difference between the Doblo and a Zafira? probably not enough.

I am also interested to see how tough the running gear is after seeing some heavily laden ones with wheels at really strange angles.

A pity really as it has some great engines and a huge amount of space.

Although there are not many around I have seen more than the new Kangoo.

sludgeguts · Feb 9, 2011

ivantate said:
There are more about over here now and a few at the airport as hire cars today.

I think it looks a bit gawky without the clean functionality of the original Doblo. Internally it is a similar problem, I had a look in the back of one the other day and there are now massive plastic mouldings up the sides of the boot. Great for noise suppression and magazine reviews but not for people who want to use it as a van based car as they will scratch and break them. The girls who run the stables near to where I live have had 2 Dobs in a row (03 & 08) and it comes past full of people, hay, farm gear, bags of feed etc... what ever is needed.

Also Fiat have put very little thought into the details for example:
Look at the roof bars on the Berlingo/Partner van, they can be fitted longitudinally or transverse without any extra parts or cost.
Considering the costs there are few snazzy features like the mega sunroof/storage option on the Berlingo which uses the height nicely is a people carrier function.

So overpriced and overdetailed for the majority of the customers (taxis, businesses and wannabee van drivers) and not conventional and useful enough for the people looking for a people carrier. In reality for most people what would be the monthly cost difference between the Doblo and a Zafira? probably not enough.

I am also interested to see how tough the running gear is after seeing some heavily laden ones with wheels at really strange angles.

A pity really as it has some great engines and a huge amount of space.

Although there are not many around I have seen more than the new Kangoo.

Got to agree. I went for the 06 plate because of the difference in shape and size to the earlier model (I don't really like the old shape).
I really am hoping mine goes on forever - unless the next change is a good one. I think my 06 plate is almost perfect, just needs a few tweeks (as ivantate says).
I also wonder if the floor needs to be shaped like it is or could they get away with a flat floor all the way through - enabling under seat storage space?
Perhaps a bit of a rethink of the dash as well - to introduce more storage for bits & pieces?

20vturbo · Feb 21, 2011

the 06 reg was only a mild facelift on the earlier car ,bigger lamps,change of bumpers etc.

sludgeguts · Feb 21, 2011

20vturbo said:
the 06 reg was only a mild facelift on the earlier car ,bigger lamps,change of bumpers etc.

Yes, but it looks better for it.

french bean · Feb 22, 2011

Just take a close look at the Berlingo / Partner. Neat crisp design that isn't ugly on the exterior. The interior looks smart - the four face vents remind me of the golf plus in the centre of the dash. In comparison, the new Dobie just looks ungainly and more like the size of the old Scudo - possibly a bit too big. I would also hazard a guess that Citroen are being agressive with their pricing just as they are with other models in their range.

DoubleO · Mar 5, 2011

Well, I sat in a new Doblo today and I have to say for the price I wasn't impressed.

It's bigger than the one I have now and I see that as a bad thing. My current 08 Doblo is quite nippy for its size and the new one looks cumbersome on the road.

I missed the handle above the driver's door, they've changed the shelf design so that the handles are separate now and there wasn't one on the model I sat in. It doesn't seem to have the same ride height as mine - I felt a lot lower in the new one and even when I sat in the back I felt as though I was sitting lower in the car. Somehow they've made the car bigger on the outside and yet smaller on the inside - not sure how that works really.

The pedals have been moved slightly to the right, so there's now space for a little slope to rest your clutch foot on, although you then lose the space on the right of the pedals and that felt cramped to me although that could just be personal taste.

The final death knell for me was the centre panel between the driver's and passengers seats. The seatbelt clips don't move and when the seatbelt is in use it dug into my bum (although I do have a big bum - won't be a problem for most people). The same panel seems to cramp the rear seat foot space

So, while it's not a bad car, it's massively overpriced for what it is and to be honest I don't think it's a good as the 08 model I have now. I wouldn't buy one

T14086 · Mar 5, 2011

what engine was fitted?

DoubleO · Mar 5, 2011

2.0L Multijet Deisel. However, I didn't drive it, I just sat in it.

T14086 · Mar 5, 2011

Fiat have to more price competitive against citroen/peugeot...obviously didn't learn their lesson after the sedici/suzuki saga.

The new doblo is nice and good to drive but unlikely to make an impact against other makes unless prices fall.

JTD_Liam · Mar 7, 2011

Hmm, none of this sounds very encouraging. And i've still not seen any more on the road, so that's a grand total of 3 since launch

DoubleO, were you looking at it with a view to buying? Did the salesperson mention any deals? I've gotta say that whilst the apr on the finance deals on Fiat.co.uk look alright, the monthly payments look horrendous for what is essentially a van with windows

The Qubo seems to be doing ok. I guess neither model will sell like hot cakes as the whole market for these sorts of vehicles is relatively small, but i've seen alot more Qubo's around that the equivilent Peugeots/Citroens.

However, when it comes to the new Doblo, i see far more Citroen Berlingo's and Peugeot Partners, yet the old Doblo was just as popular as the french pair's predecessors so it must be down to price, which is, as has been mentioned, too high.

Did Fiat really need two van/MPV's anyway? Seems like abit of a waste of development money to me. A Multipla replacement would've been a better way to spend abit of money surely?

JTD_Liam · Apr 8, 2011

Pleased to report i've seen two New Doblo's in as many days

1. Doblo Eleganza (think it had alloys) - Indie Ivory - reg GJ60 - M42 Southbound South of M6 Junction - 05/04/2011 - 11:15am approx

2. Doblo Dynamic Multijet - Ambient White - reg OU60 - Headington 'Hamburger' Roundabout nr Oxford - 06/04/2011 - 6:30pm approx

As you can see i was so pleased to see them that i made a note of the details so i remembered. Sad is not the word!

Anyone else seen any on the roads yet?

DoubleO · Apr 10, 2011

JTD_Liam said:
DoubleO, were you looking at it with a view to buying? Did the salesperson mention any deals? I've gotta say that whilst the apr on the finance deals on Fiat.co.uk look alright, the monthly payments look horrendous for what is essentially a van with windows

Well not really, I can't afford the new Doblo right now, but I wanted to see if I would fit in it. I don't fit in many cars on account of me being really tall and more than a bit rotund. My current Doblo is great - the seat tips right back and I have loads of headroom so I was hoping the new one would be the same. Sadly not.

T14086 · Apr 10, 2011

JTD_Liam said:
1. Doblo Eleganza (think it had alloys) - Indie Ivory - reg GJ60 - M42 Southbound South of M6 Junction - 05/04/2011 - 11:15am approx

2. Doblo Dynamic Multijet - Ambient White - reg OU60 - Headington 'Hamburger' Roundabout nr Oxford - 06/04/2011 - 6:30pm approx

As you can see i was so pleased to see them that i made a note of the details so i remembered. Sad is not the word!

almost bordering on stalking!

Have you driven one yourself Liam? A few around this area.

JTD_Liam · Apr 13, 2011

DoubleO said:
Well not really, I can't afford the new Doblo right now, but I wanted to see if I would fit in it. I don't fit in many cars on account of me being really tall and more than a bit rotund. My current Doblo is great - the seat tips right back and I have loads of headroom so I was hoping the new one would be the same. Sadly not.

Bug*er, Fiat keep falling at various hurdles with the new Doblo. Im amazed they've not pushed it harder after the relative success of the original Doblo.

T14086 said:
almost bordering on stalking!

T14086 said:
Have you driven one yourself Liam? A few around this area.

Haha i only remembered the times as i was on my way to places/things that i needed to be at by specific times. Plus i was so stunned to see a new Doblo on the road i kinda made a special effort to remember every last detail. If it was a 500 i'd just think 'meh, another (white) 500, and another' etc.

I've not driven one nope. If i went to my nearest dealer they'd badger me for months afterwards with phonecalls, emails etc, and if i was to visit another dealer i'd wanna try a Bravo or Punto Evo as potential replacements for the Stilo, so i think if i said about a Doblo aswell they might wonder what on Earth they were dealing with! I prefer trying cars out as courtesy cars like i did late last year with a Panda, but since my Stilo is upholding Fiat's good reputation in our household, the Panda is the only current Fiat i've tried

Tiggs · Apr 13, 2011

Yesterday I actually seen my very first new shape Doblo on the road!
Seen plenty in showrooms but this was the first on the road.

I was not that impressed sorry to say.
It was white which does not ever help van based cars.

I think the Kangoo on the other hand is quite nice looking.

I have a 59 Doblo, older shape, won,t change yet!

Tiggs

T14086 · Apr 13, 2011

JTD_Liam said:
If i went to my nearest dealer they'd badger me for months afterwards with phonecalls, emails etc, and if i was to visit another dealer i'd wanna try a Bravo or Punto Evo as potential replacements for the Stilo, so i think if i said about a Doblo aswell they might wonder what on Earth they were dealing with! I prefer trying cars out as courtesy cars like i did late last year with a Panda, but since my Stilo is upholding Fiat's good reputation in our household, the Panda is the only current Fiat i've tried[/SIZE][/FONT]

Good points there, perhaps if dealers would use doblo as courtesy cars they might sell a few a year. How someone can spend £8-13k after a quick drive around the block (or less!) is beyond me!

JTD_Liam · Apr 14, 2011

Tiggs said:
Yesterday I actually seen my very first new shape Doblo on the road!
Seen plenty in showrooms but this was the first on the road. I was not that impressed sorry to say.

Tiggs said:
It was white which does not ever help van based cars.

I think the Kangoo on the other hand is quite nice looking.

I have a 59 Doblo, older shape, won,t change yet!

Tiggs

Shame you don't like it. I think it looks classy, but just too long, abit like a hearse. Any thoughts on the Qubo by comparison?

T14086 said:
Good points there, perhaps if dealers would use doblo as courtesy cars they might sell a few a year. How someone can spend £8-13k after a quick drive around the block (or less!) is beyond me!

It's gotta be worth a try as courtesy cars, especially to people currently driving an original Doblo, or Multipla/Qubo. I never understand why dealers give the same type of car to everyone - surely abit of forward thinking to try & match the courtesy car to the customers current car & thus maximise repeat-sales isn't rocket science.

Unfortunately though where the new Doblo's concerned youre looking at £12,800 - £17,500

so the problem is compounded.

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