500 (Abarth) Draigflag's ABARTH 500 (new thread!).

Currently reading:
500 (Abarth) Draigflag's ABARTH 500 (new thread!).

Status
Not open for further replies.
Got my other bits now so she's already for her service when i get her back next week, maybe the week after. Surprised at how dear the spark plugs were at £12.48 each! Got a nice BMC air filter which is part of the SS kit too (y)
 

Attachments

  • P1020457lr.jpg
    P1020457lr.jpg
    450.2 KB · Views: 26
Yes, fully synth (y)

Well went back today, picked up this rather ugly MiTO and it has to be the most underpowered car I've ever driven! I honestly thought something was wrong with it, in fact i still have my suspicions. It's the 1.4 NON TURBO 95 HP version. Why oh why have they put such an underpowered unit in a medium sized car? This thing cannot pull the skin off a rice pudding! It's actually dangerous, if i had attempted to overtake anything on the way home, i would have not been able too. On the duel carriageway at 70 MPH, you floor the throttle and nothing at all happens! It's one of the strangest cars i've ever driven. I had the 155 BHP version before and that was ok, but still slower than the A500.

I do however like the gearbox, it's slick and smooth which is good because you're always changing gear trying to find some power in the revs, fact is, there isn't any. It's really weird, it just makes a lot of noise but doesn't move. The ride is ok too, but after just a few hours with it, i'm already missing the Abarth! :(

I was saying to my boss, i think this often why convoy's build up behind slow drivers, because if most cars are this underpowered you would need a lot of road to overtake. I'm so used to seeing a tiny gap and flooring it in 3rd. On the way there, i was behind 2 cars and an artic co-op lorry, i saw a stretch of a few hundred yards and thought i'd take one car down. At 40 MPH, i floored and over took the first one, then the 2nd and i even had time to take the lorry down too! The A500 goes from 40 MPH to 90+ in what seems like just a few seconds. Every car needs a turbo! :p

EDIT: Talking of which, i drove a Fiat 500 Twin air today too, and even with 2 cylinders and 900 CC, that had a turbo! Read my review here:
https://www.fiatforum.com/500/268830-test-drove-twin-air-today-2.html?p=2751844
 

Attachments

  • P1020460lr.jpg
    P1020460lr.jpg
    500.9 KB · Views: 27
Last edited:
Picked the car up this afternoon. She's had the side skirts fixed after minor damage caused by incorrect jacking. She's also been fully valeted and looks sweet! I also bought some new mats, you can see how thin and tired the old ones look after only 30,000 miles. Shame as they are quite expensive and feel good quality.

On the way home, well, i forgotten just how quick she was, spent the first half hour smiling like a fruit cake! Got some scary bangs from the exhaust around Wrexham. Must have overtaken 20 stupid tourists on the way back. I seriously think their odometers are broken as not one of them manages to do 60 MPH or maintain it...

Anyway, good to have her back, had a right blast on the way home, just couldn't stop flooring it! Just need to get her serviced now which i might do myself as I'm having difficulty finding anywhere actually interested in doing the work!
 

Attachments

  • P1020563lr.jpg
    P1020563lr.jpg
    511.3 KB · Views: 16
  • P1020561lr.jpg
    P1020561lr.jpg
    421.8 KB · Views: 23
  • P1020555lr.jpg
    P1020555lr.jpg
    501.5 KB · Views: 16
  • P1020553lr.jpg
    P1020553lr.jpg
    456.7 KB · Views: 20
Must have overtaken 20 stupid tourists on the way back. I seriously think their odometers are broken as not one of them manages to do 60 MPH or maintain it...

Speedometers:confused: Anyway, glad you got the car back(y) Have fun:) You know, I'm still bemused about the attention my car gets, you must have got used to it, but I reckon now that it does get as much looks as the Ferrari I had. Major difference is that folks really appreciate the Abarth, most of the time with the F355 I think people were looking at me and going "tosser":eek:
 
On the way home, well, i forgotten just how quick she was, spent the first half hour smiling like a fruit cake! Got some scary bangs from the exhaust around Wrexham. Must have overtaken 20 stupid tourists on the way back. I seriously think their odometers are broken as not one of them manages to do 60 MPH or maintain it...

Did I miss the change where speed limits became a mandatory traveling speed?
 
Ok so after having a 4 day weekend (and another fast approaching!) i finally got a bit of time to sort a few bits out on the car. Me and my mate did the front brakes yesterday, easier than i thought but you have to have the right tools. My tool kit consists of a paper clip and a medium sized blob of blue tak.

As you can see (all pics below) the brake pads weren't as bad as i thought, still had a bit of meat on them. They've done a tickle under 30,000 miles. One thing my mate mentioned was that the bolts holding the calipers in place were badly corroded. He's never seen such bad corrosion on caliper bolts before. Took him a good 15 mins to file some new threads in the rust. I wish Fiat would use better quality metal for their bolts, it's the same story with the wheels nuts.

Confirmation that the A500 brakes do have a wear sensor. Plugs in on the N/S (passenger side) brake. Only on one side. Similar story with the discs actually, bit of life left but changed them anyway. Quick spin to the coast to bed them in a bit. Caught a nice sunset!

So what did it cost and how much have i saved?

Total cost approx: £50 (£30 for discs and pads from pre-SS'd owner, and bought my mate a meal for £20 to say thanks)

Abarth quoted price approx: £400 :eek:
 

Attachments

  • P10205962lr.jpg
    P10205962lr.jpg
    499.1 KB · Views: 24
  • P1020593lr.jpg
    P1020593lr.jpg
    255.1 KB · Views: 20
  • P1020592lr.jpg
    P1020592lr.jpg
    459.2 KB · Views: 14
  • P1020598lr.jpg
    P1020598lr.jpg
    480.1 KB · Views: 15
  • P1020597lr.jpg
    P1020597lr.jpg
    388.3 KB · Views: 18
  • P10206092lr.jpg
    P10206092lr.jpg
    238 KB · Views: 25
  • P1020602lr.jpg
    P1020602lr.jpg
    224.6 KB · Views: 14
I need to get my ass over to Wales. Looks so beautiful there and you seem to have a great eye for pictures. (y)

Picture 6 out of 7 - Absolutely jaw dropping.

Fantastic sunset and great inclusion of the car. Perhaps you could have had the side lights on the car and put the shutter speed a little slower? To have allowed a little more light from the left hand side of the picture. But non the less, it's that great that it is my new background picture.

p.s. It looks like im the only one commenting on your thread :(
 
I need to get my ass over to Wales. Looks so beautiful there and you seem to have a great eye for pictures. (y)

Picture 6 out of 7 - Absolutely jaw dropping.

Fantastic sunset and great inclusion of the car. Perhaps you could have had the side lights on the car and put the shutter speed a little slower? To have allowed a little more light from the left hand side of the picture. But non the less, it's that great that it is my new background picture.

p.s. It looks like im the only one commenting on your thread :(

Hi Rawb, thanks for the comment, people usually only comment to say bad things, hence why you're the only one commenting! :D

I do love Wales, it is beautiful. I wanted to try and get a Dolphin in the background, that would have finished the image off nicely, but there were non out that night! :)

If you go back to page 1 i think, there are some old photo's i took on my point and press with the lights on. Pretty crap given what camera i was using, but still quite nice (y)
 
i gotta agree with rawb, the scenery there is amazing. I wish i lived in wales and got to drive round that everyday. Sorry if its been covered but what camera are you using and have you taken any photography courses or anything because your pictures are stunning!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top