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500 Red 2011 demo, 1.4 16V Lounge 6spd manual

Introduction

Re-posting this as I erroneously posted in the 500(classic) section. Sorry!

Hello All!

I bought a 2011 Red Fiat 500 1.4 16V Lounge, Demo Model, at the end of March 2012. It had 8000km/4970mi and currently has 12000km/7456mi.

After 5 months of ownership I can really say truthfully that I love my car. It has grown on me in more ways than one and I love it despite the quirks that may put some people off.

I've had no problems to date and find it ideal for city driving and zipping in and out of traffic.

I think I would have been happy with a few more horses just to ease the overtaking of some slow pokes but overall can't complain and does the job perfectly.

I was drawn to the car due to the retro look and because of the history based on the original 500. It is strange because the rest of my style is really modern but with cars, I'm drawn to the older, historic models. My eye always catches all the orignal mini's, citroen's, alfa's and other cars.

The new Fiat 500 solves my problem of having modern conveniences (proper glass sunroof, air con, airbags, etc etc) all packaged in what appears to be an old fashioned, retro look.

For what I wanted to pay versus what you get, it was really the only obvious choice for me. In South Africa you can get comparable cars for far less but I found them boring and bland. The new Opel Adam might be an option but still does not have the heritage factor.

I love all the bright colours and could have been happy with yellow and the pearl white equally. However, being a Ferrari F1 supporter, I was super excited about the demo car being in red, having the chrome bumpers and the sunroof. This is the second car with a sunroof and I really love it. I use it all the time in spring and summer time.

I've opted to do a few enhancements to my car and have added the hood / bonnet chrome bead, A-Bar and Italian flag badges. The leather gear shift knob was scratched and due to my OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder!), I replaced it with a red gear shift knob by Black(tm) and while I was at it, a leather boot with red stitching.
...I think I would have been happy with a few more horses just to ease the overtaking of some slow pokes but overall can't complain and does the job perfectly....

You've put a lot of thought into the cosmetic touches that you've done to your Little Red Chinky. I had the Pearly white with the chrome bits and the 1.4L engine. I did a little tinkering to it to give a bit more oomph.

Would suggest a set of Denso Iridium plugs preferably the VX ones (the tough ones !) if you can afford it.
If you don't mind a little induction noise there's a nice Pipercross Induction kit in RED and is easy to fit and give's more torque and sounds a little quicker ! Would be a better spend than a replacement panel filter. Should cost no more than a £100.
If you're getting stuff from the US I would consider their Amsoil synthetic oil 5w40 to help when you're squeezing the life out of it !
Going the exhaust route can be a little expensive but as some stage you'll have to replace the back box and it's possible to pick up a replacement stainless steel one that wouldn't break the bank. To get a full performance one will need a Sports cat (you might get away with a 100cel), performance manifold (Supersprint is supposedly the best) and possibly a re-map which can get expensive and could be hard to justify.
I removed everything I didn't need in the car including the spare wheel !

If you need any links or pictures, etc. would be happy to oblige.

Enjoy.(y)
 
Hey! That car looks kind of familiar! ;) The chrome detailing looks really good.

The car looks impeccibly clean as well.I don't know much about the weather in South Africa but I'm guessing it can have effect on paintwork.

Repalcing the gear knob because it got scratched, that sounds like something I would do as well. Don't worry as you're not alone! :)
 
If you need any links or pictures, etc. would be happy to oblige.

Enjoy.(y)

Wow, this is great info!! You must be a mind reader because a future post of mine was going to ask info on performance enhancements :)

I would be very grateful if you can share links and pics. I'm not such a petrol head to understand all the stuff you mentioned but if you can nudge me in the right direction, I'll ask a mate of mine to translate and the rest I'll research :slayer:

I'm keen to do some mods towards the end of the year.

It seems like you don't have your 500 anymore? Any reason?

Also, what kind of performance gains did you get?
 
The car looks impeccibly clean as well.I don't know much about the weather in South Africa but I'm guessing it can have effect on paintwork.

Thanks!
Summer sun is really hot and is rather harsh on all things that gets left outside to bake. I've not had issues as I do wax my car at least once a quarter and hand wash almost every weekend. I only use Meguiars for inside and out, so my baby really gets a royal treatment. I love the product.

Luckily my car gets parked at night in a closed garage and during the day, my work place basement parking. So for the most of the time it is in the shade and covered.

I have found if you do the waxing and washing regularly that you don't really see fading, so should not be a problem. Most cars on the road keep the colour, even in our climate as I think the paints they use these days are more advanced.
 
... if you can share links and pics....

It seems like you don't have your 500 anymore? Any reason?

Also, what kind of performance gains did you get?

I don't have my Funk White 'baby' anymore. :cry:. I sold it to buy an Abarth 500 if it didn't work out so I ended up in a MiTo 155TB.

I was looking for another 20bhp from the F500 but to get that involved invasive surgery - a Port & Polish and a head skim. Since it only had 8K miles on the clock I decided to leave it intact. If you can pick up a GSR induction kit secondhand from the web I would 'jump at it'. It is the best £ / bhp for the 1.4 but it has to come off if you're driving through 'puddles'. Most you can get from this is around 3-5bhp without a re-map. The Pipercross will probably give 1-2 bhp but it's the 'safest'. It will give more torque which the 1.4 lacks in 'low down'.

If you decide not to go for a CAI (cold air induction) a Cotton gauze repalcement air filter like the ones supplied by BMC (Italian) or a K&N is worthwhile considering. I did try an ITG replacement panel filter and it made no difference although IMHO it filters the best. Cotton gauze will make a little induction noise and might give 1-2 bhp @ 6000rpm.

Another nice little mod is a Crankcase breather and I would need jnoiles input on this. It might need a 25mm neck like the ones fitted on the A500. Initially thought that a 20mm would work. Separate thread on this - search on title.

Would suggest that you bring forward your 'mod project' and not wait like I did and so that you get the most enjoyment out of the 1.4. It would be worthwhile starting a new thread on performance improvements for the 1.4 to see what someone else has to say.

I would have loved to have fitted a Supersprint manifold and a sports cat but there was a 'wobbly' bit about needing a re-map. Some have struggled on this and if your MOT is tough in SA there might a ? over the emissions test. A sports CAT can be sourced much cheaper than the Supersprint one which is crazy money.

Here are the links, pics, etc...

An attempt to summarise all the mods

how it was originally advertised

cheapest Pipercross CAI – double check that it’s the right one…

ebay CAI with pictures…

Denso VXU22 - Spark plug thread. (read this at your peril !)

Youtube 'Justification' for picking VXU22 instead of IXU22 (Denso plugs)
https://www.fiatforum.com/500/293274-fiat-500-1-2-pop-spark-plugs-2.html

Induction set-up on my ‘old’ 500 Sport

***** How to reset the ECU correctly… ******
GSR induction set-up on Jason’s 500 1.4 including a re-map

Upgrade option to a ‘replacement’ ITG filter for the Pipercross CAI

Some ceramic tape wrapping on the manifold (none around the 'head') down as far as the CAT might be worthwhile doing. Awkward 'job'.

Summary of the oils you can use including the boutique Amsoil oil…
https://www.fiatforum.com/panda-iii/305967-twin-air-engine-oil.html?p=3066825

Remove the middle silencer box and replace with a straight through pipe.
(this is a cheap mod and might give 1-2 bhp - the part is 'cheap' and easily got - Panda 100HP guys have done this.)

P.S. There's only one CAT on the 500 1.4 and it's in the manifold.
 
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