Hi all,
I posted 4 days ago to say I was deciding between a 500 Lounge that is 2008 vs 2014 with similar mileage (29,500). I drove the 2013 which I like the feel and sportiness of the car however under the bonnet, the wiring housing to rear right had been sliced open, exposing the wires and where it connects to the 2 places near the large air hose it also showed open wires. Neither was taped back nicely. This makes me feel uneasy to buy it. Plus the seller only bought it 5 months ago from a dealer, receipt presented, yet is asking £1000 less to sell. So I feel unsure.... I'm wondering to go back to my previous thought to view the 2008 model, all MOT history has no Fails, last advisory said "exhaust corrosion". Is that expensive to sort out? Is 2008 500 engine much different from 2013? Why are these used Fiats rather pricey...are they cars that hold their value because they are great, or is it a fashion that dictates their resale value. Any advice most welcome. Thanks you, Georgia

Fashion dictates the high second hand prices. I spent a few weeks looking for one but all were overpriced for the condition when its only a panda underneath and i got one of them which seems better built so i bought an mr2

GeorgiaCR said:

Hi all,
I posted 4 days ago to say I was deciding between a 500 Lounge that is 2008 vs 2014 with similar mileage (29,500). I drove the 2013 which I like the feel and sportiness of the car however under the bonnet, the wiring housing to rear right had been sliced open, exposing the wires and where it connects to the 2 places near the large air hose it also showed open wires. Neither was taped back nicely. This makes me feel uneasy to buy it. Plus the seller only bought it 5 months ago from a dealer, receipt presented, yet is asking £1000 less to sell. So I feel unsure.... I'm wondering to go back to my previous thought to view the 2008 model, all MOT history has no Fails, last advisory said "exhaust corrosion". Is that expensive to sort out? Is 2008 500 engine much different from 2013? Why are these used Fiats rather pricey...are they cars that hold their value because they are great, or is it a fashion that dictates their resale value. Any advice most welcome. Thanks you, Georgia

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Unlike technical advice, in other words: "What do I do if this happens", buying advice is fraught with danger. My own car is a 2005 Panda MJ and has covered almost 115,000 miles, so is older and presumably has a different engine; having said that, the gearbox is the same and so are many other components.

The car has had a couple of front anti-roll bar drop links (we're surrounded by speed humps) has had the offside front shock absorber, handbrake assembly and nearside door lock replaced. With the exception of the clutch (111,000 miles) the only other parts that have been replaced have been wear items (brake pads, shoes, wipers, tyres etc).

As far as my memory goes, this is by far the most reliable car I've owned or kept in 43 years. Will I get another? Well, sadly the MJ is no longer available in the Panda with the exception of the 4X4s so I would have to go with the 1.2 petrol and that's looking more and more likely as the days go by.

Looking at competitors, I'm afraid I'm genetically predisposed to avoid almost anything French, so that tends to leave the Citroen C1 and Peugeot 108 out in the cold, but they don't seem much smaller than than the Panda outside yet appear quite a bit smaller on the inside and most seem to lack the five doors of the Panda. They also don't seem much (if at all) lighter than the FIAT. The French origin bit also leaves the Toyota Aygo off the list.

The 500s you looked at are made in the same factory at Tychy in Poland my Panda was built in so I have no reason to expect that it would be any less reliable than my MJ, but then I won't have to deal with any problems that might arise.

So for me, a new, or nearly new Panda will be the one I eventually choose and that is a decision I will have to live with, But will your 500 be any less reliable than my new Panda? I don't know, but I wouldn't have any qualms about buying a car made there with essentially the same architecture as my own faithful little donkey.