So, for the last few months my wife and I have been on opposite sides of what should be our next car. I've come from a long line of boring cars. Several Corollas and Accords, and some even more boring stuff in between. I wanted a fast car, good handling, sporty but in 4 door since we sometimes have to transport older people. My wife wanted an SUV, which I REALLY didn't want. <br />
<br />
Fast forward to a couple days ago when we drove by a used car lot and saw the 500L,and we both loved the looks of it. They were closed, and in the meantime we've been doing some research. Lengthy reviews, different trims, etc. Today we intend to take it for a drive. Long story to get to this - what should I be looking for? How high of mileage is getting to the point where it might cause serious problems? We're on a tight budget. I think I can come up with $5000 Canadian (about 3300 euros according to google).I could finance some of it, although I'd like to buy outright. The one on the lot has 73000 KMs and is $10000.I realize this isn't a powerful sports car. But I think from what I've read and watched it could be a fun little car <br />
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So, hello to everyone and if you have any advice please feel free to let me know! I've never even driven a Fiat before

Hi.. and welcome both

What motor is in it..?

That may give a hint as to running costs vs lifespan

Charlie.. in Wales.UK

Gearbox
Auto?
Manual?

This question comes up quite frequently, and the last time I answered I advised to do your homework and read up on reviews on here. A car based on looks is not really a reason alone to make a choice. Do your homework...

Hi Everyone,

New here and I'm in the almost the same boat as the OP (Bic44).

Would you mind if I post my intended use, specs I am looking at and questions I have here? Or would that be thread hijacking?

Thanks!

There are not so many non.european threads.. and it will cover a lot of the same information

Tell us more

Thanks varesecrazy, and OP!

So I think I will start with a little overview of my intended use and why I am looking at a 500L.

Background
I have a small car that I use for my commute to and from work, and it's perfect for the job (think Daewoo Matiz in the UK). Every now and then it would be nice to have something a bit bigger (e.g. for golf clubs, big grocery shopping) and every now and then I do a 50- or 60-mile drive (about twice a month).

So I have been looking at something like a Qashqai, an older CR-V, etc, but the Fiat unreliability perception is really strong here where I am from and the 500L can be had for very cheap used. And I get that, the dealer network is smaller than the popular Toyota/VW etc and no doubt Fiat Chrysler has had issues, however, it seems like these issues might have led to an abnormally high discount to more popular brands. So I started looking at a 500L.

I won't be driving much, probably no more than 2000 miles a year, and I am not a fast driver - power has never really bothered me much.

What I can get and what I am looking at
I can get a 2015 500L with the higher-spec level (half leather seats, sunroof, etc) with only around 2,000 miles on the clock for about €7000.
I can get a 2015 500L with the same spec with around 15,000 miles for about €6,500.
All the ones I am looking at have a 6-speed manual transmission, and the 1.4 naturally aspirated engine (70KW).


From what I read in reviews and watch in videos, the 1.4 FIRE engine is considered a bit underpowered. However, I honestly dont think that wil be an issue for me. My current runabout does 0-60MPH in about 16 seconds, and it has never really bothered me, in fact I kind of enjoy it.


Questions
My main question is about the above engine/gearbox choice with regards to reliability in general.
I could probably get an extended Mopar warranty from the dealer. Or a 3rd party one.
Is it possible to have a trouble free motoring experience with a 500L? Or will I regret it?
If I don't abuse the car, show it some love, and take it to the Fiat dealers for all its services.

Is there anything I should know about the 2015 model year?

I have owned some cars in the past with supposed horrible reliability (Chevy, Peugeot, etc) yet I have never had any issues. I did have a honda civic and the gearbox went, though. So while I am sure that one cannot ignore the reliability reports, I am starting to feel that all modern cars are fairly reliable if taken care of. Or am I wrong?

Thanks and happy to answer more questions !

PS. All the above imperial measurements were converted from metric measurements by me.

Additional: I left this out from my reasons, but I feel it's worth mentioning. I am bored as faark in general, in life. I am kind of tired of 'sensible' and have been drawn to quirkier options (not just cars ) lately. I think 10 years ago I would have looked at a 500L and thought what a ridiculous looking car. But now into my 4th decade, I am thinking please just give me anything that will add something interesting to my day.

So for me - well, my wife - this is her checklist - good visibility, easy to get in and out of (she's only 39 but walks with a cane due to health issues),storage space, being able to take 4 people somewhat comfortably, and easy to drive.

Bonus points for something fun, quirky and different.

As for research - we've been watching countless reviews, even long term ones. I think we've pretty much decided to get one of these, but I wanted to talk to some owners to not only find out what their reliability is like, but also what to maybe check for when looking at used ones.

The one we're looking at is the 1.4 Litre turbo. Automatic, since my wife has wrist issues and can no longer shift a manualon bad days. I realize about the dual clutch 'weirdness'. When we take it for a drive we will quickly find out about it, I'm sure

Ive no great experience of the 500l

But the engines..and base platform are common to circa 2010 FIATs

I have a 2012 punto.. same mechanical structure
Now covered 53k miles

Failures in order
2 indicator bulbs faded in light.. no longer yellow.. still worked though

At 6 years : 45k miles of illumination a DRL bulb failed

Thats it.. brakes and battery still factory..even the front tyres lasted 42k

I had a 2004 panda for 15 years.. never needed a bulb or fuse.. but 5 batteries ..

The Electrics are BOSCH


The 1.4 FIRE ( Superfire) motors have been around a long time and no nasty surprises.. but age means fuel economy and power are 2005's norm's rather than 2015 levels

I have 3 puntos with the 1248cc turbo diesel more power AND better fuel economy.. but the 1400c FIRE petrol is capable

Look in the GRANDE PUNTO section for lots of Engine information

Is the 500l a regular sight on your local roads?

Its not a vast seller in the UK..

So I have not had any direct experience

Charlie

I consider myself fairly well versed in knowing cars. But, at least on the East coast of Canada, I have seen *VERY* few. I didn't even realize the L version existed to be honest. I didn't pay a lot of attention because the 500 was kind of a quirky looking car, but way too small. The L is much bigger.

Thanks Charlie that helps a lot!

I almost never see a 500L on the roads here, but the 500s are everywhere!
It really hit me today just how many 500s there are on our roads.

Fiats.. even in the UK

Have not held their value well..

They make a very good budget purchase..
But I would not pay MORE for 'exclusivity'

10,000CDN Dollars sounds a significant sum.. is that comparable to a Toyota.. or Honda??

Just to add a little to what charlie said, the 1.4 turbo is the same basic engine fitted to abarth cars in one form or another. There was the T-jet which is very european and the Multiair which is much more north america. Both have their pros and cons but both are fairly robust and reliable engines. Multiair failures are the expensive worry, however I have seen especially in canada the Abarth Tuners like to bring the european T-jet parts over to canada to replace their multiair units in the likes of the Abarth spider and therefore multiair units can be bought second hand if they are needed.

The 500L wasn't well recieved in the UK but it was in other parts of europe and they are basically not a bad little van and will fit 4/5 adults comfortably. My only experiance is family members having them as rentals, and while its not a car thats to everyone's taste it is no worse than any other fiat which is to say its not a bad little car.

It was built on the same platform as several other fiats, alfa romeo, GM and jeep cars so its fairly well supported as well.

AUTOMATIC gearboxes

Some are a semi.auto termed selespeed..or duologic.. can be problematic with age

Other conventional AUTOS tend to be more reliable.. and in 7 .. or even 9 speed
They can be reasonably good on fuel

varesecrazy said:

Fiats.. even in the UK

Have not held their value well..

They make a very good budget purchase..
But I would not pay MORE for 'exclusivity'

10,000CDN Dollars sounds a significant sum.. is that comparable to a Toyota.. or Honda??

Click to expand...

Not where I'm at. A 2014 Civic or Fit with 130000kms, for example, would probably fetch around the same for a base model. And this has all the bells and whistles. I could get one 2 years older with double the kms for about $6000.

My 2010 Corolla with 275000 on it will probably get me $3500 pretty easily. Just as a point of reference.

And thanks for the replies everyone!

In my neck of the woods the 500l is very rarely seen, the 500 and the Panda have some following, the wee 500 mainly driven by young females. Buying habits have changed, quite a lot lease and go for the more expensive marks. Not a survey by any means but the SUV in some form or another seem to be the chosen weapon by young and old here.

Not a Fiat expert, but about 3 yrs ago I bought a 2014 500L MPW TwinAir 0.9L 105hp (Turbo, 5+2 seater). I think this variant is quite rare esp. since Fiat dropped TwinAir (TA) from 500L.

I'll share my experience of the car in case it's useful for folks who are considering 500L.

I've been on a mission to find a 7-seater family petrol car with 40ish real life mpg for several years. So this was our no. 1 criteria, apart from reliability and looks. Diesel is out of the question due to our urban lifestyle and my environmental outlook.

Been averaging about 36 mpg (I'm in UK so this is UK gallon) of mixed use based on full to full fill-up method that I had done rather religiously for a year or so. The car computer reported slightly higher mpg (37-38 mpg). I can get 40-41 mpg for country driving but that is with hyper-mileaging driving style.

Plusses and minuses:
+ lively, plenty of power. If anybody thinks power is an issue, they haven't driven a TA. Elsewhere in the forum someone commented that driving TA in 500L feels like 1.6 diesel. This is true. The middle range torque is plentiful, making overtaking a breeze.
+ best mpg for a 7-seater petrol car (you can say 5+2 instead of 7 seats, but ok in our case as our 2 kids are still small).
+ superb to drive, high seating position, excellent visibility
+ my wife and I love the looks, versatility and the Tardis-feel of the car

- Very short 1st gear and weak power/torque at the start of 2nd gear (though plenty at mid rpm). Someone commented this 2nd gear power issue can be solved by using a higher RON fuel.
- Poor fabric quality on the seats for Pop Star trim. Easily stained and feels like they're skimping.

Now, on reliability:

Am a bit of OCD when deciding a to buy a car, spent months researching. We're tight on budget so wanted to make sure that we don't get a money pit. I was agonising before buying this car, because from some anecdotal evidences, past impression and one website that put Fiat (as brand) in the bottom list of a reliability index amongst other carmakers. Oh, and the fact TwinAir was relatively new, somewhat unproven engine.

3 years on, I'm still on the fence about this car's reliability:
- Had to replace the airbag ECU recently (£350)
- Replaced clutch + dual-mass flywheel (48k mi, £520, independent garage)

Overall though, we think we (still) love the car. £30 tax and low insurance are welcome bonuses. Knock on wood on the reliability front.

peterch said:

Questions
My main question is about the above engine/gearbox choice with regards to reliability in general.
I could probably get an extended Mopar warranty from the dealer. Or a 3rd party one.
Is it possible to have a trouble free motoring experience with a 500L? Or will I regret it?
If I don't abuse the car, show it some love, and take it to the Fiat dealers for all its services.

Is there anything I should know about the 2015 model year?

I have owned some cars in the past with supposed horrible reliability (Chevy, Peugeot, etc) yet I have never had any issues. I did have a honda civic and the gearbox went, though. So while I am sure that one cannot ignore the reliability reports, I am starting to feel that all modern cars are fairly reliable if taken care of. Or am I wrong?

Thanks and happy to answer more questions !

PS. All the above imperial measurements were converted from metric measurements by me.

Additional: I left this out from my reasons, but I feel it's worth mentioning. I am bored as faark in general, in life. I am kind of tired of 'sensible' and have been drawn to quirkier options (not just cars ) lately. I think 10 years ago I would have looked at a 500L and thought what a ridiculous looking car. But now into my 4th decade, I am thinking please just give me anything that will add something interesting to my day.

Click to expand...

Wow ... this is a bit like reading my own thoughts about 3 years ago

I'm too in my 40s and had been picking 'safe' cars i.e. Japanese when I was living in SE Asia. When I came to UK, economy became the overriding factor, and Japanese cars are more expensive, so I focused my effort in finding good deals on 7-10 year old low mileage cars, with little care about brands.

This changed 3 years ago when we bought a 4 year old 500L. Read my post above on why I considered that a 'risky' purchase. But like you, we want to treat ourselves to a newish, exciting car, and it turns out that the car is a joy to drive and functions well as a family car.

Wrt to some of your Qs, I'll give you my thoughts below, but mind you that these are my personal musings/opinions. I'm not a car/Fiat expert, but merely a conscious car buyer & user.

Engine/gearbox: you mentioned you don't care about fast cars, and reliability is more important, so I would go for a 'simple' variant, i.e. 1.4 MT, less things to go wrong.

Reliability: see my above post, although mine is a TA (TwinAir). Also, I find 'Honest John car by car review' excellent as it has 'Good/Bad' section, collating all the major problems of the car as reported by users (although sometimes it's hard to figure out which variant the problems pertains to). It's UK-centric, though.

I used to share your view that modern cars are generally on par in terms of reliability, but having read a lot of car reviews / forums, esp. on reliability matters, I find that there are certain cars that you should definitely avoid, so really need to do your homework (which you are). Was talking to a used car dealer once where he said that he'd rather nail his balls on a table than buying a French car. An exaggeration, obviously, as he tried to sell me a Mazda, but there are lots to be said about problematic electrics in some French cars.

Extended warranty/servicing from Fiat dealer: I generally try not to use dealerships for price reason, and servicing from Fiat dealers in UK is particularly expensive compared to other brands. I would personally focus my effort in finding a low mileage car with a service history to increase my chances of problem-free motoring (if there's ever such a thing). Also, just because I'm cheap, I try very hard to find cars from private sellers. Yes, there are risks, but there are ways to minimise them.

Good luck and do give us an update.

Thanks for sharing

I believe the clutch: flywheel had probably met its life expectancy in a 105.. 48k of local driving is significant use

But the Airbag..
If it 'just failed' I think you were unlucky

Spilling a can of drink over parts does happen though..

As does previous owner bodgery..
(Poor crash repairs also)


French electrics.. yes indeed


Charlie