Hello hello,
I've been raiding this forum for a while so I thought I'd better join. We're currently running two in a succession of FIATs. There are times when they've nearly brought me to tears
but most of the time they make me smile. I've absolutely had it up to here with main dealers and their "service" departments :bang:
Here's a potted history of our love/hate relationship with FIAT and their cars.
1985 Panda 850: I bought this cheap to teach my wife to drive and if she wrecked it it didn't matter. As it happens it helped her to become a very good driver, her father used to marvel at how she could even get it to move. It cost more to insure than it was worth and after a few hard years chugged its way out of the drive with mud spraying up through the rear wheel wells and steam pouring out through the head gasket to the scrapyard when replaced by a lovely new Punto.
1998 Punto 1.2 60 S: Our one and only car bought new - under a scrappage scheme. The head gasket went at 33,000 miles and a leaking fuel filler pipe caused by a mechanic's stray screwdriver around NCT time (our MOT here in Ireland) was pretty much it.
1999 Punto 1.2 85 ELX: When we needed a second car the mother-in-law was about to trade-up so it seemed the obvious choice. It lasted the course with no problems. Replaced by an Ugly Bug.
2000 Punto 1.2 80 HLX: This took over from our 1998 60S. It's had a new head-gasket too - hmmm, I'm sensing a running theme here - (despite being told they had resolved that problem) along with the thermostat plus cooling fan just-in case. Our non-dealer mechanic after that told us they need new thermostats every 25,000 miles to stave this off. It's also had a new steering column, the bonnet latch seized and the bonnet release cable is about to be replaced. Otherwise it's sharp, quick, comfy and economical (50+ mpg if I'm nice to it) and only does low milage to and from work so it's staying until it's dead. :dead:
2002 Multipla 1.6 ELX: FIAT called it champagne, we called it brown. Dealer-demo, specced out nicely. Other than the drop-links and the scary body-shake at speed due to the double sunroofs this one was pretty good... apart from the time the fuel pump went south just as my wife was coming off a roundabout. Replaced by a Nose Job.
2006 Multipla 1.9 MJTD Dynamic - My wife says this is the worst one. It's all my fault because I wanted a diesel So far it's had a new clutch and water pump (both under warranty), drop links, loose ABS connectors under the seat, air-con rheostat sword internals replaced thanks to an electronics genius uncle, MAF filter clean, DPF clogged (resolved thanks to FIAT ECUscan - best €50 ever - laptop & VAG-KKL cable and a worrying eight minutes at the side of the road in the middle of nowhere listening to the engine scream and watching smoke billowing from under the car ) and now needs a new fuel filter housing, front right hub/bearing and probably bushings/wishbones at the front and same or subframe at the rear. Ah well... :shrug: When you're six up and you push the throttle. In fifth. Uphill. :wave: All is forgiven.
Anyway, I hope to get through it all with the help of those on here :worship: and contribute where I can.
It's good to have a place like this. Thanks for what I've gleaned already and for what I'm sure will be much more to come.
Diarmuid
I've been raiding this forum for a while so I thought I'd better join. We're currently running two in a succession of FIATs. There are times when they've nearly brought me to tears
but most of the time they make me smile. I've absolutely had it up to here with main dealers and their "service" departments :bang:Here's a potted history of our love/hate relationship with FIAT and their cars.
1985 Panda 850: I bought this cheap to teach my wife to drive and if she wrecked it it didn't matter. As it happens it helped her to become a very good driver, her father used to marvel at how she could even get it to move.
It cost more to insure than it was worth and after a few hard years chugged its way out of the drive with mud spraying up through the rear wheel wells and steam pouring out through the head gasket to the scrapyard when replaced by a lovely new Punto.1998 Punto 1.2 60 S: Our one and only car bought new - under a scrappage scheme. The head gasket went at 33,000 miles
and a leaking fuel filler pipe caused by a mechanic's stray screwdriver around NCT time (our MOT here in Ireland) was pretty much it.1999 Punto 1.2 85 ELX: When we needed a second car the mother-in-law was about to trade-up so it seemed the obvious choice. It lasted the course with no problems. Replaced by an Ugly Bug.
2000 Punto 1.2 80 HLX: This took over from our 1998 60S. It's had a new head-gasket too - hmmm, I'm sensing a running theme here - (despite being told they had resolved that problem) along with the thermostat plus cooling fan just-in case. Our non-dealer mechanic after that told us they need new thermostats every 25,000 miles to stave this off.
It's also had a new steering column, the bonnet latch seized and the bonnet release cable is about to be replaced. Otherwise it's sharp, quick, comfy and economical (50+ mpg if I'm nice to it) and only does low milage to and from work so it's staying until it's dead. :dead:2002 Multipla 1.6 ELX: FIAT called it champagne, we called it brown. Dealer-demo, specced out nicely. Other than the drop-links and the scary body-shake at speed due to the double sunroofs this one was pretty good... apart from the time the fuel pump went south just as my wife was coming off a roundabout. Replaced by a Nose Job.
2006 Multipla 1.9 MJTD Dynamic - My wife says this is the worst one. It's all my fault because I wanted a diesel
So far it's had a new clutch and water pump (both under warranty), drop links, loose ABS connectors under the seat, air-con rheostat sword internals replaced thanks to an electronics genius uncle, MAF filter clean, DPF clogged (resolved thanks to FIAT ECUscan - best €50 ever - laptop & VAG-KKL cable and a worrying eight minutes at the side of the road in the middle of nowhere listening to the engine scream and watching smoke billowing from under the car ) and now needs a new fuel filter housing, front right hub/bearing and probably bushings/wishbones at the front and same or subframe at the rear. Ah well... :shrug: When you're six up and you push the throttle. In fifth. Uphill. :wave: All is forgiven. Anyway, I hope to get through it all with the help of those on here :worship: and contribute where I can.
It's good to have a place like this. Thanks for what I've gleaned already and for what I'm sure will be much more to come.
Diarmuid
