General bravo 1.4 looking for owns honest reviews

[zoe89]

hey just wondering if you can help me. i currently own a mk1 ford focus which im sick of throwin money at to fix. i really like the bravo but have been told to stay clear. As much as i love my focus there's only some many times you can fix it before falling out with it, so as i wasn't expectin my focus to let me down im gonna have to get a loan for a new car and as you can imagine i dont want to throw money away. As we all do i want a car that is reliable. so please could any of you help me and be honest about the bravo, i'm not looking at a specific model plz help

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Who said to avoid it? One could say the same about a certain era of Fords.

Overall if looked after the Bravo is a very reliable companion. I've the 1.6 MultiJet. Had it nearly 7 months, done almost 13k trouble free miles in it.

Just check the usual things when looking to by, ensure its been looked after, and don't buy the first one you see, there'll be other which will come around if your not 100% happy

 

[Tad-bravo]

I'm over 60k miles with no serious problem, the car never let me down.

 

[colin79666]

As has been said above the best thing to do is go and have a look at some.

I had mine for less than a year as it kept having to go back to get the cruise control looked and and I found it too uncomfortable (I'm quite tall). However there were lots of things I did like about the Bravo and mechanically they seem pretty sound (especially if you avoid the higher power models which have had some turbo and gearbox issues).

 

[ascott92]

Seems to be a fair few people coming over from Focus's (Focii?) lately.

It's very car dependant, as with any car, no matter how expensive or cheap, there are good ones and bad ones. In general though, Bravos seem to be good, and are alot more reliable than older Fiats. With the correct history, there's no reason it'll be unreliable.

 

[santa]

I have a 1,4 TJET 120 and I've had it since dec. 2012. So far I've driven some 40.000 km (for a total of 70.000 km on the car).
It's not using any oil and starts every time.
So far the only problem I have had is a stuck rear caliper (changed along with the read discs and pads) and something changed in the gearbox (problems with 5th and 6th gear, this was fixed on guarantee).
All the electronics work perfectly (including the climate control, cruise control and so on).

 

[Aargh]

We got our 1.4Tjet 120 from new and it was a reliable car for about 2.5 years.
Then I heard a raspy sound in 6th with light throttle - gearbox bearings. Took Fiat about 6 months to source a replacement - thank f*ck it was under warranty (the new box route will cost over two grand, changing the bearings didn't seem an option to them). That kinda killed my opinion of the reliablility. During the repair, Richard Hardie also forgot to plug the fan in, which was a nice suprise when stuck in traffic on a hot day and late for a wedding :bang:. The back brake calipers are also things of pure evil and some other bits feel cheap. Didn't want to start the other day in the cold either - took about 3 attempts.

On the upside, it's rather quick for a runaround - most similar sized/priced cars will feel sloth-like compared to the Bravo, even with 'just' 120bhp. Saying that, I've never managed above 32mpg urban (no matter what fuel I put in, or how restrained I drive it).
The other upside is that, now I'm looking for something new, I don't think I'll find anything comparable for the money we paid for it, although it must've been a damn good deal as they seem to be about five grand more now .

 

[decypha77]

I have had my Bravo (a 2008 150 T-Jet Sport) for 5 months now. I will start off with the very few negatives I have experienced with the car. The claimed fuel consumption figures are a lie, plain and simple; there are a few quality niggles (peeling steering wheel and the shabby plastic used on the parking brake to name a few); the T-Jet Sport has horrendously stiff suspension (this coming from a relatively sprightly and supple 23 year old says something); resale values are a little weak (which is sort of good news if you are a buyer); by far my personal dealership experience is the worst part about owning the car honestly.

Now with all that out of the way, I love my car so much I feel utterly depressed if I haven't seen it or driven it for more than a day. It has a slightly innocent demeanor to it so it is great how often you surprise people who don't expect much from or know much about the car: I have lost track of the number of times I have had a passenger screaming with joy as I unleashed it on a strip of tar, the engine note is slightly guttural with a slight turbo whisp to accompany it. (https://www.fiatforum.com/bravo/310199-thor-dices-teuton.html as an example of the madness)

On smooth tar roads, the car turns silky. Motorways are a breeze as I almost never have to change down from 6th gear with all the torque the car has. Overtaking is a breeze, the steering inspires confidence although it can get a bit vague (I remedy this by using my Sport button), it is overall a solid car and has been quite nice on longer trips, especially after I discovered the lumbar support on my seat.

Before I bought my car, I was considering an Alfa Romeo 159 2.2 JTS; it is a stunning car and every time I saw one I felt a tinge of envy till the morning I saw a Bravo quite similar to my own. It is a really good looking car and the looks you get will attest to this.

I could go on for a while because I really love my car, it is unforgivably underrated, and I would recommend anyone give it a shot if they are looking for a car to buy. When I first drove it, I remarked about how much it reminded me of a 2006 A3 2.0T I got to live with for a bit (just a bit slower, slightly more athletic in the corners with heavier steering at slower speeds and a lot less leathery). That is how highly I think of the Fiat Bravo.

 

[Tad-bravo]

I also had the tearing leather on the steering wheel but that was replaced under warranty in only half an hour and the new steering wheel is still in perfect condition after 4 years now.

That sort of issue is really not worth mentioning compared to the serious lemons some "high end" manufacturers offer right out of the dealership.

 

[850kd]

Have had my 1.4 (90) for 3.5 yrs. and have put 55k on it in that time. The 90 is really a bit underpowered but quite manageable, if you're not interested in racing. Will cruise all day effortlessly on the motorway and turn in over 50mpg if driven carefully. Typically I get 46-48 mpg in general use, I keep it well serviced, including cam belt change, and have so far bought only tyres,pads and front discs, new back box and one n/s rear cylinder. Quite happy with it . This is my eleventh Fiat.

 

[aurick86]

I've had my 1.4 t-jet 120hp, for about 5 months.
Two moths in i discovered the Hill Holder is malfunctioning..dealer wants to change abs pump and module for about 3000euro ( not going to happen!)...am searching for a second hand one at the moment.

MPG is pretty good, the car feels nimble but not as well planted as the old Bravo, the Dynamic's suspension is a little to soft.
At over 120 km/h there is a little wind noise.
One annoying thing: the windscreen washers .... at city speeds the spray goes over the car, at fast motorway speeds the spray is to low.

 

[Marcos999]

One annoying thing: the windscreen washers .... at city speeds the spray goes over the car, at fast motorway speeds the spray is to low.

I don't know if they're adjustable, mine are pretty much spot on?
I am a new 150 T-Jet Sport owner. Coming from a Punto Evo Sporting I love the Bravo, the only comments I'd have about mine, if I was ordering it new I wouldn't of bothered with the leather interior and the auto windscreen wipers are useless! I'd love to be able to change those to a manual intermittent wipe but it would probably cost a ridiculous amount of cash!

 

[cardinalbiggles]

One annoying thing: the windscreen washers .... at city speeds the spray goes over the car, at fast motorway speeds the spray is to low.

Adjust them, its a 2 minute job. Never had an issue with mine.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

One annoying thing: the windscreen washers .... at city speeds the spray goes over the car, at fast motorway speeds the spray is to low.

Can't say I have that issue with mine luckily.

 

[Aargh]

I've not had the washers play up, but if the windscreen isn't wet enough then the flexible wipers can suddenly stick, bend 90 degrees and then slap violently off the windscreen. Bit scary if you've never had it happen before.

 

[KHALED25]

Can't say I have that issue with mine luckily.

Same here. It sprays the water very evenly on mine.You might have a problem with the pump. My original front wipers on mine havent been changed in 2.5 years and still doing well despite the hot climate. The back one was poor but that doesnt really count as a problem does it.

Anyway this car has really exceeded my expectations in 3 years of ownership.
pros:
-good economy
-good low-end torque means it can carry as much you wanna throw in the car without having to be revved (only a 120 t-jet)
-low wind noise and non intrusive orange lights in the interior make it great for cruising . Also the interior is very driver oriented
-still has good looks (used to be the best looking car when it was released in 2007)
-the dynamic has a lot of goodies
-blue&me is brilliant for pairing your phone. Voice commands are usually accurate and are available for the media player as well (mind you that most cars that have bluetooth dont have pre-installed voice commands or dont have them at all)
-good sized trunk (compared to hatches of the same size)

cons:
-Stiff suspension means that lots of potholes will eventually make the car susceptible to squeaks and interior noises. Although the noises depend on the outside temperature really (non-existent during the summer)
-dualogic gearbox also behaves differently depending on the temperature and isnt one for heavy abuse. Usually its very smooth though
- poor rear wiper lol

So mainly the cons are that you have a car whose suspension like the hot climate and a transmission that likes the winter

 

[aurick86]

Adjust them, its a 2 minute job. Never had an issue with mine.

They are NOT adjustable