General DEPOSIT on 500c should I?

[roocarl]

Very close to buying a 500c but dealers next to useless not filling me with confidence called Coventry who did not believe me Fiat were making a 500c doh and Northampton who never got back to me? then was told no pictures had been released but found some on the 500 wants you site!
Is this par for the course lol
My other car is huge Toyota FJ cruiser but I need a large funky vehicle for work so i thought a 500 would like a bit more in keeping with current climate so not to pee off some of my customers and still be a lil fun !

 

[wreckmaster]

Have you heard any prices on the C?? Is it much more expensive than an ordinary 500

 

[Stu DemonD]

Any idea who you spoke to at Motorvogue?

 

[roocarl]

have been told about £2k more than hard top but same dealer told me no diesel version but since found out there will be !
would not pay anymore than £2k over as lets be honest its just a big sun roof!
Anyway I am going to Geneva to have a look at one in 3 weeks!

 

[wreckmaster]

have been told about £2k more than hard top but same dealer told me no diesel version but since found out there will be !
would not pay anymore than £2k over as lets be honest its just a big sun roof!
Anyway I am going to Geneva to have a look at one in 3 weeks!

2k`s is a bit much I guess. As you say it is just a big sun roof, but it sure looks good. I wish it was me that were going to Geneva If you buy one take it for a roadtrip to Northern Italy on 4th of july for the 500`s second birthday.. I am taking my 500 1,2pop all the way from Norway

 

[Ulpian]

The trouble is the salesmen are often the last to know anything because many of them, not all, are not car enthusiasts - at all. Frankly they wait for Fiat to send them the official pre-releases. You'd think they'd check their own website though.

But yes: why not order one. However, and this is my personal paranoia coming through, I have just noticed that the roof surround is pretty substantial and may encroach on headroom, as it does with the sliding roof version. This is no problem of you are not too tall, but if you are I would at least check out the present opening roof model before you sign anything.

I may be wrong of course, but apart from this possible inconvenience I think you'd be very happy with this little car - and it will hold its value.

Now: what colour

 

[roocarl]

no sorry I cant remember who at Motorvogue, to be fair at least they were polite but Coventry were unbelievable I said check out future models on fiat website salesman said " I have not got time to surf web all day to see variations on every model"
Donkey!
Perhaps coventry fiat are bucking the trend and selling so many cars they dont need customer service or product knowledge
not!
I would avoid
I have had Porsches, a corvette,mercs, minis etc all sorts of nice kit but never heard a dealer salesman not realise a launch of there own car!!!

 

[Bhindi]

I have been to the Coventry dealer, and wasnt terribly impressed with the salesman.. on the other side of their drive is Suzuki, now they were fun guys to visit, had a great laugh and a chat with them..

I am hoping to buy a 500 in the not to distant future, (have to sell a car and bike first), Coventry are my closest, but I don't think I will go to them.. grrrrrrrrrr

 

[Suasexed]

2k`s is a bit much I guess. As you say it is just a big sun roof, but it sure looks good. I wish it was me that were going to Geneva If you buy one take it for a roadtrip to Northern Italy on 4th of july for the 500`s second birthday.. I am taking my 500 1,2pop all the way from Norway

I'm sure I read somewhere, a while ago, that the convertible was meant to be an extra £900 on any trim level. Probably wrong...

You could always put a deposit down and then if you think the price is too much just for a canvas roof you could always just go for the regular fiver

 

[[email protected]]

I have been to the Coventry dealer, and wasnt terribly impressed with the salesman.. on the other side of their drive is Suzuki, now they were fun guys to visit, had a great laugh and a chat with them..

I am hoping to buy a 500 in the not to distant future, (have to sell a car and bike first), Coventry are my closest, but I don't think I will go to them.. grrrrrrrrrr

Try John Waller ar Norris Bros in Tamworth. It's a bit like going back 10 years in dealer ambience/facilities but were and continue to be super helpful to me personally. Not the most knowledgeable, but are willing to try and help and will be genuinely interested. They spent hours on the net with me prior to UK launch trying to find out as much as possible.

 

[nottsfiat07]

Does anyone think we should be reporting experiences like this to Fiat CS? After all its their products that are being undermined! It shouldnt just be when people have a bad experience buying a fiat, also if you are treated with disdain when making an enquiry!

 

[Jake_in_notts]

Does anyone think we should be reporting experiences like this to Fiat CS? After all its their products that are being undermined! It shouldnt just be when people have a bad experience buying a fiat, also if you are treated with disdain when making an enquiry!

I complained to CS about my dealers complete lack of product knowledge and pricing when the 500 first came out and recieved £200 worth of vouchers. So I say YES.
Im no expert but if I can find out more info than the dealer who's supposed to be selling it to me in just a few days of trying then its pretty shocking.

 

[Ulpian]

Im no expert but if I can find out more info than the dealer who's supposed to be selling it to me in just a few days of trying then its pretty shocking.

:yeahthat::yeahthat::yeahthat:

 

[Snowball]

Are you near Milton Keynes? go to Souls in Bletchley, my 500 purchase went smoothly buying from them, the other dealer I have always found good is Grays at Warwick.

Good luck, I still can't make up my mind if I like the 500c, it reminds me of the roof on a 2cv, I think I would have to see one in the flesh to be swayed.

 

[nottsfiat07]

The saleman I bought my 500 from knew less about the options than me, but I had spent many an hour deciding what I wanted! Other than that he was fine tho. Personally, I wouldnt buy any car without seeing it, crawling all over it and driving it first, especially with something like the 500c with the cloth roof. You need to see it operate and how it feels up and down I think.

 

[Venters]

The salesman may not be completely at fault for a lack of knowledge on the 500c. As far as I'm aware the only information dealers have received on it has been releases to dealer principles and general managers, some of whom are no the best at passing this sort of information on to their salesmen.

Hell I remember when I sold Fiats most of my product knowledge came from the pages of FF. As my managers were shocking.

 

[Jake_in_notts]

The salesman may not be completely at fault for a lack of knowledge on the 500c. As far as I'm aware the only information dealers have received on it has been releases to dealer principles and general managers, some of whom are no the best at passing this sort of information on to their salesmen.

Hell I remember when I sold Fiats most of my product knowledge came from the pages of FF. As my managers were shocking.

Agreed: I dont blame the sales guys for a dealerships fault but they can at least say to their bosses "Im being made to look a tool in front of customers selling something im not trained to and have no knowledge of, can i have the appropriate information so I dont woffle and can do my job properly"

 

[Venters]

Agreed: I dont blame the sales guys for a dealerships fault but they can at least say to their bosses "Im being made to look a tool in front of customers selling something im not trained to and have no knowledge of, can i have the appropriate information so I dont woffle and can do my job properly"

Yeah this is also true. I suppose if nothing else it shows how big the problem is. With the fact that no one person is really to blame but the entire structure from the Fiat directors to the Fiat salesmen.

 

[Nuova500]

Before placing a deposit on the 500C, I would try on first... you might hate it, have you tried any 500 yet? Dont forget, things like the hood might be very noisy at speed, the potential lack of headroom could be an issue. You really should wait before parting with any money, thats my honest opinion

 

[Ulpian]

Before placing a deposit on the 500C, I would try on first... you might hate it, have you tried any 500 yet? Don't forget, things like the hood might be very noisy at speed, the potential lack of headroom could be an issue. You really should wait before parting with any money, that's my honest opinion

Agreed. I have looked at the photos and notice spoilers both at the top of the windscreen and on the furled hood edge. I am supposing these are to control airflow. Now, I remember our Citroen Dyanes: there was a half open position which could be closed from the driving seat and this was fine up to about 30mph, but after that the buffeting became unbearable. However, the fully furled position with the canvas rolled to the back allowed high speeds (80mph - honest) without any noise or disturbance at all: except in the back seat where it was a bit windy at the top I reckon the spoiler on the forward edge of the hood is to prevent this buffeting in the half furled position.