Having had many FIATs and Alfas in the dark , distant past , then moving onto the Japanese for the reliability thing ( sorry ! ) I've now got a new Panda TwinAir Easy to join the family fleet - 2 Japs , 1 German and the Italian .
Anyway , all those years ago , with the old Alfas and FIATs there was forever the problem of them changing the spec or supplier of parts etc . Which , of course , created absolute mayhem when trying to source replacement bits . And the dealers never had a clue about any of this , " No mate , got to be the right bit . Must be you . Sorry , not taking it back . "
Well , the new FIAT needs some oil ( 5,000 miles ) to top-up to the max mark . Handbook specifies quite clearly 0W30 grade . Every local dealer I've spoken to , however , states it's 5W40 they put in . " Don't bother with the 0W30 , " they say . " We never put that in . The handbook must be wrong . Costs us too much anyway . You want the 5W40 . " Nor do they even stock the stuff .
So , once again , FIAT dealers haven't a clue . No wonder they remain hopeless in all the customer surveys . Anyway , could the fact that dealers are putting 5W40 into TwinAir engines rather than the correct specification ( possibly for the more recent engines ? ) 0W30 be the reason behind the spate of engine problems/failures and turbo issues ?
With the factory fitted oil I've been getting terrific mpg - upper 50's + . Even been in the mid 40's when driven with gusto . I suspect I'd lose this with the older , lower spec oil . To say nothing about the hidden damage going on !
Our Subaru Forester also gives great economy even though it's 4x4 and an auto . 0W20 is the grade recommended , though others can be used too .
So , I'm going to persevere for the TwinAir Panda and ignore the dealers and go for 0W30 . I'd be interested in your comments .