Fiat Haters

[DaveP]

Funny this is just something I can't understand, some of the fanatical bigotry towards FIAT cars, car owners and the brand.

Apart from the amusing grilling that guy got on Top Gear about why he hated the Barchetta "Its a FIAT" so why? "They're French!" every time a FIAT gets mentioned on Top Gear or whatever its brought up in terms of crappy build quality and bits falling off. Ive never owned a FIAT with crap build quality or bits falling off. Well maybe an A-reg Panda, but bits didnt fall off as much as the door just rust to bits.

But then so do Fords, Vauxhalls and especially Rovers of the same era.

Is it just old fashioned Brit-prejudice, or does it have any justification, taking account of FIATs compared with other cars of the same era.

Dave.

 

[jasper]

Dave,

Know how you feel mate. I think you're right a lot of it is down to British prejudice, a lot of Brits like to kick a dog when it's down and what with Fiat going through a rough patch recently (that it's thankfully coming out of now) it was all too easy to do just that.

Remember also that as a Brand Fiat (especially in Italy) is seen as a very utilitarian brand the workhorse to Ferrari's/Maserati's stallion if you like..it's a fact that you'll see age old Pandas run into the ground until they fall apart (ironically what people don't also realise is the car has to be durable to do that in the first place!!) but it's the bits falling off that people remember...and thus a reputation is born.

Whenever I come up against the usual bigatory I console myself with the fact that by buying a Fiat -and being an Italian car fan in general - you and I have made an individual choice that required some thought (other than "the Ford dealerships down the road, I'll just get one of those focuses' that all my neighbours have"). Be thankful you don't live in the west Midlands where every other car is a Rover - now if any car is going to fall apart it will be a Rover...Don't get me wrong I'd like to see Rover make good cars again but they don't and probably never will again.

Fortunately, with Ferrari's old boss now in charge of Fiat - we can look forward to a bright future...

 

[DaveP]

Oops just noticed I posted this in the wrong section. I agree with what you say about Rover, it hasn't made especially great cars since the 70s which is a crying shame.

As for FIAT, good point about durability, Ive got a 1974 Sport Spider which is still going stubbornly 30 years later, so it can't be all bad.

One of the mistakes FIAT made was in not releasing a turbo assisted Cinq and Sei to complement the Sporting 1.1 as most of the UK buyers get the small cars and the low end family cars.

I couldn't think of a more dull thing to do than to buy a car that most other people have, so I guess maybe thats why I bought FIAT in the first place, perhaps in Italy Id be similarly reactionary and end up buying a Metro or something ;-)

Funny really, in FIATs bad patch they produced:
Uno Turbo IE
Strada Abarth 130TC
Punto GT
Cinq Sporting
X1/9
Coupe
Barchetta

As for the workhorse cars, the Bravo is the most stylish car for under 20 grand on the second hand car market, IMHO. I can't stand the return to angular boxiness heralded by the "new" Astra and followed by the Stilo (*). Mind you, we have one of the new Pandas and that is tremendous.

FIAT is a GOOD car manufacturer, and always was, the comments used to be that FIATs were great cars but rusted, now its FIATs no longer rust, knock the build quality. When that is allowed to be "sorted" by the journos and pub crowd then there will be something else to moan about.

I wont hold my breath for a realistic view of FIAT cars from the UK in general, because it means that the rest of us get access to great cars on the second hand market at extremely cheap prices!

PS, exception made for Stilo Abarths, yum.

 

[Steven]

The biggest mistake Fiat ever made was the technology for steel exchange with the Russians. Fiat built factories in Russia in exchange for steel which turned out to be poor quality and prone to rusting. It was this that killed Lancia as a brand in the UK and it is this that most folk think about first when Fiat is mentioned. People can't seem to look beyond the past to recent cars.

 

[jasper]

Agree again..The Coupe is exceptional, I would love one as a 'weekend' car.
I actually agree with you about the Stilo - it is very germanic in appearance i.e angular (although carried out still with some Italian flair, I'm talking about the 3dr here especially). I think with the Stilo they were probably feeling a little unconfident and thought lets try and beat the Germans at there own game. Notice though how since the Stilo was launched a lot of cars have appeared with very similar styling cues you mention the 'new' astra but think also the 'new' Audi A3

Again I think Fiat missed a big opportunity with the Stilo in hot hatch terms - it should have left the factory with at least 200bhp and possibly a Turbo engine (it's not like Fiat can't make great Turbo engines) and a better suspension set up at the rear - but again a lack of self confidence and possibly development costs meant this didn't happen - hopefully they'll learn for Stilo mk2?

On the flip side you do get a car with a glorious five cylinder engine the most torque of any (normally aspirated) hot hatch and you won't park in a car park with ten other examples all around you. Plus it's loaded with standard kit at a very reasonable price. So another victory to individual thinking and Fiat ...I think?

I've gone off the point slightly here!! In terms of durability I remember watching a Top Gear I think in the last series where a company had done a reliabilty survey and Fiat were ranked 1st - again everyone laughed - but I don't find it so easy to disbelieve. Since joining this forum, I get the overwhelming impression, from most, that all Fiats are very durable (electrics not withstanding) especially in the engine department. I've owned 2 Fiats for four years now and the only problems I've had have been electrical/suspension related. Never has the car actually broken down/failed to start. Which, lets face it, is the most important aspect.

 

[DaveP]

I was thinking more about this over a coffee, the FIAT hating seemed to crescendo 2001 to 2003 on the TV, yet before that FIAT was a darling with the Sei, Barch, Punto and Coupe. Maybe you are right, the financial troubles encouraged many to put the boot in, in the same way that Quentin Wilson singled out the Marea in his bottom 10 ( it came out later that the bottom 10 were just picked from a list of the lowest selling cars from a particular quarter of 2002 ) because it was a poor seller, not because it was a poor car ( as every /other/ car journalist has reviewed it and rated it highly ).

Sure, FIATs are workhorses, but so are Fords and Volkswagens.

Dave.

 

[Steven]

I've had a load of Fiats over the last 13 years and only been let down once! That was by my current Uno. I've had other problems of course, but the cars have always got me home. I can't fault Fiat reliability.

 

[jasper]

Talking of motoring journos being fickle (I've mentioned this in a previous post so apologies to those who've heard it before)...

Jeramy Clarkson is a big Ferrari fan...He sold his 360 Modena (I think) for the Mercedes SL55 AMG at that point he started refering to all Ferraris in a derogatory manner as "just big Fiats". Now with his eye on the Ford GT (which he is now definately getting) he slags off Mercedes reliability and cutomer service at any available opportunity...Makes you wonder sometimes?

Having said that he does have a point about Mercedes - they are really in trouble in terms of reliability (and style in my opinion)!! A friend at work has an A class; to say a blindfolded donkey with no legs built it would be a compliment.

 

[Nuova500]

I think nowadays its down to plastics, the dash and other plastics in the Punto are awful and they look and feel cheap. Other cars have better quality plastics but they still rattle and fall to bits. For instance, I owned a new Micra for 10 months, a car that the journos rave about build wise, in those months bits rattled, broke and fell off, but still they say its a well built car! In the Punto it looks cheap but seems to hold together OK, but the journos only have the car a short time. Once Fiat start buying better plastics people will see better write ups, look at the Panda for a start, its well put together and doesnt look as cheap as the Punto interior... result... the mags love it! OK so its not quite as simple as that but nearly.

 

[jasper]

True...The new Panda is exceptionally well put together...a welcome return to form...Must say the plastics in the Stilo are very very good especially the dashboard areas...

 

[arseofbox]

Its the having to stop every so often to pick bit up off mine that I love. Its unpredictiablity is what makes the car for me (and the general chuckability of the thing).

jasper, I fully agree that the Bravo is one of the most stylish smallish cars out there..its such a pity they killed it off!

But having said that about unpredictibility, Renault's and Rovers arent built much if any bettter in my experience, same cheap upholstery, more bits fall off and go wrong (at least thats true with my dad's Citroens and my mum's Clio)...I personally think its an anti Italian thing..think of what pie they had their finger in that the Brits once hated...Fascism!

Im personally surprised the brand hasnt experienced much more popularity since the rise of the BNP, owing to the country's links to the BNP's interests...

 

[Liam]

Peugeot, renault and Citroen are rubbish, bad electrics, suspension paint blah blah blah, Seat before VW took over were rubbish, Merc's rubbish because people by them second hand and service them cheaply which leads to breakdowns.

Someone will say different but from my experience these have been the worst cars in my motoring life.

Oh some vauxhalls and fords have disintegrated around me too!

Liam

 

[GhostWKD]

Funny really, in FIATs bad patch they produced:
Uno Turbo IE
Strada Abarth 130TC
Punto GT
Cinq Sporting
X1/9
Coupe
Barchetta

I think i have to disagree there, the only one i might agree with is the Uno Turbo IE. Othere than that i dont think any of them were bad patch cars tbh,

hope this isnt too controversial, afterall im entitled to my opinion

 

[arseofbox]

I think thats the point Daves' making...Tit!

 

[Alex22]

Whats wrong with the Uno Turbo Alex?

 

[wimmy]

Seeing this post I had to reply. Way back in the good old days we had a similar post. Our old friend AlfaNige make a fantastic response. I've kept this response because it was sooooooo good. Here goes:

We know that the Fiats have a bad reputation for reliabilty etc compared to other makes from around the world, so why did I buy a Fiat? Well, let me explain.

Let me be sexist for a minute. A car is like a woman.

German Cars, like German Women. Everything in the right place, works all day, shops on the way home, cooks dinner perfectly, clears up and makes your sandwiches for the morning - day after day after day. She has the hips for childbearing and could protect you in a dark alley - BUT, you dont really lust after her do you!

Swedish Cars, like Swedish Women. Reputation isnt everything! The cars are actually more exciting than the women and now have more curves!

British Cars, Like British Women (wheres the noose). Bit of a dodgy past, sedately styled nice to take home to your mum and always makes a great Aunty, but again - does she really make you want her?? There is an exception here to the rule - TVR! Blackpools finest are actually more like Essex Girls - Fantastic for a night, but you dont want to have to live with her!

OK still with me!

French Cars, like French Women. You are never going to understand them or why they look like that, but there is something beginning to stir the emotion, you aint sure what it is but you steer clear just in case!

American Cars, like American Women. You know they are as cavernous inside as they are bloated outside (oooeeer) and could be great fun until you mates found out. And have American cars ever sounded good - you get the odd one or two but the others sound like nails down a blackboard - just like the women!

And now.....

Italian Cars, like Italian Women. You KNOW she is going to be tempremental, you KNOW she will let you down when you least want her to, you KNOW she may even bite you, but you want her, you lust after her because when she wants you she will blow your mind, so you keep going back to her. She looks fantastic and my god your mates are full of envy.

I would like now to apologise to al....nah ********, if you took the wheels off a BMW and looked under the arches you will find they are hirsuite - Iam sure of it!

 

[Nuova500]

Yes, but Italian women get fat with age!!! I love Polish Fiats myself, they have the same temprement regarding being exiting and luring you in, but... they dont let you down as much! BTW, German girls are bloo*y stunning in general, unlike their cars!

 

[jasper]

Hey, Whimmy my wife's an Essex girl!! In fact you can check her and best pal out in the gallery!!

But my ex was half Italian - but boy was that enough! tempremental as hell but well sexy!!

 

[jamlam]

Well, must be doing something right:

Fiat Punto:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/topgear/coolwall/subzero.shtml

 

[jasper]

Punto is cool...shame the Stilo's in the uncool section (they must have been thinking of the 5dr ...I hope)!!!

Please no angry rants from 5dr owners I'm only being cheeky....