Fiat is new Rover

[fingers99]

I used to buy PPC but stopped when they decided it was more important to organise a show than put out a mag worth the paper. Copy and paste articles of other magazines work doesn't cut it. It went very downhill very quickly.

There's certainly some "syndication" going on there with t'other magazines in the group.

The design change to plastic dowels occurred very early on and was exactly that - a design change hence the phrase design fault. It'd only be a build quality issue if they were installed incorrectly.

BUT, if the original design called for steel dowels, and the later design called for steel dowels, I'd call it a build quality issue: or, more pointedly, "some thick production engineer got involved". No real designer could ever imagine that plastic dowels would work in a running engine.

Of course, you could argue that the build quality was a result of the line running too fast with the original real dowels.................

 

[craigb244]

I think the OP should buy the most reliable car they can think of then dump half the coolant and refill it tap water (this is what 99% of car drivers do over a year or so...) then drive the car a couple of miles every day.

Id be surprised if the head gasket was still sealing after 18months.

you need to remember that to most people a car is just a tool to go to work and back. the ones with any sense at all will top up the coolant and oil (coolant most likely topped with tap water which dilutes the coolant (antifreeze and corrosion inhibitor)) but also adds salts which cause corrosion.

added to that most people just use there car to work and back which lets say is an average of 2.5miles the car is going from stone cold to just reaching running temp twice a day (and they wont be gentle on the engine while its cold)



all of this will take its toll on ANY engine.

 

[mickbr71]

We all know the Stilo wasn't the best for the brand - but this isn't the case across the rest of the range, you need to look at it in perspective.

I even owned a 2.4 Stilo and blew up the whole engine at 56k miles - yet I didn't slate the marque off

What other FIATs have you personally owned and driven?

I may as well start slagging off Ford, Suzuki, Renault plus every other car I have owned due to a failure of one kind or another....

Tbh my stilo mw was 1 of the best cars ive ever owned regret getting rid of it

 

[Britny]

I must just have a thing for rubbish cars then

Passed my test 4 years ago and started with a Rover 214. Oh how people went on and on and on what bad luck I would have with that car. That car cost me nearly nothing to keep on the road and was on its original HG till i stupidly pranged it
Alongside that I had 2 MGF's. Was really a case of just keeping an eye on temp gauge and checking fluids regularly. Lots of them have had HGF lots of them havent.

No complaints about their performance either. Was sad to trade in my MGF but I had become scared of it and needed something suitable for winter and a bit more practical and cheaper to run.

Was actually my usual mechanic that suggested looking at Fiats. Lots of my friends twisted their face at the idea of getting one but sure as long as I look after her I will be fine.

 

[mickbr71]

Lots of them have had HGF lots of them havent.QUOTE]

same for any make of car ,some have certain faults some dont, on my 9th fiat and havent had any major issues

 

[x Alex x]

nobody can deny fiat have HG problems, of the 3 punto's i've had, i've done 2 HG's, the 1st punto was only on 5k miles when i got it and 30 odd when sold so probably was going or was about to go.

nice and easy to fix though and for some reason i really like punto's

 

[fingers99]

nobody can deny fiat have HG problems, of the 3 punto's i've had, i've done 2 HG's, the 1st punto was only on 5k miles when i got it and 30 odd when sold so probably was going or was about to go.

Touch wood, I've only had one go on a FIAT, and that had obviously been fitted by a burk, judging from the red gasket goo all over the place. 5 FIATs now over 9 years.

Generally they go for a reason, but that's true of all cars.

and for some reason i really like punto's

Hmmm. Problem with Puntos is that they're usually owned by people who know nothing and care nothing about cars. I'm surprised there are any still running! :devil:

 

[x Alex x]

the first one was on my 100k miles 150 quid mk1, the gasket didn't go it was more a chunk out of the cylinder head .

was unlucky with the current MK2.

for £750 though it's a full history 42k mileage car, even on pirelli tyres filled with nitrogen, so well looked after it's unreal, a full service each year on the dot no matter the mileage, owned by 2 young women from new.

have thought about selling it and getting an auto punto but it's too good of a car to let go.

all that said though, i'd still say fiat and punto's in particular have HG problems for sure, but as said other cars have things that go too, the k series engine had much worse HG problems and were much harder to replace.