General Hi to all............

[Ulpian]

Hi Qubo,

I'm delighted you enjoy your car. I haven't driven one, but I too appreciated the truly wonderful driving position and access. In fact I love the car. Except for the quoted performance and economy, and the poor spec that is. Where's the powerful hi-fi and the integrated sat-nav?

Fiat has bigger engines that would deliver better performance with greater economy, and I don't understand why they don't use them.

I'm no racer, but I expect to keep up with the traffic and be able to cruse at 90+ on the continent with ease. Nothing less is acceptable to me. And I like economy too, which is why I want better than the small 1.3 can deliver: the 1.6 would be more economical and faster I'm sure, if the gearing was tailored properly.

I'm hanging on to my old Doblo in the hope that Fiat gets its act together, otherwise in two years I will look elsewhere.

Keep on enjoying your car though. If I only did short journeys and didn't want to give it some welly now and again I'm sure I'd be delighted with one. They are very clever little cars, and I like the simplicity. I just want the integrated sat-nav and more power and economy. Fifty mpg is OK, but I want more, with better performance. Fiat can do it, so please Fiat, get on with it...
no more piddling about.

 

[T14086]

i have now driven mums 1.3mj qubo a few times its a nice car high driving position and all but the engine is appaling it lacks any ooomph under 2ooo rpm before turbo kicks in and hesitates when you ask it to pull away in any gear. i know the panda is lighter but mine has the same 1.3mj engine ok 5bhp less than qubo but it feels a much better engine

better than the pug 1.4 engine.

easy solution for Fiat is to stick the 1.4 petrol turbo (from bravo) engine in it:devil:

 

[Geminifm]

better than the pug 1.4 engine.

easy solution for Fiat is to stick the 1.4 petrol turbo (from bravo) engine in it:devil:

Do you mean the petrol 1.4 or the HDI????

I have the HDI and there is nothing wrong with it! Turbo kicks in a between 1500-1600 revs.

 

[Ulpian]

Doesn't the new Multiar in the Bravo have 140hp? That would make the Qubo a Q-car worth having: It'd sell like turkeys at Christmas if it was priced right, and cost no more to make. And be economical.

However, Fiat prefers low sales volume and sticks to low powered engines with bugger all power and poor consumption. Tw@ts.

 

[T14086]

Do you mean the petrol 1.4 or the HDI?

1.4

Why dont Fiat advertise the qubo, I really cant understand what there marketing plan is....have they got one? Sadly it will go the same way as the croma. Anyone tried to get wiper blades for a qubo?

 

[Geminifm]

1.4

Why dont Fiat advertise the qubo, I really cant understand what there marketing plan is....have they got one? Sadly it will go the same way as the croma. Anyone tried to get wiper blades for a qubo?

The 1.4 petrol is the same in all of them. (Fiat,Citroen,Pug)

The wiper blades are a nightmare to get hold of off the dealers no stock anywhere!

I brought my new wiper blades off ebay coz the dealer could get any.

Plus the dealers want £23 each, i paid £14 for the front pair off ebay

 

[calvjones]

Hi Pandaman 08. I wonder if being a fit younger fella, your more expectant of get up and go in buckets, whereas the more experienced folks value other things like good design, and versatility. My motor pulls away just fine, but not if you give it a lot of whelly, if you do then the revs go up, and it takes a lurch & time to move into 2nd. Try a more gentle approach, be light on the gas and work with the vehicle, mine changes up to 2nd within the first 15-25metre, with the revs below 1200.
It takes a while to get the hang of these Durologic Gearboxes, I've only had mine for a short while, and only done just over 1000 miles, and though I was a professional driver I'm still learning how to get the best from it. A little patience, and you may find its rather good. I am assuming, perhaps wrongly that your Moms is a auto, if not my apologies, I have not driven a manual.
Cheers Qube O

Both Qube O and Ullpian have a point. The car is fine in flowing traffic and can even overtake but there is a big issue with initial take off in the DUALOGIC IT'S NOT DURALOGIC FFS!!! - e.g. when exiting a busy roundabout. You can't dump the clutch at 2000RPM as its auto and it needs a very forceful right foot to stop the change up to 2nd at below 1500RPM (i.e. before the turbo kicks in) - which brings on ESP or wheelspin. Of course you can't rush the 1-2 shift as its auto. This leads to the necessity for careful low speed manoeuvring; worse is when you are slowly approaching a roundabout (say) and then want to accelerate into a gap from about 5mph; here a shift down into 1st manually is necessary to avoid bogging down in 2nd but first is very low.

This is about my only issue. Apart from 39mpg average back from France, albeit with a roofbox.

I have no idea how anyone can average 58mpg with a full car on a long run. Pootling close behind an Artic at 60mph won't get me much over 55 on the trip. So kudos to that light right foot.

 

[JTD_Liam]

1.4

Why dont Fiat advertise the qubo, I really cant understand what there marketing plan is....have they got one? Sadly it will go the same way as the croma. Anyone tried to get wiper blades for a qubo?

I was sorting out some old car magazines today and saw the advert for the Qubo in a couple of Auto Express magazines not long after it was launched. That's the only advertising it's had & it's more or less the same for the new Doblo (plus the Croma, Idea etc, all which didn't sell).

From what i can establish, Fiat (and Alfas) marketing plan is to advertise cars in magazines, on TV & on billboards (or a combination of all 3) at launch, then do very little else other than the odd TV or magazine campaign when new engines or versions are released as they did on the Grande Punto (T-JET), MiTo (Multiair) and Punto Evo (Feelin' Good).

Generally only the 500 & Punto get TV adverts for Fiat. The Panda had a scrappage one but very little else, the Bravo had the original plus 5 year warranty one and then nothing since at least 2008 and the Doblo, Qubo & Multipla have never had TV ads in the UK to my knowledge.

Ive said it many times but obviously knowone from Fiat UK looks at this forum (i know its not an official Fiat UK forum but they should still look) but i think they should do a combined Qubo/Doblo TV advert, like Vauxhall did with Meriva & Zafira. That way they'd get both products advertised for about the cost of advertising one. It's hardly rocket science, just wish someone would do it because theyre soon gonna be screwed as their big sellers (500 & Punto) are slowing down & Fiat havn't made people sufficiently aware of the rest of their line up.

A bigger petrol or diesel in the Qubo would help too, though i think the spec & price is about right.

 

[Ulpian]

The Qubo will be getting the 1.3 95 before too long, and if it had the 120 Multair as well it would sell. It also has new front seat covers which are very smart. Fiat's integrated Tom Tom is necessary as an option as well, if it isn't there already.

The Doblo needs a revised spec across the board, and a more powerful petrol engine. The engines and kit are all there; now Fiat only needs to arrange it properly and go out and sell it.

Yeah, some hope!

 

[ivantate]

Options seem to be reduced on the Qubo looking at the configurator, maybe this means a spec change is due or they are moving slowly so Fiat will always have the correct spec in stock.

Not sure of the price difference between the 500 with the old and new multijets but once the extra gets added onto the Qubo then it will start to look expensive compared to cars like the C3 Picasso HDI which without driving either seems to be a better 'car'.

 

[ivantate]

That does include the £2000 you get off for walking into any citroen showroom at the moment, not sure what kind of discount Fiat are giving to everyone.

 

[Ulpian]

I was told that Fiat UK is thinking very hard about pricing. They need to.

 

[T14086]

I was told that Fiat UK is thinking very hard about pricing. They need to.

yes, upwards

 

[JTD_Liam]

The Qubo will be getting the 1.3 95 before too long, and if it had the 120 Multair as well it would sell. It also has new front seat covers which are very smart. Fiat's integrated Tom Tom is necessary as an option as well, if it isn't there already.

The Doblo needs a revised spec across the board, and a more powerful petrol engine. The engines and kit are all there; now Fiat only needs to arrange it properly and go out and sell it.

Yeah, some hope!

The 95bhp 1.3 Multijet seems to have impressed 500 buyers so hopefully they can get it into the Qubo before too long. If theyre changing the seat covers then they must be making alterations, though i can't see them putting the Multiair petrol under the bonnet as it'll out spec the more expensive & bigger Doblo with it's 1.4 16v petrol. Where did you hear about this Ulpian? You know what Fiat's like for info on new specs/models!

I can't see much happening with the Doblo this early on in its lifespan. I reckon a price cut would be the easiest way to stir up more interest. It doesn't look badly specced overall to me, but seems to have some weird omisions on the Active (ie steel van-style wheels), then lots more kit on the Dynamic and not a huge gain by going for Eleganza. The engines seem okay, a Multiair petrol would be better but i suppose most people will buy the diesels anyway. Maybe they'll move the 16v 1.4 into the Qubo and put a Multiair in the Doblo, who knows.

Options seem to be reduced on the Qubo looking at the configurator, maybe this means a spec change is due or they are moving slowly so Fiat will always have the correct spec in stock.

Not sure of the price difference between the 500 with the old and new multijets but once the extra gets added onto the Qubo then it will start to look expensive compared to cars like the C3 Picasso HDI which without driving either seems to be a better 'car'.

I noticed the Qubo configurator isn't how it was, lots of colours have dissapeared - im hoping theyre not doing a Fiat 500 trick and offering several shades of grey! It could be a configurator fault or maybe they are running down stock as you say.

I agree about the cost problems with the 1.3 95 Multijet. They need to keep the price the same as the current 75bhp engined Qubo otherwise people won't go near & Fiat will lose all the repeat custom from the large number of 'old' Doblo buyers, who were probably hugely attracted by its price compared to rivals at the time.

 

[Ulpian]

I got my info from a salesman who has never been wrong yet. He's actually interested in the cars
I saw the new seat trim in a blue Qubo in the showroom, and very smart the whole rig looked too. If it only had a decent engine I'd be interested.

The Doblo needs a gutsier petrol engine because more and more people are getting wary of DPFs, and Multiair makes the economy gap smaller.

By the way, the same salesman told me that Multiair is being licenced to Ford and GM, so expect lots more competition soon!

 

[Qube O]

That's pretty good. Downside of living in the Valleys perhaps is poorer fuel consumption. However, I'm lucky to get 47, 48 on a run!

Anyone else want to chip in with consumption figures? Might bump the thread..

Hi Folks, I've now just completed a few weeks of what to me is normal motoring, i.e., short journeys of about 10 mile or less, Quite a few being just 3 mile shopping runs, stop start, stop start, stop, type. (She who is the BOSS likes to go to different shops within 500 yds of each other, by moving the car from car park to car park). I left the transmission in the economy mode, and have found the fuel consumption to be really good, my average comsumption being 52.8. The car has still got less than 3500 mile on the clock, so should, I hope, get even better. Way to go..........Cheers Qube O

 

[Qube O]

The Qubo will be getting the 1.3 95 before too long, and if it had the 120 Multair as well it would sell. It also has new front seat covers which are very smart. Fiat's integrated Tom Tom is necessary as an option as well, if it isn't there already.

The Doblo needs a revised spec across the board, and a more powerful petrol engine. The engines and kit are all there; now Fiat only needs to arrange it properly and go out and sell it.

Yeah, some hope!

Hi, I've looked at your posts, and though I understand where your coming from about a bigger, more powerful engine, surely that is totally missing the point.
A bigger power plant does not guarantee extra MPG, what is will guarantee is more Road Tax/Higher Insurance/More wear on brakes e.t.c., with the relative increase in service costs.
The engine in mine is fine, it just needs understanding how to get the best out of it.
I got rid of a 140HP car for the Qubo, and am I glad I did. Journeys take me about the same time as in my previous car, thats 200+ mile runs, or little local runs, but I use a tanker less fuel. My road tax is less, and my insurance has gone down down down.
As a ex professional driver I know how to read the traffic and road, so making allowances for the slower Qubo is no problem. I would even suggest it could make you a better driver.
I am happy with the package that Fiat have put together as it stands, and if I wanted a power house of a motor car would not have gone for the Qubo in the 1st place.
Ita a great package, or mine is, with full leather upholstery, and lots of extras.
Way to travel. Cheers Qube O

 

[Chimp001]

I've had my qubo since early 2009. Indeed I, like many get 55mpg from my 1.3 mtjet.

I would warn you of leaky boot lids and not to let ladies in there with high heels (they make holes in the floor). Car is too noisy to use phone integration on the move too.
I've serviced it myself and so far done 18k mostly trouble free. Struggles to start below -8C over winter though...

Does anyone know sequence to get rid of service logo? (little spanner)

Mine benefitted from 150w 6" subs in the front and dual core 100w 5" speakers in the rear. head unit is good enough, now sounds awesome. Also has LED underlit dash and footwells all in matching green. Also changed in-dash led's for green ones.