500 Hoping to purchase :)

[louiser]

Good Afternoon,



I am toying with a 500 Lounge 1.2. It means spending more than I really wantedand now I am really worried I will live to regret it.



I would want / have to keep the car past its warranty but Iam worried that I could run into problems I couldn’t afford to resolve. I am not looking at putting a deposit down soI could struggle if I ever needed to get rid of the vehicle.



What does everyone think? Are they good cars or are there expensive problems?



Thank you for reading,



Louise

 

[varesecrazy]

Hello, and welcome to FF,
the 500 is basically a good solid reliable car. however there is little point stretching yourself financially for ANYTHING you cannot afford to keep in good shape - the servicing will add-up,
and the 500 still fetches a premium for its "looks",
the panda is 95% the same car, and MUCH cheaper to buy,
will cost the same to run and maintain..but is FAR less "cool",

your choice really,

Charlie

 

[jrkitching]

Hello and welcome :wave:

The basic car is solid enough but some of the wearing items are not particularly strong and some folks on this forum have had significant bills on relatively new cars for replacing brakes, suspension, door handles, batteries, exhausts & the like. Servicing, particularly if done by a franchised dealer, is expensive for a car in its class.

Personally I wouldn't want to own a 500 out of warranty if I were dependent on garages for servicing and repairs.

If you can't comfortably afford to buy it on a package which allows you to return it after three years without obligation, then sadly you probably can't afford one just now.

There are other cars out there which will almost certainly give you lower overall running costs, but then again, they don't have that unique special something that comes with a 500.

 

[zanes]

Simply put, with the 500 you pay a (substantial) premium (both in total price and rubbish finance deals) for looks/style and get fairly poor-to-average mechanical underpinnings.

In your situation I'd probably look at something with free finance (especially if you can get servicing thrown in) and long warranty- Kia or the ilk. From what I've seen the new picanto is a lovely little car.

 

[jrkitching]

Simply put, with the 500 you pay a (substantial) premium (both in total price and rubbish finance deals) for looks/style and get fairly poor-to-average mechanical underpinnings.

and fairly poor-to-abysmal manufacturer/dealer support

In your situation I'd probably look at something with free finance (especially if you can get servicing thrown in) and long warranty- Kia or the ilk. From what I've seen the new picanto is a lovely little car.

I wonder what kind of deal the OP could get on a 1.2 Swift?

 

[zanes]

I wonder what kind of deal the OP could get on a 1.2 Swift?

I'm beginning to sound like a suzuki shill....

Headline offer is "VAT free", so they start at £9k (you could probably beat this with negotiation). I know dealers are offering 0% but that's with a sizeable deposit (30% IIRC) so not really OP friendly.

On the credit side, dealer support is great, reliability brill (combined experience north of 60k of them (with not particularly gentle use a lot of the time...) in the family with one clutch pivot needing replacement (squeaking) and a headlight washer cover that needed tightening) and the 1.2 goes like fury compared to the 1.2 500 (suzuki generally seem to be a bit... conservative... with performance figures).

I think this line:

I am toying with a 500 Lounge 1.2. It means spending more than I really wantedand now I am really worried I will live to regret it.

should set alarm bells ringing for the OP.

 

[UFI]

the panda is 95% the same car, and MUCH cheaper to buy, will cost the same to run and maintain..but is FAR less "cool",

I wonder if the much stronger residuals actually make the 500 the cheaper car, or at least, similar depending on the ownership term. 2008 Pandas are fetching just above scrap value (from 1K), while 500's are still over 5k for the cheapest.

 

[ahmett]

I wonder if the much stronger residuals actually make the 500 the cheaper car, or at least, similar depending on the ownership term. 2008 Pandas are fetching just above scrap value (from 1K), while 500's are still over 5k for the cheapest.

don't forget the panda is the previous generation which hurts a lot. I wonder what will happen to current 500's when the 500's are replaced by a newer model. So enjoy the high residuals while they last!

 

[UFI]

A fair point but Mini residuals are still sky high despite being a generation old. Same goes for all the iconic designs, 911's, Wranglers, Landrovers etc. Even for some reason 'new' Beetles... Keep them tidy and they'll always be desirable.

 

[jrkitching]

I wonder if the much stronger residuals actually make the 500 the cheaper car, or at least, similar depending on the ownership term. 2008 Pandas are fetching just above scrap value (from 1K), while 500's are still over 5k for the cheapest.

The later Euro4 1.2 EcoPandas (up to late 2010) are cracking good value and actually drive slightly better than the 500 as they have more usable torque lower down.

A 6 yr old 500 has the potential to be an absolute money pit & IMO is one of the worst ways you could spend upwards of £5k on a secondhand car.

Given current residuals, for most folks the 500 is a car that's probably best bought new & sold on after 3yrs. Used (as opposed to prereg) 500's are abysmal value for money.