General Known 500x faults

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General Known 500x faults

That's pretty impressive Alan. I assume most of your journeys are fairly long, and at steady speed?

Mainly motorway and A road, but I don't hang about. As I said, I have seen an average of 51 twice but normal would be 45-47 which isn't actually too difficult to achieve.
 
Thanks all for the replies :) I now have things sorted with Ford and am expecting a refund, so I have my budget now. SHould be able to get an OK car for £13k ish.
 
Mine is the 1.4 petrol turbo manual.....
 

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Happy hunting Garree. If it helps guide you, the one I bought last month from a Fiat dealer is a September 2015 Lounge Multiair, one owner, 15,000 miles and was just under £12k. Let us know how you get on.
 
Just done an 800 mile round trip Cumbria - Portsmouth - South Wales - Cumbria and averaged 52.5 mpg in a 1.6 diesel.

Have had the car 2 months - has 9000 miles on the clock and it has averaged 43.7 mpg since new (which is rubbish!). Hope overall figure will improve as the engine loosens up.

We're very happy with the car overall which we bought at 10 months old with 6.5k on the clock. Has an air of quality about it (in Lounge trim anyway) and has all the bells and whistles (including folding mirrors so we must have the extras pack). Paid just under £13k from Arnold Clark (against a new list of over £22k now).

Completely different league to our previous 500 Lounge.

Cheers
Martin
 
Funnily enough, we changed from a 500 Lounge with the excellent twinair engine. Probably would have kept it longer but increasing numbers of grandkids make 4 doors extra handy. I agree with Cliff that the perceived quality of the X is miles better than the 500 hatch, it has been compared by some reviewers as matching Mini.
 
Funnily enough, we changed from a 500 Lounge with the excellent twinair engine. Probably would have kept it longer but increasing numbers of grandkids make 4 doors extra handy. I agree with Cliff that the perceived quality of the X is miles better than the 500 hatch, it has been compared by some reviewers as matching Mini.
We run a Mini Countryman All4 too and I'd agree that the 500x is not far off quality wise, some bits like the dash and the steering wheel are possibly better. I actually think the X is quieter on the road too. Both very good and slightly quirky cars.
 
Thanks again everyone :)

I've been doing some shopping around today and I think I prefer the look of the Cross Plus over the Lounge, but it's the opposite for the interior. I either really like the cream half leather and black inserts, or really hate it! Any views on this, once you have the car in the flesh?

Literature about the differences between the off road and city look cars also seems contradictory. What are the actual differences? Some of the stuff says the off road ones have a different differential setup, a higher ride height, special tyres and some toughened bits underneath. Others say a various combinations of these. Anyone know for sure?

Is the software the same on the 5 inch and 6.5 inch screens?

I have found a couple of cars I am interested in, but finding one with the toys I really want is impossible! Not asking for much - just the auto lights/wipers pack. I also asked about a FIAT extended used car warranty but this seemed to be frighteningly expensive!
 
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Thanks again everyone :)

I've been doing some shopping around today and I think I prefer the look of the Cross Plus over the Lounge, but it's the opposite for the interior. I either really like the cream half leather and black inserts, or really hate it! Any views on this, once you have the car in the flesh?

Literature about the differences between the off road and city look cars also seems contradictory. What are the actual differences? Some of the stuff says the off road ones have a different differential setup, a higher ride height, special tyres and some toughened bits underneath. Others say a various combinations of these. Anyone know for sure?

Is the software the same on the 5 inch and 6.5 inch screens?

I have found a couple of cars I am interested in, but finding one with the toys I really want is impossible! Not asking for much - just the auto lights/wipers pack. I also asked about a FIAT extended used car warranty but this seemed to be frighteningly expensive!

Mine is the Cross Plus Opening Edition and it came with MOST of the extras. Suits me just fine and not too thirsty. The Lounge was never an option for me
 
Thanks again everyone :)

I've been doing some shopping around today and I think I prefer the look of the Cross Plus over the Lounge, but it's the opposite for the interior. I either really like the cream half leather and black inserts, or really hate it! Any views on this, once you have the car in the flesh?

Literature about the differences between the off road and city look cars also seems contradictory. What are the actual differences? Some of the stuff says the off road ones have a different differential setup, a higher ride height, special tyres and some toughened bits underneath. Others say a various combinations of these. Anyone know for sure?

Is the software the same on the 5 inch and 6.5 inch screens?

I have found a couple of cars I am interested in, but finding one with the toys I really want is impossible! Not asking for much - just the auto lights/wipers pack. I also asked about a FIAT extended used car warranty but this seemed to be frighteningly expensive!

Mine is the Cross Plus Opening Edition and it came with MOST of the extras. Suits me just fine and not too thirsty. The Lounge was never an option for me.

I believe the software is different for the two screens. The displays are certainly not the same
 
The main reason we bought a Lounge was because of the contrasting light leather, which I think looks really good in the flesh. Advantages of the Cross and Cross Plus are the roof bars, and an electronic grip control system on the "Mood" switch. The Lounge has 18" wheels which make for a firm ride and more road noise. I don't know if the Cross Plus also has these big wheels, but I seem to remember seeing that it has diamond cut alloys. These are very prone to the laquer peeling off (on any car, not just Fiats).
If you want the best all weather grip without going to 4WD, getting a model with 17" wheels would allow fitment of the excellent Michelin Cross Climate tyres, which aren't available for the 18" 45 profile. These also improve the noise and ride.
I think the infotainment systems are similar on the two ranges, you only get the Nav as standard in the top model. I'm not so familiar with cars later than mine, though, they started fitting DAB for instance.
Have I confused you enough?!
 
The main reason we bought a Lounge was because of the contrasting light leather, which I think looks really good in the flesh. Advantages of the Cross and Cross Plus are the roof bars, and an electronic grip control system on the "Mood" switch. The Lounge has 18" wheels which make for a firm ride and more road noise. I don't know if the Cross Plus also has these big wheels, but I seem to remember seeing that it has diamond cut alloys. These are very prone to the laquer peeling off (on any car, not just Fiats).
If you want the best all weather grip without going to 4WD, getting a model with 17" wheels would allow fitment of the excellent Michelin Cross Climate tyres, which aren't available for the 18" 45 profile. These also improve the noise and ride.
I think the infotainment systems are similar on the two ranges, you only get the Nav as standard in the top model. I'm not so familiar with cars later than mine, though, they started fitting DAB for instance.
Have I confused you enough?!

If my ancient brain is working properly, the Cross has 17" rims and the Cross Plus 18". I haven't got a clue what a diamond cut alloy looks like, so I don't know if I've got them or not.
 
Yes Alan, I vaguely remember seeing those wheel sizes when looking at ads.
Diamond cut is normally the term used for wheels which have areas of bright, unpainted metal. This is laquered to stop it corroding, but the laquer is very easily damaged, and once it is corrosion will get under it and create unsightly whitish areas. Refurbishment is not as simple as with painted wheels.
Obviously kerbing them will bring on the problem, and apparently some acidic alloy cleaners will attack the laquer. These cleaners are apparently often used by the car park type car cleaners.
I have to admit though, they do look very nice.
 
Skbar, I think the spec must have changed since my Lounge was built (registered Sep 15) - there are no windscreen sensors for auto lights or wipers, so it certainly hasn't got them. The latest cars have DAB radios too, which mine hasn't.
Robotdancer, the manufacturers are not lying about fuel consumption. They all have to declare figures produced by the same, laboratory test, found here: http://www.dft.gov.uk/vca/fcb/the-fuel-consumption-testing-scheme.asp
Since we don't drive our cars in laboratories on a rolling road, we are unlikely to ever acheive the quoted figures. In particular, the test gives artificially good results for turbocharged cars, since the driving regime is so gentle that the turbo is not really used. The test is poor, which is why alternatives are being looked at.
Sorry to go off topic.

TrevC my car was registered June 2015, and the auto wipers and light were standard fit for popsar and lounge then and I find it hard to believe they took them off as standard equipment, DAB radio and folding mirrors were an extra cost, couple hundred pounds if I remember.

Stu
 
Stu, that's interesting (and a bit annoying!). My Lounge doesn't have the AUTO position on the lightswitch, and has no windscreen sensors behind the mirror, so it doesn't have those auto functions. I can only guess they played around with the spec.
To be honest, having had them on the Renault Megane we had a couple of years ago, the auto lights and wipers worked well but I would regard them as a "nice to have". The lack of power folding mirrors is far more annoying for putting the car away in the garage.
 
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