General Looking for a fun 2nd car (£5k max) to drive around Yorkshire Dales in at the weekends. Talk me out of an old high mileage 2011-ish Fiat 500 TwinAir!

[vexorg]

I got as far as test driving a Cooper but was appalled at the ride which put me off MINI's for good.

My brother had a new mini cooper and got rid for the same reason. Mini claimed it was due to the runflat tyres fitted to it (same as the BMW). He wanted to put normal tyres on it, but Mini claimed that would invalidate the warranty as the suspension would need changed to suit the new tyres.

 

[jrkitching]

My brother had a new mini cooper and got rid for the same reason. Mini claimed it was due to the runflat tyres fitted to it (same as the BMW). He wanted to put normal tyres on it, but Mini claimed that would invalidate the warranty as the suspension would need changed to suit the new tyres.

I wouldn't buy a Mini, for much the same reason I don't buy Apple products. Too many proprietary parts and systems, and too many obstacles in the way of DIY / third party servicing and repair.

 

[mj2k]

I wouldn't be at all surprised if you test, like and buy an Abarth. Like all 500's they're not perfect but they sound like a complete hoot to drive.

As an Abarth owner I'd second that thought

 

[A3jeroen]

+1

gr J

 

[RichardH13]

And me!

 

[AC43]

I wouldn't buy a Mini, for much the same reason I don't buy Apple products. Too many proprietary parts and systems, and too many obstacles in the way of DIY / third party servicing and repair.

Thinking about it there were actually three reasons I went right off the idea of the MINI; the ride, the packaging and the cost of maintaining them.

The ride, as I've said was just appalling. A lot of people do, apparently, fit non-runflats but that was just another obstacle to ownership. Plus, on the one I tried, the interior had already half shaken itself loose and that was deeply irritating.

In terms of packaging, the 500 is simply way better. It's far easy to get into the back seats. The MINI is really just set up a two seater, which is fair enough, but that means that access to the rear seats is a real PITA.

In terms of maintenance both my local garages told me to run a mile from the MINI. Parts are horribly expensive and labour can be sky high due to lack of access. They strike me as good cars to run as new on a manufacturers warranty but a lot riskier a few years down the line.

 

[callisr]

I’ve been in the same boat as the OP and spent ages deliberating between the TA and the 1.2. I ended up with a 2015 1.2S and love it to bits! It’s never going to break any speed records but it is chuckable and loves a good thrash. It feels faster than it is and is just a fun car to drive.
My son is tempted by a 1.2 500C so I let him have a go in my tin top to get a feel for the ‘performance’. He came away quite impressed and as such is hoping to view a C this week.
Last year he had a Mini roadster convertible until it got written off. The ride was tiringly harsh! He replaced it with an Audi A1 tdi which has given him nothing but disappointment and he also misses the convertible element.
I’ve lost track of what my point was now but as a 47yr old 19st 6 footer, I don’t regret the decision to buy my 1.2. It’s simple to service and repair, it’s nippy around town and likes to have its neck wrung a bit on the lanes. It’s not awful on the motorway either but that’s clearly not it’s intended setting.
Probably the only time it wants for more power is when trying to accelerate on long steep hills and overtaking requires a bit of thought and maybe a brave pill!
We are fortunate enough to have a Volvo V70 for the long haul family wagon and I love that car to bits but the 500 is definitely more fun!

Rich

 

[AC43]

I’ve been in the same boat as the OP and spent ages deliberating between the TA and the 1.2. I ended up with a 2015 1.2S and love it to bits! It’s never going to break any speed records but it is chuckable and loves a good thrash. It feels faster than it is and is just a fun car to drive.
My son is tempted by a 1.2 500C so I let him have a go in my tin top to get a feel for the ‘performance’. He came away quite impressed and as such is hoping to view a C this week.
Last year he had a Mini roadster convertible until it got written off. The ride was tiringly harsh! He replaced it with an Audi A1 tdi which has given him nothing but disappointment and he also misses the convertible element.
I’ve lost track of what my point was now but as a 47yr old 19st 6 footer, I don’t regret the decision to buy my 1.2. It’s simple to service and repair, it’s nippy around town and likes to have its neck wrung a bit on the lanes. It’s not awful on the motorway either but that’s clearly not it’s intended setting.
Probably the only time it wants for more power is when trying to accelerate on long steep hills and overtaking requires a bit of thought and maybe a brave pill!
We are fortunate enough to have a Volvo V70 for the long haul family wagon and I love that car to bits but the 500 is definitely more fun!

Rich

So you've got a similar set up to me, then. I have an E Class estate for family duties, generally lugging & distances. It's an E500 (5.5 V8 petrol) which gives it 386bhp and which makes it feel like it's attached to the horizon by a giant bungee cord.

So of course a 69bhp 1.2 500 is a lot slower. It's noticeable when I try to get it up to speed on a motorway slip road for example (of course). And it's not going to win prizes on the steep bit on the M40 heading into London around J7/J6.

But, at the same time, I find it surprisingly stable and quiet at motorway speeds. I just relax into a slower way of travelling. And marvel at the MPG readout on the dash

 

[mj2k]

It feels faster than it is and is just a fun car to drive.

And that's the crucial bit - even the Abarth 500 isn't much faster than an AMG Merc or an Alfa 156 GTA on twisty roads and is certainly no match for a well sorted Subaru or 205 GTi, but it feels very fast. And if you can have as much, if not more, fun at a lower speed and still come out at the end with a big grin that's better IMO because it's that little bit safer.

Likewise it won't keep up with a V8 Merc or an M series as it accelerates towards triple figure speeds on a motorway, but the speed limit's 70mph, so who cares? And it's actually quite nice to drive on a motorway in the right shoes, though a normal 500's seats are more comfy on a long journey than either of the Abarth options.

 

[AC43]

And that's the crucial bit - even the Abarth 500 isn't much faster than an AMG Merc or an Alfa 156 GTA on twisty roads and is certainly no match for a well sorted Subaru or 205 GTi, but it feels very fast. And if you can have as much, if not more, fun at a lower speed and still come out at the end with a big grin that's better IMO because it's that little bit safer.

Likewise it won't keep up with a V8 Merc or an M series as it accelerates towards triple figure speeds on a motorway, but the speed limit's 70mph, so who cares? And it's actually quite nice to drive on a motorway in the right shoes, though a normal 500's seats are more comfy on a long journey than either of the Abarth options.

One thing I love about even the boggo 1.2 is the turn-in. I guess it's the short wheelbase and the lack of overhangs. It's not twitchy, it just loves being pitched into corners.