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General new 500s
- Thread starter kbcalypso
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General new 500s
ok some think i'm being rash for trading so quick, let me give the history, firstly i said its the first new fiat i've owned ( come to that the first new car i've owned) yes i have owned fiat in the past a 1987 if i remember that fell to bits had various engine bits replaced ie distributor etc, This year i had a renault scenic to general use and a smart car which i towed behind the motorhome, but the problem was if i needed the renault i had to move the smart off the drive first, so i ended up using the smart mostly, so i decided that one small car would do instead of having two lots of insurance etc, so i sold the smart, and traded in the renault for the fiat, being a new one a 500s 50/50 split rear seat. electric sunroof, windeflectors, i was going to get the fiat fitted with an A-frame for towing, lets start by saying the dealers were doing all they could for me ok! when i reported the fault, the car was ordered for a xmas week delivery but it arrived in november, i collected the fiat at the end of november and within a couple of days i noticed that it struggled on my drive, then when on the road when releasing the clutch the revs died down then back up so take offs were somewhat slow, at first i thought it was my driving style, new car new clutch bite etc.( i do drive different vehciles for work having a cpc.) and then failing on the hills, when the fiat went into the service dept it had 345miles on the clock. and i wasn't impressed with the fuel return either lowest 29mpg highest 35mpg. the scenic returned 49mpg regulary), and i did manage to compare another fiat a 12 reg 1.2 at work, and that one had a smoother take off than mine not delayed like mine. the fiat is the first brand new car that we have ordered where we have specified the trim etc, so over the xmas holidays i have been using the ds3 that they have loaned me, and i have been impressed with it, so today i went back and traded the fiat for a brand new ds3, yes it could be something simple to fix ie replace ecu unit but then again it could be what we used to call a friday afternoon car, i understand some of you thinking i've made a mistake but then again it is a pro fiat forum, used to get this on harley davidson forums when someone suggested changing brands, i was getting some leatherette seat covers custom made, to protect the cloth seats from a little dog, and i have got a frontal bib, which i will have to sell now. i wish everyone well for the new year and thanks for the info on the forum but now its time to move on. so if anyone wants a cheaper 500s on a 63 plate then contact the dealers stoneacre's of hyde.
kbcalyspo,
I'm the first to slag Fiat off. There are done a few things wrong with the 500.
The bushes on the rear dampers can go.
The wiring to the hatch can go if you open the hatch multiple times a day.
The strut top mounts can go every few years also.
You simply don't get Friday afternoon 500's as the 500 is built in Poland by fairly diligent Polish workers and not shiftless Italian communists.
My 500 has 60k miles on it now and regularly does well over 50 mpg
The 1.2 simply doesn't commonly have issues with the engine as you've experienced and I would happily bet you 50 pounds that you car would be easily fixed and would run trouble free (in terms of the engine!) for the next 3 years. I'm willing to put money on it
What will you do if your DS3 arrives and has a similar issue? If they give you a courtesy Hyundai i30 will you buy one of them?
I like Hyundai i30! Anyway, to the OP - good luck with the new car. I hope you have trouble free motoring.
Anyway, to the OP - good luck with the new car. I hope you have trouble free motoring.
I like Hyundai i30!
I wasn't ragging the i30, Hyundai's have come on in leaps and bounds in the last 15-20 years and on balance are probably better cars than 500's/GP's/Bravo's
PsFiat
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I think 'reliability' is now owned by Japanese and Korean manufacturers.
I doubt many of us buy a European car for reliability. A client of mine used to have a new Merc, his wife had a Subaru. After 2 years sold the Merc as it kept breaking down and bought his own Subaru.
There are many great reasons to buy/own a Fiat, but I doubt that reliability is in the top three.
I doubt many of us buy a European car for reliability. A client of mine used to have a new Merc, his wife had a Subaru. After 2 years sold the Merc as it kept breaking down and bought his own Subaru.
There are many great reasons to buy/own a Fiat, but I doubt that reliability is in the top three.
This might sound at bit off-topic, but...
We have an Italian lever-operated espresso machine, 9 years old, all chrome, looks absolutely gorgeous, utter pain in the a*se to maintain, and my wife and daughter don't have the muscle power to work it. It makes the best coffee ever. We just bought a Romanian-built all-singing-and-dancing bean-to-cup jobby that even the dog could work. Oh, and it makes cr*p coffee.
Most of you here will understand which one we love without question.
BJM
We have an Italian lever-operated espresso machine, 9 years old, all chrome, looks absolutely gorgeous, utter pain in the a*se to maintain, and my wife and daughter don't have the muscle power to work it. It makes the best coffee ever. We just bought a Romanian-built all-singing-and-dancing bean-to-cup jobby that even the dog could work. Oh, and it makes cr*p coffee.
Most of you here will understand which one we love without question.
BJM
As for this being a pro-Fiat forum......
https://www.fiatforum.com/500/340328-fiat-doing-rather-crap-job.html
https://www.fiatforum.com/500/340328-fiat-doing-rather-crap-job.html
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You say that the Koreans / Japanese cars own reliability. I think the well published Toyota recalls prove all manufacturers have issues big and small. My step dads Hyundai i? Door handles snapped off 5 times and they charged him each time until i had a word with them.
The recalls have never affected reliability of more than a handful of their vehicles though. Toyota always hold their hands up, and if anything go over the top recalling cars when less than half a dozen have had issues, and without being forced to by relevant authorities. Not many other manufactures are this willing from what I've seen
Toyota get big respect in my book for this!
As for Hyundai out of interest, was it them charging your dad or a rubbish dealer? All manufactures have bad franchises unfortunately
Then again, if I had the spare cash, I'd have a proper Citroen and none of this new fangled stuff. I used to love seeing these on UK roads in a time which now seems so very long ago:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CITROEN-D...2762723?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3a895e5063
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Yup, proper Citroen that one
When still a student, I was a great fan of the GS.
Delightful to drive but an absolute nightmare to own. The 4 wheel inboard disc brakes gave problems, and you didn't want to find a fault with the hydropneumatic suspension out of warranty (IIRC the suspension was guaranteed for 6yrs/60,000 miles). Fortunately many owners never had to face replacing it; the cars were notorious rustbuckets and had usually rotted through by then.
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Hi MEP,
I agree with you on that Toyota should be congratulated my point was that no matter who they are they still have issues.
The dealer was having none of it until I intervened and suggested the manufacturer should be spoken too, annoyingly it was a simple google search that set me off!
I agree with you on that Toyota should be congratulated my point was that no matter who they are they still have issues.
The dealer was having none of it until I intervened and suggested the manufacturer should be spoken too, annoyingly it was a simple google search that set me off!
PsFiat
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I think everyone can claim exceptions on either the positive or negative side.
No manufacturer is perfect but generally I'd say, as above that Japanese and Korean cars seem to be very reliable( yes, there are exceptions). My daughter's Hyundai Getz is 8 years old, did not have a warranty issue nor other problems, just an annual service, has covered over 80,000 problem free kms. Have also owned a Toyota Camry and a Subarui Liberty with no issues at all.
Despite that I've still ordered a Fiat 500, fingers crossed for reliability!
No manufacturer is perfect but generally I'd say, as above that Japanese and Korean cars seem to be very reliable( yes, there are exceptions). My daughter's Hyundai Getz is 8 years old, did not have a warranty issue nor other problems, just an annual service, has covered over 80,000 problem free kms. Have also owned a Toyota Camry and a Subarui Liberty with no issues at all.
Despite that I've still ordered a Fiat 500, fingers crossed for reliability!
