Technical New Doblo owner

[dobload]

Hi All,

having driven Fiats for years (Pandas and Tipos) decided to test drive a new 500, loved it but on a whim decided to buy a new Doblo instead!

The 1.9 turbo diesel Dynamic.

Am I mad or just insanely impulsive.

Love the drive, and the car is so ugly that it's downright cool - well in my opinion anyway.

Any Doblo owners out there who are happy to confirm that I made a good choice?

 

[chrisb100]

More than plenty including myself will testify to the sound choice you've made

How you jump from 500 to doblo though is a stange one to work out.

welcome

 

[NottsCharger]

Very good choice, I jumped from a new Panda Multijet to a new Doblo Multijet, so much more, period!

 

[patbretagne]

Hi,
I am also a new Doblo owner and most satisfied, I totally agree with dobload and can see why he went for one.
Ours however is secondhand, French and has done 35000Km, goes like the wind, economic, lots of room and the dog adores the back, so what more can one want

Patbretagne.

 

[tinman]

Not a strange choice at all.

My sister is using Goat (06, Cargo SX) at the moment in preference to her own Cinq 500 that shes had for years, she was considering a new Panda next year, but is now firmly at looking at buying a Doblo Family next year.

 

[dobload]

Thanks for your comments folks.

I had been also looking at the new Berlingo but think Citroen have lost their way on this one. They are attempting to make the Berlingo more "car-like" which seems to me to be defeating the point altogether. I much prefer the original "van with windows" approach, practical and sturdy.

This is what drew me to the Doblo. Construction is on a proper chassis (I believe) and a local taxi firm is running two with large mileages and few (minor) problems.

So far I am very pleased with the vehicle which definitely feels well screwed together and is a lovely comfortable drive.

 

[Ulpian]

The new Berlingo is just too big. Those extra inches in all drections have defeated the convenience, and it is expensive by the time the essential A/C in included - which leaves the Doblo alone in the sensible vanny car thing world.

There would be the new Fiorino Qubo, which is sold abroad and is a slightly smaller Dobloesque car. I've looked closely at the Citroen van version and it is just dandy, and gets good reviews for comfort and refinement too. Unfortunately, as so often, the engines these come with are either a thirsty and weak PSA 1.4 petrol, or the Fiat 1.3 Diesel, which again is underpowered for the car. It needs the 1.6 Diesel. But since it isn't sold here anyway, Doblo it is. Well done. I love mine, even with the glitches it has had.

 

[chrisb100]

lets not forget the NEW DOBLO out next year which will be longer ,wider, to plug the gap better between fiorino and scudo.

Am hoping for the new 1.6 multijet in 105 and 120 bhp form to go alongside the 1.3 MJet and 1.4 petrol.

The 1.6 multijet is a engineering masterpeice to get almost 30% more torque and same power outputs than the current 1.9 multijet not to mention considerable co2 emmision reduction.

Will be tempted to upgrade in 18 months or so

 

[Ulpian]

I agree about the 1.6, but is longer and wider necessarily better? Cars are getting too big. I've looked at the Berligo on which the next Doblo is based and it is just that little bit too large to be handy in town. I'll bet a lot of people would be happy with the convenient size of the Qubo, if it was given the 1.6 engine. Doubtless the marketing men will try to separate them, and consequently offer products which straddle the desires of a great many people.

 

[chrisb100]

I was always dissapointed that they never relesed the Doblo Maxi version in the cargo in the uk as the extra length would have been very beneficial.

personally i hope the next gen is a bit bigger as the scudo is too big and looks like a van whreas the doblo stil has the car like feel but with all the van practicality.

 

[french bean]

Still can't get over how much more space there is in Mrs Bean's Doblo compared to my Stilo MW. The new Qubo is smaller but it does look smart and I have seen one on the M1 this week so hopefully they'll be more about.

 

[dobload]

lets not forget the NEW DOBLO out next year which will be longer ,wider, to plug the gap better between fiorino and scudo.


Chris, are details of the new Doblo available anywhere. Would be interested in seeing them, however as I only have 356 miles on the clock on my new Dobbo think it may be awhile before I am ready to purchase one!

 

[chrisb100]

lets not forget the NEW DOBLO out next year which will be longer ,wider, to plug the gap better between fiorino and scudo.


Chris, are details of the new Doblo available anywhere. Would be interested in seeing them, however as I only have 356 miles on the clock on my new Dobbo think it may be awhile before I am ready to purchase one!

Not in any detail all spyshots i have stumbled upon are very heavily camouflaged ,all look like like some futuristic taxi

one can't see it being dynamically much different, when the current one is so good, why fiddle to much. the engines and gearbox will be the main changes 1.6 multijet and maybe 6 speeds. as i said earlier fiats new 1.6multijet is a real gem so hope it finds its way into the doblo, else why change a thing.

 

[LeeD]

Hi all,

I too am a new Doblo owner. Been lurking 'round here for a while before I finally took the plunge and bought a 2007 1.9Multijet (120) Active.

I got a good price (I think) from a local independant dealer, 2007 model with only 12k miles on it.

Drove from Inverness to Newcastle last night, and got a respectable 38mpg (I was "making progress" as us motorcyclists like to say).

Many thanks to Niall_G, I took your instructions on fitting a new radio into Halfords yesterday, and they fitted a new stereo in half an hour.

I drive lots of miles on open scottish roads, at "enthusiastic" speeds, so hoping I won't get the problems with DPFs etc.

Spoke to the man from AngelTuning the other day, and he's given me some ideas for improving my Doblo. Lookng forward to it.

LeeD

 

[RichDoblo120]

Drove from Inverness to Newcastle last night, and got a respectable 38mpg (I was "making progress" as us motorcyclists like to say).

LeeD

Hi

there's been much discussion about the 120 bhp engine on the forum and the conclusion is that 38mpg is about as good as it gets.

If you drive it really, really slowly you'll get about 40 to 41 mpg but that's it, and like you say, it's not good for them. They like to be revved a bit or filters start clogging.

I've always changed gear in the upper end of the rev range, if I'm cruising at 40mph I always stay in 3rd gear. The engine seems to prefer it that way and I've had no problems with the car in 3 years (touch wood).

 

[Ulpian]

I've been studying masked pix of the new Doblo and I am wondering if it based on the Berlingo after all. I know it drops the 1.9 and gets the 1.6, and the 1.3, but does anyone know what the basis for the thing is: Fiat or Cit/Pug? Anybody know?

 

[DOBEE]

Mine is 1.9 Multijet diesel Family (56 reg). I have been told that using it for short journeys doesnt do them much good as the DPF gets clogged up and the service light comes on. So I try to give mine a bit of a welly everyday as there is a dual carraigeway on the way home. I wish had bought the turbo diesel when I had the chance as this probably has a lot more torque compared to the multi jet version, which I have.

 

[Ulpian]

Yours IS a turbo Diesel, a Multijet turbo-Diesel. It has bags of torque, but not right at the bottom of the rev range; that's why it might seem a little sluggish from 0-10, after which it powers off...

and yes, it needs a bit of well regularly to keep in unbunged.

 

[RichDoblo120]

I've been studying masked pix of the new Doblo and I am wondering if it based on the Berlingo after all. I know it drops the 1.9 and gets the 1.6, and the 1.3, but does anyone know what the basis for the thing is: Fiat or Cit/Pug? Anybody know?

Are these the pics you've seen?

It's very hard to tell but I think it looks bigger than the new Pug/Citroen

 

[Ulpian]

Yes, and another confirming it has rear coils, but I have a suspicion that it may not after all be based on the Pug/Cit. Dunno: have to wait to find out I suppose.