500 Newbie

[Redimp]

Hi all. A complete newbie to anything fiat here. I am just in the process of buying the 500c 105 twin air ! I know nothing about fiats but just loved the way the car looked and took it for a test drive and that was it really , hooked !
As I say I know nothing about the the fiat brand so I’m a little anxious that I may have bitten off more than I can chew but on the other hand excited to be owning it. Any tips , help or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank You
Ian

 

[mj2k]

Hi and welcome

Can't say I know much about the twinair, but leaving aside issues with the tailgate loom (a common problem on all hatchbacks / estates, not just Fiats) and front suspension wear the 500 seems to be pretty robust generally, but do keep the rear suspension clean and make sure you put some paint / rustproofing on the rear suspension arms around the spring mounts if it is getting a little surface rust to save yourself from problems later.

 

[John202020]

Welcome be sure to use the exact spec oil it's very sensitive to spec

 

[jrkitching]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

If you notice any increase in engine vibration or harshness, get it checked asap by a competent mechanic. These cars have a DMF which is known for premature failure, sometimes after as little as 25,000 miles - there's a current thread about this in the Panda section. The problem is that running clearances are very tight, and if left to develop, the resulting collateral damage turns what would otherwise be a straightforward clutch/flywheel exchange into a major and potentially very expensive repair.

For anyone else reading this, a redesigned, stronger DMF was supposedly introduced in 2018, so this may be less of an issue for the latest cars.

Early 85HP TA's don't have a DMF, but IIRC all of the 105HP cars, and all the 4x4 TA Pandas, do.