General Out with the old and in with the new!

[Pandabloke]

No, not the year, the Multipla!

My beloved but extremely troublesome 02 ELX JTD, Bella, is finally on the move. Sold My soul to Thames Fiat Slough and will be collecting this: http://usedcars.fiat.co.uk/used-fia...20-eleganza-5-door-mpv-2138308-600432587.aspx early next week.

In case the link has stopped working, she is a '08 registered '57 plated Multipla Eleganza with factory fitted bluetooth, tinted windows and those gorgeous 17' alloys. Finished in New Orleans blue and having done 7,500 miles she was mine for a screen price of £9995.

Just configured the same car on Fiat.co.uk/showroom as a new car and it comes out in excess of £19,000 pound, so I ain't complaining!

I use the car privately and for Civic chauffeuring in the Dover District so needed a good one. And she's a blinder. Well pleased.

Will let you know more when I have her. She is to be called Myrtle....

 

[MultiplaAbarth]

Nice motor, what a bargain!, I like those 17" wheels too, really sets the car off, but I'm interested to know how it compares to drive with your old one, especially considering those 17" alloys?

 

[Pandabloke]

Hi there. Well I took it for a five mile test drive on lanes and 'b' roads. The ride comfort, which I found excellent on my ugly bug, had in no way been compromised by the 17's and low profiles. This is good news because I use it for civic chauffeuring.

It seemed a bit taughter, but then mine has done 100,000 miles so not a fair comparison really, but the steering was still as light as I was used to despite the bigger/fatter wheels, probably due to the excellent power steering.

What was slightly amusing was that side by side the new one is actually a few inches (well, noticeably) taller! I'm not sure whether this is due to model difference or simply the 17's. Again this is of no real concern to me because my passengers enjoy the Multipla because it sits high and they can see around them, rather than being low and bouncy in the many executive cars my colleagues use.

I wanted one with the 17's specifically and I don't think I'll notice any operational differences. Time will tell. I'll report back. Collecting this week!

 

[MultiplaAbarth]

Hi Pandabloke, Thanks for your "review" on 17"'s, its very helpfull. By the way , I think the car height is due to the suspension being new, it takes a while for the new springs and shocks to settle, probably 100,000 miles per inch.....!!!

 

[Zundapp]

Hi Pandabloke, Thanks for your "review" on 17"'s, its very helpfull. By the way , I think the car height is due to the suspension being new, it takes a while for the new springs and shocks to settle, probably 100,000 miles per inch.....!!!

Could be quicker than that with the front coils! :devil:

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

I'm not sure that you can make a fair comparison in the ride comfort between these two Multiplas, as Fiat altered the spring rates and dampers somewhere mid-2002 as many had commented that the original car had too 'harsh' a ride. (The cars with revised suspension had body-coloured bumpers but retained the 'frog eye' headlights). I think the one you;ve just sold would still have had the original, firmer suspension? I don't know if this also accounts for the height difference?
Pete

 

[Pandabloke]

Yep, the one I am still waiting to trade in (reg.doc problems with the new one....) has black plastic bumpers. The ride, as a chauffeuring vehicle anyway, was superb. I wouldn't have described it as harsh at all. I found it an excellent compromise between comfort and fun! But then that is just my opinion of course.

Maybe the new one's ride is similar because it has been firmed up by the 17's and the associated low profiles?

Anyway, thanks for the reply, I love the little bits of information like that. Interesting to note that the revised ugly bug had firmer suspension. You folk are so knowledgeable!

Ideally I'd love to run a wacky coloured late ugly bug (jtd elx 115 of course!) as an everyday car and the facelift as my works car, but finances sadly don't allow.

Funny, as I drive it about all cleaned out and awaiting to trade in, I know I am going to miss it despite the fact it nearly bancrupted me at one stage! Never been attached to a car before really..... How strange!

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

Other way - the revised 02 had softer suspension than the earlier model, so that plus 17" wheels prob feels same as your old one. Mine (Y plate, June 01) is a good ride too, but recurring ridges across the road (eg those yellow bands approaching roundabouts, or old concrete roads) can set up a real shudder -- I think it was this that they ironed out.