500 Paternal responsibilities

[rjd185]

Well, here goes - both my daughters now have 2017 Fiat 500's (both Lounge 1.2, both same colour and almost same colour as my wife's classic Mini - I am seriously outnumbered when everyone is home). Somehow I need to keep both the Fiat's running without breaking the bank, so a bit more time spent in the garage under a car is called for and always useful to be able to get some good advice from time to time.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Well, here goes - both my daughters now have 2017 Fiat 500's (both Lounge 1.2, both same colour and almost same colour as my wife's classic Mini - I am seriously outnumbered when everyone is home). Somehow I need to keep both the Fiat's running without breaking the bank, so a bit more time spent in the garage under a car is called for and always useful to be able to get some good advice from time to time.

Welcome. Good choice, the 1.2 is potentially least likely to give you problems and easiest to work on.

Have you been "lurking" around the forum for any length of time, or are we a new find for you?

 

[rjd185]

Welcome. Good choice, the 1.2 is potentially least likely to give you problems and easiest to work on.

Have you been "lurking" around the forum for any length of time, or are we a new find for you?

Thanks. Relatively new find - did an oil change over the weekend and was hunting about for filter specs due to a slight part mismatch (Mann filter 610/7 coming off vs the 610/3 I'd been sold). Happened along here, found a lot of other useful looking info, and thought I'd sign up.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Nice to have you along. My Fiat experience is pretty much all with Pandas although my older boy had a Punto for a while and I had occasional contact with a classic 500, Mirafiore and 128 amongst others. (I also worked for a dealership which sold the Polski Fiat Polonez and 125p - but I don't often admit to that ) The 500 and Panda share a lot in common so I may be able to help in future if needed. My daughter and younger boy learned to drive in Pandas, Daughter actually had two before leaving home, both now "fled the nest" and grown up with their own families. We've run a Panda continuously since then as a second car and, if our present one - Becky - expires we'll probably buy another.

I lurk around a few other forums, mostly VAG related, but this is by far the most welcoming and "friendly", look forward to hearing more from you.

 

[Ralf S.]

If you have two.. then you're already in a good position.. since whatever goes wrong on one will likely go wrong on the other.. so you can predict what's going to fall off, and you'll have the tools and experience from the first time round..

If you have nothing better to do after the oil changes.. check out the suspension components.. not just the dampers (leaking) but also the rubber bushes in the front suspension arm and the rear dampers.

Rear dampers are cheap.. but while inspecting those, clean up the rear axle beam, check the sprint pans for rust and dump a gallon of old engine oil all over it.. Otherwise 500 is not tooooo shonky.



Ralf S.

 

[steveras57]

the "mad house" always likes further company just so you dont feel so outnumbered if you feel overwhelmed then give me shout as i have an Italian wife and three daughters! feels like im trapped in a spaghetti western sometimes

 

[John202020]

Watch for rusty sumps, replace the spark plugs with Iridium and forget for at least 5 years, achilles heel is overheating caused by water loss( plastic pipe on thermostat fails if yours is not the newer metal one)
Have the ac recharged and tell your daughters, never switch it OFF
Scuttle drains, duck bills can get clogged causing water to spill into the car over the BCM so clean out once a year.
Always use the correct concentration of screen wash for the conditions
Hatch wiring issue
Replace the engine earth strap well known to fail
Most parts are really cheap from say Ebay