General should i buy another stilo?

[stiloactive]

Hi all.
My Stilo is a 52 reg 1.6 dynamic and i've done 68,000 miles in it.
I really like most things about the car, but it has often been let down by reliability issues. mainly:- wheel alignment, rear sub frame noises, air bag faults, aircon failed, poor quality upholstery fabric, 3 ignition coils failed, and other stuff which i can't remember off hand.
Anyway. what i wanted to find out from you lot is if over the last three years these problems have been sorted out. and if i bought a new Stilo it would be more reliable and wouldn't spend as much time at the dealer as my current one has.
I know if i went and spoke to the sales team at my local dealer they would tell me black was white to try and get a sale, so your comments would be very welcome.....

 

[activematt]

To be quite honest i think its very much down to the individual cars because ive got a 52 active and havent had any of those probs (obviously the air con issue isnt relevant)

 

[Stu DemonD]

Even with the issues I have had with mine, an 02 plate Abarth, I would have no qualms in buying another one BUT I won't, because I want something else

A lot of guys on here have had faultless models.

 

[activematt]

To actually answer your question...........yes i would buy another stilo, and think you should too

 

[bozzy]

I took delivery of my second Stilo (04) without hesitation on Friday. My 03 1.6 Dynamic gave me one warning light in the 18 months I had it (Airbag). Can you believe my new one has just done the same but I expected it to do this.

I read somewhere that the electronics had been changed in early 04 to iron out some of these faults !!aherm!! enhancements. Can someone confirm?

 

[SLOVAC]

... I would have no qualms in buying another one BUT I won't, because I want something else

Stu,
Does that mean they have launched the Alfa Brera GTA then? :woot:

Stiloactive,
If I had to tell somebody who never owned a Stilo whether they should buy one, I would say go for it... but my personal preference is not to buy a car that I have already owned. My next car would probably not be a car, but a 4x4 pickup... but that would be for practical reasons. (I live in the countryside, sort of, and we have really bad gravel roads.)
If you do decide to by another Stilo, at least go for another model like a JTD or Abarth... then it's technically not the same car

 

[Stu DemonD]

Stu,
Does that mean they have launched the Alfa Brera GTA then? :woot:

Lol, no chance - 2007 at the earliest

 

[Squadrone Rosso]

Hi all.
My Stilo is a 52 reg 1.6 dynamic and i've done 68,000 miles in it.
I really like most things about the car, but it has often been let down by reliability issues. mainly:- wheel alignment, rear sub frame noises, air bag faults, aircon failed, poor quality upholstery fabric, 3 ignition coils failed, and other stuff which i can't remember off hand.
Anyway. what i wanted to find out from you lot is if over the last three years these problems have been sorted out. and if i bought a new Stilo it would be more reliable and wouldn't spend as much time at the dealer as my current one has.
I know if i went and spoke to the sales team at my local dealer they would tell me black was white to try and get a sale, so your comments would be very welcome.....

In a word, NO

Cheers,

 

[NeilC]

Hi all.
My Stilo is a 52 reg 1.6 dynamic and i've done 68,000 miles in it.
I really like most things about the car, but it has often been let down by reliability issues. mainly:- wheel alignment, rear sub frame noises, air bag faults, aircon failed, poor quality upholstery fabric, 3 ignition coils failed, and other stuff which i can't remember off hand.
Anyway. what i wanted to find out from you lot is if over the last three years these problems have been sorted out. and if i bought a new Stilo it would be more reliable and wouldn't spend as much time at the dealer as my current one has.
I know if i went and spoke to the sales team at my local dealer they would tell me black was white to try and get a sale, so your comments would be very welcome.....

I've just bought my second Abarth and I'd have no hesitation in buying another! I've had no real problems with either. Most cars suffer from the odd niggle here and there but for some reason, people seem to amplify these niggles just because it is a Fiat.

I've said before on a previous post, you can always get a bad egg regardless of make or model. People tend to only ever post with problems rather than praise, so try not to let this sway your decision - there are lots of people on here (including me) who have an absolute hoot enjoying trouble free motoring.

...just make sure it's an Abarth or JTD!

 

[Ben R]

...just make sure it's an Abarth or JTD!

Ssshhhh! Mike may be reading this!

 

[thepottleflump]

If it makes financial sense then yes do it.

My car has been faultless in general but I'm considering changing for a diesel for economy; have really been unable to find reason enough to swap though.

An Alfa 147 was tempting but too many things just didn't add up about it (small uncomfortable front seats, limited headroom, no rear legroom, tiny boot - I guess it felt too small), while the wife didn't like the 156 Sportwagon because it was too much like her old mans car - fair point. They are the closest I've come to changing but I could have a new a fully loaded 5 door JTD Stilo for sensible money I'd be there with the cash.

Just Do it.

 

[StiloBoy]

By the looks of your first post the only time your car has actually let you down is when the coilpacks have failed, and thats as likely to happen on a new car as your current one.

Keep it mate.

 

[The Trooper]

It seems to be a matter of luck, my Dad's got a 51 reg JTD 5 door, had it about 3 years and done about 40,000 miles. The rear wheel was misaligned, but now fixed, but other than that there has not been one single problem. Not even things like dodgy air bag warning lights! so like i said, it's a matter of luck, same goes with any other make/model of car.

 

[stiloactive]

Thankyou for all your comments. I was thinking of maybe taking a JTD for a test drive to see what the performane is like. I've looked at all the other similar sized models from Ford, Vauxhall, Seat, VW, Toyota etc. and excluding all the french crap, the Stilo is probably the best value as far is the equipment levels go.

 

[Ben R]

Thankyou for all your comments. I was thinking of maybe taking a JTD for a test drive to see what the performane is like. I've looked at all the other similar sized models from Ford, Vauxhall, Seat, VW, Toyota etc. and excluding all the french crap, the Stilo is probably the best value as far is the equipment levels go.

Throw caution to the wind mate! Get an abarth!

 

[Shminkypinky]

Id love an arbarth too! My heart would say get one then my head would say nooooooo! get a German or Jaoanese car (Civic type-R).

Its not just the car because the Stilo is great, I love mine its just the crap you get from the dealers that has put me off the FIAT marque altogether which is a real shame!

Run your into the ground! Get the value out of it then move on. that is what I will do!

 

[mbarratt2]

I think to be fair to the Fiat dealers the service levels offered (although shocking) are no worse than the likes of Ford and Vauxhall. One of my friends bought a pre-reg '05 plate focus and he's had loads of problems, like corroded discs etc and the dealer have said they aren't interested and you should expect to have to pay for things like that if you buy a car thats sat unused in a warehouse for 6 months!

The salesman even went so far as to say Ford concentrate more on the fleet market as its "less labour intensive."

 

[stiloactive]

I use my car to teach people to drive so i don't think learners would be able to cope with something too powerful.

 

[joecinq]

I am having second thoughts about getting a stilo next year, if its not going to be reliable and get me to work day in, day out. I might aswell keep my 10 year old cento!

Then again, what do I pay my AA membership for.....

 

[Stu DemonD]

Only once have I never made it to work, and that was when the gearbox actuator went; actually, I remember I broke down again when a coil pack bust as well :chin: