General Thinking of buying a 500 but need some advice

[Most Easterly Pandas]

All I can say is you must love the left hand lane

The 1.2 is probably the most depressing thing I've ever driven on a motorway, it's lovely on A and B roads but you are kidding yourself if you think you can comfortably keep up with the traffic on a motorway in it without having to change down when you come to a hill.

I'm not slimmer of the year, but has no problem even 2 up keeping up with traffic in 5th, don't forget its not supposed to be no Abarth or AMG!

Happily sits at 85mph on private road I once used, a different one to Maxi I suspect, with a fair few hilly sections

I looks like you seem very set in your opinion, perhaps we'll have to agree to disagree and OP can make up their own mind on a test drive.

If the 1.2 is as incapable as you make it out to be then I question why it has sold so well and is still used by Fiat

 

[scout]

I'm not slimmer of the year, but has no problem even 2 up keeping up with traffic in 5th, don't forget its not supposed to be no Abarth or AMG!

Happily sits at 85mph on private road I once used, a different one to Maxi I suspect, with a fair few hilly sections

I looks like you seem very set in your opinion, perhaps we'll have to agree to disagree and OP can make up their own mind on a test drive.

If the 1.2 is as incapable as you make it out to be then I question why it has sold so well and is still used by Fiat

To be fair the 500 is not marketed as a motorway cruiser, if it was there would be cruise control as an option. However on the trip up to Leicester last week I fell in with a 1.2 500C which was more than competant on the motorway and I never felt as if it was slowing me down at any time. We must have been travelling together for over 20 miles, so plenty of dips and rises.

 

[ahmett]

Guys give me a break or what!?


The 1.2 is fine for the motorway unless you are in Germany autobahn. It can comfortably chill at 90 mph all day and all night. In fact the 1.4 is barely any faster as the Fiat 500 has rubbish aerodynamics so above 90 mph you are struggling even with the 1.4. I reached 120 mph on the 1.4 but you have to keep it floored pedal to the metal to maintain that speed and any hill and it slows down. The 1.4 can cruise at 110 mph more comfortably but any more and it depends on the gradient. It really doesn't feel nice at that speed either too much wind noise and it gets boring after a while pedal to the metal and fuel consumption is a joke.

 

[MN500]

When new a 1.2 does feel slow, after it's run in it's absolutely fine.

I do hope that we experience an improvement when ours is run in. Our 6 month old 3000 mile 1.2 is terrible, really slow. It punishes you if you get the wrong gear and it is really inflexible. It goes against what I had read about the engine prior to purchase.

Our previous 1.1 Seicento was far better, it obviously had more miles on but was great fun. It could shame many cars in the 0-30mph traffic light standing start.

 

[jrkitching]

I will probably get flamed for this, do not even consider the 1.2 it is useless for motorways. I have driven around 5 different 1.2's and they all struggle as soon as the gradient changes.
Go for the diesel it loves the motorway and the torque makes it a blast round town.

It all depends on your preferred cruising speed. If most of your driving is on the motorway and you cruise at (or above ) the speed limit, there are far better cars for that mission than the 500, both for comfort and for economy - it's simply not a sufficiently aerodynamic bodyshell. The 95hp 1.3 turbodiesel will certainly do the job in terms of performance, but there are more comfortable and more economical options & a secondhand motorway barge might be a more sensible choice.

OTOH, cruise at 55-60mph and the 1.2 will give you just about the best mpg figures you'll see with any petrol car .

To the OP: If you're getting 55mpg from your current car, I'd hazard a guess that performance isn't your priority. A 1.2 petrol 500 will match or better that, provided you keep the speed below about 60mph. Most folks who cruise at fast lane speeds report mpg figures in the middle 40's, both for the 1.2 and the TA.

Our previous 1.1 Seicento was far better, it obviously had more miles on but was great fun. It could shame many cars in the 0-30mph traffic light standing start.

The 1.2 is designed as an ecocar, not a street racer. It is very flexible (once properly run in, it will pull from about 28mph in 5th, which makes for good economy in a city car), provided you don't try to accelerate hard. You should not need to do more than feather the throttle pedal in normal driving (unless you are Ahmett ).

 

[TrevC]

Got a Twinair Lounge, driven a 1.2 for a day. The 1.2 is perfectly capable on the motorway, but the TA has a fair bit more in hand for gradients. Real world economy will be better in the 1.2 because the extra urge of the TA is irresistible, but it won't be as much as 10mpg on the motorway. I get 50mpg at a 70mph cruise from my 22000 miler.
Regarding reliability, others here have more experience than me, but I've had zero faults since it was new in March 2011.
As the others have said, try them both on the motorway if you can - if you like the 1.2 it's a fair bit cheaper. I wouldn't swap my TA though.....

 

[306maxi]

and I can get getting on for 70mpg at 60 in my 500.

 

[Spinnerdcc]

So to sum up the Fiat 500 1.2 is the ultimate all round machine, it can drive all day at 90 mph and get nearly 70mpg at 60 mph!

:worship:

 

[306maxi]

So to sum up the Fiat 500 1.2 is the ultimate all round machine, it can drive all day at 90 mph and get nearly 70mpg at 60 mph!

:worship:

Yes, you can get 70mpg at a constant 60mph or thereabouts.

I've done nearly 58k miles in mine.....

It certainly isn't quick, but if you drive it properly you never grave issues keeping up with the flow of traffic.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

but if you drive it properly you never grave issues keeping up with the flow of traffic.

jnoiles can vouch for this.

 

[306maxi]

Personally I think the 1.2 is good for its size, it's torquey for a small engine and more than does the job Unlike my Panda 4x4 which is bloody slow.....

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Personally I think the 1.2 is good for its size, it's torquey for a small engine and more than does the job Unlike my Panda 4x4 which is bloody slow.....

Agreed. It's the VVT that makes the difference. Our 1.2 Panda Eleganza is bloody slow in comparison also

 

[UFI]

Having clocked up 2250 miles in a 1.2 over 5 weeks, I can say that there is nothing wrong with the 1.2 500 on motorways, especially with its VVT.

Its no worse than any other car of similar size and engine.

Except a Twinair

Fun fact about a TA is when you press the ECO button you have exactly the same torque as a 1.2. ECO mode, 70mph, gradient in road, means WOT and either switching the A/C off or giving in and turning ECO off, or losing speed.

How many cars today don't have some form of VVT? It's not a feature any more than EFI of distributorless ignition. Now if it had Mulitair

 

[UFI]

If you've driven one with less than 20k miles on then then you've not driven a proper 1.2. I nearly cracked a ton today in my 1.2 on a private road today. When they're new and tight they do seem quite slow though.

Many owners will never get to 20k miles before trade in . It's a bit silly to say buy a 1.2 an wait 2+ years for it to free up.

UFI cracked the ton on his first week, FWIW

 

[306maxi]

Many owners will never get to 20k miles before trade in . It's a bit silly to say buy a 1.2 an wait 2+ years for it to free up.

UFI cracked the ton on his first week, FWIW

Moral of the story? Don't be a mong and sell your car before it's run in.

 

[The Twins]

I wouldn't call 10mpg a small difference!


I'm not really a fan of dismals (can you tell?) but I think that a diesel or a 1.2 would be a better bet for you, the extra cost of the twinair will probably fuel a 1.2 500 for you for a year......

There isn't 10mpg difference between 1.2 and TA. Directly comparing both of ours driven roughly the same type of journeys they return about the same mpg. If I drive them hard the 1.2 will be slightly more economical. 1.2 is less sensitive in this regard. Twinair is a lot punchier tho. Doesn't slow down on motorway inclines.

 

[jrkitching]

It's been said many times before....

If you want to drive for economy, buy the 1.2; if you want to drive for performance, buy the TA.

If you want both (but not at the same time!), then the TA gives you the option.

The diesel won't pay for itself on cost grounds in the UK, but the power delivery of the 95hp mJet is useful for sustained motorway driving (though IMO there are far better cars for this mission).

Now that the TA's CC exemption is gone for new owners, the 1.2 will have the lowest total running cost, whatever the mileage.

If you're concerned about whether a particular engine option will suit your driving style, go for a test drive.

Getting both economy and performance at the same time isn't possible.

 

[RobinPJ]

It's been said many times before....

If you want to drive for economy, buy the 1.2; if you want to drive for performance, buy the TA.

If you want both (but not at the same time!), then the TA gives you the option.

The diesel won't pay for itself on cost grounds in the UK, but the power delivery of the 95hp mJet is useful for sustained motorway driving (though IMO there are far better cars for this mission).

Now that the TA's CC exemption is gone for new owners, the 1.2 will have the lowest total running cost, whatever the mileage.

If you're concerned about whether a particular engine option will suit your driving style, go for a test drive.

Getting both economy and performance at the same time isn't possible.

There endeth the lesson, taken from jrkitching's second letter to the heathens. Amen.

 

[Super Uwe]

Spot on post above by jrkitching!

All I would add is this - don't completely rule out the 1.2 on performance grounds. Yes, it doesn't set the world alight by any means, but I honestly believe it is a really fun engine if you let it rev a bit. I have plenty of fun on the windy and hilly roads round here in Mid Devon!

What you can't do with it is chuck it into 5th, put your foot to the floor and expect it to do anything - it won't. But the first three gears (and fourth to a certain extent) are IMO very responsive if you need to pull away quicker than normal.

But as you say, test driving both (or even three if you include the diesel) is the best option as you will then know which one is right.

 

[jrkitching]

There endeth the lesson, taken from jrkitching's second letter to the heathens. Amen.

Psalm M23

The Fiat is my motor
I shall not want... another.
It maketh me lie on my back in damp places;
It anointeth my head with oil.
It carries me beside the still waters;
It emptieth my wallet continuously.
It leadeth me into the paths of thy dealerships for His name's sake.
Yeah, though I drive through the valley of the shadow of death (aka M25 Jn 14-18), I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy ABS, thy airbags and thy S/S system shall comfort me.
Yet though I drive through the valleys, I am towed up the hills.
Thy preparest a tyre failure before me in the presence of mine enemy the trolley jack.
Thy radiator boileth over.
Surely thy rust and thy depreciation shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Fiat forever

Amen