General Twinair opinions please???

[nigelr32]

Looked at one about 2 weeks ago.
No back seats worth talking about.
No hatchback - just a boot !
Asking €32,500 on a cash sale for a 2012 model !
Road tax p.a. around £700 +
I can now see the attraction and take back what I said about the mid life crisis !

WOW!! £700 Tax!!! That's one of the reasons for not going down the Abarth route.. TA £0 Tax, 1.2 £30 Tax, A500 £175!!

Insurance on the A 500 would be a lot more also.

I see exactly where you're coming from here, but I have my MX-5 for modding and a Land Rover for fun. I also still have the Panda. The Abarth is an amazing car without doubt, I'm after something which costs nothing to own... Maybe, one day the MX-5 will be replaced with an A500??

 

[loveshandbags]

WOW!! £700 Tax!!! That's one of the reasons for not going down the Abarth route.. TA £0 Tax, 1.2 £30 Tax, A500 £175!!

Insurance on the A 500 would be a lot more also.

I see exactly where you're coming from here, but I have my MX-5 for modding and a Land Rover for fun. I also still have the Panda. The Abarth is an amazing car without doubt, I'm after something which costs nothing to own... Maybe, one day the MX-5 will be replaced with an A500??

The GT86 road tax here for 2013 is €750 p.a. at 181 grs/km and the A500, TB 155, Euro 4 1.4 is €390. It drops back to €280 between 130grs to 140grs/km. Whenever the newer A500 multi-air appears it will be less than 140grs/km. The Mito QV is 139grs with a reputed 170bhp but in the Punto Evo Abarth it's slightly higher at 143grs.

If I was buying new I would ideally like to get below 140grs/km but with a MTA / DSG you could get it below the 130 grs/km & still have a performance car.

 

[ahmett]

I haven't been hugely impressed with the 1.4 either, at least in the 500, I drove a 100hp and it seemed quite eager though still pesky, but the 500 seemed to be mapped differently and seemed to want more revs whereas the 1242 in the 500 is quite torquey and of course our Legacy turbo has oodles of low down grunt.

Jason's 1.4 did feel nicer than the two demo 500's I drove and the qyaife (thanks for that Nigel ) made it even nicer to drive

did you take the 1.4 to 7500 rpm maxi?

 

[306maxi]

did you take the 1.4 to 7500 rpm maxi?

I can't remember how many revs i gave it, but i just didn't find it all that satisfying.

 

[ahmett]

I can't remember how many revs i gave it, but i just didn't find it all that satisfying.

yeah because below 4000 rpm I agree with you completely. Above 4000 rpm I disagree with you completely. I will agree that the 1.2 engine is better suited to in town relaxed driving. When I first drove the Fiat 500 out of the dealer, I thought they had cheated me and sold me a 1.2 instead of a 1.4 = ))

 

[loveshandbags]

Maybe, one day the MX-5 will be replaced with an A500??

had a old mx5 couldn't be bothered with one again but they are raved about.

Looks like the A500ss gets the better of a mx5 ...

http://www.zeperfs.com/en/duel1323-2618.htm

But if you like the mx5 the 1.2 will be a cheap car to run.

 

[nigelr32]

Well, I've only gone and bought one!!

It's a 2013 TA Street in white ex demo on a 62 plate with 1600 miles on it. I took it for a spin and fell in love. It has B&M, 16" Black alloys and air con. I don't know if its just a stock car or if any of the toys are extras?

I'll be picking it up next week from Chipping Sodbury Motor Company. I can't wait!! If I go off the car I've only got you lot to blame!!

 

[simon willgress]

Fantastic and too for you pic's please :Thumb:

Didn't read it all, can't WAIT to see it even.

 

[loveshandbags]

Well, I've only gone and bought one!!

It's a 2013 TA Street in white ex demo on a 62 plate with 1600 miles on it. I took it for a spin and fell in love. It has B&M, 16" Black alloys and air con. I don't know if its just a stock car or if any of the toys are extras?

I'll be picking it up next week from Chipping Sodbury Motor Company. I can't wait!! If I go off the car I've only got you lot to blame!!

Many congrats Nigel.
That must have been the quickest purchase of a 500 that I've seen on the FF.
Best of luck with the new motor.

 

[Tidus72]

Congrats on your purchase

As its an ex demo Just make sure you go over every inch of it before you drive off into the sunset

Will look forward to hearing how you get on with your "Twin"

 

[scout]

OTOH, I'm typing this having just driven my 1.2 down to the New Forest & with some help from a following wind & nice warm dry weather, I'm looking at 78.8mpg on the trip computer.

I have just got home from seeing the guys at Panda camp in the New Forest, I did 280'ish miles and the computer reads 63.5MPG in my TA. That included some 'spirited' driving on the way down behind Palio and loads of convoying during a 1.5 hour trip from the campsite to Studland through VERY heavy traffic. Not as good as the 1.2 but soooooo much fun

 

[scout]

I do alot of stop start town driving and when I test drove a Twin Air I found it very tiresome in Stop Start traffic, having to rev quite hard just to pull away which is a nightmare when your in a line of cars, as you say the 1.2 is a much more relaxed and less frantic engine hence why I chose the 1.2

Owning a TA, all I can say is I think you were driving it wrong, it does take some getting used to (Please don't take this wrong as I'm not critisizing the way you drive :worship. It will pull away with just over tickover revs and if you've got it in ECO mode your in 5th by the time your doing 35MPH if your being gentle. Obviously the 1.2 suits your style of driving

I think its great that all drivers can find an engine to suit their driving style within the Fiat range

 

[The Twins]

Congratulations! Bet you can't wait. You made a great choice with the TA but then I am biased lol.

 

[nigelr32]

Thanks Guys,

Where is the best place to get some good quality mats from. I noticed the carpet has pegs in it, so I guess genuine Fiat mats will be best?

Note the new Avatar.

 

[loveshandbags]

Thanks Guys,

Where is the best place to get some good quality mats from. I noticed the carpet has pegs in it, so I guess genuine Fiat mats will be best?

Note the new Avatar.

Personally prefer a set of light Fiat mats with the 500 logo on them. They wouldn't last that long but you could get a cheap £1 rubber mat to place on top to minimise wear from the heel on the drivers side. You can get discounts if some of suppliers on the FF sell the mats.

P.s. don't forget street in the signature

 

[nigelr32]

Thanks for the tip off there. Pricey aren't they!!

Signature amended...

 

[loveshandbags]

Thanks for the tip off there. Pricey aren't they!!

Signature amended...

They're mad money but you'll love the 500 logo.
Cheaper plain set up on ebay with ace parts for £17.
In the past the dealer used to throw them in but that seems to have stopped.

 

[306maxi]

Thanks Guys,

Where is the best place to get some good quality mats from. I noticed the carpet has pegs in it, so I guess genuine Fiat mats will be best?

Note the new Avatar.

I've got a set of Michelin rubber mats in my 500. Better at keeping crud out of the car than carpet mats imho

 

[tingtang1]

Yes, I purchased the Michelin ones on the basis of 306maxi and jnoiles recommendations! Totally pleased with them.

 

[scout]

Are these purchased from Fiat?