Either that or a fiat engine (!!!!)
Why do Fiats have such a bad reputation?
- Thread starter Bigjawa
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Why do Fiats have such a bad reputation?
symonh2000
Member
People like to think BMW's are superior but in the 70's they were as rusty as anything. People would have sooner bought a MK1 Ford granada than a big BMW. Then there was the 80's Yuppie thing. Citroen used to make badly made cars (2CV, Visa, AX, BX, XM) But no-one seems to remember those, and Todays Fiats are much better built than todays Citroens. Maybe Fiat needs more cars like the Barchetta and the Coupe in it's model ranges instaed of Duller models such as the Stilo and the new Punto, which haven't got a hope against rivals with more flair. Sorry if thats a bit harsh but they have proved they can do it in the past. The dealers need a kick up the backside too.
symonh2000 said:
Yep,cant remember seeing a citroen visa for.....
years! The new Croma is more upmarket but to expensive for the 'Fiat punter' & looks like it will be a solely fleet car only.Personally I don't give a XXXX about image,I buy a car because it suits my purpose at that particular time....oh & its cheap Initial reports on the new punto are good & I reckon it will sell very well,as for dealers....you know whose side i'm on
symonh2000
Member
Yep, I do love Fiats, and Alfa's. I do care a bit about waht others think so thats why I am after a Coupe next. I just cannot bring myself to buy a bland euro or jap box let alone a BMW, and Fiats and Alfa's do just fine. Pity some of the top Lancia's arn't made right hand drive also.. I have never has a Fiat or Alfa break down on me yet either and I have owned several. I have had a Rover let me down though, as well as a Peugeot. My dad had a XJ8 jag, the ones that "never" break down according to surveys break down, the cause a dodgy ECU, and it cost £800 to fix. Luckily it was under warranty.
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End of the day 'machinery' breaks down.If peple think buying a 'named' new car will be 100% reliable they are mistaken.Jap cars were 'normally' ore reliable due to the strict build tollerances but any component wether mechanical or electrical can fail no matter what name/badge is on the front!
A quote that was said to me once....there are millions of reasons why a computer wont work but only one reason as to why it does!
A quote that was said to me once....there are millions of reasons why a computer wont work but only one reason as to why it does!
Lots of people are saying that Fiat is still living down an old reputation, but I'm not so sure it is as reliable now as people suggest. Here is a whatcar reliability survey of cars in the last couple of years.
1 Honda 2 Mazda 3 Toyota4 Nissan
5 Lexus 6 Hyundai 7 Mitsubishi 8 Daewoo
9 Skoda 10 Mercedes-Benz 11 Subaru 12 Seat
13 Volvo 14 Porsche 15 Volkswagen
16 Peugeot 17 BMW 18 Fiat 19 Vauxhall 20 Ford
21 Chrysler 22 MG 23 Jaguar 24 Citroën 25 Renault
26 Alfa Romeo 27 Rover 28 Audi 29 Saab 30 Land Rover
At first glance Fiat seems low, but it is ahead of Renault, Ford, Vauxhall, and Citroen. The top gear puts Fiat much lower though nearly at the bottom. These are large scale surveys, so they must mean more than a few of us and our experiences.
I think the main thing to remember is that if you've had several Fiats and they've all been good and reliable (as I have) then you're bound to think Fiat's reputation is undeserved. If you've had problems, the opposite is true.
So unfortunately, Fiat has a bad reputation because it still, at the moooment at least, partially deserves it!
1 Honda 2 Mazda 3 Toyota4 Nissan
5 Lexus 6 Hyundai 7 Mitsubishi 8 Daewoo
9 Skoda 10 Mercedes-Benz 11 Subaru 12 Seat
13 Volvo 14 Porsche 15 Volkswagen
16 Peugeot 17 BMW 18 Fiat 19 Vauxhall 20 Ford
21 Chrysler 22 MG 23 Jaguar 24 Citroën 25 Renault
26 Alfa Romeo 27 Rover 28 Audi 29 Saab 30 Land Rover
At first glance Fiat seems low, but it is ahead of Renault, Ford, Vauxhall, and Citroen. The top gear puts Fiat much lower though nearly at the bottom. These are large scale surveys, so they must mean more than a few of us and our experiences.
I think the main thing to remember is that if you've had several Fiats and they've all been good and reliable (as I have) then you're bound to think Fiat's reputation is undeserved. If you've had problems, the opposite is true.
So unfortunately, Fiat has a bad reputation because it still, at the moooment at least, partially deserves it!
dillinger39
Established member
my fiat cinq has a bad rep with the guys at work but they can't drive like me
hahahaha
and they wander why i can beat them so badly in my car
hahahaha
and they wander why i can beat them so badly in my car
Dr_Pepper said:
Is the fact the most of the ones above Fiat are much more expensive therefore better quality parts are used,end of the day you pay for what you get.I wouldn't expect a £60 lawnmower to be better than a £100 lawnmower,then again what would I know about lawnmowers.....I'll ask the wife that one
steviepab
Member
T14086 said:Is the fact the most of the ones above Fiat are much more expensive therefore better quality parts are used,end of the day you pay for what you get.I wouldn't expect a £60 lawnmower to be better than a £100 lawnmower,then again what would I know about lawnmowers.....I'll ask the wife that one
We sell a £60 performance power lawnmower that is better than the qualcast equivelent for £100
symonh2000
Member
My ex girlfriend said that men were like lawnmowers. They are difficult to start, emit foul smells and a lot of the time they won't work.
Thought I would share that old chestnut.
Thought I would share that old chestnut.
vipul_singh
New member
I am from India and FIAT is making cars from its 'World Car' program - the A178 platform. The car is called the Palio and is a supermini, compting with the Corsa, the Getz etc.
I have owned the car for three years, and by any standards, the build quality, reliability, and solidity is amazing.
The car is popular in Brazil, but failed in India because of its 'poor' fuel economy (it returned about 33mpg for the 1.2 petrol - my 1.6 returns 30), but I love the car for the above reasons, no problems at all. Dealer support is crap though - small world!
I have owned the car for three years, and by any standards, the build quality, reliability, and solidity is amazing.
The car is popular in Brazil, but failed in India because of its 'poor' fuel economy (it returned about 33mpg for the 1.2 petrol - my 1.6 returns 30), but I love the car for the above reasons, no problems at all. Dealer support is crap though - small world!
steviepab said:We sell a £60 performance power lawnmower that is better than the qualcast equivelent for £100
Bet the airbag light doesn't come on very few months though
steviepab
Member
T14086 said:Bet the airbag light doesn't come on very few months though
lol we do get a lot back but usually from idiots not knowing what they are doing. I have had 4 back because they didn't know they had to add oil
steviepab said:lol we do get a lot back but usually from idiots not knowing what they are doing. I have had 4 back because they didn't know they had to add oil
Just like alot of Alfa owners then
paul16sporting
New member
I hate to spoil the fun but i disagree.I've had two fiat punto's now and I have had nothing but trouble.The first was a punto 55 1.1,that ended up with a clutch,a new stereo,speakers,door locks etc.The second is currently a 1.6 sporting,which has ended up with a new parcel shelf,speakers,a clutch,a gearbox,exhaust,head gasket,CV joint,suspension arm etc.I guess i'm just unhappy at how easy it appears to break into a fiat,and also how weak the doors are,everytime someone shuts a door,a new dent appears,as if by magic??? Voila!!!
paul16sporting said:
You got a good one then
What was wrong with te locks,speakers,weak doors?
paul16sporting
New member
The doors dent too easily for my liking.As for the locks,they got f**ked along with the speakers and the parcel shelf when i got broke into.Apparently, punto's are very easy to break into,along with most fiat's apart from post 1999 fiats.Very disappointed indeed.Will not buy another for definate
I paid 5 grand for an x-plate turbo deisel Multipla 40,000 miles with climate control and all the toys
Zafira the same spec would have cost me at least 7 grand
I have seen a Stilo 52 plate 1.6 with air con,alloys etc for 5 grand
Focus same spec around 6 grand
so keep giving Fiats a bad reputation so they become cheaper for me
Edit: And with Angel tunings fine work uppgrade to 150bhp for the Multipla as well
Zafira the same spec would have cost me at least 7 grand
I have seen a Stilo 52 plate 1.6 with air con,alloys etc for 5 grand
Focus same spec around 6 grand
so keep giving Fiats a bad reputation so they become cheaper for me
Edit: And with Angel tunings fine work uppgrade to 150bhp
for the Multipla as well
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paul16sporting said:
Cant blame Fiat for your car getting broken into though really can you,it was the w**k*r who broke into your car thats to blame for f**k**g the speakers,parcel shelf & locks not Fiat.
End of the day if a thief wants to break into your car he will all you can do is deter him/her by fitting a ultrasonic alarm etc.There are easier cars to break into than a punto (I leave mine unlocked and its still there in the morning
) but end of the day its a cheap budget car that makes motoring more affordable for many......I should be a salesman Was anything taken from your car?"so keep giving Fiats a bad reputation so they become cheaper for me"
I have to agree with T14086. To blame Fiat for the faults in your car when they were caused by some scummy Chav thief is a bit misguided.
Any car can be broken into. If a thief wants to get into your car, he will. No lock will withstand a hammer and cold chisel, and a brick through the window will get into most cars without deadlocks. Maybe the metal is a bit thin on the doors, but that's the way a lot of cars are these days, not just Fiat.
My Citroen AX was broken into a few years back, and the lowlife succeeded in breaking a window, damaging the lock, denting the metal around the lock/ door edge and bending the top of the door frame outwards. Even though the AX had the build quality of an Airfix Kit I could hardly blame Citroen for the problems caused by the break-in...
Fiat make good value for money cars, but you do get what you pay for. You can pay a LOT more to get another car with the same spec as your Fiat, and even then some of those are known to be flawed. VW are a good example as they have seriously slipped in the quality ratings and are still expensive. They make Fiats seem like a bargain!
All I can say is sorry that you aren't happy with your Fiat, but the problems you have are due to the break-in, not with Fiat build quality. Shame you haven't found the character of Fiat that most of us on the forum have discovered, because once you do it's very infectious! I know I'd buy another Fiat without hesitation
Any car can be broken into. If a thief wants to get into your car, he will. No lock will withstand a hammer and cold chisel, and a brick through the window will get into most cars without deadlocks. Maybe the metal is a bit thin on the doors, but that's the way a lot of cars are these days, not just Fiat.
My Citroen AX was broken into a few years back, and the lowlife succeeded in breaking a window, damaging the lock, denting the metal around the lock/ door edge and bending the top of the door frame outwards. Even though the AX had the build quality of an Airfix Kit I could hardly blame Citroen for the problems caused by the break-in...
Fiat make good value for money cars, but you do get what you pay for. You can pay a LOT more to get another car with the same spec as your Fiat, and even then some of those are known to be flawed. VW are a good example as they have seriously slipped in the quality ratings and are still expensive. They make Fiats seem like a bargain!
All I can say is sorry that you aren't happy with your Fiat, but the problems you have are due to the break-in, not with Fiat build quality. Shame you haven't found the character of Fiat that most of us on the forum have discovered, because once you do it's very infectious! I know I'd buy another Fiat without hesitation
