Why is the build quality still so bad?

[thepottleflump]

The C4 if far from perfect, this is true, practially the Focus was probably better, and you feel quite detatched from the road, not alot of steering feedback but the C4 was different. I probably wouldn't buy one for myself (wifes car) because dynamically it's not a patch on the 156.

I don't tend to buy cars based on how reliable someone says they are, or how much value they'll retain after 3 years, I buy cars I like. My biggest mistakes were buying a Citroen Xsara VTR and a Stilo Abarth, still no idea what drove me to part with large chunks of cash for those cars. Xsara was dire fullstop, Stilo was ok and nothing else, great value 2nd hand.

 

[Tris Harris]

skodas are made by bakers

haha

 

[JFL]

Im the same.

My first two cars my dad technically bought for me (even though i paid for them).

when setting out to get my car last may i said to myself that this is my choice, my money, and no one elses opinion is going to change it.

settled on a few cars in the end.

my head said focus, astra, colt etc etc as these are very common cars (hence they last long etc etc).

my heart said c4, stilo (and an old e-class merc).

in the end i went for the stilo as it was the most powerful and appealed most to me

even though its had its problems i havent regretted it (yet)

 

[Tris Harris]

Im the same.

My first two cars my dad technically bought for me (even though i paid for them).

when setting out to get my car last may i said to myself that this is my choice, my money, and no one elses opinion is going to change it.

settled on a few cars in the end.

my head said focus, astra, colt etc etc as these are very common cars (hence they last long etc etc).

my heart said c4, stilo (and an old e-class merc).

in the end i went for the stilo as it was the most powerful and appealed most to me

even though its had its problems i havent regretted it (yet)

what?!

 

[JFL]

what?!

1999 E230 Coupe Very quick car, 7 grand, 48000 miles, at the merc dealership in hull

Colt CZT Turbo, was down south though at a garage near my aunties.

£7200 but would cost me over 2k to insure.

 

[jackmr punto]

does your doors click on your puntos anyone mine does just wondering if anyone elses do i meen just when i open and close them

 

[T14086]

sounds like door check straps are loose or need lubricated,do you service your car?

 

[dave]

20 Hours and still no reaction

 

[Venters]

20 Hours and still no reaction

Isn't that technically trolling?

 

[dave]

Isn't that technically trolling?

nar

 

[jackmr punto]

sounds like door check straps are loose or need lubricated,do you service your car?

of course it just had one but just not sorted the doors and yes tried lube still doing it

 

[raton_laveur]

Fiat seems to have little interest in improving in this area as long as the cars are selling in ever-increasing numbers. Too bad as I think they would sell even more of them if owner satisfaction were higher. I realy like my Idea, but it does have some assembly problems on the inside and some of the plastics are pretty cheap. There were also a couple of other errors in the chassis assembly (misrouted handbrake cable, improperly secured steering column) that had me go back to the dealer with it a couple of times plus a performance issue that crops up now and again. the car does have some strong virtues but the vices (over and beyond those already mentioned) are also strong. In spite of the excellent 1.9 JTD, the chassis and steering are pretty poor and sometimes a bit scary. I think that Fiat needs to go back to the basics again so the cars sell on more than just style.

 

[Hellcat]

Sorry but my bravo is better screwed together than anything else I've owned, and since I have owned several Fiats I can confirm that they have been improving build quality constantly.

Fords etc only seem to have improved more recently because they were SO bad before. If you were to compare a Tipo and Escort of the same age the Tipo was a country mile ahead of the escort in the use of materials, build quality etc. Despite selling soo many more units, and upto P reg? I just never see Escorts anymore. I still see Tipo's out and about.

 

[Tris Harris]

Despite selling soo many more units, and upto P reg? I just never see Escorts anymore. I still see Tipo's out and about.

i see loads of escorts still tbh and never really see any Tipo's

but i agree with what your saying.

 

[raton_laveur]

One of the French car magazines just did a ten car comparison of compacts. The Bravo finished in last place. It was first on value for money, but at or near the bottom of all the other categories. This is not the first time I've seen a result like this for the Bravo or the Grande Punto. Yes, build quality is certainly better than before but it still has a long way to go before being fully competitive with the best in class, the Focus in this test. And that's not including the other factors like performance, handling, interior space, comfort and the rest. As I mentioned just above, they need to start concentrating on the basics again. Yes, style sells cars but the idea is to resell your cars to the same customers at regular intervals and to win new customers and it takes more than just style to do this over time.

 

[Hellcat]

Magazines rubishing the bravo. Where have I heard that before? Oh yes the lies about the brakes in a Greek car mag.

Easily beats the aging Focus for comfort and style both internal and external. Build quality is excellent, and performance too. Do you really need more than 150bhp in a family 5 door hatch?

We have quite a few Bravo owners on here now, and the section is pretty quiet. Why? Because they're just out there being driven and enjoyed. The Bravo does everything any other car can do and if they're saying it is best for value too - then it makes it best overall. Just because it's a big Italian car doesn't mean you have to start bringing up tales of rust from the 1970s.

 

[oktopod]

Man, I just cant resist....

Will you people out there finally admit that Fiat is crap, but you do buy it for crap sum of money in your country, in my country an 2001 Punto sporting costs 5500-6000 eur, so for that kind of money it's no bargain, beleive me, especially when you get to the point of fixing something every weekend, small and cheap bits you can do yourself, but I dont wanna do stuff myself, and especially not every weekend!

And when I try something on myself, the problem gets worse, either you need a special tool or improvise, or there is no way to do it if youre not a piano specialist...and if you take some plastic bit off, even the bumper, you need to be brain surgeon precise and soft not to brake something, in 99% case you cannot put it back as it was...

Will never own a Fiat again....

And speaking of which, whenever some problem gets the support from other memebers, after 2 days there is some guy that has the same problem, ussually it's his first post, and he ends with something like "found the problem, it was something else, Fiat is a great car, I love Fiat, Fiat Fiat...."...and never posts again!!!

And this GSR and other stuff....so you say KN is crap and I should buy GSR (by the way no one here heard of GSR and yet everyone has KN), and then moderator says he's going out on a beer with the GSR owner this weekend???

Any conclussions?

 

[DanGil]

er? People in England enjoy a beer?

 

[Rockbottom]

And this GSR and other stuff....so you say KN is crap and I should buy GSR (by the way no one here heard of GSR and yet everyone has KN), and then moderator says he's going out on a beer with the GSR owner this weekend???

GSR induction kits are better than K&N because GSR kits are specifically designed for the car that they are installed into where K&N are universal. K&N will normally loose you power because they sit on the top of the engine bay sucking in hot air.

 

[jug]

he's just pointing out the forum bias towards GSR products. its true that fiatforum seems to be full of people who love GSR products, ignoring the fact that they are just £10 universal induction kits with a piece of silicone hose attached to make them fit nicely. reading many threads on this forum you'd think the GSR kits were some kind of magical superfilter that is so much better than the other brands, but thats what marketing is all about, creating a niche and a good reputation. i dont blame oldschool for targeting a forum, its a great place to find customers for his products and i think he's done a good job of marketing a product that has a lot of competition from the big brands and the cheap alternatives. if you want to sell something you've got to find people to sell it to and then you've got to make them buy it, thats business. end of the day common sense tells you a k&n is just as good, and so is a £10 ebay filter, but thats not the point is it. rockbottom has just demonstrated nicely how well the GSR marketing campaign has worked, almost every member can recite the same sentence. respect is due to anyone who can differentiate that well in a market where all the products are the same thing doing the same job.