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Fiat 500...would you recommend?

Passed my test 7 months ago and haven't driven since due to money, now I can afford a decent car I've been looking at the fiat 500...are they good first cars? Are they nice to drive? Etc

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Reply 1
**** car, get something a little less mainstream
I can give you an answer since I used to be very much into mechanics and I have an 11 years old Fiat Panda (model 169), which is technically almost the same car.

Well it's very nimble and easy to drive, unless you push it to the edge. Just like any car this size, it can be a bit nervous on rear axle then.

Mechanically it's an extremely simple and rather reliable machine.
The F.I.R.E. (1.2 gasoline in this case) engines can reach 200-350k miles without capital renovation if properly maintained and used (which means, not pushing throttle to the floor below 2k rpms, not pushing to high rpm's when engine is cold, neither not turning it off right after sports driving before it cools itself down).

The suspension is very simple and cheap to maintain as well. Though suspension arm's bolts cannot be replaced without changing whole arm to new one, a complete new original arm costs 30 pounds or something like that.

Mine Panda has 73k miles by now. Apart from replacing shock absorbers, brake pads and those arms due to bolt's fatigue, a timing belt and termostat (which is normal in any car), I had two real failures:

-selector slides jammed when it was 5 years old. Not good, but it can happen in any car these days. 100 pounds cost.
-rear axle brake corrector failed when it was 8 years old. It was still safe to drive (no risk of uncontrolled spins or something), but one wheel had much weaker braking, and nothing could help it. It turned out it was the corrector. It did cost me 10 pounds in official FIAT's service.
You won't have such part in car with ABS system.
-After 10 years I had front stringers repainted, because there was some corrosion and I want to keep the car for another 10 years or more, so I've saved it from slow degradation.

If it's going to be a second-hand car, just remember to replace timing belt unless you are sure that has not more than 7 years or 90k miles behind. The Euro4+ versions FIRE are like most, collision engines. They destroy their valves when the timing belt is off.

Anyway it's a good car.
The 1.3 JTD diesel is good to, but you don't need it unless you travel a lot.
The Panda is more practical though. There's no problem with fitting a washing machine into it :smile:


Ford Ka is the same car too. Same chassis, same modules, they even come from the same factory. Only it has a different suspension setups.
(edited 7 years ago)
They are very good cars!
I have a Grande Punto myself but I can confirm its a very nice car!
The 500 is very similar and supposedly better to drive so I say go for it :smile:
Good choice! :yep:
Original post by ImogenHopgood
Passed my test 7 months ago and haven't driven since due to money, now I can afford a decent car I've been looking at the fiat 500...are they good first cars? Are they nice to drive? Etc


My sister has a fiat 500s (1.2 petrol) and loves it.
She hasnt had any trouble with it so far or anything, and she thinks its nice to drive etc.
Reply 5
It depends if you want to do literally anything other than driving from point A to point B. My sister had one as a rental and I had a quick ride in it and I really wasn't very impressed. My head was touching the roof with the seat in a normal position and the boot was laughably tiny. I can't imagine they're much fun to drive on the motorway either. That said I'm used to a big diesel estate so I'm a little biased.

Take into account that Fiat have a pretty dire reliability record. I'd go for something like a Skoda Fabia myself. It'll be cheaper to buy, cheaper to insure, more comfortable to drive and more practical than a Fiat 500 while returning similar economy. It's just not as fashionable. My parents have a 64 plate Fabia estate and it's a really nice car.
Reply 6
Original post by ImogenHopgood
Passed my test 7 months ago and haven't driven since due to money, now I can afford a decent car I've been looking at the fiat 500...are they good first cars? Are they nice to drive? Etc


No, not at all. Italian, French and unfortunately English (unless it's a Jag, which aren't really English anymore) cars are really unreliable. If you want reliability, go German or Japanese.

But cars aren't about reliability to everyone, to me they are about, character, and the feeling YOU get from driving a car. So if you feel great in a Fiat 500 and love driving one, buy one.

Conclusion: If you're question was to find out about the cars reliability in terms of a recommendation, I'd personally say no. BUT, if it's a car you have admired for a long time and dreamed of having, don't let anything or anyone stop you :smile:

Alternative Suggestions: Just thought I'd throw in a few suggestions for cars similar in price and style that could be better in terms of reliability.

Skoda: Fabia

Volkswagen: Polo or Golf

Honda: Jazz or Civic

Toyota: Aygo, Yaris or Prius

BMW: 1 or maybe a 2 series

Audi: A2 or A3

Mercedes: A class

Any Mini

Disclaimer: I'm not necessarily a fan of all of these cars myself in terms of drive quality, but they're all sturdy reliable cars. Personally I would rather have any of these over a Fiat 500.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by Nuffles

Take into account that Fiat have a pretty dire reliability record.


First of all, these records often suffer from nonsense methodology. Second of all, the 500 is reliable and even records confirmed it. So as Panda, so as Ford Ka. Some VWs are less reliable than them.

Original post by xmertic
No, not at all. Italian, French and unfortunately English (unless it's a Jag, which aren't really English anymore) cars are really unreliable. If you want reliability, go German or Japanese.


Untrue.
The French just maybe, I have little experience with them, but in general, the more complex a car is, the more likely it'll be unreliable. The 206 with a gasoline engine dating back to 70ties were rather reliable, though parts were quite expensive.

There are many Italian cars that beat the myth of unreliability. Those are Panda model 169, the 500 and Alfa Romeo 159 for example.

One of the most unreliable of English engines, the Rover K16 is not such a devil at all. It's just sensitive to incompetent drivers who didn't get an idea of reading owner's manual.

VW on the other hand also has some inferior models, especially recent ones, those with aluminium suspension, 2.0 TDIs and downsized gasoline turboed engines. Among the old ones, the VW Sharan was very bad.

Original post by xmertic

Skoda: Fabia

Volkswagen: Polo or Golf

Honda: Jazz or Civic

Toyota: Aygo, Yaris or Prius



Those are ok, but VW 1.4 TFSI and TSI are to be avoided. Those are short-life engines.

Original post by Nuffles

BMW: 1 or maybe a 2 series

Audi: A2 or A3

Mercedes: A class


You've got to be kidding. All these cars are far more complex than the 500. They consist of much larger number of parts, and each more expensive in replacement. Even if this was true that Fiat 500 is unreliable (which is not) it would still be cheaper to maintain than any of these.
They are of course more comfortable and perhaps they have better handling characteristics (which is actually not significant in normal driving), but they are far more expensive to buy and maintain.

Original post by Nuffles

Any Mini



yeah, especially Cooper S. The 1.6 turboed engine is one of the worst and most unreliable engines in last 20 years.
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 8
sure if you're an 18 year old girl
Original post by mc-ren
sure if you're an 18 year old girl


21 year old 'girl'
Original post by mc-ren
sure if you're an 18 year old girl


I fail to see how sex or age would make any difference.
A car should fit to your needs and skills, not more, not less.
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 11
Original post by xmertic
If you want reliability, go German

In what world are German cars reliable?
Original post by Luneth
In what world are German cars reliable?


This current existence that we call life my friend. Germans are renowned for sound, top class engineering as well as reliable, sturdy and rarely problematic cars.

I have heard of some Audi's, I think A4's which rarely but occasionally have engine issues. However it's still nothing even worth thinking about compared to the French and Italian car standards.
Original post by ImogenHopgood
Passed my test 7 months ago and haven't driven since due to money, now I can afford a decent car I've been looking at the fiat 500...are they good first cars? Are they nice to drive? Etc


If you can now afford a decent car, why are you looking at a Fiat 500? I dont know what your budget is but I would recommend a Honda Civic Type R. Dont know how nice a Fiat 500 is to drive, but I do know they are very very slow, as are VH Corsas and Citreon Saxos, all of which are typically purchased only because the person is skint. Ideally they would have a Lamborghini Aventador, but they are not good enough at kicking a ball about. You do not need a supercar to have decent transport. As I said, Civic is nice, as are cars such as:

Subaru Impreza
Audi A4
Ford Focus ST
BMW M3 (bit pricey)
Holden Commodore
Reply 14
I have a Fiat 500 in Grey and it is beautiful and just a dream to drive! would recommend!
Original post by PTMalewski
I fail to see how sex or age would make any difference.
A car should fit to your needs and skills, not more, not less.







What about now? If you still fail, try going to specsavers.
(edited 7 years ago)
Yes they are pretty good first cars, my brother had one and it was fine :biggrin:
Reply 17
Original post by xmertic
No, not at all. Italian, French and unfortunately English (unless it's a Jag, which aren't really English anymore) cars are really unreliable. If you want reliability, go German or Japanese.

But cars aren't about reliability to everyone, to me they are about, character, and the feeling YOU get from driving a car. So if you feel great in a Fiat 500 and love driving one, buy one.

Conclusion: If you're question was to find out about the cars reliability in terms of a recommendation, I'd personally say no. BUT, if it's a car you have admired for a long time and dreamed of having, don't let anything or anyone stop you :smile:

Alternative Suggestions: Just thought I'd throw in a few suggestions for cars similar in price and style that could be better in terms of reliability.

Skoda: Fabia

Volkswagen: Polo or Golf

Honda: Jazz or Civic

Toyota: Aygo, Yaris or Prius

BMW: 1 or maybe a 2 series

Audi: A2 or A3

Mercedes: A class

Any Mini

Disclaimer: I'm not necessarily a fan of all of these cars myself in terms of drive quality, but they're all sturdy reliable cars. Personally I would rather have any of these over a Fiat 500.


bmw for a first car? ur head must be doing relays
Original post by Laomedeia


What about now? If you still fail, try going to specsavers.


Those are not problems with cars, but with paintjob and bad taste. And certain look may be considered as a need too.

Original post by Laomedeia

Subaru Impreza
Audi A4
Ford Focus ST
BMW M3 (bit pricey)
Holden Commodore


Not sure if trolling or just foolish.

Original post by xmertic
This current existence that we call life my friend. Germans are renowned for sound, top class engineering as well as reliable, sturdy and rarely problematic cars.


Learn about aluminium suspension arms, 2.0 TDI issues, 1.4 TFSI, and 1.6 BMW's turbo recently used in Cooper S as well as some Peugeots.
2.0 TDIs suffer from programmed obsolescence, and early ones were unreliable even brand new. Same 1.6 turbo. The 1.4 TFSI is short life engine. It burns oil 90k mileage. Fiat's 1.4 T-Jet does better than that. Rover K16 was considered as low quality, single use, short living engine in 90ties, but still it could do 130 or even 200k miles. While Fiat's FIRE does 200-300 k miles and can be renovated then, because oversize parts are avaible.


There is no such thing as german reliability. Cars are created by international teams, built in various countries, often not of brand's origin. German cars were indeed reliable in 70ties and 80ties, when they were relatively underpowered in comparision to Italian ones and when Italians also had problems not only with engines of bigger power to capacity ratio, but also with strikes in their factories. Today's VW is a product of planned obsolescense and material savings.

You can translate this site with Google, it tells a story of VW Passat that became completely useless after passing 130k.
http://vwszrot.pl/
Long distance tests by Auto Bild also betrayed this car as an example of bad engeneering, because of various things breaking down just after few thousand miles, including gearbox fails, inefficient air condition and 9 engine repairs.

A terrific quality of bodywork in Mercedes Benz. This car was brand new, when rust came out. Service refused to repair it.
Even this joker Jeremy Clarkson once wrote that a broken new car makes typical Mercedes quality.



Another story, this time with Audi- engine blew up after 15k
https://www.reddit.com/r/cars/comments/3pgh12/engine_blew_up_3_days_after_15k_service/

Another sweet thing: many german cars use timing chains istead of timing belts. Thess chains are intended to have life long durability. But they don't.

Timing cain for Opel Insignia 2.0



Timing chain for Fiat 1500 or Polski Fiat 125p:



Apart from lenght, one significat difference: the old Italian chain has double thickness.

I do not say that Italian cars are fully reliable. But they seem not to be as exactly programmedfor obsolescence, their engines are generally more reliable than some of recentGerman engines, and their suspension systems are generally simplier and more orthodoxthan the German one’s, they are cheaper to maintain. Spare parts prizes arealso lower.
Besides500/Panda/Ka prove to be reliable, and they have simple construction, whichagain, decreases a chance of failure and costs of repairs and maintenance.

One thing however should be taken into account: works services are often bad. It may be better and cheaper to find known, solid and just, private workshop.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by agahaga
bmw for a first car? ur head must be doing relays


Nah, I had a Renault for my first car. But I drive a beamer now, upgrading next March though :driver:

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