# Fiat 500



## samswatch (Dec 3, 2007)

For some odd reason I am really drawn to a fiat 500.

With the scrappage allowance and Fiat's monthly repayments I can just about get a Fiat 500 to cart the kids around in. Admittedly its still a more expensive proposition than buying a car secondhand but it also means I don't have to worry too much about big unexpected bills etc (although with a Fiat one is never sure).

I have always wanted a mini but with relatively high secondhand prices I simply cannot justify one.

However, all the 500's I have seen have generally been driven by women both young and old and being a middle aged 'duffer' I am wondering about how sheepish I am going to feel driving one. I must confess on the test drive I did not have any inhibitions, but the more I seem to think about it the nervous I get.

Am I being silly and stupidly trying to recapture my youth? (A bit of history but the very first car I learnt to drive in was a Fiat 850 sport coupe in orange!)


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## thunderbolt (May 19, 2007)

One of my colleagues (mid 20's) has just bought a 500 on the scrappage scheme, and talking to him he's very happy with it. Cheap to run and economical. I was tempted to go for one myself, but ended up with a Huyndai i10 as it's a 5 door and the Fiat is only a 3 door. HTH.


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## yddraig (Jan 4, 2010)

Go for it.

I learnt to drive in an old Land Rover, Would love a Series 1 or early 2, but they don't take child seats. Will get one one day. Cars and watches, if you get the chance but don't go for it, you'll always be wondering what it would've been like....

Just my opinion

G


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## sonyman (Feb 9, 2009)

Do it but get one of these










sexy as FC UK

I dont normally like kitted up cars but this this ooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh it does things to me


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

I think that the Fiat is coolio and the Mini wank. It's hard to get the retro thing right and IMO, the S-type Jag, the Beetle and the Mini are cars that I would not be seen dead in. The Fiat 500, I'd happily drive one of those, it's a beautiful design. :thumbsup:

PS Just seen the Abarth pic, totally ruined the clean looks, the Abarth with it's silly wheels & exhausts is now added to the "never to be seen dead in" list.


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## Griff (Feb 23, 2003)

I think the 500 is not bad at all but a bit pricey for what they are.

I'm happy with my C1


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## samswatch (Dec 3, 2007)

Sorry can't do the abart and financially I am restricted to the 1.2 base version in white (no bad thing although I will need to buy alloys at a later date).

Actually I prefer the smaller engine due to insurance and VED costs (the latter being Â£35pa which is cheaper than my bike - which will go in the spring boohoo!)

sam


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## Johnny M (Feb 16, 2007)

I think the 500 is a great car. :thumbsup: I don't have one, but do have two other Fiats and although they occasionally have their issues you get a lot of car for the money and I would buy one again. I'm assuming you've done some research like looking at Parkers and What Car reviews? If not, and you've not had a Fiat before it's worth checking them out, together with the Fiat Forum http://www.fiatforum.com/

Good luck


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

We've had our Hyundai - Amica - predecessor of the i10 that thunderbolt has, for nearly tthree years, and it'll be renewing in June. Have to say that we've had no probs with it that the dealer hasn't dealt with very quickly and easily. Looking at motors with 5 and 7 year warranties might not be too bad an idea if you're on a limited budget -servicing is cheap as well :yes:

At the moment the two front runners for replacement are the Hyundai i30 diesel or the Kia 1.6 diesel Estate - we need a bigger car again, but still auto, and both of those have sensible mpg figures plus the extended warranties. Funnily enough, the dealers for both are in spitting distance of each other, makes it easy to compare :lol:


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

recently seen on top gear lining the streets of Notting Hill.

shared platform with the new Ford Ka. Both models will be built in Poland at the Tychy plant.


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## BGM (Jan 21, 2009)

MarkF said:


> I think that the Fiat is coolio and the Mini wank. It's hard to get the retro thing right and IMO, the S-type Jag, the Beetle and the Mini are cars that I would not be seen dead in.


I'm sure BMW will be gutted that they've not got you as a brand ambassador! With MINI sales the way they are and second-hand values so high they've got to be doing something right....

Personally I like the MINI a lot, especially ones with a few choice extras.

It's pretty much the same with the 500. Out of the bag they're pretty naff but with a little extra kit (and obviously Â£Â£Â£'s spent!) they can look nice. Especially like the Abarth SS, but they all got snapped up at launch and are now commanding a premium on the used market!


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## sonyman (Feb 9, 2009)

I think the normal everday ones can look a little girly but the Abarth is deffo manly rather like Fiestas and STs really but this is just my opinon and may not be everyones :naughty:


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

BGM said:


> MarkF said:
> 
> 
> > I think that the Fiat is coolio and the Mini wank. It's hard to get the retro thing right and IMO, the S-type Jag, the Beetle and the Mini are cars that I would not be seen dead in.
> ...


Each to their own.  IMO the Fiat is "fresh" the Mini a bloated thing, how many "special editions" can there be? BMW are certainly milking it for all it's worth. Being ubiquitous might have clouded my opinion but all the Mini does for me is make me appreciate the purity of the original.

PG, that Ka is horrible, it's looks like a Peugeot, a big blob of nothingness.

Samswatch, good luck with the Fiat, white suits it's lines very well.


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

MarkF said:


> PG, that Ka is horrible, it's looks like a Peugeot, a big blob of nothingness.


I agree Mark, you'd be hard pushed to tell they are the same car at chassis level, talk about getting it right and getting it wrong!

I hate the BMiniW as well.

What do you think to the new Capri?


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

Aren't Ford getting more and more cheapskate as the years go on :lol:

(and some other car makers as well) Take a few pics for the car mags guys, here's a number plate for the pics " 010 HTA " and " VTV 810 " - that way we can flip the pics and air brush the steering wheel out and no one will notice we're using the German piccies in a Brit magazine 'cos the numbers work both ways round :yes:

Colours right on the Capri though :-

Trotters Independent Traders

Peckham and Rome

in black on the door, lovely jubbly Rodders!


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## tixntox (Jul 17, 2009)

Correct me if I'm wrong (and probably am) but I was told by a Ford salesman, whilst looking at the Ford New Ka that it was basically a Fiat 500 but Ford had taken it and improved the rear suspension. It was way cheaper than the Fiat and after having driven both, I much preferred The (cheaper) Ka. Didn't buy it as the missus couldn't see out of the back to reverse it!

mike


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## sonyman (Feb 9, 2009)

Do ford own Fiat I think not so why would they collaborate?


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## BGM (Jan 21, 2009)

sonyman said:


> Do ford own Fiat I think not so why would they collaborate?


Don't know about Ford and Fiat, but it's not out of the question, just look at the old Mazda 121!


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## sonyman (Feb 9, 2009)

BGM said:


> sonyman said:
> 
> 
> > Do ford own Fiat I think not so why would they collaborate?
> ...


Yeah ford own a small stake in Mazda


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## BGM (Jan 21, 2009)

Never knew that! :dntknw:


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## sonyman (Feb 9, 2009)

BGM said:


> Never knew that! :dntknw:


Seams they have a small share so I exagerated sligthly but VOLVO









The Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is an American multinational corporation based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury brands, Ford also owns Volvo Cars of Sweden, and a small stake in Mazda of Japan and Aston Martin of England. Ford's former UK subsidiaries Jaguar and Land Rover were sold to Tata Motors of India in March 2008.

Ford introduced methods for large-scale manufacturing of cars and large-scale management of an industrial workforce using elaborately engineered manufacturing sequences typified by moving assembly lines. Henry Ford's methods came to be known around the world as Fordism by 1914.

Ford is currently the fourth-largest automaker in the world based on number of vehicles sold annually, directly behind Volkswagen.[6] In 2007, Ford fell from second to third in US annual vehicle sales for the first time in 56 years, behind only General Motors and Toyota. However, Ford occasionally outsells Toyota in shorter periods (most recently, during the summer months of 2009). As of 2008, Ford has become the second largest automaker in Europe (only behind Volkswagen), with sales that occasionally exceed those in the United States and large markets in Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom.[7] Ford is the seventh-ranked overall American-based company in the 2008 Fortune 500 list, based on global revenues in 2008 of $146.3 billion.[8] In 2008, Ford produced 5.532 million automobiles[9] and employed about 213,000 employees at around 90 plants and facilities worldwide.[5] Starting in 2007, Ford received more initial quality survey awards from J. D. Power and Associates than any other automaker. Five of Ford's vehicles ranked at the top of their categories[10] and fourteen vehicles ranked in the top three.


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

BGM said:


> Never knew that! :dntknw:


I've got a 2003 Ford Maverick (along with a Mondeo and Mx-5 so you can get your own back ) and it's more or less identical to a Mazda tribute.


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## Boxbrownie (Aug 11, 2005)

Yep, Ford had a 49% share of Mazda (or there abouts) but I think it was only last year that we sold a big part of the holding, we now own far less although we collaborate still. As for FIAT the new KA and the FIAT 500 (also the Panda) share the floorpan/suspension/powertrain elements, but Ford retuned the suspension to actually handle properly :to_become_senile: , although you would think a company of FIATs heritage of sporty vehicles would fare better, but truth be told the 500 handles like a pram compared to the KA.......don't get me wrong, the 500 feels good but compare the two side by side and the difference becomes obvious.

The reason for the Ford/FIAT partnership is purely cost, smaller cars return far smaller profits and it takes literally years to recoup development investment, hence the spreading of cost between companies, just like the AYGO-C1-Peugeot tin can...er....small car, sorry Griff :derisive:

Having said all that I reckon we cocked up with the new KA design aesthetics and FIAT got it bang on!

Yes we still own Volvo.........at the moment


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## samswatch (Dec 3, 2007)

To be honest the Ford is probably a much better drive, they ususally are.

I am buying the Fiat more for the aesthetics not the driving fun. To be fair as a drive its OK, lots of feel and goes ok. I have the fun I can handle on the bike.

Still feeling a lot of trepidation.


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## Boxbrownie (Aug 11, 2005)

Your absolutely correct, the KA is a much better drivers car, but the FIAT is a damn cute design, much better to be seen in.....male or female!

Just a thought, you mentioned getting alloys at a later stage, it may well pay you to check the options and cost of alloys as an extra at the time of purchase, they will work out much cheaper that way, even if you think you cannot afford the extra cost, it'll be far cheaper than buying them (and the tyres) at a later date.


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