Fiat Multipla

Right I have a hankering for a Multipla, its the deisel ELX, done plenty of miles at 110k but is in good condition, I just drove a mates one with similar milage & if the one I have in mind drives as well I will probably go for it…

Any owners thoughts and experiences from the forum?

Best bike car – ever!

Worst looking thing on the road, bar none! 😡

Druidh That had crossed my mind, and it didnt escape the scrutiny of the my wife either…. But it is also good for dragging th kids and all kiddy parafanalia about in too.

It has Thule Roofbars on and a towbar too, so rekon it can take 6 bikes and 6 blokes riding…

Ha ha, this is the early bug eyed one, but to be honest even if my budget went to the later less controversial looking one I would have bought the bug eyed monster cos I actually like the quirkyness of it..

I've done 4 bikes/4 riders with all kit, without reverting to roof bars or towbar.

With a family of 3 (wife, daughter and myself) we remove the rear seats and load up the back like a van. Bikes, tent, camping gear, life-jackets, paddles etc all go inside and the roof is wide enough to take two kayaks flat.

Wide track makes it fun around corners and it doesn't roll they way you'd expect it to. It's no longer than an average hatch, so parking is a dawdle.

Fuel economy isn't marvellous (on our 05 diesel – newer ones are better).

I've slept in the back too.

I like the quirky ones too, but we got a deal on an 05 version.

The only downside with older diesels is the injection pump going, very expensive. Although, newer diesels generally use latest tech Common Rail I think it's called, which apparently is much better. if that year Multipla diesel is latest tech common rail, then you're better off, or if it's had a new injection pump recently, then your ok, I suppose. I might be talkin sh1te, but would advise getting some independant advice about it ie history of problems of that engine model/year. Just maybe try phoning round your local diesel specialists and asking questions.

I hired one in Italy for a family holiday and went all over Northern italy and up to Cortina D'Ampezzo and it was a great car

As I say I have a collegue with a really beaten up 115k one that he loves, and its been all good news from him, and his drove really well, if this one I have my eye on drives as well, then I am going to take a punt..

Its all a gamble buying cheap old 2nd hand cars so I am under no illusions.

Common rail, multi point, it goes around in circles, injection was all common rail before the multi point thing became flavour of the month, now its reverted back. They can all break!!
edit… I have had a look and its the JTD engine, common rail.

check out doblo's as well, same basic van/car but cheeper.

Doblo is nothing like an Uglipla. Handling is crap, only two front seats limits flexibility. We looked at one when picking the Uglipla and wrote it off as an option very quickly.

Doblo was on the initial hitlist as was Berlingo.. but the extra seat, the fact it was designed as an MPV first and not derived from a van has tipped the balance in favour of the Multipla..

Also shortlisted were Galaxy/sharan, but though 1 extra seat they are much bigger motors and have less luggage space..

Encouraging so far, only gripe has been the looks!!

Got one as well. 56 plate with 50k miles. Suspension is a bit baggy, off to get checked on Monday and it could do with a 6th gear. I do however like it a lot. Kids love it as well thanks to visbility from the back, and as has been said it is very very easy to park. Interior is more durable than you might expect too.

Had two Subaru Legacies before – let's just say this is a different driving prospect…. but still this can be hoofed through corners suprisingly well for its bulk. Had a Berlingo a few years back, ride was probably better in that.

Boot could be deeper when you have 6 in, but otherwise very happy. Wish they were still making the uglier version. It's designed by Chris Bangle of BMW fame, in case you ever wondered where he practiced his 'unique' aesthetic.

hmmmm, we looked at them years ago and were told the multipla/doblo was essentialy the same vehicle underneath.

Having been in the uglipla with the infamous Druidh i can safely say they are quite good for snoozing in as he drives – just as well as being seen with Druidh in an uglipla would be too embarrassing to remain awake for.

Fiat invented common rail (in cars) but then sold 50% of the rights to Bosch as they needed the money

The engine is a GM Fiat common platform. Can be found in everything from Alfas to Vectras. The Multipla uses the Bravo/Brava platform, so the architecture is pretty neolithic. But you're not buying because it is cutting edge; there's crappy abs, no traction control and no option of cruise control.

Still as I said, I like it.

Tinsy … Out of interest how much is the car you are thinking of buying. I’ve got 1.9 diesel with 107k on and a tow bar and a Thule roof cycle carrier for 4 bikes, so pretty much identical to the one your looking at. Thinking of getting a camper soon, so a rough figure of how much to expect for the Multipla would be useful

Well interesting devolopments, I bought a little old bangar Daewoo Matiz in October last year, and I just sold that and got my money back on it, so was a good cheap 6 months motoring there (though I did have a service done). didnt even advertize it.. Lets hope the Multipla drives OK tonight.

andy_hew its with a dealer at £2200, but I have him down to £1850 wich I think is still plenty, my target price for it is £1800, if he were a private seller I would have been going for £1500.

What sort of condition is yours in? Colour, year, aircon, etc???

Cheers Tinsy, about the price I expected. Our car is a 54 plate, we’ve had it for 5 years. Bought it from a dealer after about 4 months and the cambelt snapped. It had a full service history with Fiat dealers, and at the time had done about 60k, so below the recommended period for a cambelt change. We contacted Fiat, not expecting anything but thought it was worth a punt, and after about a month they agreed to pay for the work (about 2k worth IIRC) and asked us to contribute about £200, we couldn’t believe our luck. Since then it has been no problem. Gets 4 bikes on top no problem due to width, I use a small step ladder to make things a bit easier. Quite few chips though, apparently Fiats paintwork isn’t great so I’ve been told. Great to have 3 in the front and all in all a great car and very practical. Would definitely recommend

I have a MPV'd Doblo and it's good as a builders van, crap as a MPV. The Doblo and the Multipla have nothing in common other than the badge. The Doblo is on leaf springs at the rear and the Multipla chassis is based on the old Bravo. I'd have a Multipla if I didn't already have a Volvo Estate for that kind of use…….

The best way to make buying second hand 'old' cars less risky is to learn how to fix things yourself. Plus after a few years you'll find the garage bills have converted into a nice fat toolbox; once you've got the tools it gets really cheap.

Andy yours wil be worth a fair bit more this is on a Y plate 2001..

Very decent of Fiat, but with a stamped up book they had to do something.

This had the belt changed at 82k according to the service book, but to be honest I wont leave it to chance and will get the belts changed as soon as the cash allows.

I've done 4 bikes/4 riders with all kit, without reverting to roof bars or towbar.

I've done that in a pug 306 estate, and it's arguably a lot better looking 🙂

yeah coffeeking, but wait until late April and you will get to see a few pics of the Multipla 6 blokes and 5 bikes on a jaunt into the Alps, unless of course the car disgraces itself where I will remain silent!!!

Can the car disgrace itself going to the Alps? Surely it will think its on its way home to Italy and be happy as larry… Or are these made in Poland like my old Seicento was??

Right after lots of searching for a nice condition car at about 2k I gave up, most were pretty used, patchy history if at all, in need of a service or tyres, most at some kind of dealer or another, but not the nice warm feeling of a warranty kind, just a bloke dealing from a lockup…

So I changed tack a little I went for a real cheap one (cheapest on Autotrader at the time), its a bit bashed about, but with a real nice history including a whole heap of bills and receipts, not just stamps in the book, a nice private owner that had run it for the last 4 years..

£900 got me this one, leaving me lots of breathing space for a few bits and bobs on it to tidy up. Now I just got to keep my fingers crossed and the breakdown number in my wallet!!

PS, this is just my runabout to work, not the main family car, so budget was important.

Couple of nice wide white racing stripes and it'll look just right 🙂

Has that picture been airbrushed!!!!!!

ha ha, no its a bit of luck on the shaddows I think… maybe I should keep that image for when I try and sell it on.. 🙂

noice!