FIAT reliability? Tell me your experiences.

mmm – we’ve had 2 – a diesel and a coupe 20v turbo. Minor elecrical niggles and a huge appetite for front tyres on the 20v turbo are my only gripes – but thats hardly fair.

I am sitting here scratching my head trying to figure out why I will NEVER in my life buy another Fiat – all I can think of is the plasticy feeling and the god awful local dealer we have (arnold clark). TBH – it a bit illogical.

Edit – ok – I remember – depreciation is astoundinly bad on anything other than their basic small cars. Oh yes. I remember it now! Only buy a base model small fiat!

Damn – double post – it wasnt there a minute ago – honest!

ran a multipla diesel for 4 years.

No problems – at all.

Best family car out there

Had a Punto for 3 years… it was a 2003 model 1.3 multijet… Good as gold.

Noisy from a road perspective… but .. competent.

I had a 1990 Panda from new…..Seriously the best car I’ve ever had, and the only one I miss. I loved it.

You need to get out more.

Mine was a 2007 Bravo – first of the new range…was good but highly impractical for the mileage and driving I do/did. 1.4 Turbo and it did about 9 miles each journey.

Road tax is £210 a year/tyres could be £220 a corner (for Pirelli somethings) and the fuel economy wasn’t great – about 32-35mpg.

Bike fitted in no probs and I also have the Bravo roof bas if I needed to carry more than 2 bikes and 2 people.

So from a cost point of view – it was the wrong car for me to buy…from a mechanical point of view – 3 gear selection cables/rear calipers replaced/handbrake cable corroded (warrantied)/shock boot somethings worn (replaced under warranty) and front brakes also had work on them (under warranty).

It did under 10k a year…perhaps not using it properly i.e. long runs and properly driving it hard might have helped it along it’s way to so many warranty jobs but that isn’t something I would expect from a (now) 4 year old car.

Inside it was nice…did feel upmarket and very comfy…engine did the job when you did plant the foot…had a fair few toys in it and it sounded nice.

Would have cost me a huge fortune if I had to pay for the warranty work and actually stumped up for the Pirelli tyres.

I got rid as it was costing a mountain of money that didn’t need to be spent on what is essentially a tool to get me from A to B without getting my feet wet. Car replacement is a Suzuki Swift 3-dr – £0 tax (£30 from second year)/tyres cost about £80 per corner and so far it looks set for about 600 miles from the tank – same distances and journeys but this is returning 50mpg as the average so far (done 200 miles and only used a 1/3 of the fuel according to the gauge).

So for me, the Fiat was a nice but costly car with failures it shouldn’t have had…it was a new one.

The 500 is a superb car but was too small for my ‘needs’…

Well, after a test drive and a lot of soul searching I’ve gone for a 58 plate Doblo 1.3 Multijet, 22000 miles for a pretty reasonable price.

We’ve had two Puntos from the same dealer in the past and they’ve been excellent.

Fully serviced, 15 months warranty, tank of fuel and a guarantee that they’ll take it back if we have any issues.
Below book price too.

Pick it up next week, can’t wait!

Richard Cort Fiat in Bury – decent people to do business with.

Thanks to everyone for the advice, I’ll let you know how it goes.

I’ve had two hire car FIAT’s.

The first one, in Menorca…. Bits fell off it while I was driving it. It also had this thing which changed the steering ratio to help with parking, except it would do it when we were driving along a straight road. I would be driving along, then the light would come on and suddenly the car is a frisky as a new born colt. Very scary.

Second one. All the bit stayed on but it did two things of note. Firstly the radio would tune itself into random stations at full volume, so I’d be driving along listening to Chris Evans and it’d suddenly change to ROCK LANCASHIRE and start playing Metalica at plus 10. Secondly it would show me the mile per gallon. Which was nice. Except it only ever read 45mpg. Ever.

As long as it doesn’t do the Metallica thing, I’m happy.

I’ve had a Punto 1.9JTD for 8 years. I’m not a sympathetic driver. The electronic dash is screwed due to me jump starting it after it had been undriven for 9 months and the chip which manages airflow into the engine/turbo died and was replaced after 90 000miles. its been awesome, I laugh when my mates spend a fortune when their cars break down.

Fiat stilo 1.2 here.

Bought new £6300

No proper repair bills in 65,000 miles.

Airbag warning late is on, who cares? Always needs a bush or something suspension wise but that’s the lovely roads…

Last year a van put a big crease in the side. We took just under write off value,£1600 and kept it. Polished the dent and added helicopter tape to any scratches. Result!

Will now run it till it dies 🙂

Had a 1.9 diesel Uno for 5 years from new – no bother – much better car than the good condition VW polo I had before it.

then a Punto for another 4 years – bit light at the front end but no problems

then an alfa 156 2.0 from 8 months old (T plate). A few problems – lambda sensor problems and garage unable to fix made me trade it in for:

another 156 2.0 with sportspak from 8 months old for 8 years – clutch went in the end preceeded by problems as the alfa franchise don’t change the clutch oil in any services – answer is to go independant.

superb handling so I gave it away to someone in Birmingham who has fixed the clutch, done it up a bit and it lives on.

bought a 6 year old alfa GT – pin holding clutch cable to pedal went – v. expensive service as several things leaky, etc.

probably buy another alfa after this one – they just steer better than a lot of cars and are more fun to drive.

Airbag warning late is on, who cares?

Common Stilo problem. Either take the plugs under the seat apart and spray with contact cleaner or cut off the plugs and rewire together the wires via a standard connector.

Very early 1.9 Stilo dynamic here. Only car I’ve ever owned from new but gave me all sorts of hassle over the years until we got rid this time last year. From the end of week one and for the next 3 months passengers had to climb across and get in and out through the drivers door as the ecu in the passenger door failed and it took Fiat that long to get a whole new door (never worked that bit out!) from Italy. When I see them on the road now I still think they are pretty in comparison to the focus (3dr, 5dr was as ugly as sin).

I’m a sucker for punishment so my next car was/is a Renault!

Mind you we also had a little Siecento for 7 years too and it never skipped a beat – very little to go wrong! The ncap videos online showed quite how bad it was in a crash (1.5* rating) and I always shuddered when my wife was in it on the motorway in the dark and wet.

Well, after a test drive and a lot of soul searching I’ve gone for a 58 plate Doblo 1.3 Multijet, 22000 miles for a pretty reasonable price.

Has you massive Mayor’s limo died?

Forgot to say in the above – you might want to care a little bit as without ensuring the dodgy connection is sorted as the passenger air bag does not deploy with the warning light on.

Blast Rusty. This was in the classifieds of the Salford Advertiser. It’d have been perfect for you and Mrs. Spanner.

Does that have a swimming pool? Pointless if it hasn’t.

1996/97 Bravo 1.8 as a first company car.

Went well, lovely revvy engine, if not the most powerful.
Four years very hard use.

Only mechanical was a snapped front suspension spring – undoubtedly due to several years of offroad use rallying driving around landfill sites.

Replaced with an alfa 156 Sportwagon – only had for 18 months, but did 30000+ miles with the only problem being a battery failure.

Wife had the recent Grande Punto – 3 years, no problems. Good fun to drive, although trim could have been better (trim panels started to get rattly quite quickly.

Currently have an Abarth 500, which is the closest in spirit to my all time favourite – Peugeot 309Gti.

Light(ish), not particularly powerful, immediately responsive, fab cabin to sit in. Can’t not have fun every time you drive it 😀

On the downside for the Abarth – just had a £300 bill for a new intercooler. In keeping with the 60s Abarths, the turbo and intercoolers are in the protruding “chin” which sticks out further than the normal Fiat 500s. Mrs rkk01 clipperd a kerb with the front bumper and cracked the intercooler 😳

I had a Cinq Sporting, that needed a fortune spent on it. I was 18 at the time though which could explain alot plus it was a very cheap car built with very cheap components so I guess it was to be expected.

More recently I’ve had a Panda 100hp which provided a year of trouble free motoring. Sure the plastics inside were nasty but they were well built and despite the rock hard suspension trying to shake the car apart there wasn’t a squeak to be heard.

Th g/f is picking up her new 500 next week. She’s trading in her 2003 Punto which she has run from new. Never gave any bother and always started first time. Recently it’s need a few expensive parts but it’s all been age related stuff that you’d expect to have to change with any car of that age.

Her family all run Fiats. They all seem happy with them. I don’t think Fiat reliabilty is anywhere near as bad as the Pub bores who’s only experience of the marque is of a mate of a mate who knew a bloke that had a mate who’s Uncle had a step sister that had a Fiat that was a Friday afternoon car make out!

(the dealers level of customer service however…)

I’ve had all sorts of Fiats, and they’ve always been great. I tried to persuade the wife to go for a Doblo/Multipla for when BiddyBull arrives, for the dogs, prams, kit etc, but she’s having none of it…

Yes Harry, the mighty Omega is going.

Had an ongoing problem with the crankshaft pulley and have had to be recovered five times in the last few months, twice whilst heading off on holiday. 🙁

Being stuck on the hard shoulder of the A1 at midnight on the way to Swaledale with Sue was the final straw.
And you thought you were in the doghouse……….. 😀

Negotiated a deal for the Doblo, then mentioned a possible trade in.
They offered me £500, which saves me the hassle of scapping it.
Mind you, they haven’t seen it yet – did I mention it was hit by a bus recently?

I’ve just had a moments silence for The Mighty Omega. May it pass into Valhalla without clipping the gate post.

Had a fiat uno 903cc engine did 137000 miles cost me £12.00 for a headgasket and thermostat.

1.9 JTD- are you SURE its a chain? I’m sure they are cambelt as the 1.9 has rigid 40k or 4yr change cycles. Unless you mean the 1.3/1.4?

Thanks Harry, that means a lot.

Personally, I hate the bastardly thing with a passion rare in one so plump.

I’ve never bonded with it like I did with the Daewoo it replaced – I still miss that car, RIP Shedric.

The Omega is comfy and spacious, but it’s got no soul and I always got the impression it had just had enough, like an old labrador whose back legs have gone.

Just bought an 09 Bravo here – the eco diesel version. Compared it to other similar cars – and for the money, it is much more of a car than say the Fabia (test drove two of these).

Been fine for 6,000 miles – averaging 56mpg – but can get almost 70mpg by driving at 62 (long motorway).

So far, very happy. Not the Fiat of years ago…

’88 Uno, ’94 Punto, ’97 barchetta, ’08 500 and my Dad has a ’06 Panda. In total I’ve had two new wheel bearings, a thermistor and a stop-light bulb. So, yeah, Fix It Again Tony (for those still in the 70’s)

Used to live in Italy when we were doing a big project. Got 10 punto diesels for the team all of them had different problems right from the off.

Mine was relatively minor they hadn’t fitted the boot release cable to the handle in the passenger footwell oops.

2 had failed ecus within the first month and another wouldn’t switch off the radio (and Italian radio is particularly ****) and kept draining the battery as a result.

Wasn’t actually horrible to drive tho ( fiat 500 different matter didn’t like it at all) biggest problem I had was trying to find it in the supermarket car park, lots and lots of silver puntos in Italy 😀

I might pimp the Doblo.
Minilites, a huge subwoofer and a remap.
Azure blue flipflop paint, lowered shocks, and 70’s F1 highline wing should seal the deal.

Check some of the Turkish modded Dobs on YouTube for the general idea.

Dem see me rollin’ to Homebase, dem laffin’.

On a 02 plate Punto. Onboard computer went after 18K fixed under warranty. Few years later had complete engine power lost, computer diagnostics found nothing so dealership put it down to new spark plugs being needed. Which to be fair worked.

Since September we’ve had the car for a total of 3 weeks as the computer keeps on packing in or something else. It has lost power whilst ambling along (was luckily only on the way to Morrisons rather than on the motorway) or it just won’t start.

In favour, for a 1.2 it’s v nippy off the lights and copes fairly well for the steep hills round these parts.

BUT it’s utter crap for demisting – which is a major issue for this climate, and is not a massive fan of cold mornings. And they now make a timely reminder of maybe why the Italian economy is about to collapse.

Would never buy one again. Rather go for an older plate second hand car of another manufacturer.

I’ve got a 280,000 mile Vauxhall Omega you can have for any offer over £350.

I wondered about blue underlighting for my crappy focus….

tthew has had a few puntos and he rates them – you could have had citroen though :0)

not sure about the reliability index information. Something doesn’t seem quite right if Chevrolet is the most reliable car. And a site that spells ‘dependent’ as ‘dependant’ surely can’t be relied on?