Fiat 500... am I stupid to even consider?

FatMuz

Likes Dirt
After some experienced car wisdom. Am looking at a low mileage (40,000 km) Fiat 500 for my daughter as a first car.
Will I regret this ... will I never be able to afford another mtb again? Servicing costs? Reliability? I'm of the generation that was told never to buy an Italian car unless you could fix it yourself, but all the reviews I'm reading seem to indicate this may be unfounded. Thoughts and advice?
374474
 

Dales Cannon

lightbrain about 4pm
Staff member
Manual? As far as I know, sample of one, avoid the automatic. Hers had some issues but it was over 100,000km and probably not loved as it should be. I liked it but the auto was horrid and needed rebuilding for $$$$$$$$. You could be sensible and grab an i30...

Usual caveat with a full check over by someone what knows em.
 

clockworked

Like an orange
My workmate has had a manual one for years. Bought it for his daughter and she has since moved away. He drives it by choice out of his vt ute, 3 door defender, new outback and that fiat 500
 

Flow-Rider

Burner
I would avoid as a first car, if it gets crashed it will most likely get written off or sit at a panel beaters for months on end.
 

Haakon

Keeps on digging
What's an Alfa got to do with this?
The hottie abarth versions have the same engine as my Alfa. Most 500s are simpler engines without the tricky valve arrangement. Probably similar build quality, although the Fiat is made in Poland so perhaps better.

As mentioned, in a manual theyre great.

Eleventy million of them have been made, parts are not an issue, worst case you use one of the plethora of online car parts websites in europe and wait a week for it to arrive.
 

ausdb

Being who he is
The hottie abarth versions have the same engine as my Alfa.
Aah cool, I like the Abarth ones but highly impractical for a family.

I wish I'd bought a Fiat 124 sport back in my younger years when you could pick one up for $1000 and held on to it
 

Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
I love the little Fiat Bambino. I can see why she would love it.

All depends if you heart rules over head.
 

Haakon

Keeps on digging
I think like any european car in Australia its all down to the support you have. If you spin your own spanners than theyre simple enough if you can read a workshop manual. But you'll need a tame italian car specialist if youre paying for work - its not that theyre hard to work on, you just need someone without the "stupid euro car" attitude that doesn't tend to inspire care and good work. Im sure owning a Holden in Italy would have challenges that are nothing to do with how good the car is!
 

Haakon

Keeps on digging

Was the same in my 900cc three cylinder Clio - partly because I drove it like a stole it because the engine character was so fun, but mostly it’s physics - power = fuel. These downsized engine just have the capability of being stupid economical if you really baby them where normal engines don’t. But no one ever babies them!
 
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