lozgti1

Was going to get the wife a mini for scooting about town.Had her heart set on a Fiat 500 so got one

Nothing to it.Very basic but she bloody loves it and since she has had it I have NEVER seen so many of them on the roads

I know BMW seemed to have a winner when they went with the mini (and VW most definitely didn't with the beetle!) but I have to hand it to Fiat on the retro front.Seem to have overtaken mini in the most common car on the road.Panda in a frock and yet they must have sold flipping loads!

nik52wrx

Might have something to do with the offer our local Fiat dealer had on, £99 a month with next to nothing deposit.

bighead

iTrader: (1)

not that common around manchester though , hardly see any !!

saints_forever

They're cheap, small and a practical town run around, so no wonder they sell well.

When my mate said he was getting one I laughed my head off, but actually the one he has is really nice; all optional extras, black car, black wheels and Italian stripes. He has the twin air, 875cc turbo, and it goes well, plus if he turns the turbo off he gets 70mpg.

Would like a little go in the Abarth version, proper little go kart.

IWatkins

Good fun little car. Where Fiat got it right is that it still puts the smile on your face like the original 500 did and like the original mini did.

BMW failed I think with their mini in that it was too big, too expensive and doesn't make you feel like you are driving a mini. And that was with the Mini One. Now you have the Clubman etc. that are huge. Don't get me wrong, nice cars, Coopers especially, but they don't give you that grin.

Cheers

Ian

cjquicksilver

iTrader: (23)

Any original 500s any state let me know :-)

Ste RB5138

They are really common around me, probably to do with £135 deposit finance deal and low APR.

http://www.arnoldclark.com/used-cars...lwdx9mc5ma8ke/

robby

I had the Abarth version - really nice car to be sat in, nippy with the TMC tuning box fitted (around 185bhp), 37mpg, nice and sporty exhaust note - not 100% reliable though as mine had done 12k and needed new radiator and gearbox end case resealing

saints_forever

^^^ What was the handling and suspension like in the Abarth just out of interest?

robby

Mine was standard suspension which felt ok on B roads - maybe a little too soft if pushed hard, handling was firm/ tight (40 profile tyres)
If you got the Essesse package (£2500) it included Koni suspension and upgraded discs/ calipers (i think Brembo)

juniorc

Made the mistake of getting the wife a 500 sport when they first came out,horrible little thing,used as much oil as it did petrol,went through front tyres at a worrying rate and had possibly the worst ride of any car ive ever driven(and thats a lot).Only good thing about it was the trade in value i got for it!More form over function and there are plenty of better cars out there,the mini is vastly better in every way,oh and fiat dealers are really shocking!My advice would be to get rid while its still worth summat and go and get her a mini!

pflowers

Aren't they Ford KA's underneath? Or the other way round

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

The Ford KA is a Fiat...Ford ran out of money to make their own car.

And technically the 500 is actually a Panda underneath.

Driven a few basic versions. I like them. Felt and drove like a small car should...so many modern cars these days have absolutely no tactile feel to the driving controls that it may as well be remote controlled. This still has a degree of normal proportion to the steering and brakes, and the petrol engines aren't totally gutless compared to similar engined Vauxhalls etc.