I have just passed my driving test (in a Clio) and would really love a Fiat 500 (probably a 1.2 Lounge) as my first car. As a new driver I would like something that is easy to drive and, in particular, to find the bite and pull away easily. Will this be the case with the Fiat 500?
General Easy to find the bite?
- Thread starter kezzaboyz
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General Easy to find the bite?
from what iv heard the 500 is a very easy car
and bsm wouldn't change there entire fleet to them for no reason
and also dont worry about it you have to learn in different cars even if its a bit difficult at first
and bsm wouldn't change there entire fleet to them for no reason
and also dont worry about it you have to learn in different cars even if its a bit difficult at first
yea all the controls on the 500 are light and fall easily to hand
some find it tricky to get the seat position optimal but the driving style is typical italian sat fairly close to wheel but laid back and legs apart
some find it tricky to get the seat position optimal but the driving style is typical italian sat fairly close to wheel but laid back and legs apart
easy Rob,its a family forum
The 500 is a very easy car to drive.
Even if you're very inexperienced, you can still ask for a test drive, so why not go along to a FIAT dealer and find out for yourself?
I'd suggest you mention that you've only recently passed your test (congratulations BTW), and they'll find somewhere suitably quiet for you to have a go.
You are fortunate to be in a position to consider this as your first car. When I passed my test (a long time ago now), all I could afford was a rusty old banger, and that was most definitely not easy to drive!
Even if you're very inexperienced, you can still ask for a test drive, so why not go along to a FIAT dealer and find out for yourself?
I'd suggest you mention that you've only recently passed your test (congratulations BTW), and they'll find somewhere suitably quiet for you to have a go.
You are fortunate to be in a position to consider this as your first car. When I passed my test (a long time ago now), all I could afford was a rusty old banger, and that was most definitely not easy to drive!
Ive had many cars such as Peugeots, Fords, Suzukis, Toyotas and out off all the ones ive owned, the 500 is the best to drive. Very hard to stall, nice and comfy, easy to change gear. Just the best ride ive had! Think thats why BSM have got the 500s as they are easy to drive! GO FOR IT! GET A 500!
On my 500, if I inadvertantly stall when pulling away, the start/stop system restarts the car as soon as I push the clutch down.
sharkrider
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I work part-time for BSM and have a 500 1.2 sport, and its very easy to drive, only thing you will notice with the 1.2 is if you learned in a deisel, you may have been able to pull away without revs, but you will need a little "gas" in the 1.2 (as with most petrols) hopefully your instructor tought you to do this anyway!
as someone else said, I find the seating position a little wierd compaired to my grande punto, but it has almost every adjustment possible, so you should be able to get comfy
as someone else said, I find the seating position a little wierd compaired to my grande punto, but it has almost every adjustment possible, so you should be able to get comfy
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I found Fiats very hard to stall, with a little finesse you can get to 5th gear from a standstill without actually using the throttle because the engine management compensates for what it thinks is low idle speed rather than you being in far to higher gear for the situation. The Fiats I have driven (numerous) have picked up from near the floor on the clutch making them easy to drive, when i switched to other cars I was still stalling after 3 months due to forgetting which car I was in, although swift clutch is well known to be a b***er.
I rev the wotsits off mine still, but I think thats because compared to my 12yr old punto, its sooo quiet. I'm not exactly a confident driver and I love my 500. Its a small car, but you dont feel small and vulnerable because of the higher roof and seating.
I'd say take a test drive, ask to go somewhere quiet but somewhere you can put your foot down a bit too, try your maneuvers in it too or maybe just have a bash at parking it..the steering is beautiful, you can turn in on a 2p coin lol. The back window is smaller than on my 500 so took me a bit to get used to, the the wing mirrors are nice and big anyway. Go home, think about it and then go again another day and have another. See what you think after the initial WAW has worn off.
Other people might think what ive said is stupid, but thats just my experience of it. Good luck
I'd say take a test drive, ask to go somewhere quiet but somewhere you can put your foot down a bit too, try your maneuvers in it too or maybe just have a bash at parking it..the steering is beautiful, you can turn in on a 2p coin lol. The back window is smaller than on my 500 so took me a bit to get used to, the the wing mirrors are nice and big anyway. Go home, think about it and then go again another day and have another. See what you think after the initial WAW has worn off.
Other people might think what ive said is stupid, but thats just my experience of it. Good luck
Yep, what they said. On my test drive I stalled and the stop start kicked in.
Thanks everyone for your comments. I will certainly have a test drive and might give the 1.3 mutlijet a go as well to see if I prefer this to the petrol version, especially given I learnt in a diesel and got used to using little or no gas to pull away. Fingers crossed I will love it and have one of my own really soon.
Thanks everyone for your comments. I will certainly have a test drive and might give the 1.3 mutlijet a go as well to see if I prefer this to the petrol version, especially given I learnt in a diesel and got used to using little or no gas to pull away. Fingers crossed I will love it and have one of my own really soon.
Tbh as a new driver you shouldn't be taking the easy way out and buying the car which is the easiest to drive. Of course you don't want to find the most difficult car to drive, but what you do want is something that will help you become a better driver and the MJ isn't doing to help you with that as it's going to be harder to stall.
I needed to read this a couple of times to see if I had understood it properly. I think that buying a car that is easy to drive is exactly the point! ........ and take it from me it is just as easy to stall the 500 MJT as a petrol version if you let the clutch up too quickly.
When you have passed your test the last thing you want when going out for the first time alone is to have any added pressures to worry about, it is all about building up confidence and experience.
Daniel, I appreciate that this is your opinion and that it is offered with the best intentions but if you were to follow it to it's logical conclusion then perhaps the OP should also go for a car with poor steering and brakes as well.
Personally, I wouldn't recommend the 500 Diesel as a first car either but for completely different reasons.
Daniel, I appreciate that this is your opinion and that it is offered with the best intentions but if you were to follow it to it's logical conclusion then perhaps the OP should also go for a car with poor steering and brakes as well.
Of course not
There's a difference between buying a car that merely takes a little more skill to drive develops your skills a bit more and driving something which is unsafe. My first two cars were automatic so compared to other people my age I would say my clutch control has suffered because of this At the end of the day the 1.2 isn't difficult to drive, it's just won't have quite the torque of the MJ low down and will be a little easier to stall.
As far as cars being easy to drive is concerned, I note that more and more are now selling with automatic wipers, lights, start-up, parking brakes - you name it.
I have also noticed more and more people being unaware of how to leave a car parked properly (in gear), or how to park properly at all in fact, or signal intentions, or drive in winter on icy roads. I often see something approaching blind panic on the faces of younger drivers at roundabouts.
Nobody wants a car to be difficult to drive, but driving is still a very serious business and something that all drivers should be masters of, for all our sakes. A car can never do it for you.
I have also noticed more and more people being unaware of how to leave a car parked properly (in gear), or how to park properly at all in fact, or signal intentions, or drive in winter on icy roads. I often see something approaching blind panic on the faces of younger drivers at roundabouts.
Nobody wants a car to be difficult to drive, but driving is still a very serious business and something that all drivers should be masters of, for all our sakes. A car can never do it for you.
absolutely
cars are too insulated these days and the more safety and driver aids the worse it gets
the driver really has little connection with the road and until something extreme happens they cannot tell where the limit it
this means that the driver gets careless and lazy until one day the electronics cannot overcome the laws of physics and a huge accident happens
the cars are machines with software programmed by humans
they are not capable of driving themselves (yet)
Sadly people think ESP and airbags are going to save them on black ice or when a lorry sideswipes them. You're probably safer in a 70's car with no crumple zones or airbags if you have your wits about you and drive carefully rather than being in a modern car and driving as people do these days..
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The safest car (or at least the one driven safest) is one with a sharp metal spike sticking out of the sterring wheel.
