Technical Fiat 500 hybrid Dolcevita 2022 - Service Intervals

[Skippy3435]

Good evening, I have a Fiat 500 Hybrid 2022 plate that is 2 years old. Had from new and low mileage. I had a first service at around 1300 miles at a year old at a cost of £230 and now due a second service however I was informed on my last invoice that servicing is every two years. On checking this with the garage they said they made a mistake and its every 9000 miles or year. So they are now saying I am due a 18,000 mile/2nd year service to the cost of £450!!! I nearly choked! When I asked why it was so expensive, they stated I had to have new spark plugs!! Is this right when I have only done 2800 miles? This is the most expensive service I have ever encounter! Do I have to get it serviced at Fiat whist it is under warranty? Another question, when I wash the car, around the glass roof and the windscreen, when the black rubber gets wet the colour is leaching off onto the paint work and I have to wash it off quickly. Is anybody else experiencing this? To me, I am assuming the rubber is perishing.

 

[steveras57]

Fiat are renowned for expensive service costs what they are saying is that regardless of mileage you are in effect due the "third" service in the schedule which at an average mileage per year of around 6-8 k would be at 18k.
No doubt its not just plugs that are ramping the cost you can bet your life there is at least 2 hours labour in there at around 120-150 quid an hour and i would think that though you dont have to use the dealer you bought from it would have to be a fiat franchise to keep the warranty in place!.

Also sad to say that Fiat are not renowned for using the best the best quality rubber on there trim parts and what you are experiencing is not uncommon however perhaps you could bring that up with your dealer and question if anything can be done under the warranty your "paying" so much for!. if you get a dismissive response then let them no you are going to take it up with Fiat customer service! ( Id do it anyway as they are known for excessive response times to problems) to focus there attention .

 

[puntodeltathema]

You could perhaps ask for a low mileage service, which was a specific thing Fiat offered (at least back in the noughties, the last time I used a main dealer!).

In theory you should be able to use any VAT registered garage and maintain your warranty, under the so-called "block exemption" regulations (an EU thing I think). But worth checking that still applies post-Brexit. There were some mutterings about it ending a little while ago but not entirely sure what happened.

 

[John202020]

Have the plugs replaced with Iridium these can last well beyond the 5 year lifespan recommended, how long left on warranty?
Change the oil and filter(buy a genuine fiat one) by a independent garage keeping the receipts ?

 

[MN500]

The service intervals are annually/9000 miles as the garage reports.

However, as it's mid-February 2025, and your car is 2022-registered, then it must be significantly over 2 years old already. Therefore, is your warranty already voided through lack of servicing on time I wonder? I understand that, like insurance companies, car manufacturers generally use any excuse not to pay out.

It's your choice. I am strict with annual, or on time, servicing on my cars, but with such low mileage, I might be tempted not to bother if I were you.

The prices quoted are ridiculous anyway. I am thankful we bought the service package that included 3 main dealer services and it's first MOT for £199.50 when we purchased ours in October 2021. Out of warranty servicing will now be parts from shop4parts and my trusted independent.

 

[steveras57]

If its out of warranty might as well just do the oil and filters yourself!

 

[John202020]

Try treating the rubber trim with a bespoke rubber and vinyl care product?

 

[alber]

The same has just happened to me. I bought the car in Dic. 2022, and last month I asked the dealership for the 2nd revision. First one I did on February 2024 and it was 250€.
Now they quoted me 450€! I asked the same question than you, why? And also got the spark plug answer.
Oil, oil filter, coolant fluid, windscreen fluid and spark plugs. Its a joke. My girlfriend's infamous 208 1.2 puretech costs her 230€ the cheap service (odd years) and 330€ the expensive one (even years). Much better.
I'm still debating if I will pay the 450€ or I will take it to a general car service shop.

 

[ahmett]

Being honest with my 2010 500 1.4 I just make sure the oil and coolant are topped up and ‘service it when I feel like it’. E.g. power feels slightly lower= change air filter and or spark plugs ! Smelly cabin? Cabin filter ! Brakes feel weird? Pads and discs every few changes ! 232,000 kms still runs fine!