General How do I check when a Fiat 500 was manufactured

[inoicangp]

Went to the dealer today and something didn't sound right to me.He told me that I cant have any of my options factory fitted,what they do is take an already manufactured 500 thats sitting in a warehouse then add the options for me,is this true?How do you add the blue&me after production?I live in South Africa and I really don't trust the clowns here and want everything factory fitted.

How do I check when the 500 was manufactured? Just incase the snake doesn't have my options factory fitted.

One last thing he said my 500 will not have start/stop or the shift indicator?I've asked question before just want to know are the 500s manufactured in different production plants for different countries?I know there's a plant in Poland.

I want to spec my 500 as follows:

*Techouse grey
*Chrome Kit
*Chrome mirror covers
*Red leather with white ambience(from a FIAT approved fitter)
*Blue&me
*Ital decor side strips
*Side rubbing strips
*16"multispokes
*Fog lights.

He says all of these options will be done here in South Africa?

 

[Davren]

Not sure if it works the same for SA registered vehicles, but for European ones, putting the VIN into an up to date copy of ePER will show the build date.

 

[farnboroflyer]

Take a look under the front seats, and somewhere you will find some stickers that give you an idea of when they were made.............so just add a few weeks!!!!.

The wiring loom also has these giveaways, plus other stuff around the car. that is not too difficult to find.

Ian

 

[Joseph500]

From my (very disappointing) experience here in Oz

YES - All 500's come from a factory in Poland (excluding the recent USA cars, of course)

BUT - each country will have a very specific model specification which at times can be unique to that Country......trying to get something outside of that specification can be an issue - like waiting about 6 months !!! As has happened to ppl I know here in Oz (and even then those cars were not quite right !!). So at times it maybe easier for the Dealer just to option up the car in their workshop rather than wait for a special to be made. Remember any such post production work is stall under warranty

You count yourself lucky that your can get the 5oo specced like you want ...I have been struggling for nearly 11 months and still ZERO success

 

[Eklipze3k]

Slightly OT but @ Joseph - you guys drive on the left don't you? Come over to the UK, get it specced, built and then get it shipped over to Aus once you've taken delivery - expensive but you'd get what you want

 

[Joseph500]

Slightly OT but @ Joseph - you guys drive on the left don't you? Come over to the UK, get it specced, built and then get it shipped over to Aus once you've taken delivery - expensive but you'd get what you want

Thanx for the kind suggestion - but not can do with our very restrictive import rules ...... I have extensively researched that option a few months ago

 

[Eklipze3k]

Thanx for the kind suggestion - but not can do with our very restrictive import rules ...... I have extensively researched that option a few months ago

I just had a quick look and wow you're not kidding, what a faff that looks like!!

 

[306maxi]

Thanx for the kind suggestion - but not can do with our very restrictive import rules ...... I have extensively researched that option a few months ago

I'll be happy to own and drive the car for 6 months and then move back to Australia (for a cost) to import the car and then sell it onto you and then move back to the UK

I've looked into it as well as there's a chance the wife might lose her job and moving back to Australia is one option we're considering if the worst happens.

 

[306maxi]

Take a look under the front seats, and somewhere you will find some stickers that give you an idea of when they were made.............so just add a few weeks!!!!.

The wiring loom also has these giveaways, plus other stuff around the car. that is not too difficult to find.

Ian

Easiest one I can think of is the tyres. Tyres have a manufacture date on them which is XXYY where XX is the week number and YY is the year. So tyres with a code 0109 were manufactured in week 1 of 2009.

 

[neh0]

Iseem to remember that Honest John (www.honest john.co.uk) used to say look at the date printed on the plastic ashtray to give you a rough idea.

Must check on my car

 

[frupi]

Been a while since anyone posted anything on this so:


I phoned my local Fiat dealer and told him my insurance company was insisting on exact year of build and I was subsequently freely informed that my 500 rolled off the production line on 29 November 2010, was registered in the UK on 28 Feb 11 and had its Pre Delivery Inspection on 04 Apr 11. Job done!