General I'm considering buying a Ulysse (2005 2.2JTD) - Advice? FAPS?

[shedtastic]

Hi all, I found this forum when I was considering buying a Multipla JTD last year - the advice was good and I'm still enjoying the car! And in fact the Multipla forum..

So much so in fact that now my wife wants something comically cavernous (and I am desperate to steer her away from a Kia Sedona) I have been looking at the Ulysse.

I had first been considering a Pug 807 - but then realised those have the peugeot FAPS aftertreatment system (DPF with weird additive fluid & associated huge costs when it all goes a bit wrong..) and I figured that a fiat JTD would not have that - am I right? I guess it will still have a DPF?

I have read some other threads and realised that I need to avoid the Auto (Well, I probably would have avoided that anyhow in the interests of economy..) but I can't see much other advice about what to look out for. I'm looking for a pretty high spec car so as to get as many toys as possible but I'm not that bothered about the leather trim.. So an Eleganza with sat nav would be cool..

is the 2.2 JTD actually a Fiat engine?

Any tips?

Thanks in advance..

 

[shedtastic]

is the 2.2 JTD actually a Fiat engine?

Ok - have realised my initial rookie mistake, the engines are all from Peugeot..

But do they have FAPS?

 

[shedtastic]

Ok - have realised my initial rookie mistake, the engines are all from Peugeot..

But do they have FAPS?

OK - don't shoot me for being lazy. Have now seen enough Ulysse threads on FAPS additive that I can assume they all have it..

Might still be worth it to avoid a Sedona..?

:->

 

[The Bohemian]

Advice I would give anybody looking at a Ulysse, 807, or C8, don`t walk away from them, run as fast as you can, and don`t stop or look back. The FAP fluid is expensive, the particle filter is expensive, the engine is a pig to work on, eg trying to replace heater plugs, the injectors sieze in the head, and if the timing belt snaps, the car is more than likely cheaper to scrap than repair. I had an espace previously and would go back to one in the morning. If that doesn`t put you off, I have an 03 2.2 Ulysse prestigo that has never given me any bother, ( sorry, can`t lie anymore0!! Honestly, look at an espace, galaxy, even sedona or trajet, or if you can afford something fresher, a C4 or grand scenic. I`ve driven Fiats for years, regatta, tipo, brava and puntos, and I`m disgusted that they have allowed their name to be put on this piece of garbage.

 

[shedtastic]

Thanks for this - not what I wanted to hear, but probably what I needed to hear...

I just know people who've had horrific problems with modern Fords (New turbo and injectors needed at 65,000 miles. Expensive dual mass flywheel failures..) Renaults (horrific diesel EGR reliability) even BMWs (320d engines destroyed by ingested plastic inlet flaps..)
Any chance your's was an ill-maintained example before you got it?

Maybe I'm just at an awkward price point, in that I'm looking at vehicles that were the earliest DPF equipped crop - and so are inherently flawed..

Or maybe it's just modern cars that are cr@p?!
My slogan might need to be "I don't need 180bhp in my diesel family wagon, I just want it to work properly for a very long time.."

Cheers for the feedback..

 

[The Bohemian]

No mind came with a full history and had a lot of money spent on it before I bought it, including new turbo in the previous 8000 miles. Guess what I had to replace recently, the turbo.. I bought my Ulysse a year ago for £3000, and have since spent £4000 on it!!, there is too much technology in it for the average mechanic, and even when it throws up fault codes, they are too vague, for example, a leak in the vacuum system may trigger a "de-pollution fault" and put the car into limp home mode. I have heard of the renault EGR valve problem, but the Ully can have them too, as well as swirl valve actuator problems, which is a £20 piece of plastic which can cause the car to bearly accelerate. As I`ve said before I have had many Fiats before, but these are Peugeots with a Fiat badge.

 

[maisie the ugly bug]

Hi
I have heard fords are using psa engines in galaxys, why not try a petrol version of the ulysse, we have a 2004 Eleganza had it 2 years no problems so far, average about 24 mpg around town and 35 mpg on a run, a friend has a pug 807 2.2 diesel and get about 30 mpg around town and 40mpg on a run so not a lot of difference .

 

[shedtastic]

Just as a follow-up, we did go to look at the Ulysse, but it wasn't to be.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2005-Fiat-Uly...omobiles_UK&hash=item3cb59eddd7#ht_1433wt_937

(Can't get that to work - it is Item number: 260745125335)

The full service history wasn't quite up to scratch, I'd guess that it's due a cambelt (if not officially due one - I guess they are due at 60,000 - it's six years old and has not had one yet. I've now read on here that they can go at around that figure..) which I'd assume is expensive as access looks awful.

I was impressed by the comfort, size and spec (ok - I was blinded by built in sat nav, even if it was the more basic monochrome display.. I just hate dangling wires and tomtoms suckered onto windscreens with tiny touch screen buttons..) and externally and largely internally this one looked in good nick.

But my wife didn't seem impressed and the vendor neither inspired confidence nor seemed prepared to do a deal. He offered a paltry trade-in value on our car (well below parker's trade-in) despite wanting top whack for the Fiat.

Which I think on reflection was good - as it made the decision to take "the bohemian"'s advice & walk away easier...

So I'm still on the lookout for a reasonably priced MPV with sliding doors, three proper seats in the back, a really cavernous boot (once the rearmost seats are removed /stashed) and enough space between the front seats to squeeze through into the back. If I rule out the Eurovans, I think the Sedona (mk2) is the only one that fits the bill and I'm not prepared to spend that much money on a 2.2 tonne slab on mundanity.

So I think my wife can keep her current car.

If she's lucky, I might wash it.

Thanks for the input - bullet dodged.

(PS - petrol one: The logic I think is not bad, but we would end up putting a lot of miles on it and manual ones are so few and far between!!)

 

[The Bohemian]

Had a look at the listing, it does look good, but the one month warranty offered doesn`t inspire confidence!! Best wishes with your search, Brian.

 

[shedtastic]

Had a look at the listing, it does look good, but the one month warranty offered doesn`t inspire confidence!! Best wishes with your search, Brian.

We have bought an Espace instead.
Whilst my wife wanted sliding doors - I came to the conclusion that all the 5-6 year old cars we looked at with sliding doors seemed to have tired or sagging mechanisms - apart from the Mercedes Vaneo, but that was vetoed for other obvious reasons..

This purchase is still made with eyes wide open to the fact that the Espace doesn't exactly have a glowing reliability record either - but we'll see how we go. Perhaps 1 fiat per household should be enough..!

As an aside - most of the dealers who were promising "Full Warranty" we offering nothing of the sort. They were offering another party's insurance type scheme, almost all of them for only 3 months ("but you can buy 12 months for £129") and they'd be pretty coy about the T&C. Often capped at £1K per claim, so unlikely to cover the cost of an engine failure..

Fingers crossed!

 

[The Bohemian]

Best of luck with the new purchase, I`ve been told a lot of the problems with some diesels is down to the fact they are not doing enough miles to give the egr valve and turbos a good blow out, so in theory if they are getting a good motorway run every week, will do it no harm at all. Did you go for a diesel, and what spec? Again best wishes, Brian.

 

[shedtastic]

Best of luck with the new purchase, I`ve been told a lot of the problems with some diesels is down to the fact they are not doing enough miles to give the egr valve and turbos a good blow out, so in theory if they are getting a good motorway run every week, will do it no harm at all. Did you go for a diesel, and what spec? Again best wishes, Brian.

It should get plenty of M6 blasts.. :->

We went for a 2.2 diesel Dynamique (I spent ages trying to work out the different trim levels, then gave up - I miss the days of L, GL, GLX, Ghia..) so we have part leather trim and a panoramic sunroof - but no cruise control or parking sensors, and a basic stereo. I have an eBay parking sensor kit ready to install and a cheapie cable that will hopefully allow me to connect am MP3 player..

The later 2.0 diesel I think is regarded as a better engine (more reliable, more powerful and more economical) but those are quite a bit more expensive and have a DPF emissions system fitted (which I was quite keen to avoid..) so we will see how we get on...

Apparently the 2.2 has a weakness in the injectors / Injector manifold design - but these have already been swapped (at a cost of ~£850!!) on ours..

It's listed here:

http://www.chapelservicestation.co....-dci-dynamique-5dr-accrington-201107379817458

(but I assume he will take this ad down soon..)

 

[shedtastic]

FYI - we bought the Espace and it was great until it started making a loud knocking sound two weeks and 500 miles later.. Am now attempting to get my money back from the dealer. Won't bore you with the details but it looks like it had failed previously and been temporarily 'bodged' (though not clear by who).
Looks like I should be entitled to get a full refund.. but not yet fully resolved..

So it's not just big Fiat (badged Peugeots) that have stinking reliability..

Back to square one on the MPV hunt as I'm now (understandably?) put off Ulysses (C8s, 806s) & Espaces..

 

[The Bohemian]

Sorry to hear that but as least you have some comeback with the dealer you bought from. Keep your chin up, the search continues!!