General Prospective new owner.. few questions!

[jrkitching]

Thanks for all the advice in this and other threads - by far the most intelligent and complete source of advice for anybody considering a Fiat!

Thanks for all the compliments and welcome to the forum.

The car had done about 3,000 miles or so, and the MPG I managed was 65.

That's one of the best figures I've seen for the TwinAir. How exactly did you measure it? I ask because no one who's used the performance of the TA has ever come anywhere close to that, and 3k isn't even fully run in yet.

For someone on a test drive who's not familiar with the car, it's a remarkable result.

 

[Franda]

Well, only on second tank on my TA dualogic, driving it for fun not frugality at the moment! The trip computer was average 47.4mpg, my iPad app says 45.63. Only done 500 miles, and am quite happy as the mpg went up on the second tank.
I also have come from a conventional auto, so miss the hill holding, but it's quite easy to get used to really, just use the handbrake more, as I had to for the first 25 years driving! having said that, if I had been patient enough to order and wait, then I probably would have specified it...
All in all, after 2 weeks I am getting more comfortable and relaxed with the car. The most touchy thing for me is parking close, as the auto clutch grabs quite hard when trying to creep from a standstill, as if you have let the clutch in too quickly on a manual, creeping using the accelerator is quite an art on the dualogic.

 

[eurostar2]

I got a new 1.2 Lounge Dualogic four weeks ago, having had a 1.2 Lounge for 3 years; I had a Mini One for three years before that but I'd never go back: overpriced and not as stylish in my opinion. I'd never driven an automatic before but I love my new car (Volare Blue) and so far I've found the petrol consumption better than my previous 500 - which was good anyway. The steering is far sharper and I also find the acceleration better - overall, it's punchier and generally a more satisfying drive (I drive it in manual mode, though). My previous car struggled much more than the new one on motorway hills, for example - although I do still have to drop down a gear quite often. Two other noticeable improvements: the windscreen doesn't steam up like the old car did in damp weather; and the Blue and Me now work with my iPod - my old car wouldn't recognise it because I use a Mac.

I mainly use my car for town driving (commuting and for work) with the occasional dash down the motorway. I have found both my 500s ideal for this purpose and have had no inclination to up to a 1.4. Incidentally, I don't find noise a problem at all.

However, I do find the start and stop quite irritating (didn't have this on my old car)...

 

[Dekenba]

Thanks for all the compliments and welcome to the forum.



That's one of the best figures I've seen for the TwinAir. How exactly did you measure it? I ask because no one who's used the performance of the TA has ever come anywhere close to that, and 3k isn't even fully run in yet.

For someone on a test drive who's not familiar with the car, it's a remarkable result.

I reset the trip computer at the start and drove for around an hour. Mostly 30-50mph, steady driving, not much start-stop stuff, so not much heavy braking and I avoided heavy acceleration where I could.

I then got the MPG figure from the trip computer.

It was fairly flat driving, only some very gentle hills and mostly at a steady speed, so perhaps that accounted for the high MPG I managed. Plus it was the dualogic, which I suppose changes gear to get the best economy?

 

[jrkitching]

I reset the trip computer at the start and drove for around an hour. Mostly 30-50mph, steady driving, not much start-stop stuff, so not much heavy braking and I avoided heavy acceleration where I could.

I then got the MPG figure from the trip computer.

It was fairly flat driving, only some very gentle hills and mostly at a steady speed, so perhaps that accounted for the high MPG I managed. Plus it was the dualogic, which I suppose changes gear to get the best economy?

Well, that certainly does sound like ecodriving to me.

What I'm wondering, though, is whether it's really worth buying a TwinAir if you're going to drive it that way? A run-in 1.2 will easily return trip figures in the mid-sixties under those conditions, and will save you at least £1200 up-front.

 

[Dekenba]

Well, that certainly does sound like ecodriving to me.

What I'm wondering, though, is whether it's really worth buying a TwinAir if you're going to drive it that way? A run-in 1.2 will easily return trip figures in the mid-sixties under those conditions, and will save you at least £1200 up-front.

That's a good point and I have considered the 1.2, but the flexibility of the twin-air shades it - you can get great economy or you can put your foot down and get some fun. And it sounds great.

Having said that, I can understand people choosing the 1.2 over the TA, as I kind of feel I've been taken in by the marketing!

 

[jrkitching]

That's a good point and I have considered the 1.2, but the flexibility of the twin-air shades it - you can get great economy or you can put your foot down and get some fun. And it sounds great.

Having said that, I can understand people choosing the 1.2 over the TA, as I kind of feel I've been taken in by the marketing!

Sometimes you just have to let your heart rule your head. Otherwise we'd all be driving around in Pandas.

 

[306maxi]

That's a good point and I have considered the 1.2, but the flexibility of the twin-air shades it - you can get great economy or you can put your foot down and get some fun. And it sounds great.

Having said that, I can understand people choosing the 1.2 over the TA, as I kind of feel I've been taken in by the marketing!

Tbh I would get the Twinair too if it were me. Our 500 is covered by replacement gap insurance for another 2 years and we will definitely be getting a Twinair replacement if our car gets written off!

I understand some people like Grimwau have had actual issues with their car, but I somehow suspect that a lot of the drivers of twinairs simply don't know how to drive economically or are getting carried away with driving their first turbocharged petrol car.

http://www.fuelly.com/driver/rallycinq/500 seems to be getting decent mpg figures in his byDiesel twinair which will have 16" wheels with wider tyres.

Call me a sceptic but if someone comes onto the forum and complains about poor economy and it's not a regular on here who has shown a certain level of intelligence then I automatically blame the poster.

I've managed to get 40mpg out of a 17 year old Subaru with a 2 litre turbo engine, 200bhp, 4wd and almost 500kg's more weight than a 500...... If you can't get 50 mpg out of a run in twinair or 1.2 on a 20+ mile non-stop start journey then I think you need some driving lessons frankly.

That you've had 56mpg out of the car on a testdrive says to me you don't need driving lessons

 

[306maxi]

Sometimes you just have to let your heart rule your head. Otherwise we'd all be driving around in Pandas.

Perhaps I let something else rule my head, I wanted a Panda, she wanted a 500 and we got a 500

 

[Venters]

Perhaps I let something else rule my head, I wanted a Panda, she wanted a 500 and we got a 500

Your ears?

 

[306maxi]

Your ears?

My downstairs brain

 

[chicaneuk]

Gone a bit quiet from me but I'm still hunting! After canvassing opinion from family and so forth everyone seems to think my decision to get a Fiat 500 and my plans for garaging my other car are all getting the thumbs up so I feel clear in my conscience that it's a good idea!

So.. I think what I'm going to be looking for is as follows:

* 1.2 Pop
* No options needed EXCEPT some Fiat alloy wheels.. not the steel wheels!
* Around a year old
* Less than 10,000 miles

I'll be going to back to Research Garage soon I think to see if they can do me a deal on one of several Pop's which match my requirements with the exception of the alloys which is something I definitely want.

 

[loveshandbags]

Gone a bit quiet from me but I'm still hunting! After canvassing opinion from family and so forth everyone seems to think my decision to get a Fiat 500 and my plans for garaging my other car are all getting the thumbs up so I feel clear in my conscience that it's a good idea!

So.. I think what I'm going to be looking for is as follows:

* 1.2 Pop
* No options needed EXCEPT some Fiat alloy wheels.. not the steel wheels!
* Around a year old
* Less than 10,000 miles

I'll be going to back to Research Garage soon I think to see if they can do me a deal on one of several Pop's which match my requirements with the exception of the alloys which is something I definitely want.

Would you consider aftermarket wheels like these ones ?
They would match a BNW which is a common colour on the 500 & the Pop model.
I wouldn't ordinarily recommend 17inch wheels over the standard 15s & 16s alloys but given the lightness of these wheels - would these be a temptation ?
You could keep the steelies for the middle of winter.
They come in E30 or E35 offset - the E27 is an error (E25 wouldn't work)
'All in price' with tyres is under a £1K and they don't need wobble bolts.

 

[chicaneuk]

I don't want aftermarket wheels at all. I've owned so many modified cars over the last few years (with varying levels of modification) and am just sick of the trouble and stuff it causes with insurance. I really just want Fiat alloys so that the car remains standard!

 

[RobinPJ]

I don't want aftermarket wheels at all. I've owned so many modified cars over the last few years (with varying levels of modification) and am just sick of the trouble and stuff it causes with insurance. I really just want Fiat alloys so that the car remains standard!

Strictly speaking, if you put alloys on a Pop then the car is not "standard" for insurance purposes. Who manufactures the part that you add is not the point.

 

[Super Uwe]

Gone a bit quiet from me but I'm still hunting! After canvassing opinion from family and so forth everyone seems to think my decision to get a Fiat 500 and my plans for garaging my other car are all getting the thumbs up so I feel clear in my conscience that it's a good idea!

So.. I think what I'm going to be looking for is as follows:

* 1.2 Pop
* No options needed EXCEPT some Fiat alloy wheels.. not the steel wheels!
* Around a year old
* Less than 10,000 miles

I'll be going to back to Research Garage soon I think to see if they can do me a deal on one of several Pop's which match my requirements with the exception of the alloys which is something I definitely want.

Sounds like a plan!

I think the Pop probably is the best option for you anyway as we discussed before on this thread.

I do agree with RobinPJ though re adding the alloys, however I wouldn't imagine that it will add an awful lot to any premium to be fair. No doubt you can compare prices beforehand anyway.

 

[loveshandbags]

Strictly speaking, if you put alloys on a Pop then the car is not "standard" for insurance purposes. Who manufactures the part that you add is not the point.

I can understand chicaneu's concern about the aftermarket alloys but there was a set of Team Dynamics 1.2 wheels (specifically for the A500) for sale on ebay for £250 !

My understanding is that if a dealer supplies a car with options added(from new) it is 'dealer supplied' and the options do not need to be declared. If the Fiat alloys were added on at a later date then the insurance would have to prove that they didn't originally come with the car. To put it in prespective putting steelies on a 1.4. Sport/Lounge could be more of a concern for them.

The only exception to the 'rule' in the 500 series appears to the Sabelt seats (missing seat airbags) in the A500.

 

[chicaneuk]

Strictly speaking, if you put alloys on a Pop then the car is not "standard" for insurance purposes. Who manufactures the part that you add is not the point.

That's a little confusing though.. I can go to Fiat and buy a brand new Fiat 500 pop and specify alloy wheels as an optional extra. The car is then, as delivered, from Fiat a 500 pop with Fiat alloys on it. I wouldn't have to declare that to my insurance company would I?

The reason for wanting Fiat alloys is because I know they're only a £300'ish option on a new 500. So thinking it's quite likely I could get them thrown in, or at least done at a fair price, by the dealership when I come to negotiate a sale of a used car. Possibly

 

[loveshandbags]

That's a little confusing though.. I can go to Fiat and buy a brand new Fiat 500 pop and specify alloy wheels as an optional extra. The car is then, as delivered, from Fiat a 500 pop with Fiat alloys on it. I wouldn't have to declare that to my insurance company would I?

The reason for wanting Fiat alloys is because I know they're only a £300'ish option on a new 500. So thinking it's quite likely I could get them thrown in, or at least done at a fair price, by the dealership when I come to negotiate a sale of a used car. Possibly

In Ireland adding alloys to a new Pop spec costs €450 - but it is 'subsidised'. Afterwards the each alloy costs around €250 each plus the tyre. There was a hairy discussion on adding alloy wheels some moons back - but I wouldn't go there . A dealer wouldn't 'throw in' alloys for €300 but he might do a swap with another car if you made it worth his while. The only time that I've seen it done was on to a 500c from a Pop.

 

[RobinPJ]

That's a little confusing though.. I can go to Fiat and buy a brand new Fiat 500 pop and specify alloy wheels as an optional extra. The car is then, as delivered, from Fiat a 500 pop with Fiat alloys on it. I wouldn't have to declare that to my insurance company would I?

The reason for wanting Fiat alloys is because I know they're only a £300'ish option on a new 500. So thinking it's quite likely I could get them thrown in, or at least done at a fair price, by the dealership when I come to negotiate a sale of a used car. Possibly

Actually I believe you would - or at least should. Of course it largely depends what the insurer asks you, although (and here's the legal bit) an insurance contract is one of the exceptions to the general rule of "caveat emptor" - which normally means that you only have to not lie, you don't have to volunteer any information. An insurance contract is a contract "uberrimae fidei" (of the utmost good faith) which means you have to tell the insurer everything that they would want to know even if they forget to ask.

That does still beg the question whether they would want to know if you have put lush expensive alloys on a Pop. I suspect most people do not tell their insurer but one day an insurer will refuse to pay and will say it was because of this non-disclosure. (If it has not already happened.)