General Travelling long distance with a 35,000 miles Fiat 500 L

[Marcuslavaggi]

Hi all,

Just a few questions as I haven't driven on a motorway before, let alone my Fiat 500 for over an hour in a single journey.

Firstly, my Fiat 500 L has done just under 35,000 miles and I use it daily to travel to work. A trip each way can put 26 miles onto the clock. This makes me concerned about wear and tear on the engine whenever I do a long journey.

In April I will be travelling from Westfield, a village near Hastings in the UK, to Quedgley near Gloucester. This will take me about three hours and thirty mins, then we will be off to the Teddy Rocks Festival in Dorest in which we will be taking my friends car. Then after the festival three days later, I will be doing the journey from Quedgley to Westfield. A total of seven hours worth of driving on the car.

I will then in August be doing the same trip, going to Quedgley from Westfield, then taking the train to Devon for the Gone Wild Festival, then taking the train back up to Gloucester. After that I will then be driving to Cheshire for an hour and a half going to a festival there and then back the sams night being two hours and 20 mins more in total across the two trips, then from Gloucester to Quedgley the next day for another three hours and 30 mins trip.

With all this said, will my car by any chance withstand all this?. A Fiat 500 L only has a small engine on it, not a massive tank-like thing, so is the car durable for all this in the timeframes mentioned?. Has anyone on these foruks used their Fiat 500 L on such long trips regularly?.

I appreciate I need good oil levels, tire pressures to the required level, radiator antifreeze topped up and know the petrol stations on my route.

Many apologies for the long post and seemingly stupid questions, but this is a new thing I would really like to do and cannot trust the trains anymore.

Many thanks in advance and I look forward to engaging on the forums and asking any questions you may have.

 

[Marcuslavaggi]

Just have to say thanks for everything, really useful info and learnt a lot of insight with the correct instruction manual!. Who needs a Hayes these days when you have this forum!.

Looking forward to coming here more often.

 

[varesecrazy]

I dont think you will have a problem,

But advise having a break every hour to 1 1/2 hours.. the A40 is pretty relaxing / scenic from west of Oxford to Cheltenham

Part of my 110 mile trips in my 2018 lounge

 

[Marcuslavaggi]

Update: I did the drive leaving at 5:30 in the morning on the 27th and it went by with no problems at all. The journey home was on the Bank Holiday Monday leaving at 7 and didn't hit a jam until I got close to home.

Really want to do it again, but am a bit worried as my 500 only has a small engine and so might not last.

 

[chris3234]

Update: I did the drive leaving at 5:30 in the morning on the 27th and it went by with no problems at all. The journey home was on the Bank Holiday Monday leaving at 7 and didn't hit a jam until I got close to home.

Really want to do it again, but am a bit worried as my 500 only has a small engine and so might not last.

Why wouldn't it?


Most cars these days have 1L 3 cylinder engines that are much more highly stressed then fiat old fire series engines
They just get better mpf then the petrol version

 

[eeeno]

If you have serviced the car annually and its timing belt is not due, then don't worry. I'd be more worried about driving that small car in a busy traffic and getting from a to b safely. Lots of crazy drivers these days. However over-analyzing things doesn't help at all.

 

[chris3234]

If you have serviced the car annually and its timing belt is not due, then don't worry. I'd be more worried about driving that small car in a busy traffic and getting from a to b safely. Lots of crazy drivers these days. However over-analyzing things doesn't help at all.

A 500l isn't a small car by any means

 

[Ralf S.]

Update: I did the drive leaving at 5:30 in the morning on the 27th and it went by with no problems at all. The journey home was on the Bank Holiday Monday leaving at 7 and didn't hit a jam until I got close to home.

Really want to do it again, but am a bit worried as my 500 only has a small engine and so might not last.

If you're travelling at 60mph, which is about 3000rpm in the 500, then as long as your coolant is good, oil level is topped up and the tyre pressures are fine, you can drive like that for 12,000 miles (when you ought to stop for a loo break and an oil change).

The car is not a horse that gets "tired", it's a machine... and once the engine has warmed up, it doesn't "know" whether it's been running for 10 minutes or 10 hours. A long run is good for the car because on a cruise you tend to back off the throttle (so it leans out the fuel mixture compared to city-acceleration) .. your fuel economy will reach 55mpg or more... and the long period of operating temperature will allow carbon, gum and varnish to burn off and for any moisture in the engine oil to be evaporated out.

Cars like doing 10 hour trips... so really you only need to stop when you need a rest.. the car can easily handle whatever your endurance is.


Ralf S.

 

[vexorg]

Cars like doing 10 hour trips... so really you only need to stop when you need a rest.. the car can easily handle whatever your endurance is.

Sounds like a challenge, fiat 500 going non-stop at 60mph for 10 hours. I'm putting money on running out of fuel.

Then a whole host of other potential issues sonce the OP doesn't sound like a car person, like washer fluid, tyres might be low pressure or bald, brake pads low, timing belt about to go, so many routine maintenance things
Cars only like to go for long distances if they are looked after.

 

[Marcuslavaggi]

Sounds like a challenge, fiat 500 going non-stop at 60mph for 10 hours. I'm putting money on running out of fuel.

Then a whole host of other potential issues sonce the OP doesn't sound like a car person, like washer fluid, tyres might be low pressure or bald, brake pads low, timing belt about to go, so many routine maintenance things
Cars only like to go for long distances if they are looked after.

Well, I am a car person as a matter of fact,.it's just that at the time I was not a motorway person whatsoever.

Now I go everywhere in my car with no issues at all, I have been as far as Cholmondey in Cheshire, Manchester, Gloucester, Devon and Ragley Hall in Warwickshire.

Not once have I had any issues.

 

[Ralf S.]

The 1.2 can run forever on the motorway. As long as it’s got oil, coolant, air in the tyres and screen wash, the only limits to how long it can go fo are how long your bladder can hold out, or until the petrol runs out. As has been mentioned, a good long run gives everything the chance to get warmed through, and when cruising along the ECU can lean off the fuel mixture so you get good mpg, and the soot and gum in the engine and exhaust get burnt off, so your engine is better for it.

The car should be able to cruise at 62mph easily so if you’re a Nervous Nigel, try to go at least this speed. Lorries and trucks are speed limited to 60mph so doing 62 will keep you ahead of them.. otherwise they’ll overtake and cut you up which is sometimes the wrong kind of exciting.

Ralf S.

 

[jrkitching]

Sounds like a challenge, fiat 500 going non-stop at 60mph for 10 hours. I'm putting money on running out of fuel.

It's possible to do this at 50mph without running out of fuel.

Wouldn't want to do it, though.

On a long journey, common sense suggests stopping after 4 hours, then every two hours after that.

The limiting factor for me in a 500 is seat comfort; my back starts to hurt after about two hours.

 

[The Panda Nut]

Having been a 100K miles a year driver for 20 years I offer the following based on my personal findings and experiences not on current advisory thinking, as I think it will help.

One thing to consider is if you are unused to long distances you will find it very tiring and may find the next day you feel rough. Dont try to do it in one stretch. Have a break at least once and maybe twice in any 200 mile journey as this will help a great deal with the after effects. Long journeys are disproportionately tiring when you are not used to them. Have a quick cup of coffee as paert of the break. It will be time well spent. Make sure you are fed and well hydrated too as long journies tend to dehydrate you a lot especially with air conditioning. Carry some water. Make sure you are well rested beforehand as this will also help a great deal.

Change the seat position after an hour as it will help reduce aches and stiff muscles that result from sitting in one position. Slight change in backrest angle and front to rear seat movement is good. Use the height adjustment if you have this, and change the interior mirror to match. Travelling at 65mph is a great deal less tiring than at 75. If travelling at night make sure you have clean windsceen and lights, and rags and water to clean again if required. Top up windscreen washers too. Cleaning wiper blades regularly is time well spent. I find having some sweets to hand helps if starting to feel tired. It boosts energy for a while. Most importantly, if you are feeling drowsy towe#ards the end of a journey stop and have a cat knap. It works quickly to allow you to finish safely. Driving when very tired is as bad or worse than under the influence of alcohol.

Have fun and have safe trips.

 

[PT500]

Useful information from all of you reference 500s and safety/comfort. Something to bear in mind when I drive my 2011 Twinair to Sicily in February 2024...........

 

[vexorg]

Well, I am a car person as a matter of fact,.it's just that at the time I was not a motorway person whatsoever.

By car person, I mean someone that works on and understands all about cars, not just drives them.
If you had been a car person then you'd know the answers and not be asking questions like that since cars are designed to do 100k miles, or much much more with some proper care applied.

It's possible to do this at 50mph without running out of fuel.

Wouldn't want to do it, though.

The 500L has a 10 gallon tank, I'd doubt you got get a straight 50mpg out of it.

 

[The Panda Nut]

I wouldn't hesitate to jump in a Panda and drive from here to southern Italy they are well up to the job. I would pay a little more attention to the temperature gauge when the outside temperature is high but thats about all. I agree seats are a big issue but find the Pandas are fine for 4 hour stints. Ive only been in the back of a 500L (1.3D) on a pretty long trip. It did a great job of shifting four people over 400 miles in the day with no aches and pains. Moving the seat a little nearer / further away from the steering wheel or higher / lower, and changing the backrest by a few degrees makes a lot of difference on a long run. You do have to think about this as it only comes to mind when you ach otherwise. I find its when you have got out of the long distance driving groove its much tiring and often makes my accelerator leg stiff for days. I am just a little bit too mean to splash out on cruise control.... yet. When working I used to be like all the others, travelling at 90 (at least) as much as possible and that is immensely tiring. Once I started using my own car, and especially after the company cut milage rate I slowed down and rarely did more that about 60. The joys or your license becoming points free again.... The big benefit was its so much less tiring as well as extending miles between fuel stops. On one day the Bravo said rane 973 after a fill up.
I find the 1.2 is more relaxing than our TA because it isnt screaming at you to go fast so more sedate cruising is natural! In the TA you can bowl along at over 80 without being aware of the speed, and thats not necessarily good. Personally I hate motorways and even long dual carriageways on longer journies. Its far too easy to get stuck and all the time saved is lost very quickly. I remember a car fire half a mile shy of the M6 while on the A14. That was a work day written off in one go. Even after the fire was out it was hours before we moved. Over the years I started to use back roads, and its amazing how many really decent roads exist from long ago often empty and straight. It always took a bit longer but on safety grounds alone I found and still do, its worth using more of these. The joys of seeing the countryside thrown in free, The reallly good thing about sat nav is it funnels all the lemmings onto the big roads and makes things even better off the beaten track.