General What engine should i get. TA or 1.2

[306maxi]

Cheers

 

[werdna]

As an ex biker, I agree about the engine noise of the Twinair. The chap who took me on a test drive told me I would be smiling by the time I got back....it didn't take that long ! I haven't enjoyed driving so much for years.. It all felt so comfortable.
Needless to say, his sales figures have gone up !

I will pick it up on Sept 1st ( a sunday ! ) or maybe the 2nd and it will be the first time I have had a new car and numberplate on the day of issue... Roll on September.

Also, my insurance looks to only be £150 ish, there is something to be said for getting older !

 

[44sunsets]

Again, just forcomparison we arranged and had to wait a day for an "auto" to be available to try, but we ended up buying a (new) TwinAair Plus with Dualogic gearbox. We have had now for about 3 weeks.

Did you get your choice of colour and did you have to wait a long time to get your 500? There's a lot of Aussies having major delays ATM in getting their new cars

As a TwinAir owner I can say that the engine definitely does use a lot of petrol when driving it in a spirited way in the suburbs/city But it's a lot of fun!

 

[scout]

As a TwinAir owner I can say that the engine definitely does use a lot of petrol when driving it in a spirited way in the suburbs/city But it's a lot of fun!

I'm not sure I'd agree with your use of the words 'a lot'. It certainly uses more but doesn't suddenly become a gas guzzler. My TA on its worse tank full is still twice as good as my last car on its best tank full. I suppose its what you compare it too. The fuelly in my Sig shows what I'm getting since I got the car, so includes all the running in and the car is getting about 45 a tank now with some spirited driving thrown in .

 

[Aussie500nut]

Did you get your choice of colour and did you have to wait a long time to get your 500? There's a lot of Aussies having major delays ATM in getting their new cars

Short answer - Seems we just dodged the bullet in that we were able to get the car we wanted in second colour choice, off the showroom floor,
and picked it up 2 days after we signed the order.
This what we found when we went to pick it up

Long answer - Initially we looked at Carsales and there were plenty of Pops and TA's all over the place.
If we got the Fiat it would be replacing a 2 1/2 year old Lancer SX that still had another 18 months warranty to go. There was nothing wrong with the Lancer and we owned it, so the Fiat purchase was pure "indulgence" for want of another word. So the intent was to get as many test drives as possible to be sure we were making the right decision on the much smaller car

There are 3 dealers within striking distance and when we rang to make sure they hads stock, they all did. So we started earlyish and got to 3 of them in 1 day. But then we decided to look at the Dualogic as well and it took a day's wait to drive it. Decision made and the best offer was $19,500 for a Red (first colour choice) Rockstar Dualogic or $20K for a white/black roof TwinAir Plus Dualogic, both at the second dealer.

By now it was closing time and we were at the 3rd dealer who made all the usual promises to get a signature --- meet any deal, any colour, any gearbox - the usual bit - but he had to confirm the price with his boss in the morning, so we asked him to ring us when he had something definite.

First thing next morning I rang the first dealer and he was out of stock and was trying to sell me a Lounge that wasn't here yet as this is the only way you canget a TA in the new model line up - and it is only available in "auto" and it will be $3K dearer than the TwinAir Plus (or Rockstar). Then the salesman from the night before rang - any colour you want as long as it is grey or black and at $20K, not $19,500.

So wife rings the second dealer to order the red Rockstar and "sorry, sold this morning".
So she asked if she could have the white/black roof TwinAir Plus for $19,500 and he said "OK".
We went straight up and paid deposit and signed up then picked it up 2 days later.

The truth in the colour choice is that the Lancer was her car and was being replaceby the Fiat, and she always has white cars. In fact when were negotiating the deal she wanted the white/black roof car but it was $500 dearer. So for $500 she was prepared to go with my preference of red - so in the end it worked outpretty well although I would still prefer the red - sigh

Over the next week or so you could see the numbers dwindling on the Carsales adds so we got ours just in time

As a TwinAir owner I can say that the engine definitely does use a lot of petrol when driving it in a spirited way in the suburbs/city But it's a lot of fun!

Yes can see this in the trip computer - Wife is now using the paddles and likes the spritely performance - particularly through our sweeping bends, so it is getting a work out - with the accompanying decrease in fuel economy - all FUN, I guess.
Agree

 

[corsasri]

Well thanks guys for all the input. Went back to fiat today and had a few test drives. And changed my mind a few times about colour.
Drum roll......... I have now changed my car to this.
Fiat 500s
Pasodoble red
16 inch wheels in style 5a6
Hi fi system with subwoofer under seat
Front fog lights
Dualogic gearbox
Twinair


Dose anyone have a good image of the dualogic controls on steering wheel. As i can't find one. As i may add this option.

 

[scout]

I don't think you'll be disappointed with that choice (unless you want extreme ecconomy ). I think the uprated stereo is a good choice too and is something I added to my TA500C.

 

[Aussie500nut]

Great choice on your 500 - but then I'm biased

This is a link to a photo (I hope) of the steering wheel controls
[edit] click on photo #6

http://www.carsales.com.au/bncis/details/Fiat-500-2013/AGC-AD-14013510/?Cr=23

If you look closely just above the horizontal spoke you can se a little "+"
That is the top of the RH paddle and obviously there is a corresponding "-" on the other side.
The paddle is about 80mm long and is basically behind the steering wheel

Here in Oz, all Dualogics come with the paddles

IMHO - the paddles are an absolute MUST and I can't imagine the 500 without them

Could others agree or otherwise on this ??
(but please don't flame me)
Hope it helps
How long before it is due to be delivered ?

 

[306maxi]

Tbh if you've got a dualogic then you're missing one of the most joyous things about the 500 which is the ability to change gear manually in a car where the gearstick is so perfectly placed and (at least in the 1.2) actually has a really nice action and a knob that is just the right size.

 

[ahmett]

Tbh if you've got a dualogic then you're missing one of the most joyous things about the 500 which is the ability to change gear manually in a car where the gearstick is so perfectly placed and (at least in the 1.2) actually has a really nice action and a knob that is just the right size.

Maxi dualogic is also perfectly placed and you basically can drive it like a manual so best of both worlds. Only issue is its complexity. But yes must be more satisfying to master a downshift in the manual than the dualogic, the dualogic you just press the lever and it does the clutch work for you.

 

[306maxi]

Maxi dualogic is also perfectly placed and you basically can drive it like a manual so best of both worlds. Only issue is its complexity. But yes must be more satisfying to master a downshift in the manual than the dualogic, the dualogic you just press the lever and it does the clutch work for you.

As usual you miss the point Ahmett

You can't drive a dualogic like a proper H pattern manual.

I suspect this is somewhat down to the box as the gearshift in my panda feels like you're dragging a fork through a box of cornflakes in comparison.

You also seem to be confusing "easier" with "more satisfying". I'll whine on about the suspension on 500's for hours on end, but the gearshift on my car is absolutely perfect.

 

[jrkitching]

I suspect this is somewhat down to the box as the gearshift in my panda feels like you're dragging a fork through a box of cornflakes in comparison.

Perhaps it's a 4x4 thing - mine works exactly like the one in the 500 .

 

[306maxi]

Perhaps it's a 4x4 thing - mine works exactly like the one in the 500 .

Yeah I would have thought so. Iirc the 500 has different ratios but I imagine all the shifty bits between a 2wd Panda and a 500 are the same

 

[Aussie500nut]

Here in Oz, all Dualogics come with the paddles

Are the paddles part of the Dualogic option or do you have to order them seperatley ?

Because, certainly for me, it is the paddles that put the fun in using the Dualogic and I would recommend adding them if they are not part of the Dualogic option

 

[ahmett]

Are the paddles part of the Dualogic option or do you have to order them seperatley ?

Because, certainly for me, it is the paddles that put the fun in using the Dualogic and I would recommend adding them if they are not part of the Dualogic option

They are optional in Europe. I chose against them as I prefer the old school moving the gearlever feel = )

 

[Aussie500nut]

They are optional in Europe. I chose against them as I prefer the old school moving the gearlever feel = )

Understand totally, we have sort of got a car each and they had always been manuals until I got a Skoda Yeti TDI with DSG twin clutch gearbox about 10 months back.

Still prefer a manual but the DSG is smooth and fast

The 500 replaced the wife's manual Lancer and Dualogic , on the other hand is a lot different to the DSG and for best effect needs to be "helped along" with some of the changes. For me that is where the paddles come in along with the "FUN". It might wear off a bit but I find driving it a real buzz

I just wish this sort of info had been readily available when we were making the Dualoigic decision. So for the OP who was asking about them I simply pass on my experience that if I were buying the car and they were optional, I would make them #2 behind the #1 Dualogic

 

[UFI]

They are optional in Europe. I chose against them as I prefer the old school moving the gearlever feel = )

Maxi's going to say then you should have bought a manual

 

[306maxi]

Maxi's going to say then you should have bought a manual

Pretty much Don't get me wrong, I understand why people buy robotized manuals like the dualogic box, if you're not bothered about having that level of control and the car is just a box that you travel around in, then a dualogic makes perfect sense. If you can't drive a manual then the same rules apply, but the gearchange in our 1,2 is so sweet that I'd hate to miss out on that unless there was a really good reason.

If we were talking a DSG then perhaps I could be convinced to say goodbye to ye olde h pattern shifting

 

[Aussie500nut]

Pretty much Don't get me wrong, I understand why people buy robotized manuals like the dualogic box, if you're not bothered about having that level of control and the car is just a box that you travel around in, then a dualogic makes perfect sense. If you can't drive a manual then the same rules apply, but the gearchange in our 1,2 is so sweet that I'd hate to miss out on that unless there was a really good reason.

If we were talking a DSG then perhaps I could be convinced to say goodbye to ye olde h pattern shifting

Yes, agree that the DSG is a whole different argument

OTOH, the Dualogic is quite appropriate for the 500 (IMHO)
It sort of goes with the cute, funky image that the car has - the 500 TA is not a performance vehicle

And (for me) the paddles provide a new dimension to driving what seems an "up market" go cart - given the car's handling, with air conditioning and roof thrown on.
So it is not so much about control, rather enjoying the driving experience again

And as has been stated in numerous threads, "It is the best of both worlds"
Not really a question of being able to drive a manual or not, rather a question of mood - let it change itself or "paddle " it along when you feel like it.
When approaching intersections or moving off in traffic it always seems to be in the right gear. The only criticism is that it tends to hold on too long before down shifting when going up a hill if you choose to let it call all the shots - but that is only a minor - although truth be known, it more likely an excuse to stir up the TA and hear some more of that wonderful 2 cylinder sound

Anyway, just my 2 cents

 

[ahmett]

Yes, agree that the DSG is a whole different argument

OTOH, the Dualogic is quite appropriate for the 500 (IMHO)
It sort of goes with the cute, funky image that the car has - the 500 TA is not a performance vehicle

And (for me) the paddles provide a new dimension to driving what seems an "up market" go cart - given the car's handling, with air conditioning and roof thrown on.
So it is not so much about control, rather enjoying the driving experience again

And as has been stated in numerous threads, "It is the best of both worlds"
Not really a question of being able to drive a manual or not, rather a question of mood - let it change itself or "paddle " it along when you feel like it.
When approaching intersections or moving off in traffic it always seems to be in the right gear. The only criticism is that it tends to hold on too long before down shifting when going up a hill if you choose to let it call all the shots - but that is only a minor - although truth be known, it more likely an excuse to stir up the TA and hear some more of that wonderful 2 cylinder sound

Anyway, just my 2 cents

I would say i spend 60% on manual and 40% on auto. When i want to get out of a corner or junction quickly, manual wins the day. In traffic cruising it is Auto mode, but i frequently over ride it.