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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask you about the FIAT 500?

199 replies

Dramatical · 15/03/2019 10:07

Just wondering if anybody has one and if you would recommend it?

OP posts:
MonicaGellerHyphenBing · 15/03/2019 12:48

I had one as a courtesy car a year or two ago. I remember going through one of the busiest roundabouts in my city and the car Would. Not. Move. It was quite scary actually, I had my foot to the floor and it slowly crept off and eventually found its feet after a minute or two. I was used to a much faster car so the tiny engine and lack of power was concerning. Also very plasticky inside but a nice enough little car if you want cheap and cheerful.

MadisonAvenue · 15/03/2019 12:51

Your son sounds like a dick. Good job.

Thanks for your observation but he's anything but. And to the other poster, neither is he sexist. Lighten up. Stop looking for offence in everything and recognise a joke said amongst teenagers.

You may have missed another poster stating that it's said that being "a bit Fiat 500" is an insult for someone vain and materialistic.

Original poster
Dramatical · 15/03/2019 12:53

You seem pretty set on one but I really wouldn't go for it just based on its cuteness and that she wants one, not having seen how flimsy they are in a crash.

I'm not set on one at all. DD on the other hand...

OP posts:
Original poster
Dramatical · 15/03/2019 12:55

I am set on discussing the 500 only on the thread though, that's the reason I started it.

OP posts:
StatisticallyChallenged · 15/03/2019 12:56

I have one and love it - DH (5ft 11) also drives it frequently and has no issues with driving it.

sundowners · 15/03/2019 12:57

I've heard from several people having had one the narrowness inside of it makes it insanely irritating after a while- when I traveled with my friend recently she was constantly knocking herself every time she had to move down a gear etc.
I've driven an even smaller car, but it had extra ceiling height and narrower fittings so there was never this issue of feeling packed in.
I love the look of them but wouldn't do it personally.

Original poster
Dramatical · 15/03/2019 12:59

madison

It concerns me that your sons 'teenage joke' is at the expense of my DD.

OP posts:
Pewdie · 15/03/2019 13:01

My sister has one, feels incredibly flimsy.

TheHodgeoftheHedge · 15/03/2019 13:02

To defend MadisonAvenue here, Fiat 500s are synonymous in youth culture (god I sound so old) with a certain type of girl and lifestyle.
www.buzzfeed.com/robinedds/this-is-why-people-keep-banging-on-about-fiat-500-twitter

Personally I don’t care what people think about me or my car, but there is a certain social label about many things and the 500 has one.

lurker101 · 15/03/2019 13:06

I have a Fiat 500. I got her when I was 17 to learn to drive in and still have her 9 years later. I love her! I have down a mix of town driving and motorway (minimum of 60 miles per day for 3 years) over the course of this time. In my view best car for me at this point. Petrol usage is good and really cute car!

MapleSpice · 15/03/2019 13:08

Discussing it is what we've all been doing but it doesn't seem like you're interested in the negatives, only to gloss over them. If she's set on buying one and you don't want to entertain other cars being mentioned why start the thread? Get her to join the Fiat 500 groups on Facebook if she wants to read about it herself.

badlydrawnperson · 15/03/2019 13:08

extra ceiling height. Was it Edwardian? Grin

Tonightstheteriyakichicken · 15/03/2019 13:09

other drivers will cut you up and pull out on you all the time in one because of their reputation for being slow which is an absolute nightmare
Not in my experience - people let me in all the time and don't seem to feel the need to be aggressive.

ElsieMc · 15/03/2019 13:11

My dh bought me one and it lasted 10 days with me. I then used the Consumer Rights Act to take it back and ask for my money back and boy, what a fight I had with the garage.

At first I thought it was me, I would put the key in the ignition, turn and nothing would happen. DH said it was me, but then he is from the school of thought that if your car is making a funny noise, you just turn the radio up. Rushing off on the school run, well it took me five goes. Couldnt start it at all after shopping. Rang the garage and they told me to bring it back. I specifically told them I was a busy grandparent carer and needed reliability, lived rurally and couldn't afford to be stranded.

Took it back, Garage offered me no lift home, did not even offer to ring a taxi, no cup of tea, no nothing. After walking round for two hours, they told me it was fixed. No, it wasn't. Rang again, told it would have to go away to a main dealership, I would be without a car for a good few days and they would not let me have a courtesy car.

In the end I got my money back but they wanted to knock £500 off because I had driven (or attempted to drive it) for just over a week.

I wouldn't touch another one tbh. I am back in the horrific old Clio we were about to give away before this fiasco. It stinks of our dogs, makes loads of ludicrous noises, squeaking, a noise like birds, has expensive faults which dh sometimes fixes but I still like it better than the Fiat.

BarkandCheese · 15/03/2019 13:12

I really like mine, but I only use it for driving around town, popping over to see my mum who lives ten miles away, driving to the woods to walk the dog, taking DD to rehearsals and other similar local things, I wouldn’t like to do long distance driving or lots of motorway driving in it.

In a busy town the size is a huge advantage, it can turn virtually on the spot and I don’t fear for the wing mirrors on narrow roads with on street parking (which is most of my town). Mine is an automatic so I’m not hitting things while changing gear, but I can see that could be an issue with a manual. Also my passengers are generally only my pre teen DD and/or the dog, who’s a tiny dog and travels in a bag. My 6foot husband finds it horribly uncomfortable as both a passenger and a driver.

Original poster
Dramatical · 15/03/2019 13:12

Discussing it is what we've all been doing but it doesn't seem like you're interested in the negatives, only to gloss over them

Quite the opposite. I haven't flooded over anything. More then one poster has said their 500 has been in and out of the garage for list of repairs. I have asked why because I want to know.

If she's set on buying one and you don't want to entertain other cars being mentioned why start the thread?

I stared the thread to ask people who had a 500 whether they would recommend it. Its not because I don't want to entertain other cars but merely I want the pros and cons of the 500.

OP posts:
Original poster
Dramatical · 15/03/2019 13:14

elsie. Thanks, that's awful. Was it new or second hand? Average mileage?

OP posts:
FinnegansWhiskers · 15/03/2019 13:14

My DD had her heart set on a Fiat 500 when she was learning to drive. When she passed her test she took one out for a test drive - and hated it.

Buying a car comes down to personal preference. The best thing your DD can do is test drive different models of cars and see which suits her best.

Original poster
Dramatical · 15/03/2019 13:15

The best thing your DD can do is test drive different models of cars and see which suits her best.

Thank. We have done this already.

OP posts:
MsMightyTitanAndHerTroubadours · 15/03/2019 13:19

I have had several small fiats and loved them all however they have all been the best engine version, unless you want to struggle up hills and never overtake anything other than cyclists

Isn't there a twitter account called Beepbeep girls? for those sorts of girls your ds is describing?

Also, third party fire and theft is often NOT your cheapest insurance option esp for new drivers.

They are small, but mine have all been great fun to drive, in spite of other pricks on the road who cannot bear to be behind one, other road users are definitely awkward towards fiat 500s for whatever personal reason!
I recently changed car to a much faster, sportier number and have noticed a incredible difference in the way other drivers behave, I would not have believed it, but it's true!

kalopali · 15/03/2019 13:23

Also if she were going for Toyota the AYGO would be similar level, not the Yaris.

Not really, the 500 fits somewhere between the Yaris and Aygo in terms of size. A Yaris would still be a better recommendation for a small car. I’ve known people with 500s and they are extremely meh - very tinny, average build quality and pretty gutless (although I’d level that at most cars with tiny engines).

swirlette · 15/03/2019 13:29

I loved mine, I really miss it! Acceleration is a bit lacking, but you get used to it and it's fine once it's going. I got hit by a lorry in mine and both me and the car were fine so I always felt very safe in it after that despite the size.

StatisticallyChallenged · 15/03/2019 13:30

Personally I don't find any issues with other people on the road, but then I live in a city centre where they're not exactly rare so they'd have to be dicks to an awful lot of people. The only time the size is a problem is in car parks; they're piss easy to park of course, but they're also a 4x4 driving twat magnet. At least half the time I park dead centre and come back to find myself wedged in by some eejit who thinks the extra room in MY space is ideal for their giant car.

MeredithGrey1 · 15/03/2019 13:33

I had one as a hire car, and even though I’m only 5’3, and my regular car at the time was a 3 door Citroen c1 (so still a small car) the Fiat felt cramped. I probably wouldn’t ever get one as imo there are other small cars that feel more spacious inside.

TruffleShuffles · 15/03/2019 13:36

I had a 1.2 lounge 500 and I hated it, it was appallingly slow and anyone else who drove it said exactly the same thing. I found it terrible for city driving as it pulled away at snail pace so there was no nipping about into small gaps with it and it was awful on motorways as you’d pretty much get where you were going before you got up to speed.

I had it following a very sporty 2.0 hatchback though so it was a poor comparison. I was trying to be more economical but it didn’t last long before I traded it in for the Abarth 595. As your daughter has nothing to compare it too though and has her heart set on one it’s a good option as they are cool good looking cars and I had absolutely no problem with mine at all.