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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To buy a fiat 500

82 replies

Brabble · 02/03/2020 15:24

As title says really, looking to buy a small car just for driving to work and back do about 7000 miles a year, been looking at fiat 500s but been told there rubbish, does anyone have one and like it ? What are they like for mpg and fuel ? I think there really cute and funky, not really AIBU but posting for traffic 👀

OP posts:
Beau20 · 03/03/2020 08:33

@letsghostdance new clutch and suspension at 15,000 miles?! How on earth do you drive your cars?! I've had 6 different cars all past between 60,000 and 120,000 and the only one that needed anything major was the 120,000 mile car...

Agreed with a PP about a Vauxhall Adam, they are great!

I drive a lot of hire cars through work and my favourite little car to drive is a Peugeot 208. Not as quirky looking as a Fiat 500 but lovely to drive. Hyundai i10 and Toyota Aygos being the worst!

Beau20 · 03/03/2020 08:42

@Sunshineand just incase you were curious...

Sunshineand · 03/03/2020 09:18

Jesus! Shock

Sunshineand · 03/03/2020 09:19

Everyone is so tetchy on here. I was just asking a question.

Beau20 · 03/03/2020 09:24

@Sunshineand it's not being 'tetchy'. It's a little annoying when someone makes sarcy belittling comments about a situation that is/was serious. Why would I even make something like that up? 100mph head on collision doesn't mean I was doing 100mph. If I was, surely not something I'd ever admit to.

Sunshineand · 03/03/2020 09:30

I wanted to know what 100mph head on collison meant. A) because obviously 100mph is way over the speed limit if you're in the UK, B) to me 'head-on collision' sounded like somebody drove into you from the front at 100mph and C) I was amazed anybody could survive that. You have clarified what it meant, which was my intention in asking. So yes you ARE tetchy and unreasonable for jumping on me for asking a question.

Hingeandbracket · 03/03/2020 09:39

ranging from her windscreen shattering twice, her tyres blowing out when she clipped a kerb

These could happen in ANY car.

StatisticallyChallenged · 03/03/2020 09:45

I loved mine, we only got rid as we went down to one car and it wasn't big enough to be our only vehicle. I still.miss it - i live in the city centre and it was perfect for it. Even DH liked it, he originally refused to drive it at all then gradually i noticed him using it more and more.

Funtcase95 · 03/03/2020 09:53

@highonstilts you can map colts to over 300bhp with the right upgrades 🤯🚗💨

AdobeWanKenobi · 03/03/2020 09:56

Fix It Again Tomorrow

You know, id made a mental note that this bullshit line would be trotted out in this thread when I opened it and I wasn't disappointed.

You do realise there is an acronym that is meaningless for every make don't you?

ASundayWellSpent · 03/03/2020 09:59

Test drive for sure! I found it very lacking in power and frustrating on hills etc.

Pentium85 · 03/03/2020 09:59

No no no!
Look at reliability, they often score very very low.

You’re better off with something like a Yaris

SuperficialSuzie · 03/03/2020 10:01

Had one for four years, drove over 50k miles and other than a bulb blowing, nothing ever went wrong.

Beau20 · 03/03/2020 10:05

@Hingeandbracket agreed. I'd say from these comments there are a lot of questionable driving techniques that even a 150k luxury car would struggle to hold up against.

Look after your car (any car) and it will be fine. Plus Fiats are nice a cheap to repair should anything go wrong. I'm not even pro Fiat, I just loved mine when I had it and never once caused me any issues! My BMW on the other hand was the WORST car I ever owned and cost me a fortune in repairs.

MonsteraDeliciosa · 03/03/2020 10:06

Never had one, but always loved how cute and iconic they were... been around since 1957! Perhaps when all the DC have grown up and gone I can get one.

Some of us may remember this love song to the 500 from the 90s:

Lush - 500 (Shake Baby Shake)

Spaceprincess · 03/03/2020 10:09

I've had mine 10 years, it's fun and quick.
6'2 110kg DP drives it with no size issues, although I do think he looks like an Australian hairdresser in it

Yogawoogie · 03/03/2020 10:10

I loved mine but needed something a bit bigger so replaced with a Volkswagen beetle.
I disagree with the plastic comments. Dh hates it at first but when he had driven it a few times he liked it too.

Cinderemma · 03/03/2020 10:18

Mine is great for a little runaround BUT it lacks power when you need it isn't great if you want passengers only two back seats and limited room in the passenger front. OH is over 6ft and struggles, older kids are now getting squished in the back.

LilyDory84 · 03/03/2020 10:28

Try a mini, I love mine, gonna be gutted when I trade it in. It’s nippy, brilliant on fuel and so reliable

Seasprayandsunshine · 03/03/2020 11:20

It really depends what you've got now. I think a test drive is key.

Also, what type of driving do you do? City? Motorway?

I've had one as a hire car a few times, admittedly I normally drive a BMW, but I found it really uncomfortable - it felt like someone had plonked a chair inside a stripped out shell of a car. I couldn't get a comfortable driving position at all.

It felt really basic and plasticky inside - this may only be relevant to the model I had.

I thought there was plenty of space for driver and front passenger, back seat and boot understandably tiny - but that may not be important for you.

It was very good on fuel, nice and small to fit into any parking spot and easy to drive. However I wouldn't want to do lots of motorway miles in it, it lacks power and is an uncomfortable drive.

WingDefence · 03/03/2020 11:29

My friend has one and loves it but at 4 years old, the clutch went completely a month ago and was really expensive to fix. Just before this, I looked at buying one (1 year old second hand) and the man in the garage told me to avoid it if I needed anything that could go up hills. We live rurally so decided against it as we're surrounded by hills.

IAmAMouse · 03/03/2020 11:33

Get a mini Grin

MrsHa · 03/03/2020 11:47

I had a second hand one, 3 years old when I got it had it for 3 years (sold it a year aand a bit ago to DH collegues step daughter) and its still going strong. Never had any issues with it. Don't worry to much about what people say about the hills issue, I never had a problem and live and work rurally, they have improved since the reintroduced originally.
DH actually loved it in the end as it was quite nippy.

ceeveebee · 03/03/2020 11:51

I love my Fiat500! I only use it to drop kids off and drive to the station so probably 20 miles a week...really fuel efficient, very easy to park, nice to drive and has the usual extras eg Bluetooth etc.
Wouldn’t probably use it if I had a long drive or motorways though. And I am only 5ft1 so might not be comfortable for taller people

Cinderemma · 03/03/2020 12:03

Yeah if you need to drive up a hill forget it. I've been in that situation once and I was terrified 😂 really steep hill, I had to floor it in first gear and it still struggled. Think there are still nail marks in the steering wheel!!