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Original poster

FIAT BRAVA.........any good ??

29 replies

nutcracker · 25/09/2005 20:43

Ok we are still on the quest for a new car. Still haven't sorted out credit for one yet but am hoping that if needs be my dad will be garuntor for one.

Fiat Brava's seem to be ideal for us in that we could afford one only about 5 or less years old, low tax and insurance, lower petrol costs (i think) and big enough for a family of 5.

Other than all that, i no nothing about them so if anyone has one could they share a bit of info please, good and bad points etc.

TIA

OP posts:
NomDePlume · 25/09/2005 20:45

Older Fiats tend not to be such a great buy, reliability issues mainly.

NomDePlume · 25/09/2005 20:46

Honest John's thoughts on the Brava & Bravo range

vickiyumyum · 25/09/2005 20:47

my uncle had one (w reg) which he sold to my grandad when they upgraded to a vauxhall zafira. i can only say thet it seems fine, my uncle and grandad have never said anything bad about it.
my uncle only sold it because they needed a bigger car (4kids), have been in it a couple of times and it seems like a nice car, not too noisy etc.

i think the bad points are that fiat parts generally are quite expensive compared to makes such as vauxhall and ford, but apart from that couldn't tell you much else.

Have you looked at focus' they are around the same price as bravas, for the same year, mileage etc

NomDePlume · 25/09/2005 20:48

Parker's Review

NomDePlume · 25/09/2005 20:50

I have a Focus and would recommend them a thousand times over. Mine is an S reg, so is 7 years old, with 65k on the clock (lower than average mileage), and drives/handles very very well indeed. My 1.8 has a reasonable amount of poke too.

Original poster
nutcracker · 25/09/2005 20:50

Thanks NDP

Vicky - I like the Focus but dp doesn't, and also it came up as alot more exspensive than the bravo and we really can't afford more than £3500 i think, depending on repayments.

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Original poster
nutcracker · 25/09/2005 20:51

We want a 1.4 or lower too to save on insuranc and tax costs really.

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NomDePlume · 25/09/2005 20:53

What about a Peugeot 306 ?

NomDePlume · 25/09/2005 20:55

Generally I would advise against a French car (high maintenance costs), but my Mum has W reg diesel and it is still going strong with 118k on the clock (my step-dad works all over the country) !!! Peugeot diesel engines are meant to be pretty robust, reliable things.

Original poster
nutcracker · 25/09/2005 20:55

Erm don't think i looked at those not sure (have looked at so many i've forgot).

Looked at 206 i think but they were too much.

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Original poster
nutcracker · 25/09/2005 20:55

Yep dp said the same about diesels.

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NomDePlume · 25/09/2005 20:56

Yeah, the 306 has been around for longer so you'll be able to get cheaper ones

Original poster
nutcracker · 25/09/2005 20:57

Ahh right, wil look at those now , thanks.

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NomDePlume · 25/09/2005 21:00

Running a basic search on Autotrader for Peugeot 306, from £2k - £4k, within a 60 mile radius of my house (about 25/30 miles from your place), has brought up 200 cars !

Original poster
nutcracker · 25/09/2005 21:04

See i think if we could get a loan instead then we would have a much wider choice as the prices private are obviously cheaper.

Chance of us getting a loan though are gonna be nil i think.

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vickiyumyum · 25/09/2005 21:09

if you can get a loan instead of finance then your choice is obviously going to be much wider, as there are thousands of cars for sale through the freeads etc, some are as little as half the price of forecourt prices. if i had been getting an older car then i would have asked my dad to guarntor the loan instead of finance, to get a much better deal. but at the time i was blinded by the fact that we were going to get a new car for the same price each month (forgot to take into account that will have to pay for it for longer!!!!

peugeot 206 would be too samll for three car seats in the back, you can barely fit 2!
what about an astra or vectra now they have changed the shape the older shape are much cheaper.

Original poster
nutcracker · 25/09/2005 21:10

Too small even for 3 booster seats Vicky ??

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NomDePlume · 25/09/2005 21:11

Older VectraS are RUBBISH ! DH had 4 as company cars, back in 2000, all 4 of them died within months. Majorly crappy engines. That is why they are so cheap to buy.

NomDePlume · 25/09/2005 21:12

Peugeot 206's are tiny inside. My Mum had one as a courtesy car when her 306 was in for a service. It was v small and felt very 'tinny' too. Far too dinky for 3 booster seats to fit confortably.

Original poster
nutcracker · 25/09/2005 21:12

Hmm yes dp had Vauxhall vans and had nothing but trouble with them so i don't think he'd go for a vauxhall at all.

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Original poster
nutcracker · 25/09/2005 21:13

Ok, i need a confused and stressed emoticon now.

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NomDePlume · 25/09/2005 21:14

what's up ? Cash flow issues still posing probs ?

misdee · 25/09/2005 21:14

i'd get a guarentor on tghe loan rather than finace.

vickiyumyum · 25/09/2005 21:15

my friend at uni has an 02 206 and it is definatley too small for three booster seats, although i think it does have three seat belts you would have to be very skinny or have extremley narrow seats to fit them in. three kids with no car seats would be fine, but not with car seats.

she is a single parent with one dd, and has said that if she ever meets anyone and has another child she will def buy a bigger car.

Original poster
nutcracker · 25/09/2005 21:15

Am too scared at the mo to apply for car finance or a loan really cos i'm convinced we will get turned down and then we are buggered.

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