From Toyota to Stellantis.

[Graham Piccinini]

Let someone drive my Lexus...and now it's gone forever. We'll leave it at that.

Anyways, I ended up with a new daily driver. One-owner 2009 Pontiac Vibe. It's base, but optioned with the 2.4L (2AZ gang!). Has 164.9k miles, and I got it for $2900. Clean title. Original owner says it consumes no oil between oil changes. Time will show if he was saying the truth...
Will need a roof and hood repaint (not a need, but my want) due to sun and rock chips.
Instantly made the 2 hour drive home without issues. So I'd say reliable cars under $3k are still out there.
View attachment 205234

^This wonderful Vibe got totaled last week. Insurance screwed me over (surprise) and now I'm back on the market for a daily for $3k.

Tried to find something similar, but all Matrix/Vibes in my budget were 1st gens. By now lots of them seem to be suffering rust issues with rear subframes.
Tried to find an xB, but all 1st gens are at bazillion miles with a $5k price tag. All 2nd gens are either knocking for an engine replacement, or require $2k worth of work for normal wear and tear items that were neglected heavily.

Out of desperation I had to consider a non-Toyota... Here is where I remembered my good old days of working at Wilburn body shops and CarMax. At the time Jeep Renegades were pretty fresh, yet I saw DOZENS of them with 250k-300k-350k miles on the ODO. All of these were a 1.4T with a 6-speed manual combo. The 2.4L or the 9-speed auto could hardly reach 150k before completely falling apart or being replaced under warranty a time or two. So, I started looking... Specifically for the 1.4T/6MT combo.

This is when I came across a 2016 FIAT 500X. Test drive it on Lunch break, and was so impressed that purchased it after work same day.

First impressions:
- This 1.4T is less torquey, but overall feels more peppy than the 2.4L in the Vibe.
- The manual transmission is the smoothest shifting transmission I've tried in a very, very long time. Shifts like butter, yet still feels nice & crisp somehow.
- Vibe got 32MPG at most, but mostly stayed at 24MPG average. This 500X got 45MPG on the way home without me even trying to drive efficient. Last owner averaged 34MPG over last 9000+ miles on Trip Meter B.
- Ride quality is maybe 10% better in the FIAT.
- It feels bigger on the inside than the Vibe.
- AC is cold, like ice cold. Feels sooo good.
- I'm a big guy with long legs. This is the first vehicle where I had to move the driver seat forward just to reach the pedals...

Time will show if I made a huge mistake. And I'll make sure to update this thread with all the good, bad, and ugly. So far so good.
It does need tires, and some light bulbs. Seems like light bulbs may be a common thing to replace, but thankfully the dashboard tells the driver exactly which bulb is out.

So, how screwed am I?
Also, what fluid to run in that manual?

 

[carviewsonic]

Nice clean 500X. Fun to drive too, with the 6 speed manual. You've seen many of these (drive trains) with high mileage at your former job, so seems like a sensible purchase to me.
I ended up with a Ford Fusion after looking for (but not finding) a decent low mileage Camry or Accord for a decent price. Fusions are priced about 1/3 less. So far so good, (fingers crossed).

 

[Graham Piccinini]

Nice clean 500X. Fun to drive too, with the 6 speed manual. You've seen many of these (drive trains) with high mileage at your former job, so seems like a sensible purchase to me.
I ended up with a Ford Fusion after looking for (but not finding) a decent low mileage Camry or Accord for a decent price. Fusions are priced about 1/3 less. So far so good, (fingers crossed).

2.5L in that Fusion, right? Really good engine, and car overall. My friend is a contractor and drives all over the East Coast. He has Fusion's cousin - A 2nd gen Mazda 6. 2.5L and manual transmission. He always brags about how fuel efficient and trouble free it is. He crossed 200k mile mark a looong time ago. Probably has double that now, or at least 300k with how much he drives. I'll have to reach out and check, been a while.

 

[mcrn]

Congratulations!

 

[dishdude]

Welcome to the darkside.

 

[D60]

Very interesting! Nice find, I hope it treats you well.

 

[Graham Piccinini]

Welcome to the darkside.

Here is another piece of information that I think affected my decision. The insurance gave me a rental: Jeep Gladiator. I always wanted to try it as I love the looks, but now that I drove it for a week daily - I no longer like it...
It's great, quick, does everything a small truck should do, yet for a weird and unexplainable reason - it feels like something is missing. Can't put my finger on what it is, but when my dad drove it he got the same vibes. Like it's a great truck, but I'd never get it, and I don't know why...
Anyways, while driving it for a week - I got used to its ergonomics. And once I got in a FIAT - A lot of these little things are very much alike. Buttons, placement, functions, etc. So I think the Gladiator made my transition to FIAT smoother. Yet between the two, even if price was the same, I'd still take the 500X without a second thought.
Idk what it is about the Gladiator, but I can't wait to give it back to Enterprise... And I don't know why...
¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[JavierH19]

I'd buy a cheap 500x with a manual in good shape. not a bad purchase.

 

[dishdude]

Here is another piece of information that I think affected my decision. The insurance gave me a rental: Jeep Gladiator. I always wanted to try it as I love the looks, but now that I drove it for a week daily - I no longer like it...
It's great, quick, does everything a small truck should do, yet for a weird and unexplainable reason - it feels like something is missing. Can't put my finger on what it is, but when my dad drove it he got the same vibes. Like it's a great truck, but I'd never get it, and I don't know why...
Anyways, while driving it for a week - I got used to its ergonomics. And once I got in a FIAT - A lot of these little things are very much alike. Buttons, placement, functions, etc. So I think the Gladiator made my transition to FIAT smoother. Yet between the two, even if price was the same, I'd still take the 500X without a second thought.
Idk what it is about the Gladiator, but I can't wait to give it back to Enterprise... And I don't know why...
¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Yeah I've rented the Gladiator as well, drove nicer than I expected but not for me. I'd rather have a Colorado or Maverick.

 

[Sayjac]

What I can see, looks pretty nice. Clean.

Congrats on the purchase, hope it meets or exceeds your expectations.

 

[meep]

So you bought an Italian turbocharged engine with a manual transmission? That car will have soul and start to feel like your favorite pair of well broken-in leather shoes. My guess is you’ll get attached to it even if it has a couple of quirks. Nice purchase!

What kind of oil? What kind of tires?

 

[hrv]

I see they have another recall on RAM for problems with the stability control...

 

[hrv]

 

[Graham Piccinini]

So you bought an Italian turbocharged engine with a manual transmission? That car will have soul and start to feel like your favorite pair of well broken-in leather shoes. My guess is you’ll get attached to it even if it has a couple of quirks. Nice purchase!

What kind of oil? What kind of tires?

For oil it's getting Delvac 5W-40 and 15W-40 from my stash.
Got tired I'm likely going to get some Wheels&Tires combo off marketplace. The 5x110 bolt pattern does limit the options though...

 

[dishdude]

I see they have another recall on RAM for problems with the stability control...

And that's relevant to this thread...how?

 

[Tdbo]

And that's relevant to this thread...how?

He's so excited that he just couldn't hide it?

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

I had one as a loaner for a couple weeks when our Nissan was in the shop when purchased from the dealer. I liked the Fiat as a loaner but I would be too nervous to own one.

 

[wemay]

Congrats

 

[super20dan]

good luck

 

[Bladecutter]

1.4 T engine is a great little motor from Fiat.
We love it in my wife's Abarth, and no issues from it over the past 12 years.

How many miles are on your 500X?