Opinions Welcome Fiat 500

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Originally Posted By: mechtech2
120 miles a day for 6 months? That' over 20,000 miles!
That's a lot of miles, esp for a first oil change.
No way would I do that!


I wouldn't either. The engine has an OLM that will trip at either 4 or 8K, but no one seems to be able to tell me if mine will trip at 4 or 8. I just have to drive it and see what happens. I am hoping mine will make it to 8K between changes, which any synthetic oil should be able to easily handle.

Hers won't make it the 4K in 6 months, so that one will get changed at 6 month intervals
 
No.
A running 750iL is the cheapest V-12 you'll find.
A running Series III XJ-12 is going to cost more.
Of the two, the Jaguar is certainly better looking, although the BMW of the same era is an attractive car as well.
A quick CL search yielded what looks like an attractive '95 750iL for an asking of $2750.00.
I don't think you'd find a running XJ-12 for that kind of coin, nor even an XJ-S.
I did find a running '87 XJ-S on CL for an asking of $3200.00 that looked pretty decent.
I don't need either one of these cars, although the price would make either an interesting proposition for the brave.
 
Originally Posted By: HyundaiGuy

Both of the 500s are 5 speed manuals, so I expect long life from both of them.


wise decision. You have probably bought the best model for the job. Good luck
 
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
No.
A running 750iL is the cheapest V-12 you'll find.
A running Series III XJ-12 is going to cost more.
Of the two, the Jaguar is certainly better looking, although the BMW of the same era is an attractive car as well.
A quick CL search yielded what looks like an attractive '95 750iL for an asking of $2750.00.
I don't think you'd find a running XJ-12 for that kind of coin, nor even an XJ-S.
I did find a running '87 XJ-S on CL for an asking of $3200.00 that looked pretty decent.
I don't need either one of these cars, although the price would make either an interesting proposition for the brave.


There's a Vaden Plas (V12) for $4,000 on the auto trader in Toronto.

I can't find a single 750iL for sale on there at all.

However, checked kijiji:
found an '88 750iL for $5,000.00, another one that "needs some repair" for $950.00 (LMAO!!!), another, a 1995 for $8,500.00, a 1993 for $8,000,a 2000 for $9,500.00, and a 1995 for $4,300.00.

For V12 Jag's on Kijiji:
'88 XJS V12 for $2,700.00, 1987 XJSC V12 for $8,500.00, a 1989 XJS V12 'vert for $20,000.00, 1987 XJS V12 for $8,500, an '88 XJ12 for $1,200.00, and an '87 XJS V12 for $3,500.00

So it would appear to me that they are equally cheap
grin.gif
 
...and either the BMW or the Jag would be an interesting cheap car, but only for someone willing to treat it as a throwaway, or someone with DIY skills and ambition way beyond mine, or someone with intimate knowledge of the car, or someone willing to buy two, with one being a parts car, or someone with a bottomless checkbook who just wanted to have one.
Sad that these cars have gotten to beater price levels, while lacking the reliability and simplicity required in a beater.
Even more sad that some folks who really can't afford to make a mistake will buy these cars thinking they're getting a top of the tree luxury car for the price of a beat Honda, with Honda reliability.
Au contraire!
 
My only real run in with a BMW V12 was in a 8 series. Never again. I wouldn't want one even as a gift.
The diagnostic problems and then actually repairing it even with BMW software and tools were indescribable.
 
If anyone else posted that, I'd take it as an exaggeration.
From you, I'll take it as received wisdom, and vow to resist temptation, however nice the car may look, however well it may seem to drive and however cheap it may be.
It is hard to avoid the temptation of a BMW V-12 for beater car money, though.
How sweetly that engine must run, when it's running.
 
Oh, yeah.
I meant to tell you that the 500 is a cute little bug, and is a car I've considered buying as a commuter.
It is quite reasonably priced and fuel economy is very good.
It is no doubt fun to drive.
I'd use either PP or QSUD.
Both are inexpensive and both are about as good as it gets in off the shelf oils.
M1 is good as well.
Happy travels with your two Italians!
 
No exaggeration honestly.
I had one with a rough idle, intermittent running problems and a manual transmission up shift issue that drove me crazy.
Friends at BMW made themselves scarce when i showed up with it.

A good one can be a great car and a real looker but a problem one is a nightmare.
Owning one (i never did) is like being married to an ex hooker, you can never really trust it but it does have its upsides if you follow me.
 
I follow.
The eight series coupe looks like a truly nice long distance road car.
The seven series V-12s are highly desirable.
I think you're really posting about a call girl, not a hooker.
These BMWs are nice enough to be call girls, and are apparently just as reliable.
Too bad, since these V-12 BMWs could have been really great old cars, instead of being really troublesome money pits.
 
May be you could name a reliable V12 for me? Lexus does not make one, right? :) Realistically, if you have the brass ones to buy a V12, you obviously think you can afford its maintenance.
 
Don't get me wrong the BMW is a very good engine its the electronic controls that leave something to be desired on that model especially as it ages.

MB makes a pretty good package in the S and SL V12 cars.
Quote:
Realistically, if you have the brass ones to buy a V12, you obviously think you can afford its maintenance.


There is big difference between being able to afford it and putting up with price of the inconvenience. A PITA is still a PITA no matter how many $$ you have.
 
Last edited:
A 500 Abarth is on the short list of "sporty" cars to look at in a few year's time. Hard to argue with a pocket rocket that is reportedly a blast to drive at legal speeds.
 
Originally Posted By: sciphi
A 500 Abarth is on the short list of "sporty" cars to look at in a few year's time. Hard to argue with a pocket rocket that is reportedly a blast to drive at legal speeds.


That;s the problem. Seeing as how I like to be efficient, after driving the Abarth, i thought that if I bought one, it would be most efficient to just drive from the dealership to the DMV to surrender my license. Saves time that way.
wink.gif


I had another Sport blow my doors off this morning on the way to work- he had tp be doing 95 easy. I was going 75 and he passed me so fast it felt like I was going backwards.
 
Fiat 500's are great cars.

My gf bought a 2012 Blue Sport on my b-day back in Sept 2011.
She traded it in the day before her b-day for a Black 2012 Abarth in June.

We both loved the Blue Sport, and the only reason we traded it in was because Abarth.

We bought the Sport in Texas, so got to drive it back home to Denver right after we bought it. We also did a long cross country trip last month in the Abarth, circling around the Grand Canyon and down to Phoenix for the Abarth Driving Experience day.

Both cars were fantastically roomy and comfortable for the two of us. She's 5'2" and I'm 6'1". And they were both fantastic on gas.

For oil, use whatever 5W-30 you want, just keep receipts, and use the Fiat Owner's link on Fiat's website to upload the date you have the oil changed. Just change it frequently. Last thing you want is the intake valve solenoids that control the valves to get gummed up and stop working.

I'm not saying that this is a common problem, just a possibility if you neglect the vehicle.

BC.
 
I liked my previous Fiats.

Transmissions were the only major thing that failed. Unfortunately it was on two out of three of them.

Timing belt inspections are called for every 37,000 instead of replacement every 30,000. Some reports call for timing belt replacement at 78,000 miles. Some report as long as 152,000 miles
21.gif


I like the Fiats. Just not certain I would trust any timing belt for 152,000 miles. And lingering doubts remain from my X1/9s transmissions.
 
Originally Posted By: Pablo
What MPG is advertised for the Abarth? What MPG did you yield?


Ratings are 28 city and 34 highway.

Our trip wasn't very speed limit friendly, but we averaged between 34 and 38 per tank.

BC.
 
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