This may shock a few people but my Fiat 500 has been my most reliable DD….

I used to drive VW bugs. I rented a 500 for a week and I was glad to return it. Great handling and all, but scary small when everyone else in traffic is driving a lifted pick up
I rented one for a day and then bought one. Reminded me of 60's VW bugs. I always keep the driving lights on for that reason.
 
FIAT always has very nice cars at the Detroit Auto Show:

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glad you got a good one!! i like the Fiata a better lookin miata, BUT discontinued i believe. Minis in the same camp but maybe worse if its a turbo + much more $$$
 
Ahh Memories! First car was a used 1971 Fiat 850 spyder convertible in yellow. Great car for a 17 year old driver. Only had 35 HP as I recall. Taught me drive a stick and pay attention to the road and other cars. Every other car was a 60’s generation station wagon it seemed back then. I would have lost that wrestling match.

Learned to rebuild the 2bbl Webber carb in my sleep and to keep a spare starter and alternator on hand. Back then starter/alternator rebuilding mom and pop shops were all over the place. No oil filter by the way. Dino 10w-40 as I recall.

It was recalled by Fiat around 1980 because of rust on the monocoque body under the door sill that caused the car to collapse while going over bumpy roads. All recalled cars were crushed so Fiat could get the liability off the streets. One reason they are so rare now. The ”recall” payment at first was $300 but it got raised in a few years to $850. I had given it to a buddy a year earlier and when I mentioned the recall/by-out he went and got the $850. He did not give me a dime of it. :(
 
I owned a 76 Fiat Strada 4 door hatchback. Had a 1500 motor with a dual Weber carb and a VW Automatic trans. Also had a delco alternator and a Sankyo Ac compressor. The Radio said John Deere and it had a 24hr only digital clock. Owned it for maybe 2 years and only trouble I had was a right front wheel bearing. Family loved it and got great mileage. Ended up selling it when my wife wanted to have a horse so a truck became necessary.
 
We tend to have fixed beliefs about which vehicles are reliable and which aren't. It's good to hear that your Fiat 500 has been reliable.

Their Abarth model is quite interesting.
Reliable is relative. Based on the Fiat's reputation, we conclude it's reliable. Had this been a Toyota going through wheel bearings and a thermostat within 200k miles, I'd say it's less than reliable and not up to expectations.
 
Reliable is relative. Based on the Fiat's reputation, we conclude it's reliable. Had this been a Toyota going through wheel bearings and a thermostat within 200k miles, I'd say it's less than reliable and not up to expectations.
it would still be par for the course and expected even if it was a toyota lol
 
I believe that’s the same motor that the Abarth uses. Great motors.

I don't think so. We've got the 2.4 Multi-Air. It uses a little oil, but supposedly there's a TSB for a PCM flash that corrects it by adjusting something to do with idle.

I know of a guy in the UK with a Renegade with the little turbo and he's got over 300k miles on it and says he's had no issues, either. That might be the engine in the Abarth?
 
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