A 200,000 Mile Fiat 500
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
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Our Fiat 500 has recently passed the 200,000 mile (322,000km) mark, so in celebration of this big milestone, I've made a review of the ownership experience. What has the cost of ownership been like, has it been reliable, and do Fiat have an unfaitr reputation?
The car:
2009 Fiat 500 Pop (the base version)
1.2 litre petrol engine
Manual gearbox
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I have a vauxhall nova 1.6 gsi bought brand new in 1991 been used daily it now has approx 740k miles on it
My god!😳 I’ve never heard anything like this in my life! Comment pinned🙌🏻🙌🏻
whats the reg so we can see if ur fibbing
Give the reg! And some history about it like what work it’s needed over the years
That's amazing. How did you stop the rust? Makes me feel a bit wasteful, with my 30 or so cars during same time period. I've stopped doing that now.
PLEASE GIVE US THE REG
I have a 2012 Fiat 500 that I received as an 18th birthday present from my parents that now has almost 170k miles - that car has taken me up snowy mountains to go skiing in Quebec, driving down dirt roads in the Upper Peninsula, and this past summer road tripping across the United States with a husky in the passenger seat. I’m always shocked how efficient the packing was in the back with all my camping gear and how well it handled on the windy mountain roads! It’s such a great car, and the parts for regular maintenance are so inexpensive. It’ll be a sad day when she finally quits.
automatic or manual?
Hi Rose, Happy New Year! Is it electric or gas? What kind of tires does it have? All weather or snow? Is it automatic or 5 speed manual? What kind of gas mileage if it is gas? Thank you and have an awesome day!
@@michaelwei
lol
This aint tinder, mate
😂
@@dan_6915 He is just curious about the car, but i get your point
@@ramp7857
Not that i care, but those arent questions about "the car"... :))
It’s 1 AM and I ran outside to check the secret compartment from my fiat. Insane how much better my day becomes every time I look at that car.
Thank God you didn't buy the Yaris...!
Because now you'd have just an old Toyota but with the Fiat you've got a classic piece of Italian art.....
Made in Poland 😂
@@stormcup2920
Assembled in Poland , designed in Italy.
I think you made a bold move that paid off. Toyota has had some really terrible small 4 cylinder engines since they came back with the 1.5L in Yaris n other small cars like the Scion 1.5L , a few Corollas , '99-'01. The Yaris situation had gotten so bad , Toyota has now contracted Mazda to build them 1.5L engines (Mazda 2 ) for their recent Yaris models .
People always slag off Italian cars, but I have had numerous Fiats and Alfas over 30 plus years and I love them. The secret to me is simple; service them regulary, use decent oil and filters on a maximum 6k mile intervals, wash them when covered in road dirt or winter salt and treat them with respect. What effort you put in is what you will get back...!
Very well said, and I’m so happy to hear people defending Italian cars!🙂🇮🇹
No amount of oil changes help the horrendous electrics it’s not just slagging them off it’s a reality of them don’t get me wrong some alfas are absolutely stunning cars but if you’ve let lucky with them then lucky you
@@90sDiesel tbh I am taling about post 2000 Italian cars. French cars also suffer electrical problems and don't even mention anything with a Land/Range Rover badge on it for expensive repairs and poor reliability.
@@simonnlaroche5438yes your not wrong being an enthusiast of Older French cars (excluding Renault) and Land Rovers owning a number of both I cannot disagree but I’m afraid none have the reputation of Italian ones
An American here with a 2012 Fiat POP. 188K miles and going strong while currently doing a 150 mile a day commute into LA
150mile per day commute?? thats like 3 hours per day on the road. there gotta be a better way right?
Life in Los Angeles. I have since left that job and moved to Hawaii with a 20 minute walk to work
Nobody in their right mind would do a 150 mile commute.
I'm a 55 year old bloke and buying my 1st 500 this week and although I've driven so many different cars in my time I'm like a kid at Christmas! Can't wait to go for a spin!
I am a 43 years old man who now just want a fun little classic car to drive and smile:-) This is it!
I'm a 43 year old woman and today I picked up my Fiat 500 dolcevita. Sooooo sooooo happy🥰
Bought it brand new in 2013
Fiat 500 lounge automatic
258K miles still driving in east coast of USA
Not a single engine or transmission problem
Never changed timing or water pump
Flush AT fluid at 120k
Changed oil every 9K with mobile 1 synthetic oil
Door hinge changed twice
Head light bulbs 4 times on left and 5 times on right changed
Paint still looks brand new…
Leather seat still has no tear . All the electronics works.
Both Rear hub and bearing changed twice ..
Front left wheel bearing 1 time changed.
Both rear brake calipers had to be changed at 200K
car washed 2 times a year
I did all the work in my garage
Does the AT transmission using AMT?
HI, That's a great feedback! Here in Puerto Rico we just have the 1.4 liter, is it the same?
Freddie can always become a car salesman if this UA-cam thing doesn’t work out. I am like close to running off buying a Fiat now 😆
I will bare this in mind if I ever need a career change!😆👨🏼💼🚗
@@FreddieDobbs It’s bear in mind, not bare in mind! 😂
I thought the same haha im almost convinced to buy one
Only 124,000 miles. Not a big feet
Errrr .............surely a motorcycle salesman!!!
I'm a 41 year old man bought a black 500 to get around the ULEZ, had no expectation other than it to be basic. The car is truly the best I've owned never missed a beat 👌 I'll keep the car until the duration of it's life, this is coming from someone that's owned Audi's BMW etc
I love hearing this, thank you for sharing!
Same here, bought 2013 Fiat 500 cabriolet with 60k on the clock as a second car to my diesel Eclass Mercedes Cabriolet to be driven into ULEZ. However, so far my experience is mixed. Within first 500 miles gearbox failure, cost £800 to rebuild. Secondly cabin noise at motorway speeds is way too high. The car is great for town driving but at the speeds above 45 miles/hour road noise is too much; poor soundproofing and thin window glass are the cause. I would not recommend this model for long trips at highway speeds (read above 50 miles/hour).
@avenuealex comming from a BMW owner, noise levels were unbearable for me on the highway. I’ve removed the door covers and the carpet in the trunk and have put on two layers of sound insulation. Then removed all mud covers in the wheel wells and double insulated them also. So now I’m getting only 62DB doing 100km/h. For comparison, my brand new Toyota rav4 is doing 64DB. Plenty comfortable to travel now.
Would buy another one with no hesitation. 1.2 petrol manual 2010
@@Peregar4ikInteresting figures. Presumably the noise figures given were taken on European roads. The asphalt in the UK is considerably more coarse than in the continental Europe, and road noise is often a problem in decent let alone budget models. I might look into adding additional soundproofing for a better acoustic comfort.
My 2011 S3 is ULEZ compliant, however I can't fault you getting such a compact car for town driving. Best thing for parking and fuel 👍🏻
Had my Fiat 500 for 8 years now. When I bought it I was told that Fiats were rubbish and it wouldn't last two minutes. I've got to say it's had the living daylights beaten out of it over the last 8 years and apart from regular servicing and tyres the only thing it has needed has been a battery. On the odd rare occasion it gets a wash and vac it comes up looking like new - there's lots of dings and scrapes, but absolutely no rust or rattles. I've had loads of cars including all the usual premium and luxury culprits but the 500 has cost buttons to run, always puts a smile on my face and I absolutely don't regret buying it for a minute!
Fiat Bravo 1.6 16v petrol, 2001. Bought it 10 years ago for 2000€. 350 000km on the clock today. Still going strong. Love Fiat
AMAZING!!! Thank you for sharing this!🙂🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
I'm in the states. I purchased my 2012 Fiat 500 Sport in 2019 with 35k miles on it. It currently has 195k miles. It's the 1.4l non turbo paired with a five speed manual gearbox. Aside from a timing belt/water pump service, and a set of plugs, I've done zero work to the engine. As far as maintenance, I've replaced the front axles, three wheel bearings, and the suspension. Total cost $3,100. Not bad for putting 160k on it in 4 years.
Wow! congrats on your Fiat!. I burned through the factory clutch at 120K, and replaced again around 200K, you are probably a lot better shifter that I am ! I still love my 2012 Pop, it drives great, not a rattle or creak at 213K.
This could well be the premier edizione which I have since new in 2012. Love it immensely and still has it as a summer car with less than 20k km.
I absolutely adore my 500. Can’t say I’ve noticed the positioning of the seat but someone once said it’s a smile a mile and I have to agree
If that car made u smile, imagine driving a proper car..
😂
Being a fan from italy i love to see how much love you give to my compatriot small 500.
Keep Making us italians proud ❤
Grazie Matteo!🙂🇮🇹
I believe they are manufactured in Mexico by Chrysler
@WindowsLogic True but Fiat are Italian and do have their products built in other Countries to spec., as do other manufacturers. Great little Italian design.
I've got a 1.1 2009 panda (all the same underpinnings as the 500, just with a more utilitarian, more practical body) and I've done about 32k miles in it so far, and it's on 118k in total, over the last 5 years.
It's so simple, I was able to learn how to change the suspension and brake parts you mentioned myself, having never worked on cars before.
I passed my test in it, it's taken me from Cornwall to Norfolk and everywhere in between, it's done house moves where it's full to the headlining, towed a friend's diesel focus when it's cambelt snapped, carried dumpy bags, railway sleepers, been a parts runner for my fiat 126 project car, and without a single complaint while doing so!
They're truly wonderful, under-appreciated little cars, and I totally understand your appreciation for it ❤️
Roll on 200k!!
I’ve had my Fiat 500 for oven 10 years and was only a year and half old when I bought it with 5,000 miles on the clock. It’s now got 125,000 on the clock. I would have traded it in for a newer car but love it. The person I bought it off had it from new (was only selling it as just had a baby and wanted a 4 door car) she had some factory extras which I love which are a retractable sun roof and leather seats. Which are fantastic as have a dog (often with very muddy paws)! It’s seen me and the dog around France twice now. A real tardis as took my camping gear and my Australian niece joined us down in Provence for a couple of weeks of the two month trip. I will one day trade it in maybe for an electric version but certainly not yet!
Good review Freddie. Haven't owned a 500 but have run three different models of Panda since 1992 which are almost identical to the 500 and all proved to be very reliable. I intend to run the current one into the ground. It will be a shame when legislation brings about the end of these simple, cheap, no nonsense, petrol engined cars.
I’m a gigantic Panda fan (I owned a ‘93 model)❤️🙂 I completely agree with you- it will be a big shame when these cars that we currently take for granted, disappear. We must hold onto them if at all possible
@@christga100 I've no first hand experience of the twinair engine. My current 2014 Panda has the 1.2 FIRE engine (same as Freddies 500) a simple engine that suit the Panda well. Most 1.2 Mk2 (2003-2011) had an earlier iteration of this engine with 60bhp which was a non-interference engine so no piston crowns hitting valves if the cambelt goes. Overall build quality of the Mk2 (built in Poland) was definitely superior to the current Mk3.
@@christga100 I've got a Panda TwinAir. It's pretty bomb-proof. Got 78,000 on it ('12 reg) and most of those are motorway miles. Holds its own on the motorway, deqd nippy and pulls nicely with the turbo engaged. Done supermarkets, holidays, tip runs and huge roadtrips with four adults in and it just keeps going. A few irritating faults (fan blower intermittent and a couple of in-dash bulbs blown), but nothing major at all. Got it with 5,000 miles on it and serviced it every 10,000 miles. Had a Mark 1 Panda before this and that died with about 130,000 miles on it (uneconomic gear box failure), so on that measure - this one is about half way through its life. Intend to run it until it dies and then get another.
My previous car was a 2015 Fiat 500, 1.4, manual, which I bought new and recently traded in with 237,000 km on it. Overall - good car. Rear wheel bearings and gearshift bushings were trouble spots. I knew about the door handles, and gave them a squirt of lubricant every few months, and never had trouble with those.
Those 1.4s are oldschool but crazy reliable
Is your 1.4 turbo?
@@BilalKhan-ng3ex Non turbo. (Less to go wrong, and less stress on it ...)
Now, this isn't really a car that was owned for a long time, but was used as basically a rental car when me and my family where away on holiday to see grandparents, uncles and aunties, cousins, etc whilst away. Since the rental company didn't have anything in stock, they gave us what I believe to be someone's private car, that being an '03 or '04 Fiat Idea 1.3 Multijet with about 250,000ish Kilometres. We took it from Palermo to the deep Southern Sicily and across to Southern Italy (Calabria) and back on bald tires which was sketchy but I think very much worth it as it was also enjoyable in the meanwhile that we were away. We also experienced the car hitting 260,000km on the dot! Anyway, despite being sketchy AF it was amazing and proves that any car of any build quality, as long as it's maintained, can maintain whoever drives it and owns it.
My 2013 fiat 500 turbo. At 178k miles and is running very strong. The Interior is still in great condition. For NYC it's perfect
Great little cars, had two brand new ones now for last two years a 2013 which has now covered 123k and still drives perfect, no rattles or squeaks, no rust.
That little 1.2 engine is a gem, smooth, quiet and peppy when given an Italian tune up.
I commute daily in it and I get 60mpg, as a trucker I know how to nurture every last mpg.
They’re so much better than many other small cars.
Thanks to you both. That’s the way to reduce CO2. Instead we’re encouraged (forced) into 2.5 ton, £40k electric monster, all on PCP, so traded in after 3 years and probably 25k miles! Utter madness. The government is encouraging the wrong behaviour. Well done you. Hope you have many a happy mile to come too.
You’re are absolutely spot on and I strongly agree with you!🙂
They’re forcing us to never own anything and not have any control over the things in our lives.
I totally agree with this. My car is 15 years old now and I'm enjoying nursing it along and keeping it healthy. I used to change every year , whilst my wife would just keep hers. I slowly realised it was costing me a lot more than if I used her method.
To be honest, I wasn't even thinking about emissions or waste....just the costs.
Now though, I can see that if everyone kept a car for much longer, we would all be better off. Well maybe not manufacturers and therein lies one of the issues.
Also, who can trust gov advice any more? I find it hard to listen to people who are self serving telling me how I should behave.
If we all switch to electricity, the grid will struggle and just watch that unit price climb...
Couldn’t agree more it’s important to look at the lifecycle of a car as a whole.
Yeah that's the way to reduce CO2 levels - drive 200k miles (and then get the bike out) 😂
Ive had two fiat 500s drove them from Glasgow to London. Absolutely love them
I've got a Fiat 500c 13 plate, it was my parents car. My dad gave it with 3k on it.. It now has 118k on it and it just flew through a mot. Amazing little car. Use it every day.
Hey Freddie!
I bought a tiny 2001 Toyota Yaris in 2020 to make some extra money delivering food in town. It is 1 litre automoatic. when i bought it for 400 pounds it had 177 thousand miles on the clock. Nearly 3 years later it still runs and delivering takeaways around at 226k miles. I have never had any issues and the only thing i spend money on is servicing and wear and tear ( brakes, tyres etc ). Great little runaround perfectly suit the purpose i got it for, it paid istelf off in first couple of weeks as well :) Perfect little machine
I have a Fiat Punto 1.3 diesel.
235000 km, from 2005.
No problems until now, just nead new shocks. Great consumption 4.1 liters for 100 km.
This One Will stay with me until the end.
Great videos! Regards from Portugal
I started following you because I typed in youtube search Fiat500 , we live in El Medano and have followed you ever since , thank you for your content wich my wife and I both love , long live the 500 XXXXXXX
Thank you so much for sticking around, hugely appreciated🙂🙌🏻🙌🏻
I downsized from an Audi A4 Avant to a new 59 plate 500 lounge and never looked back. 49000 miles so far with maintenace costs of £4700 to-date (yes some suspension issues lately but not too expensive). Based on your mileage, I'm looking foward to another 30yrs plus of happy motoring :)
I’m thrilled that the 500 has hit the 200k milestone. My wife has a 12 plate one, same colour but the model above with air on and she loves it. It starts first time on the first turn of the key and has never let us down 🤞🤞🤞 Ours has only covered 50k miles so it’s nowhere near as well used as your car but it’s a great little motor. Passes every MOT with just the odd advisory and is dirt cheap to run and insure. We were thinking of swapping it in 2023 but decided against it with all the uncertainty in the world at present. Ours is paid for and we would need to go into debt to get something better. Congratulations on the 200k milestone and thanks for the videos…I really look forward to them. Stay safe you two 👍🇬🇧
You’ll have many years more good motoring with such low miles I’m sure, Alan🙂 I also have considered upgrading, but it’s a brilliant feeling of freedom to know a car’s fully paid off. Delighted yours is running so well and here’s to many more miles!🙂🚗
@@FreddieDobbs Cheers Freddie…yes it is a good feeling to outright own the car 👍 here’s to many more miles.
I own a panda with 330.000+ km, so more than 200.000miles
Bought it new in 2011, used it daily since then, never really cared about, traveled all around Europe with it. Lived in different countries etc..still going strong with no abnormal oil consumption or anything unusual.
No rust at all if not superficial on the suspension arms due to having lived in north European countries for years.
Only real issue that I've got with it in all this time has been that once the thermostat kind of exploded at around 240.000km, replaced with a new one and all good since then.
Only maintenance done till now (sometimes out of the scheduled time) and mostly done by me.
2 clutches replaced; 1 gearbox oil change made at 300.000km; shock absorbers replaced at 300.000km and only because the front right just blocked itself ahah;
timing belt done every 120.000km.
Services every 20.000km, with only one valve check/regulation done at 300.000km.
These vehicles are made to work, simple, and even if the engine blows up you can just replace it with few hundreds euros, fire and multijet engines are close to immortals. Interiors as well, all plastics etc, are in very good shape with no sign of wear/fading at all..a part of the driver seat that is worn out on the sides.
Pretty nice bulletproof vehicle, in my case a 1.4 8v fire engine dual fuel CNG/Petrol (not sure you got it in UK), mostly driven over 4k rpm ahah.
I’m also traveling EU with a 500. 150.000Kms and it’s doing great.
Hello from America. I own a 500C Pop convertible & I love it! It’s about 40K from 100K. The most fun car I’ve ever owned.
Our has a split rear seat & with them down there’s all kinds of room. The only maintenance I’ve had to do so far was oil change, lights & wipers. 40-42 mpg & a fun ride.
We live in Md and not long after we bought it we made a trip to Ky & only had to fill the tank once! Love it. Gonna keep her as long as I can.
Maintenance? Lights, battery, tires, oil, & that’s it. Standard maintenance for upkeep. Best car I’ve ever owned.
I’ve got a Fiat 500s 2014, 69.000 miles and going strong. Bought it nearly new in 2015 as a stop gap car until I could find the one I wanted. It grow on me and still have it going into 2023 !!!
Freddie, I loved every second of this video, I've watched many of these videos, and this is by far the most in depth, interesting and useful video I've ever seen. You kept me interested all the way through, and I now really want one of these great little cars. And also I wanted to commend your good lady for her excellent filming throughout 👍
Hi Freddie , I have a 2008 VW Passat 1.9 TDI variant with 317,000mls on the clock , I purchased the car with 199,000mls 4 years ago and it’s been wonderful and a joy to drive! Happy new year from Ireland 🇮🇪
This is incredible, thank you for sharing this! And to have taken the gamble on buying it at 199,000 and the gamble paid off for you!🙂💪🏼
The 1.9 where good the 2ltr went down alot
We bought a 2010 Kia Forte new and currently it has 198,000 miles and approximately 0 cents have been put into the vehicle other than routine maintainence
, absolutely wonderful
I’ve just handed back my leased 2021 Nissan Juke and was worried I’d made a mistake buying this but I couldn’t be so wrong! Mine is the new mild hybrid model but I’m excited to get in and drive around more!
Like you, I’ve had ‘good’ cars but now I need to downsize as we’ve just bought a VW camper and don’t need a big car anymore. Such a delight to drive!
I'm trying to decide on a 2012 Fiat 500 Manual Sport here in Texas and I think this sold me on it!
My wife has had her 500 1.2 since 2010. Now on 140k.
A thorough yearly service and it has been utterly reliable . Costs have been the usual tyres / batteries/ ancillaries etc. Great little car.
Brilliant mileage and delighted to hear this!
You know what Freddie pal, I've got no interest in a 200,000 mile Fiat 500.....and yet this might be my favourite video of your entire library 😀. Happy New Year, looking forward to more content in '23.
I’m delighted to hear it, thank you Ben! And Happy New Year!🙂🥂
My wife is on her second lounge 500 and I can honestly say it's one of nippiest fun cars to drive. Never had any problems mechanically, just a very well built car.
The 1.2 petrols from FIAT (the ones derived from the fire) are non-interference engines which means that if you break the cam belt you just need to put a new one in and that's it, no grenaded valves pistons etc.
I got sick of paying monthly payments for a car that I barely used. Sold it and bought a 62 reg 1.2 Fiat 500 street for only £3k. It only had 25k miles on and is a proper sporty looking thing. I absolutely love it, drive it like a go kart, been a road trips to Devon and the Lake District in it and it’s perfect. So cheap and economical to run as you said. If you’re thinking of getting a 500, just do it. You won’t regret it!
Did you find the car online and are there any websites you'd recomend? 😊
I’m an American and for the past 5 holidays to Europe I’ve ended up with a Fiat 500 as the rental car each time, both in the UK and in Italy. And I’ve loved them. I probably have close to 8,000 miles spread over all the 500s I’ve rented. But the most recent rental 500 I had was a 2021 Hybrid model in the UK just two months ago. I loved the idea of the hybrid, but the execution was really lacking. If the hybrid batteries were charged it was okay, but if they had been depleted (for example, while climbing hills in Wales) the car lost all torque and was a gutless wonder. I changed the speedometer display so I could always see the status of the hybrid batteries and I had to adjust my driving style to whether there was any power in reserve at any given time.
A very good point that I noticed with the 1.0 Hybrid Panda I tried- completely gutless😳
Then, once the batteries have died, as with all hybrids, you're carrying around pointless weight.
I have one with the same engine and gearbox as yours and it has 240.000 Km and it drives perfectly. It is a 2009 model with the A/C too!
Huge fun guys!! That wee car is a part of our (you fans!!) viewing family...and a bit of a hero!! We (my wife and I) think driving smaller, older cars saves the planet far more than buying new (and also we can't afford them!!). We have a Honda Fit (Jazz) 2005 that we bought 8 years ago with 56K kms and has now done 139K kms. We've moved house (and towns) 3 times using it big time, travelled everywhere in it, used it as our daily, etc. It has a 1500cc Vtec that just starts every day. it's smooth, quiet, fun to drive, roomy (especially with the flat bed fold down seats in the back which are bloody amazing), and looks great. 90% insdie and out. Let's say 95%. Very tidy. Over 8 years we've repaired one seized front brake caliper, and put Honda additive into the CVT oil (yep, I know...cvt). And usual yearly oil and filter changes. Two new tyres on the front. The rear (even checked by a tyre shop this year!) are still excellent. We'll just keep it because there's no reason not to.😆 Take care guys..drive and ride safe..love from NZ as always.
I love this, and am not surprised! Honda and Toyota ALWAYS score top marks in reliability! And it’s true- why sell or trade up, when these cars are still so good🙂 Sending all my best!🇳🇿
Wife loves her 2009 Lounge 100HP , 73 000km , the damn ultra low profile tyres are the achilles heel here in Johannesburg. Spent a fortune having the engine repaired after she ran hot ...en route to and from Kozi Bay. Phew,this car is lekker now. I'm so grateful. I respect FIAT 500.😊
I can second the rust proofing. I said the same before seeing this video. Never in my life have I have had to remove so much seam sealer for a simple fender replacement. True pain but definitely appreciate the proactiveness
Thank you for the very informative video, I am a 500e which is a compliance EV which only sold in California and Oregon from 2013-2018. It is an amazing green vehicle which can produce a range of 201 km without any carbon emissions. I have no problems with it, I bought new all weather tires and sold the all season tires as we have snow and ice here in Vancouver for a couple of months in the winter. It is fully loaded with a huge sunroof which feels like a convertible when it's opened. We will be getting the new 500 EV in 2024 so I might be making a deposit on one soon. Enjoy your 500 for another 200k miles!
I would like one in Oregon, if you are ever here and wish to Sell :)
I had so many issues with my 1.3 Diesel. It was a lounge spec and I loved it, while starting to hate it.
Got a 1.2 Pop now ❤️
I bought my 2013 Fiat 500 Pop used with 32k miles on the clock. 6 years later, I've got 120k - absolutely love driving it. My dad, after riding in mine, went out and got a 2019 500 Sport... He's 6'6" and enjoyed its "TARDIS" interior.
My brother is a driving instructor, he has a Abarth 500 which he got new in 2012, he also has a 2012 1.2 500C as a backup car, which he also got new. The Abarth has done 245,000 miles, & like yours has an entirely original engine & gearbox. The backup cars done a paltry 90.000 miles, & again, is entirely original under the bonnet.
Obviously, both take a battering on a daily basis, & as a result, things like clutches & brakes have to be changed more often than the average car. The clutch on the Abarth tends to last around 3 times longer than the 1.2`s, as its a bigger clutch with more surface area. The cars were serviced by Fiat for the first 3 years for warranty reasons, since then I`ve done most of the work on both. The 1.2 has never broken down, the Abarth has broken down twice, once when a hose pipe fitting snapped, letting all the water out at around 90,000 miles (despite overheating slightly, it didn't do any long term damage), the second time it cut out & refused to restart, after a lot of diagnostic work we realised the injectors weren't firing, but the OBD didn't tell us why.. We took each fuse out, checked them & put them back, then we found one was blown, when it was replaced it started & ran fine (it was one in the engine bay, that isn't listed in the handbook!). Yes, the odd coilpack has gone, & the odd sensor, the odd alternator & starter, the odd crank position sensor, but NONE of them have caused a breakdown, just rough running, giving you enough time to buy replacement parts & fit them, which occasionally took anything up to a week, but they still kept working for their living! Oh, & the leading edge of the Abarths sills have both had no paint on them for years, as they`re heavily stonechipped, have they rusted? Nope!
I also have a 2012 500 (twinair) main daily (I`ve only done 55k in it, but its been 100% reliable), as well as 3 Uno`s (88-93) & an 88 Panda, & they`ve been just as bombproof in the decades I`ve had them (if a little more rust-prone!).
Fiats have a horrible reputation, its very, very unfair! A lot of it comes from second or third hand owners who`ve purchased an abused, unserviced car, which has subsequently needed tons of work. but this applies to many cars reputations!
Without doubt one of the best engine designs ever made. We have 3 Fiats currently in our family with variations of the Fire engine. A 1989 Uno 45, 1996 Punto 60S and a 2006 Panda 4x4. All are great fun to drive with plenty of get up and go, they never fail to leave a smile on my face!
word i was a fiat mec back then and they could snap timing belt and no damage to the valves they are hard to kill had a 500 in my shop with broken cooling hoses and owner still ran it timingbelt cover had melted into the engine mount and intake manifold was damaged to cylinder head surface job no valve was hurt and it started in a few second no damage to the engine block that engine is old but still works better than vw psa ford citroen new engines is crap they count down for breakdown from the factory
and had a multijet 500 230,000 km broken timing chain new chain and a pair of rocker arms back on the road for the next 200,000 km
I'm absolutely in love with this car. Mine looks exactly like yours including the interior...only my steering wheel is on the opposite side lol.
It was love at first sight and I knew I had to have it! It's my first manual and it's been an absolute blast learning to drive with it! For being such a tiny engine, I'm constantly pleased with how well it gets along.
It's all just so incredibly charming. Every time I see it, it puts a smile on my face. It's honestly just the kind of car I've been dreaming of since I was a kid.
People keep trying to talk me out of getting one. I'm only using it as a city car (to get to work, local outings, I think they think I'm taking it across Australia or something.). They keep going on about the costs of parts, but some people are driving very expensive cars that are expensive to run AND repair. 🚗
@@rachaljay3759 I've had my 500 for over a year now. It had about 80k miles on it, but it was well taken care of.
I was nervous buying it...because you just never know if a car is going to have a bunch of troubles or not. But I've had very few! I did have to replace the thermostat which was about $100, and I had the brakes replaced...my mechanic told me my breaks were fine to drive, but they'd eventually need to be replaced so I just had it done while I had the money to do so.
I also had a small heart attack a month ago because a warning light started flashing on me...turns out, my tires just needed to be inflated because of the cold weather! haha
Otherwise...the car has been an absolute dream! It still puts a smile on my face, and I love driving it! It's my first time driving a manual, and though it took me over 6 months to finally become real comfortable with it, it has really been a lot of fun to learn with...and now it's been months since I've stalled the poor thing! lol :D
I too only use mine mainly for city driving, though I've also taken a few day trips around my state with it and a few times a month I need to head to a town about 30 miles away...
But yeah, it's just been such a joy! It's by far my favorite thing I've ever owned. It's charming as heck and a ton of fun! I'm so proud to own it too! lol
It really is a dream come true for me. It's not the exact model of car I thought I'd own (I always loved the Mini Coopers!)...but ever since I was a kid I've dreamed of owning a really cute, small car. And this car is exactly that and I love it to bits!!
They are better cars out there of course. I think the Mini Cooper is one of them...but if I had to do things over, and I was presented with the choice of a Mini or my Fiat knowing everything I now know about my 500...I'd absolutely go with the 500 again! Minis are EVERYWHERE in my town. They're still one of my favorite cars ever, but I love how the 500 stands out a bit and isn't as common. And gosh dang...it's just so cute and charming from the outside, and stylish on the inside!
Sorry for the ramble...I freaking love my Fiat 500 though! I'm so glad I made the purchase of it!
Bought a 2012 500 Pop in 2016 with about 30k miles on it, sold it 3 years later after more than doubling the mileage and deciding to upgrade. Didn't regret the choice, but I miss the car dearly and regret letting it go, would buy it back in a heartbeat.
205 000 miles vauxhall corsa 1,0 life 59 reg sold it 2 years ago still registered on the road. 55mpg
The best so far- I’m pinning this comment! Thank you, and amazing!🙂🙌🏻
I miss my 2015 mint green fiat 😢 it brought so many smiles and compliments having it here in florida but i had to upgrade to a 2016 500x because i have a newborn
Great video! My family owns a 1.4L manual 2017 Fiat 500 (with no AC too haha) in Canada and we love it!
Love your enthusiasm, we have a beautiful 1242 Sports Cabriolet 2014 and a one of the new hybrid 500's. Managed 63 mpg overall fully loaded down to Barcelona and back......
I have (2) 2012 Fiat 500 and both are hovering around 300,000 miles, and still going. One has been rear-ended 3 times, you just fix it up and keep going. Amazing little cars. Shame that they quit selling them here.
I've always wanted a fiat 500. I drive a 2015 ford focus. This video made me lust for a fiat 500 way more. LOL!!!!!!!
As an owner of a 2009 Twingo II GT I fully go with "once everything that can break is broken, you're left with a reliable car". Boot handle, quirky powered windows, interior materials, a lamp, plastic trim.... But it still goes and drives lovely.
I’ve had five of these but back in the day ran Citroen AXs and like you I spent an average £400 to £500 a year running them and they proved, like the Fiat, pretty reliable. Great video!
You really made me change my oppinion about this car.
PS. There is something disconnected under front left wheel
We bought my wife a new Panda 1.2 8v in 2015 and love it still. I do most of the maintenance myself. Keep up the good work! (Incidentally back in the summer after watching your video on the Transalp I bought myself a 1997 model - I've always wanted one!)
Fantastic! It’s very strange for me as not usually my kind of bike, but I cannot stop thinking about the Transalp!❤️🇯🇵🏍🙂
@@FreddieDobbs just listened to your adventure bike podcast. I originally went to look at the Himalayan and thought about it. Then I went on autotrader and found my 1997 Transalp with 48,000 miles for £1900! It's comfy, reliable and fun in a way I'd never get from a shiny new bike on finance.
Great video. Thanks for the good quality. A friend of mine has a 2013 Lancia Ypsilon with the twinair engine, bought new and always did regular oil changes. The car now has approximately 225.000 miles on it and the car still looks like new. The only parts that were replaced, besides the oil changes, were shock absorbers (front and rear) and brakes at approximately 205.000 miles. Very reliable, but people should not forget that regular maintenance is very important.
My 2012 fiat 500c sport automatic hit 198,600 miles still running strong
Great little cars. The 1.2 engines are bomb proof. Much better, more reliable and less prone to rust than the BMW mini
I totally agree
Great vid! This aspect of motoring is so neglected in all medias that this is really refreshing. How about my 03 VW Lupo GTI , a daily driver with 315000 mls clocked up.Negligible oil consumption,rarely topped up between 10000 ml oil change services and returns 43 mpg on original untouched engine.Not bad,surely!
my dad had an original fiat 500 when we lived in southern Italy - he just used it for commuting to the nato base. It had holes in the footwell where it had rusted! They didn't have the same MOT rules we had in the Uk then. I was about 11 but remember looking at the road when he took us in it once to church on Sunday. ...
I have a Fiat Panda with the same engine. Basically the same car but with a bit less style and a lot more interior space. I agree with everything you've said in this video. Mine's 10 years old (I've had it for 8 years) and there isn't a spot of rust anywhere. It's the least flashy car I've ever owned but it's my absolute favourite. It does exactly what you want it to do at a bargain price and has charm in abundance. Mine's done less than 50,000 miles, so your experience bodes well for the longevity of mine!
I would buy a Panda if the 500 ever packs up- for the exact reasons you’ve mentioned- it’s an incredibly practicals car that makes so much sense. The only benefit the 500 has over the Panda is the styling, and that is subjective🙂
They’re both superb little cars that I love very, very much!
The Panda is not the most popular car in Italy for nothing ;-)
@@FreddieDobbs I owned a 2013 Fiat Panda 1.2 pop for 3 years. I had a few issues with the engine management system, however, it was a practical car. And surprisingly held its value well when I traded it in for a Toyota IQ.
I bought a seventeen year old panda this year. 1.1 petrol with 20k miles. A grandson was selling his grandmas car. It had just had new brakes, shocks and springs fitted.Since I bought it, I’ve changed the timing belt, fitted a tow bar (just enough grunt to pull a camping trailer) and swapped out the stereo and speakers for a pioneer Bluetooth unit and alpine speakers. It’s in nice condition. Just a little bit of lacquer peel on one of the rear doors
Freddie is the only guy on UA-cam who could review a full ashtray and make it sound like an attractive proposition!. Love it 😂 #sandtothearabs
Well, they are a very rare thing these days.
@@DiscoFang not at my house they aren’t
@@Mowser63 You’re sitting on a goldmine. Epoxy resin them like fossils in tree gum. The future in executive desktop paperweight nostalgia.
3 years ago my mum has bought a new Dacia Sandero Stepway. Before that car my mum has owned 2 different Opel Agila, and in the first one we had changed to the engine for an other user one with 90k km already on. Me and my brother have learned to drive and it was the best way to learn to drive a car. Such a tank of a car. The most fun part was going flat out in a highway. I think my brother manages to get to 145km/h ones coming back from svizzerland ahahah. Between the 3 engines I’m sure we’ve managed to do over 250000 km in them, with if I remember correctly a 300 km trip to Poland and back. And it was super easy to do any maintenance on that car.
I LOVE cars like this- good, simple fun!💪🏼💪🏼
I just recently bought my own 2013 Fiat 500 Turbo Coupe 5 Speed Manual. She's a real sweetheart and she only has a 108,000 miles on her. Here's to hoping she and I will have many years together. 😎
A good honest review, well done.The under seat compartment is not the only secret storage bin......Look under the airbag on the passenger side, I drop down lid for slim items etc.
The door handles can be a bit fragile, but with common sense use they will do just fine. The parts prices are cheaper than you may think...example...pair of rear shocks £52...fit them yourself..in 30 minutes...front suspension lower arms a pair, £50-60 .....General service oil, filters, and plugs...around £60..
I get around 55 mpg from the 500 I'm currently running, but on a long run with not too much traffic...60.
Thank you so much Ian- I’m off to check this extra compartment out!🙂
Freddie my daughter owns exactly the same model and year as you, its done 90k but I cant believe how well it drives, I got a clutch done on it recently as the release bearing was noisy and the clutch a bit high that was £250 all in, oh and a new door handle for £13 other than that's its been a fantastic first car and myself and my wife also enjoy driving this fantastic little fun car, here's to the next 200k
They really are surprisingly good cars👌🏻 Very interesting to hear your clutch cost- way better value than mine! Here’s to many more miles🙂
@@FreddieDobbs Freddie to be fair I bought the complete clutch kit for £60 and a friendly local mechanic agreed to do it for £190 so I was well pleased, I believe it was the original clutch, he even said it would probably do another 10-15k but it drives so much nicer now
A great and detailed review, warts and all. Brilliant little cars with bullet proof engines in the Fiat tradition.
Fantastic performance from the 500. I really enjoyed your enthusiasm!
We bought a Fiat Abarth 595, the basic one, to basically preserve my wifes Alfa Romeo Spider from the ravages of winter, and we did want more ooomf than a regular 500. Point I want to make though, bearing in mind the 595 is a more sporty 500, is that it is such a useful car. Freddie is right, with the seat in the back down position, the load space is huge. Its sticks to the road like glue and is the car of choice when we go to the supermarket - small car takes less space - less likely to get damaged from the next cars doors being opened carelessly (there is a lot of that about). The build quality is amazing, no rattles or creaks and we get over 40mpg. It is the basic model so no unnecessary 'bling' to go wrong.
The Abarth does not have the issue Freddie mentions with the seat positioning, but I do wish the car had a steering wheel with more adjustment then just up and down.
I’ve had my fiat for 13 years and I can’t wait to check out the secret compartment tomorrow!
A New Year’s surprise!😀
Everything you was saying about the Fiat 500 I was agreeing on. You really know your stuff. I also have a Fiat 500 POP 59 flat but only has 84,000 miles on the clock. Having no aircon doesn’t rlly bother me at all tbf, I mean English weather isn’t the hottest is it. I drove a 22 plate Fiat 500 and agreed when you said it doesn’t feel as exciting to an old petrol car, like it feels as though it’s not a car at that point ahah. I rev my car just for the excitement and I’m always driving down country lanes!! It’s really a great basic car to have. Unless someone has driven and used one for so long they can’t really saying anything bad about. If anyone does I’ll recommend them to watch this video, no joke 😂.
Good video - glad to see a Fiat doing so well. I have been driving them since i passed my test 45 years ago. They are the best kept secret re small fun cars that go and go!!
Considering how light and nimble you say it is, I was a bit disappointed you didn't almost give yourself a hernia demonstrating the "lean angle" as you so often do for us! 🤗
in USA, I have 2012 Fiat 500 Pop Manual, 1.4L, 213,000 miles, 150K was done in first 4 years, bought brand new. Replaced clutch for 2nd time at around 200K, replaced AC compressor at 200K. Dirt cheap fun, I average 34 MPG in spirited driving using 87 Octane, seats are base seats and they are very comfy and I have a sensitive tush
That was a really good video, I loved the vibe between you two and it seems that there's a beautiful story behind the ownership of this car. Well managed
Freddie, you made me glad I bought a 2017 Pop, also manual, with 42K. It is so fun to drive! In fact, my rear license frame says: "If you are not shifting, you aren't really driving"
LOL
Just seen this. Your videos are popular and I can see why, great presentation, thanks for sharing. Love the 500.
Such a great review, hats off to you, you were made for the camera!
Astonishing that it’s done so many miles! Excellent review Freddy.
These little cars are great . I had a peogeot 107 with 117,000 miles on the clock and it never missed a beat . I've read about Fiat pandas , 107's and Aygos with 250,000 miles on the clock. If looked after they go on forever 😉
I had a 63 plate 500s, awesome wee car, absolutely loved it and it only had 10k miles, so polar opposite of yours. Something to be proud of and a real milestone for what is seen as an 'unreliable' make. Hope you hold onto it! 👌
Thank you Rod, I will definitely keep it🙂❤️🚗
Had 3 Puntos with the FIRE engine, all were reliable and great to drive with real character. I took my first from new to over 70,000 miles in 3 years due to a long commute each day, but only regular maintenance and oil changes were required. If I was to get another Fiat in future I'd look for an older one with this engine, I wouldn't trust the hybrid to be as good or enjoyable and the notion of having to put it into neutral and cruise down hills fills me with dread, as an experienced driver goes against all I've been taught for car control, then there's the matching revs to road speed when re-engaging or the whole system is going to take a bashing, all to satisfy current fads, not for me. Really enjoyed the video as a Fiat fan.
Great to hear from you and completely agree re the Hybrid. Really glad you enjoyed the video🏝
Great review Freddie! I'm old enough to have owned the old original version 1970 Fiat Bambina 500, I loved that little shaker (aircooled parallel twin with a cooling fan like a VW Beetle). I also owned a 1975 Honda 500 Four at the same time, I used the Bambina to carry my carpenters tools about :)
I think I would love your car a lot more! Keep up the good work mate.
Air cooled parallel twin with cooling fan. This is the definition of character!😀
I like Fiats.My daughter got the 1.4 petrol Fiat Punto.Those engines are strong look after them and they look after you.
Great review. As a mechanic, I can confirm the gear box would be expensive if it was auto and went wrong.
We love working on the engine and was only saying the other day they don't break.
Another one had its handles done 🙄
Seriously, considering one now. 😆
Great to hear from a mechanic, thank you for sharing!🙂
Love your video Freddie! I have a 2012 Fiat 500 Sport with the 1.4 Liter 4 cylinder 101 horsepower.5 speed manual transmission. The 2012 was the first year it was sold in the U.S. I currently have 111,700 miles on her. I have had a few problems. The lift gate wiring harness was damaged through wear ( maybe a design flaw). Also needed to replace a chassis ground strap, starter connector. Finally, I needed to replace the starter. Looking to do the timing belt and water pump next. The manual recommends changing after 150,000 but that seems high to me. I also would be interested in hearing other 500 owners with high mileage! Thank you!
Great to hear your insight Robert, thank you for sharing!🙂
So far I’ve been told of a 190k miler, a few 140-150k-ers, and a 177k miler. A mechanic’s also said that these cars do seem to go on and on🙂💪🏼🚗
@@alzflowers Thanks for the info!
Own but don't have back yet from mechanic, my 2000 Dodge Dakota, bought it new in 1999. Has 209,000 miles. Love the truck ! Buy it and keep it till it dies. Or until one year of cost to maintain it is over its worth to operate it. Oil change and good gas and fix when something sounds wrong. Hope my bikes, if I can get back on one ( answer coming with neurosurgeon appointment on Jan 3rd) to ride the wheels of both! Keep up your direction with this youtube thing! Love watching it, just don't do crazy balconies. I will thumb down, not for content, you just make my stomach turn. It's a real thing. Went to a 3D movie once that was a flight simulation, tossed cookies! That means = vomit! Love you two!
Great to hear this🇺🇸💪🏼 These gigantic American trucks go on forever! Really appreciate it, thank you
Congratulations I am a fiat man and hav had many fiats over the years found them reliable also have the the original 500 and X19 well done great channel happy new year
Our family is too big for one of these but you’ve done a good job of selling them, I’m goin to start looking into the ‘500L’ which looks like it will fit us all in. Happy New Year!
I had 2 of these cars. 1st one i bought in 2008 and it was the 1.4 100HP in what i would say was Banana Yellow. The car had just been released onto the market and we were one of the first to buy. It was pretty quick and an absolute hoot to drive. Great car, lots of fun. Just made you smile really. Anyway sold it in 2010 bought another car but in 2012 missed the 500 so bought another. White with black alloys. This time it was the two cylinder twin air 900cc. No where near the power of the previous car but there was a button on the dashboard to switch the turbo on i think and it was buzzy, nippy and came to life. I remember being drawn to it because of all the adverts saying it could do 85mpg and like a mug i went for it. The car gave you between 50 - 54 mpg in the real world. Better half didn't like it so we got rid. I have to say i still rate the car, looks great and i would have another in a heartbeat although I'd want the Abarth tbh. Put my hands up, i never knew about the hidden compartment until i watched this vlog. Showed it to the wife and she didn't know either LOL. Great video. More interested in your bike stuff but this was a trip down memory lane for me.
That’s very interesting as other people have told me exactly this re the TwinAir’s mpg! The Abarth- yep… I agree!🙂👌🏻🚗
i had a Suzuki Swift 1.2 94hp and my real world consumption (measured with app not trip computer) was 4.7L/100km or 60 mpg uk
1.2 fire despite the identical 1242cc is a whole different engine, not as efficient, not as powerfull but rock solid and if you broke the timing belt because you forgot to replace, your engine wont get damaged because valves cant collide with the piston