A 200,000 Mile Fiat 500
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- Опубліковано 30 вер 2024
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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"... :))
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!!!
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.....
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 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 👍🏻
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.
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?
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.
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
@@pug2052 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
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!
Well done to the plucky Fiat!
Only another 800,000 and it’ll be back to zero 😂
Exactly my thinking- and I can then up the price and sell it as “as new” condition!😆
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..
😂
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.
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) 😂
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!
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.
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.
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 ...)
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!🙂🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
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!
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.
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 👍
Fiat did not ruin the design of the vehicle or mess with it unlike the bloated monstrosity that the BMW mini has become.
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
2012 1.3L Toyota yaris hatchback with 350000 miles it was fun to drive 😅
Noooo way! Damn it, I knew it wouldn’t be long before a Toyota or Honda came along with some ludicrous figure!😆 Amazing- we’ll done and comment pinned- this is the highest mileage sub 1.4 small car I’ve ever heard of!🙌🏻🙌🏻
I will never forget this car. It holds a special place in my heart. 💔😅
Wow - I'm going to check out my secret compartment now!!!!!
Did you find it??😀
@@FreddieDobbs Yes I did - brilliant!! Sadly no wads of cash left in there but handy none-the-less.....
We are not too far behind you. Our 2010 Fiat 500 1.4 has 190.000 miles. Next stop 200.000 miles😀
Wooooow!! This is fantastic to hear- here’s to 200k!🙂
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!!
it's a small car with personality and "desire to do", it never leaves you. the 500 doesn't take "herself" (because for us in Italian it is feminine) too seriously but if you ask her to do more she will always give you!! amazing car
I’m also traveling EU with a 500. 150.000Kms and it’s doing great.
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'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!!
Ah fabulous, I've been waiting for this video. What a fantastic little motor. I owned the same model, same year for a couple of years and thought it was a blast. I didn't know about the secret compartment, either! Most 500s are owned by young women and so are not driven hard, and generally serviced and looked after. They are excellent used buys. Looking foward to the quarter million miles video, or how about a 'to the moon' video at 230,000 -ish?
They’re deceptively tough and a very good point you make- the kind of people who buy it will drive them very sympathetically. To the Moon video must be next!😀🌒
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!
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.
Great video! My family owns a 1.4L manual 2017 Fiat 500 (with no AC too haha) in Canada and we love it!
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 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
I LOVE MY FIAT 500 2012 STILL LIKE NEW NO MAJOR REPAIRS ETC
You really made me change my oppinion about this car.
PS. There is something disconnected under front left wheel
owned numerous 500's and I still own my second near new abarth 595 still to this day
I would still own a 2017 500 lounge today as a run around but unfortunately it was crashed into so I'm running a 2009 Punto 1.4 which also like the 500 shocks me but when it eventually gives up another 500 will be purchased as my runabout but only a 1.2 and i mean only a 1.2 as they are without doubt the most reliable petrol engined fiat 500
Really interesting to hear your thoughts re engined, thank you🙂
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 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!
A great and detailed review, warts and all. Brilliant little cars with bullet proof engines in the Fiat tradition.
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!🙂🥂
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
Fantastic performance from the 500. I really enjoyed your enthusiasm!
I am most envious of the pride shown in this video 🏆. Makes me want to get a car to 200,000 (perhaps a Fiat?) just so I can experience the feeling 🤗
I’m almost embarrassed to say how excited I was- it was a great day when it ticked over the 200k mark!🎉
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
“Gearbox too complicated to look at”… Translation - “mechanics are mostly too lazy and dumb to figure it out”.
Seriously, it’s not rocket surgery, just requires a mechanic who is able to read a workshop manual!
Very interesting- I did wonder if this was the case, but no one ever told me otherwise. Thank you🙌🏻
You said you almost bought a £500 Toyota Yaris. I assume mk1 (1999-2005)?
I've owned 3, and UK wise, best milage I'be seen is one posted on an MOT tester forum, 1.3 petrol presented for test at 319,000 miles. I know of plenty in the owners club north of 200k, and a couple closing in on 250k.
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!
I don't know why Fiats have this bad reputation abroad. Here in Italy there are a lot of Fiats that have 1/2/3 hundred thousands of kilometres. Maybe they have not always been the most beautiful, sometimes they are quite overpriced, not the most advanced in terms of technology but with the right maintenance they are very reliable. We had a 1997 Fiat Palio with 1.7 turbodiesel engine, and it lasted until 350.000 kilometres (the last 50000 with no maintenance at all) and we drove the car to the scrapyard.
The only modern car I like.
I'm trying to decide on a 2012 Fiat 500 Manual Sport here in Texas and I think this sold me on it!
These have unfortunately failed to take off again in North America. Likely because we consider something like a VW Tiguan a compact crossover. 500 then is seen as something entirely too small and impractical.
Ive had two fiat 500s drove them from Glasgow to London. Absolutely love them
What's always funny about Fiats (especially older ones) is that the entire body will basically disintegrate yet the engine just won't die no matter what. Forgot to change your oil and put an extra 5000 miles on it? Doesn't matter.
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!🙂
I see it has the infamous broken tab on the DRL causing it to droop is showing on this example. I blame the Euro environmental laws that prevent the correct dopants from being used to make the plastic truly durable like in the old days.
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
Nooooooo the little Twin Air turbo engine is absolutely phenomenal not to mention punchier with a whopping 85bhp. I cannot recommend those teeny two cylinders enough!
Engine is good , its the gearbox that is the weak point sadly had to pay £800 for new clutch and repair to gearbox as the bearing was eating the box away lol was worth doing as mines 2013 only 80 thousand on the clock and no rust anywhere
Move over, Matt Watson!
That’s exactly what I thought
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.
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.
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!
Great video. I'm in the motor trade and you are right on the whole the 500s do wear well. The biggest is problem is many owners don't maintain them properly. As you say the main costly items are suspension related, they do seem to wear out quicker than other cars. Good thing with the FIRE engines is they are 'safe' so if the belt snaps they are non-interference so cambelts not a major worry. You mention the heater fan doesn't work - that will be a £10 relay. Yes I agree, the driving position is shit, my gripe is the height adjustment, only the rear goes down. Keep her going!
I own a 2009 Panda with the same engine, have been running it for 6 years now and it's been pretty much faultless. No signs of rust on the bodywork either.
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
Ive been arguing with a pal of what FIAT stands for, i said it was fix it again tomorrow, but my mate says its definitely fix it again Tony!! 🤣🤣🤣
Genuinely I’ve heard both and I don’t know which is correct, so I actively try and not mention that saying in case I get ridiculed!😆
Fix it again Tony 💯
If seen my fair share of bs on cars on UA-cam, but man... I just heard 18:21 of truth!
I have a 2012 Fiat 500, American spec, that I have owned since new. I now have just under 80k miles on it. My out of pocket repair costs have been close to 0 besides things like tires and wiper blades. Mine has the 1.4 liter multiair engine. I have heard that the multiair actuator can be problematic if you don't change the oil often enough.
Had a Fiat Uno back in the early 90s at Uni, with a Fire engine, great little car
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 had a 1.2 8v fiat Grande Punto 2007 it did 234,000 miles when I sold it it's still going to my knowledge and again, faultless the AC even worked
I like Fiats.My daughter got the 1.4 petrol Fiat Punto.Those engines are strong look after them and they look after you.
I have a question
, would you buy another fiat 500 if this one died
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 ❤️
Good to see because the fiat 500 has got some pretty bad reviews. 🤔
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
My stupid 500 Pop did not make it past 90,000. Horrible cars.
That really good going I really like the little 500 plucky things and honestly 3k for 100k of use is nothing. My auntie in Greece had an 05 lancia ypsilon 1.4 16v fire engine from new she traded in recently with over 220k I believe and my mom had the same car as well and that is near enough 200k but has been through 3 engines and multiple problems with the automated manual gear box but it seems like in europe they are not as throw away as we are here in UK and they keep hold of cars as much as possible.
I believe there’s more demand for used cars in the EU, and/or they’re LHD therefore a bigger market overall 🤔 that, and cheaper labour rates depending on the country
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.
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 😉
never seen so much Copium
When you get to 238855 miles you will of “Mooned” your car. That’s the average distance from the Earth to the Moon.
I love this- this must be the new aim😀🌒
@@FreddieDobbs the only issue is that when you get there you are “obliged” to drive the bloody thing back!
My wife has the 1.2 s .on a 64 plate , it's only done 21,000 miles very nice little car . But I'm only 5 foot 9 inches, and i find it hard to get comfortable, so how do you at over 6 foot manage, 😁👍
I’ve had a very eclectic range of cars recently (Accord, Jag XK, Smart For2, Fiat 500) and I don’t mind too much if I’m a bit squeezed in (if I like the car enough!😆)
I own a vw Lupo 3l ,it has done about 220000km ,the gearbox has needed work and some irritating maintenance ,however the engine has only needed a chain and belt it is 21 years old and gets about 94 mpg on open road
I have a 10 years old Suzuki ertiga which have an engine of 1374cc and I have drove it around 1.5 lacks kilometers
Your pronounciation is so good that it's almost scary.
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? 😊
Great review really enjoyed it. I admire the fact that in times of financial hardship you've made the best of the situation - I did the same when I was young. I agree with your mechanic's advice about avoiding automatics and keeping things simple (up to a point). However I don't agree you need to avoid diesels. I've owned a 2015 Vauxhall Astra Estate since 2016. It has only done 105k now, but in that time apart from an annual service & brake pads, the only extras have been a broken rear coil spring (replaced both of them - can't remember the cost but they were cheap) and one injector (which was fine at speed but wouldn't idle, cost £200 for a new one). No cambelt to replace as it's chain-driven. I tow up to one and a bit tonnes regularly, have driven it all over France and UK but have never done any stop-start city work as you did for Amazon in London. I'm hoping to take it to 200k. Happy New Year to you!
A very fair point- diesels are very often the longest lived, toughest engines.
I freaked out about diesels for purely city transport after my 0.8 diesel Smart For2 had to be scrapped at 38k miles due to a clogged up engine. Although I’m sure that this was just a dreadful design fault from Mercedes!
My Abarth is a smile every morning !! ❤🤍💚
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’ve owned two of them and despite having flash company cars I’ve also longed back to a 500 ... Unbelievably cheap to run
When I travelled all over Europe for six months and rented a car, they always gave me the fiat over a mini. It was quite a good ride. Very small and compact. Not bad
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!
I hope Scotty sees this. He will be shocked.