reliability of Fiat

bandit

bandit

bandit

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Brum, Brum, Brum, Brum....
so i'm looking for a new car for the wife, and in general, my wishes far exceed my budget when it comes to age, mileage, looks etc.

but fiats...man their cheap!

reading around, it seems that they are pretty unreliable, not something i want to get the wife, only to have her call me because shes broken down somewhere!

anyone have any experience with Fiats? any good or is it more dont go near one with a barge pole...
 
Got two Fiats outside.

One is my Seicento, so old enough (9+ years) to not really be of interest. The other is Mum's 500. It is perfectly reliable, cheap to run, comfortable as small cars go, good fun if you decide to push it slightly too fast for good sense on a B-Road. To be honest though, it's better that folks don't think they're so good. That way, there are more for the rest of us. So yeah, Fix It Again Tomorrow and all that crap....

Biggest problem isn't the cars, it's the damned dealers. Some of them are truly awful (Norris Bro's Tamworth, for one).
 
They are as reliable as most of their rivals, however people think they are witty with the anograms of the name. Only thing that really lets them down is the overall build quality, but once again not really that bad compared to other cars in the class.
 
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hmm.,

thing is their soo tempting!

theres an 02 plate stilo with 37K for £2K or for the same price a 52 fieste with 7kK on the clock.

surely theres a reason they are so cheap. its bigger, looks better, trim levels a bit better, so what is it that keeps the fiat prices so low?
 
Hmm.

I wouldn't go for a Stilo. Electrics are a bit Renault-ish. They're not brilliant on fuel either, unless you have a diseasel. Handling is better than most folks make out though, thanks to a short wheelbase and wide track. And in three-door form and the right colour, they do look pretty good.
 
Yeah, the Stilo is pretty unreliable. The three people I know with them have had all sorts of trouble with them. Grande Punto/Panda where the turning point for FIAT, IMHO. They're probably just as reliable as anything else.
 
JRS said:
Hmm.

I wouldn't go for a Stilo. Electrics are a bit Renault-ish. They're not brilliant on fuel either, unless you have a diseasel. Handling is better than most folks make out though, thanks to a short wheelbase and wide track. And in three-door form and the right colour, they do look pretty good.
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Captain_Slick said:
Yeah, the Stilo is pretty unreliable. The three people I know with them have had all sorts of trouble with them. Grande Punto/Panda where the turning point for FIAT, IMHO. They're probably just as reliable as anything else.
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riight, so the stilo is the one to avoid. what about a punto like this would be better?

2003 (03 reg) Hatchback 53,114 miles Manual 1.2L Petrol
5 Doors, Manual, Hatchback, Petrol, 53,114 miles, Grey. Rear wiper, Lumbar support, Passenger airbag, Height adjustable drivers seat, Drivers airbag, Trip computer, Central locking, Steering wheel reach adjustment, Steering wheel rake adjustment, Immobiliser, Front electric windows, Body coloured bumpers, Radio/Cassette, PAS, Front head restraints. Insurance Group:3, £1,995
 
Absolutely don't get an early Stilo, stick the the last 2 years or so of production.

FIAT have always been at the sharp end of the wedge when it comes to electronic technology, they're early adopters, this sometimes shows and the Stilo really did show, mostly down to being the 1st car they designed with a CANbus network.

Instead of that 02 Stilo, how about an 01 Bravo/Brava, or an 01/02 Marea. The 1.8 motor is particularly reliable, it has Hitachi injection rather than BOSCH, very crude but more reliable.



Edit:
This probably below your price range; the 1.4 12V Bravos are very cheap but don't be tempted, they love to shoot the cam belt like an elastic band, the 1.2 16V is just as powerful, but reliable.
 
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thanks bigglesPip,

at the moment i am open to options, so if a brava is better, i would certainly look at that :)
 
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martinbeaver said:
Fiat][/QUOTE]

oh dear :p

are there any safe fiat models or are we basically saying STEER CLEAR!!

other options for a 2K small 5 door are at the moment

PUG
SEAT
SKODA

i prefer the fabia or the ibiza, knowing the build quality in general is quite good.
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Mr_Sukebe said:
Why not actually see what a warranty company thinks of them:
http://www.reliabilityindex.co.uk/
(lower numbers are better)

Some examples:
Punto (03-06) - 39.43 (pretty good, though a little behind a Clio)
Stilo (02-07) - 85 (not so good. For reference, the mk1 Focus index was 55)
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http://www.reliabilityindex.co.uk/man_index_2.html?apc=3128339010848601&searchtype=relindex

Exactly, they are more reliable than an Audi, BMW or Merc ;)

I have just gotten rid of a punto (03) which I bought pre-registered for £5500 with 100 miles on the clock. I have used it for a hundred mile round trip to work for the last 3 years and all I had to buy in 6 years was a new set of front tyres and a pair of headlight bulbs.

It was perfectly adequate car for travelling to work and has cost me nothing over 6 and half years. It was perfectly comfortable on the commute as well.
 
interestingly enough, my current car is a 525D tourer E61.

so what comparision should i make :D
 
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