interestingly enough, my current car is a 525D tourer E61.
so what comparision should i make
Sell it, it's not even good enough to make the list!
Have you considered a Mondeo?
reliability of Fiat
- Thread starter bandit
- Start date
Sell it, it's not even good enough to make the list!
Have you considered a Mondeo?
Soldato
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- 18 Oct 2002
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- 9,502
My experience with Fiats.
Small cars (Panda, 500, Punto) = ok
Larger cars = forget it!
I inherited my Dad's Croma (2005, 37k miles) when he passed away and had constant problems. In two years ownership:
1. Alternator failed
2. Coil spring broke (destroying front tyre and rear shocks whilst it was at it)
3. The immobiliser failed when my dad had it (FIAT wanted £1000 to replace)
Those were the big things and then we had other 'little issues' such as:
1. Heater not working
2. Sun visor that came away when you pulled it down
3. Petrol door cover spring mechanism broken
4. Rear passenger door broken
5. Radio knob broken
6. Glove box hinge breaking
All backed up by a terrible dealer network and some ridiculous servicing/parts prices.
Never had a single issue with the engine (1.9 multijet), its just a shame everything else around it was poorly built.
Small cars (Panda, 500, Punto) = ok
Larger cars = forget it!
I inherited my Dad's Croma (2005, 37k miles) when he passed away and had constant problems. In two years ownership:
1. Alternator failed
2. Coil spring broke (destroying front tyre and rear shocks whilst it was at it)
3. The immobiliser failed when my dad had it (FIAT wanted £1000 to replace)
Those were the big things and then we had other 'little issues' such as:
1. Heater not working
2. Sun visor that came away when you pulled it down
3. Petrol door cover spring mechanism broken
4. Rear passenger door broken
5. Radio knob broken
6. Glove box hinge breaking
All backed up by a terrible dealer network and some ridiculous servicing/parts prices.
Never had a single issue with the engine (1.9 multijet), its just a shame everything else around it was poorly built.
Sell it, it's not even good enough to make the list!
Have you considered a Mondeo?
actually i did
i could have got a new mondeo (new shape) for the same price as the 55 BMW last year, but the depreciation on the mondeo was horrific, and the old monedo was well....too old
mame, when do you think the transition was then between crap and ok?
Soldato
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- 3 Jun 2005
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- 5,365
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- West Sussex
I have a Sedici, which is built by Suzuki in Hungary. 3 years old now with 36k and never had a single problem not even any warranty niggles.
Soldato
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- 8 Mar 2006
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- Telemark
Early 90s TBH, but it takes 10 years for anyone to notice these things. As with almost every car company though, there's trouble cars and trouble engines every now and then.
Yep, something seems to break every week on my mate's 02 Stilo.
Punto / Brava are pretty decent cheap cars.
The stilo seemed to have big niggles, no worse than most Renaults though.
People seem really happy with the panda / 500.
Go back to the 80's though and they'd fall apart after a few years, Fiat were one of the first manufacturers to fully galvanise all the steel to try and get rid of the image they got because of it.
As this thread shows though, easier to get a bad image than to get rid of it.
The stilo seemed to have big niggles, no worse than most Renaults though.
People seem really happy with the panda / 500.
Go back to the 80's though and they'd fall apart after a few years, Fiat were one of the first manufacturers to fully galvanise all the steel to try and get rid of the image they got because of it.
As this thread shows though, easier to get a bad image than to get rid of it.
Associate
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- Worcestershire
The country where they are made makes a difference, the huge factory in Poland seemingly upped the quality of build & our now 3 year old Panda has been faultless
Soldato
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- 14 Jan 2009
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- 4,325
To be honest mate, i'd just go for something of a better build with more miles. Like you said, a 52 plate fiesta, ideal for a woman, cheap, reliable, utilatarian motoring.
Soldato
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- Bath
Panda and 500 are reckoned to be OK, but other than that it's just 'LOL Fiat'.
Associate
- Joined
- 30 Nov 2003
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- 2,211
Grande Punto is a shared GM/Fiat platform design, innit?
GM SCCS platform, also shared with the Alfa MiTo and a couple of PSA vans. Though the Punto Evo is now on its way, with the new MultiAir engines (shared with the MiTo) that I don't think any of the GM badged cars get.
Fancy a clutch wearing out in just 7 years on a small car that's likely to have been used around town most of it's life.
I'd advise not buying another car, as I doubt you will find a single marque that hasn't had some examples of the above failures in seven years.
Head gasket failure at around 50k was a feature of the punto, research would tell you this - buying one just before it goes is a bad move, buying one after it's been (properly) repaired should give you good value though.
Clutches are a consumable.
Gearbox isn't usual on the punto, normally go on forever. What exactly was the failure?
Clutches are a consumable.
Gearbox isn't usual on the punto, normally go on forever. What exactly was the failure?