Everything you want to know about the 2011 US-spec Fiat 500

[cawimmer430]

Christian, I wouldn't call those minor problems. In fact, put together they sound like thousands of dollars worth of problems before the car even hits 31,000 miles. I put 20,000 miles per year on my car, so that means within two years of ownership I would have to deal with a faulty steering column shaft and a burnt out temperature sensor? As well as a radio knob falling off?

If this stuff is happening within the first 31,000 miles of ownership, I shudder to think what parts will be breaking down by, say, 75,000 or 100,000 U.S. miles. As someone else mentioned, Americans use their cars much differently than Europeans and these cars must be reliable and able to take lots and lots of short trips, long trips and every kind of driving situation without having to be hauled to the shop for repairs or excessive maintenance.

I suppose sensors go on every car, but the steering column shaft scares me. You start messing around with that stuff out of warranty and you're looking at thousands of dollars in repairs, especially on an Italian car that probably has to be fixed at a dealership.

Dan, with the exception of the steering issue, the problems this particular Fiat 500 experienced didn't in any way make the car undriveable. 

A faulty temperature sensor? A broken A/C? Sure, summertime might suck for that moment, but it's not something worth calling Toyota Reports up for telling them how shitty your Fiat is.   

Besides, those four owners that wrote AMS have not reported any major problems with their Fiats. I personally think that's a good sign that Fiat has managed to improve their quality. Usually when you get a bunch of responses from owners in this part of the magazine, you have a mixture of good and bad letters - people praising the car and people who can't wait to get rid of it. The fact that this wasn't the case here let's me be optimistic. I also don't think AMS would hide nasty letters from Fiat 500 owners. 

[TurboDan]

A faulty temperature sensor? A broken A/C? Sure, summertime might suck for that moment, but it's not something worth calling Toyota Reports up for telling them how shitty your Fiat is.   

My mother had a car with a faulty A/C and it cost thousands of dollars to repair... and repair again... and repair again. I actually would specifically avoid ANY car with reported A/C problems as it's a much bigger headache than people realize. I haven't spent too much time in Europe during the summer (I've always been there in the spring and winter) but at least in most of the U.S., it would be abject torture to drive without A/C. I know here in New Jersey it would be.

I think what Fiat needs to do is offer something along the lines of a 10 year/100,000 mile warranty, just like Hyundai did when they were trying to prove themselves to U.S. consumers. Maybe it's a personality thing or a cultural thing, but Americans don't accept things "breaking" very well and having to pay great sums of money for repairs. As much as I've never liked Honda or Toyota personally, there is a reason why people here buy them in droves. For most of the American population, driving isn't a luxury or an easier way of getting somewhere - it's the only way to get anywhere. And if someone doesn't have their car, they can't go to work, run their business, pick up their children, etc. There are no public alternatives in the U.S. for transport, except in the cities, and oftentimes even then a car is required to drive to the public transport. In other words - we Yanks require very reliable vehicles that don't require much maintenance beyond oil changes. If a company can't deliver that, they will fail here - especially if their products are not bargain-basement cheap.

[Tave]

Nobody said anything about SELLING Fiats in Ferrari showrooms.  I only said Fiat should play-up the Ferrari connection in their advertising.

No, you obviously drew a parallel to BMWs selling MINIs next to/in BMW dealerships.

Does MINI look "desperate" because their cars are sold next door to BMW showrooms?  It's the BMW connection which gave a previously unknown (in the US, at least) product like the MINI instant credibility.  You don't think the association with Alfa, Maserati and Ferrari can do the same for the Fiat 500?  Think again!

Don't try to circumvent the fact that you said something st00pid.



In any event, there is a huge difference between comparing a MINI to a 3-series and comparing a Fiat to a F430.

[cawimmer430]

My mother had a car with a faulty A/C and it cost thousands of dollars to repair... and repair again... and repair again. I actually would specifically avoid ANY car with reported A/C problems as it's a much bigger headache than people realize. I haven't spent too much time in Europe during the summer (I've always been there in the spring and winter) but at least in most of the U.S., it would be abject torture to drive without A/C. I know here in New Jersey it would be.

I think what Fiat needs to do is offer something along the lines of a 10 year/100,000 mile warranty, just like Hyundai did when they were trying to prove themselves to U.S. consumers. Maybe it's a personality thing or a cultural thing, but Americans don't accept things "breaking" very well and having to pay great sums of money for repairs. As much as I've never liked Honda or Toyota personally, there is a reason why people here buy them in droves. For most of the American population, driving isn't a luxury or an easier way of getting somewhere - it's the only way to get anywhere. And if someone doesn't have their car, they can't go to work, run their business, pick up their children, etc. There are no public alternatives in the U.S. for transport, except in the cities, and oftentimes even then a car is required to drive to the public transport. In other words - we Yanks require very reliable vehicles that don't require much maintenance beyond oil changes. If a company can't deliver that, they will fail here - especially if their products are not bargain-basement cheap.

We used to have three Mitsubishi cars and at or close to 60,000 km on all of them the A/C failed. Seemed like the A/C would fail at this specific or close to this specific mileage. Replacing it took not even a day and then we could enjoy cool air being blown in our faces again. 

Driving here in the summer without an A/C is possible. Many cars here don't even have an A/C, although that is changing. Our ex-1985 MB 300SE didn't have a functioning A/C because the first owner hadn't specified one in the first place! It had a sunroof (most cars without A/C here have that) which allowed a flow of air to keep you fresh.


But yeah, I guess I am beginning to understand American culture and reliability. 

[Vinsanity]

We used to have three Mitsubishi cars and at or close to 60,000 km on all of them the A/C failed. Seemed like the A/C would fail at this specific or close to this specific mileage. Replacing it took not even a day and then we could enjoy cool air being blown in our faces again. 

Driving here in the summer without an A/C is possible. Many cars here don't even have an A/C, although that is changing. Our ex-1985 MB 300SE didn't have a functioning A/C because the first owner hadn't specified one in the first place! It had a sunroof (most cars without A/C here have that) which allowed a flow of air to keep you fresh.


But yeah, I guess I am beginning to understand American culture and reliability. 

Also keep in mind that you guys don't have cities like Miami, Phoenix, Atlanta, Las Vegas, and New Orleans when it comes to the summer climate.

[Tave]

We used to have three Mitsubishi cars and at or close to 60,000 km on all of them the A/C failed. Seemed like the A/C would fail at this specific or close to this specific mileage. Replacing it took not even a day and then we could enjoy cool air being blown in our faces again.  

Your parents purchased and owned those Mitsus quite awhile ago, correct (in the Philippines too if I'm not mistaken)?

The A/C wasn't breaking; it just ran out of freon and needed to be refilled.


I can attest to Dan's statement. A faulty A/C is a pain in the ass. It can also be a very expensive problem. Once we switched my 4runner from freon to HFCs, it never worked properly again in the long-term. In fact it broke while I was moving to Phoenix, and I spent the next year living in the desert without A/C (after which I purchased the Aveo). It was beyond miserable. In fact it got so bad that I finally took the removable top off and gave it away.

[cawimmer430]

Also keep in mind that you guys don't have cities like Miami, Phoenix, Atlanta, Las Vegas, and New Orleans when it comes to the summer climate.

I don't think cities have much to do with it. The countryside gets quite hot here in the high summers. A functioning A/C would be nice to have, but at the end of the day I think most people can survive a few days without one.

Remember, A/C wasn't standard on most cars here until a little past the mid-1990s and a lot of people didn't order one. Before that you had to specify A/C, it was a pricey option. Even today some cars don't come with A/C - the BMW 1-Series for example is one of them. My sister had to specify A/C for her 118i.

[cawimmer430]

Your parents purchased and owned those Mitsus quite awhile ago, correct (in the Philippines too if I'm not mistaken)?

The A/C wasn't breaking; it just ran out of freon and needed to be refilled.


I can attest to Dan's statement. A faulty A/C is a pain in the ass. It can also be a very expensive problem. Once we switched my 4runner from freon to HFCs, it never worked properly again in the long-term. In fact it broke while I was moving to Phoenix, and I spent the next year living in the desert without A/C (after which I purchased the Aveo). It was beyond miserable. In fact it got so bad that I finally took the removable top off and gave it away.

Yep, this was in the Philippines.

Nope, the A/C's broke down and had to be replaced. Coolant material etc. was always refilled during normal servicing. In all three cases the A/C components had to be removed and replaced. In one case, the dealer didn't have any spare parts for the A/C system of our Mitsubishi Pajero and delivery would take about a week (spare parts coming in from Japan). we actually used the car without A/C for a week before the dealer notified us that the replacement parts had arrived.

I found it pretty strange that in all three Mitsubishi's, one Pajero and two Galant's, the A/C failed around or near 60,000 km. Coincidence? A freak accident? I don't know. It still baffles me to this day that this happened to all three cars at the mileage standpoint.

[MX793]

I don't think cities have much to do with it. The countryside gets quite hot here in the high summers. A functioning A/C would be nice to have, but at the end of the day I think most people can survive a few days without one.

Remember, A/C wasn't standard on most cars here until a little past the mid-1990s and a lot of people didn't order one. Before that you had to specify A/C, it was a pricey option. Even today some cars don't come with A/C - the BMW 1-Series for example is one of them. My sister had to specify A/C for her 118i.

His point was that all of those locals are in either a tropical or desert climate where it is either hot and humid (Miami, Atlanta, New Orleans) or just plain scorching hot (Las Vegas and Phoenix).

[cawimmer430]

His point was that all of those locals are in either a tropical or desert climate where it is either hot and humid (Miami, Atlanta, New Orleans) or just plain scorching hot (Los Vegas and Phoenix).

Well obviously an A/C would be needed there. 

I wonder if there are any statistics on the number of cars with A/C that were sold in Spain and southern Italy (Southern Europe) during the last 30 years. It would be interesting to see if people ordered A/C in those nations or if the manufacturer supplied it as a standard feature.

[Vinsanity]

His point was that all of those locals are in either a tropical or desert climate where it is either hot and humid (Miami, Atlanta, New Orleans) or just plain scorching hot (Las Vegas and Phoenix).

Thank you, I should have explained my point better.

[2o6]

2040lbs and 160HP is great.

[ChrisV]

Also keep in mind that you guys don't have cities like Miami, Phoenix, Atlanta, Las Vegas, and New Orleans when it comes to the summer climate.

And you don't think Italy has areas like that?

[ChrisV]

Virtually no one in the US knew of the old Mini, either.  Yet I see plenty of the new ones on the road every day.


Does MINI look "desperate" because their cars are sold next door to BMW showrooms?  It's the BMW connection which gave a previously unknown (in the US, at least) product like the MINI instant credibility.  You don't think the association with Alfa, Maserati and Ferrari can do the same for the Fiat 500?  Think again!


Madman of the People

Gonna agree with our mad friend here. These things could sell like hotcakes here with no issues. Especially as gas creeps up in price again.

I also think that a LOT more people know of Fiat than people here give them credit for, as I realizes while driving my last Fiat Spider around. Some people didn't know it was a Fiat when they were looking at it, but even most of them had HEARD of Fiat.

I remember seeing them when I was In Scotland last month, and they were smaller than I thought (smaller than a new Mini). I was really hoping they'd get here reltively unchanged. And the Abarth version is the one i'm LEAST interested in. Looks like it's trying too hard. I prefer the more "designer" versions of them that were running around everywhere.









Only replace the wheels with body colored versions of these:

[Raza]

I don't see myself buying a cabriolet, but it is a pretty car. 

Of course, if I were living in Europe, the little 500 would not likely get my money over the Twingo 133 with Cup chassis. 

[SVT666]

I don't see myself buying a cabriolet, but it is a pretty car. 

Of course, if I were living in Europe, the little 500 would not likely get my money over the Twingo 133 with Cup chassis. 

If I was in the market for a Focus replacement, the Alfa Romeo Giulietta would be at the top of my list.  The Focus RS and MiTo would be struck off my list because of the lack of 4 doors.  In such a small car, I need back doors.

[2o6]

I don't see myself buying a cabriolet, but it is a pretty car. 

Of course, if I were living in Europe, the little 500 would not likely get my money over the Twingo 133 with Cup chassis. 

From what I gather the 133 is harsh on normal roads and is expensive to insure. Maybe I'm just finding reasons to harbor hate towards the Twingo.



Personally, I think that the 100HP version is plenty.

[SVT666]

Personally, I think that the 100HP version is plenty.

You would.

[2o6]

You would.

Seriously, what are you getting at?


I like the regular version better, and I think that the base model is fine for a DD.

[Tave]

I think that the base model is fine for a DD.

You don't drive. How would you know?

[2o6]

You don't drive. How would you know?

What are you talking about, I don't drive?



I'm seventeen. Even so, you really think the 160HP model is slow, and 100HP would make it dismal?

I THINK. ME. I. IT'S WHAT I WANT. I PREFER THE STYLING AND MODESTY OF THE REGULAR CAR VERSUS THE ABARTH. The abarth will likely be pricey. I would rather have something else for the money it's going to command.

[Tave]

What are you talking about, I don't drive?



I'm seventeen.

1) You don't have a car.
2) I'm not sure if you even have a license.

You may drive around with your parents a little, but that's a FAR cry away from normal, everyday driving.

It takes a long time to get comfortable with driving. It's something you have to do habitually and by yourself.

[2o6]

1) You don't have a car.
2) I'm not sure if you even have a license.

You may drive around with your parents a little, but that's a FAR cry away from normal, everyday driving.

It takes a long time to get comfortable with driving. It's something you have to do habitually and by yourself.

It's beside the point.



I'd rather have the base version.

[nickdrinkwater]

If I was in the market for a Focus replacement, the Alfa Romeo Giulietta would be at the top of my list.  The Focus RS and MiTo would be struck off my list because of the lack of 4 doors.  In such a small car, I need back doors.

Here's a first drive mate:
http://www.autocar.co.uk/CarReviews/FirstDrives/Alfa-Romeo-Giulietta/248791/

[hotrodalex]

It takes a long time to get comfortable with driving. It's something you have to do habitually and by yourself.

I'm more comfortable driving by myself than with other people, especially my dad.