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The Fiat 500 Coming to America Thread!

11K views 95 replies 31 participants last post by  Nuvolari 
#1 ·
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#5 ·
+1
The Fiats are supposed to be sold here later this year, but the Alfas I'm not sure about. I've driven the 500 at my previous job (yeah, I've quit, long story) where I was a test driver, and even in a base form it was a blast to drive. A bit underpowered (compared to say a Mini) but once at speed, it drove like it was on rails (no brakes required). I'd wait for the Abarth version (or import it). Also, the quality wasn't oh so great either. I'd get one and gut it out just to beat up on the weekends :biggrin:
Btw, they were test driving Alfas last year, before I worked there, so who knows how long will it take for those (if) to show up. They sure look pretty neat :cool:
 
#9 ·
You don't want to own an Alfa. Think of a car that's tempermental like a Ferrari but its your daily driver. They spend a lot of time in the shop.

The 500 looks great, I think it will do really really well. Nice little car that looks nice, not boring like so many Echo's etc.
 
#28 · (Edited)
Having been raised in Italy I am intimately familiar with most models of Fiats, including Alfa Romeos. FYI, since the late 80's all Alfas have Fiat underpinnings, including all of the motors which are the exact same as Fiat. The few Alfa motors left all went out of production in the late 90's. They are basically gussied up, re-cladded Fiats (anyone remember the Pontiac treatment to Chevrolets? Same everything plus plenty of vile plastic...)

Know that in Italy until the late 90's the majority of cars were all Fiat products (Fiat, Alfa and Lancia). By 2002-2003 because Fiat lacked any new models, consumers grew tired of their awful quality and monolithic engineering. With the removal of all the protectionism with the tighter knit EU and Euro currency, Italians were no longer contstrained by economic means and bought elsewhere.

About 4-5 years ago Fiat had relaunched itself with many new models. I posted several years ago on a similar thread how Fiat was under rated and their new models had excellent fit and finish. After having been driven in these new cars that rode like a modern car, I was impressed it was every bit as "magic carpet, quiet etc" that you'd expect from all the cars made in the last few years. No longer did Fiat stand out as "the cheapest offering". I too was gleefully optimistic.

Sadly, everyone I know who "rethought" and bought a newer Fiat after having gone to purchase other brands regretted it. They all laud the new "performance, luxury and refinement", but note that their Fiat still falls apart too quickly and has too many defects not bad enough to recall but that seriously hamper drivability and cannot be fixed. Sqeaks and rattles about, and dealer visits occur with disappointing regularity.

After an increase in sales a few years ago, Fiats are starting to become sparse in Italy again.....

Stay away, far away from any Fiat product. If you really like the thought of a Hot Hatch that is small and live in Europe, look at the Renault Clio RS. While having its own share of quality problems, the Renault is 20% less expensive, has more interior room, always wins the car mag comparos, has more power, handles better thanks to a taughter ride. A stripped down track version with meaner suspension is also available and it is actually cheaper still!

If you live in the states, buy the Mazdaspeed 3 to whet your hot hatch desires. But stay far and away from any Italian car brand. They are just as awful as you remember them; it just takes about a year to really find out. The only good thing about the Fiat 500 Mk III is it's "cute". Give it a year, you'll hate it. Trust me on this one!
 
#29 ·
My dad drives a 4WD Panda and it's a great little car. Perfect for the town (OK it is slow) but also great for off-roading! It has very good handling too despite its height. The suspension of the 4x4 is totally different to the FWD models which use an axle at the rear.

The car I really like from the Fiat group is the new Giulietta.
Great engine, aluminium multi link suspension and is better than the Golf.
But most of all it is really beautiful.
 
#30 · (Edited)
I'm a cynic...

As cute as the Fiats are, I predict that the Chrysler/Fiat combination will produce all the success of Renault/AMC...which is producing a number of appealing models that will fail bigtime in the US and leave their owners with a really bad taste in their mouth and unsellable garbage cars that never make it to 100k miles. Fix It Again, Tony...

I remember the Renault Alliance being MT's Car of the Year (following in the successful footsteps of the Vega getting that same award). How about that Le Car? (I almost bought one of those...thankfully I passed.)

Chrysler should have stuck with Mitsubishi, their only successful joint venture. If you want something small, go for a Honda Fit or maybe a Ford Fiesta. There has never been a successful French or Italian car brand in the US that has provided long lasting, trouble free cars like the Japanese offerings.

George
 
#37 ·
I've been driving and fixing cars for over 40 years.

I have owned 3 English cars, a couple Swedish cars, and have had many friends over the years with English, Swedish, Italian and French cars. I can say that the American cars I've owned (over 20 of them) have generally been head and shoulders above all these cars in quality. Maybe a couple Volvos in the bunch were excellent, but my 2 SAAB's were miserable. (I have done great with Japanese cars.)

I still have my 1991 BMW 318is and it has not been trouble free (probably like a typical American car) but it's the best all round driver I've ever had (owned it since 1994) and plan to keep it forever.

American cars, if you choose the right ones, are just fine in terms of quality, and the easy availability of parts and service makes them cheaper to operate than just about any Euro car, especially putting big miles on them.

I forecast the Fiat 500 in the US will be a cute but junky little car (like a reincarnation of the Le Car); if you want one, buy, it and report back in 100k miles, including the resale value of the car at that time. I have been wrong but have much more often been right in terms of forecasting longevity in cars.

George
 
#38 ·
I have had my ups and downs as America cars are concerned. i have never owned one, but I have experienced them. One that stands out was a mid-2000's Chevy TrailBlazer. We used these for work (at an old job) as a patrol vehicle. They were literally used 24/7 with very little maintenance. I was shocked to see that beast continue to turnover and run. And i'll admit that i was not kind to it either. I was really impressed with it's "determination".
 
#41 ·
Chrysler's highest quality vehicle for most years was the PT Cruiser, which was made in Mexico. Possibly that will be the same plant that builds the Fiat with the cancellation of the PT Cruiser.

Ford's highest quality cars are the Fusion and Milan. They are both built in Mexico.

The Euro 500 is built in Poland. Would that make you feel better? The only difference, IMO, would be a much longer wait time and much higher transportation costs, which would be passed directly to the buyer.

The Mexican build is not what you should be concerned about with the Fiat. The Renault Alliance was built in the US and it was a major POS due to its design, as the Fiat 500 will be per my prediction. (I believe this was also reinforced by a European guy who has experience with recent Fiats.) Like I said in an earlier post, please buy one and report back after 100k miles as to the reliability and resale value.

If you are on the Forester page, you have been spoiled by a very high quality vehicle with a great design and engineering. As a survivor of old English cars, and recalling the Italian and French cars of the 60's and 70's in the US, I can say that you have no clue as to how bad a car can be. :icon_razz:

Take care,
George
 
#43 ·
Thanks for your well thought out response; your avatar photo is very indicative of what I would expect. I have no idea what you think I am gloating about--I have owned 37 cars and have been driving for 40 years. I have owned Ford, GM, Chrysler, AMC, as well as a number of English, Japanese, and German cars.

The PT Cruiser was Chrysler's most reliable car based on many years of Consumer Reports tallys, and the Fusion is an excellent and reliable family car. I would recommend one to anyone who needed a car in that class without being afraid that I'd lose a friend for recommending a POS to them.

If you like the idea of a Fiat 500, please buy one, as I suggested, and report back after 100k miles. Again, do not fear the Mexican quality, but do fear the basic underlying engineering. Somehow cheap Euro cars do not translate to successful cars in the US. This has been the case since the 1950's, with the possible exception of the VW Beetle, which was German.

The Renault Alliance won Motor Trend's "Car of the Year" award. When it did, I laughed because I strongly suspected that it would turn out to be a big POS. It was everything I expected and less. I have been wrong before, but there is absolutely no reason I would believe that the Fiat will work in the American market. Let's talk in 5 years. Don't believe the guys on Top Gear when you are choosing a car that you want to be reliable for your daily needs for many years.

George
 
#47 ·
Real Lyte:
Firstly, your avatar is cool. I always wanted to ask, is that your kid?

Secondly, your "concise" version of the quality of those cars may leave a little too much for the imagination, but is close to right on.

Now for my opinion. Do we all forget that it was Chrysler was the one who invented the "throw away" car. (k series 1983-199something) Lee Iacoca was brilliant. Make a car cheap and just well enough to be reliable until it was paid off. When it falls apart, it will have no resale value so trade in's won't cost much. Sell the consumer another cheap car. Most Americans (who buy new cars) do not keep them long enough to find out how well they will do at 100k miles. That will have little impact on sales.

The Fiat is a cute car that may or may not do well. It depends on where the price falls. Hyundai is killing this market right now. Want to talk about reliability?:biggrin: If this thing does well and doesn't fall apart in the first year, it has a good chance.
 
#48 ·
As for my avatar, I can only hope to have a spawn with such poise someday. It is merely a funny baby pic that circumvented the internet which I thoroughly enjoyed.

I hate to generalize but I see which cars are not reliable daily at Autozone. One thing that Chrysler did get right is their minivans, I see many of them with 200+k on them coming in just for tuneups and nothing else. As for Hyundai/Kia yes they sell because they are cheap, after 4 years or so I see owners who start having the worse imaginable issues, everything from transmissions failing to a car that gulps 4 qts of oil a week.

Speculation will only get us so far, I am mainly excited to see new blood in the market. Especially since Fiat technology and Chrysler technology are blending so hopefully they can both learn from each other's mistakes. Through the blog I have been linking to I have seen some impressive strives in engine and transmission design so it should be an interesting market in the next few years. The mexican made comment was mostly a joke, hell 3/4ths of Autozone parts are made in Mexico and most are very well made.
 
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