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[tunnie]

Before you go knocking off Fiat... when you are next in Italy, you will see that half the nation drives them, from 30-years old 500s, through 20 years old Pandas, and up to more recent model Typo/Punto/Brava what have you. Then next 25% are Alfa's and Lancias, which again are Fiats in disguise.  8-)

And they are all moving! So in spite of what me might think of them, Fiat must have gotten something right to keep the Italians mobile for the past Century. 



And no, I wouldn't buy one myself....

Somethings just work in Italy 

When i was there, a bloke in an Armani suit, with no helmet blasting down the lanes looked cool, and he fitted in well.

If i saw that in London, i would think what a 'idiot' 

They must be cheaper there to buy them? Like American cars are dirt cheap in the US

[sparten]

well we should'nt knock fiats,i've had them for over 25 years no problems really to note yes they do break down but no different to any other car,i buy a omega expecting the same ,wrong it broke a week later and now i have to chuck a small fortune at it,just luck i suppose or lack of if it was me i would get the punto to a fiat dealer for a diagnostic it will cost 55 quid i think but will tell you exactly whats gone ,i must admit fiat auto's are not the best to many senser's

[Martin_1962]

Before you go knocking off Fiat... when you are next in Italy, you will see that half the nation drives them, from 30-years old 500s, through 20 years old Pandas, and up to more recent model Typo/Punto/Brava what have you. Then next 25% are Alfa's and Lancias, which again are Fiats in disguise.  8-)

And they are all moving! So in spite of what me might think of them, Fiat must have gotten something right to keep the Italians mobile for the past Century. 



And no, I wouldn't buy one myself....

In comparison, how many Marinas and Montegos do you see on UK roads these days used as everyday transport.....?

Rust is the killer in the UK

Some 70s and 80s cars are VERY reliable mechanically, I used to do 15,000 a year in an 18 year old car

[Markjay]

Just adding to the Fiat global picture....

Hundred of thousands (if not millions) of East-European motorists drove around for decades in re-badged 124s and 125s made under license in East Europe.

Same goes for Spanish drives, they were all driving CEAT-badged Fiats for decades, until VAG bought them in the eighties.

Before Toyota and Nissan became the de-facto transport of most of the poor countries in the third world, it was old Fiats (and Peugeot - 403/404/504...) that kept the less-well-off going, sometimes in very hot desert climate and impossible terrain (been there, seen them).

[mrcnc53]

Check out Fiat Racing.com to find out what to do
with you Fiat.  I've been using Omegas to tow one
for years 

[beemerdevil]

hmmm  - well...... mixed response as i expected...the sensible educated ones, and then the normal 'numnut' ones  have got something from it anyway - thank you 
ps......anyone wanna buy an omega ??

[albitz]

I used to assume they were crap cars,but a friend of mine has one.It hadnt had the oil/filter/air filter changed for over 5 years,gets used to cart all sorts of heavy items around etc, and never breaks down.I have done 2 oil/filter changes on it in the last 6 months and am now hoping to do the cambelt for him.Its done 115,00 miles and the belt has never been changed.
I had a look in the coolant bottle a few weeks ago and it seemed to have a fair bit of brown gunge stuck around the sides,so it may be a head gasket change as well as a cambelt.
I have never seen a car be so neglected and abused and keep running,an Omega certainly wouldnt.

[feeutfo]

Check out Fiat Racing.com to find out what to do
with you Fiat.  I've been using Omegas to tow one
for years 

Towing a broken.......no too obvious. :-)

[beemerdevil]

Thanks for all your comments and ideas.......i will pursue getting it code read and take it from there - cheers guys 

[waspy]

There's good & bad in all cars. I've had my Omega two years & not had one thing go wrong
My ex's MKI Punto on the other hand had countless gasket failiers, but had no other problems & sailed through six MOT's She has the MKII now which don't have the gasket problems.
I think it's down to how well they're looked after either by yourself or the previous owner.
Liz's 106 on the other hand allways has something wrong with it & it's only done 60,000

[TheBoy]

Before you go knocking off Fiat... when you are next in Italy, you will see that half the nation drives them, from 30-years old 500s, through 20 years old Pandas, and up to more recent model Typo/Punto/Brava what have you. Then next 25% are Alfa's and Lancias, which again are Fiats in disguise.  8-)

And they are all moving! So in spite of what me might think of them, Fiat must have gotten something right to keep the Italians mobile for the past Century. 



And no, I wouldn't buy one myself....

Kind of related....

When I was in Spain in the summer, the number of old cars such as Ford Sierras, Maestros, original Chavaliers etc, all in immaculate condition, was shocking.  We were near the sea as well.

Why is it UK cars are rubbish? Is it Brits are too lazy to wash/wax/polish? Do we get inferior products? Is it purely down to road salt in winter?

 :-/

[TheBoy]

I had a Punto diesel in spain.  Great little car, really frugal on fuel (never put any fuel in, and did several hundred miles), but wouldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding.  Be a good little 2nd car, as cheaper than fiesta, and still better than corsa. Wouldn't want one myself mind....

[TheBoy]

My mum had a Fiat 850 sport coupe, which she bought when we lived in Cyprus. Drove back to UK when we moved back.  That thing did some miles, and went like the clappers (having seen it in a race against one brother's 1.3 Chavalier, and another brother's Mk1 Golf GTi, and emarrassing both of them except on top end ), and handled like it was on rails.  Rust killed it after about 15/16 years (it went to my sister when she went to uni, and she never looked after it)

[Kevin Wood]

Why is it UK cars are rubbish? Is it Brits are too lazy to wash/wax/polish? Do we get inferior products? Is it purely down to road salt in winter?

 :-/

I reckon it's down to the cost of labour versus the affordability of a "new" car.

Every little village in italy / spain seems to have an "old school" garage run by an old fart who probably charges next to nothing and has more experience than every UK VX technician put together, so keeping an old car running is probably cheap.

Meanwhile the cost of a new car is out of most people's reach. They don't have half their workforce considering themselves so important that their company has to supply them with a new FOC BMW every 3 years so the huge turnover in company cars feeding the next level "nearly new" market isn't there either.

There's more incentive to keep older cars going. They certainly don't seem to lavish too much care on them, IME.

Kevin

[Marks DTM Calib]

You want to see the state of the cars in Italy.....absolute rotted out sheds some of them with half the electrics not working!

In many europeon countries they would never get a 12 month ticket.