Fiat 500

Fiat 500 key – How is it possible that Fiat dealers want to charge $2,200 for a fiat 500 2014 model for a remote and key. What a joke. I bought this new with only 1 remote plus spare key. 1 key is worn out. Show details

Horrible Customer service – This product was not collaterally supported by Fiat Australia . Horrible Customer service ,We were stranded more then 35 Days without any support from Fiat Australia in terms of product support . Very poor Corporates ethics .After paying hefty amount of service fees the car is not fully repaired by the Fiat Dealership Show details

This car is more likely to Kill you than almost any other car – If you have an accident in this car you will most likely be seriously injured. The Fiat 500 is No. 1 on Insure.com's list of worst vehicles for protecting passengers from injuries. In an accident with a larger object, the Fiat's safety cage and array of air bags do what they can to protect passengers, but like eggs in a coffee can, the passengers get thrown about and smashed up. Show details

I think I'm in love! – I bought this car as a replacement to my Renault Clio. I did a fair amount of research before hand and when a demonstrator popped up on my radar I checked it out. I bought this car from a dealership in western sydney with 83 km on the clock and was 3 years old. It had obviously been sitting in the showroom. Before I could take it away they had to… Read more

replace the dashboard which had cracked around the passenger side airbag (a common problem whit 500s).

I have had this car for 6 months now... so heres what i think:

engine: the 2 cyl engine is blooming brilliant. 145nm torque at 2k rpm means hills and motorways are a blast (as long as you take it out of eco mode). In Eco the power is trottled back considerably, and this is generally where I leave it unless i need to accelerate fast or i need extra power for a steep hill.

Tranny: this is mated to the 5 speed dual logic gear box. it does a reasonable job of selecting gears for you, but the option to select gears yourself it there. auto selection can leave you with a jerky ride sometimes, especially mated with the stop-start on the engine.

handling: its not a race car, so if you want fast and dynamic, look elsewhere. the handling isnt too bad though. very light at slow speeds but tightens up at high and is pretty responsive. rough as guts over bumps though.

build quality: yeah, not so great, but full of character.

the car just brings a smile to my face when i drive it. after my first car (citroen bx 16trs) I didnt think i'd love a car again... this fiat has proven me wrong.

Just love it – Had my fiat 500 from new and love it. I have the automatic sort of manual version which i find handy if i am running our of revs say, on a big hill i can manually cog it back to keep up with traffic, The gearbox felt weird at first but now I love it , it has the pickup when i need to do peak hour maneuvers. Sits nicely on 100 to 110 and I am sure… Read more

it would do more if i chose to drive it that way. This is a little car though and I dont think it could take a lead foot owner ,Its usually myself driving it so i generally have the back seats down to give me extra cargo space. I was advised to fill with 95+ petrol and have done so unfailingly Maybe this is just the basic problem people are having with this car is putting the wrong cheap fuel in it. So there is one thing that bugs me and that's the foot heater. It seems to blow from the side so my left foot is nice and cosy and my right foot misses out. I love the driving experience its just so much fun, i get him (pepe) serviced once a year at Fiat ,it has been really cheap car to own and operate. Its reliable and I am confident in it, even driving on the Highways with all sorts of other bigger cars and trucks. I have been driving small cars (Cuore, Alto, Echo the mini Festiva) for probably 20 years on and off and I love this little guy, I have owned it for three years now from new, Not sure I would buy one second hand unless I am buying privately and they state categorically they have been using the correct fuel. For me this car is perfect and I wont be parting with it any time soon. Oh yes and the indicators are windscreen wipers are European sided so expect to try and stop water on the windscreen with indicators until you get used to that

Fiat 500S fun car – Three years ago I purchased a 2016 Fiat 500S which is the one with the 1.4 litre 74kw (100hp) engine, despite my having misgivings about Fiat products. It's a beautiful little car with a quality fit out inside and it's like driving an upmarket go cart. The fuel economy is not quite as good as I expected 5.4l/100kms at 100kph and the placement of… Read more

the throttle pedal is a bit strange. Apart from that, it's a car you just want to have a fun drive with and I can't see myself ever wanting to sell it.

Be very careful – I purchased a fiat 500c in 2016 all was going well until I was out of my (very feeble) 3year or 150,000km warranty. After doing 89,000 over 5 years in a very well looked after always serviced car, I was driving to work and it kept slipping into neutral (very dangerous when you are going 100km an hr) subsequently it had to be towed to a repairer… Read more

and a new actuator put on the gearbox $4000 later as well as hire car fees on top. I was informed that it is a common fault about 1in5 have an issue and this has been since 2007. Wrote to fiat they don’t want to know as it is out of warranty not the service I would have expected on a $30,000 car. Very disappointed and will never buy another fiat again best go for something that has a 5 year or more warranty

Has Never Missed a Beat – My wife has a 2014 500S Dualogic. She loves this car. It is well made, goes like the clappers and has been Totally reliable. Servicing costs every 12 months at a Fiat dealer are around $320. Its a quality build. Nothing breaks or falls off. Transmission has not missed a beat. Our Fiat/Alfa dealer says they Never have any issues with 500's. So there. Show details

Mechanically A1 loved this car with all my heart – I'm selling mine after 5-6 years with only 28,000 kms. What a sad day it will be when I watch it drive away...but alas, can't fit bikes and scooters or even a full size stroller so, with a heavy heart, it's time to say arrivederci. Ive had nothing but joy from this car. I bought it new in 2016 and I've loved driving it every single km. Highly recommended from me.  Show details

Known Transmission Problems - could not be fixed (Lemon) – Purchased new car from Brighton Fiat, good sales service. Had minor problems when handed over my new car but quickly fixed. About 2.5 months later a clunking noise between 2nd and 3rd gear (Auto) started , reported to Fiat Service. Advised they could not replicate and told to keep driving would probably go away. Continued driving for months… Read more

noise still continued. Was so annoyed recorded sound and took back to service, they decided to give me a Jeep replacement (huge car) but they could not yet ID the problem. Finally about 8 weeks and approx 6 loan car changes later, was advised 24 parts needed to be replaced in gearbox and I had to wait for them to be sent from Italy. I was so totally frustrated at the delays and that I was the only one being inconvenienced that I engaged a solicitor to resolve the matter. FCA were responsive at first then started avoidance tactics. It took several thousands of dollars, a lot of stress and a volume of emails and phone calls to push them to accept the car is a lemon and pay back my money. They ended up agreeing to a full refund and part payment of my legal costs as they knew they were in breach of ACL (Consumer Law). I was still out of pocket over $2000 in legals as even when they agreed to pay, they stonewalled and my solicitor had to push and push to get settlement. In summary, it seems 2017/18 Fiat 500 has gearbox issues as mine is not the only lemon I have read about. I love the FIAT 500 and have since purchased a 2014 Sports model and it is a gem, no transmission or any other issues, I am very happy with it.

Dashboard Cracks where airbag is and Fiat won't fix! Only out of warranty 6 months! – We bought this car brand new and it was lovely. My daughter has adored this car and we have kept it serviced, loved and always clean. My daughter uses this little car to go to university and I use it for shopping centre runs as it is so easy to park. We have had the car serviced on time by the dealer that we bought it from. The car had just… Read more

turned 3 years old (in fact 4 months after it's 3rd birthday) when all of a sudden a crack appeared on the dashboard and a lump appeared as it the airbag was inflating. We have not had a bang or an accident. I googled this an it appears that it is a known problem around the world.

So I spoke to the service department but because they didn't write it in their computer they did nothing. I finally went to the actual outlet that I purchased the car (as opposed to their service department) and they took photos, and said yes definately a problem. They came back to me 5 months, let me repeat the five months later with the news that Fiat had agreed to replace. I was relieved until they said, however as you are out of warranty fiat will only pay 80% of the part and 20% of the labour and my portion is over $1200! That is 10% of the total amount I paid for the car!!! So as a pensioner I can't afford to get this fixed. The airbag will have to eventually just hang out of the dashboard.... If my car had been out of warranty by a couple of years and not serviced regularly I can understand it, but when it had just gone out of warranty and it is a known safety issue of the car then I think that Fiat should do something and pay for the fix. Come on Fiat you had already been found guilty by the ACCC for non-compliance in other things is this going to be the next?

Transmission was an issue but lucky enough to get Giat to fix – Always wanted one of these since having an original. Mine too after 38000 km started sticking in neutral leaving me stranded in the road. Luckily I had just bought it from a garage and they replaced the clutch less gearbox with reference to s known fault. Glad I didn’t buy it privately. Haven’t really loved it so much since.  Show details

Stay away, very unreliable and dangerous car – My wife purchased this car a couple of years ago and it was all good until the transmission started playing up. With just 28.000klms on the clock the car started dropping into neutral while driving leaving here in the middle of the road. Fiat customer support in Australia is terrible and want to charge $7500 to repair this problem. My advice to… Read more

anyone looking to buy one of these is DONT. Not worth it as the Dualogic automatic is just rubbish.

Do a search on one of the Fiat forums at (www.fiatforum.com) and you will find out all the details.

500S 6Sp – I have owned my fiat for 3 years and never had any issues with it. I have decided to part with it though as it’s incredibly small and I want something a bit bigger with a bit more power. Not the greatest in hills but gets you where you’re going.  Show details

Salospeed issues – I am really concerned and scared to drive my Fiat now. I am having dreadful issues with the transmission. Fiat refuse to fix under warranty when it is clearly a manufacturer issue. Fiats were recalled in USA for the same issues. I can be driving along the freeway when it automatically goes into neutral. Very scary when there is a huge semitrailer… Read more

behind you. So I gently pull over. The car won’t start again so I wait. After about 10 mins it will start. Often it won’t start in the morning or you try to reverse park and the car won’t go into reverse. This has been happening regularly since I first purchased it in 2014. I am at my wits end. Sick of arguing with Fiat. Does anyone else have this problem. We need to look at a class action!

Fiat 500 C Pop – If you buy a Fiat it will make you happy when you get in it, that’s how I would sum up the experience. With regards to the drive it is characterful which is a good way of saying unique, I would recommend test driving it because the duallogic gear box is not for everyone. My only complaint is the dealership programs 6 monthly servicing in the car… Read more

computer and the log book says 12 months so I think this is excessive. Surprisingly there is enough room for four passengers. Ours is in red with an open top, in Autumn, Spring and Summer you forget about all the little quirks and just enjoy the open experience. Preferably with a latte in hand facing the beach :)

All look no substance – Let's be honest, no one ever buys a fiat for performance. Its all for the look. I bought a fiat 500c 2016 in mint green. If you are happy to struggle uphills, constantly have issues arise in your car (anti roll back cut out whilst you are on a hill), pay for approximately $600 per routine service (basic service) and waste heaps of time… Read more

dealing with car sales/service people.......go ahead.

Getting a reliable German, Japanese or Korean car that has lots of competition for servicing is the way to go.

Fiat 500X review – I love my Fiat 500X! I bought it 12 months ago and it is a dream car. The interior design is slick and modern and the sunroof is really useful when it's not too hot. It has many great tech features, and of them all I have fallen in love with the blind corner warning when changing lanes. It doesn't have a lot of power, but I find that's okay for city driving. I have been asked by lots of friends if it is a diesel because of the sound it makes.  Show details

Adore my Bella, she is the best car I have ever owned which includes a 328 BMW. No I would not swap – Driving......Fab Interior.......perfect Reliability.....execellent. I drive all over the metropolitan of Brisbane most days. Very cheap to run. Always take her to Fiat for service. Average cost $300.00 pa. What more can I say, I love Bella! No sorry, she is not for sale, I am hoping for a very long love affair.  Show details

I love my little baby fiat! – This car is super cute, very easy to drive and a great, cheap car for a student. It is relatively cheap to run and easy to maintain. I love the baby blue colour on both the body and the dash, and the convertible hood is so much fun in summer.  Show details

Split dashboard – My 2014 fiat 500 has now developed a split along the airbag passenger dash. This is obviously manufacture problem, but Fiat want $1700 to rectify. The outline of the airbag is totally visible and I presume it’s dangerous. Fiat should have more integrity than this and should stand by their product.  Show details

Paint peeling off fiat 500 – I also have a 2010 fiat 500c red. All my paint clear coat is peeling off. I won awards for this car and now the paint on the car is a mess. I have had trouble with the boot opening for years now. I don't use the boot anymore. Lately I have notice the roof lining glue is coming apart. I would not recommend at fiat 500 to anyone. I brought mine new $32000.  Show details

not a clown car – I love the retro look of this car, and the colour combinations, which is why I bought it. The size of the car means it fits in everywhere. It does lack power on the freeway and if there are more than 2 passengers, but since I mostly drive solo this isn't a problem. The fiat pop is a cool little car -even the pope drives one!  Show details

Fiat 500 Selespeed automatic transmission problem – Fiat 500s have a known problem. In North America alone 80000 have been recalled because of problems with the transmission (Selespeed). The problem is known in the U.K, Australia and Europe. If your car has problems, pursue it. The repairs cost about $6000. If you are thinking of buying one, negotiate specific cover on this component.  Show details

Great little car: but missing some basics – Drive is smooth, choice between tipyronic auto or manual. Great fuel eccomony and apeakers are awesome. Cd player and aux imput all there. Bluetooth as well..BUT all the cup holders are too small.. they dont fit a normal cup for coffee nor a bottle of water so not sure what pypu would be drinking in the car (even too small of a can!) and there's no cruise control.. so for long distances this is a real pain in a new car.  Show details

European styling - Chinese build quality – My 2009 Fiat 500 pretty much started to fall apart a few months after coming out of warranty. After 8 years it has still only done 120,000 km, but drives like a car that has done 300,000 km. It has cost be on average $2,200 a year for repairs above the scheduled servicing since it came out of warranty. And much of the problem is simple build… Read more

quality stuff like:

1) Badges fell off ($300)

2) A bracket that guides the window broke ($700).

3) The wiring system for the electronic boot lock failed (broken wire). It's a single wiring system ($2,200).

4) Radiator collapsed after 4 years despite dealer servicing since new and correct fluids always being used ($1,200).

5) Folding mechanic for passenger seat broke ($400).

6) Metallic paint faded after 4 years despite car being garaged every day (quite for repaint was $2,000).

These cars are great to drive, but a complete piece of crap engineering. And all I get from the dealer is .....'well it is Italian..."

Pleasure and so much Pain – I bought a red Fiat 500 in 2009 when it was 9 months old from a Maserati dealer who had used it as a loan car. It was $32,000 new. I loved it, real head turner as not many around. It has now done 53,000Kms and is so much fun to drive BUT when the car was four years old the clear coat started coming off the roof. After a 12 month battle with Fiat… Read more

they resprayed it promising to review the failing bonnet and perished rubber mouldings on another claim. The bonnet now looks like I have had an engine fire and the rest of the car is heading that way. I also have a 10cm split in my dashboard at the front edge of the passenger airbag. After a further two year battle with Fiat they have said "it is out of warranty" and "it is red". I'm in my mid 50's and have always treated the car like a Cup favourite. How can this be fair. It is worth nothing unless I spend $5,000 to have it resprayed and not worth much after that. So disillusioned with Fiat Australia.

December 6th 2018 Update: The pain continued

8,760 have read my review on the clear coat peeling off my 2008 Fiat 500 after 4-5 years. After no luck with Fiat I spent $5,200 getting the car resprayed. The car at this point was 9 years old and had done 55,000 kms. Murphy's Law, straight after I had spent this money the gearbox bearings went. The car was off the road for 7 weeks waiting for parts from Fiat in Italy. After that it was the timing belt which I guess was fair as the car was of an age. Then it was the starter motor, then it was the clutch plate. All this before the car was 60,000 kms. I don't know about you but a $34,000 car should last more than 60,000 Kms before needing what amounted to $8,500 worth of repairs plus the $5,200 for the paint job. The car is currently valued at $8,000 so I guess I will just run it into the ground. I'm a nearly retired lady who has always looked after the car with regular servicing, as we do at our age. When it's running it is still a fun car to drive. Unfortunately I now have to have my mechanic and tow truck driver on speed dial.

Fantastic little car, that's actually not so little! – This is one of the most FUN driving experiences that you can have! It handles like a roller skate or go-kart! Sure, it's not a V8, but the power to weight ratio is so good that it's just a blast to drive. So far ours has done over 50,000kms and it's always reliable. Servicing costs are no more than any other car, don't take it to a dealer… Read more

though!

The only "negative" is that FIAT recommend timing belt change after 80,000km or 4 years (1.4 litre)- again NO dealer, they just rip you off.

Our local mechanic had never worked on one before, but did a service and timing belt change for under $800!

PERFECT! Uses 6.1 litres/100km ULP95 (don't put any ethanol crap in this beauty).

A really great car (as long as you don't want a "people mover").

Highly recommended. A+++

Selling my fiat ASAP reasons to not buy – I initially worried about the fact there is no spare tire. Got over that and installed one underneath. No tow hitch for when tire does go flat (got over that) battery issue I can't get over.. I bought my car from car max and it is still under warranty. However it did not come with the mopar brand battery that comes with fiat. Yesterday my car died… Read more

in my driveway. Roadside assistance came and could not jump it. Took out battery and brought to autozome to test. Dead battery. Paid $170 for a new battery. Installed, lights and accessories work but car still won't start. Had car towed to my closest fiat dealer to check it out. Since battery isn't the original I have to pay an additional $150 for them to diagnose the problem since they assume it is because of my battery. Come to find out: if your battery dies while you're trying to start it, car goes into auto theft mode. It won't start or release key from ignition (you can remove dash to release key) however only a fiat dealer can remove auto theft in order to start the car. Meaning: every time your battery dies you will pay almost $200 for battery and another $150 to install the new one and remove your anti theft. If you don't have roadside assistance you will also pay for a tow truck.. Hopefully you are near a fiat dealership. You might as well never drive a fiat anywhere outside of a city. And a battery issue that cost anyone without a fiat somewhere around $70 to fix will cost a fiat owner a minimum of $300.. SELLING THIS CRAP CAR ASAP. So disappointing

Cute and capable – Opted for the manual model in a 500 S. New from dealer with HID's and leather as standard. Dealer gave me the TomTom Sat Nav too. Took the car down the coast to Eden and back. So comfy and relaxed. It's no sprinter, but the 1.4l mated to the 6 speed manual is all this little car needs. Perfect in the city for grabbing parking spots others have to drive past :) Solid European car.  Show details

Cannot get out of neutral – Liked the car until it started going into neutral with no warning. Have had this back to the dealer 3 times over the past month. They have fixed the gearbox censors, a valve unit, yet the problem is still not fixed. This has happened to me twice in the morning with the car not being able to get out the driveway and twice whilst driving. Despite… Read more

the very real possibility of this resulting in a major car accident, the dealer seems to be making light of the issue. All Fiat Australia can say is that the mechanics have to be actually driving the car or present when the fault occurs as that is the only way to diagnose it. I now have video footage of the fault to take to the dealer. I would not recommend buying one of these cars as it is to great a risk to take, especially when it appears no one is capable of fixing it.

fun little city car – this little car surprised me from the start & i love driving it, as it has a little zip, particularly in 'sport mode' & if you live in the city, this is the perfect little run about. i opted for the 1.4L Lounge model in auto with all leather interior & 16" alloy wheels, which really gives it a sporty feel & it does come with a couple of little… Read more

bells & whistles. overall the car is quite luxurious for its tiny size & even has room for passengers in the back, although they may feel a little cramped.

the handling is great & it has a small turning circle, perfect for narrow street U-turns, it is super easy to drive & to park in small spaces, the boot also has enough room for all the groceries.

where it really loses points for me is on a hill, as it tends to roll back quite easily, so a hill start is definitely required every time!!! it also doesn't have much in the way of guts on the ascent & must be in 'sport mode' if you want to get up that hill. the other main negative is that the voice recognition does NOT work at all, so don't bother using it, but if you can live without that, it is a fun little ride :)

Plenty of pop for your smiles – Performance is good for a little car handles very good engine is quiet ,road niose is evident on course chip bitumen, the interior is cool ,funky and retro heaps of legroom in the front very comfortable seats a bit squashy in the back never had a problem 6.5litres per 100klm per litre in the city best car ever had put a smile on your dial buy one great car.  Show details

Fiat 500 Lounge Convertible Turbo auto – We have had this car for 3 years now, no problems whatsoever. None ! Ours is a convertible the fabric system is brilliant. We have driven through storms, snow and heavy rain I clean the car using hi-pressure machine. No leaks to be seen. This is what I don't understand, people buy this car expecting a race car, a rally car, spacious six… Read more

seater ??

Its none of the above. If you want a sports car then buy a sports car. Buy appropriately!

This car is not designed for the kind of driving some people are expecting and frankly I am stunned at their ignorance.

We own the Lounge model, its top of the range. Its very comfortable and the Auto turbo twinair engine is fantastic. There is a technique to driving this car, you always have to remember that its a Manual using a Robotic change, Its intended to supply a smooth ride and it does this perfectly. If you want quicker shift then get the standard shift model not the Auto. And stop whinging - you purchased incorrectly.- your fault.

Someone also complained about the wind screen wipers, this problem is common within many cars - there is nothing wrong with the wipers, rather its the way the windscreen is cleaned.

Using expensive additives will not work. You need to purchase a Glass Polish (from auto shop). This is a cream and will remove deposits left by windscreen additives and air born pollution. After polish you may need to replace the windscreen rubber. This WILL fix the problem.

Lastly sorry for my rant, but it is true you get what you pay for. The "POP" is manufactured cheaply in Brazil , Its sold as a cheap fun runabout and frankly in my experience cars manufactured from there are not as good as the European versions. Some models have different interiors displaying higher quality of manufacture. Depends on what you buy....you need to ask where the car is made before you buy.