Fiat Cinquecento

[96terrano]

Anyone got knowledge of them, thinking of getting one as a 1st car. I had a good look at them and they seem to tick mist of the boxes for me!

280px-Fiat_Cinquecento_front_20081127.jpg

[firebobby]

I remember when they 1st came out, my mate said he had just seen the new Fiat consiquento

[96terrano]

Originally Posted by firebobby

I remember when they 1st came out, my mate said he had just seen the new Fiat consiquento

Nice to know

[RJL Services]

they are ok very basic i bought one once as salvage once that had been in a 30mph smash and the drivers seat actually ripped of the rails and split the floor was repairable but never bought another one bits can be dear tool for such a basic car check for rust as they suffered from that too as metal is very thin thicker metal on a baked bean can

[96terrano]

Cheers, I know they were only 1 ★ in the euro NCAP crash rating

[stinka]

All fiat cars are shite, avoid. Yeh some were great new like the multipla, but they are poor secondhand buys. I'd go for jap or German everytime

Get a vw golf/polo or a seat Ibiza or even a skoda fabia, perhaps a Nissan micra

Corsas are half decent also

[Kamsin]

Originally Posted by stinka

All fiat cars are shite, avoid. Yeh some were great new like the multipla, but they are poor secondhand buys. I'd go for jap or German everytime

Get a vw golf/polo or a seat Ibiza or even a skoda fabia, perhaps a Nissan micra

Corsas are half decent also

I'm guessing he is thinking of the insurance cost so i think the Golf would be out and he will be driving the Terrano as well.

Id have Mk1 Ford Escort, infact i did have a Mk1 Ford Escort it was an 1100 Deluxe and it turned out to be an ex Police car, as i got stopped by the Police office that use to drive it. It was funny cos he stopped me as he could remember the reg on the car but could not remember why. He though it had a warrant out on it for something. Then he remembered, it was his old car in the force years ago, well it was a 1970's car.

Now days id go for a Corsa as well, good cars cheap to run and not a lot to go wrong.

[arcascomp]

Is it worth trying to pick up an unloved 'classic' that'll be dirt cheap to insure with restricted mileage, etc. etc.. Something truely nasty, like an Allegro or the likes. Probably less embarrassing to be caught exiting a sheep than one of those, but it'll be cheap!

Let's face it, you're going to be doing the miles in the T2 anyway, so it doesn't need to do much more than sit and decay further on the drive somewhere.

Also, whatever you get, remember to add in up to 8 or 9 low risk named drivers on your insurance policy so the average overall risk is reduced.

[96terrano]

Well, I will hopefully have about £500 by January,

[Kamsin]

If you want to be really naughty you dont even have to own the car, as long as you dont make a claim for it. I used to insure the Escort for years after i scrapped it because i had "Drive any vehicle" on the policy.

I dont know if id do it now though

[firebobby]

Originally Posted by Kamsin

I'm guessing he is thinking of the insurance cost so i think the Golf would be out and he will be driving the Terrano as well.

Id have Mk1 Ford Escort

Seen the price of MK1's, You won't be getting one for £500, well you might get a bucket if your lucky.
My 1st car was a 1969 MK1 Escort 1100, right pig to start when it got cold outside, but loved the shape

[clivvy]

well, I can positively say that ALL Fiat cars are NOT shite. Golfs etc will cost you a fortune in insurance as we have already discussed in depth. Fiat have specialised in making good small cars for years. The Cinq is by no means fantastic, but for what it is-a VERY small basic run about, it will do you just fine. In an ideal world yes, you'd be buying a Polo or whatever, but your resources are limited because of the insurance. I wouldnt turn down looking at any Fiat to be honest, because I have so far found MY Fiat, to be f*cking brilliant, and probably the best used buy I have ever done and I have had a lot of cars. If you like the Cinq, look at some, and look good. As already said, tiny cars, thin metal, rust problems. Also consider the Panda, which is actually a model UP from the Cinq.

As mentioned earlier, I would still give consideration to a little classic if you can get hold of one. You simply WONT be getting a Fiat 500 classic for that money, but you might find a little 126 BIS..maybe...

as for answering you question, I have driven a Cinq yes, around town they are fine but scary on the motorway because they are so small and light. they are noisy because they dont have much inside to dampen the noise, but other than that they are a decent design for the size, proven engine, just dont expect anything more than a very basic and simple car.

as for parts, they are very cheap in fact, I have found most Fiat parts to be reaonsably priced. Things like radiators, are £30 ish, exhaust, £30 ish, fornt wings £25, brakes/pads £30 ish etc etc you get the jist...

[96terrano]

Thanks Clive, yeah, they sound about right for me, as for noise, I could just put sound deadening in from my scrap terrano I don't mind working on it

[96terrano]

Originally Posted by firebobby

Seen the price of MK1's, You won't be getting one for £500, well you might get a bucket if your lucky.
My 1st car was a 1969 MK1 Escort 1100, right pig to start when it got cold outside, but loved the shape

I've seen loads goin for £300-400

[Fez_uk]

get a nissan micra