Hard to ignore this for value vs anything out there at this price. There's no website obviously but here's a review.
$14000 Driveaway Price for Fiat 500 POP
http://www.fiat.com.au/fiat500
Fiat 500 POP Now $14,000 Driveaway
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Pidim on 08/06/2013 - 09:21 caradvice.com.au (5539 clicks)
Last edited 08/06/2013 - 10:09 by 1 other user
Last edited 08/06/2013 - 10:09 by 1 other user
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Personally, I would rather pay the extra ~$2000 to get an i20. At it would be the more reliable of the 2; which in the long run would make it the bigger bargain.
Thing is though, the people who buy this car aren't comparing it to the i20 for practicality, features or even reliability. It's a car purely designed and sold for its look and retro-chiqueness. There's a Gucci-branded model, for goodness sake!
I would think this is aimed towards young people who want to drive a European car, but can't afford an BMW, Audi or Merc, let alone service or repair it. This car is going to get more people talking, than if you turn up in your vanilla i20 I can guarantee that. Personally at this car size I would still want a Mini Cooper but the price difference is huge.
In this segment, around this price there is only one serious contender despite being an "old" design.
Suzuki Swift :)Flame on!
You are also a bloke I'm guessing?
it's only good for car chases through narrow alleyways and streets.
now when will the Abarth become cheaper
Does it come with a remote control!!!
Its a fiat! Who the hell looks at fiats when your going to buy a new/used car. Toyota/Honda/Mazda is the way to go.
Different story in Europe. No reason why Fiat can't become mainstream here too, especially if the pricing of the Punto and Panda is as sharp as this.
…Aside from dealer and service network.
Look at brands like Renault and Peugeot. Also good - probably better - cars, been marketing here longer, but doesn't make them mainstream.
can I option it out with Abarth Engine, Seats, Wheels and Brakes?
Yep.http://www.fiat.com.au/abarth
Darn it, in-store only. :P
Price match @ OW?
are you robot?
Fiats and Lancias used to have the most screw-ball issues such as common electrical faults due to the cheapness of the actual WIRE and inappropriate coatings on the actual loom connecters. They were utter bastards to try to figure out and they took "random" and "unreliable" into new previously unseen areas (looking at you Lada).
That may well have changed but I bet the comedy-pricing of the spare parts has not. In the 80's standard spares were around 4x that of a local car (just thinking of a standard wheel bearing off the top of my head) also, it was the accepted norm for garages to add to the price of any Alfa/Fiat/Lancia/ work because of the "sort of" sporty reputation of the cars and because the customers accepted it (wanker-tax).
So please go in with both eyes wide open and do your homework if you want on of these because that first service bill could come as a real shock!Finally I see someone who against the Fiat has the proper reason for why you should resist buying this car. People always have opinion. If they don't like it, just leave. Don't leave a comment say this car is not reliable, you better off with this and that.
I would buy this Fiat if I haven't already bought the Corolla. Why? Cause I like the styling, small size and I know this car is reliable enough for what I need.
They used to have a big problem with rust. Or was that Alfas? All fixed now I'm sure.
That was Alfas. Well, could have been Fiat as well, but I know Alfas had rust issues.
Yep correct, crappy steel.
Huge rust issues.
I actually like this car. But you raise a good point. One issue to be aware of is that some retarded insurance companies class this as a sports car. I have had this issue myself when trying to insure small cars. This is especially the case for 3 door cars. Even these with a 1lt engine are put in the WRX category by some companies.
If you are interested in buying ring a couple of insurance companies and see what they quote.
This cars designed for the European market, tight winding roads and not large highways and freeways that we rely on locally.
That said $14,000 is great!
and europe doesn't have large highways?
Definitely no autobahns or anything like that.
Indeed you'd never see one on the 3,500km of six lane motorways that don't cross Britain.
And putting it in perspective, what's the M25 got on the Pacific Highway anyway?
Are you expecting the wheels to fall of at 100kph? Freeway driving puts less stress on the internals than city driving any day of the week
Maybe crazycs was referring to Europe driving short trips and not having to deal with car niggles that you may do when driving for long periods.
Eg Japanese cars having no sound insulation being a real bugbear at 100kmph due to no thought of this in Japanese markets. I'm looking at you Honda
Maybe this fiat has a buzzy engine and no overtaking abilities at 100+ due to no real power and torque.
Having said that the first hundred horsepower is the important one the second doesn't make it twice as fast.
And for once it's cheaper than in USA. Their MRP is $16,000.
Couldn't you compare the price to a Suzuki Alto? Looks like crap compared to the FIAT, but surely it's more reliable.
I was about to post just that:
http://www.suzuki.com.au/vehicles/altoWas looking for a car for the Mrs earlier this year. Suzuki's are quite cheap at the moment. I know nothing of their reliability or maintenance costs to compare though.
Suzuki's are very reliable (Have a few friends who have never had issues after five years). ANCAP/safety ratings are also quite good.
If you are looking to spend a bit more and reduce the depreciation of the vehicle, go for a Suzuki Swift, especially the Swift RE.2 which comes with a few free goodies. You are spending more for a Swift, but you can sell that car at a much better price five years down the line.
We just bought the Mitsubishi Mirage for 12k driveaway — same price as Suzuki Alto. Didn't know a Fiat could be had for 2k more which makes it 2k less than the Yaris all in.
This would go great with my European manbag.
PS: I'd actually by one if I needed a car.
Great price - compared to the souless Korean / Japanese cars in that price range.
Yes, because if it's 'Italian' made it must me made with passion.
GTFO.
stop being a h8r. Italians do it best!
If you mean change sides mid-war, then yeah they're bloody champions! :p
If I was looking for a car in this price range, I may have considered this as a possible option, but I am not. Thanks to the OP for posting though, it may be useful to someone.
I see a lot of these around Salamanca/Battery Point in Hobart. They look kinda cool, but I don't think I'd have one myself!
Actually gotta click positive because its a good price.
I agree with most of the comments on European parts prices being exorbitant, and the fact that the reliability may be a little under question from past Fiat experiences.
However if you want to stand out, esp if you are female, this is a damn sight more practical and economical than a mini, which realistically is the next car that has this sort of chic. I can't believe the numbers of young kids dumping their future fortunes on Mini's these days just because they are cool.
Also I think it's great they are making a car with such a small engine, we really don't need bigger engines in cars this size. Too bad the soft top is 7.5k more expensive!
They should throw one of these in with that $180K record player…
This is that the 500 should be. A cheap and cheerful runabout cheap enough to be someone's first car. The previous pricing was outrageous and tried to imply Fiat is a semi-luxury European brand worth spending thousands more just for the badge. Other European car makers are guilty of this too (Volkswagen, I'm looking at you).
It's also very refreshing to see a proper price. $14,000. Not $13,999 and silly nonsense like that. Cudos to Fiat.
ultra-compacts are economical but is it just me who is concerned about safety? yes they have 5-star ANCAP rating but the sheer size of it means the crumple zone is severely limited, especially from side-on impacts.
I accidentally plussed your vote… Actually there shouldn't be crumple zones in side impacts, but maybe you were just trying to get your words out quickly…
If people are worried about safety they are better served not speeding, not driving under the influence of alcohol or their mobile phone, and getting a smaller car that will also do less damage to pedestrians. The only reason we had bigger cars in the past was that we followed the American model of building the next gen bigger because there were no other new features to differentiate vehicles and car companies needed an excuse to keep people buying new cars
That's all well and good if everyone though the same thing. But there are a lot of SUVs on the road now, and all that kinetic energy has to go somewhere in a collision…
yes, no matter how careful you are there will always be danger coming from other drivers that you could not foresee. when you do crash basic physics says a bigger car will give you more protection in most cases. yes crumple zones and safety technology has come a long way, but physics is physics
The problem here is it's an arms race the general population cannot win. The more SUVs there are on the road the more drivers are inclined to buy larger vehicles to feel safe. Now those that bought SUVs first feel vulnerable again as everyone else is moving to large cars and they now need something even larger. Loop ad infinitum.
Yes, it's far better to be in a 3 star vehicle weighing 2 tonnes than a 5 star vehicle weighing 1 tonne in a head on collision. Thankfully such accidents are, on a population basis, extraordinarily rare.
Audi Q5 vs Fiat 500 crash test
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pREcuRF_e4cmost of the time the 3-4 stars on biggers cars come from injury to pedestrians, with 5-star driver protection
Lol, my car friends say otherwise.
It is really just old thinking that smaller car = more dangerous, however if you are speeding at a 100km zone and collide with another car, you aren't gonna be any better off being in a normal sedan or a compact.
Either way you are f'd.
The crumple zone is limited, however depends on how they designed it, then crumple zone is to decrease the G's transferred to the passenger.
did you watch the video?
if you never really exceed 50-60km/hr, you'll be fine in this. I moved to adelaide 15 months ago and haven't taken our car past 60 since.
This isnt built for someone who has to hit the freeways every day, its a inner metro car.
…the crumple zone is severely limited…
You are the crumple zone.
you should read the 5 star ancap specs, it won't help you in head on collisions no matter how many stars you have
i believe the head on test is 60/40 to drivers side at 60km/hour and the side test is at the b pillar at 23km/hour with a pole around 200mm in diameter or something like that
if you get tboned your chances are not good no matter how many stars
Note the auto option is not a true auto from what I've quickly read. There's no clutch pedal, but you still have to shift gears manually. Apparently to shift gears smoothly you have to lift off the gas pedal. Anyway it might help those who are only comfortable driving autos to develop an appreciation for manual driving.
I'd want to know the answers to the following questions:
1. What is the servicing schedule? Preferably every 12 months/15,000kms
2. What is the cost of servicing?
3. Does it have a timing belt or chain? Preferably a chain.I had a Mercedes A160 with an automatic clutch but otherwise normal gear box. Shifting is easy and you do lift off the accelerator when changing (just like a normal manual). Down shifts are a little hard to get smooth as you're never quite sure when the clutch has disengaged to allow you to blip the accelerator.
golf clap
cool story bro.
OzBargain rule: Just because it's cheap, doesn't mean it's not worth it.
Mrz :: So You must be using ur Maid's Ozbargain account then as well !!
Going for wanker-of-the-year award MrZ?
trying too hard to be jv lol
Also this sentence snippet suggests Mr.Z should spend some of that fabulous wealth on a tutor: "I've never spent such little money"
English much?
What are you, the FOB Marie Antoinette?
You MAY find pretension is not so popular in Australia.No it's for everyone, I'm sure they can sell it to you for $50k
The original 500 is better. Still a bargain if you like these types of things.
I don't think too many poor people can afford new cars, well by the Australian definition of poverty, you barely get 14k a year, let alone be able to afford to to use your whole income to buy new cars.
Original 500 is better in terms of? Fuel consumption? Safety? Build quality (tuning required, amount of rust present, condition of interior, etc)? Comfort? Handling? Emissions? Probably none of the above as the last original 500 was built in 1975.
Trust me, I've seen "poor" people driving old Holdens or Fords who would have easily spent as much as $14k in total on both the car and aftermarket modifications.
and that's exactly why they are poor..
Lol, finance?
Not all people pay off their cars outright.I've seen people earning 30k a year, buying a 40k car and finance it…..
I've seen people earning 30k a year, buying a 40k car and finance it…
then they aren't very bright ;)
sure, very few people can buy a new car outright. but for someone to buy a car that costs more than their annual salary, they're just living foolishly outside of their means.
No car on earth is worth spending an entire year at work for.
I'm not exactly on the poverty line, but in Feb bought a car for…
$400. Am I an Ozbargainer or what?
Runs well for a '94 model with 200K on it. In fact, on any piece of road it would shame this Fiat 500.Why such a cheap POS?
I want to save funds for our "main" car which is nearing 25 years old and needs some loving. We consider it worthy of throwing some money at it, but I'm taking my time finding parts and doing it myself.It's not hard (the surgery analogy elsewhere on this page is laughable). Just buy a used workshop manual ($5-$30) and get stuck in.
Kids these days…
Anyone know how many clowns it fits ?
+1 for the Madagascar reference.
Yo momma so fat I'm goona buy her TWO,
one for eachhhh foot. Fat lady rollerskates.The original 500 was more innovative in its day. Its a classic, thus having this niche updated copy in the first place. This model isn't innovative for its day and thus nowhere near as popular. And I think you mean 1957 when it was originally released, and maintained production for over 2 decades afterwards and the original is still sought after by collectors. While this model won't have anywhere near the lifespan or the appeal like the original in decades to come.
Has anyone tried Officeworks pricematching?
14k is a fantastic deal..
my ex bought it 2 years ago for 26k…end up total loss after an accident. (the other car (bmw 320) got some bumper scratch while her 500 being towed to the wreckers).AAMI payed some money, she added some extra and bought a used 118i.
then in another accident she ran into a micra.
guess who's smiling this time.Micra owner's lawyer?
lol
Moral of the story, your ex needs to learn how to drive safely.
Yes, they should probably cut their losses and start taking the bus or the train.
we broke up be it all happened. none of my business anymore lol.
then which car is worse off?
You ain't pulling chicks in this thing fellas, a hippy chick maybe, but are you sure you want under arm hair stank in your new Italian love box?
Fix It Again Tony!
Parts prices are expensive… From the dealer.
We have a little Mercedes a class hatchback. Wing mirror $350 from the dealer. $18 shipped on eBay. Gas lift struts $112 from dealer, $12 on eBay.
Probably doesn't apply to some mechanical things but still worth considering.
Fiat taking advantage of VW's massive epic fail that's currently occurring, much? :)
If anything it just shows how much we get ripped off by, if they can afford to take $10,000 of this tiny box however good it may be, imagine the BMW, MERC and other European cars.
Doubles as a coffin when you hit anything other than another Noddy car.
Really guys, just how much of a chance would you expect against a 4WD?
These cars are a death trap, and there are cheaper ways to take yourself out.
I'll call it: no bargain.
I would suggest this is a step up from a bicycle or a motorbike.
I would assert that is absolutely true.
Not sure why everyone is jumping up and down and swooning over these.
Some key points:
1: The dealer network is non existent once you leave major metro areas (ie Sydney/Brisbane/Melb)
2: Parts availability for stock on hand in Aus will be questionable, more then likely they will take a similar approach to what both BMW/Mercedes do and drop ship everything from overseas as it works out significantly cheaper then keeping stock on hand here in Aus
3: Resale, Fiats have never really held their value well in Aus
4: Reliability, i deal with alot of European made vehicles and they do have issues that pop up (any vehicle does over their lifetime) the problem though is point no 2, having the vehicle off the road for an extended period waiting for parts, If Mercedes cant keep a clutch pack assembly for an E63 in Aus (3 weeks the boss has been waiting for that part), Fiat arent going to.
5: The Micro sized car market is huge, you have the Mitsubishi Mirage, Suzuki Alto, VW Up!, Nissan Micra, Holden Barina, all of these can be had from anywhere from 12-14k for the base model, all similar power outputs and interior.Now, we own a Mitsubishi Mirage (one of the new ones, for business/tax purposes and for the most part they are fine for around town and short highway junts, just dont expect the fiat (or any of the micro sized cars) to be quick, and they are heavily effected by crosswinds, air turbulence from trucks and geography.
agreed, i'm wondering why this has 98+ pos votes. It's like the triton deal all over again.
I think the Triton deal was actually a good one, I was seriously looking at one of those a few months ago for ten grand more! :)
They would have sold at least 1 more, if they had advertised it as $13,995 drive away. Lost opportunity over 5 bucks.