157 replies to this topic

[furtive]

A friend of mine has had an original 500 restored in Italy and had it delivered here the other day. Except, in typical Italian fashion, they sent him the wrong car so he is waiting for his proper one to be delivered

 

It's this one:

https://www.facebook...730482963819349

[Mangham54]

Why is it that fun cars are always little sh1t boxes   -When my mp3 player is running through the aux and being charged, I get interference from the wiper relay through the stereo. -Noisy front suspension -Banging from the n/s when I go through puddles -Front (non vented disks) were warped as hell after about 6k miles and still are   Got to love them though   ...oh and the clock misses 5 minutes a month  

Glad I'm not the only one who notices the clock I found it loses 2 mins really fast then takes about 4-6 weeks to lose a further 2, so I set it 2-3 mins fast so its roughly works out. Love stupid Italian cars

My Focus used to do the same. I could never explain why. However there was no consistent pattern.

[ChrisS1]

 

 

Why is it that fun cars are always little sh1t boxes   -When my mp3 player is running through the aux and being charged, I get interference from the wiper relay through the stereo. -Noisy front suspension -Banging from the n/s when I go through puddles -Front (non vented disks) were warped as hell after about 6k miles and still are   Got to love them though   ...oh and the clock misses 5 minutes a month  

Glad I'm not the only one who notices the clock I found it loses 2 mins really fast then takes about 4-6 weeks to lose a further 2, so I set it 2-3 mins fast so its roughly works out. Love stupid Italian cars

My Focus used to do the same. I could never explain why. However there was no consistent pattern.

 

 

My Panda 100HP did the same. Must be the same clock. It was surprisingly annoying!  

[Ormes]

 

 

 

 

OUCH (and things)... £560 to get her through her service + MOT... failed on n/s lower front wishbone/control arm.  Can't believe just how many bits of suspension have been replaced to date, given it's 4 years old with low 40's on the clock!  ...and I needed to send it back to have the tracking done again as the steering wheel was pointing to the left... and they haven't put my front bumper back on properly, which I will ask them to rectify when I can be arsed.

Now nearly 5 years old/51k miles and it is sounding, frankly, Fukt. All 4 corners are rattling, creeking and knocking like a b@stard, the clutch is slipping, the solid front disks are warped again, when driving in a straight line the steering wheel position seems variable, and I haven't washed it for 2 years This is my first ever brand new car, 5 years later it's a shed... I have never known anything like it... I've kept 10 year old Laguna's for as long as I've had this from new, and changed an ARB drop link at the most. It really isn't designed for... erm, roads. So far... Top mounts x 2 Front dampers x 2 Front lower control arm assy x 2 This time I am expecting something like... Rear bushes x 2 Front lower control arm assy x 2 ARB droplinks x 2

 

Bloody disgusting.

 

£1100 for Service + MOT. ... 2 new rear shockers. The front is still making clattering noises so I'll be stung for that sooner or later. Latest faults... since the service I have developed an intermitent flat spot, and the gearbox/diff sounds like it's on the way out. Oh, and they broke the fcuking bumper mounting brackets again and this time didn't admit liability.

 

Well, they have agreed to do the bumper mounting bracket FOC. Gearbox is off to a specialist for a rebuild. Flat spot not yet diagnosed as the gearbox is too fcuked. It was sounding worse throughout the week so bailed out into a rental on Thursday/Friday... now got a Punto to drive round in for what may be 3 weeks +. When I get the sack of sh1t back, it's being sold, in favour of a BMW or something on lease.

 

 

Been a while since I updated this thread

 

Body to tailgate loom was completely fcked to the point that the fuse for the brake lights and instrument binnacle kept blowing, the boot open sign was stuck on and the rear heated element didn't work.  I bought a repair harness for £50 and spent a few hours chopping out and replacing the mess... all sorted.

 

MOT and Service today.  It had been sounding like it had a nasty exhaust blow.  Turns out manifold gasket buggered and manifold studs snapped clean off.  Fiat took the head off to send to a machine shop today.  Expecting it back in approx. 2 weeks with a £1000-£1500 bill.

 

Grrrr.

 

[slindborg]

fooook!!!!!

 

not bad on the £50 repair harness. I really should look at sorting ours properly but it works and I've many other things to sort out in the mean time.

 

The backbox on the Abarth is rotten and a bit blowy, its being replaced with a straight through... so it'll only have the close coupled cat and thats it

[Ormes]

fooook!!!!!

 

not bad on the £50 repair harness. I really should look at sorting ours properly but it works and I've many other things to sort out in the mean time.

 

The backbox on the Abarth is rotten and a bit blowy, its being replaced with a straight through... so it'll only have the close coupled cat and thats it

 

 

...you reminded me I arrived back to my car about 3 months ago to find the body of the silencer had started to unravel and was dragging on the floor so had to get my tin snips out.  :S

[ChrisS1]

How many miles on the shed now Alex?

[Ormes]

How many miles on the shed now Alex?

 

64k
 

[Ormes]

 

 

 

 

 

OUCH (and things)... £560 to get her through her service + MOT... failed on n/s lower front wishbone/control arm.  Can't believe just how many bits of suspension have been replaced to date, given it's 4 years old with low 40's on the clock!  ...and I needed to send it back to have the tracking done again as the steering wheel was pointing to the left... and they haven't put my front bumper back on properly, which I will ask them to rectify when I can be arsed.

Now nearly 5 years old/51k miles and it is sounding, frankly, Fukt. All 4 corners are rattling, creeking and knocking like a b@stard, the clutch is slipping, the solid front disks are warped again, when driving in a straight line the steering wheel position seems variable, and I haven't washed it for 2 years This is my first ever brand new car, 5 years later it's a shed... I have never known anything like it... I've kept 10 year old Laguna's for as long as I've had this from new, and changed an ARB drop link at the most. It really isn't designed for... erm, roads. So far... Top mounts x 2 Front dampers x 2 Front lower control arm assy x 2 This time I am expecting something like... Rear bushes x 2 Front lower control arm assy x 2 ARB droplinks x 2

 

Bloody disgusting.

 

£1100 for Service + MOT. ... 2 new rear shockers. The front is still making clattering noises so I'll be stung for that sooner or later. Latest faults... since the service I have developed an intermitent flat spot, and the gearbox/diff sounds like it's on the way out. Oh, and they broke the fcuking bumper mounting brackets again and this time didn't admit liability.

 

Well, they have agreed to do the bumper mounting bracket FOC. Gearbox is off to a specialist for a rebuild. Flat spot not yet diagnosed as the gearbox is too fcuked. It was sounding worse throughout the week so bailed out into a rental on Thursday/Friday... now got a Punto to drive round in for what may be 3 weeks +. When I get the sack of sh1t back, it's being sold, in favour of a BMW or something on lease.

 

 

Been a while since I updated this thread

 

Body to tailgate loom was completely fcked to the point that the fuse for the brake lights and instrument binnacle kept blowing, the boot open sign was stuck on and the rear heated element didn't work.  I bought a repair harness for £50 and spent a few hours chopping out and replacing the mess... all sorted.

 

MOT and Service today.  It had been sounding like it had a nasty exhaust blow.  Turns out manifold gasket buggered and manifold studs snapped clean off.  Fiat took the head off to send to a machine shop today.  Expecting it back in approx. 2 weeks with a £1000-£1500 bill.

 

Grrrr.

 

 

 

Car is ready ahead of schedule and will be collecting tomorrow.  Just under £1400 in the end... bargain.

 

Now, the next bit of fun.  So far I think Fiat have had my front bumper off 3 times... each time they have broken the clips that align it with the wing, and just given me the car back anyway.  Since they take the bumper off for everything else, I guess head off is bumper off... this time I took photo's so they can't give me the old "well I'm not sure it was us but we'll fix it anyway, because we are nice!"

 

I will report back... this time, I'm going to inspect the car before I go in, and not give them the courtesy car back until they fix it.  I like a good argument.
 

[Ormes]

Thought these cars were meant to have a brake pad wear sensor? On the assumption that the warning indicator isn't a horrible grinding sound, mine clearly doesn't work! I am usually better than this, honest but just found out what braking on 4 backing plates feels and sounds like... The discs don't like it much

[hairy]

Was it like this?

 

[Ormes]

They weren't that bad hairy

 

Turns out that the rear pad still had some meat, and it's the rear that the wear sensor is attached to.  First time I've ever had 0mm as the documented brake pad thickness

[Ormes]

Not really sure what's happened, but I've just put a deposit down on another one of these hateful little sh1tboxes... this time, it's bright yellow with a bit more punch

 

Suppose my reasoning is similar to what makes me drive a plastic vauxhall with no heater that leaks and rattles.

[ChrisS1]

 IMG_0780-300x225.jpg   24.05KB   0 downloads

[Ormes]

Sort of Chris

[ChrisS1]

[Ormes]

how's the Panda?

[ChrisS1]

how's the Panda?

 

Gone...

 

...but I've kept to the same criteria and got an equally masculine Mini