Fiat 500 twin-air

JonW

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3,259
All

I'm about to buy a 3rd car as my station car, and am almost certain it will be a Fiat 500 twin-air.

Am interested whether any others have experience of them, and if so would you recommend or advise me to steer clear.

Thanks

Jon
 

dem maser

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34,220
Some on here have had one....the advice i got when i wanted one few years back for work was positive
I drove one and loved the sound they make but mpg is not good....
 

alfatwo

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5,517
There brilliant cars Jon, you cant go wrong. Not sure if they do the 105hp in the 500, but that little engine is a real hooligan with all that torque!

Dave
 

JonW

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3,259
There brilliant cars Jon, you cant go wrong. Not sure if they do the 105hp in the 500, but that little engine is a real hooligan with all that torque!

Dave

Good to hear... I'm fairly sure they do the 105hp in the 500, but I suspect I may get the normal 85hp one, as part of the plan is that this car will be my daily driver down to the station, and will eventually become the car my son learns to drive in...
 

montravia

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1,617
1200 lounge is my run/throw about. Light airy very chuckable. Wind them up and they're fine
 

D Walker

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9,827
I have the wife's hand me down, its a 1.2 and I find it fine on my 62 mile return commute,

Its fine, its a tin box with 4 rubber boots, parts are cheap and easy to replace, the intermittent wipe is a pain on mine, its comfy enough for me....
 

Navcorr

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3,839
I had a standard 500 and hated it. Giallo's loan car

C

Had a Fiat Cinquecento loaner years back - now that was awful. Did spot an original 500 at the Galleria. Parked next to it for pictures - and to make the loaner look bigger :)
 

JonW

Member
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3,259
Apparently they struggle to move if it's not dead flat.

But I've never driven one :)

I had a standard 500 and hated it. Giallo's loan car

C

What did you hate about it?

1200 lounge is my run/throw about. Light airy very chuckable. Wind them up and they're fine

That's interesting - Is the Lounge the higher spec level, with Leather seats, air con, etc?
 

montravia

Member
Messages
1,617
Nope. The Pop is the base model. Avoid that. Lounge has extras like non-steel wheels but the nicest bit is the glass roof. Light and airy. Models change though. Had twin airs as rentals. Small engined ones are a bit gutless (very). Can't recall engine size but below 900 cm3, avoid,they'll annoy you . Wish they still made the 1400 sport. Remarkably agile, acceleration and handling
 

CatmanV2

Member
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48,539
What did you hate about it?

Just about everything. A slow, noisy, tin box. Tin inside and out. Yes it's a box with four boots but it's nothing I want to have again.

Tengentially I've driven a couple of hire cars recently (Skoda and a Merc CLA220) and the were both bloody awful. In the case of the Skoda I was *absolutely* sure that it was a diesel, the engine was so rough. It had a sticker saying 'unleaded' on it though. The gear box appeared to made of Lego.

The Merc was a US version. Slow, noisy, uncomfortable.

I don't quite understand what new car reviewers see when they praise modern cars. Getting back in Mrs Catman's 147 with a smooth, 4 cyl TS engine, and snappy gearbox was a pleasure. Getting back into the GT was like going to another world.

C
 

JonW

Member
Messages
3,259
Nope. The Pop is the base model. Avoid that. Lounge has extras like non-steel wheels but the nicest bit is the glass roof. Light and airy. Models change though. Had twin airs as rentals. Small engined ones are a bit gutless (very). Can't recall engine size but below 900 cm3, avoid,they'll annoy you . Wish they still made the 1400 sport. Remarkably agile, acceleration and handling

Like this one you mean?

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201702252685739
 

highlander

Member
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5,214
Fiona has a pop for running the 30 mile return commute, does the commute fine and the boxster to play with at weekends, so why have and pay for a "bigger 500" if a return journey is all you want?
 

StuartW

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9,306
It didn't like the TA when I tried one, it struggled on a long run & I went for the 75bhp diesel instead which I found more capable
 

philw696

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25,113
I had a Diesel by Diesel and was a good car for running around in but too uncomfortable for my 6foot 2 frame.
Cheap as chips to run with 20 pounds road tax when I was in Blighty.
 

StuartW

Member
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9,306
I had a Diesel by Diesel and was a good car for running around in but too uncomfortable for my 6foot 2 frame.
Cheap as chips to run with 20 pounds road tax when I was in Blighty.

Yes, the £20 tax was great and and the economy too but the comparative lack of speed got to me in the end & I now have an Abarth
 

Felonious Crud

Administrator
Staff member
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21,011
The twin-air is ace and not to be confused with the other engine which is pretty hill unfriendly. It's perky, sounds great and has a remarkable flurry of energy in the right rev range. I love the one we have, it's brilliant. Highly recommended.