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I checked them out too, the dealer lot was completely empty. They are completely overpriced, period. Even with the nice touches. MPG is also HORRIBLE for such a small low power car.
Empty lot? My nearest dealer had at least 20 today and probably more.
I checked them out too, the dealer lot was completely empty. They are completely overpriced, period. Even with the nice touches. MPG is also HORRIBLE for such a small low power car.
Agreed. I think that for the price it is missing some features.
I find it a blast to drive around the city. You can make u-turns on 2 lane streets. Zoom into parking spaces. If it was $12 - $15k maybe. But at $20k for decent options, you can get something equally as fun and more practical.
I still haven't found the door locks. Or figured out how to navigate to playlists on my iphone. It is way too complicated. I figure that I am pretty tech savvy. If I can't figure it out in 15 minutes...regular people will be really irritated.
I drove one, when looking at one with a family member was looking for a city car to add to their family's fleet, since his Porsche is off the table and does not see the outside of a garage if conditions are not optimal. They needed a smaller car for city commuting that could easily park in garages or on the street, so the Fiat was a contender. It's an interesting little car, but I agree it's overpriced, and has too many shortcomings for the sales price. In the case I referenced, the Fiat lost out to a MINI because the MINI offered much more at a similar price point.
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All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
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Yeah, I was going to mention that if I was "super-compact" car shopping, I wouldn't really be checking out the Fiat 500. It's not a bad looking little car, a tad quirky, which is cool, and chic. However I don't know if it has enough traits that would make it attractive.
I do think it's more practical than a smart Fortwo, but it's also larger than one as well. It still doesn't have the practicality of a Mini Cooper, nor the fun to drive characteristics that that little "go-kart" possesses. If I wasn't worried about the car being absolutely tiny, I'd also look towards the VW Golf, or it's cousin the Audi A3. Both of those vehicles are a hoot to drive, and excellently engineered, not to mention the newest versions of the golf is available with a diesel, so you can enjoy both torque, practicality, dynamic driving, plus bodacious gas mileage!
Last year I went to a car show. The Fiat 500 was on display and I absolutely loved it. I thought it looked really cute and fun. Now fast forward 1 year.
I have chosen a Fiat twice over the past few weeks as a rental.
I still think it is cute, and kind of "smily" like a VW Beetle, but boy is this car completely impractical.
Here are my beefs:
1. Backseat is pointless. For toddlers only
2. The keyfob needs help. THe key retracts, but it pops open again with the slightest pressure. The key fob doesn't have any "white" images or lettering, so it is impossible to figure out in the dark
3. The window controls are in the center console
4. I still haven't found the door locks. I have driven it for a total of 5 days at this point
5. The steering wheel controls are confusing. And some are hidden. I accidentally found the bluetooth volume controls
6. iPod/USB/Auxillary is in the glovebox
7. No armrest/center console storage
8. Terrible cup holders. They only work of your cup is a perfect cylinder. If not, then 2 cups cannot be used.
9. No storage: glovebox, door, an open slot (cell phone width) by the cup holder and the is a mesh slot on the passenger side of the center console
10. Complicated controls for the stereo/bluetooth system. Either the info screen is flakey or doesn't work. I tried to pair a phone today. It said "Pair the phone with the following code: 1234. Use the code on the screen to pair your device." The screen still had the title, "blue and me" with no secret code
11. The instructions in the manual do not tell you how to pair things properly
12. Nonstandard icons
I think of the fit as a perfect vacation var for a couple. In day to use, it would be torture because of the weird logic and missing convenience features.
Do you have the statistics that show it's not seliling?
I'd be interested in an Abarth version which was just introduced...
Wow, I remember the bad old Fiats of the 70's and thought this car would be really good because Fiat has become a huge company. Why would you import a car like this to the US? The Japanese really know how to win a market, start with a small, inexpensive car with very high quality-in fact quality above what you should expect for the price. And then win your future customers who will be willing to spend more money on higher profit luxury cars. Fiat, starting out badly here guys.
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