FIAT 500

Was at a car show today and sat in just about all the cars except Suzuki.

The new STI was very nice, the EVO MR not so nice. Price point was taken into consideration. The EVO was about $5,000 more expensive.

The MINIs, and there are about a dozen of them, maybe more - well that's the way it felt, were just fricking HUGE. They've always been bigger than I expected, but one of them is an SUV.

We compared what $30k would get you in a sporty car and the Hyundai Genesis won. It was close for the features and looks, but the Mustang 6 and Camaro 6 had one FATAL flaw - the back seat. Not that you couldn't get into it or that it was uncomfortable, but that the roofline was so low that a full size adult literally couldn't ride in it. The Mustang was the worst as it put your head in contact with the back glass. At least the Camaro put your head in contact with a padded ceiling.

Found one I really liked, the 1 Series M Coupe. We had also been comparing Mazda 3 and Mazda 6 sized cars. Mazda came out on top in every catagory except for the 1 Series.

I've had Mercedes and except for the older ones I've been very unimpressed, but the seats and cockpit on the ??? dang it now I've forgotten which model, were very comfy and made you want to just stay there.

The big surprise was the Fiat 500. It definitely out MINI's the MINI. It's the right size inside and the shifter is a dream. I especially liked the hard fiberglass dash insert. It's color coordinated so it was very drab in the silver car, but then silver cars ARE very drab. But in the red one, it popped! I can see some vinyl wraps on that piece to really spice it up.

That is all.

At the Columbus Auto Show a few weeks ago, my dad was all interested in some stupid electric car. So I, all cocky like, ushered him over to the FIAT 500 and pointed at the difference in price, that it actually looked good, etc. We got in, he agreed that is was nicer.

Then we got out and a trim piece fell off the door.

The Chrysler rep was NOT pleased, and started grumbling under his breath something about "prototypes". Oh well. We even own a 1980 124 Spider, but pieces falling off isn't impressive.

carguy123 wrote: the Mustang 6 and Camaro 6 had one FATAL flaw - the back seat. Not that you couldn't get into it or that it was uncomfortable, but that the roofline was so low that a full size adult literally couldn't ride in it

I am 6'4" tall and couldn't get into the Camaro's drivers seat. The roof was so low I had the seat angled back so far into the back seat it was a joke. I had to lower my head and crawl out of the driver's seat. The salesman thought it was pretty funny.

Well you've got to realize that Auto Show cars are the crack whores of the showroom world, so it's not surprising when something falls off or is missing.

What I dont understand is why there aren't a team of people that go over the interiors of these cars before they go out into the Auto Show circuit and find all the stuff that comes off. Then they just Loctite everything.

I hate getting in a car and the shifter and various knobs are missing.

The Fiat 500 I sat in at the Detroit Auto show was unimpressive to me compared to the MINI. I was actually going to buy a 500 until I sat in it - all the interior bits felt cheaper, the shifter felt very clunky, and it just didn't "do it" for me like sitting in the MINI did. Everything felt just a little off.

That said, I ended up buying neither in the end.

When are the 500s actually going to be in showrooms?

They are now, IIRC, with the Abarths coming at the end of the year. I grilled the Fiat rep when they were in Minneapolis. I think I scared her a little. First questions were "Is the Abarth coming? Oh it is? Which one" After that, she knew I was for srs.

LainfordExpress wrote: At the Columbus Auto Show a few weeks ago, my dad was all interested in some stupid electric car.

Was it the Wheego?

There was one at Barber yesterday. They are neat looking little cars.

Is the Abarth ACTUALLY coming here? I haven't been able to find anything but rumors of that. What one is coming?

Did you get a price on it?

93EXCivic wrote: When are the 500s actually going to be in showrooms?

around here a new lot opened up last month with a whole mess of em right out front, i heard most of them are pre-ordered but others coming soon.

The quality of the one I sat in was superior to the Minis, but like you say there are a jillion people sitting in and going over these cars and most have pieces pried off and taken home for souvenirs.

When you sit in a car some feel comfortable and inviting and others seem to want to spit you out. The Mercedes was and example of an inviting one. Several of the cheaper smaller cars didn't seem so inviting. While the Fiat wasn't as inviting as the Mercedes, and it's not price point or features, it's fit, the Fiat was more inviting than the Mini.

It was also uglier, but I think with a large exhaust pipe and a large wing it would look nice. Can you Rice an Italian car?

killerkane wrote: Is the Abarth ACTUALLY coming here? I haven't been able to find anything but rumors of that. What one is coming? Did you get a price on it?

Abarth? Yes. 170hp one, or whatever it was. Supposed to be a direct competitior for the turbo Cooper S. Price? No clue. Ain't gonna be cheap for a couple years, cause everyones' gonna want it. Time line? End of the year/december is what the Fiat rep told me.

carguy123 wrote: It was also uglier, but I think with a large exhaust pipe and a large wing it would look nice. Can you Rice an Italian car?

Of course you can "rice" an Italian car, it's called risotto'ing it.

mndsm wrote:

carguy123 wrote: It was also uglier, but I think with a large exhaust pipe and a large wing it would look nice. Can you Rice an Italian car?

Of course you can "rice" an Italian car, it's called risotto'ing it.

Not pasta-ing?

EvanB wrote:

LainfordExpress wrote: At the Columbus Auto Show a few weeks ago, my dad was all interested in some stupid electric car.

Was it the Wheego?

Maybe, all I know is that is was all kinds of terrible and cost an absurd amount of money.

LainfordExpress wrote:

EvanB wrote:

LainfordExpress wrote: At the Columbus Auto Show a few weeks ago, my dad was all interested in some stupid electric car.

Was it the Wheego?

Maybe, all I know is that is was all kinds of terrible and cost an absurd amount of money.

Probably was, that's an accurate description of it. One of the dealerships owned by the one I work for sells them so I figured they had one at the show.

How much are the Fiats actually selling for off the showroom floors?

LainfordExpress wrote:

mndsm wrote:

carguy123 wrote: It was also uglier, but I think with a large exhaust pipe and a large wing it would look nice. Can you Rice an Italian car?

Of course you can "rice" an Italian car, it's called risotto'ing it.

Not pasta-ing?

Risotto r a form of rice. Thank you Iron Chef reruns!

pete240z wrote:

carguy123 wrote: the Mustang 6 and Camaro 6 had one FATAL flaw - the back seat. Not that you couldn't get into it or that it was uncomfortable, but that the roofline was so low that a full size adult literally couldn't ride in it

I am 6'4" tall and couldn't get into the Camaro's drivers seat. The roof was so low I had the seat angled back so far into the back seat it was a joke. I had to lower my head and crawl out of the driver's seat. The salesman thought it was pretty funny.

I recently had a new Camaro as a rental and I hated it. Couldn't wait to turn it back in after 700 miles. I'm only 5'7" and found the same flaws.

I would like the 500, but I fit in the driver's seat like a regular adult fits in the back of a new Camaro.

it is funny.. I recently was in a friend's MINI.. I found the interior actually more roomy than the front of my 900.

Funny how what we consider small now.. is really not all that tiny

mistanfo wrote: I would like the 500, but I fit in the driver's seat like a regular adult fits in the back of a new Camaro.

What size are you? The 500 is very wide & tall with lots of room inside for a small car. It's amazing how big the small cars are nowadays.

carguy123 wrote:

mistanfo wrote: I would like the 500, but I fit in the driver's seat like a regular adult fits in the back of a new Camaro.

What size are you? The 500 is very wide & tall with lots of room inside for a small car. It's amazing how big the small cars are nowadays.

And how small inside some of the 'big cars" are....

EvanB wrote:

LainfordExpress wrote:

EvanB wrote:

LainfordExpress wrote: At the Columbus Auto Show a few weeks ago, my dad was all interested in some stupid electric car.

Was it the Wheego?

Maybe, all I know is that is was all kinds of terrible and cost an absurd amount of money.

Probably was, that's an accurate description of it. One of the dealerships owned by the one I work for sells them so I figured they had one at the show.

They were from the old Mill Run Saturn dealership. They guy thought he was selling one to my dad, but the range is E36 M3ty and they are damn spendy.