Bloody FIATs

[Connor]

So I now drive a fiat 500 as some are aware. 2.8 190 HP to a 1.3 diesel F500 with 75HP.

I've noticed that drivers seem to take advantage of me when in the 500, cutting me up, tailgating on the motorway and I've had enough.
Yes it gave me 63mpg on a trip up to York and back at the weekend and yes it has Bluetooth phone capabilities and yes it's incredibly easy to park.

BUT.

I it a Z?

No it definitely is not.

The build quality is awful, it doesn't have roofless capabilities, the brakes are like milk bottle tops and there's no throttle response.

So here's what I'm proposing.

A 2.5 Z4 just after my birthday and the insurance is much lower than now. The Z4 WILL be better on fuel than the old 2.8 (definitely not better than the 500) but it'll be a Z again and my life will be complete.

I thought the tax/insurance/fuel savings of having the 500 would outweigh the fun factor of a z3/4 but they don't really.

Thoughts?

Connor.

 

[andyglym]

So I now drive a fiat 500 as some are aware. 2.8 190 HP to a 1.3 diesel F500 with 75HP.

I've noticed that drivers seem to take advantage of me when in the 500, cutting me up, tailgating on the motorway and I've had enough.
Yes it gave me 63mpg on a trip up to York and back at the weekend and yes it has Bluetooth phone capabilities and yes it's incredibly easy to park.

BUT.

I it a Z?

No it definitely is not.

The build quality is awful, it doesn't have roofless capabilities, the brakes are like milk bottle tops and there's no throttle response.

So here's what I'm proposing.

A 2.5 Z4 just after my birthday and the insurance is much lower than now. The Z4 WILL be better on fuel than the old 2.8 (definitely not better than the 500) but it'll be a Z again and my life will be complete.

I thought the tax/insurance/fuel savings of having the 500 would outweigh the fun factor of a z3/4 but they don't really.

Thoughts?

Connor.

Go for it Connor. Small City cars are great and have their place, they are however the Devil's work in the fun and driving experience department. A Zed all day long for me and many use them as their daily driver too.

 

[Shelly]

I think you need to get a Z again
Just think of all the joy it brings you
And all the meets you can go on and all the fun one will bring you
Your missing out
Take the advice of a older lady and get a Z again

 

[t-tony]

Tell your dad you've changed your mind Connor steal the Z3 and leave the Fiat key in it's place. You did keep a spare key didn't you?
My Z4 is a joy as a daily drive mate. Only big hit for you will be MPG but is that worth all the SPG?

Tony.

 

[Grumps]

Do it!

 

[M666BMG]

Fix
It
Again
Tony!

 

[Dino D]

Good for you!

I think the engine size on the 6cylinders can be a red herring as to MPG you actually get. The difference in MPG between the 6cyls like the 2.0, 2,2, 2.5, 2.8, 3.0 is tiny in reality (excluding the newer style engines which I think are called NXX rather than MXX)

It seems that driving style and journeys have the biggest effect. All are capable of very high mpg when driven like miss daisy with a tailwind on the motorway downhill and all are capable of single digits on track if you try hard enough. You'll see reports of great/poor mpg for all the 6 cyls and the only thing I can think that makes the difference is the driver and journey.

 

[t-tony]

Generally speaking I think you're right Dino, I do get better mpg from my 3.0 Z4 than a 2.0 Z3 now the novelty is wearing off and the roads are getting less dry, but the difference isn't that great!

Tony.

 

[Connor]

Tell your dad you've changed your mind Connor steal the Z3 and leave the Fiat key in it's place. You did keep a spare key didn't you?
My Z4 is a joy as a daily drive mate. Only big hit for you will be MPG but is that worth all the SPG?

Tony.

It only had one key Tony, but he does work away all week...

I think when I got rid of the Z3 the MPG wasn't the only issue the car had little quirks which made me want something else. But now I've got something else it doesn't compete at all.

Z4 in January then!

Weirdly I've run insurance quotes and the 2.0 is the most expensive to insure!? Then the 3.0 then 2.2 then the 2.5 being the cheapest.

Are 90+ thousand milers still good to go for?

Connor.

 

[andyglym]

It only had one key Tony, but he does work away all week...

I think when I got rid of the Z3 the MPG wasn't the only issue the car had little quirks which made me want something else. But now I've got something else it doesn't compete at all.

Z4 in January then!

Weirdly I've run insurance quotes and the 2.0 is the most expensive to insure!? Then the 3.0 then 2.2 then the 2.5 being the cheapest.

Are 90+ thousand milers still good to go for?

Connor.

@Connor buy on condition both mechanical and cosmetic would be my advice. "High" miles shouldn't be an issue if it's been well maintained and a good service history.

 

[t-tony]

It only had one key Tony, but he does work away all week...

I think when I got rid of the Z3 the MPG wasn't the only issue the car had little quirks which made me want something else. But now I've got something else it doesn't compete at all.

Z4 in January then!

Weirdly I've run insurance quotes and the 2.0 is the most expensive to insure!? Then the 3.0 then 2.2 then the 2.5 being the cheapest.

Are 90+ thousand milers still good to go for?

Connor.

As per any car to be honest Conner, the more service/maintainance history the better. 90,000 miles is nothing to these cars, mine was very low mileage but if it had 118k I don't think it would drive much differently. If you're buying from a dealer I would hope to get a mechanical (at least major items) warranty many of which can be renewed after the first year.

Tony.

 

[Bozzy]

@Connor good to see you're getting another zed
How's your Dad doing with the 2.8 ?

Steve.

 

[Connor]

As per any car to be honest Conner, the more service/maintainance history the better. 90,000 miles is nothing to these cars, mine was very low mileage but if it had 118k I don't think it would drive much differently. If you're buying from a dealer I would hope to get a mechanical (at least major items) warranty many of which can be renewed after the first year.

Tony.

Seen a few around 4k that look alright but just unsure whether that's the going rate or it's cheap and I should avoid them.

@Connor good to see you're getting another zed
How's your Dad doing with the 2.8 ?

Steve.

Yeah my dads getting on well with it Steve hasn't been for a good blast in it yet I don't think but he's given it a good clean and polish!

Connor.

 

[t-tony]

whether that's the going rate

Only advice really mate is put some miles in and go look at some take pictures and then compare at your leisure.The one I bought had only 16,500 miles on it (53 plate) and I'd been watching it for a good while and all the time I'm wondering why it hasn't sold. The seller was asking nearly 9K for it but what I paid, including the value of the car I traded against it meant I bought it for far less than 9K. This time of year is more a buyer's market so if you see one push for the best deal you can get. A trader is coming into a fairly hard time regarding selling cars of any type let alone roadsters so he'll more than likely like to put some money in the bank. Don't look too eager and be prepared to walk away and test his resolve.

Tony.

 

[Connor]

Only advice really mate is put some miles in and go look at some take pictures and then compare at your leisure.The one I bought had only 16,500 miles on it (53 plate) and I'd been watching it for a good while and all the time I'm wondering why it hasn't sold. The seller was asking nearly 9K for it but what I paid, including the value of the car I traded against it meant I bought it for far less than 9K. This time of year is more a buyer's market so if you see one push for the best deal you can get. A trader is coming into a fairly hard time regarding selling cars of any type let alone roadsters so he'll more than likely like to put some money in the bank. Don't look too eager and be prepared to walk away and test his resolve.

Tony.

Sounds like a good idea tony. Mileage doesn't really bother me to be honest both Z3s I've had previously have had over 90,000 miles on them and been ok with the odd issue, but nothing that couldn't be sorted fairly easily. So the z4 being newer and more refined you would expect to last longer.

Connor.

 

[gookah]

I love my fiat 500s, 1.2 petrol, hardly any power but enough to get around town, easy to park, nice inside and I think the build quality is pretty good..

 

[M666BMG]

I love my fiat 500s, 1.2 petrol, hardly any power but enough to get around town, easy to park, nice inside and I think the build quality is pretty good..

It's a woman's car m laud!

 

[Connor]

I love my fiat 500s, 1.2 petrol, hardly any power but enough to get around town, easy to park, nice inside and I think the build quality is pretty good..

I suppose they are fairly cheap but I just feel they really have been built to a fairly tight budget. I expect too much I think after having the Z.

Also I think if I had the 500 for the times when I need good mpg and the Z3/4 for when I wanna have fun I would love it too. But it's my only car unfortunately

 

[gookah]

It's a woman's car m laud!

I am fully comfortable with my heterosexual manliness. (unlike my boyfriend) thats why I also have a hairdressers car, same as you have

 

[pgunter]

Work Car VW Pasatt CC GT 180bhp Tdi... goes very nicely... up and down the motorways.. In town she is quick enough.. only downside is that she eats front tyres for some reason.. hahaha... oh and still gives me 55mpg so the computer leads me to believe..

For the fun though, I have to have my Zed fix... in fact.. I Need My Zed fix... i could not be without it. So looking at your small FIAT 500, it has its place... Home to Shops to Home... Change to Zed... Home to Country lane to Wherever... think about going home... No.. Country Lane.. Then home..

Just look for a good well looked after Z4. History and a good driver who keeps service bills even if it does have high mileage and a complete history will always win over a high milage not cared for car.

Good Hunting.