Was in my first 2011 cinqucento

[spiderverde]

Stopped by the local dealer who is having a "soft opening" they call it .. they had 4, a silver demo outside and 3 on the floor one white sold and 2 of the ugliest brown cars I ever saw..one was sold ?? brown.. even the white one was brown inside but looked good.... the interior quality was real nice... whole car was very put together..impressed with the feel of the hardware the solid thump of the door closing.. no tinny feel.... Going back end of next week for test drive with my daughter....

They have a new huge building being refurbished due to open in late fall with Alfa and one more euro import yet to be named.. They were interested in having a few of us classic fiat owners stop by during grand opening and welcomed a cruise night during the week also,,... but BROWN.. ???

Ray

[So Cal Mark]

remember the brown Spiders of the 70s? That's the one color that doesn't look good on a Spider. Glad to hear the 500 impressed you though, and the dealer seems anxious to get involved with the Fiat community

[donm]

As Spiderverde knows, I'm from MA, too, but yesterday I was in Auburn Hills, Michigan on a business trip, sitting in a rented car at a gas station eating my lunch when a 500 pulled into the spot beside me. Before I could jump out of the car to talk to the driver and check it out another one pulls up on the other side of me! And then, believe it or not, three more pull up!

Chrysler Headquarters is in Auburn Hills and the drivers were employees doing some testing; I noticed all of the cars had some kind of testing instruments attached to laptops in the passenger seats. The drivers said they were doing some quality tests. That's a good sign, right?

Don

[mdrburchette]

I've been doing some quality tests of my own and I think it's a pretty good car for the money. I'm a bit concerned there's no spare tire, but they did install some type of air compressor under the seat so maybe if I get a flat I'll be able to make it to the nearest tire store. I also found if the front wipers are on and you back up, the rear wiper automatically comes on. The kids are happy they can plug in their I-pods and can change songs with the steering wheel buttons. The bluetooth technology allows you to see who is calling you before you answer. You answer with a touch of a button on the steering wheel. It also shows your fuel economy and all sorts of other stuff. I haven't fully read the owners manual yet, but I can tell you it will be my best friend for some time to come.

[manoa matt]

" they did install some type of air compressor under the seat"

Emissions regulations are getting more stringent. That device is to clear the cabin air of methane from operator posterior emissions.

"I also found if the front wipers are on and you back up, the rear wiper automatically comes on."

That sounds like a typical Fiat electrical glitch, usually found in 124 spiders, better get that checked out. See if Brad Artigue has the 500 wiring diagrams available yet.

[courtenay]

Matt - I don't think that wiper thing is an electrical glitch. My '10 Volvo XC70 has the same feature. It's actually quite handy.

[spidernut]

I don't think that the "no spare tire" is a good thing. That'll be a huge deterrent for many buyers. Of course most people today just call AAA when they get a flat. I just can't imagine having to have the car towed because it lacks a spare tire. I guess it is a good case for buying run-flat tires.

So Denise....did I miss the pictures of your 500?????? When you get a chance to get a few miles under your belt, it would be great to hear your objective vehicle review!

John

[mdrburchette]

Here you go, John:


it's a fun little car to drive and it has a bunch of newfangled techy things on it that I'm still trying to learn. I'll be checking out this compressor thingy. From what I understand, the Sport is the only one without a spare. If you look under the car, you'll see there isn't enough room to mount your original wheel under there, so I don't know what you would do with it if it went flat anyway.

[bobplyler]

Isn't the spare an option? I think it's installed under the rear like in a pickup.

[jimincalif]

Here you go, John:

You make a great couple! Enjoy!

[mdrburchette]

I don't know about the spare being optional. The dealer told me it was standard on a Pop and Lounge but not on a Sport. Maybe the 16" wheel is too big to fit under the car? I don't know. Here's what is in place of the spare:

TIREFIT KIT — IF EQUIPPED
Small punctures up to ¼ in (6 mm) in the tire tread can be sealed with TIREFIT. Foreign objects (e.g., screws or nails) should not be removed from the tire. TIREFIT can be used in outside temperatures down to approximately -4°F (-20°C).

This kit will provide a temporary tire seal, allowing you to drive your vehicle up to 100 miles (160 km) with a maximum speed of 55 mph (88 km/h).

TIREFIT Storage
The TIREFIT kit is located under the front driver seat.


TIREFIT Kit Components And Operation



Sealant Bottle
Deflation Button
Pressure Gauge
Power Button
Mode Select Knob
Sealant Hose (Clear)
Air Pump Hose (Black)
Power Plug

[courtenay]

That's kind of an interesting approach to the flat tire problem. Doesn't involve the weight and space required for a spare or the hassle of actually changing a tire on a cold, rainy night. And if the result is a tire with air in it that will get you to a proper repair spot - its all good.

[kmead]

Lovely little car with an even lovelier little woman.

You make that car look big! Wow.

Congrats on getting your car. Please keep us all in the loop with your experiences. Although I didn't get the PE, I still intend to buy a 500 Sport.

Thanks and congrats on your purchase.

Karl

[Exit98]

HI Denise,

You and the Fiat look great together. Good luck with it.

Now that you have your fancy new 500 how about selling me your old one. You don't need it anymore.

Was down in Charlotte last weekend. We were on babysitting duty with the Grandkids and Liz said we had no time for Fiats.

[spidernut]

Looks really nice! The next real thing will be the gas mileage after it is broken in. Can't wait to hear how it does!