Abarth 595 Competizione 180
Discussion
roystinho said:
Fantastic write up. Was also scouring the net for info on this little beauty, but nothing worthwhile from the major magazines.
Currently have a Clio Trophy, which I love to death, but had it 18 months now, it's the 2nd one I've owned, and I fancy a change.
Gonna go for a test drive on the back of this, cheers.
Glad to hear your enjoying it, haven't done much in it so far but like to think I'm getting used to the car and learning its character well. Have a long trip through Europe later this year and my car will be going, so should be a great chance to enjoy itCurrently have a Clio Trophy, which I love to death, but had it 18 months now, it's the 2nd one I've owned, and I fancy a change.
Gonna go for a test drive on the back of this, cheers.
I've driven a couple of hot clios, a clio 200 T in 2014 and a trophy last year. I'd fallen in love with a 208 GTi and had my heart set on it, the clio (on an admittedly city bound test drive) really didn't gel with me. Didn't like the auto box (and I don't believe you need a manual to have fun) or the size of the car, it felt massive. I've no doubt however it would be a great day to day car, and rapid too.
I'd love to hear you thoughts after a test drive of an Abarth. My brother was in mine last night and said that the car was very surprising, it didn't perform how it should based on its looks (a rapid, excitable car but still essentially a small fiat), it's a very unusual car he said and reckoned it was a much more interesting one than my 208.
Hope it goes well, just dont be a sheep and by a Fiesta ST
Turnip Farmer said:
Got a red 2010 A500 135bhp with white side stripes and 10 spoke alloys. Had it for 2 years almost and still puts smirk ?? on my face when I drive her. She's pretty much standard as like to keep her almost standard apart from few tweaks here and there.
Will try and start thread tomorrow ??
Sounds great, big fan of red, especially the new tri colour red I've seen when I got my AbarthWill try and start thread tomorrow ??
Keeping mine standard too, although the spec on the 180 pretty much makes any changes pointless (everything is branded and off really great quality), maybe some different tyres in the future...
roystinho said:
It's not the new one, an original Trophy from 2005. I struggle to find cars that have a bit of character, aren't too fast (when can you enjoy them on the rd?), but have a good dose of fun about them.
Not interested in the fiesta at all, I must see about 15 a day. Don't want an auto so the new Clio is out, and things from the class above (Megane etc) are just too capable to enjoy for me
Original trophy? That must be fantastic! My abarth is not doubt quick, but its not an easy car to get the most out of. Rough roads or clumsy throttle inputs aren't covered up in this car, you need to work to get the best out of it. That's one of the reasons I enjoy it so much.Not interested in the fiesta at all, I must see about 15 a day. Don't want an auto so the new Clio is out, and things from the class above (Megane etc) are just too capable to enjoy for me
No doubt the st is a good car, but when I see/hear one pass, can't help feeling its such a dull car compared to the abarth. The noise alone srte it apart.
Defiantly agree with cars in the class above are "too capable" now. A little car with an overpowered engine is just as fun as anything 4wd/ 300bhp +
roystinho said:
Got a test drive in a couple of weeks, that's the soonest they could get one in. They had a 695 biposto in - now that is nice, but very expensive. Though I wonder what cost of ownership would be ie in a few years are they still going to be worth a majority of their purchase price???
Hard to say about the biposto's, there are 6 currently on autotrader (which probably means there is a good if limited demand for them) but what's more shocking is that there are 3 "tributo Ferrari" (think Competizione 180 spec with a MTA gearbox and few cosmetic extras including a Ferrari badge) models that are around 5/6 years old that went for 40k new and are around the 30k Mark now.They've lost only 10k in 5 years, that pretty impressive especially when the car isn't a high end German car but essentially a small fiat. The market seems to be pretty kind to the fiat 500 in General, with even early non Abarth models getting good money.
roystinho said:
And also, what is the cheapest Abarth 500 out there at the minute? Is there one less than £7k? They seem to hold their value well regardless
Quick browse on auto trader shows the earlier ones are going for around 6, with the punto abarth's going from 5 upwards. Pinto seemed like a great car, with the same engine as the Abarth and with one of the best looking body kits on a hatch of that era. Shame it was largely ignoredroystinho said:
What tyres come on it as standard? Trying to geek up on the car but not many reviews and info out there
My competizione is running on Michelin pilot sports, not a bad tyre, first car I've ever had run on them. My old 208 yto come with pilot exalto's that I didn't really rate, the continental contisport 5's I replaced them with were far better. I'm going to switch the abarth to them soon, see how they change the car, as one of my only real complaints with the car is traction is occasionally scrappy in lower gears.roystinho said:
Pilot sport 3s aren't a bad tyre, supersports are the daddy though if they come in the right size
Pretty sure the traction problem with the abarth isn't due to its tyres, more its on/off power delivery. I'll have to check for the super sports, maybe give them a go when time to change comes. Despite my cars power and my driving, 6000 miles in the tyres are still high on tread and looking good, reckon 10-12k will be change time which seems pretty goodFatsterjack said:
Picked mine up from Westover this morning. Great weather for the drive back to Sussex, really pleased with it and surprised how comfortable I still felt after a two hour drive!
That colour spec looks great! Big fan of the yellow calipers and the grey stripes, its great how much you can change the look of a car by changing few key elements. How do you find the interior? Reckon leather seats would be a big plus point, you'll have to keep putting pics up 
Fatsterjack said:
I'll pop some more up when I get back from an overseas trip.
Natural interior complements the grey nicely and the Sabelts are brilliant. Haven't had any bother finding a comfortable driving position despite the minuted adjustability either. Also can't get over the amount of rear legroom given the size of the car.
Sounds great, reference room in the car, me and 3 mates (were all above 6 foot) fitted fine, other than the narrow opening to the back seats there's more room than In my much larger 208 I had. Natural interior complements the grey nicely and the Sabelts are brilliant. Haven't had any bother finding a comfortable driving position despite the minuted adjustability either. Also can't get over the amount of rear legroom given the size of the car.
They'd definitely sell more cars if people didn't think the car was to small for their needs
6 Months on report
Its been 6 months on since I acquired my Abarth, and seeing how i haven't written anything on this for a while i thought it would be a good chance to do a write up. Beforehand, all my write ups had been during winter, nights, bad weather and doing work rather than anything fun. now though, the weather is better and the car has had an opportunity to shine (bad pun there i think...)
The biggest change since my last update has been the weather, and odd one i know but bare with me. Now the weather is hot enough to drive windows down in the car, theres far more opportunity to enjoy its sound. Hunting out tunnels, narrow roads, in the better weather we've got now I've rediscovered how great it is to have a small car with a big sound, unmuffled by the windows. I do mention sound a lot in this thread, but as so many cars goes to a muted turbo burble, (Audi S1 anyone? 4 exhausts but no sound...) its good to celebrate one that goes against it.
Another repeat topic on this thread its the audio system, and its hilarious lack of connectivity. Theres been a change here, but its cost me.
£700 british pounds on an iPhone (other phones are available) but it seems to have partially solved the audio issue. Standard to the car is a "designed by windows" usb blue and me system. So far I've tried a Samsung S7, Amazon fire phone, and a few other android devices, none of which have been able to play songs in any way through the system. The iPhone works, but the connection isn't reliable. i often have to reconnect it to get songs/nav directions to play. The aux cable never had great quality, but the sound through a lightening cable is far better and mates have commented on how good the sound is - basic speakers but in a small space, they do a decent job. However, unless you own an iOS device (and presumably windows 10 phones) you can't play and control music in a safe way.
Another point is the sport mode, as I've mentioned before makes the steering heavier and throttle sharper. also, it frees up an extra 15ft lb of torque, and seems to slightly sound better (although even in "normal" the car isn't quiet). one thing I've wondered is whether or not its work the dull throttle response for appreciably better mpg. it can help in the city or motorway, where you don't need sudden changes of speed that an over sensitive throttle can bring but I can't resist having the sport mode on. the only thing that would change that is if the car became some hyper-milling economy star, but it doesn't. I did an hour on a motorway in each mode, and I've done a drive in and out of cardiff with each mode. on all occasions, the mpg was within 3 or so of each other, and on the motorway, it was better in sport mode. Put simply, even though it slightly turns down the engine and power delivery, theres really no point to it. it reminds me of the top gear a few years ago where a Golf GTi on the track was slightly quicker in comfort mode instead of sport.
Other notes? a service is coming up in the next 500 miles, the tyres are probably good for a couple thousand miles more (fronts only, they're predictably wearing out pretty quickly) and the car is finally getting some regular use as a four seater (even 5 once, don't ask). all in all, its going great. The only slight drama is a high pitch squeal when i reverse. could be the brake discs, as its only while reversing and turning, but it doesn't affect the motion of the car.
I'm going to get it checked out, but if anyone has any idea what it could be, feel free to post something.
can't resist a few photos of the car
Its been 6 months on since I acquired my Abarth, and seeing how i haven't written anything on this for a while i thought it would be a good chance to do a write up. Beforehand, all my write ups had been during winter, nights, bad weather and doing work rather than anything fun. now though, the weather is better and the car has had an opportunity to shine (bad pun there i think...)
The biggest change since my last update has been the weather, and odd one i know but bare with me. Now the weather is hot enough to drive windows down in the car, theres far more opportunity to enjoy its sound. Hunting out tunnels, narrow roads, in the better weather we've got now I've rediscovered how great it is to have a small car with a big sound, unmuffled by the windows. I do mention sound a lot in this thread, but as so many cars goes to a muted turbo burble, (Audi S1 anyone? 4 exhausts but no sound...) its good to celebrate one that goes against it.
Another repeat topic on this thread its the audio system, and its hilarious lack of connectivity. Theres been a change here, but its cost me.
£700 british pounds on an iPhone (other phones are available) but it seems to have partially solved the audio issue. Standard to the car is a "designed by windows" usb blue and me system. So far I've tried a Samsung S7, Amazon fire phone, and a few other android devices, none of which have been able to play songs in any way through the system. The iPhone works, but the connection isn't reliable. i often have to reconnect it to get songs/nav directions to play. The aux cable never had great quality, but the sound through a lightening cable is far better and mates have commented on how good the sound is - basic speakers but in a small space, they do a decent job. However, unless you own an iOS device (and presumably windows 10 phones) you can't play and control music in a safe way.
Another point is the sport mode, as I've mentioned before makes the steering heavier and throttle sharper. also, it frees up an extra 15ft lb of torque, and seems to slightly sound better (although even in "normal" the car isn't quiet). one thing I've wondered is whether or not its work the dull throttle response for appreciably better mpg. it can help in the city or motorway, where you don't need sudden changes of speed that an over sensitive throttle can bring but I can't resist having the sport mode on. the only thing that would change that is if the car became some hyper-milling economy star, but it doesn't. I did an hour on a motorway in each mode, and I've done a drive in and out of cardiff with each mode. on all occasions, the mpg was within 3 or so of each other, and on the motorway, it was better in sport mode. Put simply, even though it slightly turns down the engine and power delivery, theres really no point to it. it reminds me of the top gear a few years ago where a Golf GTi on the track was slightly quicker in comfort mode instead of sport.
Other notes? a service is coming up in the next 500 miles, the tyres are probably good for a couple thousand miles more (fronts only, they're predictably wearing out pretty quickly) and the car is finally getting some regular use as a four seater (even 5 once, don't ask). all in all, its going great. The only slight drama is a high pitch squeal when i reverse. could be the brake discs, as its only while reversing and turning, but it doesn't affect the motion of the car.
I'm going to get it checked out, but if anyone has any idea what it could be, feel free to post something.
can't resist a few photos of the car
Pageo said:
Excellent posts Craig, Im still undecided on one of these! Reason being is that i have the 595's bigger brother the Punto evo Abarth. Although the 595 is smaller i'm guessing with all that power and noise it is a hoon to drive. The interscope hi-fi system is a must have as the standard Abarth one is poor i think.
The two things i would miss from the punto would be 6 gears and cruise control, But that monza sound would make up for that?
Photos of the Abarth punto evo and my friends 595 competizione.
James,
Awesome looking cars, I came very close to ordering a punto Abarth in January 2014, but ended up in a 208 GTi. The dealer said the punto had just gone out of production and he had one of the last imported in his showroom. Unfortunately for him, he clearly wasn't in the mood to sell a car that day and asked me to leave so he could shut up early The two things i would miss from the punto would be 6 gears and cruise control, But that monza sound would make up for that?
Photos of the Abarth punto evo and my friends 595 competizione.
James,
I'm quite biased in my defence of the 595, as I live in s lovely bit of Wales full of sweeping lanes and good a roads. On the occasion I drive into a badly rutted street, like ones in Cardiff, I soon realise you can't realistically live with one in an area like that. The one place it excels however is the motorway - cramped (for me, 6ft 5) driving position aside, the ride is great and the steering very settled. No cruise control but I struggled to use it in my 208, as I always ended up making changes to speed so just never used it.
Maybe a lower spec none Koni dampers one could be a good compromise? I drove a 160 for a test drive on normal seats and suspension and I reckon that's the pick of the range all things considered.
FIRST SERVICE @ 9000 MILES
The Abarth had its first service last friday, at Wessex garages in Cardiff (where i bought said Abarth 6 months ago) Overall, it went great. No major problems, good service by the staff and only took an hour. Only had two small issues flagged up. One was the front offside tyre, showing wear and needing a change soon (but still legal). the other issue? the front nearside tyre. If anyone has any idea how an overly turbo charged 180 bhp fiat has worn out its tyres, please let me know
They'll be 84 pound to replace, and judging by how well I enjoyed the service, Ill be getting it done there.
The service took an hour, with an oil change, filter and health check all taking place. The car certainly seems peppier, and louder too. A couple of blokes in a polo at a roundabout shouted that they couldn't believe that little fiat only had 1.4 litres because "it sounded like an f-ing Ferrari" (Once again, another reason not to buy a quiet hot hatch).
While waiting there, I had a look around the Hyundai garage (Wessex in cardiff is Fiat,Kia Abarth and Hyundai) and as far as i could tell, Hyundai is right up there as a car maker. The Tuscon they had in the showroom was fantastic looking, and i think they occupy a niche one owned by Volvo for being a sensible and good car choice. They even had a i30 Turbo, a warm hatch that looked fantastic. The supplied Brochures in the waiting room had a top gear magazine article which showed what they make in Korea, and i was staggered by their scale. World's largest car factory been one of their records held, and they make everything from concrete to ship engines. If only they did an i10 turbo...
Moving on, one thing i did like was the health check, which most garages now offer. What made it stand out was the video they posted off it too me, which means you can see the various parts of the car that you can't get to without a lift. Nice to see my 595's massive brakes, big springs and starring joints all in good order. And nice to see that the exhaust isn't just 4 pipes on the back, but a good sizeable piece of kit
https://youtu.be/AvbUTic6v7U
The only bad point there was the valet, they might has well have not bothered. My 208 was always spotless when i got it back from Peugeot, proof that even ask the lower end of cars, good cleaning can be done. Other than that, Id highly recommend Wessex garages.
So, 7 months in, 9700 on the clock and all is going well. thanks to the fantastic weather we've had, the windows have been down too take in the awesome sound of the monza exhaust and the miles have all been enjoyed. Work commitments mean my road trip has been delayed, but hopefully ill get out on a big trip soon.
The Abarth had its first service last friday, at Wessex garages in Cardiff (where i bought said Abarth 6 months ago) Overall, it went great. No major problems, good service by the staff and only took an hour. Only had two small issues flagged up. One was the front offside tyre, showing wear and needing a change soon (but still legal). the other issue? the front nearside tyre. If anyone has any idea how an overly turbo charged 180 bhp fiat has worn out its tyres, please let me know
They'll be 84 pound to replace, and judging by how well I enjoyed the service, Ill be getting it done there.
The service took an hour, with an oil change, filter and health check all taking place. The car certainly seems peppier, and louder too. A couple of blokes in a polo at a roundabout shouted that they couldn't believe that little fiat only had 1.4 litres because "it sounded like an f-ing Ferrari" (Once again, another reason not to buy a quiet hot hatch).
While waiting there, I had a look around the Hyundai garage (Wessex in cardiff is Fiat,Kia Abarth and Hyundai) and as far as i could tell, Hyundai is right up there as a car maker. The Tuscon they had in the showroom was fantastic looking, and i think they occupy a niche one owned by Volvo for being a sensible and good car choice. They even had a i30 Turbo, a warm hatch that looked fantastic. The supplied Brochures in the waiting room had a top gear magazine article which showed what they make in Korea, and i was staggered by their scale. World's largest car factory been one of their records held, and they make everything from concrete to ship engines. If only they did an i10 turbo...
Moving on, one thing i did like was the health check, which most garages now offer. What made it stand out was the video they posted off it too me, which means you can see the various parts of the car that you can't get to without a lift. Nice to see my 595's massive brakes, big springs and starring joints all in good order. And nice to see that the exhaust isn't just 4 pipes on the back, but a good sizeable piece of kit
https://youtu.be/AvbUTic6v7U
The only bad point there was the valet, they might has well have not bothered. My 208 was always spotless when i got it back from Peugeot, proof that even ask the lower end of cars, good cleaning can be done. Other than that, Id highly recommend Wessex garages.
So, 7 months in, 9700 on the clock and all is going well. thanks to the fantastic weather we've had, the windows have been down too take in the awesome sound of the monza exhaust and the miles have all been enjoyed. Work commitments mean my road trip has been delayed, but hopefully ill get out on a big trip soon.
Some news from the web
Over the course of hot hatches, there have been good times (80's) and bad (90s) and there are some properly good points (now seems to be a golden age)
Much like the overall market, the market for small hatches has had some great times and great cars (106 GTi/Saxo VTS etc) but I think now the market favours larger, heavier and more expensive stuff. Other than the Vauxhall Adam S, which ain't bad but it's 158 Bhp and pricing to match a fiesta st, and the Suzuki swift sport (which is pushing into superminis territory rather than city car), the market is pretty flat
However, this week, VW have finally announced there going to give the Up the GTi treatment;
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/volkswa...
And THEN, Renault announced the Twingo would be getting a work over;
http://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-eurocars/renaul...
I'm sure they'll both be good, but how good? The Renault is quite expensive due to its complex power train, it's top model at the moment costs the same as an entry abarth with 135 Bhp which I think is a far better value buy. Pushing upwards on that puts it into fiesta st territory which I'm damn sure it won't have a chance against.
Hopefully vw gets the pricing right on its up and it could be a good mini hot hatch, but I doubt it'll be up there in terms of power with the abarth 595, and again, the current supermini crop are SO GOOD and not much more expensive, maybe that explains the mini hatch dry spell going on? The only reason the abarth sells is because it's such a unique proposition in its design and popularity, they may struggle to find a market. I hope VW and Renault do well, because they'll be great cars.
Hopefully Peugeot/Toyota/Citroen do a little make over on there cars - 1.2 turbo, 140 odd Bhp, cheap price, tiny weight, I'm sure that would be a proper challenger
I'll leave you with this from auto car, a little shout out to the best current mini hot hatch out on sale
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/five-be...
Over the course of hot hatches, there have been good times (80's) and bad (90s) and there are some properly good points (now seems to be a golden age)
Much like the overall market, the market for small hatches has had some great times and great cars (106 GTi/Saxo VTS etc) but I think now the market favours larger, heavier and more expensive stuff. Other than the Vauxhall Adam S, which ain't bad but it's 158 Bhp and pricing to match a fiesta st, and the Suzuki swift sport (which is pushing into superminis territory rather than city car), the market is pretty flat
However, this week, VW have finally announced there going to give the Up the GTi treatment;
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/volkswa...
And THEN, Renault announced the Twingo would be getting a work over;
http://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-eurocars/renaul...
I'm sure they'll both be good, but how good? The Renault is quite expensive due to its complex power train, it's top model at the moment costs the same as an entry abarth with 135 Bhp which I think is a far better value buy. Pushing upwards on that puts it into fiesta st territory which I'm damn sure it won't have a chance against.
Hopefully vw gets the pricing right on its up and it could be a good mini hot hatch, but I doubt it'll be up there in terms of power with the abarth 595, and again, the current supermini crop are SO GOOD and not much more expensive, maybe that explains the mini hatch dry spell going on? The only reason the abarth sells is because it's such a unique proposition in its design and popularity, they may struggle to find a market. I hope VW and Renault do well, because they'll be great cars.
Hopefully Peugeot/Toyota/Citroen do a little make over on there cars - 1.2 turbo, 140 odd Bhp, cheap price, tiny weight, I'm sure that would be a proper challenger
I'll leave you with this from auto car, a little shout out to the best current mini hot hatch out on sale
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/five-be...
My mate recently bought a Polo GTi, not a bad car but can't say it blew my socks off and can't help thinking my old 208 GTi would eat it for breakfast (then I am probably biased)
My Abarth is pretty hard core compared to the likes of most regular hot hatches but no more so than other hard core hatches (type r) etc so while it takes a bit more commitment that a fiesta ST or the like, it's by no means impossible to live with
My Abarth is pretty hard core compared to the likes of most regular hot hatches but no more so than other hard core hatches (type r) etc so while it takes a bit more commitment that a fiesta ST or the like, it's by no means impossible to live with
Fair one mate, when you say it like that it's a good point, I forget sometimes been a single bloke and living in rural Wales some people have to actually use their cars or heaven forbid go over speed bumps (which I don't recommend in the Abarth lol)
Do see a lot of Polo GTis about now, is yours a manual or Dsg? Guessing the manual option increased their sales no end
Do see a lot of Polo GTis about now, is yours a manual or Dsg? Guessing the manual option increased their sales no end
18k update
Been a while since I wrote anything significant on here so thought its about time. Since I've last wrote, had some dramas with the windscreen, helped my mate look for a new car and just about to get it in for its second service.
Windscreen
Couple of weeks ago I noticed cleaning my car what I thought was pretty stubborn dead fly on my windscreen, which on closer inspection seemed to be a very small but pretty deep little chip, about eye line on the passenger side. Damn, I've seen the Autoglass adverts, going over a bump or hot/cold will surely shatter that, especially with my cars "rather firm" ride. So, I left the car stationary for a week until i could get an appointment with Autoglass to get my windscreen repaired. When I applied on the website the 130 quid bill was a shocker but it then said that the car was covered by insurance so I only had a 25 quid excess to pay; not great but soon this debacle would be over.
Unfortunately, the adverts and the reality didn't quite match. On the adverts its all smiles and a bit of glue into the chip and all is well. In actual fact, the Abarth's windscreen had to go through a pretty rough diagnosis to see if the chip can be repaired, including scrapping the chip with a screwdriver, pressure vacuumed and then glued. All of the above meant the chip soon became a 5 cm crack on the windscreen, meaning not only a full replacement needed but 75 quid too.
Fast forward to next week when my windscreen was ready to be repaired and I was initially impressed by the skill needed to replace the windscreen, including a wire cutter that would peel through the windscreen glue and remove the glass, but after the 3rd time the wire had snapped I was getting pretty impatient. Fiat's aren't known for been made out of lead and diamonds so can't see how the windscreen would be too hard for apparently the biggest glass repair company to remove but, hey at least it ESSENTIALLY FOR MY SAFTEY, a windscreen is structurally important to the car and its crash structure.
Auto glass' technician didn't agree, and said that theres no point repairing a chip, and even with a crack the glass should be strong. If anything, the adverts are just to scare customers into getting a chip repaired, which usually cracks the screen, meaning they need a new screen. Chips, aren't even an issue, and go go years without breaking. Whether or not this is accurate, it is a bit of a p*ss take to hear I'm spending 75 quid on something even the technician doesn't agree with. It was nice to see how the car could be taken apart and a new screen replaced but my advice to anyone with a chip on their screen would be approach this with caution - I'm sure a crack should be repaired asap but I'd chance a chip windscreen again to avoid spending much time and money on something I don't particularly see as beneficial.
Car Shopping
Not for myself unfortunately, but seeing as this is the 11th mate I've helped buy a car for (combination of car knowledge and always free on the weekends no doubt) its good to chat about what "normal" people look for in a car. Crazily, most people aren't looking for 4 pipe exhausts, race suspension and stripes on their car (their loss).
My mate in question's 8 year BMW 320D has just expired (engine needing replacement because literally everything has broken) and he had a budget of 400ish pound a month or £35,000 for a coupe/sports car. The default choice was the Audi TT of which he's owned the MK1 a few years back and was keen to try the new one. My Impressions of the TT? its really not bad. Disregard any image perception you might have, and viewed as a car, the base 1.8 180bhp manual we drove was quick enough, quite sporty and very comfortable. As an everyday car it would be very good. As a petrolhead though, it did feel ordinary, good at everything but hardly the sort of car id write a forum post about. And my biggest problem, is why buy a coupe when hot hatches are so good? In terms of driving theres no reason to have a small, low coupe as a modern hot hatch can drive as well as if not better, and seat 4/5 adults and carry a lot of luggage and when your not in a hurry, just be a good hatchback. The TT was good but in my eyes, not justifiable.
The next car was very much however; a new Honda Civic Type R. I don't know how I justified this to my mate but after a test drive I was glad I did. Its a Truly fantastic car and a huge jump up from what the Abarth was in terms of performance. Theres only a second or so in the 0-60 (officially at least) but the civic is in a total different league. The Honda Civic is a great car, practical, smart, comfy and i think good looking too. With the type R you get that and so much more. Our demo car was in black and looked both subtle(ish) and also menacing. The route we drove showed off its handling well but i was very surprised with the ride - much more comfy than you would imagine, and more so than a certain daily driver fiat I use. However, I've read in +R mode the car is undriveable on the roads, and I'd have to agree. I couldn't believe how much movement the case was picking up, it was as if every bump was magnified before being transmitted to the cabin. Back in Regular mode however, the car settled down. When my Abarth comes up for a change, the next civic type R will be high up on my shopping list.
A few other cars didn't make the grade - Lexus RC 300h looked great and its interior does feel special but i think Lexus forgot to add any "dynamics" to that car. why anyone would buy one is beyond me, as a cheaper BMW/Audi diesel is quicker, more economical and just as nice inside. The Kia Pro ceed GT didn't go down great either, despite the good reviews on EVO, my mate wasn't keen. On a side note however, the huge 7 seat Kia Sorento looked great, and I was rather taken by it. Its hard to think of a car more opposed to my Abarth but should I ever get 5 kids I know what ill get With the Peugeot 308 GTi we had a much bigger problem - finding one. The only one within 40 miles was being used by the car dealership's manager, and no, he wasn't interested in letting it out for test drives. Ive encountered this before, trying to get a certain car model can be a nightmare. A hot GTi and the regular car its based on aren't really comparable, despite being told that a 1.6 diesel 308 they had was "just as good to drive"
A chance look in a BMW garage bought up a massive find too - a new M240i coupe, in black, auto. It looked just like any common 2 series, but with huge brakes and a 4.6 0-60. it was going for 40k, but had a 7k discount with a further 2k if bought on PCP. Thats a 31k coupe with a 0-60 from a not to distant Ferrari, loaded with every piece of kit anyone could want. A look on auto trader shows this isn't an anomaly either, theres a huge amount of M235i's and M240is going for reasonable money on a PCP. If I were looking for a new car, id forget all my prejudices about not wanting to buy german like everyone else and have a long hard look at whats available...
As it is, he still hasn't decided. Me? Honda would have it buy a huge margin. Its great to see not only Honda are making "great" cars again but also something so focused - its not an automatic, comfy, subtle, rapid hatch, its a hardcore sports car with 5 seats and a good boot. Its just a great drivers car and long may they continue.
So my next service is due, and I'm reckoning the front tyres are due for a change soon, not sure whether ill go with the standard michelin's or try something new. Any ideas?
Been a while since I wrote anything significant on here so thought its about time. Since I've last wrote, had some dramas with the windscreen, helped my mate look for a new car and just about to get it in for its second service.
Windscreen
Couple of weeks ago I noticed cleaning my car what I thought was pretty stubborn dead fly on my windscreen, which on closer inspection seemed to be a very small but pretty deep little chip, about eye line on the passenger side. Damn, I've seen the Autoglass adverts, going over a bump or hot/cold will surely shatter that, especially with my cars "rather firm" ride. So, I left the car stationary for a week until i could get an appointment with Autoglass to get my windscreen repaired. When I applied on the website the 130 quid bill was a shocker but it then said that the car was covered by insurance so I only had a 25 quid excess to pay; not great but soon this debacle would be over.
Unfortunately, the adverts and the reality didn't quite match. On the adverts its all smiles and a bit of glue into the chip and all is well. In actual fact, the Abarth's windscreen had to go through a pretty rough diagnosis to see if the chip can be repaired, including scrapping the chip with a screwdriver, pressure vacuumed and then glued. All of the above meant the chip soon became a 5 cm crack on the windscreen, meaning not only a full replacement needed but 75 quid too.
Fast forward to next week when my windscreen was ready to be repaired and I was initially impressed by the skill needed to replace the windscreen, including a wire cutter that would peel through the windscreen glue and remove the glass, but after the 3rd time the wire had snapped I was getting pretty impatient. Fiat's aren't known for been made out of lead and diamonds so can't see how the windscreen would be too hard for apparently the biggest glass repair company to remove but, hey at least it ESSENTIALLY FOR MY SAFTEY, a windscreen is structurally important to the car and its crash structure.
Auto glass' technician didn't agree, and said that theres no point repairing a chip, and even with a crack the glass should be strong. If anything, the adverts are just to scare customers into getting a chip repaired, which usually cracks the screen, meaning they need a new screen. Chips, aren't even an issue, and go go years without breaking. Whether or not this is accurate, it is a bit of a p*ss take to hear I'm spending 75 quid on something even the technician doesn't agree with. It was nice to see how the car could be taken apart and a new screen replaced but my advice to anyone with a chip on their screen would be approach this with caution - I'm sure a crack should be repaired asap but I'd chance a chip windscreen again to avoid spending much time and money on something I don't particularly see as beneficial.
Car Shopping
Not for myself unfortunately, but seeing as this is the 11th mate I've helped buy a car for (combination of car knowledge and always free on the weekends no doubt
) its good to chat about what "normal" people look for in a car. Crazily, most people aren't looking for 4 pipe exhausts, race suspension and stripes on their car (their loss).My mate in question's 8 year BMW 320D has just expired (engine needing replacement because literally everything has broken) and he had a budget of 400ish pound a month or £35,000 for a coupe/sports car. The default choice was the Audi TT of which he's owned the MK1 a few years back and was keen to try the new one. My Impressions of the TT? its really not bad. Disregard any image perception you might have, and viewed as a car, the base 1.8 180bhp manual we drove was quick enough, quite sporty and very comfortable. As an everyday car it would be very good. As a petrolhead though, it did feel ordinary, good at everything but hardly the sort of car id write a forum post about. And my biggest problem, is why buy a coupe when hot hatches are so good? In terms of driving theres no reason to have a small, low coupe as a modern hot hatch can drive as well as if not better, and seat 4/5 adults and carry a lot of luggage and when your not in a hurry, just be a good hatchback. The TT was good but in my eyes, not justifiable.
The next car was very much however; a new Honda Civic Type R. I don't know how I justified this to my mate but after a test drive I was glad I did. Its a Truly fantastic car and a huge jump up from what the Abarth was in terms of performance. Theres only a second or so in the 0-60 (officially at least) but the civic is in a total different league. The Honda Civic is a great car, practical, smart, comfy and i think good looking too. With the type R you get that and so much more. Our demo car was in black and looked both subtle(ish) and also menacing. The route we drove showed off its handling well but i was very surprised with the ride - much more comfy than you would imagine, and more so than a certain daily driver fiat I use. However, I've read in +R mode the car is undriveable on the roads, and I'd have to agree. I couldn't believe how much movement the case was picking up, it was as if every bump was magnified before being transmitted to the cabin. Back in Regular mode however, the car settled down. When my Abarth comes up for a change, the next civic type R will be high up on my shopping list.
A few other cars didn't make the grade - Lexus RC 300h looked great and its interior does feel special but i think Lexus forgot to add any "dynamics" to that car. why anyone would buy one is beyond me, as a cheaper BMW/Audi diesel is quicker, more economical and just as nice inside. The Kia Pro ceed GT didn't go down great either, despite the good reviews on EVO, my mate wasn't keen. On a side note however, the huge 7 seat Kia Sorento looked great, and I was rather taken by it. Its hard to think of a car more opposed to my Abarth but should I ever get 5 kids I know what ill get
With the Peugeot 308 GTi we had a much bigger problem - finding one. The only one within 40 miles was being used by the car dealership's manager, and no, he wasn't interested in letting it out for test drives. Ive encountered this before, trying to get a certain car model can be a nightmare. A hot GTi and the regular car its based on aren't really comparable, despite being told that a 1.6 diesel 308 they had was "just as good to drive" A chance look in a BMW garage bought up a massive find too - a new M240i coupe, in black, auto. It looked just like any common 2 series, but with huge brakes and a 4.6 0-60. it was going for 40k, but had a 7k discount with a further 2k if bought on PCP. Thats a 31k coupe with a 0-60 from a not to distant Ferrari, loaded with every piece of kit anyone could want. A look on auto trader shows this isn't an anomaly either, theres a huge amount of M235i's and M240is going for reasonable money on a PCP. If I were looking for a new car, id forget all my prejudices about not wanting to buy german like everyone else and have a long hard look at whats available...
As it is, he still hasn't decided. Me? Honda would have it buy a huge margin. Its great to see not only Honda are making "great" cars again but also something so focused - its not an automatic, comfy, subtle, rapid hatch, its a hardcore sports car with 5 seats and a good boot. Its just a great drivers car and long may they continue.
So my next service is due, and I'm reckoning the front tyres are due for a change soon, not sure whether ill go with the standard michelin's or try something new. Any ideas?
rampageturke said:
ecsrobin said:
rampageturke said:
ecsrobin said:
It is in the configurator but it's only available on a Competizione.
oh damn haha I didn't realise there were arrows to scroll across on the optionswoops cheers
Or save time and just order the one you off the configuration, looks pretty good
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