My Abarth 595C Turismo Experience
Discussion
I've bought something that is probably about as "un-PH" as you can get, could I be further from the mark?
Criteria was: small, easy to drive, not much to worry about, fun around London as a city car, appeals to both myself and my girlfriend, not too drastic depreciation, cheap to insure and a bit of fun to own, conclusion: Abarth 595.
I tried a Competizione but decided I could deal with the hardcore seats all the time as much as I'd like the Monza exhaust system. I had no real preference between Hatchback and Convertible but did want the MTA gearbox as the car lives in London so a manual is not very much fun, and it's a 2nd car so for ease of use.
Started looking, found a car that seemed good, got £4,500 off list price for a nearly new car so put down a deposit on Wednesday and picked it up on Friday! Let me get this right, the full name is: Fiat 500 Abarth 595C Turismo Convertible, I've only had time to drive 25 or so miles on it but I already feel like this is going to be a whole lot of fun! If it sticks that way and I don't put quite so many miles on the R8 this is a very good thing (currently running at 14,500 in just the last 7 months...).
A couple of stills grabbed out of a video I did:
I had never realised that the two-tone 500s are just done with a wrap. I have my other car wrapped so I like the idea but I'd have thought when a grey car is a free colour and the two-tone grey is £950 that you'd get a little more for your money than a tiny bit of vinyl and a stripe of tape... I like the colours I have but I am wondering what it's like underneath, as in because the factory new it was being wrapped does that mean that the paint isn't properly finished underneath or is it a completely red car beneath?
Now it's time to start to think about what to modify on it... exhaust, remap, wheels, who knows! I'll post up a few things as they get done, hopefully it will be of interest to somebody out there.
Criteria was: small, easy to drive, not much to worry about, fun around London as a city car, appeals to both myself and my girlfriend, not too drastic depreciation, cheap to insure and a bit of fun to own, conclusion: Abarth 595.
I tried a Competizione but decided I could deal with the hardcore seats all the time as much as I'd like the Monza exhaust system. I had no real preference between Hatchback and Convertible but did want the MTA gearbox as the car lives in London so a manual is not very much fun, and it's a 2nd car so for ease of use.
Started looking, found a car that seemed good, got £4,500 off list price for a nearly new car so put down a deposit on Wednesday and picked it up on Friday! Let me get this right, the full name is: Fiat 500 Abarth 595C Turismo Convertible, I've only had time to drive 25 or so miles on it but I already feel like this is going to be a whole lot of fun! If it sticks that way and I don't put quite so many miles on the R8 this is a very good thing (currently running at 14,500 in just the last 7 months...).
A couple of stills grabbed out of a video I did:
I had never realised that the two-tone 500s are just done with a wrap. I have my other car wrapped so I like the idea but I'd have thought when a grey car is a free colour and the two-tone grey is £950 that you'd get a little more for your money than a tiny bit of vinyl and a stripe of tape... I like the colours I have but I am wondering what it's like underneath, as in because the factory new it was being wrapped does that mean that the paint isn't properly finished underneath or is it a completely red car beneath?
Now it's time to start to think about what to modify on it... exhaust, remap, wheels, who knows! I'll post up a few things as they get done, hopefully it will be of interest to somebody out there.
Very nice, I have an 500c bicolour myself but black and white rather than red and grey.
It came with the alloys as yours but I have now fitted white Esssesse alloys and the petals are used for winter duty.
There is so much scope in modifying - the two forums are Abarthisti and The Scorpion Club. There you will find lots of threads on individual member's car mods.
Shmee hard at work here!
It came with the alloys as yours but I have now fitted white Esssesse alloys and the petals are used for winter duty.
There is so much scope in modifying - the two forums are Abarthisti and The Scorpion Club. There you will find lots of threads on individual member's car mods.
Shmee hard at work here!
Shmee said:
Thanks, will check them out and see where to go next!
No problem Tim, here's the link to our favourite supplier of aftermarket parts.http://www.tmcmotorsport.com/AbarthTuningAccessori...
You'll probably get a lot of stuff for less than a Ferrari 458 rear diffuser in carbon fibre at £5,168
In the meanwhile, here's a pic of my 500c. I will be fitting wire mesh grilles in due course.
Record Monza gives a lovely sound at 3000rpm, but it has four outlets which I dislike. That is why I didn't get it for my A500c; appearance is perfection for me.
I drove a 695 Tributo - insane and a hoot to drive. Pocket rocketship with lashings of carbon fibre inside (as good as a 458 with its CF 'driving zone' but far cheaper!)
TMC Motorsport offers BTB, Milltek, Magnelli Marelli and Novitec etc which appeal to a wide spectrum of Abarth owners. They come in both single and twin exhaust finishes depending on make and model. Some of them are not 'road' legal as they are rather vocal/loud so you better watch out for the noise abatement squad - joking.
I suggest you go to one of the Italian nights at the Ace Cafe where there is a proper gathering of Abarths monthly and some of they will have aftermarket exhausts and modifications to show off.
There are a thousand and one ways of making it special.
I drove a 695 Tributo - insane and a hoot to drive. Pocket rocketship with lashings of carbon fibre inside (as good as a 458 with its CF 'driving zone' but far cheaper!)
TMC Motorsport offers BTB, Milltek, Magnelli Marelli and Novitec etc which appeal to a wide spectrum of Abarth owners. They come in both single and twin exhaust finishes depending on make and model. Some of them are not 'road' legal as they are rather vocal/loud so you better watch out for the noise abatement squad - joking.
I suggest you go to one of the Italian nights at the Ace Cafe where there is a proper gathering of Abarths monthly and some of they will have aftermarket exhausts and modifications to show off.
There are a thousand and one ways of making it special.
Edited by Exoticaholic on Sunday 9th June 09:12
Edited by Exoticaholic on Sunday 9th June 11:37
Edited by Exoticaholic on Sunday 9th June 11:38
Shmee said:
the full name is: Fiat 500 Abarth 595C Turismo Convertible
No. Non. Nein. It is an Abarth 595c Turismo convertible. 
Shmee said:
I had never realised that the two-tone 500s are just done with a wrap. I have my other car wrapped so I like the idea but I'd have thought when a grey car is a free colour and the two-tone grey is £950 that you'd get a little more for your money than a tiny bit of vinyl and a stripe of tape... I like the colours I have but I am wondering what it's like underneath, as in because the factory new it was being wrapped does that mean that the paint isn't properly finished underneath or is it a completely red car beneath?
The bicolour colours are actually paint. My 500c started as a black bodyshell with black bonnet and white painted on. The doors and bootlid were painted white first then black was added. Nothing would stop me from changing the white to another colour perhaps satin silver or chrome wrapping?Mutts said:
What's the MTA gearbox like?
So far I'm really enjoying it, Auto mode seems decent enough but driving on the paddles is a whole lot of fun - it feels very like a computer game.It's the same type of gearbox that my R8 has and that my Aston had too so I've got very used to them and really like it, best of both worlds!
You're not going to believe this, I've owned the car for less than 48 hours and come out to the car to find some delightful member of the public has done this and driven off without leaving a note:
As far as I can tell the damage consists of the scratching to the paint of the bumper which may clean off with some chemical stuff, but the plastic itself is also slightly dented, is there something I can do about that?
The diffuser needs replacing though, it's cracked in a few places and scraped where the impact must have been. I'm hoping this can be bought as its own part somehow that I can then install without having to go through a dealer?
Does anybody know roughly what I'm looking at if I just buy a new bumper and diffuser?
At any time it's upsetting when some tool does this and has the rudeness to just drive off, but when you're car is 2 days old it's far more distressing! The sad news is this has to come straight out of the modification budget, what a giant waste of money.
Any other ideas?
As far as I can tell the damage consists of the scratching to the paint of the bumper which may clean off with some chemical stuff, but the plastic itself is also slightly dented, is there something I can do about that?
The diffuser needs replacing though, it's cracked in a few places and scraped where the impact must have been. I'm hoping this can be bought as its own part somehow that I can then install without having to go through a dealer?
Does anybody know roughly what I'm looking at if I just buy a new bumper and diffuser?
At any time it's upsetting when some tool does this and has the rudeness to just drive off, but when you're car is 2 days old it's far more distressing! The sad news is this has to come straight out of the modification budget, what a giant waste of money.
Any other ideas?
Shmee said:
So far I'm really enjoying it, Auto mode seems decent enough but driving on the paddles is a whole lot of fun - it feels very like a computer game.
It's the same type of gearbox that my R8 has and that my Aston had too so I've got very used to them and really like it, best of both worlds!
Thats good to hear, looked at an Abarth when i was getting my MiTo & the only auto was an MTA but was a bit wary of them. Might have to try one at some point now :-)It's the same type of gearbox that my R8 has and that my Aston had too so I've got very used to them and really like it, best of both worlds!
As I said in my earlier posts, each Abarth owner has individual ideas, to reflect his/her own personality.
That said, I've had Zunsport in Cannock fit their core product in the guise of wire mesh grilles to both ends of my A500c. I am really pleased how the 'jewellery' sets off the overall product.
There are a thousand and one ways of making an Abarth 500 / 500c / 595 / 595c invidividual on top of going nuts when speccing up your factory order or buying from stock.
That said, I've had Zunsport in Cannock fit their core product in the guise of wire mesh grilles to both ends of my A500c. I am really pleased how the 'jewellery' sets off the overall product.
There are a thousand and one ways of making an Abarth 500 / 500c / 595 / 595c invidividual on top of going nuts when speccing up your factory order or buying from stock.
Hi I hope this is the right place to ask my question. I am collecting my new Abarth Turismo at the week end and the dealer is offering a three year servicing package for £929 payable monthly. Is it better to just pay each year? I normally only do about 4000 miles a year so this sounds a lot but I don't have any other Abarth dealer near me.Any advice gratefully received.Thank you.
i do wonder you know whether we live in the midst of complete a-holes who drive pieces of the crap and scrape nice new cars absolutely on purpose with no intention and qualms about driving off in cowardice because they cant afford something as nice.
maybe its my paranoia but this sort of this does seem to be on the increase or the its just the reporting of it thats increased?
no trial no jury, straight to execution for these bottom feeders.
hopefully the marks will buff out (go gentle on the new paint) and a new diffuser will sort the crack out. id be tempted to leave that diffuser for a while. maybe glue the crack together if it will hold.
maybe its my paranoia but this sort of this does seem to be on the increase or the its just the reporting of it thats increased?
no trial no jury, straight to execution for these bottom feeders.
hopefully the marks will buff out (go gentle on the new paint) and a new diffuser will sort the crack out. id be tempted to leave that diffuser for a while. maybe glue the crack together if it will hold.
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