Fiat 500 'Pop'
Author
Discussion

mazdajason

Original Poster:

1,113 posts

201 months

Monday 20th January 2014
quotequote all
Afternoon all,

I'm looking at buying (on pcp) a Fiat 500 pop for my wife. I know she likes them and we were at the dealer on Sunday and i am quite taken by them. Does anyone own one? We can spec it however much we like but I think we will do it still quite cheeply so the 1.2 engine in red with the white wing mirrors, wheels and aerial. No A/c but with the bluetooth and Aux port.
Any other necessities? We will probably take out the 3 year servicing plan as well at around £360 i think it was.

The deal is £126 deposit then £126 a month for 4 years. Once I have added in a couple of extras as above and upped the mileage from 20k over 4 years to 30k it was coming i njust shy of £150 a month. Is there anything else we should be looking at in that range?
Should say that we have no car to use as a trade in, her MX5 is going to her dad and i'm keeping my car.
Thoughts? Cheers smile

LuS1fer

43,505 posts

274 months

Monday 20th January 2014
quotequote all
I would say A/C is a desirable option myself.

Jim AK

4,029 posts

153 months

Monday 20th January 2014
quotequote all
LuS1fer said:
I would say A/C is a desirable option myself.
Seconded.

GAjon

4,083 posts

242 months

Monday 20th January 2014
quotequote all
I'd ( I did) go for the lounge for a few quid more, get the a/c and alloys.

MGZRod

8,176 posts

205 months

Monday 20th January 2014
quotequote all
Get A/C. I use a 500 as a work car and on hot days in summer it's diabolically hot in it. Also the fans are crap so I imagine it'd help demisting the windows etc too.

Unlight

492 posts

209 months

Monday 20th January 2014
quotequote all
Definitely spec the air conditioning.

Did you look into the "lounge" spec? Might be a few quid extra a month but it's much better specced!

vincevega

134 posts

161 months

Monday 20th January 2014
quotequote all
Another vote for A/C here. I'd also consider the body coloured side rubbing strips.

GoneBananas

129 posts

165 months

Monday 20th January 2014
quotequote all
My wife had the 'lounge' which was fine, but we traded it in last year for a twin air because it feels quicker. Since your wife is moving from a Mazda MX5 it might be worth your while taking a test drive in a twin air to see the difference. Otherwise, agree with comments about the A/C.

trashbat

6,305 posts

182 months

Monday 20th January 2014
quotequote all
The missus has a 1.2 500S, the sport trim, which is a nice step up from her previous Lounge. She got a hefty 'friends and family' discount (£2k?) from Fiat because her sister works for a dealer, and I think it costs her £135 a month over four years. That's without a deposit although obviously she did give back her previous 500, so it's maybe more complicated.

Anyway the point of that was that you may be paying slightly over the odds - I'm sure there's some room for negotiation.

mazdajason

Original Poster:

1,113 posts

201 months

Monday 20th January 2014
quotequote all
Cheers everyone, so i'll definitely go back and spec the A/C as well. Potential for the body coloured door strips and if it works out to go for the 'Lounge' spec as it may end up cheaper. Thats great thanks a tonne.

Anyone care to comment on how they drive? Are you / your partners happy enough in them? Reviews are good for them and they are meant to do the nippy town car part very well. It will see very limited motorway mileage so the stories of wind noise are ok.

Anything else to look out for?

trashbat

6,305 posts

182 months

Monday 20th January 2014
quotequote all
I like it too, both to drive (only a couple of times) and as a passenger.

Driving it, the steering is horribly light at low speed, a poke with your little finger affair, but when this mode switches off, has a good bit of feel to it. It's not quick on paper by any means but has a bit of go if you rev it, and the overall sensation from a small car is actually quite reasonable.

I'd say it's perfectly adequate at high speed (vmax?) on motorways.

Nothing ever went wrong with the last one, didn't use oil, and just had a few trim rattles.




rfoster

1,482 posts

283 months

Monday 20th January 2014
quotequote all
If you don't want to stretch to a Lounge model then consider the 'colour therapy' - which is essentially a Pop, in a limited run of colours with retro wheel caps and air con. Seems quite popular and it's available in Pasodoble Red.

thatdude

2,660 posts

156 months

Monday 20th January 2014
quotequote all
My air con in my car doesnt work (leaking somewhere in the pipework). When I got it regassed and it worked for a few weeks, it was awesome adn I loved it. Without it the car is unbearable.

Get air-con. If anything, for safety - heat exhaustion is no trivial matter.

sparkyhx

4,200 posts

233 months

Monday 20th January 2014
quotequote all
I also recommend you go for the 'lounge'. I reckon you'd probably get the money back when you come to sell as very few people these days want a poverty spec car.

Wifey likes hers, its quite funky, but a bit jittery driving it on bad roads.

I quite like driving it.

Boot is a lot bigger than you think, I find the rear ok, but neither of us has the seat back very far, so this my be why.

Wifey likes the 'half glass roof' which was the deal breaker with the Adam (glass roof is not an 'option' on the Adam, it comes in at a much higher overall spec costing several grand more).

Other cars may be available but lack the 'funkyness' e.g. VW UP and Seat/Skoda variants

Edited by sparkyhx on Monday 20th January 16:14

GAjon

4,083 posts

242 months

Monday 20th January 2014
quotequote all
My wife absolutely loves her 500.
Great for the driving she does.
I think it's a gutless piece of crap, but can't explain why I enjoy driving it at any opportunity!

Oh, don't have the stop start function on, on cold mornings they don't like it.

Sid's Dad

576 posts

170 months

Monday 20th January 2014
quotequote all
We're on our second - a TwinAir. Terrific little cars. Both have been totally reliable. TwinAir engine is great but it's a grand or so more than the 1.2 so don't bother unless your missus is a keen driver. If it's just for pottering about the1.2 is fine. Can't imagine living without a/c these days so worth having. I went for the Lounge spec cos it's much nicer - worth the extra if you can stretch to it.

But watch out for the extras - the price can really mount up fast and the 500 is not exactly cheap to start with. Compared with most runabouts they are pricey, but as a charming, fun, classless piece of good design, they're a bargain.


sparkyhx

4,200 posts

233 months

Monday 20th January 2014
quotequote all
I tried the twin air - Wifey didn't liek the sound, and I must say it sounded like the bottom end had gone. Its certainly an unusual engine noise, but quite nippy, I bet the Abarths are a bit mental.

Twin Air is a much higher insurance group as well.

anonymous-user

83 months

Monday 20th January 2014
quotequote all
Take a look at VW Up/ Skoda Citigo too?
Same price bracket & far better in every respect

Troubleatmill

10,210 posts

188 months

Monday 20th January 2014
quotequote all
Wife has the Lounge.

Tried to get her interested in the Up etc.

Her heart was on the 500 and she wanted a decent spec one.

A few extra £ for a happy wife and quiet life is worth it.

Chicane-UK

3,861 posts

214 months

Monday 20th January 2014
quotequote all
I had a 500 Pop for about 12 months and aside from the lack of poke, I really enjoyed it. Felt really well put together, and I was amazed at the amount of technology crammed into it - Bluetooth, Stop/Start, MP3 player, etc etc. Really enjoyed it but heart overruled head (not to mention the amount of stick I took from friends at work) so I dumped it for something a bit more sporty!

Don't listen to the naysayers - it's a cracking little motor!