RE: Fiat Seicento Sporting | Shed of the Week

RE: Fiat Seicento Sporting | Shed of the Week

Author
Discussion

Vickers_VC10

6,759 posts

204 months

Friday 23rd October 2020
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fking hell! Yours, as that looks like it would be a fatal!

anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 23rd October 2020
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swisstoni said:
I had a very similar experience to your Dad with similar results.
Disgraceful from a mainstream maker IMHO.
The basic design dates from the early 90s.

I'm sure most other similar cars were the same back then.

CDP

7,454 posts

253 months

Friday 23rd October 2020
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AC43 said:
OMG.

To think, that is a brand new car.

In about 1995 a friend of mine had a mid 80's Panda that was really rusty - it had holes through the bulkhead between the engine bay and passenger compartment rusty. There were various other holes around the vehicle visible from above and I'd expect the underside to be just as bad.

To make matters worse it had been spun on the ice into a ditch and the chassis bent.

They thought nothing of the idea of getting it in the cowshed and chaining two opposite corners to the steel uprights of the shed to pull the chassis straight then packing the suspension out to make it travel in a straight line!

Needless to say I didn't fancy a ride in it and this was before all the attention to airbags and safety. I couldn't believe they would patch something like that up. I can't imagine how bad it would be in another accident.

Stupid and I said so.


mac96

3,715 posts

142 months

Friday 23rd October 2020
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swisstoni said:
AC43 said:
mac96 said:
20 years ago someone drove one of these head on into my father, who was driving a Citroen Xantia.. Both cars were write offs; my father (in his 70s at the time and contrary to some assumptions, the completely innoicent victim of the other driver's error) got out and walked away unhurt. The occupants of the Fiat were not walking anywhere. Ever again.
So I wouldn't touch a Seicento. I know it's irrational- I have driven Minis which are no doubt no safer, but there it is.
OMG.

I had a very similar experience to your Dad with similar results.
Disgraceful from a mainstream maker IMHO.
Actually that picture suggests that I was not being irrational, and that a Mini designed in the late 50s was probably as safe if not safer, provided it had seat belts. And that is truly shocking considering the time between, and that the Mini was possibly slightly smaller, certainly not bigger...

biggbn

22,814 posts

219 months

Friday 23rd October 2020
quotequote all
CDP said:
AC43 said:
OMG.

To think, that is a brand new car.

In about 1995 a friend of mine had a mid 80's Panda that was really rusty - it had holes through the bulkhead between the engine bay and passenger compartment rusty. There were various other holes around the vehicle visible from above and I'd expect the underside to be just as bad.

To make matters worse it had been spun on the ice into a ditch and the chassis bent.

They thought nothing of the idea of getting it in the cowshed and chaining two opposite corners to the steel uprights of the shed to pull the chassis straight then packing the suspension out to make it travel in a straight line!

Needless to say I didn't fancy a ride in it and this was before all the attention to airbags and safety. I couldn't believe they would patch something like that up. I can't imagine how bad it would be in another accident.

Stupid and I said so.
Owned a brace of pandas, a 750l and a 1000 in a better spec. Loved them. Would have a other in a heartbeat, but they are getting expensive. Giorgetto Giugiaro's best design, and his own favourite. They were galvanised by the time I owned mine, but a triumph of utilitarianism!

CDP

7,454 posts

253 months

Friday 23rd October 2020
quotequote all
biggbn said:
CDP said:
AC43 said:
OMG.

To think, that is a brand new car.

In about 1995 a friend of mine had a mid 80's Panda that was really rusty - it had holes through the bulkhead between the engine bay and passenger compartment rusty. There were various other holes around the vehicle visible from above and I'd expect the underside to be just as bad.

To make matters worse it had been spun on the ice into a ditch and the chassis bent.

They thought nothing of the idea of getting it in the cowshed and chaining two opposite corners to the steel uprights of the shed to pull the chassis straight then packing the suspension out to make it travel in a straight line!

Needless to say I didn't fancy a ride in it and this was before all the attention to airbags and safety. I couldn't believe they would patch something like that up. I can't imagine how bad it would be in another accident.

Stupid and I said so.
Owned a brace of pandas, a 750l and a 1000 in a better spec. Loved them. Would have a other in a heartbeat, but they are getting expensive. Giorgetto Giugiaro's best design, and his own favourite. They were galvanised by the time I owned mine, but a triumph of utilitarianism!
They were fantastic designs, especially with the deckchair seating etc. The snag is the original Panda was not safe and that particular example should not have been on the road. I've been in some rough cars but there is a limit.

Benjamonk

94 posts

194 months

Friday 23rd October 2020
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No thanks

GTiWILL

778 posts

77 months

Friday 23rd October 2020
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Yep...safety has certainly come on a lot in the past 20 years.


swisstoni

16,844 posts

278 months

Friday 23rd October 2020
quotequote all
Landcrab_Six said:
swisstoni said:
I had a very similar experience to your Dad with similar results.
Disgraceful from a mainstream maker IMHO.
The basic design dates from the early 90s.

I'm sure most other similar cars were the same back then.
Nope. After the medium speed head-on we opened the doors of the Astra and hobbled away with cuts and bruises.
The Fiat driver had to wait to be cut out. Had life altering injuries.

CDP

7,454 posts

253 months

Friday 23rd October 2020
quotequote all
GTiWILL said:
Yep...safety has certainly come on a lot in the past 20 years.

And when you take into account the new measurements for vehicle weight includes 75kg for driver the two are probably fairly similar in mass.

GTiWILL

778 posts

77 months

Friday 23rd October 2020
quotequote all
CDP said:
GTiWILL said:
Yep...safety has certainly come on a lot in the past 20 years.

And when you take into account the new measurements for vehicle weight includes 75kg for driver the two are probably fairly similar in mass.
It makes you appreciate how well engineered modern cars are.

biggbn

22,814 posts

219 months

Friday 23rd October 2020
quotequote all
CDP said:
biggbn said:
CDP said:
AC43 said:
OMG.

To think, that is a brand new car.

In about 1995 a friend of mine had a mid 80's Panda that was really rusty - it had holes through the bulkhead between the engine bay and passenger compartment rusty. There were various other holes around the vehicle visible from above and I'd expect the underside to be just as bad.

To make matters worse it had been spun on the ice into a ditch and the chassis bent.

They thought nothing of the idea of getting it in the cowshed and chaining two opposite corners to the steel uprights of the shed to pull the chassis straight then packing the suspension out to make it travel in a straight line!

Needless to say I didn't fancy a ride in it and this was before all the attention to airbags and safety. I couldn't believe they would patch something like that up. I can't imagine how bad it would be in another accident.

Stupid and I said so.
Owned a brace of pandas, a 750l and a 1000 in a better spec. Loved them. Would have a other in a heartbeat, but they are getting expensive. Giorgetto Giugiaro's best design, and his own favourite. They were galvanised by the time I owned mine, but a triumph of utilitarianism!
They were fantastic designs, especially with the deckchair seating etc. The snag is the original Panda was not safe and that particular example should not have been on the road. I've been in some rough cars but there is a limit.
For me the 750 was the pick, the basic seating, the hammock type rear seat, the open dash you could just fill with all your $hite and drive away, rubber mats, unburstable engine...loved it!

CDP

7,454 posts

253 months

Friday 23rd October 2020
quotequote all
biggbn said:
For me the 750 was the pick, the basic seating, the hammock type rear seat, the open dash you could just fill with all your $hite and drive away, rubber mats, unburstable engine...loved it!
Yes, a masterpiece in design, even down to the washable seat covers.

I'd drive a Panda but my friend's example should have been scrapped before it even got to the accident. To repair it was utterly foolish.

JTN358AT

136 posts

137 months

Friday 23rd October 2020
quotequote all
I owned two of these between 2000-2008. They seemed like decent cars at the time, but I was oblivious to the safety standards, or lack of. The Abarth, model I owned had great seats but I don’t remember them being particularly drivers cars.

When I got rid of the Seicento Abarth, I brought a Suzuki Ignis Sport. That car was leagues ahead as a drivers car with superb reliability and durability. I would never go back to Fiat, am not nostalgic about the Seicento and have no idea why anyone in their right mind would want to buy one in this day and age. Spend a bit more and get a Swift Sport.

Rozzers

1,657 posts

74 months

Friday 23rd October 2020
quotequote all
Davanti’s all round, the tyre of the gods.

Maldini35

2,913 posts

187 months

Friday 23rd October 2020
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BFleming said:
Spot on. A genuine Schumacher has the chrome gearstick surround and the numbered plaque on the passenger door...
"Christ - is that a tape deck?"

biggbn

22,814 posts

219 months

Friday 23rd October 2020
quotequote all
djbobbins said:
I had a 127 RallyeSport as my first car. I was young and poor and through very rose-tinted lenses it was fun. But mainly it was quite st compared to the Fiestas, Escorts, Novas and other stuff my mates were bowling around in.

25 years on I just don’t get why someone would choose to lay out £1300 on this when there are bigger, faster, safer alternatives out there. Probably a sign of my age and preferences but there is a retirement-spec S-Type at Shed money In the classifieds which I thought would make a much better choice!

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/10936606?c...

Edited by djbobbins on Friday 23 October 19:43
A 127 sport? I dont recall a rally sport model? Mate had a bright orange 127 sport, an early one, then a later facelift 1300 sport version. I really liked my 127, it was only a 1050cl, but was a great wee car to thrash everywhere all the time!!

Grrbang

724 posts

70 months

Friday 23rd October 2020
quotequote all
I had one before I was a 'pistonhead', and I find it odd that one made it onto pistonheads.

If anyone wants to buy one, go ahead. But they are worth like £400 not the £1400 being advertised, and good luck finding a buyer when bored with it!

djbobbins

101 posts

175 months

Saturday 24th October 2020
quotequote all
biggbn said:
djbobbins said:
I had a 127 RallyeSport as my first car. I was young and poor and through very rose-tinted lenses it was fun. But mainly it was quite st compared to the Fiestas, Escorts, Novas and other stuff my mates were bowling around in.

25 years on I just don’t get why someone would choose to lay out £1300 on this when there are bigger, faster, safer alternatives out there. Probably a sign of my age and preferences but there is a retirement-spec S-Type at Shed money In the classifieds which I thought would make a much better choice!

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/10936606?c...

Edited by djbobbins on Friday 23 October 19:43
A 127 sport? I dont recall a rally sport model? Mate had a bright orange 127 sport, an early one, then a later facelift 1300 sport version. I really liked my 127, it was only a 1050cl, but was a great wee car to thrash everywhere all the time!!
It might have been a dealer-badged special as I’m not really sure what was sporting about it!! 😂. I’ve just done a bit of googling and it seems that the proper Sport models had twin carbs, extra instrumentation and a twin pipe exhaust - none of which mine had. Another dream shattered...

So mine was probably the same engine as yours, as it was definitely 1050cc. Would do 50mph in second gear with four teenage lads on board though, and had quick-recline front seats (single catch to lift under the front of the seat base and the seat back laid flat...)



A1VDY

3,575 posts

126 months

Saturday 24th October 2020
quotequote all
biggbn said:
djbobbins said:
I had a 127 RallyeSport as my first car. I was young and poor and through very rose-tinted lenses it was fun. But mainly it was quite st compared to the Fiestas, Escorts, Novas and other stuff my mates were bowling around in.

25 years on I just don’t get why someone would choose to lay out £1300 on this when there are bigger, faster, safer alternatives out there. Probably a sign of my age and preferences but there is a retirement-spec S-Type at Shed money In the classifieds which I thought would make a much better choice!

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/10936606?c...

Edited by djbobbins on Friday 23 October 19:43
A 127 sport? I dont recall a rally sport model? Mate had a bright orange 127 sport, an early one, then a later facelift 1300 sport version. I really liked my 127, it was only a 1050cl, but was a great wee car to thrash everywhere all the time!!
Also had a 127 Sport, a79 T reg 1050cc version, bright orange with orange piped seats. It used to go quite well if red lined through the gears. The inevitable rot finished it off though..