Fiat Seicento Sporting. Any good?

[ollie854]

Just wondering what these are like. Looking at getting one because i've sold my twingo gt to fund a project so need a little/cheap car as a run about.

Handle well? any known/common faults with them?

Any help is appreciated Cheers

[TomN94]

My friend had one as his first car, quite good fun, the wheels do seem to feel as though they are going to fall off at 70, and the engine does get quite warm at that speed quite quickly, but other than that, it was sound

[anonymous-user]

My wife had one as a courtesy car years ago while her Punto was being serviced. Once she got home she refused to drive it again as it felt so unsafe.

Check out the NCAP crash video before you buy one....

[ollie854]

TomN94 said:

My friend had one as his first car, quite good fun, the wheels do seem to feel as though they are going to fall off at 70, and the engine does get quite warm at that speed quite quickly, but other than that, it was sound

Thanks for the reply. Thats good then, it wont be used on the motorway so no worries their

[Gatefold]

The examples I've driven all had terribly vague gearboxes, regardless of the mileage. One sheared the linkage, and then knocked itself from 2nd to neutral. Other than that, quite a peppy, cheerful car.

[sawman]

I had a brand new one in 2001, it was a real fun little car, not terribly fast but had great spirit and was a joy to hustle on B roads

[Liquid Knight]

The best handling car since the Austin/Morris/British Leyland/Rover Mini was the Cinquecento. The Seicento is basically the same underneath with a curvier body and multipoint fuel injection. Due to all cars being evil the Seicento Sporting was limited to 50bhp to pass emissions laws ever moving goalposts. Quirky, fun and capable little cars. On a par with yout Twingo only without needing to be as heavy footed.

I'd get a Cinquecento now as they are starting to creep into the classic car auctions and it won't be long before they become investment cars. Prices have bottomed out for Cinquecento's and Seicento prices still have a way to go.

Yellow ones are completely invisible to other road users (see my profile photo); apart from that enjoy.

[EV11NED]

My OH had one back in 2001. The most fun little car since my original mini. It wasn't quick by any stretch, but it was mega fun around town and on country roads. Also completely reliable.

[anonymous-user]

Had one as a hire car in Tenerife. Was a hoot driving it up and down the volcano, but did feel VERY unsafe

[Chris71]

Quite tempted by a Ciquencento Sporting. Never driven one, but I quite like back to basics little cars and a mate's example that I rode in felt a lot like an original Mini from the passenger seat. That, combined with skinny tyres and (presumably) unassisted steering, seems like a fairly positive start.

[Liquid Knight]

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Enjoy.

[joshd963]

my mate crashed his last night, some woman in a black bmw didn't see him and drove into the side of him. car looked like a used crisp packet, mate was fine (he is however wookee sized and haired, and did look a complete tit driving a little yellow fiat)

[Liquid Knight]

joshd963 said:

my mate crashed his last night, some woman in a black bmw didn't see him and drove into the side of him. car looked like a used crisp packet, mate was fine (he is however wookee sized and haired, and did look a complete tit driving a little yellow fiat)

http://youtu.be/SkUROKthl2w

http://youtu.be/25N-4zrk390

[agxster]

I used to have one back in 2000, good fun. I drove it on the motorway numerous times over the 2 years owned and it was fine. Managed to consistently hit 100 mph according to the speedo, all on private roads of course.

[DanB7290]

Liquid Knight said:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Enjoy.

Wow, only 2 pages in and that is amazing!

OP: I had a Seicento Sporting for my first car. Despite the low power, and the fact it feels like it's made from wet cardboard at times, it is great fun. I had just as much fun driving home from Bruntingthorpe in it (when I lived in Leicester, and the way back was all country roads) as I did doing 165 down the runway there in a 360 Spider.
One word of warning though, NEVER clip the front bumper, not even with your foot. Don't know if this applies to the earlier ones, but the later ones with wire mesh (well, Fiat plastic equivalent) on the bumper had that mesh held in by 4 bolts which were not protected on the other side. Right behind said bolts is the radiator. Lent car to my sister for one day, she touched the kerb in the car park with the front bumper at 3mph, and that resulted in a new radiator for me.