Fiat Seicento Sporting - Any Good?

[DriverNo1]

Hi folks.

Does anyone have any experience of owning / driving a Fiat Seicento Sporting as I'm seriously considering one for my first car. I've heard good things about them being fun to chuck around corners and actually being a bit nippy for a 1.1.

Any info from owners / drivers of them is much appreciated.

Cheers.

[slinky]

Great as a first car, "nippy" enough, cheap as chips to own and run..

What's not to like? I've had two..

[EV11NED]

Mrs Ned had one new back in 2000, so can only comment on what it was like then. It was fun to drive, good on fuel, comfy and reliable. Not that quick, not even that nippy, and motorways were hard work in it. But it was great for her, she loved it.

[R0G]

slinky said:

Great as a first car, "nippy" enough, cheap as chips to own and run..

What's not to like? I've had two..

Ive had three !! - all abarth and all yellow !!!!

[slinky]

R0G said:

Ive had three !! - all abarth and all yellow !!!!

Two sporting, 1 yellow, 1 black..
Yellow one was with me for about 50k, ended up stripped out, lowered, strut braces everywhere, induction and exhaust mods.. It was an awesome little car for blatting around the twisty country lanes of Worcestershire..

[R0G]

EV11NED said:

Mrs Ned had one new back in 2000, so can only comment on what it was like then. It was fun to drive, good on fuel, comfy and reliable. Not that quick, not even that nippy, and motorways were hard work in it. But it was great for her, she loved it.

Very nippy and very quick were my three - perhaps it was down to the way they were driven

From a standing start they would out perform a sports car ....... for the first 50 yards

[sawman]

We had a new one in 2001 - I traded from a punto GT turbo. It was much more enjoyable than the punto, There weren't any motorways in our area, so that issue never cropped up. It was huge fun, you could pretty much drive flat out everywhere and not risk your licence, very well balanced handling, and a motor that liked to be exercised - whats not to like.

[JayTee94]

I like the idea of them, and have also considered them as first cars but the thing that puts me off them is that if the worst were to happen and you crash, it wouldnt be a great place to be. Also, insurance (for me) is only £100 cheaper than safer, faster cars.

I think they are great little cars apart from that.

[R0G]

JayTee94 said:

I like the idea of them, and have also considered them as first cars but the thing that puts me off them is that if the worst were to happen and you crash,

Well, I CAN answer that!!

Got rear n/s swiped by a foreign lorry on M6 at about 50 mph which causes afull 360 on the central crash barrier

Got it onto hard shoulder - every panel damaged exept the roof - no glass broken no liquid leaks and it got driven onto the recovery truck = write off job

Me = not a scratch

[sawman]

JayTee94 said:

I like the idea of them, and have also considered them as first cars but the thing that puts me off them is that if the worst were to happen and you crash, it wouldnt be a great place to be.

Ah the youth of today, no sense of adventure, get it bought, The seicento is probably one of the "safest" cars I have owned and am still alive to tell the tale

Take some responsibility for your own safety, too many folks on the roads today drive around with no sense of responsibility because they feel safe in their car with umptygazillion safety stars.

[DriverNo1]

Thanks for all the help guys!

After reading all of the replies, I'm more convinced than ever to buy one. It ticks all of the boxes that I set out for my first car: great fun to drive, not bank breaking to insure and, IMO, it looks really good as well. Fits in brilliantly with my plan of getting a fun first car while not spending thousands and after a year or two, saving enough money to buy something really nice

Cheers

[billzeebub]

my first car was a Cinquecento Sporting brand new. Absoloutely loved it. It felt nippy and was good fun despite not being very fast. It is similar in character to the original Mini in that respect. I would wholeheartedly recommend a Seicento Sporting as a first car..so much more interesting and characterful than a small engined Corsa/Fiesta/Clio etc. A good choice to have fun without giong at silly speeds and basic enough to learn/fix yourself

[jbi]

Crisp packet on wheels.

Miserable to drive, horribly cramped mobile speed bump

[slinky]

jbi said:

Crisp packet on wheels.

Miserable to drive, horribly cramped mobile speed bump

It's strange how opposed your opinion is to all of the others so far on this thread..

[jbi]

slinky said:

jbi said:

Crisp packet on wheels.

Miserable to drive, horribly cramped mobile speed bump

It's strange how opposed your opinion is to all of the others so far on this thread..

I suppose it depends on what your priorities are.

I admit the fiat was light and "chuckable", but the negatives far outweighed the positives for me.

The clincher for me was bending the front end back out with a tree branch after my sister drove it over a tractor rut and stove in the front.

Flimsy does not even begin to describe the thing.

[HereBeMonsters]

jbi said:

Flimsy does not even begin to describe the thing.

Well, dur. It has about 50 horsepower so needs to be light. I've driven flimsier!

If it was built like a tank it would be st at almost everything else.

[jbi]

HereBeMonsters said:

jbi said:

Flimsy does not even begin to describe the thing.

Well, dur. It has about 50 horsepower so needs to be light. I've driven flimsier!

If it was built like a tank it would be st at almost everything else.

lets not mention the tiny offset pedals then that are so close together anyone with feet bigger than size 5 has problems. Not to mention the awkward position which results in severe ankle ache for any more than 15 minutes driving.

The loud boomy road noise is unsettling, the lack of glove compartment inconvenient, the long rubbery gearstick clumsy and cheap switches and trim lousy.

And then there's the fact that even a collision with a motorcycle with probably result in death (yours).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMcHSJzprHM

[R0G]

slinky said:

jbi said:

Crisp packet on wheels.

Miserable to drive, horribly cramped mobile speed bump

It's strange how opposed your opinion is to all of the others so far on this thread..

To be fair the ride quality is very 'stiff' - you get to know all about various speed humps and tiny potholes

After having 3 brand new yellow abarth models I can vouch for that

[R0G]

FREE to good home - duals controls for a Seicento - seriously - but need to be collected - I am in Leicester LE4

Had them for mine when teaching daughter but not needed any more

[Chris Peacock]

A hoot !...

Mrs Peacock had one from new in 2001, I used to love taking it for a spin.

Gearchange is sloppy and the clutchcable WILL snap at around 30 k miles but its a piece of piss to change and only 15 squid off ebay.


I would have one again and strip it out with a cage etc........

All in all cheap motoring at its best.