Get on my level

"Chuckles" (chucklesw37)
04/06/2019 at 21:03 • Filed to: Ample Parking, Fiat

Level 7, that is.

DISCUSSION (23)

I own dead car brands only > Chuckles
04/06/2019 at 21:10

I love this. I love Fiats

Chuckles > I own dead car brands only
04/06/2019 at 21:15

Thanks. I really like mine. It's a 2012 500 Sport (no turbo, automatic) that I bought in 2017 as my daily driver. It's a great little car. It's fun to drive and easy to live with.

smobgirl > Chuckles
04/06/2019 at 21:29

I saw an Abarth wrapped in an oil slick purple color the other day. Flashier than I would drive but it looked good.

Chuckles > smobgirl
04/06/2019 at 21:32

Considering that mine isn’t even an Abarth, I would feel weird putting a flashy wrap on it. But I’ll bet it looked good. I’ll bet that purple would look great with some go ld wheels.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Chuckles
04/06/2019 at 21:34

I am still considering one as a replacement for my Accent when the time comes....Sport with a manual if I can find it, and I would be perfectly happy! How’s the reliability been on yours?

Chuckles > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
04/06/2019 at 21:38

It’s been good so far! I think we talked about this before, but if you drive in snow and you have the manual, the traction control can be an issue. It cuts the power when the wheels slip and you can end up stalling. In the automatic it works like a champ. Check with fhrblg, he had a manual Fiat in snowy Colorado.

AestheticsInMotion > Chuckles
04/06/2019 at 22:01

Can traction control be turned off?

Chuckles > AestheticsInMotion
04/06/2019 at 22:20

Partially. Not sure how intrusive it is when you have it shut off.

To be clear: on the automatic, the traction control is fantastic. It only ever kicks on when I lose grip on snow or ice, and it allows me to drive up snowy roads while people in old Ford Explorers slide off onto the shoulder and give up.

fhrblig > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
04/06/2019 at 22:43

Go for it. The only problem I had with mine was it loved to go through taillights. I did wish it had 30 more HP, but now they all do.

Hot take incoming: as long as the 500 exists there is pretty much zero reason for anyone to buy a Mitsubishi Mirage. Fight me.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Chuckles
04/06/2019 at 22:44

Ah, that would be a pain...I’m a manual fan, so that would by far be my preference... :(

fhrblig > Chuckles
04/06/2019 at 22:45

The traction control is the reason I got rid of it. You can shut it off sort of, but in my case if I tried to do it in the snow it would force itself back on. I hated that. To be fair, I should have gotten better winter tires.

Chuckles > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
04/06/2019 at 22:51

I am a manual fan too. My Miata is manual, but I appreciate the automatic in the Fiat. It is a 6 speed so at least it isn't a CVT

Chuckles > fhrblig
04/06/2019 at 22:52

Truthfully, I am glad that I got the automatic. It's still fun to drive and the traction control works like it's supposed to.

Chuckles > fhrblig
04/06/2019 at 22:54

Counterpoint: the Mirage has 4 doors. If you regularly use that back seat, that makes a difference. But I'd still take the Fiat :-)

fhrblig > Chuckles
04/06/2019 at 22:57

I'd rather struggle with putting a baby seat in the back of a 500 than have to drive that soul-deadening Mirage. Four doors doesn't make it right.

fhrblig > Chuckles
04/06/2019 at 22:58

If mine had been the 6-speed auto I might still have it.

Chuckles > fhrblig
04/06/2019 at 23:00

It's actually a really great automatic. It has a manual shifting mode, which I mainly use as a gear hold when going up hills. But it's responsive and let's you focus on flinging the tiny car around like a go-kart.

Chuckles > fhrblig
04/06/2019 at 23:01

I'm just saying that those rear doors give it a reason to exist for somebody. The only thing that sits in the back of my Fiat is my 16 pound dog or the occasional drunk friend. No children for me.

fhrblig > Chuckles
04/06/2019 at 23:07

None for me either, and I usually prefer four door cars, but not in this case. But I also grew up with parents that tended to only have 2-door cars with smallish back seats so I can cope pretty well.

Chuckles > fhrblig
04/06/2019 at 23:10

I am one of three siblings, so all of our vehicles were minivans or sedans with a big backseat.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > fhrblig
04/07/2019 at 07:32

I would be perfectly happy with the Mirage as I am weird and like cheap, basic, reliable cars , but I like the styling of the 500 better, as do I like FIAT in general because I like them historically as a company. :)

I’m perfectly happy with 101hp...my Accent is a larger car and has 110hp and it’s perfectly adequate as a DD in my eyes. :)

fhrblig > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
04/07/2019 at 09:40

See, I’m the same way. I’ve owned Chevy Sprints before and loved them. When the Mirage came out I kinda liked them even though everyone seemed to hate them. Then I drove one and I understood. They’re not good to drive. The manual I drove was the most vague and flimsy transmission I’ve ever experienced, and the lever was tilted weirdly forward and down. It felt like it had even less power than my Sprints did, and they had 48 hp. It is possible to have a low-hp cheap car be fun to drive, but Mitsubishi did not figure out how. I st ill like their looks, I’m just sad they’re not a better car.

My advice would be to drive the Mirage first and then a Fiat and you’ll see how big the difference is. Used low-mileage 500s are getting really cheap now and I wouldn’t hesitate to buy one. Though I’d probably spring for an extended warranty, because even though mine was reliable you never know.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > fhrblig
04/07/2019 at 10:26

Oh, I would much prefer the FIAT...one of my fav cars, just saying I would consider a Mirage if there were no 500s around when I get around to getting my next car. Would definitely test drive it first though!

My issue is that there is only one FIAT dealership in my province an hour away and the 500 is relatively thin on the ground here.