As used buys, the Fiat 500 and 500C have more than cheekiness in their favour.
To win four stars in an Autocar road test takes more than good looks. The Fiat 500 proved its mettle by achieving that commendable rating in both hatchback and convertible forms. Time has unearthed two more assets: strong residuals (even the oldest have retained over half of their value) and impressive reliability.
In both respects the 500 has the benefit of youth and limited mileage compared with the Panda with which it shares much. Only seven per cent of used 500s for sale have covered more than 40,000 miles.
City use doesn’t prescribe an easy life, and windscreen wipers, brakes, clutches and front anti-roll bar links don’t last long. The good news is that most consumables are cheap to renew.
So which to choose? The automatic option (petrol only) is really a ‘Dualogic’ five-speed automated manual. It edges manuals for economy, but operational peculiarities and the £700 premium from new mean that there are few around. That leaves a five-speed manual transmission, or else the six-speed ’box on the 1.4 petrol.
As of December 2011, that engine became the preserve of the raucous, turbocharged 500 Abarth that we’ll save for another day. But the 99bhp 1.4 has stiffened front springs, is the nippiest of the non-Abarth 500s, and starts at just £6000. Stop-start (standard on 500s from January 2010) improved its environmental credentials a little, but all 1.4s incur £100-£130 in road tax and claim official fuel returns of 44-50mpg. Other engines attract £30 or less in road tax and offer 55-60mpg (1.2), 67mpg (‘1.3’/1248cc diesel) or 68-72mpg (0.9 TwinAir turbo two-pot, introduced in October 2010).
The relatively rare diesel makes good sense from £5000. Its original £1400 premium over the 1.2 has shrunk significantly, and the oil-burner wins on refinement, too. A combination of 75bhp and 107lb ft allowed the original diesel to shift the sub-tonne 500 briskly from low revs, and the improved 95bhp, 148lb ft version (from January 2010) significantly more so. Pasquale Gonnella of independent Fiat and Alfa specialist Gonnella Brothers in Catford, London, reckons that the diesel copes well with urban use, and DPF (diesel particulate filter) congestion is easily remedied by the manual clean-out that he considers a service item.
Gonnella often has to reassure customers that the 875cc TwinAir’s off-beat thrum is perfectly normal. However, while the torquey little engine doesn’t suffer lag, we managed barely half the claimed combined fuel economy when road testing.
The 500C (from summer 2009) uses an electric sliding canvas roof. Although it doesn’t feel like a full convertible, there are open-air thrills on offer and dynamics aren’t compromised. In fact, the 500C’s rear anti-roll bar hugely improves composure and didn’t reach the hatch until late 2009. The rag-top’s £3000 premium hasn’t diminished with time, but it’s still a steal.
For the hatch, basic Pop trim includes remote locking, electric windows and CD player. Lounge and Sport add such things as air-con, Bluetooth, 15-inch alloy wheels and upgraded cabin and exterior trim. The Lounge’s glass roof and split rear seats are countered by the Sport’s front fogs and rear spoiler. The 500C gets air-con as standard, plus front fogs and the near-essential rear parking sensors in Lounge trim. There’s no 500C Sport.
Recalls have affected the 500’s rear brakes, airbags, steering and 1.2-litre engine, but Fiat dealers can flag any cars that haven’t been sorted. Services are due annually or every 12,000 miles for the 1.2 and 1.4, or biennially/every 18,000 miles for the TwinAir and diesel, although intensive urban use requires an oil change as often as every 3000 miles in the diesels. Service prices start at £60 at Gonnella Brothers for all models (using genuine parts), rising to £120 and £150 for more involved visits. Only the the 1.2s and 1.4s use a timing belt, to be changed at 72,000milesfor £198, including water pump.
What to look out for:
Only the the 1.2s and 1.4s use a timing belt, to be changed at 72,000 miles for about £200, including water pump.
Electrical gremlins affecting the rear lights and boot latch are likely to be a result of corroded wiring. DIY patch-ups are cheap but temporary. A new wiring loom costs over £500, fitted.
There’s no warning light for worn brake pads, which can damage discs if neglected. Instead, look for lipping at the front disc rims and listen for squeals when cornering hard.
Visible oil leaks from the gearbox, possibly accompanied by a burning smell, may mean that the gear selection shaft seal is compromised. The part is cheap and the total bill shouldn't be more than £60.
Worn top suspension mounts allow play in the front wheels when jacked up and may fail an MOT. Tired front anti-roll bar linkages will emit a tapping sound over broken surfaces.
A loss of clutch pedal pressure may be down to a blocked rubber boot in the internal clutch fluid reservoir. Boot removal is a short-term fix but the replacement part is cheap.
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