mmarshall

I sat inside a couple of new 500s at the D.C. Auto Show in January, and the front seats, for a person my size, didn't seem bad at all. I didn't try (at the show, at least) to shoehorn myself like a Bachman Pretzel into the back seat....but I will, of course, later, if I do a full-review. Ride comfort, of course, I can't comment on without a test-drive...we'll see. Yes, a lack of side-strips, IMO, is a No-No , but, along with a lack of real spare tires and, in some cases, hood-struts, seems to be the inevitable result of automotive cost-cutting these days. And, once can always go to a place like Advance Auto Parts and get a set of stick-on, aftermarket on side strips (Trimbrite, for example, makes some good ones...you just measure them, cut them to the required lengths, peel off the backing, align them, and stick them on). I've used them myself in the past...several times. Applied properly, they last for years, with no problems.


I don't consider computer-shifted manuals "crappy" unless they are crude or harsh-shifting, like the former BMW SMT was. Though some of them start up from a rest with a small amount of rumbling or vibration, others, like the VW/Audi DSG/S-tronic, can be as smooth as butter. And they generally are more efficient than many torque-converter automatics.


Worse than Land Rover? That's hard to imagine, though, granted, I haven't seen much hard-data on the reliability of Euro-only makes. Consumer Reports, which I consider the best reliability data available, only does vehicles sold in the American market.

When Renault last sold vehicles in the American market (in the 1980's, like Fiat), they, too, had a reputation for poor build-quality.

mmarshall

Fiat seems to be updating that dealer-location site regularly, too. They just added a new one yesterday, only a few miles from my house (though in a dense-traffic area). It's slated to open up next month.

spwolf

SMT was good example compared to french and italian robotized manuals with single clutch

spwolf

sure, worse than LR

ggravant

I like the 500 and the Abarth sounds very fun - especially if it can be had with a manual tranny.

mmarshall

Fiat reps were tight-lipped, at the D.C. Auto Show in January, about the Abarth models coming to the U.S. Market, except to say that the specs have not been finalized, and that the company was still working on them. They displayed an Abarth and a full-electric/plug-in 500 at the 2010 D.C. show last year (on a turntable, with the doors locked), but, curiously, only the standard 500s (and an old 1970 model for comparison) this year. I don't see any references to the Abarth (yet) or the full-electric model on the Fiatusa website either.

ggravant

I sat in the 500 tonight at the Denver Auto Show and it was surprisingly roomy. My 8yr old daughter could even fit in the rear seat with room to spare. I looked at the exterior from many angles and over all it actually looked better in person than I expected. I defiantly will take one for a test drive, but I will wait to see if the Abarth is going to be available before I think seriously about it.

mmarshall

Thanks for your input. Since you were at the Denver show, did they have an old 1970 model out on the floor for comparison like they did here in D.C? Comparing the new-vs.-old, side-by-side, as you noticed when you sat in it, shows a vast increase in size and roominess, though it is still admittedly a small car by today's standards. And I don't know if even your 8-year-old daughter could have fit in the back of the old one. The new one, up front, is roomy enough for big, heavy guys even over 6' tall.....like me.

Since you are in CO, and (apparantly) the Denver area, Fiat plans to open a dealership in the Denver area.....probably its only one in CO. Check back with the website I attached at the top of the thread for updates....Fiat does update it.

I'm planning a Fiat 500 full-review, BTW. Several Fiat stores are opening soon within easy driving distance of my house.

ggravant

They did not have the old one - just two new ones - a red, and copper one. I am just 5'9", and was able to move the seat up a bit to give her even more room. It had a manual tranny (win!) that was in a good position and felt fairly precise, but the test drive will say for sure.

It was funny because my wife was sure she would not like it (she is kind of like Mikey from the old Life cereal ads - she hates everything haha), but even she was a bit smitten with it

I did look over that site you posted (thanks for that!) and it appears that the Denver one will open in August and a second one will open in Westminster, which is actually closer, but the date is TBD. I do travel to LA occasionally, so maybe I can test drive one there before August.