wife wants a fiat 500 or mini cooper, any opinions?

[bcylau]

They seem like fun cars especially jcw or the abrath.

anyone have experience with these cars?

i might buy a cheapo one just to try out before buying a new one, since these seem so cheap used.

[relyt92]

Get the Abarth just for the exhaust.

[Tik-Tok]

Arent both of them incredibly high maintenance?

[Ven]

Either of those choices are excellent to LEASE.

[ExtraSlow]

Divorce?

[Jonathanl10]

Stay away... I work at Dodge dealership and we have some 500s. We had a Mini Cooper too on our used lot and they're both absolute junk.

The guy who bought the Mini brought it back 3 times for various problems with the shifter and stability control. The 500s have weird ergonomics and I could never find the button for the power locks inside the vehicle. It's Italian so it has its novelty factor but after you look past the cute and unique, you're better off with something else for the money. Reliability is questionable too on those vehicles.

Oh... anything with the 1.4L Turbo... Not FCA's finest hour making those...

[HiTempguy1]

They are both poor vehicles reliability wise. The 500 abarth is hialrious in its stupidity, but is overshadowed by the fact that the fiesta st is a better vehicle in any measurable way.

[bcylau]

wow, this is incredibly helpful.

the 500 abrath seems the most interesting tho.

[eglove]

I'd get a fiesta ST over any of those

[JustinMCS]

I had a MINI Cooper S. Loved it, miss it, barely anything wrong with it. It's more of a driver's car and more powerful than the Fiat. Also larger, sportier. Nothing compares to a MINI.

[Sugarphreak]

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[revelations]

Originally posted by Ven
Either of those choices are excellent to LEASE.

:werd: Not that they WONT be in the shop any less .... but still ... :rofl:

[Graham_A_M]

Well if she's set on either. I'd advise you to either get the most comprehensive warranty you possibly can, or enroll your wife into becoming a journeyman mechanic, since you'll need either one or the other. Both cars are exceptionally unreliable, more so the Fiat, as, correct me if I'm wrong but I'm quite sure it's the single most unreliable car available in North america. The Fiat is among the highest maintenance (given their intial cost), the Mini's aren't too far behind either.


Like what was said, the Focus ST is a *FAR* wiser choice. Sure they aren't as girly cute as her initial choices, but it's a car that's a blast to drive (even for you as well) totally usable and won't need it's own "reserved" stall in the service parking lot of its corresponding dealership.

[Sugarphreak]

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[Graham_A_M]

^fuck. I'm a retard. Carry on folks, nothing to see here. :rofl: , no just kidding, yes that's what I meant. Urgh I hate posting from my phone, even that was edited and I still screwed that up. :banghead: perhaps eating while one handed posting is a failure in itself as well. :(

[ExtraSlow]

Admit it, that's not what you were doing with your other hand . . .:love:

[Aleks]

Originally posted by bcylau
wow, this is incredibly helpful.

the 500 abrath seems the most interesting tho.

Are you guys buying manual or automatic? If it's automatic Fiesta ST won't work. Both 2015+ Abarth and any year Mini S comes in auto but not JCW I don't think.

Doesn't Mini have free maintenance for 4 years if you buy new so I don't see how maintenance costs are going to be high if they are free, unless you eat up the brakes and tires like crazy.

I would just drive them all and decide for yourself. The Abarth by far is the most interesting car out of the 3. Mini is the most upscale and Fiesta ST will be the most fun to drive and right now they have $3,500 off those, $3,000 off Abarths.

[NoPulp]

Really the fiats aren't reliable?

My friends dad bought her one. She drives it a ton and it gets abused... I'm not sure if maintenance and regular oil changes are done to it unfortunately... still runs strong with no issues.

Fiats are like clown cars. Small on the outside but surprisingly have room on the inside. I couldn't believe I fit comfortably in the back seat.

My girlfriend also wants a mini, I wouldn't be opposed.
If you want a fiat go abrath. Or just go with a mini.

[jdmXSI]

Originally posted by Aleks


Are you guys buying manual or automatic? If it's automatic Fiesta ST won't work. Both 2015+ Abarth and any year Mini S comes in auto but not JCW I don't think.

Doesn't Mini have free maintenance for 4 years if you buy new so I don't see how maintenance costs are going to be high if they are free, unless you eat up the brakes and tires like crazy.

I would just drive them all and decide for yourself. The Abarth by far is the most interesting car out of the 3. Mini is the most upscale and Fiesta ST will be the most fun to drive and right now they have $3,500 off those, $3,000 off Abarths.

In 2013, MINI released the automatic transmission mission for the JCW and the no charge maintenance is 3 years or 50k (oil change, brake flush, air filters and vehicle checks). The "new" MINI is basically a re-badged BMW. The Cooper uses a 1.5l turbo from the i8 and the Cooper S/ JCW has the 2l turbo now. Since the new models have been out, I personally haven't seen them come back for any of the same issues as the old R56. Even some of our techs tell customers to just get the newer F5x lol. Not that the old ones were bad, a lot of people were very happy with them, the new ones just appear to be better.

Hope that helps a bit.

[bcylau]

she wants a manual, so everything works. yeah, i have scheduled some test drives on saturday to see what's good.

i guess i need to add the fiesta to the list. fiesta st seems like an enthusiast/ sleeper car, people in the know will think its a good choice while other people would be like wtf!?!

[Cos]

.

[Skidro]

I love my fiesta St, it's such a great little car. I'm about to get my 3rd oil change now and I haven't had any problems. It's averaging 600km a tank in city driving, and with how torquey it is, it's hard to lay off the gas!
I would say the biggest problem is trying to keep the warranty because I want an accessport!

[Sugarphreak]

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[dirtsniffer]

how's the cargo space on the fiesta? Could two people and a dog make it tenting for a week with a thule?

[eglove]

Originally posted by dirtsniffer
how's the cargo space on the fiesta? Could two people and a dog make it tenting for a week with a thule?

Yup

[Sugarphreak]

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[Mibz]

My wife wanted a Mini until she drove a GTI. If the Ford STs came in automatic I would've also had her drive one of those. Both are, IMO, objectively better cars than the 500 and Cooper S, especially if it's a daily driver.

[Rocket1k78]

Most women buy cars for the looks and cuteness factor:D so even though the fiesta is a better car i doubt thats going to have much play when theyre looking at the mini/fiat.

The good thing with buying a cheapo is there will probably be so much head ache with it that she will be turned off and come to her senses and buy something else:poosie:

[S4maniac]

I have a Focus and love it. Great little boot around town car and after 18 months, absolutley no problems. No experience with the Fiat so nothing to add there.

As for the Mini ... I'll just leave this here http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/bmw-s-mini-coopers-labelled-junk-as-owner-hit-with-10k-engine-repairs-1.2948855

[Redlyne_mr2]

I hope to never get a Fiat500 in on trade, they are near impossible to resell.