Fiat Secento as first car

jahalpin

I am planning to buy a secondhand Fiat Secento as my first car. However, I have a few questions.

Any opinions on the Secento?
Has anyone actually seen a guy driving one?
Fuel economy etc

Thanks

kdevitt

My brother is driving my girlfriends old seicento. Would be willing to bet a heap of replies here will say they're crap, and to avoid like the plague - but its been a fantastic car. Passed three NCT's in a row with nothing but oil changes.

Economy was great, car was totally reliable - only issue ever was a CV boot. They're cheap as chips, so I'd recommend it if you don't have a problem with the image.

Nephew

I was unfortunate enough to be a back seat passenger in one a few weeks ago. I had two thoughts throughout the trip, the first being 'my balls are about to pop' and the second 'if this car crashes into anything other than a jumping castle I am absolutely f*cked'

MarkR

Nephew wrote:

'if this car crashes into anything other than a jumping castle I am absolutely f*cked'

PMSL. Those things are fecking tiny. Get a larger car with a bit more padding around you. Will cost you more probably but you'll have more peace of mind.

E92

They are about as safe as a matchbox, wouldn't fancy sitting in the back seat, since its in the crumple zone, and practically right next to the back window. They are a pile of sh*te IMO. Highly unlikely to be in anyway reliable, inspite of what a previous poster said, I dont honestly belive that they are likely to be a trouble free car. Sh*te over the bumps too. A womans car as well, I think, I've only once seen a man drive one. Cheap as chips, sure and with a engine whose cylinders are smaller than a litre bottle of milk it would want to be.
Now that I think of it I someone who I knew had once and Fiat should have given that person an extra one away for free, their Sciento spent more time in the garage than out of it.

Wikipedia.org wrote:

In the EuroNCAP crash test, the Fiat Seicento was only awarded a two star rating, and fractionally beat the worst contenders in the history of the EuroNCAP Rover 100 and the original Chrysler Voyager.[1]. That is not surprising, as the car has an extremely short front-end and keeps many components from its predecessor, originally conceived in 1992. The Smart Fortwo has a shorter front end, but earned three stars in the crash test.

Sorry for being so blunt, but I simply would not recommend getting one. There are plenty of better machines out there to buy.

Max_Damage

The pedals are too close to one another as well. It can be quite annoying.

conical

I have one (bloke, 6ft3in+). Have to say, wasn't my first choice of car, or colour (baby blue) but it was as cheap as getting my previous car repaired so I bought it (via boards.ie) as a stopgap before intending to buy my cousins Ford Focus.

When the time came to buy the focus, I liked the seicento so much, that I kept it. Have had it for over a year now.
It's a happy little car, cheap as chips to run and insure. Park anywhere. Electric windows, sunroof and remote central locking. Kind of cool in an uncool way :cool:

I've found it reliable overall. Have had 3 problems with it: clutch cable snapped (€21), fan belt broke (€25), also another mystery problem once where it overheated, then wouldn't start (€160 for the general service iirc)

Passed NCT after headlight realignment (previous owner had given it a knock I think) no other failures.

As has been said above, I wouldn't fancy it's chances in a crash, but I hope not to be in one anyway

Never thought I'd say it, but I'd really recommend it. Won't be changing car until I get my dream car (which might be soon) and even then might keep the seicento as a backup.

Hope that helps!

-C

EDIT: Always forget to work out the mpg, but on a recent mixed drive, I think I worked it out at 43mpg
Have fitted 6 adults in it:eek: and also a 4-drawer filing cabinet (though not at the same time;) )

jjbrien

jahalpin wrote:

I am planning to buy a secondhand Fiat Secento as my first car. However, I have a few questions.

Any opinions on the Secento?
Has anyone actually seen a guy driving one?
Fuel economy etc

Thanks

I drive one and it has been very reliable to date it even drove though the big floods last week and didnt blow up. By the way I am a bloke I got it as a cheap first car 6 months ago just to help me pass my driving test which I did. Its a very easy car to do a driving test in hence the size. Another guy at work hes about 6 foot and he used to drive one as well and never had a problem.

Its a handy car if you live in Dubli as you can get though alot of spaces that other cars just cant do. Now that I have my driving test I am planning to trade up. Hopeing to go to a Fiat Stilo next. But I would have no hesitation in recommending you the Secento. I have drove to Liverpool in it as well. Also its costs less than €25 a week to run.

hamsterboy

Have driven one for two years and have had absolutely NO problems whatsoever. Reliable as hell, cheap to run and maintain, plenty of room as long as you don't have to sit in the back!
I usually leave the back seat folded down and therefore refer to it as my little pick-up. In this configuration I can fit my entire drum kit inc. hardware in it and that won't even fit properly in my mates 3 series.
A great little car, especially for a first timer.

fletch

My sister had one for 1.5years, only issue was the clutch cable snapped. My Mam had one from new for 4 years without a single thing going wrong with it. Acceleration up to 80mph(in 1.1versions) could match most 1.6 saloon cars, handling and safety pretty diabolical. I'm not a fan of FIAT cars but I always enjoyed driving the Seicentos and yeh you'll need narrow shoes so you don't hit the brake and accelerator at the same time :eek:

Wossack

they dont even have airbags as standard...

clown-cars imo

jjbrien

Wossack wrote:

they dont even have airbags as standard...

clown-cars imo

Actually they do come with drivers airbag a standard.

fletch

jjbrien wrote:

Actually they do come with drivers airbag a standard.

You sure about that? None of the ones I've driven had one Both my sisters and my mothers car(both '00) didn't have any either.

jjbrien

fletch wrote:

You sure about that? None of the ones I've driven had one Both my sisters and my mothers car(both '00) didn't have any either.

I have a Seitento S and it comes with drivers airbag as standard. My father used to work in a fiat garage for 26 years and he says all they all should have drivers airbag as standard. One question is it the 1108cc or 899cc model she has?

Wossack

yep, definately not standard - just cause your car has one jjbrien, doesnt make it standard equipment

have a read of the euroNCAP frontal impact report on it - unfort though the sites down atm...

fletch

jjbrien wrote:

I have a Seitento S and it comes with drivers airbag as standard. My father used to work in a fiat garage for 26 years and he says all they all should have drivers airbag as standard. One question is it the 1108cc or 899cc model she has?

Both were 1108cc, one was an S, one an SX

E92

I thought they all did have an airbag as standard. Either way its still about as safe as a matchbox.
And the back seats are in the crumple zone. For those who don't know that means that the area of the car which absorbs the energy of an impact is also home to where back seat passengers sit. And that is not at all safe.

jjbrien

Wossack wrote:

yep, definately not standard - just cause your car has one jjbrien, doesnt make it standard equipment

have a read of the euroNCAP frontal impact report on it - unfort though the sites down atm...

Read my last post. My family have been working with fiat for 26 years. My cousin still works there. Drivers airbag is standard, ABS and passenger airbags are optional.

r3nu4l

Well there you go OP, some good reports from people who own or have owned them and stats on the safety potential of the car. What do you think?

Personally, I'd be inclined to get something just a little bigger/better for safety reasons but otherwise I'd buy a siecento as a first car. Your choice

Nice to see that this hasn't really turned into one of those "[Insert brand name] are all crap!" threads (yet)

blastman

There's still time!

My mum had a couple of these and I'd say if you're going to buy one, buy the S version at least. The 900cc is completely gutless and doesn't have power steering. I found it to be surprisingly heavy for such a small car with this. The S is better, has a bit more in the line of go and home comforts.

However, the head gasket did let go at very low mileage (my mum doesn't drive much) so Fiat's reputation for poor head gasket life was enhanced further.

loyatemu

http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/Review.aspx?model=221&page=1#

2 stars euroncap - have a look at the picture in the safety section of the Parkers review - not good. But if you're only tooling around town in it its probably a decent little car.

jjbrien

loyatemu wrote:

http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/Review.aspx?model=221&page=1#

2 stars euroncap - have a look at the picture in the safety section of the Parkers review - not good. But if you're only tooling around town in it its probably a decent little car.

the later versions has roll bars added but still I would not like to be in a crash in this car.

RobAMerc

I had a qinquecento for a while - what a super little town car, I drove the nuts off it and it was huge fun, although I admit I worried what others perception of me was.
I did notice people felt they could bully me on the road - ie pull out etc, but then again I used to stick it where it shouldn't have been a few times also!
no problems just fun. Not really for country driving - but it was never intended for that.

templetonpeck

jahalpin wrote:

I am planning to buy a secondhand Fiat Secento as my first car. However, I have a few questions.

Any opinions on the Secento?
Has anyone actually seen a guy driving one?
Fuel economy etc

Thanks

Okay here goes:-

1. The seicento is a great car. I bought a new one as my first car. As with all cars it depends on the age and the mileage, but I had it for five years. Me and the OH (who is 6'3) drove to Galway, Waterford, Kerry, including the ring of kerry, Roscommon, Leitrim) and it was a great car. I couldn't recommend it highly enough. Mine was a 899cc and had nothing, no power steering no electrics no nothin, very bottom of the line.

2. I've seen a couple of blokes driving them. But I do tend to think, they're a student with not much cash flow etc, but TBH, that's what I think when I see a girl driving one, and cash flow was the reason I bought one. So it's a matter for your own ego really!

3. I found the fuel economy excellent...but I'm not great with the mpg info.

If it's your first car and you want something nippy to run around in, it's excellent.

Bad points: You'll get nothing for it when you trade it in and Fiat Service is diabolical. At five years mine was starting to act up (oil leaks etc) I had a punto after that and that was five years old when I got rid of that, again oil leaks and clutch problems and poor Fiat Service.

templetonpeck

jjbrien wrote:

Read my last post. My family have been working with fiat for 26 years. My cousin still works there. Drivers airbag is standard, ABS and passenger airbags are optional.

I had a Seicento for five years had the basic S Model, airbags did not come as standard, so I didn't get them.

My friend had the SX Model, the airbags were not included as standard, but she got them added.

ABS were absolutely not included as standard on my model, I can't speak for the SX version. The extra options when I bought were:-

1. ABS
2. Airbags
3. Metallic paint (IR£85)
4. Power Steering (ir£375)

None of which I got.

templetonpeck

Nephew wrote:

I was unfortunate enough to be a back seat passenger in one a few weeks ago. I had two thoughts throughout the trip, the first being 'my balls are about to pop' and the second 'if this car crashes into anything other than a jumping castle I am absolutely f*cked'

Yeah, that is a downside alright. You feel like you're in a tin can that will crumble. Adds to the excitement though!!!:D

Masada

by the looks of things (and i might be wrong) but the people who advise against it dont seem to be the ones who owned one., i would recommend it as a first car as it is cheap., and all this stuff about not being reliable?
this is usually people who dont look after their car or are just following trend from other peoples impression of fiat., if you do go for one the sporting it the best model to go for as far as extras go and has a 1.1 engine, the SX and the s are lower models respectively with electric windows in the SX IIRC.,
also they use fiats FIRE 8v engines which make them cheap for timing belt repairs, water pump, tensioner issuses etc., and it the belt goes it doesnt do any damage to the engine like a lot of other cars.,

personally i would prefer the cinquento instead as i think it looks better but uses the same engine so your practically getting the same car for a lot less money with the cinquento and its not AS girly as the sei.,lol.,

fletch

vtec wrote:

if you do go for one the sporting it the best model to go for as far as extras go and has a 1.1 engine, the SX and the s are lower models respectively with electric windows in the SX IIRC

Note that the Sporting model doesn't come with power steering. Can anybody confirm conclusively that Irish spec models don't come with a drivers airbag as standard? I had a little look on carzone and couldn't find a model with an airbag.

Masada

it was an option as for as i know., not fitted as standard.,

templetonpeck

fletch wrote:

Note that the Sporting model doesn't come with power steering. Can anybody confirm conclusively that Irish spec models don't come with a drivers airbag as standard? I had a little look on carzone and couldn't find a model with an airbag.

I can tell you 100% that I bought a Seicento brand new in 2000 and it did not come with an airbag as standard. You'll just have to make enquiries with the person you're buying from, or with a Fiat Garage. But mine definitely didn't have one as standard.

templetonpeck

vtec wrote:

and all this stuff about not being reliable?
this is usually people who dont look after their car

You may have a point there Though I treated my car well and other than the one oil leak (after five years) I had no probs with it.

I really couldn't recommend the car highly enough.

fletch

templetonpeck wrote:

I can tell you 100% that I bought a Seicento brand new in 2000 and it did not come with an airbag as standard. You'll just have to make enquiries with the person you're buying from, or with a Fiat Garage. But mine definitely didn't have one as standard.

Yes and so did my mother and I agree with you 100% but jjbrien seems to think differently

jjbrien wrote:

I have a Seitento S and it comes with drivers airbag as standard. My father used to work in a fiat garage for 26 years and he says all they all should have drivers airbag as standard. One question is it the 1108cc or 899cc model she has?

Wossack

buying tips: here

re the airbag issue: far more evidence pointing towards non-standard then otherwise, but whatever

Masada

templetonpeck wrote:

You may have a point there Though I treated my car well and other than the one oil leak (after five years) I had no probs with it.

I really couldn't recommend the car highly enough.

question is though, where was the oil leak from? most likely from the rocker cover gasket as this is a very common problem with all fiat FIRE engines and is a very easy fix,., new gasket is €7 and a bit of sealant and your done., people tend to over react when they find its leaking and think its the head gasket.,lol.,

jjbrien

If you check the oweners hand book it says it does come with airbag as standard. Mine is the 1108cc with power steering and it does come with airbag as standard but only the drivers airbag. You can request a passengers airbag when ordering the car. Another draw back is the S version which is what I have does not come with central locking or electric windows which really get to me sometimes.

Jamar

My (now) wife had one we both used to drive.

Handbrake was always bad, needing yearly tune. The clutch snapped, and the gear box failed, I think. There was a problem with the heating that caused a fair bit of money too. The pedals are very close together. At the time, I was also driving a bigger (micra ) car, and there were a few times I wasn't 100% my foot was on the brake or the accelerator when I got into the fiat, although it never came to any bad.

In one year, this car caused us a lot of trouble and money. It let us down on a few trips too. However, it's cheap and it was mostly fun to drive. HTH

Masada

it could also be that near the end of the range when there not going to make them anymore they add all the extras to sell them off., does the car have a number with the name? a lot of them do for instance, punto 55SX or 60S.,

Tabnabs

jjbrien wrote:

If you check the oweners hand book it says it does come with airbag as standard.

So is it the owners handbook or the 26 years of family involvment with FIAT that makes the drivers airbag standard, despite the first hand experience of others (myself included with S model)?

jjbrien

Dyflin wrote:

So is it the owners handbook or the 26 years of family involvment with FIAT that makes the drivers airbag standard, despite the first hand experience of others (myself included with S model)?

Check the book if you look at your steering whell you will notice its a little fat in the middle compaired to the chinq this is where your airbag is located. It does have an airbag. I have seen a few of them going back into the garage where my cousin and dad worked written off with the airbag deployed. So from seeing these cars first hand. You dont really know what your talking about. I only checked the oner handbook to be 100% sure. My dad also said its as standard.

Fiii

I bought a 00' Seicento as my first car 4months ago. Not a long time to have it I admit, but enough time to make a judgement on it from an owners point of view.

Bought it for a very reasonable 1,750euro. It's the 899cc S model, has power stearing but not central locking, sunroof etc.
The way I look at it, it's a good little beginners car. No, it's not great for the 'ol street cred and it may not be the safest car on the roads, but if it was unsafe it would not be allowed out of the factory.
Had a minor crash in it 1month after I got it, truck overtaking a car parked at a corner at speed was over my side of the road and never saw me coming, and it held up fairly well. Considering the truck was alot bigger than my wee car, I had expected the damage to be worse, but just a dent and scratch on the front drivers side panel.
It's cheap to buy, cheap to tax (only 151) and cheap to run. I average 15 quid a week on petrol and I do drive quite a bit.
I have been told the pedals are close together, but since it's the car I learned to drive in, I don't know any better so I am used to it.
My dad has driven it and found it fine.

I've got to be honest, when looking for my first car, a Seicento did not feature on my shortlist, but I ave it a chance (at that price I couldn't refuse ) and tis a fine little run around for learners in the city.

My two cents anyay.

galwaytt

vtec wrote:

by the looks of things (and i might be wrong) but the people who advise against it dont seem to be the ones who owned one., i would recommend it as a first car as it is cheap., and all this stuff about not being reliable?
this is usually people who dont look after their car or are just following trend from other peoples impression of fiat., if you do go for one the sporting it the best model to go for as far as extras go and has a 1.1 engine, the SX and the s are lower models respectively with electric windows in the SX IIRC.,
also they use fiats FIRE 8v engines which make them cheap for timing belt repairs, water pump, tensioner issuses etc., and it the belt goes it doesnt do any damage to the engine like a lot of other cars.,

personally i would prefer the cinquento instead as i think it looks better but uses the same engine so your practically getting the same car for a lot less money with the cinquento and its not AS girly as the sei.,lol.,

spot on. Despite all the lovely cars I've had in the last 10 years, I still remember vividly the day I bought my spanking new Cinqueqento Sporting - yellow, of course.

Without a doubt, it was then, and remains to this day, the best value motoring I've ever had. Period. True about the (awful) handbrake, but other than that I didn't need to spend a red cent on it in 4 years outside of normal servicing. Damn, it didn't even need tyres !! Always regretted selling it.............and am currently looking at buying another, btw........

as for NCAP, etc, well, you're not buying new, and you're not paying big money - so, € for €, does anything else at that price fare any better ? No, of course not. Look at the Chrysler Voyager's ratings for proof that big is not necessarily any better.........

And yes, I'd weigh more on those who've owned, than those who've only........moaned (;) .......(good one, that...)

templetonpeck

jjbrien wrote:

If you check the owners hand book it says it does come with airbag as standard. Mine is the 1108cc with power steering and it does come with airbag as standard but only the drivers airbag. You can request a passengers airbag when ordering the car. Another draw back is the S version which is what I have does not come with central locking or electric windows which really get to me sometimes.

JJ, as I've said before, I bought a Seicento S model 899CC in 2000 brand new and the drivers airbag did not come as standard, so I didn't have one. A friend of mine bought the SX 1108CC version also in 2000 and brand new and airbags didn't come as standard in that either, but she got one put in. The manuals say a lot of things a car should have.

Central locking and electric windows are added luxuries you don't need with the seicento. Same with power steering, because it's so light. Enjoy the fact that you have a nippy wee vehicle that you can park anywhere without putting too much of a dent in your pocket.

templetonpeck

vtec wrote:

question is though, where was the oil leak from? most likely from the rocker cover gasket as this is a very common problem with all fiat FIRE engines and is a very easy fix,., new gasket is €7 and a bit of sealant and your done., people tend to over react when they find its leaking and think its the head gasket.,lol.,

I don't know where it was coming from, but it was easily fixed. But you're right I was totally scarred off when I heard leaking engine and that's why I got rid of it. Well that and after five years, I really thought I'd paid my dues and earned myself a bigger set of wheels!!

Again I say though, as a first car, you can't go wrong with it!