anyone driven a cinquecento sporting?

davidclayton

they seem like a cheap runaround that would get good mpg and a car that you could have a laugh in at low speeds. has anyone here owned one, or even driven one?

do they suffer from the usual fiat reliability issues?

Tipsy Mac

If you are below average size or weight perhaps get one, otherwise avoid, very little space at all........then would you believe Clarkson fits in one ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmVXiyXRm50

Seth Brundle

How would you have a laugh in one?

OfflerCrocGod

kbannon wrote:

How would you have a laugh in one?

Well you could ask someone to take a picture of you in it and then look at it while in the car.................mind you that might induce crying not laughter.

dcGT

Releation of mine has the '99 Seicento Sporting (similar). Usual Fiat responsive nippy 1.1 engine. Head gasket hasn't gone yet! She doesn't abuse the car and looks after it well. The most expensive part that has been done is the electric power steering motor... about €500 for a new one IIRC. Not sure if the Cinq and Seicento share this part???

Cheers,

DC

davidclayton

i don't really care how they look, its the nippyness or chuckability i'm interested in. have any of you had a go in one?

bazz26

I would try and get the newer better built 1.1 litre Seicento.

Volvoboy

LIGHTNING wrote:

I have, its like driving a go-kart kinda funny chucking it around corners. However just like a go-kart`s they are complete death traps.

http://www.euroncap.com/tests/fiat_seicento_2000/73.aspx

:eek:


-VB-

Owen

I've driven it, and yes, it is mighty fun. You do look like a t*t driving it though.

Esel

LIGHTNING wrote:

I have, its like driving a go-kart kinda funny chucking it around corners. However just like a go-kart`s they are complete death traps.

http://www.euroncap.com/tests/fiat_seicento_2000/73.aspx

That link is for the Seicento. OP is asking about Cinquecento.

colm_mcm

the Seicento is only a revamped Cinquecento, what makes you think a Cinquecento would do better?

davidclayton

ncap doesn't really bother me. my CRX is probably no better.
don't really care if i look like a t*t, as long as it is fun!
i think i'll go and test drive one to settle my curiousity...

colm_mcm

I've driven the Seicento Sporting and it's a hoot, slow but feels fast.

Seth Brundle

I helped my sis test (& buy) a Seicento Sporting. It was like driving a biscuit tin but she liked it!
The only problem with for her was that the pedals were too high off the floor for her small wimmins feet.

JHMEG

kbannon wrote:

How would you have a laugh in one?

I think he meant at

Cake Fiend

Tipsy Mac wrote:

If you are below average size or weight perhaps get one, otherwise avoid, very little space at all

Ha, we once got a group of 12 or so people in/on/hanging off a cinquecento (and then drove to the local nightclub). I'm off to see if I can find the photos...

Edit: found 'em :



See? Loads of space...

PauloMN

colm_mcm wrote:

I've driven the Seicento Sporting and it's a hoot, slow but feels fast.

Drove one for a week and that best describes it. Very basic, very noisy and has that horrible tin can feeling - just always thinking how you'd end up if anything hit you in it.

As far as driving, I found the pedals much too close together to be a regular drive. Kept hitting the brake and clutch together. Not just annoying but dangerous sometimes. If you are in anyway above average size I'd forget it.

davidclayton

i'm 6 foot. skinny build.

Owen

Cake Fiend wrote:

Ha, we once got a group of 12 or so people in/on/hanging off a cinquecento

That's the original, isn't it? The FIAT 500? With the suicide doors? Man, I'd love one of those. Is it still around?

galwaytt

I bought one new, in 96, and kept it for 4 years. Only issues I had were.....handbrake doesn't stay sharp for long, and.......some stitching came loose on rear seat.

Yes, feels faster than it is - but that's a good thing !

Other than that, it was faultless, and I got more when I sold it, than I owed on the finance. Come to think of it, that makes it the perfect car......:) ...and makes it more reliable than cars since, including.........
Scenic x 3, Galaxy x 1, Audi TT x 2, 911 x 1, E200 Kompressor x 1.....

mmmm, food for thought.........I'd say go for it.

RobAMerc

I had the SX version for nipping about in the city.

great fun car, predictable fun handling, and as pointed out slow but feel like your flying.
Down side : idiots on forums think they are cool by slagging off something they know nothing about (remember its not an octavia or carina) and idiots on the road tend to try bully you - ie they'll pull out in front of you coz they think you'll back off.

Other than that a hoot.

unkel

davidclayton wrote:

don't really care if i look like a t*t, as long as it is fun!

Fair play to ya! Great wee yokes

Jeremy Clarkson reckons it is a better car than a Mini Cooper

I didn't fit that well in it, but Clarkson is taller and heavier than me and he was fine. Rather than trust any of us, try it for yourself!

I doubt you'll find anything as much fun for as little money

Blue850

My brother has one, almost 90,000 miles on it, mad little yoke. As galwaytt said handbrakes are woeful on them, 2 attempts to pass the NCT with all new brakes and cables at the back, eventually the tester re-entered a different weight for the car to get it to pass. Lambda probes fail causing a drop in power for a second and then picking up again.

BostonB

I drove one and it was a bit of laugh. I kinda always wanted one. But....The pedals where very close together which I didn't like, but it wasn't all that chuckable or handle all that well IMO. Something like a standard Fiesta with 1.25 Zetec was much better. Even in that video you can see it handles like a canal barge. Most Cinq's I see seem to have a hard life and the one guy I know had lots of delays ordering things like the special tyres etc.

Still its cheap, fun, but only IF you can get a clean one. The Panda 100HP seems to be the spritual successor.

http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evocarreviews/205659/fiat_panda_100hp.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAQu8PMZSSk