So my 2008 Fiat 500 failed its NCT

ewan whose army

I brought my Fiat over from the UK and registered it over-here no VRT etc.

Anyway its failed its NCT much to my surprise (Its only done 27000km since new) with the nearside ball joint failing it (It had new shocks last year so ever more irritated).

Anyway can someone recommend a garage in Dublin that would do, I would like to avoid Fiat main dealers?

George Dalton

Nissan Doctor will be able to help you out:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/member.php?u=322982

Dord

I've seen people on here mention AMS in finglas before. It's worth giving them a try. http://www.automaintenance.ie/

dgt

ewan whose army wrote: »

Anyway can someone recommend a garage in Dublin that would do, I would like to avoid Fiat main dealers?

Wise decision, apart from offering crap service they charge extortionate prices for certain parts, wishbones included.

Source out the part from a motor factor

tcawley29

FIAT = Fix It Again Tomorrow

Mycroft H

tcawley29 wrote: »

FIAT = Fix It Again Tomorrow

Cos ball joints dont go on other cars?

tcawley29

BX 19 wrote: »

Cos ball joints dont go on other cars?

Shouldn't be having those sort of problems on a car with such low mileage. My car is an '06 and I've never had a problem with it in the past two and a half years I've owned it having covered 35000km. All I've had to replace was rear brake pads and front tires since I got it

dgt

tcawley29 wrote: »

FIAT = Fix It Again Tomorrow

Come on then, lets have you. Tell me your educated reason why you came to that conclusion....

tcawley29

dgt wrote: »

Come on then, lets have you. Tell me your educated reason why you came to that conclusion....

As regards to an educated reason, I'm in IT not mechanics so no education there. As regards a response see right above.

Stheno

OP I'd to replace one on my alfa to get it through the NCT, good news is that the part wasn't too expensive, and labour was reasonable, that's with my mechanic who is a local indy working out of the back of his house.

Lovely car btw!

Just one thing, you've only 21 days to rebook the test, try and do it asap, so you get a date in the 28 day time frame and use that as a guide to getting the car fixed, rather than focusing on getting it fixed, and then discovering you can't get a date, and have to do the full test again!

Stheno

tcawley29 wrote: »

As regards to an educated reason, I'm in IT not mechanics so no education there. As regards a response see right above.

What car do you drive?

tcawley29

Stheno wrote: »

What car do you drive?

2006 Toyota Corolla 1.4 D-4D

dgt

tcawley29 wrote: »

As regards to an educated reason, I'm in IT not mechanics so no education there. As regards a response see right above.

Really? What else can you come up with? What makes Fiat so bad in your view? Apart from ball joints.

Ever thought the roads might be crap where the op lives? Maybe the OP has had the misfortune of an unbalanced tire that may have wrecked the life of the part? Or they hit a pothole unwillingly?

So tell me why it's right to slate an entire brand. Give me a good reason why

ewan whose army

tcawley29 wrote: »

Shouldn't be having those sort of problems on a car with such low mileage. My car is an '06 and I've never had a problem with it in the past two and a half years I've owned it having covered 35000km. All I've had to replace was rear brake pads and front tires since I got it

I am used to it, it failed its last UK MOT for the shock absorbers and the breather unit, its had a whole new engine under warranty etc. I have looked after it as well, been serviced, looked after it. Its my first car, I saved up for it I am kinda attached to it lol.

I would sell it now but I can't sell it until next year due to the VRT exemption.

The only explanation for the pants reliability I have had is due to me living in a very rural part of the UK , I had to drive up potholed farm tracks daily, with the fiat being a city car I wonder if the suspension is up to it?

dgt

BX 19 wrote: »

Cos ball joints dont go on other cars?

Clearly not on a Toyota that's for sure :rolleyes:

challengemaster

dgt wrote: »

So tell me why it's right to slate an entire brand. Give me a good reason why

Renault is one good reason to slate an entire brand

You're right though, Fiat's don't deserve the rep they have for the most part.

tcawley29

dgt wrote: »

Really? What else can you come up with? What makes Fiat so bad in your view? Apart from ball joints.

Ever thought the roads might be crap where the op lives? Maybe the OP has had the misfortune of an unbalanced tire that may have wrecked the life of the part? Or they hit a pothole unwillingly?

So tell me why it's right to slate an entire brand. Give me a good reason why

Trust me the roads aren't great where I live either. Should that not be something that should be coped by a mechanic on a service/felt during normal driving no? We've all been through pot holes, shouldn't have to go replacing parts like that every time you hit a pothole.
Any time FIAT comes up in conversation with either friends or family its always about a problem with them - misfiring engines, etc.

colm_mcm

At least you don't have rust patches on the roof

tcawley29

colm_mcm wrote: »

At least you don't have rust patches on the roof

Sand it out and spray it :pac: Thats what I did on a small patch on mine

dgt

tcawley29 wrote: »

Trust me the roads aren't great where I live either. Should that not be something that should be coped by a mechanic on a service/felt during normal driving no? We've all been through pot holes, shouldn't have to go replacing parts like that every time you hit a pothole.
Any time FIAT comes up in conversation with either friends or family its always about a problem with them - misfiring engines, etc.

I started a pothole thread recently so not great here either. Despite new joints, they were worn away in 15k miles :rolleyes:

Misfiring? What car, what engine, how often? How often are they serviced?

Who makes the headlights for your Corolla btw....?

My dad has a 2000 Mk2 Punto HLX and it hasn't given him much trouble at all. There was a sensor issue which was causing issues with the thermostat, but that could happen to any modern car. So no, I don't believe the stereotypical Fiat reputation.

colm_mcm

dgt wrote: »

Who makes the headlights for your Corolla btw....?

His common rail diesel corolla...

challengemaster

tcawley29 wrote: »

Any time FIAT comes up in conversation with either friends or family its always about a problem with them - misfiring engines, etc.

Well, there's generally about 3 reasons why most people talk about cars - They're proud, they're buying, or there's a problem.

And it's the same with most things in life - you generally only hear the complaints from the minority, never the praise from the majority.

tcawley29

dgt wrote: »

I started a pothole thread recently so not great here either. Despite new joints, they were worn away in 15k miles :rolleyes:

Misfiring? What car, what engine, how often? How often are they serviced?

Who makes the headlights for your Corolla btw....?

Fiat Diablo 1.3 Multijet. Dunno. Serviced whenever its due. Its a County council vehicle.

The headlights or the bulbs? If headlights then I don't know

dgt

colm_mcm wrote: »

His common rail diesel corolla...

Yes.... Actually that's a better point

tcawley29 wrote: »

Fiat Diablo 1.3 Multijet. Dunno. Serviced whenever its due. Its a County council vehicle.

The headlights or the bulbs? If headlights then I don't know

Maybe it's dodgy diesel and not the Just 1 vehicle? Any more tales of woes from Fiat?

Want to hazard a guess at who invented the diesel injection system for your car....?

tcawley29

dgt wrote: »

Yes.... Actually that's a better point



Maybe it's dodgy diesel and not the Just 1 vehicle? Any more tales of woes from Fiat?

Want to hazard a guess at who invented the diesel injection system for your car....?

Its possible. Not that I've heard recently.

My guess would be Toyota

dgt

tcawley29 wrote: »

Its possible. Not that I've heard recently.

My guess would be Toyota

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Modern common rail systems, whilst working on the same principle, are governed by an engine control unit (ECU) which opens each injector electronically rather than mechanically. This was extensively prototyped in the 1990s with collaboration between Magneti Marelli, Centro Ricerche Fiat and Elasis. After research and development by the Fiat Group, the design was acquired by the German company Robert Bosch GmbH for completion of development and refinement for mass-production.

A fair few Toyotas are equipped with Magneti Marelli components, a subsidary of Fiat

Do you want to continue digging a hole?

166man

Ah yes, a FIAT bashing thread...:D

dgt is the wrong person to argue about Fiats with tbh...

tcawley29

dgt wrote: »

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:



A fair few Toyotas are equipped with Magneti Marelli components, a subsidary of Fiat

Do you want to continue digging a hole?

I like digging

dgt

tcawley29 wrote: »

I like digging

I'm not out to change your opinion, just to point out how backwards and uneducated it is. I feel I've made my point

colm_mcm

tcawley29 wrote: »

I like digging

You'll need something like this

swarlb

tcawley29 wrote: »

FIAT = Fix It Again Tomorrow

Ohhh Pleeease, for the love of whoever or whatever you believe in, could you come up with something more original, please....its not even funny any more, its so old its beyond a joke. Put it to bed...
I'm not defending Fiats or trying to promote them or anything, but Jeez...the OP asked who could help him with his car, which just happens to be a Fiat, be a bit more constructive.

Ded_Zebra

Well from the middle ground here. I drive a Toyota, I love my Toyota but it doesn't change the fact that the single most reliable car that my family ever owned was a 2008 Fiat Bravo 1.6 multijet. In 4 years and just over 160,000km if did not suffer one mechanical failure ever.

langdang

Don't feed the troll, waste of time dealing with the likes.

ewan, ball joints fail if you are driving bad roads. You should be glad the NCT picked it up. I have a photo somewhere of what happens when a ball joint separates - not something you want to happen on the road at speed.

I've gone through 3 in a Honda (den-den-DEN!!! Hondas are crap OMG 3 times more unreliable than FIATS but too-early-to-be-making-a-fix-it-again-type-saying-from-Honda). 2 top, 1 lower, with the nearside taking the most punishment on country roads. And that's with significantly more tyre sidewall to soak up impacts.

I'd share the dim view of FIAT main dealers from past experiences.
A good independent garage, new balljoint, retest, away you go. Nice car BTW.

Interceptor

ewan whose army wrote: »

living in a very rural part of the UK , I had to drive up potholed farm tracks daily

I think I see your problem...

ewan whose army wrote: »

I wonder if the suspension is up to it?

There aren't many cars that can take continuous hammering on rutted tracks without something failing, having driven a FIAT 500 I wouldn't rate it as particularly suitable for semi off-road use but having owned Cinqs, Puntos, a Stilo as well as two Subaru Legacys and a Legacy Outback I wouldn't consider the FIATS any worse for needing suspension components replaced.

Any independant garage will fit the balljoint - I suspect its the same as the Punto and you need the whole wishbone (€90-ish?), just make sure they track it again afterward.

'c

GavMan

ewan whose army wrote: »

I brought my Fiat over from the UK and registered it over-here no VRT etc.

Anyway its failed its NCT much to my surprise (Its only done 27000km since new) with the nearside ball joint failing it (It had new shocks last year so ever more irritated).

Anyway can someone recommend a garage in Dublin that would do, I would like to avoid Fiat main dealers?

As an Alfa owner, I use Gerry Campbell of Ti Autos. I would imagine he would be able to look after your 500, no danger.

http://www.tiautos.ie/

pcardin

swarlb wrote: »

Ohhh Pleeease, for the love of whoever or whatever you believe in.

holy motherboards and St. graphics cards of course. :rolleyes:

cpoh1

Guys whatever about car brand bashing I would be fairly pissed off if my 5 year old low mileage car was failing nct's and needed new shocks after so little wear/use.

This is not normal and should not be happening, fiat/alfa and some vws (among many others!) seem to love chewing through suspension parts - this is cr*p reliability no matter what way you slice your bread.

Thatnastyboy

Jaysus, Mr Cawley,

Just count yourself lucky you dont drive a b5 passat, you'd call vw the most unreliable anything in the history of everything :pac:

Same goes for the OP, rutted & potholey roads? you'd be changing em weekly :eek:


IMO balljoints and anything else with a bush involved is a consumable....




especially wimmin :pac:

pcardin

Thatnastyboy wrote: »

Jaysus, Mr Cawley,

Just count yourself lucky you dont drive a b5 passat, you'd call vw the most unreliable anything in the history of everything :pac:

Same goes for the OP, rutted & potholey roads? you'd be changing em weekly :eek:


IMO balljoints and anything else with a bush involved is a consumable....




especially wimmin :pac:

I tought the last wimmin bush was terminated in late 90ties :eek:

advertsfox

dgt wrote: »

Come on then, lets have you. Tell me your educated reason why you came to that conclusion....

Shhhh don't edge him on - I got my GP €1500 cheaper because of this stereotype

advertsfox

LIGHTNING wrote: »

My mk2 Punto never let me down and despite having over 100k miles on the clock the interior looked like it have just left the showroom not one squeak or rattle.

Exactly same with my old MK2, new battery because it was sitting up and never gave me a single issue in 8 months.

ewan whose army

I got a few quotes from places, the best was €200 including the alignment from http://www.automaintenance.ie so I am going to get them to do it. Turns out on the 500s and Pandas the Ball Joint can only be replaced with a whole wishbone

For lolz I asked the Fiat main dealer and they wanted double !!

Its just irritating, I look after my Car, its immaculate to look at, always been serviced, garaged etc.

swarlb

ewan whose army wrote: »

I got a few quotes from places, the best was €200 including the alignment from http://www.automaintenance.ie so I am going to get them to do it. Turns out on the 500s and Pandas the Ball Joint can only be replaced with a whole wishbone

For lolz I asked the Fiat main dealer and they wanted double !!

Its just irritating, I look after my Car, its immaculate to look at, always been serviced, garaged etc.

I hate to break this to you, but Automaintenance are a Fiat Dealer.

ewan whose army

swarlb wrote: »

I hate to break this to you, but Automaintenance are a Fiat Dealer.

Well they are, but the one on airside wanted 800 for it, another wanted 500, they were the actually the lowest

Stheno

ewan whose army wrote: »

I got a few quotes from places, the best was €200 including the alignment from http://www.automaintenance.ie so I am going to get them to do it. Turns out on the 500s and Pandas the Ball Joint can only be replaced with a whole wishbone

For lolz I asked the Fiat main dealer and they wanted double !!

Its just irritating, I look after my Car, its immaculate to look at, always been serviced, garaged etc.

My alfa was the same, whole wishbone needed to be done.

That's a decent price OP