Been looking at a Fiat Croma 1.9td 16v 150ps manual.
Anyone driven or own one, whats your views on these. I know these use the Alfa/Vectra/Saab engine made by fiat.
Regarding faults and servicing costs etc., and are the shells galvanized like Citroen/Peugeot.
|
The trouble with big Fiats, as with big Franch cars, is that the unreliable ones, and the poor dealers, make more news than the good ones: so that they depreciate in freefall.
The only way you could have one and not get stuffed financially is to buy one a year old (where some unfortunate who bought new has taken the hit - or perhaps a demonstrator ) and run it into the ground over a long period.
Maybe see if Fiat UK will offload one of their management cars.
|
That is true but rampant depreciation on French cars is also due (certainly in Citroen's case) to their determination to increase market share. That comes at a price in terms of residuals.
The main problem with French cars and Fiats is they don't have the right badge on the bonnet. In the snobby UK exec market these things matter. Who would pay 25K for a Citroen?
Residuals on Volvo V70 don't seem to be too great at the moment and I don't think anyone would say that was a poor car. I hope not as my Mother's getting one...
|
|
I think Alfas have the nicest badge of any car made.
|
The summer holiday season will be ending soon enough and the hire fleets will offload their cars. I'm pretty sure Hertz are running Fiats, so could you wait until the autumn and look for an ex-hire Croma?
There seem to be more MPVs than I recall previously on offer as hire cars - I presume its because the golf holiday set who used to hire estate cars are now looking for MPVs instead so they can see the scenery better when they take a break from the greens...
|
Gromit's point may partially answer Xileno's question. Maybe the families who used to buy second-hand Volvos, and keep up demand and therefore prices, now go for MPVs. Shorter, more economical and as much room inside if you don't have 7 seats up.
I'm not running down Volvos - but for a family with 2 or 3 children on a tight budget a Scenic or Picasso will seem to make more sense.
|
|
|
|
