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I know - aren't people daft when they think they can spend 8 or 9 grand on something and it should still be all ok after a month - some people hey ? :-)
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Nearly as bad as 17 grand.
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Ouch !
Having said that - you do keep going back for more of the same AE :-)
Edited by Pendlebury on 29/01/2008 at 19:58
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I have a 2006 Golf Plus and the plastic centre caps on the alloys all corroded after about 12 months.
The VW dealer response was initially typically unhelpful, and they suggested it was because I used a power wash.
It was only when I gave them the reg numbers of five newish Golfs on their used car display showing the same problem that they agreed to change them under warranty. Incidentally, I don't use a power wash - but have since discovered that the VW dealer does when cleaning cars as part of the service!
To quote Elliott Ness to Al Capone: never give up, never give up!
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the plastic centre caps corroded
how does plastic corrode??
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Lets hope the 500 is better built than the Grande Punto. My sister ordered one of these last year for delivery on 07 plate. The day before it was due to be delivered the garage rang (Research Garage) to say that the engine warning light was on and they could not put it out; they said they didn't have the correct tool!
After about a week it was eventually delivered. Then after two weeks the engine started knocking. It went back to Research Garage who diagnosed a major engine fault and said they would have to dismantle and rebuild the engine. Naturally she wanted to reject the car and have a brand new replacement. They refused this.
There then followed weeks of protracted phone calls and letters between her husband and Fiat UK and the garage, during this time she had no usable car. Eventually she did get a new car from them. After three or four weeks the new car developed a fault with the steering system and required a new steering unit.
They lost confidence in Fiat cars, traded it in and have bought a Puegeot 207 1.4 16v. Its a an ugly looking thing, but so far its not gone wrong.
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If corroding hub caps is their only problem then I think they should 'get out more'. This is one of the things that didnt help Rover, every little niggle was blown out of all proportion, qxman, now thats what I call 'an issue'
Edited by BMDUBYA on 30/01/2008 at 11:26
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Am I not right in thinking that the Polish built Pandas and 500s are far more reliable and better built that Italian Fiats?
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"Lets hope the 500 is better built than the Grande Punto."
This is seemingly the GP two years or so from launch,
www.fiatforum.com/grande-punto-technical/89495-kno...l
You will notice the water in the boot double skin is still current despite the above list being a year old.
www.fiatforum.com/grande-punto-technical/129385-wa...l
Allegedly, three recalls too besides that, but a great looking car and best value for money in its class. Worth it for the Galvanising...?
Regards
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Im sure if you trawl through any makes forums you will find problems, and repeated problems aswell. On this site there are several reports of Hondas which dont run when they are cold, golfs with broken fuel pumps in large numbers.
I know 4 people with G Puntos and non have these issues. The earliest one was recalled for a piece of trim replacement to the steering column.
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I'm a bit puzzled by the references to GP problems. I bought a GP Sporting diesel last June. It's done just over 14,000 miles including a round trip from Sussex to Edinburgh over the new year period. The build quality inside and outside would be difficult to find serious fault with (unless you are really nit-picky and able to afford something like a Lexus). It's certainly as good as my wife's 07 reg Fiesta in these respects and feels more refined by a mile. Electrically and mechanically it has not missed a beat. There are no water leaks in the boot (or anywhere else).
Perhaps I'm living in a parallel universe.
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First problems have 'come out' with 500 s in France - electrical niggles which require some components replacing. Rather than do a recall FIAT have said they will replace the components when the owners bring them in for servicing............ie servicing has to be at FIAT if you want it sorting.
Couldn't help noticing that Toyota got stick for doing 'lots' of recalls - well that's a company that owns up to mistakes and sorts them out...........what's the problem with that !!!!!?????
Still, lovely looking car and starts at under 9000 Euros in France (basic model without aircon or cd player). Only two year manufacturers garauntee) but will sell shed-loads (IMHO). If it had a five year garauntee I might even be tempted despite being 'bitten' by FIAT before - must be mad....
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Apparently a new Fiat 500 got 4 miles from the dealers and the engine light came on. Had to be driven back to the dealers and left there.
Is that the `niggle`in France?
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I think it was two (or perhaps three ?) dashboard lights staying on after ignition. The one I remember in particular was the seat belt warning light. I'll try to find the article (was several months ago, in one of the online French car magazines), post a link and translate it -don't want to malign FIAT unnecessarily - there's plenty enough reason to do do it justifiably....
The faults seemed relatively minor - I was really making the point that servicing had to be at FIAT to have them fixed under warranty.
Now that^s a good thread starter - How different companies react to warranty claims......
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FIAT 500 recalls in France
Well I didn´t find the original article ( French car websites) saying that FIAT would fix the fault at servicing, but I found (dated December 2007) another saying that most 500s since production started are being recalled to have window motors replaced and all are being recalled to have an electronic reprogramming to fix a fault with the seat belt warning light. Here´s the link.
guide-occasion.caradisiac.com/Nouvelle-Fiat-500-qu...9
I was in Italy over the weekend and say loads of 500s. They look good in all colours (although not so sure about the copper).
HJ - saw several in white, and looks good, inside and out !!
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That will be the very minor Rover blown head gasket niggle I suppose!
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