A 200,000 Mile Fiat 500

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Our Fiat 500 has recently passed the 200,000 mile (322,000km) mark, so in celebration of this big milestone, I've made a review of the ownership experience. What has the cost of ownership been like, has it been reliable, and do Fiat have an unfaitr reputation?

The car:

2009 Fiat 500 Pop (the base version)
1.2 litre petrol engine
Manual gearbox

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Locations:

Suffolk, England

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My personal motorcycle: 2010 Triumph Bonneville 865cc (the base version)

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Video editing: @monikameraki (Instagram)

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[MichaelSmith-hzoz]

I have a vauxhall nova 1.6 gsi bought brand new in 1991 been used daily it now has approx 740k miles on it

[roseryancampau]

I have a 2012 Fiat 500 that I received as an 18th birthday present from my parents that now has almost 170k miles - that car has taken me up snowy mountains to go skiing in Quebec, driving down dirt roads in the Upper Peninsula, and this past summer road tripping across the United States with a husky in the passenger seat. I’m always shocked how efficient the packing was in the back with all my camping gear and how well it handled on the windy mountain roads! It’s such a great car, and the parts for regular maintenance are so inexpensive. It’ll be a sad day when she finally quits.

[simonnlaroche]

People always slag off Italian cars, but I have had numerous Fiats and Alfas over 30 plus years and I love them. The secret to me is simple; service them regulary, use decent oil and filters on a maximum 6k mile intervals, wash them when covered in road dirt or winter salt and treat them with respect. What effort you put in is what you will get back...!

[chunglee]

Bought it brand new in 2013
Fiat 500 lounge automatic
258K miles still driving in east coast of USA
Not a single engine or transmission problem

Never changed timing or water pump
Flush AT fluid at 120k
Changed oil every 9K with mobile 1 synthetic oil
Door hinge changed twice
Head light bulbs 4 times on left and 5 times on right changed
Paint still looks brand new…
Leather seat still has no tear . All the electronics works.
Both Rear hub and bearing changed twice ..
Front left wheel bearing 1 time changed.
Both rear brake calipers had to be changed at 200K
car washed 2 times a year
I did all the work in my garage

[gera]

It’s 1 AM and I ran outside to check the secret compartment from my fiat. Insane how much better my day becomes every time I look at that car.

[divergentone]

An American here with a 2012 Fiat POP. 188K miles and going strong while currently doing a 150 mile a day commute into LA

[smdphotogphotography]

I'm a 55 year old bloke and buying my 1st 500 this week and although I've driven so many different cars in my time I'm like a kid at Christmas! Can't wait to go for a spin!

[richgixer]

I'm a 41 year old man bought a black 500 to get around the ULEZ, had no expectation other than it to be basic. The car is truly the best I've owned never missed a beat 👌 I'll keep the car until the duration of it's life, this is coming from someone that's owned Audi's BMW etc

[billmccann]

Had my Fiat 500 for 8 years now. When I bought it I was told that Fiats were rubbish and it wouldn't last two minutes. I've got to say it's had the living daylights beaten out of it over the last 8 years and apart from regular servicing and tyres the only thing it has needed has been a battery. On the odd rare occasion it gets a wash and vac it comes up looking like new - there's lots of dings and scrapes, but absolutely no rust or rattles. I've had loads of cars including all the usual premium and luxury culprits but the 500 has cost buttons to run, always puts a smile on my face and I absolutely don't regret buying it for a minute!

[oyvi]

Freddie can always become a car salesman if this YouTube thing doesn’t work out. I am like close to running off buying a Fiat now 😆

[enniofabris]

Thank God you didn't buy the Yaris...!
Because now you'd have just an old Toyota but with the Fiat you've got a classic piece of Italian

[jovcha]

Fiat Bravo 1.6 16v petrol, 2001. Bought it 10 years ago for 2000€. 350 000km on the clock today. Still going strong. Love Fiat

[piperpilot]

I'm in the states. I purchased my 2012 Fiat 500 Sport in 2019 with 35k miles on it. It currently has 195k miles. It's the 1.4l non turbo paired with a five speed manual gearbox. Aside from a timing belt/water pump service, and a set of plugs, I've done zero work to the engine. As far as maintenance, I've replaced the front axles, three wheel bearings, and the suspension. Total cost $3, 100. Not bad for putting 160k on it in 4 years.

[autumnmatthews]

I absolutely adore my 500. Can’t say I’ve noticed the positioning of the seat but someone once said it’s a smile a mile and I have to agree

[Marcke-tbhb]

Thanks to you both. That’s the way to reduce CO2. Instead we’re encouraged (forced) into 2.5 ton, £40k electric monster, all on PCP, so traded in after 3 years and probably 25k miles! Utter madness. The government is encouraging the wrong behaviour. Well done you. Hope you have many a happy mile to come too.

[spicey_art]

I've got a 1.1 2009 panda (all the same underpinnings as the 500, just with a more utilitarian, more practical body) and I've done about 32k miles in it so far, and it's on 118k in total, over the last 5 years.

It's so simple, I was able to learn how to change the suspension and brake parts you mentioned myself, having never worked on cars before.

I passed my test in it, it's taken me from Cornwall to Norfolk and everywhere in between, it's done house moves where it's full to the headlining, towed a friend's diesel focus when it's cambelt snapped, carried dumpy bags, railway sleepers, been a parts runner for my fiat 126 project car, and without a single complaint while doing so!

They're truly wonderful, under-appreciated little cars, and I totally understand your appreciation for it ❤️

Roll on 200k!!

[farmercolm]

Good review Freddie. Haven't owned a 500 but have run three different models of Panda since 1992 which are almost identical to the 500 and all proved to be very reliable. I intend to run the current one into the ground. It will be a shame when legislation brings about the end of these simple, cheap, no nonsense, petrol engined cars.

[bikeaddictbp]

My previous car was a 2015 Fiat 500, 1.4, manual, which I bought new and recently traded in with 237, 000 km on it. Overall - good car. Rear wheel bearings and gearshift bushings were trouble spots. I knew about the door handles, and gave them a squirt of lubricant every few months, and never had trouble with those.

[mefastman]

Now, this isn't really a car that was owned for a long time, but was used as basically a rental car when me and my family where away on holiday to see grandparents, uncles and aunties, cousins, etc whilst away. Since the rental company didn't have anything in stock, they gave us what I believe to be someone's private car, that being an '03 or '04 Fiat Idea 1.3 Multijet with about 250, 000ish Kilometres. We took it from Palermo to the deep Southern Sicily and across to Southern Italy (Calabria) and back on bald tires which was sketchy but I think very much worth it as it was also enjoyable in the meanwhile that we were away. We also experienced the car hitting 260, 000km on the dot! Anyway, despite being sketchy AF it was amazing and proves that any car of any build quality, as long as it's maintained, can maintain whoever drives it and owns it.

[matteotc]

Being a fan from italy i love to see how much love you give to my compatriot small 500.
Keep Making us italians proud ❤