Buying guide!.

Things to Look Out For When Buying a Used Fiat 500.

Obviously, cheapest isn’t always the best. The Fiat you’re eyeing won’t be brand spanking new, they have a hard life and let’s face it, these cheeky little cars often have had a bit of a tough time from day one. But here’s the silver lining—Fiat crafted an amazing engine. Yes, you heard right. They aren’t the most popular kid at school, but we all know how the popular kid turns out. This little powerhouse wipes the floor with the three-cylinder CGPB VW engine. We’re talking practically Mensa genius here.

So, what should you be keeping an eagle eye on?

1. Engine,

Open the bonnet, remove the oil cap, it might be a bit tight, left loosy, righty tighty. Check for mayonnaise like oil on the filler cap, if its slighty white its not a big deal. If its full on mayo, possible head gasket (rare on a 500 but it has been known). Wobbly/loose air filter box, and, as looking down on the engine, between the battery and the engine, there’s a thing called a “Thermostat housing”. These crack at the back causing coolant leaks. If you see dry red, crystalized coolant anywhere, its time to change. Usually about an hour and involves removing the battery.

2. Gearbox.

Hard driving can create a whiney gearbox, like a high pitched whirring sound. Usually means the gearbox needs to be rebuilt. usual cost for this if around £500 all in and 4 days off the road.

3 Clutch.

The most common issue on the the fiat 500. Its not actually the clutch, its the slave cylinder. Sounds super miserable but bare with me. On top of the gearbox sits a small device which connects to your clutch pedal via a hydraulic pipe. This small device, that moved a pin in and out, is made of plastic and tend to fail. When the engine gets hot, a squeaking occurs telling you the slave is on its way out. On every 500 I retail, its the first thing I do, change it from plastic to the newer metal uprated one. If the clutch pedal squeaks, slave is quitting.

4. Suspension.
The engine may be bomb proof, but the rear axle isnt. Have a look at MOT history, if it says rear axle corroded on 3 or 4 MOTs then its likely the rear axle is rotten. They bend in the middle and the spring mounts can collapse. A new rear axle is around £170 but the labour involved is usually around £300. Front Suspension “Top Mounts”, Little saucer shaped things that sit on the top of yours front shock absorbers on the bonnet side. They all rust so dont panic if you see it. If they are falling apart and you can pull them to bits with your hand…you need new ones. £20 for two….takes an hour.

5. Interior Wear and Tear, Instrument cluster, hands free
Fiat interiors used to be the dreariest in the world (after volvo). The fiat 500s nowadays, pretty funky. Issues lie with the instrument cluster (speedo). Lights flicker, stay on, indicator light triggers the handbrake light etc. Usualy means it needs to be sent of and fixed for around £100. If the bluetooth hands free doesnt work (on the lounge model, pop and colour therapy doesnt have hands free) then the Blue and Me/convergence unit has failed. This can cause battery drain. Its a pain to remove due to being secured behind the rear passenger side trim. Usual cost is £100 to repair Blue and me unit and around £200 for removal/refitting labour. Press the “shouty face” button left lower button on the steering wheel, if the boss lady doesnt pop up through the speakers giving you options…then the unit needs to be repaired.

6. Door handles.

These are plastic, like most cars, but they tend to break. Good news is they are super cheap around £12 each. Bad news is, its a super annoying job to replace. Handles hanging off? New handles needed, not glue.

7. Sump.

The oil sump sits underneath the engine and holds your oil, these are a steel “pan” or “tub” that can corrode over time. They tend to become brittle and leak oil. A new one is very cheap, around £40. The fitting is pretty straight forward but a faff due to the exhaust running underneath it and needing to be removed or moved out of the way. Its messy. Generally £150 inc sump to replace.

In a nutshell: yes, Fiat engines are brilliant little beasts, and the rest of the car deserves a thorough gawp. Be armed with patience and a pick of parts wallets, and you’ll end up with a trusty, quirky companion that’s worth every penny. Make sure that Clutch slave cylinder has been replaced.