I was in Atlanta making calls and a dealer had 30+ of these on this lot. We stopped and saw one that was stickered at $22,800 or so. Seems like a lot of money.
What do I know as I am slowly becoming the old guy I used to work with............"$20,000 for a Chevrolet? My first house cost that much........."
Mines fully loaded with leather and HIDs with a sunroof everything you can get in a sport -nav
I really felt the festiva is nothing special at all unless modded. There is a review on youtube that sums up the mazda(festiva) vs the 500.
The 500 is a fun higher class car that was built for that purpose. The mazda/festiva is a entry level car that trys to be sporty.
pete240z wrote: I was in Atlanta making calls and a dealer had 30+ of these on this lot. We stopped and saw one that was stickered at $22,800 or so. Seems like a lot of money. What do I know as I am slowly becoming the old guy I used to work with............"$20,000 for a Chevrolet? My first house cost that much........."
BRAND NEW CARS IN 2012 ARE NOT CHEAP! You need to look at whats out there and you will understand.
Look at what a ford focus hatch back goes for with a couple options.
The new focus can hit almost 30,000!?!!!
There is not alot of cars out there in the 20,000 and under range.
Pretty much festiva,mazda2,kia then you have the fiat 500.
The mini is CRAZY MONEY!
Like I said you can get a mustang 5.0 GT or a 370Z for what a optioned out mini goes for!!
Oh and the abarth is already targeted to be much less than a john cooper works mini and less than a turbo. It is already cheaper in europe right now than the mini. Alot of fiat parts with be NORTH AMERICAN MADE!
So you dont have to get the rape train that BMW likes to pull on its owners. Really makes me sick that a coil pack cost almost 1,000 dollars on a GTI.
Thats another reason for choosing the 500.
If you need the space for hauling this is not the car for you and you should look at the festiva or mazda2.
If you dont need space or have a family and want something geared towards driving/fun thats niche and has a soild ride and feel than the 500 is for you.
The mini is everything I wanted but you couldnt get me to pay what they are asking.
Everyone knows how the EP Civic gets the cool rally mounted shifter?
So does this car it is placed right next to the wheel! So you can be a race car driver and get 40mpg LOL
In reply to SyntheticBlinkerFluid:
Im 5.8 and 150pounds my old man is around the same height and is a little over 200 pounds and is "alot wider" and he loves the fit and is very very comfortable driving in it and being on long trips.
I had a friend that was 6.0 in my car and he was comfortable with my sunroof. You will not feel like your in a miata when you get into this car. Its not going to feel tiny tiny like a honda CRX. What it lacks in hauling size it makes up for in how they made useable space for people inside the car.
You need to go test drive cars in its class to get a feel for what you think is right for you. For me its perfect no wife or kids nor cargo to haul aside from needed to get a bike rack.
In reply to SyntheticBlinkerFluid:
I suggest you go take a look at one the dealers by me are being very laid back about the car.
They are also forcing the salesman to know the car and even flying them out for training just for the fiat 500.
Alot of people buying these cars are Ex Alfa/fiat owners already so its gaining a small market thats starting to pick up.
In reply to nderwater:
I did not want a preowned car under warranty that is a different thread and whole different topic.
I bought this car so I can peal off the the plastic from the seats,carpet and take the "wrapper" off for the first time.
First time buying and doing that and it feels really nice for having a car no one has ever own or been test driven.
Aside from the beat to E36 M3 STI and Evo's ive looked at it was time for something very cool and also great on gas.
joeya wrote: Looking to do some autocross and having fun with the car. End of story for a 20K car its great, does feel like a enco box and is different from the norm.
1) As I understand it, the 500 is currently on the SCCA's autocross "not allowed" list due to rollover potential. That may have changed and I could be wrong.
2) I assume you mean " doesn't feel like an econobox" rather than "does feel"? That question is the crux of the biscuit right there.
I have nothing against the 500. I think they're pretty cool looking in person.
Didja drive the Fit, too? How does it compare? HP stats are about the same, I think.
I like the 500. Congrats on your new car.
I could not justify it for myself (mainly cost vs. size), but sounds like it works for your needs. I am equally excited about my wifes new Focus.
Basil Exposition wrote: Didja drive the Fit, too? How does it compare? HP stats are about the same, I think.
Price point is no where near the same.
I've driven both and the Fit feels small by comparison.
In reply to joeya:
FWIW- the Ford is a Fiesta. Not Festiva.
And according to the Ford website, the MSRP for the Fiesta ranges from $14,000 to $18,500.
so.
(just looked up the 500- MSRP ranges from $15,500 to $23,500- so for the extra money you get to spend to get one, it'd BETTER hold it's value.... not that fiats or alfas have ever done that off the lot)
Thanks to TG I will always have a soft spot for the fiesta
carguy123 wrote:Basil Exposition wrote: Didja drive the Fit, too? How does it compare? HP stats are about the same, I think.Price point is no where near the same.
How do you figure? The 500 starts at 15,500 MSRP and this fellow says he paid ~$20k for the Sport. The Fit starts at 15,175 and goes up to $19,540 for the Sport with navigation.
carguy123 wrote:Basil Exposition wrote: Didja drive the Fit, too? How does it compare? HP stats are about the same, I think.Price point is no where near the same. I've driven both and the Fit feels small by comparison.
How could the Fit feel smaller than the 500??? My wife's Fit is downright cavernous. Insane headroom.
Basil Exposition wrote:carguy123 wrote:How do you figure? The 500 starts at 15,500 MSRP and this fellow says he paid ~$20k for the Sport. The Fit starts at 15,175 and goes up to $19,540 for the Sport with navigation.Basil Exposition wrote: Didja drive the Fit, too? How does it compare? HP stats are about the same, I think.Price point is no where near the same.
By pricing a Fit. Every Fit I've found at the dealer is mid $20s.
gamby wrote:carguy123 wrote:How could the Fit feel smaller than the 500??? My wife's Fit is downright cavernous. Insane headroom.Basil Exposition wrote: Didja drive the Fit, too? How does it compare? HP stats are about the same, I think.Price point is no where near the same. I've driven both and the Fit feels small by comparison.
Same for the Fiat, except it ends at the back seat. Feels much wider and more room for your feet.
Go sit in one.
Duke wrote: 1) As I understand it, the 500 is currently on the SCCA's autocross "not allowed" list due to rollover potential. That may have changed and I could be wrong.
You're not wrong.
has anybody tried to roll one for the SCCA?
I sat in one with a sunroof at the autoshow earlier this year. And even with the seat as low as it will go my head brushed the shade. I am 6'2" I would have to get one without the sunroof.
But I want one.
The 500 base model at $15.5 works for me, add as you go along rather than include in MSRP. Cut out the crap and the weight of options, add Abrath as it becomes available.
I drove one today. I liked the feel, low revs on the highway is my main concern, and the Fiat revs lower at 70mph than the Fit, Mazda2, or Accent.
I'm not tall, and I'm not particularly broad, but my right knee kept banging the shifter "console" and my left shoulder felt jammed into the B-pillar.
OTD total for a 5-speed Pop with sunroof and spare tire (when did THAT become an option) was $19.3k.
I'll wait and see how they depreciate :)
In reply to joeya:
I own a 2009 Mazda3, sheet metal is sneeze thin and dents if you look at it sideways. Looking at a 500 base Friday, hoping for some heavy metal.
Funny, I drove one today as well. Great looking car, comfy seats too, but damn if I didn't hate driving the thing. Mainly the driver's position waaaaay back from the windshield, and the world's largest driver side blind spot this side of a carriage horse. Found the clutch to be particularly vague too, but the shifter was nice (and I got a chuckle out of seeing it on the console like the aforementioned Civic Si). It also didn't feel any peppier motor wise than the '97 Accent I drove to the dealer, which is a shame, and was certainly smaller in every dimension. It did have decent head room at least and did have a nice satisfyingly sturdy build feel.
carguy123 wrote:Basil Exposition wrote:By pricing a Fit. Every Fit I've found at the dealer is mid $20s.carguy123 wrote:How do you figure? The 500 starts at 15,500 MSRP and this fellow says he paid ~$20k for the Sport. The Fit starts at 15,175 and goes up to $19,540 for the Sport with navigation.Basil Exposition wrote: Didja drive the Fit, too? How does it compare? HP stats are about the same, I think.Price point is no where near the same.
How in the hell are they doing that??? In August of 2010, my wife's Sport stickered at $18k and we got it for $17.3 IIRC. Even with Navigation, it would sticker at $20k.
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