Fiat 500 Buyers' Guide

Fiat 500 buying guide from Auto500.co.uk

The 2007-on Fiat 500 has stood the test of time, finally going off production in 2024 after 17 years (only one year less than the original from 1957). It is generally a robust little car, with good build quality and (with the 1.2 and 1.4 petrol engines especially), proven mechanicals. There are however a few things to look out for if you are buying, set out below. Auto 500 offers a pre-purchase check of a prospective vehicle starting from £80 all-inclusive, anywhere in Kent and East Sussex outside of the M25 (price varies up to £100 with distance from Tonbridge).

What are the best models?

This really depends on what you want. In terms of engines, all have brio with even the 1.2 (69bhp) being decently nippy if you want to work it, and capable of long runs with great economy. The 1.4 16v (discontinued in 2010) is a great choice if you want a bit more oomph (0-60 in 10 seconds) but with technical simplicity and reliability. These are quite old cars now however so buy with care and read on for things to look for. The turbo TwinAir engines (in 85bhp or rarer 105bhp form) are great for mid-range punch with a characterful soundtrack (albeit more lawnmower than V8!), though are not always the smoothest and are less tolerant of slack maintenance than the other petrol engines. The diesels are quite rare – torquey and reasonably reliable (for diesels!) though slightly more expensive to maintain overall. Most recently, the 1.0 “mild” hybrids (from 2020) have a characterful three-cylinder vibe and great economy but have a reputation for being a bit gutless, moreso than the 1.2.

The Abarth models are on another level though the less extreme versions (up to 145 bhp) are surprisingly easy to live with, at the same time as being fun, practical little expresses - and in terms of ride and refinement can actually be better than the regular 500, especially the early versions of the "normal" car. Abarths can also be good value to buy (but remember fuel and insurance), being slightly niche and not subject to the general high level of demand and therefore price premium the regular 500 seems to command. The more extreme Abarths (Turismo up) are really beyond the scope of this review – but remember many are modified (or at least “personalised”) and the specifications need careful research before buying. Look out for accident damage and bear in mind that in large urban areas they can be the target of thefts. All Abarths have the same basic engine (a turbocharged version of the 1.4 16v) in different states of tune – this “T-Jet” unit is well proven and very robust if looked after (see the notes below on the regular 1.4 engine on which this unit is based). Again, the lower powered Abarths may be the sweet spot in terms of reliability and may have been less likely to suffer dubious “tuning” or modifications. And even the lowliest Abarth is usefully brisk with 0-60 in under 8 seconds (I love my 145).

Trim levels: Back to regular 500s, Pop is the entry model (doesn’t have air conditioning nor alloy wheels as standard). Lounge goes for luxury (A/C, a fixed panoramic roof, alloys) whilst Sport (and later “S”) has a more sporting look and interior though with no change to mechanicals. Popstar and Rockstar were later intermediate trims. There were a lot of options, and an emphasis on individual choice in specification, so it’s always worth looking at the spec of particular cars. Key options are full leather interiors, opening panoramic sunroofs, and upgraded alloy wheels. Then there were myriad special editions (Gucci, ByDiesel, GQ, Riva, Cult, Ron Arad to name but a few), all of which have different appeals. Gucci and Riva seem to be the most sought-after – the Riva has lovely wood-effect dash panelling, cream leather and special badging and alloys.

Running costs: be aware of road tax changes during the 500’s life. Older 1.2s enjoy a £30 annual fee but later ones, despite being exactly the same (if not better) in emissions terms cost £155 at the time of writing. TwinAirs have enjoyed free road tax but again, always check the latest rates....

Body 

Unlike Fiats of old, there are not yet any known corrosion weak spots on the outer body of the 500 (in all of what follows I include the Abarth), which is well put-together and painted at the Tychy plant in Poland. Any corrosion or dodgy panel gaps will be the result of poor accident repairs – beware! It’s always worth looking underneath any car you are going to buy. Again, the core body is robust but on the oldest cars, the rear beam axle is starting to emerge as a corrosion area, in particular around where the springs sit. Surface rust is OK but look for serious rust which weakens the suspension and can be an MoT failure. New axles are available at £150 or so, but fitting is labour intensive, so replacement won’t be much less than £4‑500 at an independent. Welding up may be possible however, as an alternative but only if they aren’t very far gone.

There are some niggles with body accessories on older cars. Door handles can fail at the front fixing though an official repair part is available (we charge £70 for fixing an existing handle). If the rear boot release handle and/or rear wiper and/or number plate lights aren’t working (or are intermittent) then the body-to-hatchback wiring has likely fatigued and broken. This is worth catching as you soon as you spot it as shorts in the wiring can lead to other issues, notably the airbag ECU being “fried” and throwing a range of errors. The ECUs can sometimes be repaired cost-effectively but not always. We charge £160 to fix the tailgate wiring using a more flexible loom repair section – or £120 on the 500C convertible (not so many wires). The boot handle microswitch can also fail however, so worth checking what is or isn’t working (boot handle replacement about the some cost).

Interiors and trim seem to be reasonably robust except the white (ivory) steering wheels get grubby, and the leather covering on older steering wheels of any colour can start to peel away. Note new wheels from FIAT are over £300, though fitting a good used wheel is more economic. The seat bases on the early “Sport” half-leather interior can split with time/high mileage. Beware special editions (Gucci, ByDiesel etc) with bits missing as trim parts for these can be thin on the ground (best staking out eBay). Importing obscure parts from Italy is possible but currently takes longer and is more expensive since you-know-what (begins with B).

500C/595C hood runners should be lubricated regularly as they get older, and certainly on any sign it is not operating completely smoothly. If the complex mechanism siezes and fails (with numerous broken bits of plastic) it is a real headache to sort out. 

Electrics

There is a known weakness in the gearbox-to-body earth connection (under the battery tray) which can corrode and cause a range of random problems, but is pretty easy to check and sort. A duplicate earth strap in the same area can be a worthwhile addition.

Don’t worry too much if the start-and-stop system doesn’t seem to er, stop and start very much – it’s very fussy to things like battery voltage, engine temperature, perhaps even day of the week. It’s best to view this as a system designed to get brand new models through official emissions tests rather than something to still work flawlessly on a ten-year old car in the real world. I tend to switch it off...

Instrument clusters can play up (getting random extra warning lights come on when you indicate is a classic early sign). With new units over £500, the best overall solution is a proper guaranteed repair by an auto electronic specialist – we can manage the end-to-end process with trusted suppliers for £220 all-inclusive (which is now about the going rate for a second-hand part, with no guarantee...).

We see an increasing number of failures of the original Blue&Me Bluetooth system (on cars up to 2015), with two main symptoms. First, a mystery battery drain. Secondly, and more obviously, a lack of functionality of phone connectivity, which may be accompanied by a flashing mileage display. Whilst many owners are now moving away from the Blue&Me system to more modern “connected solutions”, we can manage the end-to-end process of a guaranteed repair by a trusted specialist supplier for £210 all in. This includes removing and refitting the unit which is a bit buried behind trim in the back of the car. We can also remove the old unit and fix any errors if you just want to move on to a newer system, e.g. an aftermarket head unit.

Besides the common hatchback wiring fatigue issue referenced above, some “pandemic era” (2020-22) cars seem to have weak wiring, presumably due to supply chain issues in that period. There have been some instances of fatigue in the body to door looms (my own car from 2020 experienced this after only a few years). Speaker, window or airbag issues on later cars may point to this.

Engines

Petrol engines are robust as long as they are serviced correctly, and ideally annually (note the original FIAT interval of 18,000 miles was later cut to 9,000 or annual). The 1.2 is probably the best long-term proposition if you are looking for reliable and economical (but still fun) motoring, with a 1.4 providing a little more go and charisma (though all are now quite old). For even more fun with just as much practicality, an Abarth is a perfectly good proposition engine-wise if it has been looked after (judge the owner!), but check for service history, which is that bit more important on a powerful turbocharged unit.

On all models, if the car you are looking at doesn’t seem to warm up fully (digital temperature gauge never getting to the middle of the scale), the thermostat has failed. Every car will need one at some point – FIAT thermostats are basically service items! Replacement is straightforward (about £100-150 all in) and luckily they tend to fail “safe”, i.e. open rather than closed (which would cause overheating). Replacement is however essential as an engine which never reaches proper operating temperature will become full of sludge and other nasties. Another issue is that the original thermostat often had a plastic pipe into the metal housing, and over time the heat cycles cause the plastic pipe to leak or even part company from the housing, sometimes spectacularly, with obvious risks of overheating…worth checking from time to time.

1.2 engines have the coolant filler (radiator cap) right at the front of the engine bay and there is a particular procedure for bleeding these systems of air after a drain and refill which can be misunderstood. Always check the level in the expansion tank (look down, to the left of the radiator when viewed from the front) is correct. Shine a torch onto the side of the tank if you need to (and check the heater blows hot). Be wary if the level is below MIN. The 1.2s can (amazingly) rust through their oil sumps from the outside, so inherently well-sealed are these FIRE units, so worth a look at the bottom of the engine (and the ground underneath it!). A cam belt change on a 1.2 (in the real world best done every 60,000 miles or 7 years) has a couple of traps for even experienced mechanics not familiar with the setup, which can lead to perplexing and frustrating engine management errors. Best always to entrust this to a specialist (the 1.4 is less troublesome).

Note one quirk of modern FIATs is that the dipstick may not give an accurate reading at first pull due to a tendency for oil to creep up the dipstick and tube, especially with the “springy” dipsticks. Whilst not terribly practical on a purchase inspection, leave the dipstick out for a while (at least 10 minutes but ideally an hour or several), clean it well, then reinsert and re-pull immediately for an accurate reading. Some individual engines use oil, some don’t, across the whole range from 0.9 to Abarth. Check regularly and get to know it.

The 1.4 100HP engine (discontinued in 2010) was a little cracker. It has Bosch engine management which has proven more robust than the Marelli system on the 1.2 (which has a number of niggles). Coil packs can be weak however (easy and cheap to change) and head gasket failure is not unknown. The main symptom is using coolant (not the classic mayonnaise in the filler cap – a small amount of which might just betray short journeys, cold weather and/or a failed thermostat – as above). Always check the coolant tank on any 500 and be very wary if the level is below MIN (or even worse, not visible!), not least as this tells you the owner is not someone who regularly lifts the bonnet. The 1.4 can also leak oil from the inlet camshaft blanking plate inside the timing cover (the oil cunningly runs along the cam cover join to make it look as if the cam cover gasket has failed!). Fixing this requires the cambelt to be changed (£300, or £400 with a water pump). A loud ticking noise from the top end of a 1.4 is likely because it is running very low on oil - topping up may resolve this immediately (in which case the owner has got away with it) but in general it is probably best to walk away...

The related Abarth 1.4 turbo (T-Jet) engine has no real additional vices, provided it hasn’t been abused. But Abarths from the mean streets in poor condition with dubious modifications and/or patchy service history are best avoided....common sense, really. Follow your instincts.

TwinAir engines must run on the correct Petronas Selenia oil which is specifically designed for the innovative oil-driven “Uniair” valve actuation system. If they don’t (or oil changes are neglected), the expensive Uniair module can be slowly killed as a result (about £1000 to replace). Be suspicious of a car which drives well on full power, but less well on light throttle and idles roughly (engine rocking badly on its mountings) with engine management errors showing – this may be a sign of impending Uniair failure. Although TwinAirs have timing chains rather than cambelts, they can leak a bit of oil from the timing chain cover, which like the sump, was sealed at the factory using a (seemingly fallible) silicone sealant rather than a gasket. Something to live with unless or until it gets serious. Turbo issues are also not unknown – if the engine “flutters” or hesitates at high revs and load the wastegate actuator rod may be worn, though this can be fairly easily and cheaply fixed with a new part. The turbo has quite a hard life because of the small engine capacity and the inherent exhaust “pulsing” of the twin cylinder engine, so look out for general turbo issues especially whistling or whining. Be especially wary of patchy service history on the TwinAir.

Diesels. As also documented on websites like honestjohn.co.uk, be very wary of cars with the “oil exhausted” warning showing, especially if the dipstick reveals a level significantly above the max (but see above on dipsticks). This means diesel is finding its way into the oil sump (typically on cars only used for short journeys where extra fuel is injected to clear the particulate filter, but may not be being burnt off). This needs rectifying through an oil change as soon as possible. In extreme cases, it has been reported that a diesely mix can find its way back into the cylinders via the breather system, leading to uncontrolled running – which doesn’t end well.

Drivetrain

Manual gearboxes get a bit weepy and leaky in old age (who doesn’t), including through the joints between the casings as the factory sealant ages. This is something to live with unless it is serious. More viable repairs relate to failed selector shaft or driveshaft seals, which are reasonably straightforward to replace to cure a leak. If you're looking at a car with a wet gearbox, ask if the level has been checked recently– they only hold 1.65 litres. Whining or graunching will point to oil starvation. In addition, the bearing supporting the shaft into the gearbox from the clutch (input or “first motion” shaft) can wear out. Chattering at idle in neutral is fairly common and liveable with, but nasty whining in low gears and (eventually) oil leaking out via the bottom of the bellhousing needs attention if more damage is to be arrested. With a new clutch, a gearbox overhaul including a new input shaft bearing is around £1000 all in. Be wary of used gearboxes or those advertised as “refurbished” – check the provenance of the seller. Often it is better to get the gearbox you have fixed by a reputable specialist. We can manage the process end-to-end with a trusted local gearbox refurbisher, which takes about a week start-to-finish once we have the car.

Clutches on manual cars are robust but the hydraulic release can suffer from leaks at the connector in the left front wheelarch, and the slave cylinders can eventually start to seize up and get stiff and/or sticky (first sign will be a creaking noise as you operate the clutch). Fairly simple to sort out though.

The Dualogic semi-automatic (robotised manual) gearbox has a bad press but there are plenty of people out there who like them and also cars that have successfully done high mileages. Remember that this gearbox has been in production for nearly 20 years; problems seem accentuated on internet forums but one never hears about the thousands more that work fine. Where problems do occur, the first thing to happen is often the car shifting into neutral randomly. Issues are usually due to internal or external hydraulic leaks developing as the units age, and/or the pump motor or accumulator failing. Where actuators need overhaul, this can be done by a very few trusted specialists for a much more reasonable cost than your main dealer will quote you for a replacement, and we can manage the whole process of removal, sending off, refitting and configuring for around £900. In some instances cheaper fixes are possible - the various sensors on the complex dualogic unit are known to fail and are generally cheap and easy to change once diagnosed (correct diagnosis can be the tricky bit).

But when all is said and done... All cars have niggles. It’s easy to be offput by a guide like this but remember FIAT sold over three million 500s. So fundamentally they are right (and there are some excellent people out there to help you run them, hint hint).....follow your instincts and (as ever) buy the best one you can afford. And enjoy.