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Post by PG on May 14, 2023 19:38:43 GMT
Just a thought Alf but have you checked what Lu wants? This. If you get her what she wants, best dad ever. If you get her what you think she ought to have, prepare for the worst. Basically I'd see what colour Fiat 500 she wants.  |
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Post by alf on May 15, 2023 15:57:04 GMT
Good point and yes I have started the discussion - no major hurry as she's yet to start her lessons but I'll try and persuade her to crack on with all that!
The Ka idea sits well with her as the dash is so close to the only car she has driven. It sits well with me as I like Fords generally - I can't say I have very positive views of Fiats from a reliability or running costs perspective but the brawnier 500's do have a certain appeal to me - as a city car...
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on May 15, 2023 20:32:27 GMT
Good point and yes I have started the discussion - no major hurry as she's yet to start her lessons but I'll try and persuade her to crack on with all that! The Ka idea sits well with her as the dash is so close to the only car she has driven. It sits well with me as I like Fords generally - I can't say I have very positive views of Fiats from a reliability or running costs perspective but the brawnier 500's do have a certain appeal to me - as a city car... 500s and Kas are made in the same Polish factory, on the same line, using the same bits, so there won’t be a difference in reliability. |
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on May 15, 2023 20:34:47 GMT
Good point and yes I have started the discussion - no major hurry as she's yet to start her lessons but I'll try and persuade her to crack on with all that! The Ka idea sits well with her as the dash is so close to the only car she has driven. It sits well with me as I like Fords generally - I can't say I have very positive views of Fiats from a reliability or running costs perspective but the brawnier 500's do have a certain appeal to me - as a city car... 500s and Kas are made in the same Polish factory, on the same line, using the same bits, same engines, so there won’t be a difference in reliability. |
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Post by alf on May 16, 2023 10:07:50 GMT
Indeed but I know what the respective dealerships are like. I used joint Fiat/Alfa dealers for 6 years in total, there was only one that was near competent, and that's if I give them the benefit of suggesting overall standards now are higher.... how they spoke to you, parts procurement, the whole thing was a total shambles brought into sharp focus by how good BMW then was. Jaguar are somwhere in the middle but at least they try with regards to customer service.
This is largely what puts me off Giula QF's - combined with the high resale values. I'd love one but the experience worries me, and the costs. My German cars (inlcuding "family" ones in this as Audi have been good) seem high quality, well made, and the dealers are good. Jaguars seem good quality, averagely made, and with OK service. Alfas seemed poor quality, poorly made, and badly looked after - I got total bargains for the ones I had, and knew no better at the time, but my tolerance of issues is a lot less as I age. And my free time available to sort them out... Even the many 330is issues I had, felt like they would be sorted - and were, for nigh on 100k miles more reliable motoring. The air con issues, rattles, window switches, and other issues I had with the GTA were in some cases never sorted, and never going to be, I fear...
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Post by Andy C on May 16, 2023 15:51:16 GMT
If you got a 2021 Guilia QF for example, it would still have 3 years warranty left …
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on May 16, 2023 17:55:49 GMT
Indeed but I know what the respective dealerships are like. I used joint Fiat/Alfa dealers for 6 years in total, there was only one that was near competent, and that's if I give them the benefit of suggesting overall standards now are higher.... how they spoke to you, parts procurement, the whole thing was a total shambles brought into sharp focus by how good BMW then was. Jaguar are somwhere in the middle but at least they try with regards to customer service. This is largely what puts me off Giula QF's - combined with the high resale values. I'd love one but the experience worries me, and the costs. My German cars (inlcuding "family" ones in this as Audi have been good) seem high quality, well made, and the dealers are good. Jaguars seem good quality, averagely made, and with OK service. Alfas seemed poor quality, poorly made, and badly looked after - I got total bargains for the ones I had, and knew no better at the time, but my tolerance of issues is a lot less as I age. And my free time available to sort them out... Even the many 330is issues I had, felt like they would be sorted - and were, for nigh on 100k miles more reliable motoring. The air con issues, rattles, window switches, and other issues I had with the GTA were in some cases never sorted, and never going to be, I fear... Nothing to stop you getting a 500 serviced at a Ford dealership, as I say, same car. Our experience of FIAT dealers has been good, but any dealership is only as good as its staff, regardless of the name above the door. I had very mixed experiences with the Ford dealership in Newcastle culminating, when we were considering a Kuga, this fat fuck of a salesman trying to tell me a 1.2 litre engine was too small for a car the size of a Qashqai ,while sitting in front of a 1.0 litre Mondeo. A fact he didn’t like pointing out to him. |
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