I was wondering just how many little gripes people have with their coops. Everyone knows about the exhaust manifold or the indicator stalks, but what are the lesser known problems people have found?

For me, the size of the driver's sun visor isnt an issue. The problem is with the whacking great whole that surrounds the clip. Every morning for a couple of months either end of the year, i have to drive to work with the sun at that annoying height which requires the use of the sun visor.

But the sun blinds me anyway because it gets through the clip hole right into my eyes.

Is it just me who finds this?

Anyone else?

Wow - how long do you have?

Headlights which make geriatric glow-worms look dazzling
Dash buttons that push through the dash
central locking that needs you to hold the sender against the glass
rain water that pours into the car if you have the window open
£20 coolant hose that often costs a couple of grand for an engine rebuild
Brembo calipers that need the pads to be filed down to fit them in (or just use a hammer if your name is sumplug)


I'm sure I'll think of some more....

i know what you mean, but this just sounds perfectly normal

Rear grab handle that rub and sqweak of the driver headrest.

Rubber gear lever collar on 20vt that gets chewed away far two easily.

Gunky center console which scratches like he'll
noisy brembos

no cup holders,not 300bhp as standard

Not sure if it's really a design flaw or just poor seals but frozen doors, locks,fuel cap, boot, bonnet in winter/doors not closing once you're in the car, having to drive with one hand gripping the door handle so it doesnt swing open!!

For me the most anoying thing is the water that collects in the wing mirrors just after you have washed the car

i find the rain water bloody annoying when you go to have a fag, go round a corner and get soaked...

i also find one thing that really grinds my gears...

this one is brilliant!

when your driving with a red LE and a vinci LE and the red LE takes the WRONG turning off the round about...

these LE drivers... LOL

Or the spiders webs?

Radio reception

Fiat dealers. Come on, admit, other than ordering a spare part, does anyone use them?

I think you will find its because the italian in the Sprinty has no concept of considerate driving when someone is trying to FOLLOW him to a destination. Aparantly its acceptable to BLAST off so the poor guy in the Speed Red has no idea where he is and by rule of thumb follows a police car thinking its likeley to end up in Sprintys direction.... at some point

I do have a few gripes with mine. Need to think them through first.

- Water collects in the rear light cups
- The fuel cap lacquer peel is an obvious one
- The severe lack of space in the engine bay? I can't think of that many cars what have got a big engine wedged into a small space.
- Stupid oil filter location

A split folding rear seat and only a ski hatch through the metal, very useful...

- Holes in the rear quarters for the Pinin badges (that also let water in and hence the car to rust from the inside out)

dude you got lost twice on TWO different round abouts!!

This thread will run and run...

My favourites so far are the ski hatch and rubbing grab handle.

To add a new one, I love that fact that unless you have a late version with the extra carpet trimmings then all of the gubbins behind the centre console hang out into the footwell for all to see, both sides...

MA VA!

Thought that might just have been me, when you need to get to work, you need to get to work...

And is it just mine, but what about the seat belts, in cold weather mine locks at a certain length if I pull it out too quickly, meaning I can't put it on until the entire interior of the car has reached a good temperature and the inertia jobby lets the belt go again.

White dials that cannot be read in anything other than daylight or pitch black. The "auto" setting on the a/c just blasts me with air whatever the setting. Swan neck hindges in the boot - a few times I've packed it and then can't shut it... still love the car though!!

The slight 'click' you feel when rapidly shifting from 3 to 4. At least plusses have this. And 6speed 147's.

Oh and the fact there are slots at the rear of the interior vents in the dash to fit lights in. Only there are no lights.

When you unlock the boot with the key, you have you remember to turn the key back anti-clockwise until it stops, otherwise the boot won't shut.

The rubber strips inside the front door window channels come loose and slip down, meaning a lot of road-noise until you pill them back up and glue them in place.

Weak bonnet release cables which snap, meaning you end up breaking the grill to get the bonnet open to fit a replacement.

A rubbish rear washer jet.

Apart from the last one, i think you have a few problems with your coop there mate

Cant say i've had any of those issues with either of the coops i've had.

"When you unlock the boot with the key, you have you remember to turn the key back anti-clockwise until it stops, otherwise the boot won't shut."

Didn't know this, thought mine was somehow malfunctioning (and wouldn't shut), quality thread this.

No footwell lights
(or is that just mine?)

It should spring back anti clockwise AFAIK. every coop i've had has done.

Yeah it should, I keep meaning to write a how-to on fixing it, often it's just a gunged mechanism.

I personally think the rear washer jet is fantastic, you can position it to squirt tailgating audi drivers as they 'undertake' or pass you

When checking your water temp while driving,and nearly crashing as it takes so long to get the reflection out of the way.