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Abarth 500 vs Fiat 500 S #1628649
15/01/2019 17:28
15/01/2019 17:28
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 575
Ayrshire
ScouseCoupe Offline OP
Enjoying the ride
ScouseCoupe  Offline OP
Enjoying the ride

Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 575
Ayrshire
The other half is thinking of trading a Fiat 500S 1.2 against a Abarth 500. Has already test drove one and loved it. It was the standard 135bhp version.

Any thoughts what to check on a 3 to 4 year old Abarth 500 with circa 30k to 50k on the clock?


1999 Rosso Corsa 20VT ( Restored )
2000 Rosso Alfa 916 Spider 2.0 T.S Lusso ( Under Restoration)

Re: Abarth 500 vs Fiat 500 S [Re: ScouseCoupe] #1629067
29/01/2019 11:11
29/01/2019 11:11
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,520
Motherwell - Scotland
Rosso Online yippee
Club board member 1442
Rosso  Online Yippee
Club board member 1442
My life on the forum

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,520
Motherwell - Scotland
I've had my 500 abarth for 2 years now and in that time all I've replaced was a front wishbone. Oh sorry and 2 rear wheel bearings. Though it is an early 2009 model and now on 76k I think.

The firmer ride than the 500 so that probably is the difference.

Anyways they're great to drive as I'm sure you other half has found


[Linked Image]
Re: Abarth 500 vs Fiat 500 S [Re: Rosso] #1629070
29/01/2019 11:51
29/01/2019 11:51
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 575
Ayrshire
ScouseCoupe Offline OP
Enjoying the ride
ScouseCoupe  Offline OP
Enjoying the ride

Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 575
Ayrshire
Originally Posted By Rosso
I've had my 500 abarth for 2 years now and in that time all I've replaced was a front wishbone. Oh sorry and 2 rear wheel bearings. Though it is an early 2009 model and now on 76k I think.

The firmer ride than the 500 so that probably is the difference.

Anyways they're great to drive as I'm sure you other half has found


Thanks Rosso for your input. She bought a red Abarth 500 last week from Parks of Hamilton with the full belts / waterpump change thrown into the deal. Came with a spare set of alloys with winter tyres.


1999 Rosso Corsa 20VT ( Restored )
2000 Rosso Alfa 916 Spider 2.0 T.S Lusso ( Under Restoration)

Re: Abarth 500 vs Fiat 500 S [Re: ScouseCoupe] #1629086
29/01/2019 16:58
29/01/2019 16:58
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 11,159
,
S
samsite999 Offline
I AM a Coop
samsite999  Offline
I AM a Coop
S

Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 11,159
,
To late to offer purchase advice.. but

Rear wheel bearings, seems to eat them for lunch
Rear shocks, specifically the top bushings, again, eats them
If you can get rubber caps for the front strut tops as they collect water, it sits and rusts.
Get under it at very least once a year, they have a nack of holding road mud, rubbish in the sills, rear wheel arches and other not so fun places, in a few years rust is going to be a BIG issue with these abarths.
Map it, the 135 is disappointing, the best thing we did was put a bombardier exhaust and remap the car.

Other than that, the boot lid has a nack of chopping the loom in half, and the brakes are underpowered for a remapped cars, upgrade and service the rear calipers at least once a year as they are crap and like to get stuck.

Lots of neg in the above post but ours was pretty much as easy to live with as any fiat 500 apart from a tiny fuel tank and the turning circle of a tank....

Re: Abarth 500 vs Fiat 500 S [Re: samsite999] #1629090
29/01/2019 18:51
29/01/2019 18:51
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,852
Cambridge & Cotswolds
M
MeanRedSpider Offline
Je suis un Coupé
MeanRedSpider  Offline
Je suis un Coupé
M

Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,852
Cambridge & Cotswolds
Originally Posted By samsite999

the brakes are underpowered for a remapped cars, upgrade and service the rear calipers at least once a year as they are crap and like to get stuck.


The brakes are poor - remapped or not. I tracked mine and, with “racing” degrees of braking, there was nothing after a lap of Blyton.

If the rear are similar to the MiTo (which they may very well be), I can agree that they get stuck. My MiTo was shocking for that.

Re: Abarth 500 vs Fiat 500 S [Re: samsite999] #1629091
29/01/2019 19:19
29/01/2019 19:19
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 575
Ayrshire
ScouseCoupe Offline OP
Enjoying the ride
ScouseCoupe  Offline OP
Enjoying the ride

Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 575
Ayrshire
Originally Posted By samsite999
To late to offer purchase advice.. but

Rear wheel bearings, seems to eat them for lunch
Rear shocks, specifically the top bushings, again, eats them
If you can get rubber caps for the front strut tops as they collect water, it sits and rusts.
Get under it at very least once a year, they have a nack of holding road mud, rubbish in the sills, rear wheel arches and other not so fun places, in a few years rust is going to be a BIG issue with these abarths.
Map it, the 135 is disappointing, the best thing we did was put a bombardier exhaust and remap the car.

Other than that, the boot lid has a nack of chopping the loom in half, and the brakes are underpowered for a remapped cars, upgrade and service the rear calipers at least once a year as they are crap and like to get stuck.

Lots of neg in the above post but ours was pretty much as easy to live with as any fiat 500 apart from a tiny fuel tank and the turning circle of a tank....


Thanks for your comments and advice. Unlikely to be remapped, as came from 69bhp to now 135bhp, so she happy with the power. No knocks of clunks in suspension, struts top mounts front have caps, under them like new. Brakes front and rear have been upgraded, why, we do not know. It’s been garaged during its life. Spare wheels with winter tyres was a bonus. Ride on 17” wheels not too bad. Turning circle interesting, just like a Coop. Previous female owner chopped it in for a Maserati Gran Turismo.


1999 Rosso Corsa 20VT ( Restored )
2000 Rosso Alfa 916 Spider 2.0 T.S Lusso ( Under Restoration)

Re: Abarth 500 vs Fiat 500 S [Re: MeanRedSpider] #1629092
29/01/2019 20:12
29/01/2019 20:12
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 11,159
,
S
samsite999 Offline
I AM a Coop
samsite999  Offline
I AM a Coop
S

Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 11,159
,
Originally Posted By MeanRedSpider
Originally Posted By samsite999

the brakes are underpowered for a remapped cars, upgrade and service the rear calipers at least once a year as they are crap and like to get stuck.


The brakes are poor - remapped or not. I tracked mine and, with “racing” degrees of braking, there was nothing after a lap of Blyton.

If the rear are similar to the MiTo (which they may very well be), I can agree that they get stuck. My MiTo was shocking for that.


the cloverleaf handled much much more abuse, I think they actually put the coupes breaks to shame (size wise) with the 4 pot brembos

Re: Abarth 500 vs Fiat 500 S [Re: ScouseCoupe] #1629093
29/01/2019 21:16
29/01/2019 21:16
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,520
Motherwell - Scotland
Rosso Online yippee
Club board member 1442
Rosso  Online Yippee
Club board member 1442
My life on the forum

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,520
Motherwell - Scotland
It wouldn't happen to be yellow would it?


[Linked Image]
Re: Abarth 500 vs Fiat 500 S [Re: Rosso] #1629094
29/01/2019 21:19
29/01/2019 21:19
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 11,159
,
S
samsite999 Offline
I AM a Coop
samsite999  Offline
I AM a Coop
S

Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 11,159
,
Originally Posted By Rosso
It wouldn't happen to be yellow would it?


There was a really messed up spec yellow one floating about lately, looked like a comp but had the wrong Engine,seats ect


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