Fiat feedback

[SeaDawg]

cogtooth wrote

Fiat is probably worried that a novice in the front passenger seat would put the seat back and crush a rear passenger, instead of slowly moving it back when seated.

I'll have to try it again, but I could have sworn that as you moved the driver's side seat back to its normal position the seat bottom moved back to its normal position also.  Meaning it was already in position when you sat in it.  I know I couldn't begin to get in the car with the seat moved forward, but there's a lot of baggage here.

[panther76]

id say at $17, 500+ id have a few issues.

but, at $15,500 the pop model i want is as reasonably equipped as i could have hoped for.

i do think it would be very cool if the rear seat backs were easy to remove for those times when wants a completely flat load surface (would be great for thos of us with dogs).

[italophile]

sjmst wrote

italophile wrote

1.  Eliminate one touch down power windows, or at least make them an option instead of standard equipment.  

Curious. Why? I not only like one touch down, they should add one touch UP.

I usually crack the windows when I park to let some of the hot air out.  I do this at least 10 times for every time I have to roll a window all the way down.  Now, I've had a lot of old jalopies that forced me to drive around certain quirks, most of which I quickly learned to live with, but my insensitive fingers have NEVER mastered the intermediate detent in these infernal one-touch switches.  Plus, I've never found it all that hard to hold the switch for the full two seconds when I do need it all the way down.

[panther76]

italophile wrote

Plus, I've never found it all that hard to hold the switch for the full two seconds when I do need it all the way down.

right on. ive seen some guys complain on some vehicle comparisons: "why should i turn a key when i can push a button?" to start a car. really?

[Sal]

Why would you want them on all the time ? They are FOG lights;do you live in old London ?

[SeaDawg]

Sal wrote

Why would you want them on all the time ? They are FOG lights;do you live in old London ?

NO, but there are sure a LOT of people here in Central Florida that act as if they're half blind and having the additional lights on when you HAVE lights on makes you more visible.  Besides the FOG lights are close to the ground and project a FLAT light beam so they don't blind oncoming traffic.

Point Number TWO is that you can STILL turn them OFF if you don't want them to come on everytime you switch the headlights on on low beam.

[5*(10)^2]

Chris,

I have two things to bring up.


1. The driver's and passenger's seats are too high even at the lowest setting. IIRC, a few others have brought up the issue as well. I believe the "thicker" cushion for the US model is one of the contributing reasons.

2. Provide a complimentary ECU power upgrade for PE owners. We paid a deposit, we waited and waited. Non-PE owners even get to buy their non-PE rides before we do. The power upgrade will make a lot of us VERY happy PLUS it will make our PEs more valuable.

Thank you for reading.

[bloglo]

a more resistant handle for lowering the driver seat.

got broken on the 4th day of ownership...

the damn plastic thing got stuck in my pants when getting out of the car and broke instantly...

[5*(10)^2]

bloglo wrote

a more resistant handle for lowering the driver seat.

got broken on the 4th day of ownership...

the damn plastic thing got stuck in my pants when getting out of the car and broke instantly...

Wow. Just wow.

Did the dealership replace it?

[bloglo]

it just happened this morning...

so did'nt have the time to get to the dealership.

[Thad]

Yea, lower the seats. The height adjustment is ridiculous. I can't imagine anybody raising the already high seat. The height of the passenger seat is just plain uncomfortable.

[jamesday24]

I remembered something else.  The top of the steering column between the wheel and the instrument cluster is too glossy.  In bright sunlight, the light reflects off the steering column and the clear plastic covering the gauges and makes them hard to read.  Not so much the center digital section, but the speedometer and tachometer.  It makes me want to put some black felt on the steering column to absorb the light.

[Mike S]

Bring the Twin Air to the US! At least make it an option.

[Jeepnut]

I agree I think the 105hp Twin air should be an option on Sport and Lounge models I would actually prefer it over the 1.4 because of the unique sound and the broader more useable torque band

[FiatLancia]

I second many of the other sentiments already expressed: spare tire option, seat fabric that doesn't stain so easily, plastic panels that are more scuff-resistant, and better seat adjustment mechanisms.

And would also add:

1. TwinAir or Diesel. With a manual transmission option. Fiat could - SHOULD - claim the car with the highest MPG of any available (non-"plug-in" hybrids included - Prius, CRZ, etc.) car in North America today, especially with fuel prices over $4/gal.

2. I'd love more flexibility in the instrument cluster. Why have a digital mph readout when there's a needle providing the same info? The "main" info line is great in its detail, but it's a hassle to constantly toggle through all the display options with that little button on the end of the stalk to get info. Couldn't Fiat change it so that we are able to change that digital mph display to any of the other trip settings (range, mpg, miles, etc.)?

3. Would it be impossible to have the rear windows roll down in future iterations? I know it's not in keeping with the original "echo" of the earlier 500s, but it would be so practical. My daughter is always bothering her mother or I do adjust the front windows. Looks like there's plenty of room back there in all directions (above the rear wheel arches, between outer skin and inner panel, etc.).

Thanks for going to bat for all of us (as you always do!), Chris. Much appreciated, and GOOD LUCK with the Fiat folks!

S

[George #409]

Chris, here is my list of items that I hope you can share with the appropriate people at Fiat:
 
1)  Alvon Elrod posted a thread "Scratched paint from closing the hood" on May 4th.  My car has the same problem as Alvon's.  I would add that there is also two additional contact points between the hood and the fender on my car where the very back corner of the hood meets the fender at the bottom of the A pillar on both sides of the car.  My car was touched up at these two points but the paint has already wore away again from the hood making contact with the fender at these locations.  I have also noticed that the hood makes contact with the headlights too.  I contacted Laurie (extension 800-8013) at the Fiat customer service center on May 10th to let her know about this problem.  I said to her that there must be something that Fiat has done differently with the hood for the USA and Canada version because you would think that after making over 500,000 cars for the rest of the world a problem like this would have been resolved a long time ago.  When the hood is closed, the gaps and alignment look good.  This issue definitely needs to be fixed properly or it will be a corrosion issue due to the paint forever getting worn away.
 
2)  Spare tire for the Prima Edizione owners.  I have discussed this with Laurie also on May 10th at the customer service center.  My personal opinion on this matter Chris is that Fiat didn't offer the spare tire option to the people that reserved the Prima Edizione cars nor did Fiat decide to include the spare tire in the Prima Edizione cars as part of the Prima Edizione option package when they made the cars.  To many people, a spare tire is very important to them.  I don't think that it is wise for Fiat to ask the Prima Edizione car owners to pay more for their spare tire if they want one than customers of the regular Fiat 500 cars who can order one for $100 as an option when they order their car.  To those Prima Edizione owners that want a spare tire, Fiat should allow them to go to the studio of their choice and the studio should be able to install a spare tire in their car for $100.  Fiat should pay the studio the appropriate amount of money that they need in order to do this service for the customer.  This would be the wise thing for Fiat to do at this point in time to prevent the spare tire from becoming and issue in any way that will reflect negatively on Fiat.  Please, please try to make this case with Fiat.  I hope that you agree with me on this issue.
 
3)  Passenger seat height should match the drivers seat height when the drivers seat is at its lowest height setting or make the passenger seat height adjustable like the drivers seat is.  Also, the height adjustment lever requires too much effort to operate and the lever feels a little too flimsy when you are operating the height adjustment of the seat.  I am sure that a lot of women with long finger nails are going to complain about the effort it takes to use the height adjustment lever for the seat.
 
4)  There should be a dead pedal pad to the left of the clutch pedal.  The bare carpet will wear out way too soon without a dead pedal pad to the left of the clutch pedal.  Most better cars have a dead pedal pad these days, so Fiat should not cheap out on this important quality wear item.  The lack of a dead pedal pad makes the quality of the interior suffer for no good reason.
 
5)  Sport mode should stay in the setting that you last selected until you change it regardless of whether or not the car is turned off and then restarted again.  If you like the sport mode setting (as most of us do), it is sort of silly to have to select it every time you start the car.  I guess after a while you will select sport mode automatically without having to think about it, but I still forget.
 
6)  The alignment of the bumpers with the fenders is not too good on some of the Prima Edizione cars.  Mine is a little off, but I can adjust it myself.  They should be taking better care at the factory to align the bumpers with the fenders properly.  This is a visual perception of a lack of quality that should not even be an issue.
 
7)  The alignment of the chrome tip on the exhaust is not perfect on some of the Prima Edizione cars.  The chrome tip on my exhaust tilts  clockwise to the right.  The chrome tips on the Prima Edizione cars that I have seen at the studio where I bought my car vary from perfect to varying degrees of out of alignment.  This is another visual perception of a lack of quality.  I have been looking at other car brands with exhaust tips that are oval or rectangular shaped and they seem to have a better alignment than Fiat has on the Prima Edizione cars.  Fiat should pay closer attention to this detail.

8)  There should be a manual transmission option on the Lounge model.
 
Overall, I am very happy with my car.  I love the way that it drives and how comfortable it is.  I look forward to buying more Fiats in the future and knowing that Fiat cares and listens to what we have to say will make all of us more eager and willing to keep on buying more and more Fiats.  

[Fiat500USA]

Thanks for everyone's observations. I noted your comments. I really appreciate the intelligent and respectful tone here. Very constructive...

[FiatLancia]

Great post, George. Very clearly presented and well-stated!

[George #409]

Thanks Shaun.  I appreciate your kind comments very much and it really means alot comming from you!  

By the way, I really like your website.  I feel like a kid in a candy store when I see all of the fantastic Fiats and Fiat related items on your website.  Why can't you be my neighbor?

Also, congratulations on the delivery of your new Fiat 500.  I am very pleased that Laura Soave was there in person to deliver the car to you.  She seems like such a nice person.  I really hope that I can meet her in real life one day.  Your daughter is soo sweet too.  She reminds me of my daughter who just turned 5 on March 22nd.

All the best to you and your family Shaun.

George W Baumann

Proud owner of a 1978 Fiat Spider, 1981 Fiat Spider Limited Edition model #740 and 2012 Fiat 500 Prima Edizione #409 (white with sunroor and block heater)

[ciddyguy]

FiatLancia wrote

I second many of the other sentiments already expressed: spare tire option, seat fabric that doesn't stain so easily, plastic panels that are more scuff-resistant, and better seat adjustment mechanisms.

And would also add:

1. TwinAir or Diesel. With a manual transmission option. Fiat could - SHOULD - claim the car with the highest MPG of any available (non-"plug-in" hybrids included - Prius, CRZ, etc.) car in North America today, especially with fuel prices over $4/gal.

2. I'd love more flexibility in the instrument cluster. Why have a digital mph readout when there's a needle providing the same info? The "main" info line is great in its detail, but it's a hassle to constantly toggle through all the display options with that little button on the end of the stalk to get info. Couldn't Fiat change it so that we are able to change that digital mph display to any of the other trip settings (range, mpg, miles, etc.)?

3. Would it be impossible to have the rear windows roll down in future iterations? I know it's not in keeping with the original "echo" of the earlier 500s, but it would be so practical. My daughter is always bothering her mother or I do adjust the front windows. Looks like there's plenty of room back there in all directions (above the rear wheel arches, between outer skin and inner panel, etc.).

Thanks for going to bat for all of us (as you always do!), Chris. Much appreciated, and GOOD LUCK with the Fiat folks!

S

RE: rear window, if they can't make it roll down, at least have them be operable wing windows like what used to be found on most hatchbacks.