Fiat Anyone?

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Chrysler Group said Tarrant County will have two of the state's 10 Fiat dealerships.
Hershell Hunter, owner of Meador Chrysler Jeep Dodge in Fort Worth, will operate Fiat of Fort Worth. Conrad Holt, owner of Holt Chrysler Jeep Dodge in Arlington, will have Fiat of Hurst at the former Saturn of Hurst location. Holt heads the group that owned all three Saturn of DFW locations in Hurst, Arlington and Fort Worth.
Fiat of Plano, operated by Ray Huffines, will be the only dealership in the Dallas market.
Fiat, which has taken over Chrysler, unveiled the 2012 Fiat 500 subcompact Monday. Chrysler said the Fiat 500 will go on sale in the U.S. in January.


Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/11...#ixzz1BS0uOr9F

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http://www.fiatusa.com/en/

Sort of intrigued by the Fiat.

http://www.fiatdealer.org/wp-content...texas-fiat.jpg

I'd like to see Sammm hunkered down in one of those.

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Originally Posted by jrj512

I'd like to see Sammm hunkered down in one of those.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGWbt3DSje0

It's like a downmarket Mini, built in Poland and Mexico out of Italian parts, supported by retrained Chrysler employees. What could possibly go wrong? ::Drive2::

It's also been out in Europe for four or five years now. I think if I wanted a small fashion statement hatchback I'd opt for the more established Mini, or at least wait for an Abarth model.

We are going to need a replacement for the NB pretty soon this thing has better warranty and better pricing than Mini.....

More than likely we will just get a Kia Forte Koup or a Ford Fiesta just something cheap and basic to take the lovely wife to and from work.

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Originally Posted by altiain

It's like a downmarket Mini, built in Poland and Mexico out of Italian parts, supported by retrained Chrysler employees. What could possibly go wrong? ::Drive2::

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^^^ +1

Not sure how you could walk past a Honda Fit or Mazda 3 to buy a new Fiat...

I will strongly consider the Abarth in a couple years if they don't get carried away on pricing. Looks like a pretty nifty DD.

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Originally Posted by miataspeedracer

Not sure how you could walk past a Honda Fit or Mazda 3 to buy a new Fiat...

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Because they're just so darn cute. ::Fruity:: ;)

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Originally Posted by miataspeedracer

Not sure how you could walk past a Honda Fit or Mazda 3 to buy a new Fiat...

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I have had Hondas and and for the foreseeable future I will not have another one. (Not a fan)

We are also not a fan of the current Val Kilmer/Joker version of the Mazda 3.

http://awonderfulblog.com/wp-content...ight_joker.jpghttp://www.sagennext.com/wp-content/...9/11/mazda.jpg

Once upon a time,
I had a Fiat. X-1-9.
Every time there was precipitation,
you could hear the oxidation.

The Mazda 2 is supposed to be a blast to drive. Plus, they can look pretty bitchin...

http://trackdaymotorsports.com/wp-co...il_Track_1.jpg

We like the Fiesta better than the Mazda 2!

Because what if you went to a Shopping Centre and were chased by baddies in a Corvette???

MANY years ago I owned a Fiat. There was a dealership in town. Before I ever buy another Fiat, I will ask the parts department for an oil filter and a starter. Nothing will ever remove the bad taste that 6 weeks for a filter and 6 months for a starter left in my mouth.
Fix It Again Tony is kind of ironic when the last time you said that was so long ago you don't remember but you finally just got the car back last week.
It is a new deal and YMV. Let me know how that works out for ya.

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Originally Posted by onething

MANY years ago I owned a Fiat. There was a dealership in town. Before I ever buy another Fiat, I will ask the parts department for an oil filter and a starter. Nothing will ever remove the bad taste that 6 weeks for a filter and 6 months for a starter left in my mouth.
Fix It Again Tony is kind of ironic when the last time you said that was so long ago you don't remember but you finally just got the car back last week.
It is a new deal and YMV. Let me know how that works out for ya.

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I'm sure now that those boys from Dayton got us those new fangled flying machines parts should be way quicker coming out of Fiat. ::hal::
http://scrapetv.com/News/News%20Page...ers-glider.jpg

Love that Mazda 2! Supposedly 200 lbs. lighter than the comparable Ford and much more fun to drive/toss.

Too bad the new Mazdas have the big smily face front end, keeps me from liking them.

I also had a FIAT X19, nice burnt orange. It was a superb handling car when it was running.

FIAT was owned by GM until about 10 years ago when GM decided they were costing too much to keep. Since then, the quality has supposedly gone up to have the cars listed in the top 100 cars in europe for reliability.

I wished they would bring the new twinair engine over here. Better gas mileage and almost the same amount of torque and horsepower.

BTW, I remember my parents buying a Dodge Challenger in 1980. The quote went something like "It's a Dodge Challenger, but it's made by Mitsubishi."

Most American steel in the late 70's was not that reliable either. The '78 Oldsmobile Cutlas Supreme my parents traded in for the Challenger no sooner made it off the car lot than it ws having transmission problems. The car spent more time at the dealership than it did in my parrents posession for those 2 years. My father swore he'd never own another GM product. Then in 1983 he bought a S10 pickup. Swore that he'd never own another GM product again. Now he owns a 2005 Cadillac and has had no issues with it in the 6 years he's owned it and has even talked about getting another.

Things can change for the better.

I had a '76 Fiat Spider (Abarth Clone). Man I loved that car when it ran. When it didn't, which was often, ... well, not so much.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52974272@N07/5373397223/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52974272@N07/5373397223/

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_a...0/IMAG0021.jpg
FWIW She liked it! ;)

I took one for a test drive a couple of weeks ago in McKinney. They have a gray sport model there and I just saw a red one as well. It has a 5 speed in the gray one I test drove and it shifted real smoothly through the gears. The damping on the shock was quite a bit softer that my MSM. It handles okay for the short trip I got to drive it. Weight is around 2200 lbs. It is supposed to get 38 MPG on the highway.

::Banana::

What SCCA class?

Sales are way down. Sergio did a fine job convincing these dealers to sink millions into stand-alone dealerships with the promise of more Fiat models and the return of Alfa. Those have been delayed and all they have to sell is a single car with rapidly declining sales. Good luck paying that monthly nut on the dealership.

Shaddap you face Jimmy! :-)

Fiat USA has half-year supply of 500 models, 29 of 130 dealers didn't sell one last month.

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Originally Posted by ken o

What SCCA class?

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They are actually banned from running in stock class due to rollover risk. If they were allowed they would dominate H stock IMHO. I put in around 20-30 runs in one on a test course a few months back. Even on stock crap tires it was mind boggling fast through some elements due to its narrow 64 inch width.

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Originally Posted by POS Racing

We are also not a fan of the current Val Kilmer/Joker version of the Mazda 3.

http://awonderfulblog.com/wp-content...ight_joker.jpg

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Pssssttt... Heath Ledger, not Val Kilmer... ;)

Nice Abarth advertisement (Seduction), and besides Clarkson loves the Abarth, so it must be good.

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Originally Posted by Kestrel

Pssssttt... Heath Ledger, not Val Kilmer... ;)

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Only took ya 307 days to pick up on that! Try and keep up...... ;-)

I still think we may get one on a lease and the market troubles Fiat is having will only help in the negotiating. Heck they have a $500.00 rebate in place now.

They have my attention, but seem to be just a little too pricey for what they are. I would like them a lot more if they dropped the prices about 15% across the board. I saw a comment on Facebook from one of you guys a few months back that struck a cord... Something to the affect that this may the best chance to check off the bucket list item of owning a new Italian car.

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Originally Posted by Titus

Something to the affect that this may the best chance to check off the bucket list item of owning a new Italian car.

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That is made in Mexico by Chrysler. :-)

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Originally Posted by POS Racing

That is made in Mexico by Chrysler. :-)

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Shhhhh... don't tell my heart!

Great....a Fiat / Chrysler made in Mexico, what could go wrong?

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Originally Posted by Titus

They have my attention, but seem to be just a little too pricey for what they are. I would like them a lot more if they dropped the prices about 15% across the board. I saw a comment on Facebook from one of you guys a few months back that struck a cord... Something to the affect that this may the best chance to check off the bucket list item of owning a new Italian car.

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You'd think after all your problems with the Mini you would have learned...

This car is too little, too late - if they'd brought it over here in '07 (when it was released in Europe), they might have made some market inroads when gas prices rose. As it is, there are far too many small cars that offer A) more features, B) lower price, C) better fuel economy, or D) all of the above for this car to succeed here in the states.

The only things about this car that stand out are that it's cute and it's Italian (via Mexico), neither of which are exactly compelling reasons to buy. I give Fiat two years before they turn tail and leave the US market again.

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Originally Posted by altiain

You'd think after all your problems with the Mini you would have learned...

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I did... If I ever owned one, it would be under warranty. The $199/month 39 month leases they are offering peaked my interest, but they want 2k down which soured it for me. If they offered that lease at $500 down, I would give it more thought.

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Originally Posted by POS Racing

That is made in Mexico by Chrysler. :-)

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So where is that Ford Fiesta built again? LOL

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Originally Posted by Titus

So where is that Ford Fiesta built again? LOL

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Assembly Plants:
Almussafes, Spain
Nanjing, China
Cologne, Germany
Cuautitlán Izcalli, Mexico
Rayong, Thailand (2010 on)
Valencia, Spain
Chennai, India

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Originally Posted by POS Racing

Assembly Plants:
Almussafes, Spain
Nanjing, China
Cologne, Germany
Cuautitlán Izcalli, Mexico
Rayong, Thailand (2010 on)
Valencia, Spain
Chennai, India

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So what vehicles are still built in America by overpaid and disgruntled Union workers?

Never mind. Answered my own question. Here is the list.

Regardless of where the thing is built, I think good old fashioned Eye-talian injuneerin' will take care of Fiat before Alfa can once again vomit cheap plastic and spooky handling all over our shores. My prediction? Fiat will be gone before the 500 gets a re-do.