Car help! Fiat Multipla anyone?

[pinkmummy]

I've been looking for a new car recently, need more than 5 seat but also a big boot, however moolies are of short supply here! I've looked at most of the bigger MPV's but you don't always get a big boot, or if you do you loose it when using the 3rd row of seats. All the really good ones are mega bucks, wish we had'em, but we don't.
I've finaly found what looks like a good deal on a Fiat Multipla. Don't all laugh at once, yes I do mean the funny looking frog eyed car with 3 seats in the front.:o
fiat multipla - Google Search
I think it's quite cute & quirky looking and my daughter wants to call it Henrietta the frog.
Does anyone on here have one, or know someone that does. How have you found them. We are going to see the one we like tomorrow hopefully, before we go on hols for the weekend. Any comments, not to rude about the look of it please.:wink2:

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Sorry I had to laugh - that is one pig ugly looking car & we always say so every time we pass one!!!!! Just be wary of Fiat's, I know quite a few people that have had them and parts availablity can be a nightmare when they go wrong ... and they are known in the motor trade as going wrong quite often. :wink2:

 

[pinkmummy]

Sorry I had to laugh - that is one pig ugly looking car & we always say so every time we pass one!!!!! Just be wary of Fiat's, I know quite a few people that have had them and parts availablity can be a nightmare when they go wrong ... and they are known in the motor trade as going wrong quite often. :wink2:

Cheers Sassy, trust you to laugh at it straight away!:hug: My brother in law is a mechanic, and funnily enough his dealership has recently taken on Fiats, so at least we'll get the parts at trade price when it conks out.
I think it's quirky looking, it'll be rather like going out in a goldfish bowl, don't you think?:lol:

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Cheers Sassy, trust you to laugh at it straight away!:hug: My brother in law is a mechanic, and funnily enough his dealership has recently taken on Fiats, so at least we'll get the parts at trade price when it conks out.
I think it's quirky looking, it'll be rather like going out in a goldfish bowl, don't you think?:lol:

It's not so much the cost, as you just can't get the parts, but maybe things have changed- he should be able to advise you better. For what they are they are a great car space wise ... I'd just rather walk!! (lol you know I jest, right now I'd give anything for a car no matter if it was actually a frog on wheels :lol: )

 

[dobermum]

If it's the one I think it is...The front seat is for 3 people..then I tried one and the bit I didn't like was the handbrake. Becasue the front seat is a bench the handbrake is to the right next to your door.

I found that it dug into my thigh but then my thigh is particularly...fleshy!

 

[pinkmummy]

If it's the one I think it is...The front seat is for 3 people..then I tried one and the bit I didn't like was the handbrake. Becasue the front seat is a bench the handbrake is to the right next to your door.

I found that it dug into my thigh but then my thigh is particularly...fleshy!

Thanks, I have fleshy thighs too.:lol: I'll see how I feel when I try it out. I'm a size 16, my tummy is my problem spot, maybe I'll be ok?

 

[Hope]

There is a reply from someone about the Fiat in this thread http://www.salongeek.com/chit-chat/51632-what-mpv-would-you-recommend.html

Hth's

 

[HappyHands]

DO NOT... I repeat DO NOT use you spare tyre on it... my Parent in laws have one, Great car they have had no probs apart from the spare tyre, it is on some kind of wierd contraption and once you use it the contraption thingy does not work and will cost you nearly £200 to get it renewed, they now drive around with the spare in the boot cos they refused to pay the money.. otherwise (wierd looking frog car) henrrieta is a great name and car... hth oh ans my in laws car is frog green

 

[pinkmummy]

There is a reply from someone about the Fiat in this thread http://www.salongeek.com/chit-chat/51632-what-mpv-would-you-recommend.html

Hth's

Thanks Rachel, I was too busy trying to sell you an old London bus to see that answer. :lol::hug::hug:

 

[pinkmummy]

DO NOT... I repeat DO NOT use you spare tyre on it... my Parent in laws have one, Great car they have had no probs apart from the spare tyre, it is on some kind of wierd contraption and once you use it the contraption thingy does not work and will cost you nearly £200 to get it renewed, they now drive around with the spare in the boot cos they refused to pay the money.. otherwise (wierd looking frog car) henrrieta is a great name and car... hth oh ans my in laws car is frog green

Thanks for the advise, I'm definitely liking the idea of a Multipla. I approached a strange lady at the school gates with one, she loves hers, and let me have a look around it. As long as this one tomorrow is ok, I think we'll buy it.
Henrietta here we come, you'll see us a mile off!:green:

 

[Hope]

Thanks Rachel, I was too busy trying to sell you an old London bus to see that answer. :lol::hug::hug:

:lol: :lol: :lol:

I hope that it is just what you want tomorrow xx:hug: xx

 

[hayls]

Fiat's as a rule havent got a great reputation! But as your brother is a mechanic in a Fiat dealership, then thats a bit better.

They were very popular as taxi's in Rome, so they must be somewhat reliable. We went in one and it was a very smooth ride.

Thats all I know! hth's a tad! xx

 

[Hope]

If I remember rightly didn't it win Top Gear Car Of The Year a few years back?

 

[joesbit]

Hi,
I'm the person who replied in the other thread about having a multipla.
We love the car, especially the fact it is different, that was the reason why I went mad for 1.

We have found it to be very reliable, it is now 5 years old and hasn't needed anything doing to it, and even with 6 adults in it, it has loads of room and boot space. It has often been used as a "taxi" for nights out and on these nights out I've been sat front middle and had loads of room (I'm a size 16).

I've never had a problem with the handbrake being where it is apart from remembering where it was for the first few days.

Happy Hands mentioned not to use the spare tyre, we have so far had to use our spare twice and both times the tyre contraption went up and down no problem. My husband says it is done this way so you don't have to unload everything out of the car to get the spare out. It takes no strength or effort to get the tyre out as it drops the tyre out from under the car straight onto the road, which is ideal for me as I have sciatica and cannot lift a tyre out of a boot.

I know a couple of other people who have them and they both love theirs too!!

We are dreading the day we move (emigrating to Oz) as we will have to sell ours :cry: and as they don't sell them over there we will have to go back to having a boring car.

By the way mine is called Frederico (the Italian frog).

I hope you like it and if you do buy it, enjoy your frog as much as we enjoy ours.

Good luck for tomorrow.

Helen

 

[joesbit]

If I remember rightly didn't it win Top Gear Car Of The Year a few years back?

I've asked my husband about this and he said it was the winner in it's class and part of the reason why it won was because it had more space between the rear seats and the rear window than any of the other cars.

 

[pinkmummy]

Thanks for all your replies, I really like this car but hubby came home with some bad news.:cry: He's decided, after getting my hopes up that now isn't the time to get a new car, he wants us to wait a few months till our extension is completed (we're at foundations level.)
I can kind of see where he's coming from as the car money (we would have bought it outright) is actually our building emergency fund. (I'd still rather have a new car than a really posh bathroom.:irked
I'm feeling a bit emotional now as I was really excited, and I think it was a step towards expanding our family for me as well.
When we do decide to replace out old heap I will definitely be looking for a Multipla though. Henrietta will get here, just not yet.:hug:

 

[Seanny]

This is a pig ugly car, but reliable? Yes, absolutely!! Fiat have most definitely cleaned up their act over the past few years. They offer quality cars at reasonable prices. OMG, I wish Fiat were paying me to say this. *LOL*

 

[Hope]

Thanks for all your replies, I really like this car but hubby came home with some bad news.:cry: He's decided, after getting my hopes up that now isn't the time to get a new car, he wants us to wait a few months till our extension is completed (we're at foundations level.)
I can kind of see where he's coming from as the car money (we would have bought it outright) is actually our building emergency fund. (I'd still rather have a new car than a really posh bathroom.:irked
I'm feeling a bit emotional now as I was really excited, and I think it was a step towards expanding our family for me as well.
When we do decide to replace out old heap I will definitely be looking for a Multipla though. Henrietta will get here, just not yet.:hug:

Aw have a :hug: .

It might be for the best though, you never know what extras might come up during an extension, trust me I know!!

I can understand your disappointment though :hug:

 

[joesbit]

Thanks for all your replies, I really like this car but hubby came home with some bad news.:cry: He's decided, after getting my hopes up that now isn't the time to get a new car, he wants us to wait a few months till our extension is completed (we're at foundations level.)
I can kind of see where he's coming from as the car money (we would have bought it outright) is actually our building emergency fund. (I'd still rather have a new car than a really posh bathroom.:irked
I'm feeling a bit emotional now as I was really excited, and I think it was a step towards expanding our family for me as well.
When we do decide to replace out old heap I will definitely be looking for a Multipla though. Henrietta will get here, just not yet.:hug:

Sorry to hear you aren't getting one yet, I'm sure you will get one eventually, I had to wait for mine, but it was well worth the wait.

:hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:

 

[pinkmummy]

Just to let you all know, as usual my bloomin husband was right.:irked:
We've come back from a long weekend in Yorkshire and there are probs with the extension.
We have to re-route the sewerage pipes (they cover ours and the 3 houses to the left of us) in our garden, it was either that or move the whole build forward or back 1m (& then re submit amended plans!)
So there goes my car money, I'll just keep saving.:irked: