Thinking about buying a fiat brava

Psychic Lady

Hi all, i'm looking for any advice on fiat brava's i'm thinking about buying one as my 1st car its a 2000 new type has 7000 miles on clock and has just been fitted with a new engine. Has the bodykit and all on it lovely car. but i'm wary as i've heard fiat cars are unreliable?

Anyone got a fiat that can give me some advice or reviews!


Need to have an answer before tomorrow!


Thanks

le-dub

What do yout think of Fiat Punto's? The best thing to do is get a mechanic to have a look at it, especially after it had a new engine fitted after only 7000miles. Any reason give for the change of engine or what happened.

Psychic Lady

He told me it was because the previous driver blew the engine that was all! It's going cheap and i know the person selling it but just wanted some advice on what fiat's are like as a car make?

Danes

I had a Brava in 1997 when they were fairly new and it was without a doubt the worst car I ever had. It was forever breaking down, everything that could go wrong with it, did. It was 10 months old when I bought it and had 6,500k on the clock and I kept it for a couple of years because I couldnt afford to change it at the time but looking back, I spent so much money on repairing the thing, it was a false economy. It got so bad in the end that I left it in a supermarket carpark when it wouldnt start AGAIN, called a mate with a transporter to take it away and sold it for scrap. I would never never again have a fiat, especially not that model. Maybe the 2000 version is better but personally I wouldnt take it as a gift. After the exhaust fell off in the road, the fella in the exhaust centre, who didnt speak much english, summed it up for me - Fiat. Look good, build bad.

zuutroy

I have NEVER heard of a Brava that didnt have problems. I know at least 5 people who bought them, and had endless trouble until they just had to buy a new car and leave their Brava's sitting. Avoid at all costs.

junkyard

They are endless trouble without doubt and a b*****d of a thing to work on, avoid at all cost.

alias no.9

I had a 1997 bravo for 2 years, bought it with ~42k on the clock and sold it with ~85k on the clock, so I was fairly clocking up the miles. It needed a new clutch at 80k (the thrust bearing was on the way out), hardly unusual for a petrol car and I got it done for €350 including an oil and filter change at a main dealers. Other than that, routine servicing all the way. I sold it privately in the end 'cos I needed to get a diesel because of the high mileage I was doing at the time and didn't have the cash to put with it as a trade in. I've seen it around town recently, so it's obviously still on the road two years later. The one thing I didn't like about it was the steering was too light.

If you're seriously thinking about buying this car, get it checked out properly. There's a risk with any used car. Decide to buy or not to buy based on the condition of the car and the price, cars with a good reputation can be lemons and cars with bad reputations can be in tip top shape and ridiculously undervalued. Don't pay too much, there's plenty of these around and they don't make big money and finally, if it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't right so walk away.

cargrouch

Psychic Lady wrote:

Has the bodykit and all on it lovely car.

Brava or Bravo? I know the bravo looked well with a bodykit, but didn't think the brava had one? No difference in engines or electrics, BUT - a Brava (5 door, not as nice looking as 3 door Bravo) is less likely to have been driven hard. IMO anyway.

Do not buy a 1.4 12valve. This is a thirsty unreliable engine.
1.2 16V(same power as 1.4) or 1.6 16V are better - a 2000 reg should be one of the newer engines.

Timing belt changes are quoted as approx 70K miles - they should in fact be done every 40K or sooner from what I've heard. I had one, previous owner "had changed timing belt" - but the tensioner went instead of the belt. If its been 35K miles or 3years since a Tbelt change then negotiate a fair bit off the price. Get a full timing kit rather than a belt. I couldn't tell ya price of the top of my head.

It is very important to change oil regularly - ( for all cars obviously!) but the bravo is one of those cars that is prone to the spray bar over the camshaft blocking. At least the 1.4 is.

These Fiats have a built in immobiliser - where some cars you get 2 normal keys, with the brava/bravo you get 3 - two blue, one red.I would say make sure all keys work. Have a look here for more advice on that:

http://www.fiatboo.co.uk/buy-a-bravo.htm

Loads of good reading in the forums.

Oh yeah, airbag warning light is a common "feature". It's not an NCT failure, but a warning on your dash means you can't take a driving test in it. Just thought I'd say - could be a factor. After a certain amount of miles it can't be turned off by garage AFAIK.

Ok, a lot of warnings there, but if you get a good deal I would say have a lash, my bravo was nippy and fun to drive. Had a good "feel". So says the fun part in me.

The boring sensible part says - cheap, reliable, A2B = nissan.

Psychic Lady

Sorry its a bravo not sure what size engine tho.

Thanks for the advice i have checked out the website and printed it off for sum reading later. I think the dealer will take about €2000 for it and i'm hoping that if it wud last me for 3/4 years i'd be happy to have it as a started car. Just at the minute tho with the replies i've had here and checking out some review centres i'm torn in half there is more bad reviews than gud but haven't decided what way to go with it!

colm_mcm

If it's 00 then it's a 1.2 16v

look out for crashing between 1st and 2nd gears, syncromesh is very likely to go.

The flexible part of the exhaust just beyond the manifold is mounted very low down and is prone to scraping against the ground and leaking.

The thing to remember when buying a Fiat is that there's very few stylish cars you can buy for similar money, of the same age. Just as long as you know that some things may go wrong.

Psychic Lady

Hi all just to let you all know i've decided not to buy the car,i've taken in all your advice and done some research of my own too and I don't think it's worth the hassle.

Thanks for the advice!

cargrouch

Just wondering... where in Cork did you see that? What was the mileage?

Psychic Lady

It was up the north i seen it! there is 7000 miles on the clock.

colm_mcm

being psychic you could foresee any potential break downs?

cargrouch

"ommmmm, yes, I'm getting a picture, yes yes I can see it clearly...

Do you know a man with a yellow truck? No? Well you will soon."

In fairness, you wouldn't need to be clairvoyant to foresee an AA callout to a Fiat.:D I think I'm on their blacklist...