Fiat Stilo..... really that shit?

[Lankytim]

Looking around the interwebs I have found that Fiat Stilos seem to be pretty much worthless, depreciation is so scary that they seems to be up there with MK11 Lagunas in the desirability stakes. There are loads of stories about spurious warning lights on the dash that can never be fully fixed, disintergrating interiors, uneven tyre wear, broken springs and water leaks to name a few. However there are a few good reviews from happy owners.

 

Apart from being very cheap to buy, they look to be cheap to run too (on paper) the 1.2, 1.4 and 1.9 diesel are in low tax brackets and they all look to be in cheap insurance groups. I think the diesel engine in the 1.9 is the same type used in the Astra and Vectra, from what i've seen they seem to be great lumps. Economical and powerful.

 

So are Stilos best avoided, or could a good one make a cheap family holdall for the canny buyer?

[Mash]

My dad had a 1.4 until last year. He had about 3 years I think and he was never completely happy with it but I always rather liked it. Much better built than I expected, fairly pokey and a lovely 6 speed gearbox. It rode and handled ok and you sat high up. Nice and roomy. Little bit less bland than some cars too look-wise.

 

He had the warning light issues you mention, mostly about a faulty brake light that never was! Couple of suspension braces needed replacement but it was pretty reliable. He always found it a bit niggly though and swapped for an Astra last year. I think there may have been a small water leak that never came to anything!

 

As I said, not too badly built but this had only done 24000 miles when he got it and 50000 when he sold. When they get to a high mileage and 10 or more years old they probably won't stand up as well as a Honda Civic or Golf but will be a lot cheaper. Don't get one with the light coloured interior - it's murder to keep clean and seemingly almost impossible to get stains out of the fabric!!

 

I always liked the look of the estate and would go for one of them if I was having a Stilo.

[Pete-M]

Only ever drove one, and it was new. No experience of them since other than the usual trade "It's a FIAT, run" rumours.

 

The one I tried was a five pot 2.4 with Sillyspeed gearbox. It wasn't bad. Sounded ok when booted but wasn't that quick and the box took a while to get used to (and work around, it's a dozy bugger that Sillyspeed system when it's not exploding). It had the mad satnav / phone thing in which was a novelty at the time.

 

Can't see it being much more unreliable or annoying than a fat-arse Megane, and Fiats do tend to be fun when they're in the mood.

[Lankytim]

Ive spotted a nice 53 reg diesel estate on ebay, £1395 buy it now. I think that would have to be the type to go for, good looks and loads of space! This example has 77k on the clock, which looks reasonable. There are a few diesel Stilos about with 150k on the clock, still seemingly in fine fettle.

 

Pete, I agree with the Megane comment. I had the thought that they probably are no worse than any equivalent French car. I think the poor Stilo suffers from being not as good as a Focus, Astra or Golf and being "off the radar" to much of the car buying public.

[R9UKE]

The things with Stilos is that they can look so damn sexy....

 

 

or amazingly shit:

 

 

That first car is nice enough to warrant another addition onto my list - the Stilo Abarth. That one has that funny slatted panoramic roof, leather, sat nav - everything by the looks of it. In fact - I want it!!!

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/stilo-abarth- ... 500wt_1202

 

I'd say it'll be similar to the Laguna II experiences I've had. There's some that prove to be such brilliant cars, and just never break, but then there's more that just keep on presenting new problems to really piss you off. But who wants a predictable motor? Go for it!

[Lankytim]

I like the shit blue one.....

 

We can't take the plunge just yet, as the W reg Astra estate the wife has hasn't expired or failed its MOT miserably yet. To be fair it doesn't look like its going to die anytime soon and still looks smart, it would just be nice to have something more modern/less tatty for the wife and pet child to smoke about in.

[fiatdaft]

The smaller petrols are a wee bit slow,but the jtd's are no bad . It really is the dash warning lights that are a pain in the arse,the rest of the car isn't that bad at all,for ultimate points try to find a manual abarth !

[gtd2000]

The things with Stilos is that they can look so damn sexy....

 

 

 

I have to admit that even with my Asian-centric tendancies I also like the look of the later Stilo model but at the same time suspect it might be a never ending series of niggles....

 

I nearly considered buying a 52 plate Stilo diesel estate back in 2008 at the auctions in Edinburgh - it went for around 2k at the time - I chickened out and bought a Proton Persona instead

[ruffgeezer]

Yeah they are pretty crap in design and build...

 

basic things like on the 3 door model, the handle is just part of the door card, not actually bolted to the door, so they are almost always busted.

 

The one I have the occasional misfortune of looking after has in the last year shat out 2 rear callipers in quick succession.

It has a mystery running fault that when it was taken to fiat, they told it's owner "it's a probably a pressure sensor, £200+vat + fitting" they wouldn't tell him which sensor this was, and wouldn't guarantee it would fix the car either.

 

Oh and it is dull as pish to drive (1.6 16v)

[Betaboy2.0]

NOt shit at all and potentially many, many miles of trouble free, reliable and dependable motoring.

 

Stilo was Fiat's attempt to build a Golf. And in many ways they suceeded. Drab to look at, drab to drive, ok built and dependable.

 

What they failed to realise during development though was that your average VW owner doesn't want a Golf, and your average Fiat owhner doesn't want a VW.

 

My everyday runner is Stilo's predecessor - a 1998 Brava, 1.6 SX Auto.

 

I've had it 5 years. Got it at 39k miles and it is now on 113k miles. If it wasn't for the ex-Bo11ox Croma having come along, I wouldn't have dreamt of changing it.

 

Brava has been the most incredibly reliable, dependable exceptional car. First exhaust at 97k miles. First bulb replacement at 102k miles, still as taught and accurate as it was when new. (I know this as first owner was mother!). Non service items required to date:

 

1 fuel injector

1 coil pack

I pair front discs

1 set ignition leads

 

And that is it!

 

So, Stilo is very likley to be the very best used buy. A totally dependable (if slightly dull) everyday shitter!

[wuvvum]

Aren't petrol Stilos prone to major ECU problems? Having said that, they are a nice looking vehicle, and cheap for what is still quite a modern car. I'd have one if one came up for the right money.

[Negative Creep]

The things with Stilos is that they can look so damn sexy....

 

 

 

I have to admit that even with my Asian-centric tendancies I also like the look of the later Stilo model but at the same time suspect it might be a never ending series of niggles....

 

I nearly considered buying a 52 plate Stilo diesel estate back in 2008 at the auctions in Edinburgh - it went for around 2k at the time - I chickened out and bought a Proton Persona instead

 

 

I always thought they were a looker in 32 door form but don't think I'd be brave enough. For what it';s worth, they get a hammering on Honest John

[M'coli]

For what it';s worth, they get a hammering on Honest John

Is that just prejudice though?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I'd eat one of these, they certainly cop it depreciation-wise so thats a strong point, plus they look rubbish as well. i'd have a diesel estate, that engine is in over 1,000,000 different cars so it must be reasonably reliable i'd have thought.

 

 

I'm IN.

[eddyramrod]

I always thought they were a looker in 32 door form

 

Yeah, I'd definitely buy one of those!

[warren t claim]

I'd eat one of these, they certainly cop it depreciation-wise so thats a strong point, plus they look rubbish as well. i'd have a diesel estate, that engine is in over 1,000,000 different cars so it must be reasonably reliable i'd have thought.

 

 

I'm IN.

 

Where's my former boss, Hillary?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

No idea, Sheila

[warren t claim]

No idea, Sheila

 

Our own Father Ted won't be pleased, she's up there with Anneka Rice in his fantasy league.

[Guest]

No idea, Sheila

 

Our own Father Ted won't be pleased, she's up there with Anneka Rice in his fantasy league.

 

I'm disappointed, Warren. I was expecting some kind of coke filled anecdote about your appalling sexy adventures with a weather girl in the back of a Fiat Stilo, concluded with the sentence:

 

'I was satisfied having left her gash looking like a plasterer's radio'.

 

Or something.

[Cavcraft]

Was Hilary originally fitted with a gash though? She looks like a convert to me.

[warren t claim]

No idea, Sheila

 

Our own Father Ted won't be pleased, she's up there with Anneka Rice in his fantasy league.

 

I'm disappointed, Warren. I was expecting some kind of coke filled anecdote about your appalling sexy adventures with a weather girl in the back of a Fiat Stilo, concluded with the sentence:

 

'I was satisfied having left her gash looking like a plasterer's radio'.

 

Or something.

 

Nah, it was a Tipo and I left her looking like a ripped out fireplace.