Fiat multipla

[Inspector Morose]

Okay, I seem to have the want for one of these at the moment. Anything I need to know about problems? Apart from the fact that it looks fuggin ugly (well I like it)

[Station]

Just deceptively crappy build quality. My dad's had two Fiats in a row (Ulysse and Brava) and they've been reliable so far but with the odd electrical gremlin, and really nasty interiors (that make driving a bit horrible). Also, if the Multipla shares the same platform as the Ulysse, beware of stupid pivoting pedals.

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

My uncle has had a Multipla for ages now, I think it's had a replacement ECU but it's been trouble free apart from that.

The Multipla actually shares the Brava's platform.

[Alexg]

Reliability isn't one of it's strong points...

[Inspector Morose]

Yeah, know what you mean having had numerous cinqs, UNOs and siecentos. For some reason I find the multipla strangely alluring. I need medication.

[Tayne]

.

[fotorabia]

i dont know shite..but i like it when i see it..

[pogweasel]

I like these, delightfully fugly.

Shame that like most MPV's they come with insufficient bootspace for the number of seats - we'd have had one otherwise...

[Gompo]

They apparently drive very well? They do seem to have wheels quite close to the corners, and are wide - so that should help.

[dollywobbler]

I've heard horror stories, but then you still see plenty of 'em about. I'm sure there were at least two at the 2CV meet. At first, I was utterly repulsed by them, but they have grown on me.

[ChinaTom]

What's the alighting etiquette for these? Say if you have 3 passengers. Do people fill up the front seats first, then the back? What if there's just 1 passenger? Do they sit next to the driver, or by the window?

[autofive]

What's the alighting etiquette for these? Say if you have 3 passengers. Do people fill up the front seats first, then the back? What if there's just 1 passenger? Do they sit next to the driver, or by the window?

etiquette for the Fiat owner involves:

 

1 at least one member of the group must be an AA / RAC member

2 the person seated directly behind the driver holds the rust inhibiter

3 the driver must never, under no circumstances, attempt motorway driving without 1st contacting the emergency services

4 the passenger seated nearest the kerb is in charge of the haynes manual

5 the person (if any) seated behind the pasenger nearest the kerb holds the cam belt kit on all journeys over 500 metres

6 the centre seat in the rear must be kept free of normal passengers, it is strictly reserved for the fiat boar (this position is interchangeable with other passengers, who can adopted the fiat boar position on a rota sysytem, if required)

7 the person standing in front of the bonnet is there to open the bonnet and pronounce " its dead mate, weigh it in"

8 the person standing next the drivers window is responsible for removing the car from the side of the road

9 the motorists behind the fiat are collectively known as ' pissed off following a shagged out, rotten italian biscuit tin at 38 MPH for the last 4 miles"

10 all passengers must know the correct sequence of trim enhancement for all fiat models over the last 20 years - thus enabling them to fulfill the boar requirements of the journey

11 any member of the party to suggest that fiats are crap gets to sit next to the recovery driver, when the inevitable happens.

[mouseflakes]

We had a 1.9 TD (JTD?).

 

Over the 25 k miles we had it, it was very reliable (45k to 70k).

 

Servicing seemed very expensive though - this is the the first car we've had that I didn't maintain myself.

 

The one major problem with it was the dual mass flywheel. When the springs in this became tired it introduced play into the flywheel/clutch interface, which caused rapid clutch wear. This coincided with the clutch hydraulics giving up the ghost. So all in, one very expensive repair bill.

 

Apart from that though - I loved it.

 

Because it doesn't use the 'seats in the boot' trick that some MPVs employ, the boot space is still reasonable with all seats occupied - and you can move them forwards a bit too.

[Dukestar25]

I like these too, especially the early, very fugly ones. They are a pleasant drive and quite light for a people carrier (probably due to being based on the Bravo/Brava rather than the weighty Ulysse) so even the petrol engines give a good return to a gallon. Reliability seems ok but the electrics and trim fit & finish are typically Fiat. Get one!!!