Trade 2011 1er for a 2012 Fiat 500

inthemovie · 04-23-2011, 08:50 PM

Trade this 2011 128 with 6 speed MT

[/IMG]

And get this

[/IMG]

This was my 2011 128i but I wanted more power so I bought a 135i for myself and was going to trade this 128i in but the trade in at the BMW dealer was so low I was losing thousands. about 7K So I kept the 128 but wife drives it every now and then it only has 1600 miles on it. She wants a Fiat 500 now wants to get rid of the 128. The fiat dealer is much more generous with there trade in offer and I will lose about 2k if trade it in. Ok I deal with that but Fiat 500 I am just not sure.

richsnuc · 04-23-2011, 09:40 PM

It's kind of a cute car and roomy inside like the MINI. I sat in one at a car show and it seemed comfortable. Unfortunately, the componentry is cheap. Just touch the interior bits...the HVAC and radio controls move in the dash. It's like a Cracker Jack toy!

NYC6 · 04-23-2011, 09:41 PM

Never saw one of those. Looks like the spawn of a Mini and a VW Bug. What kind of mileage it get?

miiipilot · 04-23-2011, 10:01 PM

2k is not bad on a loss, but that is a trade DOWN if you ask me. The 128i is still a capable little vehicle. That thing is stupid. The new Ford Fiesta looks really nice too and it's the European styling, but it isn't selling either. I don't think it's gonna be a winner duh!

Why does she not like driving the 1er? The 500 is gonna be an Italian Econobox.

Lemme ask you something...most girls buy on looks alone...what happens when the newness wears off and she realizes it is CRAP? Another trade and more wasted money? What is the price on that? How steep is the depreciation? Any lease detail out there for residuals?

My .02...Don't do it unless you go UP

miiipilot

Kamal · 04-23-2011, 10:12 PM

Wow, I assume she wants it because it's new, cute, and you don't see them around yet... seems pretty stupid to me. I don't see any reason to buy the 500 in the US, unless you're in a congested downtown area, then maybe... but the 1er is pretty 'compact' by US standards anyways.

Greenkirby21 · 04-23-2011, 10:17 PM

Yes, I agree with all the above. Unless you live in a congested downtown area, then the 128i will be more then enough. If she goes grocery shopping, where will she put the groceries? I don't see the need to trade the 128i, its the perfect DD.

MikeMcBMW · 04-23-2011, 10:44 PM

No offense, but is this a joke?

azndunkaddict3d · 04-23-2011, 10:59 PM

I saw one in Soho today. Doesn't look much reliable.

Diver · 04-23-2011, 11:34 PM

It's still April.

1speedbike · 04-23-2011, 11:39 PM

It's a remake of a very iconic car for some people.. and a VW bug lookalike for others. 101 hp/ 98 tq, 30/38 mpg. Apparently, it drives bigger and sportier than it looks. The steering wheel provides good road feel, it has "precise handling" and it even has a sport button(!) On the highway it has a good ride and is free of engine noise, and the trannies are alright. Pretty much everything the smart wasn't

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/02/2...iew-road-test/

Still.. I'd keep the 128i.. It's a freakin 128i. Unless your wife is a fan on the original fiat 500 or a really really big fan of the styling, or the fuel economy matters that much..

Also, just noticed that the Abarth Fiat 500 is coming over as well.. Depending on the turbo kit, that can give the 500 from 130 bhp / 152 lbft with the base kit up to 180 bhp /201 lbft with the EsseEsse kit. If that actually ends up on this side of the pond, that might be the only reason to leave the 230 horses from the 128i's smoooth NA inline 6

GeeRam · 04-24-2011, 04:39 AM

The 500 is a great little car...... the ones with the 'retro' paint finishes and ivory interiors are really cool too

Didn't know they were being imported to the US though...!!

The new Twin-Air versions (875cc 2 cyl turbo) are interesting, although you probably won't get them in the US.

I'd make sure she drives one for an extended test drive before chopping the 128i in for one though

killahbeez · 04-24-2011, 05:23 AM

If she wants a smaller car like this why not a Mini, I checked out the 500 at the Auto Show and it looks kinda cool but its interior was crappy materials. I would say keep the 128i but it sounds like you have a 135i also and owning 2 of the same cars is maybe why you want to get rid of it. Wait till the end of the year and look at the new Mini Coupe and Roadster. Or just get a Mini. I just sold my Mini for a 2011 135i and the Mini was a blast to drive. Or maybe a GTI? If she wants a hatch. Wait a few years on the Fiat. Who knows what the reliability is going to be like on a new car company in the USA. Good luck.

GeeRam · 04-24-2011, 06:38 AM

Mini is a better drivers car..... 500 is a better city car.

500's have become VERY popular over here during the past few years.

larryn · 04-24-2011, 06:46 AM

Wouldn't even consider it (with your 128i) unless they had the Arbath edition, which is purportedly coming out in the Fall. Even so, Fiat has had a sad history of unreliability on US roads, and driving at the slower US speeds on potholed and uneven roads might be a contributing factor. I would wait to see how these things hold up.

130iguy · 04-24-2011, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by larryn

Wouldn't even consider it (with your 128i) unless they had the Arbath edition

this

ptack · 04-24-2011, 08:22 AM

I you had gotten her a vert she wouldn't have wanted that Fiat.

MikeinAlexandria · 04-24-2011, 08:31 AM

I have to echo the sentiments of folks here on this. Yes, the Fiat 500 is cute, but unless it is an Abarth Essessess, it is no MINI. I have had two MINIs, a 2002 Cooper and a 2007 S, and they were fantasic. I bought the 128 because I wanted a cool looking four seat convertible that had BMW handling and a real trunk. (otherwise I would have gotten a new Cooper Works convertible).

There won't be any Abarth parts for the Fiat in the US for a while (according to Abarth folks) so performance on the Fiat will really not be that great. Best bet is to keep the the BMW, but check out a MINI Cooper S cabrio... They are fast, fun, super efficient and great city/bad traffic cars, especially with a stick shift.

CosmosMpower · 04-24-2011, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeinAlexandria

I have to echo the sentiments of folks here on this. Yes, the Fiat 500 is cute, but unless it is an Abarth Essessess, it is no MINI. I have had two MINIs, a 2002 Cooper and a 2007 S, and they were fantasic. I bought the 128 because I wanted a cool looking four seat convertible that had BMW handling and a real trunk. (otherwise I would have gotten a new Cooper Works convertible).

There won't be any Abarth parts for the Fiat in the US for a while (according to Abarth folks) so performance on the Fiat will really not be that great. Best bet is to keep the the BMW, but check out a MINI Cooper S cabrio... They are fast, fun, super efficient and great city/bad traffic cars, especially with a stick shift.

Sorry but the trunk on. A 1st vert is tiny! I would get a Cooper S

///1M · 04-24-2011, 10:23 AM

If either of you has reservations, I'd recommend picking 5 cars that are currently on the market (keeping in the same size range of the Fiat), and test drive them all. This process will make you more confident in your decision, regardless of your ultimate choice.

Bimmer-Bob · 04-24-2011, 10:43 AM

It sounds like you guys never drive the 128i anyway, so you might as well sell it. I can't speak for the reliability of the Fiat, but it seems like it's gotten some pretty good press. It doesn't look ridiculously small to me, but I'm in Europe and I see these fairly often. I imagine they'd stick out a little more in the US, although even there cars are trending smaller it seems.

No way that thing will be anywhere near as fun to drive as the 1er, or as refined, or even as upscale (a lot of people like to knock the 1et as "not a luxury car," but when you drive less expensive cars you see how much lower one can get on the eco-lux spectrum). Fuel economy will undoubtedly be better. I suppose the Fiat is a novelty on US roads, although not for long.

Honestly, I don't get why your wife wouldn't just drive the brand-new BMW you guys have sitting around, but instead would prefer driving a brand-new Fiat. It kind of boggles the mind. And will she tire of the Fiat in one year's time?

By the way, how is Fiat being marketed in the US? Because in Europe there really isn't any cachet whatsoever associated with the brand.

Cuz5150 · 04-24-2011, 11:04 AM

No way

, tell the wife she is crazy and

Trade a solid chassi, rear drive, 50/50 weight distribution for a Econo box

kin74 · 04-24-2011, 11:05 AM

To me, trading a 128 for a 500 (and losing 2k!) sounds weird...

Btw, 500 if cute and funny, much more reliable than the Fiat you use to know in US. But, as someone already wrote, 500 is for city, Mini is for drivers. I don't know the prices in US, but Italy the average 500 is 10k euros cheaper than the average Mini and you do feel the difference.

04-23-2011, 08:50 PM	#1
inthemovie Enlisted Member 11 Rep 46 Posts Drives: 2011 1M, 2012 Lotus Evora, x1 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Beverly Hills Ca iTrader: (0)	Trade 2011 1er for a 2012 Fiat 500 Trade this 2011 128 with 6 speed MT [/IMG] And get this [/IMG] This was my 2011 128i but I wanted more power so I bought a 135i for myself and was going to trade this 128i in but the trade in at the BMW dealer was so low I was losing thousands. about 7K So I kept the 128 but wife drives it every now and then it only has 1600 miles on it. She wants a Fiat 500 now wants to get rid of the 128. The fiat dealer is much more generous with there trade in offer and I will lose about 2k if trade it in. Ok I deal with that but Fiat 500 I am just not sure.
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04-23-2011, 09:40 PM	#2
richsnuc Retired USN LT 18 Rep 192 Posts Drives: 2024 X5M60i Avus Blue/Coffee Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: NC iTrader: (0)	It's kind of a cute car and roomy inside like the MINI. I sat in one at a car show and it seemed comfortable. Unfortunately, the componentry is cheap. Just touch the interior bits...the HVAC and radio controls move in the dash. It's like a Cracker Jack toy!
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04-23-2011, 09:41 PM	#3
NYC6 Banned 71 Rep 2,070 Posts Drives: '10 135i PPKI/06 C6 Z51 Vette Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: LI/NY iTrader: (0)	Never saw one of those. Looks like the spawn of a Mini and a VW Bug. What kind of mileage it get?
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04-23-2011, 10:01 PM	#4
miiipilot Lieutenant Colonel 519 Rep 1,501 Posts Drives: 2024 M2 Brooklyn Grey 6mt Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Cleveland, OH iTrader: (0)	2k is not bad on a loss, but that is a trade DOWN if you ask me. The 128i is still a capable little vehicle. That thing is stupid. The new Ford Fiesta looks really nice too and it's the European styling, but it isn't selling either. I don't think it's gonna be a winner duh! Why does she not like driving the 1er? The 500 is gonna be an Italian Econobox. Lemme ask you something...most girls buy on looks alone...what happens when the newness wears off and she realizes it is CRAP? Another trade and more wasted money? What is the price on that? How steep is the depreciation? Any lease detail out there for residuals? My .02...Don't do it unless you go UP miiipilot __________________ miiipilot '24 M2 Brooklyn Grey, 6mt, Bi-Color, Black M-Color seats, '16 MG M2, DCT, Exec. Took Delivery 4/30/16 (Sold)
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04-23-2011, 10:12 PM	#5
Kamal Indian Stig 29 Rep 1,002 Posts Drives: '03 540i M, '11 Ducati M796 Join Date: May 2008 Location: StL/CoMO iTrader: (1) Garage List 2008 BMW 135i [7.56] 2011 BMW 328i [8.00]	Wow, I assume she wants it because it's new, cute, and you don't see them around yet... seems pretty stupid to me. I don't see any reason to buy the 500 in the US, unless you're in a congested downtown area, then maybe... but the 1er is pretty 'compact' by US standards anyways. __________________ 2008 E82 N54 \|\| Stage 2 -------- Gone to a good home.
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04-23-2011, 10:17 PM	#6
Greenkirby21 Vrooom :) 314 Rep 2,602 Posts Drives: C7 Stringray Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Dream Land iTrader: (1)	Yes, I agree with all the above. Unless you live in a congested downtown area, then the 128i will be more then enough. If she goes grocery shopping, where will she put the groceries? I don't see the need to trade the 128i, its the perfect DD. __________________ 2014 C7 Corvette Stringray - Laguna Blue - NPP Exhaust - Competition Seats
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04-23-2011, 10:44 PM	#7
MikeMcBMW Private 6 Rep 54 Posts Drives: 2014 328i Sport Line Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Cincinnati, OH iTrader: (0)	No offense, but is this a joke?
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04-23-2011, 10:59 PM	#8
azndunkaddict3d Private 9 Rep 79 Posts Drives: 2008 BMW 135i coupe Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Taipei, Taiwan iTrader: (2)	I saw one in Soho today. Doesn't look much reliable.
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04-23-2011, 11:34 PM	#9
Diver Brigadier General 504 Rep 3,446 Posts Drives: Black '12 135i - Sold Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Texas iTrader: (0)	It's still April. __________________ See my photography at http://ronscubadiver.wordpress.com
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04-23-2011, 11:39 PM	#10
1speedbike Brigadier General 732 Rep 3,274 Posts Drives: 2022 X4 M40i, 2008 135i Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: MKE iTrader: (15)	It's a remake of a very iconic car for some people.. and a VW bug lookalike for others. 101 hp/ 98 tq, 30/38 mpg. Apparently, it drives bigger and sportier than it looks. The steering wheel provides good road feel, it has "precise handling" and it even has a sport button(!) On the highway it has a good ride and is free of engine noise, and the trannies are alright. Pretty much everything the smart wasn't http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/02/2...iew-road-test/ Still.. I'd keep the 128i.. It's a freakin 128i. Unless your wife is a fan on the original fiat 500 or a really really big fan of the styling, or the fuel economy matters that much.. Also, just noticed that the Abarth Fiat 500 is coming over as well.. Depending on the turbo kit, that can give the 500 from 130 bhp / 152 lbft with the base kit up to 180 bhp /201 lbft with the EsseEsse kit. If that actually ends up on this side of the pond, that might be the only reason to leave the 230 horses from the 128i's smoooth NA inline 6 __________________ 2022 X4 M40i - 2008 135i - 2015 F700GS On Order - 2024 i4 M50 Scruffy's gonna die the way he lived... Mmhm. Last edited by 1speedbike; 04-23-2011 at 11:53 PM..
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04-24-2011, 04:39 AM	#11
GeeRam Major 195 Rep 1,317 Posts Drives: X5 40d SE Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Berkshire,UK iTrader: (0)	The 500 is a great little car...... the ones with the 'retro' paint finishes and ivory interiors are really cool too Didn't know they were being imported to the US though...!! The new Twin-Air versions (875cc 2 cyl turbo) are interesting, although you probably won't get them in the US. I'd make sure she drives one for an extended test drive before chopping the 128i in for one though __________________ 2017 X5 4.0dSE ~ Atlas Cedar:Ind.Amaro Brown Merino&Piano Blk, Sport Auto, DHP, Comfort seats, Cold weather pack, HK audio, Electric towbar, Sun protection glass.
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04-24-2011, 05:23 AM	#12
killahbeez Private 4 Rep 90 Posts Drives: 2011 135i DCT Msport/2008 328i Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Portland Oregon iTrader: (0)	If she wants a smaller car like this why not a Mini, I checked out the 500 at the Auto Show and it looks kinda cool but its interior was crappy materials. I would say keep the 128i but it sounds like you have a 135i also and owning 2 of the same cars is maybe why you want to get rid of it. Wait till the end of the year and look at the new Mini Coupe and Roadster. Or just get a Mini. I just sold my Mini for a 2011 135i and the Mini was a blast to drive. Or maybe a GTI? If she wants a hatch. Wait a few years on the Fiat. Who knows what the reliability is going to be like on a new car company in the USA. Good luck.
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04-24-2011, 06:38 AM	#13
GeeRam Major 195 Rep 1,317 Posts Drives: X5 40d SE Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Berkshire,UK iTrader: (0)	Mini is a better drivers car..... 500 is a better city car. 500's have become VERY popular over here during the past few years. __________________ 2017 X5 4.0dSE ~ Atlas Cedar:Ind.Amaro Brown Merino&Piano Blk, Sport Auto, DHP, Comfort seats, Cold weather pack, HK audio, Electric towbar, Sun protection glass.
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04-24-2011, 06:46 AM	#14
larryn Lieutenant General 2148 Rep 10,176 Posts Drives: '97 332ti, '21 X5 45e, '16 GT4 Join Date: May 2005 Location: Seattle iTrader: (2)	Wouldn't even consider it (with your 128i) unless they had the Arbath edition, which is purportedly coming out in the Fall. Even so, Fiat has had a sad history of unreliability on US roads, and driving at the slower US speeds on potholed and uneven roads might be a contributing factor. I would wait to see how these things hold up.
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04-24-2011, 08:22 AM	#16
ptack Brigadier General 269 Rep 4,470 Posts Drives: 135i Join Date: May 2008 Location: NJ iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 135i [6.50]	I you had gotten her a vert she wouldn't have wanted that Fiat. __________________ 135i, SGM, Coral, Sport Package, Auto, Premium Hifi, USB/ipod, Apex EC-7s, PPK Stage II
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04-24-2011, 08:31 AM	#17
MikeinAlexandria Lieutenant 44 Rep 567 Posts Drives: 128i M Sport Convertible Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Alexandria, VA iTrader: (0)	I have to echo the sentiments of folks here on this. Yes, the Fiat 500 is cute, but unless it is an Abarth Essessess, it is no MINI. I have had two MINIs, a 2002 Cooper and a 2007 S, and they were fantasic. I bought the 128 because I wanted a cool looking four seat convertible that had BMW handling and a real trunk. (otherwise I would have gotten a new Cooper Works convertible). There won't be any Abarth parts for the Fiat in the US for a while (according to Abarth folks) so performance on the Fiat will really not be that great. Best bet is to keep the the BMW, but check out a MINI Cooper S cabrio... They are fast, fun, super efficient and great city/bad traffic cars, especially with a stick shift.
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04-24-2011, 10:23 AM	#19
///1M Captain 25 Rep 612 Posts Drives: On a good day, AW 1M coupe Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: between Indiana and the alley iTrader: (0)	If either of you has reservations, I'd recommend picking 5 cars that are currently on the market (keeping in the same size range of the Fiat), and test drive them all. This process will make you more confident in your decision, regardless of your ultimate choice.
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04-24-2011, 10:43 AM	#20
Bimmer-Bob ! 695 Rep 3,267 Posts Drives: 2010 128i Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Anacortes, WA iTrader: (4) Garage List 2024 Ford Bronco (U ... [0.00] 2010 BMW 128i (E82) [9.25]	It sounds like you guys never drive the 128i anyway, so you might as well sell it. I can't speak for the reliability of the Fiat, but it seems like it's gotten some pretty good press. It doesn't look ridiculously small to me, but I'm in Europe and I see these fairly often. I imagine they'd stick out a little more in the US, although even there cars are trending smaller it seems. No way that thing will be anywhere near as fun to drive as the 1er, or as refined, or even as upscale (a lot of people like to knock the 1et as "not a luxury car," but when you drive less expensive cars you see how much lower one can get on the eco-lux spectrum). Fuel economy will undoubtedly be better. I suppose the Fiat is a novelty on US roads, although not for long. Honestly, I don't get why your wife wouldn't just drive the brand-new BMW you guys have sitting around, but instead would prefer driving a brand-new Fiat. It kind of boggles the mind. And will she tire of the Fiat in one year's time? By the way, how is Fiat being marketed in the US? Because in Europe there really isn't any cachet whatsoever associated with the brand. __________________ ____________________________ My Build Thread
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04-24-2011, 11:04 AM	#21
Cuz5150 Major 215 Rep 1,489 Posts Drives: 06-M3ZHP/04-M3 Vert/02Duc998 Join Date: May 2008 Location: NJ iTrader: (0)	No way, tell the wife she is crazy and Trade a solid chassi, rear drive, 50/50 weight distribution for a Econo box __________________ -Diplomacy is saying, "nice doggie while trying to find a rock"- 07-Z4 coupe-Black/Black/6MT/sport/premium/X 04-M3 vert-Black/Imolla/6MT/Cold/Xenon/HK/ 06-M3 Coupe-Mystic/Black/6MT/ZCP/Xenon/HK/ 09-135i- AW/Bk-Lette/6MT/M-pac/Nav/Hi-Fi/Usb-Ipod/SOLD
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04-24-2011, 11:05 AM	#22
kin74 Private 1 Rep 61 Posts Drives: 120d Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: VR iTrader: (0)	To me, trading a 128 for a 500 (and losing 2k!) sounds weird... Btw, 500 if cute and funny, much more reliable than the Fiat you use to know in US. But, as someone already wrote, 500 is for city, Mini is for drivers. I don't know the prices in US, but Italy the average 500 is 10k euros cheaper than the average Mini and you do feel the difference.
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