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Deliverance

As a FIAT 500 owner you, and maybe other readers and potential purchasers of this iconic little car, might be interested in the following. On 7th August this year my husband placed an order for a FIAT 500, Lounge, as a birthday present for me. He was quoted 8-12 weeks delivery, and this was in line with two other FIAT dealers we visited and acceptable to both of us. The dealership we chose offered us a better price for a trade-in car than the other two, hence our reason for ordering through them. Eagerly anticipating the imminent arrival of my car I phoned the dealership in mid October, only to learn that it will not be arriving in this country until 21st December 2009, so increasing the delivery period up to an incredibly long 20 weeks. It then has to be transported to Cheshire where the dealership will, I understand, need a couple of days to apply the Diamondbrite Paint and Fabric Protector. Given that the Christmas holidays are then upon us I doubt that I shall get my car until 2010. The reason for this delay, according to Warrington Motors is, "that there are not enough workers in the factory in Poland so orders are late." I really want this car so cancelling the order is not an option. Although I have no reason to distrust our very pleasant salesman, I do have rather a cynical nature, and so wonder if the reason given is a genuine one, or masking some other problem, or perhaps the British School of Motoring have placed such a colossal order that all other orders have gone to the back of the queue?

Asked on 2 January 2010 by D.S., Buckley

Answered by Honest John
The Polish factory is working flat-out 3 shifts a day at full capacity. I think what might have happened is that orders have been diverted to
fulfil part of the order for 14,000 500s and Grande Puntos over 3 years to BSM. I've already received several complaints identical to yours. With luck, you might get the much better 2010 model year suspension, as already fitted to the Abarth 500 and 500C.
Dear Honest John,

Please help me choose my next car. I would like it to have:
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