Just over a year ago I bought a new (pre-reg) FIAT 500 1.25 diesel (I mean the type of fuel, not the confusingly ‘Diesel’ branded car). I used it as a 'town car'. The reason we bought it was so as to stop tanking around town doing school runs in our big Volvo estate. Fuel efficient, low mileage, low carbon emissions etc., it seemed like the perfect car. Until, that is, it basically blew its own engine. My husband and children were driving just outside Edinburgh, where we live and suddenly there was a huge bang, smoke filled the car and quickly covered the whole of the A90. My family obviously had to screech to the side of the road and bail out. The engine wouldn't switch off and sounded, according to my husband, as though someone was driving it at high speed in first gear. Big drama, police, fire engine, etc. The FIAT dealer has had the car since that weekend and quickly ascertained that the engine had ''died'' and this was due to a fault in the car. FIAT paid a visit and decided that the warranty would provide me with a new engine and various other bits and pieces totalling just under £7,000. Keep in mind I bought the car for about £8,700. Now I’m nervous that once it's repaired the same thing will happen again. On your website I discovered “500 diesels no good for short runs from cold or town use. Leads to DPF failing to self-clean. What can happen is that excess diesel fuel that was supposed to burn hotter and regenerate the dpf does not and instead seeps into the sump, gradually raising the level of sump oil to the point that the engine starts to run on it, cannot be stopped and therefore self-destructs. Vital to check sump oil level regularly.” So, it all begins to make sense. But no one at the dealer told me any of this.