FIAT Bravo (2007 - ) - New Fiat Bravo?

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Sat 1 Aug 2009 22:08
New Fiat Bravo? - blackpoolbloke
Anyone any ownership experence of these? I'm looking for a 150bhp Diesel (tried the 150 T jet but wasn't keen) but am a little concerned these cars have Stilo underpinnings.
I know there are probally much better cars for the money but I love the way they look and they look very good value for money at two years old but is they a valid reason for this or is it just fear of Fiats?
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 1 Aug 2009 23:14
New Fiat Bravo? - rtj70
little concerned these cars have Stilo underpinnings


I don't think the underpinnings of the Stilo were really the problem. The exterior and interior design was poor though and hence not a good selling car.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 2 Aug 2009 03:42
New Fiat Bravo? - Rattle
I like the Stilo. A friend had one from brand new, staid it was a great car to drive but kept having problems with the EPS and it was constantly repaired under the warranty. The problem with a slightly larger FIAT is it will loose a huge amount of value very quickly. Good value only makes sense if you tend to keep it a long time. If not a Merc C lass might end up being cheaper!
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 2 Aug 2009 12:28
New Fiat Bravo? - blackpoolbloke
My plan would be to buy a 18 month to two year old car and keep it for at least four years, my annual mileage is fairly low but I want a five door car for kids ect.
There are plenty of roadtests on the net but I wondered if anyone had lived with one on a day to day basis and could give me any feedback, good or bad!
cheers
Steve
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 2 Aug 2009 12:38
New Fiat Bravo? - captain chaos
Fiats are underrated IMHO. It's just a pity that the dealers are dire in my experience
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 2 Aug 2009 19:19
New Fiat Bravo? - carl_a
The problem with a slightly larger FIAT is it will loose
a huge amount of value very quickly.


Don't look at percentages, in real cash terms a VW Golf will loose more value than an Fiat Brovo would!

Edited by carl_a on 02/08/2009 at 19:20

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 2 Aug 2009 20:03
New Fiat Bravo? - andyp
IIRC the Bravo has a 5 year warranty which should give some piece of mind.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 2 Aug 2009 21:01
New Fiat Bravo? - PR {P}
I have one, or rather the GF has. Its a 57 plate 1.9JTD sport 150. Its a great car. Its our workhorse and is about to go in for its 54k mile service.

Good size boot, very well equiped and gets admiring looks/comments wherever we leave it.

We average around 52mpg, and the front tyres are currently 30k miles old, though will need replacing soon.

It has had 2 warranty fixes, a worn droplink @23k miles then a gunked up EGR valve at 35k miles, neither of which rendered the car undriveable.

There are some cracking deals on these second hand and you could try Fiatdirect, who sell on ex Fiat management cars which are virtually new.

Anything else you want to ask feel free!
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 2 Aug 2009 23:59
New Fiat Bravo? - Avant
Make sure you can live with the very restricted rear visibility. The stylist - as too often happens - has been allowed his head at the expense of practicality and safety.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 3 Aug 2009 10:01
New Fiat Bravo? - PR {P}
You soon get used to the rear visibility, its not too bad. The front A pillars are quite thick though, but they are for strength. Its a 5* NCAP car.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 4 Aug 2009 21:46
New Fiat Bravo? - blackpoolbloke
Many thanks, thats just the info I was looking for, just need to find one for the right price now!
cheers

Steve
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 6 Aug 2009 13:03
New Fiat Bravo? - paulb {P}
Just to add to this...

We bought an 07-plate Dynamic Multijet 150 back at the end of February. Was the dealer's demo & hence only 3,700 miles, so not properly run in (although I soon put that right - mileage now 12k and rising rapidly).

We are extremely pleased with it - goes very nicely indeed and engine is very smooth and quiet (comparing favourably with a friend's Audi A3 2.0 TDI in terms of noise). Ride and handling good (ride particularly so, considering that it is shod with 225/45 run-flats on 17" rims). Seats very comfortable indeed. Spec has almost everything I could ever want (with the one exception of parking sensors) - it came with highly efficient dual-zone climate control (including a fully-adjustable rear face vent, which B Jr is very keen on), ESP with hill holder, cruise control, traction control, built-in Bluetooth hands-free phone wiring etc etc. Is also the first car I've had since my Seat Leon that has a decently-lit cabin

As rtj70 mentioned further up, Stilo underpinnings aren't an issue - the ride and handling was about the one thing they got right on that car.

Some folk might not like the electric power steering but I've driven enough Fiats to be used to it, and Mrs B (who has an increasingly bad back) finds it helpfully light.

Edited to add the most important bit - we paid £9k for it at 20 months old. Full list would have been about £17k.

Edited by paulb {P} on 06/08/2009 at 13:04

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 6 Aug 2009 13:59
New Fiat Bravo? - PR {P}
I agree wholeheartedly PaulB. I have driven a Golf GT TDI with the 140PS and that engine is tractor like compared to the Bravo one.

I saw an ad from a Fiat dealer offering a 59 2.0Multijet Sport for something daft like 12995. Thats the new 165BHP engine.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 9 Aug 2009 12:25
New Fiat Bravo? - AlanGowdy
I agree wholeheartedly PaulB. I have driven a Golf GT TDI with the 140PS and
that engine is tractor like compared to the Bravo one.

Careful PR! You'll attract the wrath of the German-Cars-Are-Perfect-Italian-Ones-Are-Rubbish brigade.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 9 Aug 2009 12:51
New Fiat Bravo? - the swiss tony
You soon get used to the rear visibility its not too bad. The front A
pillars are quite thick though but they are for strength. Its a 5* NCAP car.

Thats great!
so the car will protect you better from the impact of the vehicle you didnt see because of the thicker A posts.......
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 9 Aug 2009 14:40
New Fiat Bravo? - Halmer
My wife's Punto which has done 50k and we've had from new in early 2004 has been as good if not better than my new Nissan QQ and various new VWs that I've owned.



Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 9 Aug 2009 14:55
New Fiat Bravo? - PR {P}
The thick a pillars are common place nowadays. I was in a new mondeo estate last weekend and the a pillars on those are as bad.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Our honest used car pricing is a little bit different to all the others. You can get to our values through make or model - you don’t have to follow a prescribed route. Plus, it’s live, which means we can react to changes in the market quicker than any printed price guide.

Honest Used Car Prices

From which small car to buy at which price point to the best UK-built cars, our Top 10s have the lot. Click now for your shortlist.

Unsure of what to buy? Our Top 10s are here to help you....