Faults:

So far nothing has gone wrong with this car. It has been well looked after, only 1 former keeper. It looks like it came straight from the showroom.

General Comments:

The car handles very well, and is quick. In the night, you think you are in a spaceship with all the lights.

I think the SLX has everything a new car has today, and more. It has plenty of room for 5 people and a big boot to match. It has a galvanised body, so it looks like new. Very comfortable seats, and you stand out in the crowd. Not many of these cars around now. It's good to be different.

Faults:

Various fiat-typical problems with brakes and suspension, rusted bolts and bleed nipples, seized brakes.

Rear springs are dying due to heavy towing.

Also both rear window motors have died and central locking.

And the stereo is lame, even if it is a blaupunkt.

General Comments:

Not bad for it's mileage and generally quite reliable.

Fairly quick for a diesel, beats my friend's new vectra.

Excellent grip off road for a 2wd car, although ground clearance lets it down.

Very poor towing due to 1st gear not being low enough. Towing limit about 2ton.

Funky digital speedometer.

Goes through almost 2ft of water if you raise the air intake a bit. V good.

Boot on saloon is big, but useless as the boot lid is really really tiny.

Faults:

My head gasket blew at around 61,000 miles.

The alternator has just packed in at 74,000 miles.

The starter motor went at 70,000.

The windscreen wiper motor stopped at 68,000 miles.

The reversing lights stopped working, due to a worn pin in the gear box, at 62,000 miles.

The horn had stopped working when I bought the car at 60,000 miles.

General Comments:

I love the car. It has loads of room inside, even more than the Volvo 240's have.

The engine has more plenty of pulling power at lower speeds, but lacks any pull in the higher gears.

The interior is plain, but practical in it's layout.

The car handles well for a family car, making the ride smooth and comfortable.

The boot compartment is spacious, but limited by the layout of the frame of the car. A big box, for instance, won't fit even though the boot has the space.

Faults:

When I got the car, the CVT had a problem which is very common. Not a reason to reject the car though, because I had it fixed and it's been excellent since.

Electronic check panel seems to light up when there are no faults! At least it also lights up when there are faults.

Central locking motors need regular attention. Electric window motors required some lubrication.

Car got me a couple of speeding tickets, but I suppose that isn't Fiat's fault.

General Comments:

This car was very good value for money second hand, being a CVT model which are little understood and therefore most people steer clear of them. They have a bad reputation because most of these transmissions do start to go wrong at an early age. BUT they can be easily sorted by any automatic specialist. For someone looking for a car that isn't like everything else on the road, and a roomy and comfortable saloon at that, this is a good choice. As long as you're mechanically aware, that is.

Oh yes, the digital dash, I almost forgot because I'm so used to it. I wonder why all cars don't have one.

Faults:

Before I purchased the car, it had needed a new engine (at about 80,000 miles)

Whole new breaking system (again before I purchased it)

Heater Matrix doesn't work.

Central Locking has a mind of its own sometimes.

General Comments:

With the SX model, it comes with a very comfortable front center arm rest, fantastic seats (drivers side is height adjustable),with comfy head-restraints too.

Steering is crisp and decisive and power steering is not too light (however, its quite noisy)

The engine pulls like a steam train on the motorway, very impressed indeed!

The digital Display at night is absolutely brilliant, i love it!