2000 Fiat Brava SX 1.2 16v from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Impressive performance and mechanical reliability for a Fiat

Faults:

Both wiper motors needed to be replaced.

Battery went flat on numerous occasions.

Radio had to be replaced.

Front suspension replaced after 2 months of owning the car.

General Comments:

Overall, I was very impressed.

Apart from the minor problems mention above, there were no other mechanical faults.

Greatly impressed with the performance of the very lively little 1.2 16V.

Handled just as well on road as it did off. (Dirt Track)

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 15th December, 2006

2000 Fiat Brava SX jtd 1.9 turbo diesel from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Best Car Ever

Faults:

Drivers door hinge broke. The plastic on the door handles have perished, but this is just cosmetic.

General Comments:

Totally reliable car. Best I have ever owned. Cheap to run and fast also. Sticks to bends at higher speeds without any 'twitching'.

Ride a little hard and drivers seat could have done with a lumbar support. A light in the glove box would have been helpful, but otherwise a brilliant reliable car! Had it six years - now with 88,000 miles on clock. One set of glow plugs and one battery. All the other original parts are still working fine.

Why did Fiat replace it with the Stilo?

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 2nd November, 2006

2000 Fiat Brava SX 1.6 from Lebanon

Summary:

Don't ever ever ever ever ever buy a FIAT

Faults:

Bad automatic transmission.

Bad engine (120KM/20litre).

Very slow specially when I am going to the mountain or when I turn on the AC.

Uncomfortable seats.

I can't see very well when I go back because of the higher back body.

General Comments:

This car is very bad.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 19th June, 2006

14th Jun 2009, 12:57

I have a Brava in good condition. I drive every day 150 km. I don't ever have a problem (210km / 20 litres). I think your Brava needs maintenance for seats and engine at a minimum.

2000 Fiat Brava 80 SX 1.2 from UK and Ireland

Summary:

A great little car with its fair share of faults

Faults:

Persistent leaking sunroof, changed sunroof, will not stop.

Every year, air bag light on over winter months, dealer cannot tell me why, gave up trying to fix it.

Sometimes will not engage 1st gear (clutch fault) Personally I can live with it until the clutch needs replacing.

Front seat swabs soft on sides and now unsupportive.

Misfire (this engine seems to eat spark plugs).

Interior door handles peeling.

General Comments:

Being a mechanic I drive many different cars on a daily basis and get used to individual manufacturers faults.

I can tell you that although the brava (or mine at least) is not put together too badly, there are a few small things that nag you on a daily basis like the fiddly fuel cap, poor visibility past front pillars, being unable to judge distance in rear view mirror very accurately, bodywork dents very easily and paintwork is not very robust.

The faults I have experienced seem to be quite common ones and I imagine would be a nightmare to live with if you were not in the trade.

Dealers are few and far between and parts are quite expensive and I have found some simple parts are only availably from the dealers - ie exhaust, brake pipes.

Overall it is a great little car, better quality than some others of its age, a nice shape, offers a good ride and has good performance from its small 1.2 litre engine. For what you will pay for one, they are a cracking little car.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 11th January, 2006

1st Mar 2006, 03:41

Good writing.

2000 Fiat Brava trofeo 1.6 from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Spot on!!!

Faults:

No mechanical problems at all, the only problem has been with the seat covers splitting on the seams. i contacted my dealer and they were all changed, but it happened again so fiat agreed to change them as a good will gesture.

General Comments:

A very reliable car, cheap to run.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 2nd April, 2004

2000 Fiat Brava HSX from UK and Ireland

Summary:

A troublesome beauty

Faults:

After 1 week it suddenly cut out at traffic lights. I got it started again after a couple of attempts, but then the engine took on a mind of it's own and started revving past the 2,000 RPM barrier.

At the 12,000 mile mark I suddenly heard a knocking noise coming from the engine. It turned out that an inner component disintegrated and spat itself out through the gearbox casing at a high velocity. The gearbox required replacing. The clutch also was replaced due to gearbox change.

The suspension had it's erratic squeaky moments.

General Comments:

I loved this car to bits until the gearbox died. Unfortunately the treatment I received from the dealership was abysmal. It took H.B. Dennis 15 days to return my car. The gear change is stiff and a far cry from the original. Fiat Ireland paid 66% of the cost of the parts, but nothing towards labour. This left me £700 out of pocket. I tried on numerous occasions to contact Fiat Ireland, but they never returned my calls. After a letter from me threatening to sue I was contacted immediately and my £700 was refunded. Some faith was restored in Fiat, but steer miles clear from H.B. Dennis. Fiat need to audit their dealers more closely and insist on some customer care courses for the likes of H.B.Dennis.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 11th August, 2002