Faults:

Digital dashboard failed - they're expensive, but can still be sourced through scrapyards (check not just sender unit (much cheaper) rather than faulty display).

Starter motor solenoid.

Front calipers seized.

All locks inoperable other than drivers door.

Leak in spare tyre well.

General Comments:

Lackluster carb response, and any incline requires an effort to stay at motorway speeds.

Quirky digital dashboard, but amusing in the dark - particularly useful to know exact speed given number of speed cameras in the UK!

Excellent road handling for an old car, comfortable and hardwearing interior.

Very economical if driven sensibly, averaging 42mpg at 70, push it to 80mph and it tumbles 30mpg.

Faults:

The catalytic converter broke at 140000km.

General Comments:

The Fiat Tipo is very spacious and it handles like a go-kart.

I love the design of this car! It looks much better than for example a VW Golf.

I have changed the tires to dimension 205/50/15 and now I can drive it very sportive.

On the other side it is quite loud inside from 130km/h upwards!

Faults:

Front subframe rotted & had to be replaced.

Rocker cover cracked.

Oil leaks.

Electric window failed & various other electrical faults.

Alternator & starter motor failed.

Ball joints had to be replaced.

Central locking on hatchback failed.

General Comments:

Doesn't seem to rust. I would never buy another Fiat - they are useless in wet or maritime climates.

Faults:

In the last year I had it, it started to have electric problems, but apart from that and a couple of minor oil leaks in the valve cover, reliability was excellent.

General Comments:

Fantastic car with lots of room, great handling, except for excess understeering in really hard cornering, honest if not exciting performance and sensible fuel consumption.

General Comments:

Good value for money compared with Escorts. However is quite unreliable, although all problems are small, never big and expensive. Dealers however deserve to be shot.

Faults:

Two cylinder head gaskets replaced.

Offside front brake pads replaced, approx every 4,000 miles. Callipers and brake discs replaced three times. Brakes noisy from new. Gearbox replaced twice. Sunroof motor replaced. Clutch cable snapped at 15,000 miles. Very high and uneven rate of tyre wear from new. Many electrical failures, bad connections etc. Water pump replaced. Oil leaks from engine and gear box. Rattles and water leaks. Drive shaft replaced. Poor and fragile plastic trim.

General Comments:

Bought new, overheated on first day, and was unreliable thereafter. When it was going well the performance was good. A comfortable and roomy car, spoilt by poor build quality. The service provided by the dealer was awful, they never cured the brakes and some of the other defects.