1993 Fiat Uno Fire 1.1 from South Africa

Summary:

The most reliable car we have ever owned

Faults:

Replaced the gearbox at 260000 km with a reconditioned unit.

Replaced rear brake shoes.

Replaced front brake discs.

General Comments:

An absolutely unbelievable car. There just seemed to be no end to it. Nothing ever broke with the exception of the gearbox.

Unfortunately we will never know how long it could have lasted because it was stolen recently.

We have replaced it with a Punto.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 17th August, 2006

1993 Fiat Uno Fire 1 litre from UK and Ireland

Summary:

A genius invention

Faults:

Fuel pump had to be replaced at 97,000 miles.

Brushes in the alternator had to be replaced at 103,000 miles.

Wiring loom shorted and melted at 112,000 miles.

The cog on the window winder passenger side is worn away, and window falls down as I drive or can be opened by pulling the glass downward. Started at 119,000 miles.

Small rust spots appearing on the car in various places. 123,000 miles.

General Comments:

The handbrake is rubbish. It constantly gets stretched and has to be tightened.

The car is one hell of a nippy little thing.

It will do about 90 mph before it judders.

I wouldn't like to hit the brakes at that speed.

I don't know what its top speed is, only ever took it to 97mph then remembered the brakes.!

It always starts for me first go, even in the wet. Thanks to silicone spray on the distributor cap.

The boot is brilliant. Lots of space, and when you put the back seats down, push the drivers seat and passenger seat up to the front and fold the back seat in behind them, well transformers eat your heart out, you now have a van.

People like the amount of space in it.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 31st May, 2006

1993 Fiat Uno ie fire 999cc petrol from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Unreliable best to avoid at all cost

Faults:

Brake pipe rusty.

Play in steering rack.

Starter motor noisy.

Starting problems.

Would occasionally run on 3 cylinders.

Clutch required at 36000.

Head gasket blew at 36000.

Gearbox whines.

Brake master cylinder x3.

Engine whines.

Speedo noisy.

Camshaft cover leaks oil.

Suspension knock.

Rust.

Plus everything else what I can’t remember.

General Comments:

I brought this car for £365 with a full service history and all old MOT's, so I know the mileage is genuine.

This was my first car and I wish that I had waited and got a Rover Metro instead.

Every few days something else would go wrong with it.

The interior is cheap and the seats gave me foot and back ache.

The car doesn’t handle well, as you have to slow down a lot for corners.

The handbrake is rubbish like all small Fiats I eventually gave up using the handbrake and just left it in gear.

Gutless above 30mph.

Bolts are of poor quality.

Ran poor when cold.

At one point I worked out my mpg and it was 28, I get 35 out of the metro I replaced this with, which has a bigger engine.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 10th August, 2005

11th Aug 2005, 05:01

I owned an Uno Fire with the 999cc engine from 1986 (it was one year old then) till replaced by a Punto in 1998; in that time the only problems were a broken wiper motor and a bit of rust around the rear wind-screen. It never used oil and never let us down exept for when the battery went flat; obvioulsy the 'full service history' that your car appears to have had must have its weaknesses - 'fire' engines have a reputation to being unbreakable and I'm sorry to hear your problems with this car - the only cars we've ever owned were Fiats and Lancias and you seem to have more problems with this lonely Uno than we've had with all of our cars put together. Maybe in Switzerland, where I live, cars are maintained to a higher standard... it is also unfair to state that you'd never buy another Fiat based on a car which you paid only GBP365 for...

11th Aug 2005, 20:31

I don't understand it.

Judging by other owners comments, the Uno is generally a trouble-free, reliable and economical unit. You must have owned a dog!

12th Aug 2005, 02:16

I'll have to agree with the first commenter: we, too, have owned many FIAT's (two of them being FIRE engined) and have never had any trouble with the engine/drivetrain componets. Sure, there were electrical glitches, but I'd say, they're good cars for the price, cheap to own and maintain.