Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 I assure you - I'm not paranoid! Its just that they are out to get me! Who? The Fiat 500 drivers, that's who. The last few days my daughter and I when driving around have been noticing large numbers of Fiat 500's. Some in front. Some behind. Some going the other way. Some pretending to parked up by the side of the road. So this morning we decided on a little experiment. During the drive to her school and back - a distance of around 4.5 to 5 miles - we would count how many Fiat 500's we saw. That way we could perhaps reassure ourselves that its not so high a number - typical of what you might see of any car make and model. Perhaps we just notice them more? ......... We counted,......17! Yes! Seventeen Fiat 500's in one 10 minute journey of 5 miles tops! Co-incidence? I don't think so! Do a count tomorrow and see if "they" are after you as well. BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 BEB...your right-up here(N/East) they are popular as well....the same chassis/parts as the ford KA.... ken Anderson...ne...1 motoring dept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Etherton Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 You seriously need help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 Robin - you're spot on. I do need help. I nearly ran out of fingers and toes to count on - and its not easy taking your shoes and socks off whilst rush hour driving and counting Fiat 500's at the same time. Any help gratefully received - may be you could count while I drive? BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Rothwell Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 don`t panic......... as with most cheap Italian cars they will just dis-appear into a pile of rust in a very short time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony K Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Stick a "post it" on the dash and keep a pencil handy. Eventually the "post it" will dry up and fall off, then you can forget about it and carry on with life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avtur Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Sorry ... but being of a certain age (and I know you are too BEB!) ... what you are seeing is NOT a proper Fiat 500 but a simple 'Eurobox' of a car ... You'll have to spend a long time on a road anywhere before you see a 'real' Fiat 500 ... What you are seeing is a 2015 'yummy mummy' car ... Like the current 'Mini' they've focused on a shape and name ... but in truth the modern day Fiat 500 and Mini are nothing like their originals. Don't get me wrong I understand the mechanical advantages of these new generation cars ... but they are 'nothing' like their name sakes .... Oh how I wish I still had my first cat car ... an Austin A35 ... ... .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 That's even worse! I'm being followed by cars that are counterfeit! BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Have you thought of moving out of Rome? Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 LOL! BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony K Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 I used to have an A35, did thousands of miles in it. On mototorways I hoped that a "National Express" coach would overtake so that I could tuck in behind thus increasing my speed and reducing my fuel consumption considerably. I think it's called slipstreaming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill_B Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Can't believe that there are that many Fiats actually road worthy at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Well the reason you see so many of them is they think they are going fast when they are not........the one I hired in Austria ( not my choice of car it's what H888z delivered ) showed it was still doing 90kph on the speedo even when it had slowed to under 50kph or even when stopped! Turned the engine off and it suddenly worked again apparently! Nearly new car with 6600k on the mileage. Horrible Noddy car! Only a slight improvement on the 1937 Fiat 500 Topolino which was the worst car I have ever owned. Glad to get home to my 17 year old Toyota......a mans car. Edited By kc on 02/02/2015 19:33:52 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vecchio Austriaco Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 You are spoiled forum writers! I like this little car and I used to rent them always when my family was still in Italy and I was working in the UK - much cheaper than an airport taxi from Milan Malpensa to Monza and no arguments during the weekend because of using wifes car.... And about the original one: Some of them had an Austrian engine (Puch 500 aircooled) which is a plus but absolutely no space! I was a skinny young lad but didn't find enough space in it. Same with the original Mini. Skinny but tall I couldn't put the seat enough backwards and had to drive it in go-kart style with the knees high up... ok, the skinny is no longer, but I could grow the size of my cars.... VA, nostalgic department Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Etherton Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Posted by Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 02/02/2015 18:09:10: Robin - you're spot on. I do need help. I nearly ran out of fingers and toes to count on - and its not easy taking your shoes and socks off whilst rush hour driving and counting Fiat 500's at the same time. Any help gratefully received - may be you could count while I drive? BEB Ah, there is the problem. I have no more fingers and toes than you and being an ex Maths teacher I never could get the hang of a calculator. In any case if I travelled with you they might recognise me next time I went out in my car and then I would have the same problem! You're on your own . Robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff S Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Posted by Vecchio Austriaco on 02/02/2015 19:59:52:t. Same with the original Mini. Skinny but tall I couldn't put the seat enough backwards and had to drive it in go-kart style with the knees high up... ok, the skinny is no longer, but I could grow the size of my cars.... VA, nostalgic department I married my wife for her Mini rather then her money. When I met her she had a new 1965 Mini but no driving licence. Within 3 weeks I was using it to take my BSA 650 Lightning engine back to BSA for serious guarantee surgery and consequently to work. I found it quite comfortable to drive and we used it to tour Norway in 1966. It was great fun on the mostly gravel roads in the fiord region. As to space, a former work colleague also had one. He is 6'5" tall but he fitted the after market seat extenders to get it far enough back. No room for any back seat passengers,though. Geoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josip Vrandecic -Mes Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Dear BEB ,all I can say in my defense is the following : My Fiat 500 has sold 30 years ago, the old model one,but for me, much beauty than current model. Now, I drive Accent so... you are not observed by me.... Cheers Jo Edited By Josip Vrandecic -Mes on 02/02/2015 21:05:59 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avtur Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Some years ago I made my living as a driving instructor, the driving school I worked for used Mini's, the original Mini (not the current BMW mini) it was great. I do remember that other schools regarded using the mini as 'cheating', though I think that's a bit unfair. The mini was compact/small but it still had all the usual controls to deal with. Happy days ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Etheridge 1 Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 I had a second hand 128 Fiat Sport Coupe in the 1970's . It could do 100 mph with a high revving 1300 CC engine but could not maintain it's speed on a motorway if it had to travel uphill. It broke down outside a nudist colony in Kent after heavy rain and was always needing the distributor points changing. I finally got rid of it when the brakes would not release properly. Have Fiats improved or are they still prone to rust I wonder? Edited By Mike Etheridge 1 on 02/02/2015 21:37:53 Edited By Mike Etheridge 1 on 02/02/2015 21:40:19 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Jefferies Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 'Funny you should bring this up today as I saw an ancient Fiat 500 in Ipswich today, the first I have seen in many years. I wasn't being followed though......... I was stuck behind it! Perhaps there is some kind of anniversary? Paul Edited By Pete B - Moderator on 02/02/2015 22:43:26 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff S Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 I think all,cars have improved as regards rust. My first car was a 1959 Austin A40 Farina which a I bought in 1964. It had already had a new BMC gold replacement engine but within a year the sills were so rotten you could push your finger through them. Our current car is a Mitsubishi Space Star which is around 10 years old and it's still sound despite only being washed when it rains. btw I very quickly tired of 4 wheels and replaced the A40 with the new BSA 650cc Lightning I mentioned earlier.. That was a real disaster and threw itself apart with monotonous regularity. Motorcycles have improved too but not to BSA's advantage Geoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 I got followed tonight, BMW with LED's on followed me through heavy traffic then pulled me over, can you blow me this balloon up says he, no problem said I, must have been the right colour because he wished me goodnight and thanked me John....teatotal Dept Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iqon Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 John , you are being stalked but not followed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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