# Will FIAT Really lease me a new car for $99/mo? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 18, 2013, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-fiat-really-lease-me-a-new-car-for-99-mo/653232 "2013-03-18T05:03:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-fiat-really-lease-me-a-new-car-for-99-mo/653232/21 "2013-03-18T18:38:03Z")
> [@GreasyJack](#): > > That should become far less of an issue as Chrysler and Fiat become more integrated. I would think so as well. I even called the Chrysler dealer and asked if they’ll take my car to work on it. Hell no was the answer. So I’m a tad surprised that Chrysler dealers aren’t jumping over themselves to expand to become Chrysler Fiat dealers. Go figure. I have noticed that the Fiat dealers are called “studios” – you will be giving grave insult if you call them a dealership while you are in there. :rolleyes: There’s a lot of amenities inside these “studios” and they always seem to be in a high-end part of town, next to the pricey mall with the Saks Fifth Avenue in it. They are never just a corner of the Toyota lot, down the street from The Dollar Store. I think Fiat seems to intend to position this car as a luxury compact, like it’s the BMW of shitboxes. Thing is, people who are looking to buy a shitbox are typically counting every penny and are not about spending an extra 10-20% for style and/or status. ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-fiat-really-lease-me-a-new-car-for-99-mo/653232/22 "2013-03-18T18:58:47Z")
> [@Dogzilla](#): > > I think one of the hindrances to the Fiat’s popularity is simple: There are few Fiat dealerships and they are far between. Right now, I have to drive about 200 miles one way for an oil change. For my car, I got three years of free maintenance with the price of the car, so my next stop in will include tire rotation, fluids, air filter, oil change and probably some other stuff. I called around local mechanics in town and nobody will touch it. I popped the hood for my (now former) mechanic and they just laughed. “How the hell do you do anything to this car?” And that’s why everyone takes their Fiat to the dealer for work and that’s why people who would consider trading in their Mini or Honda Fit fall right out of love with the car. I bought one new off the lot back in 2011. While the service plan is included, you can opt out for a discount because they realize some people are far enough from a dealer to make it a hassle. However, they flipped a bit when I took that option, and said I was the first customer to do so. They weren’t even that bad - the dealer was like 25 miles away in the 'burbs. (Chicago proper now has a dealership.) As for resale - it wasn’t bad. I traded mine last year for a Boxster S and got $14.5k; I’d spent $17k for it the year before (500 Sport). I’d like an Abarth and might trade my Mini Cooper S for a used one when prices drop a bit (say, as much as a new 500 Turbo). Very fun car, and I liked the Fiat’s ergonomics more than my Mini. I also had a Smart Fortwo a while back and while I got decent trade on it, the dealer couldn’t sell it for a year. Those, I think, have reached saturation. ---
**Author:** ![HipGnosis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/76d3ee/32.png) [@HipGnosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HipGnosis)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-fiat-really-lease-me-a-new-car-for-99-mo/653232/23 "2013-03-18T19:00:58Z")
> [@Dogzilla](#): > > I own a 500. > I take issue with the idea that the car isn’t popular though. Just an hour ago, I was stopped in the Taco Bell parking lot while people pelted me with questions about my car. This happens about 2-3 times a week. Your post proves how uncommon (aka unpopular) the car is. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-fiat-really-lease-me-a-new-car-for-99-mo/653232/24 "2013-03-18T19:33:53Z")
> [@GreasyJack](#): > > Fiat is definitely in the “dubious reliability” category based on the notoriety of their earlier attempts at the US market alone, . Bah! A myth, perpetuated by people who never owned them, and do not posess the skills to work on them. > [@gotpasswords](#): > > The old joke is that the name is an acronym of Fix It Again, Tony! > > Hopefully, the current models don’t use any electrical components made by Lucas (the Prince of Darkness). 😛 The problem was with “Tony” not fixing/understanding the problem the first time. To the best of my knowledge, Fiat uses Veglia and Magnetti Marelli electrics. Not perfect, but sure as hell better than Lucas! 😃 I’ve owned/driven a Fiat for 25 years now. Fantastic car. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-fiat-really-lease-me-a-new-car-for-99-mo/653232/25 "2013-03-18T19:45:03Z")
Gatopescado, most of the parts inside my 2012 Fiat are Mopar/Chrysler (I dunno about the electronics). It’s no longer your Uncle Tony’s Olde World Eye-talian Fiat. 😃 Your 25-year-old Fiat is a totally different car than mine (I _think_), which was built in Mexico. ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-fiat-really-lease-me-a-new-car-for-99-mo/653232/26 "2013-03-18T19:46:02Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Bah! A myth, perpetuated by people who never owned them, and do not posess the skills to work on them. The impressions I get is that they weren’t nearly as bad as the British roadsters they were competing with in terms of mechanical reliabilty, but man-oh-man the rust. Cars not surviving many Minneapolis winters in those days was to be expected, but those things had trouble surviving Miami winters. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-fiat-really-lease-me-a-new-car-for-99-mo/653232/27 "2013-03-18T19:54:38Z")
> [@NitroPress](#): > > Leases are a good vehicle option for about 1 in 50 ‘buyers.’ Unless the overall deal is just crazy-outstanding, or unless the terms of the lease fit you very, very comfortably, they’re a bad choice. > > They are good 100% of the time for dealers. Leases are only a good deal for people who don’t drive much. God help you if you exceed the mileage limits; those per-mile fees get really painful, really quickly. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-fiat-really-lease-me-a-new-car-for-99-mo/653232/28 "2013-03-18T20:11:13Z")
> [@GreasyJack](#): > > Fiat is definitely in the “dubious reliability” category based on the notoriety of their earlier attempts at the US market alone… Probably more based on the reputation of Chrysler, who manufactures the Fiat cars sold in the US. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-fiat-really-lease-me-a-new-car-for-99-mo/653232/29 "2013-03-18T20:18:12Z")
> [@Dogzilla](#): > > I own a 500. While I have not attempted to sell it yet, I’m not sure I can agree with your last statement there. I took my 500 on a 2,600 mile road trip last year and got 40mpg on that trip. It cost me less than half the cost of a plane ticket to drive to where I was going and back. That’s no more exceptional than any other low-horsepower, 4-cylinder, gas-powered shitbox out there right now, and a bit better than many. (Cannot compete with a hybrid or electric.) > > I think one of the hindrances to the Fiat’s popularity is simple: There are few Fiat dealerships and they are far between. Right now, I have to drive about 200 miles one way for an oil change. For my car, I got three years of free maintenance with the price of the car, so my next stop in will include tire rotation, fluids, air filter, oil change and probably some other stuff. I called around local mechanics in town and nobody will touch it. I popped the hood for my (now former) mechanic and they just laughed. “How the hell do you do anything to this car?” And that’s why everyone takes their Fiat to the dealer for work and that’s why people who would consider trading in their Mini or Honda Fit fall right out of love with the car. > > Had I realized what a colossal pain in my ass it would be to drive 400 miles every time I need an oil change, I would not have bought this car from my friend. I needed a new car and she needed to sell her Fiat, so I just made life easy and snagged her car off her. I now regret the decision, but not because I don’t love the car. The car is great. I just don’t want to take a day off work and drive 400 miles every time something breaks. Also: I’ve had this car one year now (It’s 2012) and _nothing_ has broken. > > I take issue with the idea that the car isn’t popular though. Just an hour ago, I was stopped in the Taco Bell parking lot while people pelted me with questions about my car. This happens about 2-3 times a week. If they can’t stop me for a conversation, I will see them turning their heads to check out the car. One guy rolled the windows down while driving next to me at 40 mph just to tell me “Cute car!” (I am not young and hot; it wasn’t _me_. ;)) Based on the reactions to the impromptu interrogations I’ve allowed myself to be subjected to, I’d say the biggest hangup is lack of dealers. When there is one next to every Honda dealer in every town, Fiat will stand a better chance. The next biggest hangup is that the pricing might have to come down a bit because I think for comparable vehicles, you pay a little more for styling. Depending on what you want, a Mini or a Fit might be a better buy. Hey, my Saturn SL got 45 MPG..and it had a useable trunk and rear seats. Your “mechanic” cannot do an oil change on your car? I’d be looking for another mechanic. ---
**Author:** ![andyleonard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e19b73/32.png) [@andyleonard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andyleonard)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-fiat-really-lease-me-a-new-car-for-99-mo/653232/30 "2013-03-18T21:46:04Z")
Oddly the downpayment last night in Riverside CA was $999, $99 mo/24 mo/.020 mile over but today the down is $1999. Buy price for a stripped 2013 is $12999. Dealers are everywhere in L.A. so that’s a non-issue and it can’t be any more of a pain in the ass to work on than a turbo Mini. I’ll take her down to drive one. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-fiat-really-lease-me-a-new-car-for-99-mo/653232/31 "2013-03-18T21:52:55Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > Your “mechanic” cannot do an oil change on your car? I’d be > looking for another mechanic. You’re used to the high similarity of US, Japanese and common European cars, which share automotive DNA. Many European cars of many vintages with “different DNA” will baffle mechanics who do not have specific experience with the marque. French cars of the 1950s-70s were infamous for having really bizarre service needs and techniques.IIRC, one of the Citroen models required a front hub nut to be torqued to 1,000 foot pounds; the Caravelle required a brace bar to be put in place when jacking it up, to keep it from bending, and one required something like removing the carburetor to drain the cooling system. That said, any modern mechanic should have or be able to lay hands on service materials for any current car… they just may not want to. Google around on “Fiat 500 oil change” and you’ll see it’s not a trivial issue. ETA: Here. [11 simple steps](http://www.fiat500owners.com/forum/9-fiat-500-engine-technical-discussion/1012-step-step-2012-fiat-500-oil-change.html) and a whole thread full of corrections. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-fiat-really-lease-me-a-new-car-for-99-mo/653232/32 "2013-03-19T02:06:52Z")
> [@Dogzilla](#): > > Your 25-year-old Fiat is a totally different car than mine (I _think_), which was built in Mexico. Its 33. My dad owned it the first 8 years! 😃 > [@GreasyJack](#): > > … but those things had trouble surviving Miami winters. Maybe this will make my rust-free Nevada car worth more! 😃 The only salt concentrations around here are on Margarita glasses. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-fiat-really-lease-me-a-new-car-for-99-mo/653232/33 "2013-03-19T02:18:49Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > Probably more based on the reputation of Chrysler, who manufactures the Fiat cars sold in the US. I doubt most prospective customers know that Chrysler is building US-market 500s. It’s not like Fiat is a byword for quality anywhere else, in any event. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-fiat-really-lease-me-a-new-car-for-99-mo/653232/34 "2013-03-19T02:43:25Z")
That car looks like a VW bug and a Smart car had buttsexx… ---
**Author:** ![Mdcastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@Mdcastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mdcastle)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-fiat-really-lease-me-a-new-car-for-99-mo/653232/35 "2013-03-19T02:56:59Z")
10,000 miles isn’t very many, isn’t 12,000 a norm in the US, and quite a few people have difficulty with that. If you drive ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-fiat-really-lease-me-a-new-car-for-99-mo/653232/36 "2013-03-19T12:17:12Z")
> [@NitroPress](#): > > You’re used to the high similarity of US, Japanese and common European cars, which share automotive DNA. > > Many European cars of many vintages with “different DNA” will baffle mechanics who do not have specific experience with the marque. French cars of the 1950s-70s were infamous for having really bizarre service needs and techniques.IIRC, one of the Citroen models required a front hub nut to be torqued to 1,000 foot pounds; the Caravelle required a brace bar to be put in place when jacking it up, to keep it from bending, and one required something like removing the carburetor to drain the cooling system. > > That said, any modern mechanic should have or be able to lay hands on service materials for any current car… they just may not want to. > > Google around on “Fiat 500 oil change” and you’ll see it’s not a trivial issue. ETA: Here. [11 simple steps](http://www.fiat500owners.com/forum/9-fiat-500-engine-technical-discussion/1012-step-step-2012-fiat-500-oil-change.html) and a whole thread full of corrections. Man-you are not kidding! This has to be a 1 hour job at least! Whoever designed this location should be shot. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-fiat-really-lease-me-a-new-car-for-99-mo/653232/37 "2013-03-19T14:01:25Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > Man-you are not kidding! This has to be a 1 hour job at least! Whoever designed this location should be shot. Not really. You can design a car to perform optimally or you can make it easy to service. From reading the instructions, it looks like the parts that have to be removed are for under car air flow and others are optimally routed given the tiny chassis. Rearranging all that to make it easy to service in five minutes is counterproductive. The car is “driven” every mile for 100,000 miles or more; making it best at that, rather than less optimal in favor of a twice-yearly service procedure, is the kind of tradeoff we will start seeing more and more. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-fiat-really-lease-me-a-new-car-for-99-mo/653232/38 "2013-03-19T14:14:45Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > That car looks like a VW bug and a Smart car had buttsexx… :: snerk :: I think it looks like an Easter Egg. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-fiat-really-lease-me-a-new-car-for-99-mo/653232/39 "2013-03-19T14:41:14Z")
This is the time of year ads for 3000+ down and tiny monthly payments really have a return on the advertising investments auto makers shell out. People get an income tax refund, which they believe is found money (it’s really their tax overpayment from them not doing math or understand taxes), and they plunk it down on a lease down payment. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-fiat-really-lease-me-a-new-car-for-99-mo/653232/40 "2013-03-19T15:21:29Z")
> [@Philster](#): > > People get an income tax refund, which they believe is found money (it’s really their tax overpayment from them not doing math or understand taxes),… This is a ridiculous statement, why include it? I haven’t met a single person that fits in to this category. Everyone I know is fully aware of how the system works and why they are getting a refund, and it rarely has anything to do with lack of math skills. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-fiat-really-lease-me-a-new-car-for-99-mo/653232.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-fiat-really-lease-me-a-new-car-for-99-mo/653232.md?page=3)