# fiat multipla



## sue denim (11 Dec 2011)

Has anyone owned one and are they any good?

Not the latest one but the ugly one. 

Looking for a diesel 6+ seats.

Regards Sue


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## Jonzjob (11 Dec 2011)

A mate has got one, about 5 years old and he is over the moon with it. loads of room and good visability.


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## MickCheese (11 Dec 2011)

All the reviews I have seen have been very good.

But..............................

So ugly! Those bug eyes are hideous.

Mick


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## Jonzjob (11 Dec 2011)

Next thing you will be saying is that you don't like 2CVs Mick? Wonderful machines =D> =D> 

The Multipla may not be the best looking thing, but they certainly seem to do well by their owners and what else do you expect from the company wot builds Furry-arries? At least the Multipla doesn't need a service every time you start it :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :evil:


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## SammyQ (11 Dec 2011)

I've had one for years; 50K miles, three times from Norn Iron to France towing 600Kg trailer tent, three kids in late teens, two boys 6'plus, daughter 5'10", LOADS of comfort. Wider than standard Ford by 9", so doesn't feel cramped. We can fit Grandma (6 passengers) in with ease.You can get 50+mpg on long motorway journeys, 24-odd round town. BIG point is no gear tunnel, so lads not complaining about foot cramp etc. Rear seats come out, so you've got a van....Turbo cuts in about 2500 rpm, will take on anything short of a twin carb up to about 85-90mph, then falls off. Sunroofs are really nice, air con is brilliant in summer heat, but...the Best Thing.....is ....the really high seats...you have SUCH good vision for driving. I'm an addict. I want another, three at university simultaneously (on the other side of St. George's Channel!) has summat to do with it. BUT, I see no need to change, the Ugly Bug just keeps on going. Gotta love that belly roll with the lights in it.....


Sam


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## blurk99 (11 Dec 2011)

7 seater mitsubishi grandis? gave one of those serious consideration a few years back but ended up getting a 5 series touring, still regret not giving it a go somedays when i see them go past... walk through front (no gear tunnel/console), rear facing front seats (not when your driving...) but it has a bit more of a 'mini camper' feel to it...

jim


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## Jonzjob (11 Dec 2011)

Sam, you signature sais it all and I LOVE IT! Keep on rockin mate!!!

Edit : - Jim, I had a Citroën C8 for the first 4 years here and I'm still convinced that the front turn around seats were designed so the French drivers can drive safely, or at least with their backs to the damage area :shock: :shock:


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## knappers (11 Dec 2011)

I've got an s-max, and it ticks all the boxes.

Si


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## Jonzjob (11 Dec 2011)

s-max?


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## soulboy (11 Dec 2011)

Mitsubishi Delica, high driving position, seats 7/8 in comfort, selectable 4WD for winter, front & rear air con for summer but thirsty, grey import.


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## SammyQ (12 Dec 2011)

Jonzjob? "Aw shucks....  "

Sam


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## sue denim (12 Dec 2011)

Ok 

so it sounds like the fiat Multipla is a fairly good bet.

I don't need a 4x4 as I have two already.

Looking for a diesel for economy. As we live in France and get regular visits from family (can't think why..is it the sun....or the wine ...or the excellent food ?) we need to cart the four of us + visitors + dog.

The discovery is perfect but will be going into dry dock for some extensive welding.

I will be keeping an eye out on the local ads.

Thankful that no one has mentioned an 'achillie's heel' for the car.

Watch this space

'Sue'


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## blurk99 (12 Dec 2011)

achilles heel?... there's loads (Honest John website)

What's Bad

Controversial looks. Diesel suffers roll understeer on tight bends (petrol doesn't).
A long step up to the seats and down from them for the elderly or infirm (much easier from a high kerb).
Petrol model is short-geared and gets noisy at around 80 mph.
Poor performance in TUV/Auto Bild front offset crash test. Worst mini MPV score of all of 56% in Euro NCAP 2001 crash safety tests (but FIAT later claimed to have modified it to achieve a four star score).
FIAT/Alfa joint worst for breakdowns attended by German ADAC during 2001. Came 8th = from bottom in 2005 JD Power/What Car Survey of 23,000 cars reg Sep 2002 to Aug 2003 with satisfaction score of 73.6%. 1999-2005 Multipla 5th least reliable car in 2007 Warranty Direct Reliability Survey with 52 faults per 100 cars.
Major restyle July 2005.

What to Watch Out For
Make sure everything works and exhaust not blowing.
Lots of niggling faults, especially with alarm/immobiliser.
Some of the trim is a bit cheap: rubbery plastic on ashtray peels off, seat material not very robust.
Petrol engined model lacks the splash undertray of the diesel and in really bad wet and salty road conditions the engine can ingest water and self destruct.
One-piece exhausts of petrol models (from car back)have a fairly limited life and cost £275 for the part alone to replace.
Clutch master cylinders can have a relatively short life of 15k to 20k miles, but the problem is usually nothing more than a broken spring inside them and a local garage can fix that for the cost of an hour's labour.
If it loses 4th gear the reason is often a bit of broken alloy casting getting lodged in the groove of the selector shaft, stopping the cogs from engaging. But means a transmission strip to fix it.
Timing belts, tensioners and pulleys need replacing every 36k - 40k miles. Also need new waterpumps because pumps are driven by timing belts and if they fail the belt gets flung off.
Dual mass flywheels on diesels fail earlier than you would expect a clutch to fail.

One reader's list of problems with a 2000X reg:-
Replacement carpet
Replacement hand-brake cover
Replacement speaker on passenger side
Replacement stereo
Rear seat-fixing rod corroded and replaced
Seal around the window on the back door, driver’s side, repaired twice then replaced
Passenger front window squeaks when lowered
Glazed part of wing mirror fell out while driving along
Replacement rear interior light fitting driver’s side
Condensation problem in cold weather
Rusty screws on the number plate mounting
Scratches caused by mis-aligned bonnet
Replacement of corroded bonnet release cable
Replacement of new bonnet release cable a few weeks after the above when it became jammed
Drivers seat height control needed replacement – waited over a year for part
Rear interior light not working correctly passenger side. This remains a problem
Fuel pipes had to be replaced as leaking causing drips from under vehicle and spray to the back of the car when vehicle driven. Despite this fault being reported whilst car was under warranty the problem was mis-diagnosed twice resulting in us having to pay 20% of the £375 bill as the warranty had by then expired
The cable which releases the folding mechanism for the front middle seat has snapped and we are left with the seat in the folded down position."
More Multipla woe "About two months ago I purchased a 2002 Fiat Multipla JTD 115 ELX with 65,000 miles in ostensibly very good condition and FSH. Since then I have had a Turbo overboost valve replaced and a snapped alternator belt. On perusing various Multipla owners websites I have found a littany of faults that I too recognise. Various electronic faults, (I currently have an airbag warning permanently on, a glow plug circuit flashing warning, and a "humidity in diesel filter" warning), excessive tyre wear (12000 miles), premature seat cloth wear, ineffective handbrake, misted up headlights, wishbone and drop link bushing failure."
Recalls
2006 recall due to a spate of failing front suspension springs.


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## SammyQ (16 Dec 2011)

Blurk? That's not a car mate; that's a lemon. You've obviously had a bellyfull, but 'I gotta tell ya', there's more than one website out there and the Yahoo group I belong to (regarding Multiplas) has nothing like your litany for one car. Two sides to every coin.

Sam


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