2013 fiat 500 s

On 05.09.13 I bought myself a new daily driver:

Username: gorillamel
Year: 2013
Make: FIAT
Model: 500
Trim: Sport
Color: Verde Azzurro
Mileage: @purchase 109mi



Current status
Suspension

Tires/Wheels
-16" x 6.5" Aluminum Alloy Wheels
-195 / 45R16XL Tires
-Red Brake Calipers

Electrical, Powertrain & Driveline
-1.4-liter I4 16-valve MultiAir engine (101hp @6,500 rpm and 98 lb-ft of torque @4,000 rpm)
-105 Amp alternator
-500 Amp battery
-Alpine® Premium Audio System

Exterior
-Rear Spoiler
-Fog Lamps
-Bi-Function Halogen Projector Headlamps

Interior
-Sport Seats
-Sport Steering Wheel

Misc

My two rides post driveway wash:




Planned Mods
-Thomas Knight Electric Supercharger/turbo
-Second battery install
-Upgrade alternator
-Seat covers
-Weathertech mats
-blacked out headlight ring (500 Turbo look) sold @500Madness (linky)

Since it is so new and I am leasing it, I am limiting the type of mods done to the FIAT. My main reasons for choosing the 500 over all other subcompacts were listed in this thread.

I am still trying to look up all the type specific parts to list on here.

Nice, Mel! Awesome contrast in vehicles; each with it's own function!

Very cool Mel! I've kinda been wanting one for a dd myself.

Sent from my Galaxy S III

I have been looking for a new dd too. I have been looking at midgets,350z's

I told KGB I want something fun

I like these but they are just too new for me

Great looking car

Sweet ride, Mel!

Congrats I have looked at them a couple of times, but just need mooooore room. for everything that I do.

Hahaha thanks everyone. Yeah, I was not worried about room other than comfort for myself. Front area is quite spacious. And since I have no kids or husband to drag me around and take up space, the 500 was perfect for me.

EDIT:
More info on the ESC by Thomas Kinght: http://www.turbomagazine.com/tech/0406tur_knight_turbo_electric_supercharger/

Quote:
"T: How does your system operate?
TK: The ESC-400 is somewhat like nitrous, as the batteries must be recharged after awhile. Nitrous is great but is quite expensive and filling the bottle is time-consuming. Recharging batteries costs pennies a day. Think of the batteries as the same as a nitrous tank.

T: Can the batteries be charged from the alternator?
TK: Yes*, but see additional notes:

*If the alternator is stock, we suggest four or more standard batteries or Optima batteries, which will provide longer running times. These will be heavy, so you can eventually replace the alternator with a 200-plus-amp unit and switch to the smaller and lighter Odyssey batteries.
*If the alternator is upgraded, battery technology has come so far that a standard car battery can now be replaced with a 13-pound 3x6-inch battery that has more cranking amps than a big conventional battery. Hawker-ODYSSEY has the best units, in our opinion. The additional batteries and the ESC-400 weigh less than the typical complete turbo kit."

By golly, after perusing the FIAT 500 forums I have come to the conclusion that I am very much an off road chick and sooooo not a street performance modification kind of chick. Granted, I truly do appreciate a well done strictly street modified vehicle, I do not think I can bring myself to lower the FIAT and stiffen up the suspension. I keep driving by dirt access roads in the FIAT and have to heavily resist the urge to go explore in my midget subcompact. Perhaps I should go on an off-road FIAT mod frenzy, ahahaha!

Finally registered it at the DMV. Note for anyone planning to lease a FIAT, you will need Chrysler Capital's EIN. Here it is: 80-6248405. Nearly impossible to find. Very frustrating.

No one gives a flying squirrel about your fiat. Why? Because you're not here with us in Moab that's why...

You tell Nampa to pay me more so that I can afford to go to Moab. Last year I had to take out a loan to go to Moab. :-( But have fun without me!

^^^errr....I might have been drinking just a little when I posted that...we miss you Mel!

Oh no worries. I figured you were. Moab + you = drunk time galore. I'll miss those NM state flag beers. Dang those were good.

Nice car looks like it would be pretty fun to drive

I like the Fiat! Looks like a fun little whip to get around in.

All I can think of in the 2nd pic is the little Fiat photobombing the shot of your X...just like an annoying little sister, haha.

^hahaha yep!

Got bored. Took some pics.


Giving thanks for Memorial Day!


I always get a kick out of this photo. FIAT next to my friend's Jeep. I think those are 35s or 37s.

Whoops on rock rash..

I'm entirely too big to be real comfortable in them, but I like the 500s and mini coopers for some reason. Especially the abarth and the S, but those models are really over priced.

Good purchase, should be a fun little car to drive.

I really like the Minis.. but Mel you have me thinking about this Fiat..

gamecock257 said:

I'm entirely too big to be real comfortable in them, but I like the 500s and mini coopers for some reason. Especially the abarth and the S, but those models are really over priced.

Good purchase, should be a fun little car to drive.

Click to expand...

They are for a Mexican made car

Roadwarrior said:

I really like the Minis.. but Mel you have me thinking about this Fiat..

Click to expand...

Thanks! I'm leasing it since financially it made more sense. At the end of the term I'll just purchase it.

I really liked the Mini a lot. But the nearest dealerships are in Portland and Salt Lake and I could not justify going all the way out there for major repairs.

Sent from my PantechP8000 using Tapatalk 2

Notes to self to prep FIAT for overland trip to N UT.

Remove rear seats how-to: http://www.fiat500owners.com/forum/9-fiat-500-engine-technical-discussion/6700-removing-rear-seats.html

Get roof rack (trying to borrow from friends).
Note sure if this Sportrack will fit ($159+S/H): http://www.prolineracks.com/sportrack-frontier-car-roof-racks-locking.html
or
Thule + fairing: http://www.fiat500owners.com/forum/19-fiat-500-classified-forum/8737-oem-thule-roof-rack-faring-250-plus-shipping.html
Thule 480 Traverse Foot Pack, Thule LB50 Square load bars**, the Thule KIT1677 Traverse Fit Kit, and the Thule 487 Traverse Short Roof Adapter.

I posted this over on ExPo and the Fiat owners forum and thought I'd share over here, too. Simply for the shiggles and gits of it. It is a summary of my trip to northern Utah in my Fiat.

Well, the trip has so far gone well. Today's snow threw a slight curve ball into the equation.

Day one involved driving from the Boise area to West Haven, UT. I took a detour along the way to see Golden Spike National Monument. As a history buff, I was pretty excited to see this. En route to Golden Spike there was a sign on the highway indicating there was a "rocket display" as well. Rocket display? Wha?

Sure enough, rocket display!-->

Apparently there is a private company (ATK) that makes rockets and things for NASA and the DoD and had a really neat informative display in front of their facility.


The drive to Golden Spike is beautiful. There are signs of the RR business from the 1800s all over the area- leveling, rock blasts, ties, etc. Some background: the transcontinental RR was completed at Golden Spike in 1869 (hence the Nat'l Monu).


The two companies involved in the construction each had their own RR Engine- "Jupiter" and "Engine 119". The engines on display are near exact replicas of the originals:


There are trails to the E and W from the Visitor Center that explore the area. A view of the salt flats:

View of impressions left behind by RR Co:

Chinese Arch:


There were other trails to explore, but I was on a time crunch to catch a flight. Alas, I missed Promontory Point. I also had to remind myself I have about an 8" clearance for off-pavement trails, haha!

Oh, whoops, I put my posts out of order.

I have given extensive thought trying to decide which vehicle to take on my upcoming overlanding/exploring/camping trip to northern Utah. Should I go with my tried and true off road steed:
2005 Nissan Xterra S


And use up a crap ton of gas on my very limited budget. Or, my other option is my daily driver:

2013 Fiat 500 S


My lack of expendable income caused me to choose the Fiat. I figure it will at least be an experiment in the comforts of camping AND to cause people to smile and laugh as they see me boping around in my miniature vehicle.

My planned route (minus a day or two stop in Salt Lake City to hang with friends and utilise two-legged travel methods): GOOGLE MAP ROUTE.

First things first, I changed out the oil and filter for the trip (probably a bit premature since it does not even had 3,000mi on the odo). Secondly, how to fit all my camping gear inside of a fiat? Well, a T50 torx, 16mm and 13mm socket set helped me solve that problem.

Now you see them:

Now you don't:

Standard shot of dogs testing out new fitment space:


The problem I have run into is that a Fiat does not come with a stock roof rack. I did not consider this an issue when I got it back in May since its intended use was to haul my bum to and from work and be an every day city-type driver...on an economical scale.

I saw no point in spending $300-$400 for an aftermarket roof from (Yakima/Thule) for a one-time use. I found a local sports dealer who rents racks and roof boxes (primarily to hunters during hunting season). I stumped him with my request ref: shortened roof. I have yet to hear back from him.

The roof rack is meant to fit this:

*cough kayak cough*
(as well as a place to put my spare 1gal gas can (believe me, 1 gal lasts a dang long time)).

So far, I'm hoping the roof rack plans will pan out. If not, well, I'll figure something out. Things I still need to get:

• Extra tarp for awning
• more zip ties
• growlers of *ahem* happy beverage for X friend as thanks for using his shop
• stakes for tarp for awning
• more crap that I cannot recall at this time...

Departure date: Weds Sept 18
Return date: Sat Sept 28
(Will be parking Fiat at fellow X friend's shop for a few days while I fly out to east coast for a wedding *ugh*).

So, if you see a funny little fiat with Idaho plates pass you on the road in Utah, it's probably me not exercising economical driving skills. Feel free to wave "hi" and laugh.

I shall update this thread as more progress is made in my tetris packing endeavors as well as once I commence my adventure in my itty bitty car.

Here is the Fiat all packed up and ready to go!:


After removing the rear seats, I realised I had plenty of room to fit the majority (i.e. important) of my camping/survival gear. I did not need the roof rack (nor was I able to source one). Good thing, too, since weather here in Utah has taken a nosedive.

I got amazing gas mileage on the way to UT. I filled up my tank (~3/4 tank) for about $27 before leaving and did not fill it till Snowden(?) just inside the ID-UT border (since there are no services along the way to Golden Spike). So basically I can drive from Boise to SLC on a tank of gas. This makes me happy.

After Golden Spike I did visit Hill AFB to waste time before catching my flight. I then parked the Fiat at an Xterra friend's shop and flew off to the East Coast for a bit.

Upon my return, I fetched the Fiat (man, I wish Boise/Treasure Valley has a light rail system!!). I did some urban exploring, but I will not bore you with that since this forum is more outdoor-oriented.

BUT, I will share my "Where the F is Fiat?" photos from SLC:
Utah State Capitol


LDS Temple @night


I then took the Alpine Scenic Loop from American Fork Canyon (Hwy92) to Provo Canyon (Hwy189) in Uinta Nat'l Forest. Linky.
The day was mostly overcast, windy and rainy. Gladly, there was no snow though.









Things I like about the Fiat while scenic driving:
- I don't have to brake so hard going downhill
- I can take hairpin turns faster *giggles* (yet still safely)
- I save gas
- People smile at my when they pass me
- I can turn around in a very tight location
- I can park it anywhere...that is accessible to low clearance vehicles

Things I do not like about the Fiat:
- The engine is very underpowered (duh) = hard going up a mountainside
- Street tires do not do so well in clay
- Low clearance (duh)

List to be ongoing. Granted, I knew what I was purchasing when I got the Fiat and am fully away it is not meant for the uses I am currently using it as. Ah well.

The next day I decided to explore the Mirror Lake Scenic Highway (UT State Rte 150 from Kamas, UT to Evanston, WY). I knew that snow had fallen in the upper elevations the day before and was ready to call off the trip if need be. When I passed through Park City, UT a local said that Kamas got quite a bit of snow the night before. Luckily, when I arrived in Kamas, no snow was to be found. Just lots of soggy ground and puddles.

The clouds were pretty ominous the entire day and I was hoping they would behave.

Rockport Lake State Park at Wanship Dam.


Pretty fall colours were great to view. And low hanging clouds threatened to erupt...



I briefly saw some blue sky!!


Provo River Falls along the way:



And then I finally made it to Mirror Lake...in a snowstorm with snow fog.



Needless to say, it was fun! And the Fiat performed well enough since there was no accumulation on the road (street tires).
View from Bald Mountain (~10,749' elev):


Soapstone Road:

I decided to turn around at Mirror Lake (the original plan anyway). The route was in open range country, so keeping a vigilant eye out for cattle was a must. They tended to walk down the middle of the road in a herd.

I took a little side trek alongside the main highway for better scenery. The Fiat did well, even though I know it is not meant to leave pavement:
[video=youtube_share;Mf5uNvUYKp0]http://youtu.be/Mf5uNvUYKp0[/video]



On my way home, I smelled burning. It did not smell like electrical stuff, and I went outside to make sure it was not a campfire. Nope, burning from the Fiat. Crap.

Took it to the Fiat dealership in SLC (John Garff) to rule out any serious issues before I had to drive home. They entertained my desire to take a photo of my mud splattered Fiat next to a new showroom model:

The service techs were highly amused by the dirtiness of my Fiat. And the burning smell was simply all the grass and mud stuck to the undercarriage. Heh. Go ahead and laugh. It is funny sh*t. I know I did. Apparently my warranty covers a thorough wash/wax on the undercarriage and outside, hahaha!

After my Fiat was thoroughly waxed and cleaned, I went off to explore Antelope Island State Park. Having a nice shiny vehicle for the first time in months, I decided against going on too many dirt tracks this time.

To get to the island, you drive on a ~6mi causeway on Great Salt Lake. Some views:




Once on the island, there were paved roads to explore the various parts of it. And great views!


And American Bison! A giant herd of them all over the island. As well as pronghorn antelope. I kind of wanted a photo of a bison near the Fiat, but I was not about to be one of those moronic tourists doing stupid things near the wildlife. This photo instead, will have to do:


Where is the Fiat?


Found it! Now time for downhill!


Signs were all over the island with interesting historical tidbits. Apparently a 1920s silent movie filmed on the island to capture the bison stampeding.


After a few hours, and not too many dirt experiences, I headed home...to Boise. Although, I did go to a BBQ with the UT X owners Club (UXOC) and we planned to go on a trail run, but the snow kind of ruined that. Thanks so much to Maxterra for letting me park my Fiat at his house and hosting a delicious BBQ!! You rock!!

Thanks Mel,
great narration.

Thanks, Chris! I figure, it is such a silly little car, that I need to share the silliness with everyone.

My next goal is to take a photo of it with over-sized vehicles in silly sorts of ways for the silly factor, ahaha! Kind of trying to think of a Mad Max theme for it for Halloween.

I was wondering if anyone has ever heard of or even knows people that have participated in the Mongol Rally: http://www.theadventurists.com/the-adventures/mongol-rally
I am interested in participating eventually. Once I can afford airfare and have a disposable income....or just say F-it and live off of credit cards (since I'll probably be in debt the rest of my life anyway).

The requirements are to have a vehicle with 1L engine or smaller. I know the current models of Fiats have 1.4L or so. I think you can have an engine slightly larger, but have to pay a penalty fee (ref ExPo article on 1000cc over fine: http://www.expeditionportal.com/news/591-votd-2012-mongol-rally.html). Can someone clarify for me if the original older models have a 1L engine?

I did a google search for vehicles with 1L engines and found the following list:
Daewoo Matiz 0.8L & later 1.0L
Chevrolet Matiz 0.8L & 1.0L
Fiat Cinqucento and Seicento 0.9L
Smart fortwo first generation (0.6 petrol or 0.8 diesel)
Smart fortwo second generation (1.0 petrol or 0.8 diesel)
Daihatsu Cuore 1.0
Daihatsu Move 1.0
Daihatsu Charade 1.0
Nissan Micra (2nd generation) 1.0
Vauxhall Corsa 1.0
Vauxhall Agila (1st generation) 1.0
Perodua Kelisa 1.0
Toyota Aygo 1.0
Toyota Yaris (1st generation) 1.0
Citroën C1 1.0
Peugeot 107 1.0
Suzuki Swift 1.0
Hyundai Atoz 1.0

More info on the Mongol Rally for those interested:
Wiki on Mongol Rally: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongol_Rally
Youtube channel for M.R.: http://www.youtube.com/channel/HCqGFsdaxjDEY

A quick Wiki search shows the Original Fiat 500 (1957-75) had a 0.6L engine at it's LARGEST. Not bad for a 2 cyl.

It wasn't until the 90s that the Cinquecento got a > 1L engine, and it was a 1.1L.

Huh, well I guess I have not updated this in a bit considering what my big current life plans/goals are. I believe I mentioned them briefly in my X build page, but I might as well re-state them on here, which is a bit more appropriate since it pertains to micro-cars.

I have decided to truly go through with the Mongol Rally in summer 2015. My friend, Tim in Spokane, WA will be my copilot. This is a charity ride to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and as a personal goal for myself to prove that as a person with type 1 diabetes, I can still travel a third of the world....in a micro-car to some of the most remote places on earth. I'm estatic for it!!

We created a webpage for the event, explaining the who, what, why and how. As well as sponsorship/donation information. Feel free to peruse it: http://mongolianpandaexpress.org/index.html

In the mean time, I took some ridiculous Halloween-oriented photos of the FIAT.

Bwahahahaha! Classy!

I know you really like dinosaurs...but, this looks serious.

Hhahaha, that's not me. That's my friend.

We finally got our logo designed. I am quite happy with it (esp for being free):




I've been working hard at making the website and trying to make it easy to use and visually appealing. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated: http://mongolianpandaexpress.org/index.html

I mapped our route in Google Maps, but it will not link our points due to the fact that Georgia only recently opened its borders with Russia to foreigners and Google has not updated this information.

Now, to contact sponsors!
I emailed the Tony Fowkes Auto group in the UK for info on the Panda since they are the ones who worked on the FIAT Panda that drove from Cape Town to London this year. I'm hoping for a reply...even though I emailed them 2 weeks ago. *fingers crossed*

Week one routes mostly planned out. I posted them on our Team Blog here: http://mongolianpandaexpress.org/our-journey-blog.html

Day 1: Goodwood circuit, Chichester, UK to Freiburg, Ger
Day 2: Freiburg, Ger to Brig, Switz (Zermatt)
Day 3: Brig, Switz to Plitvice Lakes NP, Croatia
Day 4: Plitvice Lakes to Dubrovnik, Croatia (or to Day 5)
Day 5: Dubrovnik
Day 6: Dubrovnik to Ohrid, FYROM

Schedule is still very loosely planned and subject to change.

The route:
Start- Goodwood circuit, Goodwood, UK
Dover, UK
Calais, France
Luxemburg City, Luxembourg
Basel, Switzerland
Lichtenstein
Plitvice Lakes NP, Croatia
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Shkodra, Albania
Ohrid, FYROM
Meteora, Thesaloniki, Greece
Bosphorus/Istanbul, Turkey
Cappadocia, Turkey
Batumi, Georgia (border crossing)
Tblisi, Georgia
42.917797,43.015672 (Ushigui, Georgia)
Astrakhan, Russia
Atyrau, Kazakhstan
Muynak, Uzbekistan (dried up Aral Sea view)
Khiva, Uzbekistan (border crossing)
37.210833, 67.272222 (Termiz, start M41 Pamir hwy)
Khorog, Tajikistan
Wakhan Corridor, Afghanistan (cross at Ishkashim)
42.827778, 73.881389 (Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, end M41 --> border crossing here), or...
Karkara Valley, Kaz (border crossing)
Beskol', Kazakhstan
Shemonaika, Kazakhstan/Rus (border crossing)
Gorno-Altaysk, Russia
End- Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Sold! Traded in for...a Jeep Rubicon.

No more fiat so locked down!


Sent from the nighthog mobile command unit.