1996 Fiat Cinquecento S review from UK and Ireland

Front windscreen wipers had to be replaced within 2 months of buying the cinq, not impressive when car was less than a year old. Especially as I had to wait several weeks for replacement parts from Fiat in Italy.

I do not do a high mileage in the cinq as it is not the family's main runner, only 35 thousand miles in five years. However so far I have had to replace the clutch, the alternator, the radiator, the battery, both front and rear brake pads, handbrake cables and the entire exhaust.

I have just had a product recall notice from Fiat as the petrol tanks on some models can apparently develop leaks and needs to be replaced.

The service I had from my local Fiat dealer was so poor that I stopped using them after two services. For example they were careless topping up the battery after service number one so that two miles down the road I was horrified to see huge plumes of steam rising from my bonnet. When I picked up my car after service number two I found a large, fresh scratch in the paintwork beside the handle on the drivers door - the dealership denied all knowledge of this and insisted that it had been there when I brought the car in. Which it hadn't.

I like the cinq's cute looks and still enjoy the drive, although having driven many other cars over the years (Peugeots, Seat Ibiza, Fiat Brava, Vauxhall Astra, Volkswagen Polo) I know that compared to modern superminis the power and handling leave a lot to be desired! The steering is heavy, the gearshift can be awkward and the handbrake is unreliable on steep hills (I know of another cinq owner who has also had this problem).

Fuel economy is good and insurance costs are low.

A different sort of challenge to drive. After five years I'm upgrading to something more reliable, but I'll be sorry to part with my little car, despite all the problems.

If you're thinking of buying one, I'd recommend that you get a full inspection from someone like the RAC or a qualified mechanic before buying.