Repairing A Fiat 500: Who Designed This Car??

[@jacknimble1]

This is the epitome of a rural Vermont scenario... a guy in a self dug pit in his driveway, fixing a yellow fiat 500 for his buddy. Making it happen. Nice job.

[@jron20r51]

That was the best thing, smart move the pit

[@terragaia7092]

When a saw the pit I glazed and impressed on his ingenuity.😂

[@toppledgod]

I've never found Fiat to have reliability issues any more than any other mass car manufacturer and the design flaws are probably down to space limitations rather than any intentional bad design.

[@billwilmington8284]

That pit is absolutely terrifying

[@danielreigada1542]

I have a 2012 Fiat 500 which I have owned since new. It is my main daily driver. Mine has 61k miles on it and so far has been very reliable. In terms of space efficiency, I would say it is a well designed car. But as a result, stuff is crammed in it a little bit tight. I recently replaced the cabin air filter and being a contortionist would have helped! Every car has its quirks - and if the alternator ever goes out on mine I am paying someone else to repair it!

[@helenemc5008]

Is it worth buying a 2012 in 2020? I am looking to buy one sometime soon but not sure which year would be best, is it worth spending cheaper on a older year? Thanks!!

[@MarkMaier]

I too have owned a 2012 Fiat 500 since new. 93k miles. I average 41 mpg and take it on lots of road trips. It is rewarding to fit in parking spaces that others must pass by. It hasn't given me any trouble whatsoever.

[@MarkMaier]

@@helenemc5008 It really depends on what you are after. This car really only gets avg. gas mileage if you aren't constantly monitoring your efficiency and driving conservatively. I got mine because I wanted a car I could fit in my garage alongside a workbench. The only real insight I would emphasize is that I would not recommend an automatic transmission or a turbo.

[@danielreigada1542]

@@helenemc5008 I really don't think they changed them much at all throughout the production run. I think the newer ones have some small changes to the dash, maybe added an infotainment system but that's about it.

[@helenemc5008]

@@MarkMaier That is awesome to hear thanks for responding! It always seems to be 50/50 with people either they have no issues at all or it comes with a ton haha but i guess that can be with all cars!

[@Natethegreat200c]

88,000 miles and one thing failed. What’s not reliable about it ?

[@meovex4969]

I was thinking the same... 88,000 miles and a failure seems a pretty good result to me for a city car, designed to be a compact way of transportation indeed 😊 Maybe for travelling along huge american roads and highways isn't just the right pick, that's for sure...

[@malcolmnicholls2893]

Quite so. The job's a pig but was done without a computer.

[@saffron6870]

My sister had a brand new Fiat and the entire engine failed after 50,000 miles.

[@miralemnermina142]

@@saffron6870 sure lol. The Fiat FIRE engines have been around for 40 years and they are very reliable. We had a Punto with the 1.2 8v engine that was regularly abused when cold and it never missed a beat. We sold it with 260 000km and the compression was as good as new. They have oil squirters and very wide bearings for a 60hp engine. So no it didn't fail unless your sister is a total morron.

[@gillian67ec]

Same thought, I had Fiats in the past (I had five), I sold them because I had enough of them and wanted to change but I didn't have big troubles with none of them... super reliable engines... and yes, rust could be a problem back in the ninenties, nowadays I couldn't say. Fiat's are no more Italian made cars so I don't buy them anymore...

[@ApfelKugeln]

Just because its a small car with little space its not poorly designed! Theres just not more space...pretty common in europe

[@ThatWolfWithShades]

If it's that hard to do a simple alternator job, it's pretty poorly designed.

compare it for example to toyota aygo, same piece of shit, but easy to work on. Ain't buying italian for shit.

[@edisg]

I don't think you watched the video because you would understand why he says it's poorly designed if you paid attention to it

[@MrEugenio1994]

@@edisg he is the one doing this shitty, ineffective workaround since he hasn't got the instrument to take the engine out. He's the poor mechanic.

[@redevilrrr]

Exactly. It´s a small car with front wheel drive. Obviously some pickup will have more room, because of the size. But you won´t find a big enough parking space anywhere in Italy for a Chevy pickup. Also for many cars like Nissans with V6 and FWD this one ha even decent space. At least you don´t have to disconnect the drive shaft and tilt the engine like on some Peugeot´s.

[@1995KML]

I've been working as a mechanic in fiat dealership in Europe, the 500 is really reliable, alternators were the only thing that caused problems, but it's an issue to all fiats from 90s to this day, it's because water gets between metal plates that make alternator core, the plates rust and expand so the alternator cracks and stop spinning. It's also not a 5h job, we took this out in less than half an hour.

[@peterclark659]

Yeah, you're right. The alternator is really very awkward to remove. I have 11 years experience working at a Fiat garage and over 40 years in the trade. Seizure of the alternator was a common fault on on "Punto 199" models caused by water ingress due to rain water running down the bulkhead/firewall and onto the alternator. Fixed by the factory by modification of the bulkhead/firewall drains or recall modifications. It's not too common a fault on the 500, but not unheard of. I have to say it's much easier on a 2 post ramp and your "pit" looks like a death trap. Do yourself a favour, fill it in and invest in taller axle stands and a crawler board. It just looks like you've dug your own grave. Really unsafe. Now I appreciate you're helping out a friend but it's your life that's at risk. Remember accidents happen when you least expect them and it doesn't look like there is anyone around to help you if the wall of your "dirt" pit was to collapse. Nice to see an armature "have a go" at what really isn't that hard a job. Good video though. 👍

[@GemmaLB]

Italian electrics aren't known for being reliable, so hiding the alternator there is crazy! Also, you earned a like for calling Scotty Kilmer out on his BS! :)

[@packofhounds]

I unsubbed that guy years ago

[@GemmaLB]

@@packofhounds I never got as far as subscribing to him, watched a bunch of his videos and realised he was talking BS and clickbaiting everyone . YT still recommends them some times and his community posts for some reason.

[@GemmaLB]

@Cr0Lar Maybe for a laugh? Other than that no way!

[@packofhounds]

@@GemmaLB I actually don't get recommendations anymore. I was surprised they didn't still keep trying considering I watch a lot of other car/truck/equipment mechanic related channels.

[@802Garage]

@@GemmaLB You would be amazed the legions of die hard fans who have come to tell me I'm a moron and Scotty has so much knowledge and experience. I've managed to convert a lot though by pointing out his various errors. ;)

[@anniegillespie7935]

I have a Fiat 500 convertible and it is the best little car I've ever had I love it

[@seriousdopamine4404]

You obviously don't do your own maintenance/repairs.

[@April480p]

@@seriousdopamine4404 Yeah, i don't think most people do.

[@anniegillespie7935]

@@seriousdopamine4404 that's because in the six years I've had my car I haven't had to do anything except for tune-ups.

[@seriousdopamine4404]

@@anniegillespie7935 it's not a bad car when they work, just saying watching that guy replace that alternator almost gave me a stroke. That's is usually a very simple job on most vehicles.

[@Jacopo599]

serious Dopamine guys that’s one of the tiniest car I’ve ever seen, if you buy something so little it’s obvious that the engine is going to be crammed in, maybe in America you don’t have little cars but in Europe every car is like that

[@dan_6915]

Doesn't even have some plastic covers, or at least wheels painted silver. This car had alot of "love" in its 8 years life..

[@Toxic2T]

True, whoever owned it just sat and drive. Look at all that rust on a 8 year old car.

[@00THOMPSON00]

But who cares steelies look better than most hub caps and painted rims anyway, first thing I did with my van was get rid of the hubcaps and stupid special lug nuts to hold it

[@sammolloy1]

The dirt around here would not support anything that close to the edge

[@waybachwin1747]

Looks like it did a good job to me lol cars to big to slide down the hole anyways.

[@terrybyrd5105]

If it slides into the pit - just throw on a little dirt ... job done!

[@michaelhasse2568]

Cool, never thought of digging a pit so you dont need a lift. Unfortunately i live in Florida and it would turn into a small pool

[@SuperNaturalselector]

Any trench waist deep or deeper should be mechanically stabilized if it has steep or vertical walls. If the walls collapse they likely will kill you.

[@philrab]

Louisiana, I feel your pain. Almost need a sump and a bilge pump in one to make it viable.

[@ryanreish8160]

Michael Hasse swimming while working on your car what could be better then that? You wouldn’t have to cook in the Florida heat because you would be chilling in your own personal mechanic swamp

[@JoseRodriguez-dx4pb]

You could always build a grill (like the ash ones found in BBQ pits),a foot tall to clear any water build up 🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️

[@roccol3110]

Lol

[@kurtisball3290]

I have a 2016 500 Abarth same color 105k miles no issues just did timing belt and clutch. Did pull motor though. Also it’s tuned to 260whp and has been for 60k+ miles so been pretty reliable

[@andydanko7074]

Your buddies are lucky to have you as a friend ...😄

[@jamesbondo5895]

These cars arent nearly as bad as you make them out to be, especially as a used car deal, since its so cheap. It is hard to work on but it is reliable and the rust proofing is actually really good. 8 years of virginia winters and not a single rusted bolt. The only complaint is the interior materials are absolute shit. The arm rests are broken from the factory. People just like to hate on these.

[@VentuBeats]

I have a 2006 Fiat and never had a problem with it.

[@12yearssober]

Please shore up your trench. I saw a trench collapse about 20 years ago. He was only about 5 foot deep and it shifted. He was buried up to his shoulders. We tried to dig him out but he suffocated before us and first responders could free him. Not trying to scare you but want you to know the danger.

[@frankm8533]

Man ur dedicated for sure. I like doing yard projects to when I can.

[@sawarebel]

You can probably record it.Why not?

[@giuliocarbone8236]

As an Italian, I can say that I hadn’t heard of the Fiat 500’s unrealiability, I know for sure that it is made for Italian/European cities, where it doesn’t snow in the winter and where the climate is good in general

[@Toxic2T]

It's reliable as fuck, I have worked on those and no major issues aside from a check engine light.

[@chriskonte1909]

They got a different engine 1.4 Multiair and I think these engines have a special filter you have to change, just saying maybe they dont know about it and that's why they got a lot of destroyed engines. We got the plain jane 1.2l 69hp engine with no problems at all that I know of. And your 500's are made in Poland, their 500's are made in Mexico...Not to be rassist or anything but Mexican cars have proven unreliablity I'm sorry to all Mexicans but it seems like you can't build cars together 😅

[@schweexxee6118]

In germany we have the TÜV examination which every car has to go through after 3 years for the first and then every 2 years, the 500 is the most unreliable car in its class and all other Fiats are often even worse than Dacias thanks to their awful quality

[@serjoprot]

@@schweexxee6118 Idk I'm Italian, almost Avery family has a Fiat, I have a Panda 4x4 and I've taken it to France and back a few times, went off roading.. never had much of an issue except for one time when I had to take it to a mechanic because of a steering sensor error

[@josipgelo186]

Its funny when americans start to talk shit on european or japanese cars. they in general think american cars are good. i dont know why. fiat is ok car.

[@akr01364]

I have a rule for when either buying a car for myself or helping a friend do so: take a wratchet wrench with an extension with you for the test drive. If you can reach around the engine and have the end of either the wrench or the extension easily reach bolts and all other issues considered, go for it. Even if it has a great warranty as you're going to be doing something to it yourself at some point, take into account how easy it is to work on before you get it. So many other things about a car's design are revealed by how well laid out its various components are in the engine bay as that design ethos bleeds into everything else. Hey, from New Hampster.

[@manelk8]

Ya gotta mention you’ve been working on cars for 52 years, then climb out of the trunk for the bonus footage. Italy’s version of the Smart car 😂

[@ARuralVermonterQqjmcb182]

lol!

[@JeffDeWitt]

No, more like Italy's version of the Mini. The Fiat 500, like the Mini, has been around for a very long time.

[@megacap55]

is the remake of the 1st cinquecentto model but with modern lines what expected at the 60s was not electronics on the car with have batteries and an alternator was enough

[@NoahTheFacts]

Every job on my Mini Cooper S is like this too, it’s terrible to work on, but wonderful to drive. That service pit is equal parts awesome and scary!

[@k.c.r1884]

To remove the lower control arm you have to take off whole front bumper and the bash bar and the side bracket inner fender etc. Cuz a bolt is inside the frame

[@sellingthewind]

I really like this video. thanks for making it. An engine isn't poorly designed just because of its alternator removal procedure. Rural, if you thought that car was kinda fun, try to find a tuned Abarth, its pretty wild dude.

[@ProjectFairmont]

One of my brothers had one. I visited his place in CA while he was away and let me use his 500. I called to let him know it wasn’t firing up, he said keep cranking it will, and it did. Strange for a 2 year old low mileage car. The interior also squeaked like a 10 year old car. Positives; it handled great, had an excellent stereo and was fun to drive since you could drive it flat out and no one would be the wiser. I also think the first time you go to replace or fix anything different it’s demonic...agree on the Kilmer comments.

[@Handl3sAreStupid]

Dude your "drop floor" that you pulled the car on top of is awesome

[@Lykoloo]

It's terrifying, at least put some boards down and spread the load out.

[@gamwpanagia]

@@Lykoloo what's so terrifying? Do you people ever go out or are you too terrified you'll slip on the street and break every bone in your body

[@Smokey0210]

I’m glad someone else thinks Scotty Kilmer is 90% quack.

[@JohnDiMartino]

Jordan Zalob He is for sure ,he also makes generalized statements on certain vehicles based on his feelings not facts,but then tells you his feelings are the facts ...

[@Smokey0210]

Yep, I know he’s been around and has seen some things, but it doesn’t make his opinion fact. He always trashes any other car that isn’t a Toyota, so he really should just have a channel dedicated to that brand. He’s extremely biased which makes him unenjoyable to watch. Your channel on the other had I like and appreciate you’re a regular guy that likes to work on cheap cars with honest observations and opinions! Keep it up!

[@benzlover55]

@@Smokey0210 he does have a channel dedicated to Toyota! It's called Autonauts!

[@Smokey0210]

benzlover55 I didn’t know that! LOL. Glad he is embracing his passion.

[@deloreanman14]

It took awhile but I finally hit 'Don't show me this channel again' enough to get KZbin to keep that longhaired doofus off my recommended list.

[@g.a.c.4139]

Scotty was okay in his earlier days, but now he does a lot of click-bait and he seems like spam.

[@rondaxen88]

Yea. It's unfortunate, because he still gives out good information on cars and such, he doesn't really need to do the click baity stuff in the first place.

[@niskaa78]

Those little euroboxes might have a cramped engine compartment, but they sure are a lot easier to park than a big pickup truck! I live in a northeuropean country and good luck finding a parking bay here, that will fit a full size american pickup truck :)!

[@townhall05446]

You might get a few phone calls, your phone # is big and clear on Beetle's collar. :) I think I'd blur that out... I think the collar with the phone # is a great idea for Beetle, just not in the video.

[@ARuralVermonterQqjmcb182]

oops...good catch

[@houseonpleasantstreet9774]

Scotty Kilmer SAID they were a crappy design. You actually showed it. Nice job

[@Fubar_The_WEF]

I couldn't disagree more. I have owned 4 FIATs in my time (1975 128, 1986 Regata, 1995 Uno diesel & 2003 Punto diesel) and they have all been totally reliable. The most unreliable car I have owned was a Nissan, which dropped a drive shaft, cracked the cylinder head, stopped everytime it rained and was a complete bas***d to work on. I would have no hesitation in owning another FIAT.

[@thomasmusso1147]

Nice to see a Young Man who seems to know what he is doing. Credit to you👍. The easiest vehicles to work on that I ever owned were my 1972 Datsun (Nissen) 1200 Pickup and 1975 1200 Saloon .. both bought new. Absolutely brilliant! Room in the Engine Compartment to host a Party. Minor Services .. Oils, Fluids Lubrication, Points, Plugs and Condensor, Fan Belt as and when required. Major Service .. Valves and Timing and some sundries. That was it! A mate of mine had at the same time, a 70's-something Fiat 128. He 'tried' to replace the Alternator. Gave up after 3 days. Got the Agents to do it and obviously, they could all go on a World Cruise thereafter. Another guy I knew had a little Mini 1000 (the one before the Clubman). He was an Apprentice Motor Mechanic at the local Mercedes Garage and whenever he had to do some work on his Mini (CV Joints, etc), he would invite a group of us around to the Workshop after hours .. supply the Beers and the Dart Board and after having disconnected the necessary, we would lift the entire body off the Sub-Frame and Engine, leaving him with a clear field from all directions. Repairs done, reverse the procedure .. all go home. Fiats .. Naah ..

[@jamesrainville6226]

Let's start a GoFundMe page for him so he can get a scissor lift!

[@dustojnikhummer]

And a concrete pit!

[@Nad_0618]

How much even is a Scissor lift? Now i'm genuinely curious about that...

[@Angel_EU34]

@@Nad_0618 A good enough one is around $1,500

[@MrEli768]

Gabriel, I can confirm that, my mechanic just replaced his and after tax, that was about how much it costed... then again, it guess it would really depend on where you live and where you're getting it from

[@aclmotorsport4420]

That engine was originally designed in the 80s and the alternator was easy to get to as there was hardly anything around it, but as manifolds have grown due to emissions regs, subframes got bigger for more strength and A/C added not to mention a16 valve head it just became harder to work on. I always just disconnect the engine mount and lever the engine forward when doing these, easier on a 2 post though!

[@azera55555]

Its a very stylish car though. Have always loved these. (Love small cars in general) I'd only buy the 500e version if only for reliability concerns and cuz its a lot faster. I also agree scotty is full of crap on the vast majority of what he says

[@wmc128]

Scotty has been working on vehicles for most of his life.he has bias towards certain manufacturers but he is a great internet mechanic resource like Chrisfix.

[@orrisyoder7592]

@@wmc128 no he might have done oil changes most of his life but not real mechanic work

[@qbraun9241]

The 500e is not that reliable. They're good when new, but software updates can cause issues. If that happens, Chrysler forces a new motherboard that is not well-suited for the older 500e's, and I once watch a car sit in dealership garage while they couldn't get it all back online.

[@postal6587]

I have a red 2012 fiat jus like this one! Bought it for 3000 dollars 😁 the only issue I’ve had was my shifter cable connection (I don’t remember what the official name was) broke and the part was impossible to find. Then 1 week later I get a letter saying that the part was recalled and I needed to contact a dealership to get it fixed. No issues since except body damage from a lovely deer that ripped off my mirror and shat all over The side of it lol she is def a head turner though I’ll catch people staring at it all the time

[@saraleon97]

Oh man, this gives me PTSD to when my 500c Lounge was in at the dealership for like 6 months because the automatic transmission self-destroyed in the first year of ownership. As soon as it came back I sold the thing lmao. I loved the cuteness of it and overall the fact that it was so easy to drive, but as seen here, the looks are the only things this has going for it :( Great video though

[@josealbreyes]

Seriously. Its actually a Toyota transmission. Its made by ASIN.

[@tristan6509]

That's just a shitty CVT, almost every CVT has that problem, not only fiat, and most CVTs are made by asin

[@francescomagni3727]

Yeah, that CVT is literally the only not italian-designed thing in the 500 :D..

[@Mladjasmilic]

From owner of Fiat Punto from Europe. My Punto has the same drivetrain as this 500. I had my alternator fail on me (ie. the brushes were worn off). First power steering died, then abs, lights, but engine kept running for 30 minutes. I went to the shop in first town. Mechanic evacuated AC lines, removed AC compressor and had access to alternator from the top, repaired the alternator and put it back. Whole thing lasted 35 minutes. He said he could do it from below, but this way is much quicker and easier. And what do you expect. 500 is small car, parts are designed to fit in small space.

[@skarekrow101]

Damn, a lot of hate for ol' Scotty in here.

[@rickhibdon11]

Yeah, but it's totally understandable. People tune in to him expecting to hear from a real mechanic. Instead, the get Scotty Kilmer.

[@Felyxorez]

@@ElectronicInfern yes, unfortunately. And when I pointed out a wrong statement (only expensive Mercedes use crappy hydropneumatic suspension, yet in fact it can be found also on cheaper Citroens or Peugeots) even if not really know in the US, I know, I just got banned 🤷‍♂️he has a strong opinion and fanbase, and lot is true. Yet he overexagerates a lot...

[@Felyxorez]

@@ElectronicInfern jup, blocked or banned. Should check if it was with this account.

[@JuneBuggJr]

That's because they don't own a 1994 Toyota Celica hahha

[@GixxerRider1991]

@@ElectronicInfern Scotty Kilmer knows what he's talking about generally, but his problem is that he'll make excuses for Toyota but sometimes not give other manufacturers or models a fair shake when he talks about them.

[@refugiopoint]

Love the disc golf basket in the background and the dog, such a great fun video!

[@FlashDriveFilms]

It's great to see repair videos like this. Good stuff to see about specific issues, like how tight the alternator access is.. My two cents: wear safety glasses, try not to work alone (especially under a car on dirt!) and chock the wheels when using ramps. I want you to be around for a long time to keep making car videos! Alden

[@andreadossi]

I live in Italy and the 500 is basicaly the most Comun car, both e the 1.4diesels and the 1.2 gas are really reliable.... Broblemsa started with the bigger engines that they tried to cram in there for the US market, here we get that engine only in the abarth versions, the sporty ones

[@davidhinson5010]

Sir I love your videos. That trench scares the hell out of me. Please sure those walls up so you don’t make your own grave. Love from NC and keep it up.

[@bazzam429]

Well smaller compact cars means a smaller compact engine meaning it's gonna be more tough to get into those spaces to remove key parts needing replacements or fixing

[@scottdavis_34]

Definitely earned a Like and sub for calling out Scotty Kilmer. He is a quack. Regarding some of your other videos, I love the care you put into restoring these old Chevys.

[@TinyScorpion44]

Uh, you're comparing working on a large and spacious truck to a small car? Yes, it's going to be small. I've owned 3 500s (a pop and 2 Abarths) since 2012 and they're really not all that unreliable. Anything I've broken has been because of my love of modding and thus placing extra stress on things. They're pretty normal small cars and do just fine so long as you know how to take care of them. Parroting what your dad told you about old Fiats is boring. ALL vintage cars were unreliable piles of shit, modern Fiat is not old school Fiat.

[@lucaorlandi289]

I love Fiat Cars especially the small one ! Cause i am Italian 😍🇮🇹

[@tpv59]

WHAT A GREAT vid. Thank You. THOROUGHLY ENJOYED it. THOROUGHLY. I have a Fiat 500 Lounge 2cyl 875 cc twin air turbo dualogic. I LOVE it. NO problems at all. I would HIGHLY recommend them.

[@DreyTheGamer]

Damn it. It’s Mussolini trying to get his revenge.

[@PanosaoVento]

Lol

[@thegreatmrp]

Hi, I just found your videos two days ago, and this is only the second video of yours I have seen and holy crap did this take me back to my young adult days growing up in upstate NY near the Vermont border. I havent seen a dirt service pit dug in the ground for a long time! On the property I lived on we had two big iron I beams buried into the side of a small hill supported with big chunks of wood and extended out about 4 or 5 ft. And you'd drive half your car on them and work under it lol. Totally normal! Now I live down state and I'm pretty sure you'd be fined out of existence if caught doing anything like your pit or the ramps. I like your style, thank you for your videos! I cant wait to watch many more!

[@markdavis2475]

My first car was an original Fiat 500, joy to work on, mainly because it would self dissasemble, bonnet, roof, exhaust, starter, all fell off🙂

[@RyanKlapperich]

That looks like excellent engineering to me. Someone told an engineer "fit all these mechanical bits into as small a space as possible and make sure they still have enough room to function properly," and the engineer figured it out! You're frustrated by the design team who set the directive of "make a small car and minimize the amount of space used for the mechanical bays."

[@trainguy1792]

When A Rural Vermonter & Scotty agree on something, you know it's a bad car xD

[@ARuralVermonterQqjmcb182]

lol yep

[@tombob671]

Fiats were crapola in the 1950 through 77, still crapola. The are as bad as a renault, maybe worse at least you could work easy on a renault

[@millerkiller6496]

Or vise versa

[@zacharyhenderson2902]

I know it's too late now, but rather than move the engine forward would it have been possible to place a jack under the oil pan and lift the engine from the subframe without removing the motor mounts?

[@thomasdudece]

The Fiats in Italy are of of much higher quality. Where I live you’ll find Fiats from over 20+ years ago on the roads still and still in good shape. Sadly the ones the end up going to the USA and else where tend to not be of the same quality

[@turbosydney]

Same work on a 2002 Punto. Also had to loosen the motor mount to get the alternator out. I thought that was the sole exepction and figured they solved the issue on later cars, but nah

[@ninoceballos1366]

Great pit,but kinda sketchy, I'd be afraid of the ground breaking up where your jack stand and ramps are,with the weight of different vehicles! Great videos be safe

[@jeffchorath]

I have the same exact trailer. The payload is 2237lbs at equal distribution. Curious... how did the trailer handle the extra weight?

[@vuklozo]

Rust on the undercarriage really depends on conditions you drive the car in. My Grande Punto is 14 years old and does not have any rust on the undercarriage mostly because the weather is not that humid of wet. Check out the undercarriage on cars from the UK, event the ones which are 4 or 5 years old look a lot worse that this. Also this rust looks more like surface level, it can be cleaner pretty easily :)

[@duallyentertainment3005]

That Fiat looks good with those steelies!

[@sammolloy1]

Yes that’s a great look

[@McRocket]

Man, this owner owes you big. Imagine what a mechanic would charge just to replace the alternator? BTW - love that hole you use as a repair pit. Must kind of suck when it rains though.

[@XtheUnknown99]

An air mattress filled with acetylene can remove that Alternator. Just use a match.

[@dirtyred2000]

idk if my car is an anomaly but my 2013 fiat sport has 146000+ miles and has had only 2 faults. a recall on the clutch pedal that the dealer replaced and I replaced the window regulator when someone slammed the door extremely hard and it broke, granted it was slammed several times

[@tomtheraton3058]

Its a cute car in France we have diesel jtd and petrol i know one in 1,2 she got 250.000kms

[@majkfajt255]

I Drive Alfa and i have engine from Fiat 1,9 JTDm ,and i have moore 500.000 km :) engine is great but turbo leaks oil.

[@TABRO284]

Did you snap the mount on the alternator or was it already broken? I am not criticizing just wondering

[@jimmyjackson2328]

Now I know for sure Scotty is right about the Fiat 500 lol

[@bigteddy66]

Scrotty doesn't know right from left.

[@mestupkid689]

Always a throwback watching your videos man. I haven't heard that wallflowers song since I was a teenager. Fiat: Fix It Again Tony

[@JTwelder.]

I’m with you on Scotty Kilmer a lot of the stuff he says sounds like stuff he reads on the internet. Some is true though for sure! At the end of the day I’m pretty sure he’s not a real mechanic and just a guy that does oil changes and diagnoses in his driveway for cash.

[@rustyshackleford1656]

He used to be a mechanic and even had his own tv show he used a be a voice people took seriously but he just got old and weird lol

[@lulzyboy]

hes absolutely a real mechanic... you say it like it's hard.

[@JTwelder.]

Rusty Shackleford oh ok I had no idea! I’ve saw maybe 10 of his videos and it’s usually him standing with a car in a driveway with a garage full of junk in the background so I wouldn’t know lol.

[@davidperry7271]

Odd he doesn’t own a tool box tools all over the floor 52 years and no tool box at all 🙃

[@ccllvn]

Scotty is great if your automotive goals are to keep a 90s Toyota running on a budget of $100. If you are looking at cars 2010 and newer or anything European Scotty will tell you to fuck off because working on these things with old ass equipment in your driveway is horrendous and exactly that is his experience with those.

[@francescomagni3727]

It looks to me that the root of the problem is that the car was designed with a manual gearbox, not with the automatic one which has been added later in order to sell it in the USA, removing the alternator with the manual gearbox (which is smaller, or at least it is less bothersome when servicing the car) is much easier..when you take a small car with tiny space under the bonnet and you add something it wasn't designed for (in italy/Europe, automatic gearboxes on small cars are only used by disabled people..) that's the result..

[@derekstorey5889]

Great work have to agree with you about SK more like this!!!!!!!from london

[@g.a.c.4139]

Here in the USA I worked for a medical device company that was a division of Fiat. I understand your pain. There is a reason there are so few of these cars still on the road only a few years after their reintroduction in the US. You're a talented mechanic, and you're a braver man than I...If it's made after the mid-1970's, I wont touch it. PS: I like your socket tray that you can bring to the work site.

[@BeauregardPayne]

Finally someone called Scotty out on his shit... it’s literally his option that he try’s to make fact.

[@normantor]

Dude I love this! Built this trench to replace the clutch, pressure plate and throw out bearing on a 88 Dodge Omni.

[@normantor]

And if you can......please try to put a gas tank back into a 1977 Corvette...........

[@45AMT]

These are one of those cars that's sold by looks only. People who like trendy looking cars and don't know how to work on them or who have somebody else work on them.I'd have been cussing LOL! That pit made life a lot easier.

[@lukesw0305]

After all, it's like 99% of the people... I mean, in 2020, cars are really reliable, and apart from car guys, with a real passion, nobody works on their car anymore. My Fiesta has got almost 100.000 kilometers, and apart from the regular oil changes and regular services and checkups (everything done at the repair shop for an average of less than a hundred euros), it never had any problems. And it's not considered a particularly reliable car, just an average one.

[@ta2joe13]

I love your artisanal work pit, very rustic. 👌👍🤣

[@AlanSextonVT]

"The Devil Wears Prada" (and designs FIAT's, too!)

[@wallybeegone]

This is an underrated comment.

[@barryprofessionalmusicianc832]

I have a 2012 Fiat 500 SPORT...I have 2 problems. 1. is where the power steering wont work when its very cold. 32 degrees or less wont work. When car warms up then all is fine after about 10 or so minutes of car running. 2. Problem is the key is turned, car lights battery works all is fine EXCEPT ENGINE wont turn over. NO CLICKING NO NOISE..just nothing. Just lights on. I try every which way to get it to start but no..THEN...out of the blue I try again and car starts like nothing happened. Battery is ok. I go thru this "cycle" every so often. At this point its in the WONT START CYCLE...my mech installed a wire from the starter to the positive battery terminal for emergency start..it works somtimes.. ANY IDEAS ON WHAT CAUSES THIS?? Original Starter was changed in 2018. Car worked ok for over a year but that problem started again 3 months ago. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks Barry

[@ANDREWSAMY562]

Actually I have a 2019 Fiat Tipo and it's super reliable!

[@duftmand]

well, for your sake i hope it will stay that way. my mom has a 2012 fiat 500 and it's decent but there's no way it'd hold up like my dad's 14 year old lexus and my 22 year old lexus. it's a wayyy cheaper vehicle new so obviously it can't be built to the same standard. but for what it is it's pretty good.

[@danielbily4604]

How? My friend bought a brand new Tipo some years ago and he had to sell it after six months because it was a money pit.

[@shill46hill39]

Good choice, the tipo is honestly a brilliant car 👍

[@grantmctaggart9942]

Report back in the year 2021

[@ANDREWSAMY562]

@@grantmctaggart9942 look, a friend of mine has a 2008 Fiat bravo equipped with the same drivetrain. He has 280,000 kilometers on it right now and it still runs like it should with absolutely nothing done to it other than oil changes belts, sparkplugs, and an accident that cost him a rear door and tailgate glass. It's the reason why I bought mine.

[@elmundodedamian]

how you do to avoid water on the inspection pit?

[@MikeStavola]

I had to unsub from Scotty Kilmer, because his videos were nothing but clickbait and ads for an app I'm not interested in.

[@urbanitesgarage3299]

Yeah exactly it drives me nuts it’s all CLICKBAIT

[@ancoopa]

What about 500L model? Does it share the same issues with its smaller brother?

[@serpentza]

That is horrible! And I thought my smogtastic 90 formula was crappy to work on

[@jten1116]

I used to own 89 Formula 350 some 15 years ago. When the heater core started to leak I heard plenty of horror stories about changing it, you need to get the dash off, then move the center console back etc to have room for this one bolt on the heater core cover. Since I'm dumb, and had plenty of beer, decided to do it myself. Not too bad. When I was checking out the "difficult"bolt I noticed that the cover didn't even have a hole for it so it wasn't there...I guess GM noticed that issue at some point mid 80s or so and simplified the design...Still had to lift the dash a bit for some bolts but not bad at all. Except the hangover next day.

[@6F6G]

Do you have to remove the engine to change the oil filter?

[@savagesam205]

That subframe has quite a lot of surface rust for a 2012 car. But I can imagine conditions are a lot tougher than sunny Italy where it originates from. These 500's are quite common where I live (the Netherlands). In general small economical cars are very popular here, for instance the Citroen C1, Volkswagen Polo, Renault Clio, and so on. I've worked on a variety of cars ( mostly transmission jobs) and I absolutely prefer American cars to work on. Especially the large trucks (Dodge, Chevrolet, ..) are not complicated and easy to work on. Dream job compared to that ghastly CVT I had to remove from a Nissan Micra....

[@jamespfitz]

It originates in Mexico.

[@thomasferrario1756]

@@jamespfitz yes but it was designed for the european market

[@Anttihii]

@@thomasferrario1756 not, everyting which are sold also in USA must be deisgned for there. Cars designed for Europe cant be sold in USA

[@ancel321]

Wow that soil in Vermont is firm! You could never have a trench like that in Florida, plus you would be standing in water. Thanks for another great video.

[@MrMonty110]

FIAT stands for "Fix it Again Tony"

[@Anttihii]

really good joke bro

[@rogermurph101]

You’re braver than me on two fronts; your pup is displaying your phone number on the internet, and that hole scares the hell out of me! Hopefully that KZbin fame will earn you a lift in the near future. That trench is a disaster waiting to happen.

[@crazycowboy213]

Welcome to working on european cars. Ive seen alternators with an oil line that has oil pumping through them. Plus fiats are not known to be reliable. Most parts are pretty fragile.

[@Anttihii]

wrong answer

[@athalc]

Please tell me after going through all that you replaced the tensioner and idler while you were at it...

[@ARuralVermonterQqjmcb182]

Yes

[@athalc]

Phew!

[@seanwalsh5717]

This repair takes about 15 minutes on a toyota.

[@roymcfloyd1149]

This repair takes 5 minutes on a Subaru Impreza.

[@lucabanchieri6288]

Sean Walsh If the Fiat was as large as a Toyota, it would take the same amount of time.

[@bigteddy66]

Really which one??? the imaginary one??

[@bradklingensmith]

Looks fun on the outside, but what an absolute charlie fox. Maybe throw a little racing alternator in and just leave the old one in to bounce around.

[@francistheodorecatte]

much like trying to remove the 150A alternator from a SAAB 9-5. only way to get it out is to: 1.) pull the passenger side axle and use a prybar to push the engine forward a bit to get it out the bottom, or, 2.) pull the intake manifold to get it out the top icing on the cake is SAAB used metric allen head zinc plated steel capscrews with about 3" of thread engagement into aluminum threads to mount the alternator to the bracket.

[@BandCritique]

My husband found my fiat 500 and once we got it things started to break. The motor for my passenger window broke had to take the door apart to fix it. Then the day light refuses to work it's always off then the purge valve sensor broke waited 2 weeks for it at the only fiat dealership in Vegas. Then the button to open the trunk that whole silver section broke waited another 2 weeks for that replacement... This car is great when it works a fun mess around car. This car has been a headache all happened within the first 6 months of having it.

[@vittocaso2364]

Fiat 600 R 1972, Fiat uno SCR 1994, Fiat spazio tr. THOSE ARE REALLY GOOD CARS so confident!

[@patriciomunoz2830]

Agreed and the freaking alternator is HUGE lada styled type, absurd considering the small engine and the fact that it also failed so its not an advantage in any way

[@israelmata8286]

what tool set do you have looks like its a big set

[@woodym5933]

Why didn't you check the alternator first to see if it was actually stuck? Usually if it sat for a while rust builds up between the armature and the stator. You can usually just put a socket and bar on the alternator pulley and they'll break free very easily.

[@ARuralVermonterQqjmcb182]

i did and it was stuck i'll tell ya that

[@artur2277]

Working under the car in a ditch doesn't look safe at all. If the soil is wet it could work but it's like playing russian roulette. I'm an engineer so this advice isn't from my ass or something like that.