Should You Buy a Fiat 500 Abarth?

[@JasonJoyrides]

Just realized I said Appalachian mountains and not Smokey mountains oops!

[@solouzair]

I’m saving up for the Abarth 500 and looking to get one in December. Such amazing small cars. Sounds sooo good. Perfect power weight ratio and looks supreme.

[@RivetGardener]

You are gonna love it!

[@robertfelix8051]

We just got a 2018 with all the options. To tell the truth is a lot of fun always going to work with a smile on my face

[@JasonJoyrides]

Definitely some of the most fun you can have for the money!

[@Kevinyim7]

I got one from 2018 as well this week, picking it up tomorrow!

[@Kevinyim7]

I bought one yesterday, picking it up today :D From 2018 with only 30k km!!

[@JasonJoyrides]

Well done!! Enjoy brother! I know you will!

[@luigi55125]

My daily driver got caught in a flood a while back, and decided to replace it with a 500. But it was right at the peak of used car prices being through the roof. I couldn't afford the abarth, so I got a sport. I like it and have no plans to get rid of it anytime soon, but it kinda hurts seeing the abarth now at the price I payed for the sport lol.

[@JasonJoyrides]

I definitely relate with that one. I bought mine in 2022 when you couldn’t find one in rough shape for less than 10k. But it is what it is because I’m still happy with my purchase.

[@the-real-zpero]

Got one as my first car in 2020. I paid $9300 for one with 60k miles. It's a fun little nugget. My only complain so far is that it doesn't have a tow hitch due to the presence of the cosmetic rear diffuser, but I'm looking into installing a tow hitch anyway. I would like to be able to tow a motorcycle with it, hilarious as it may sound. But driving around town everyday speeds it's a fun little car.

[@JasonJoyrides]

I saw someone in one of the Facebook groups that had put a tow hitch on theirs to pull a jetski. Definitely doable! Not sure if they make a kit or what.

[@joobie1000]

We have owned our abarth 6 years we love it, I had a honda civic type r gt untill I retired 2 years ago, we sold the type r and kept the abarth, standard 160 b.h.p. turismo, just had a custom stainless steel exhaust on it the rest is standard, we get about 33 m.p.g. around town and I drive it hard as well.. Abarth motoring rules 😁

[@JasonJoyrides]

Awesome! I bet it sounds amazing with that custom exhaust.

[@joobie1000]

@@JasonJoyrides it does mucka, it's a 4" outlet pipe on the back boxes, so looks nice as well

[@JasonJoyrides]

Aftermarket tips on these are a must!

[@HealeyMatt]

I just picked up a 2013 Fiat 500 Abarth with 88,000 miles for $6,000. These cars are an insane deal. I was concerned about the pricing of the car, but I drove it 850 miles home, averaging 38.1 mpg and had zero issues the entire drive.

[@JasonJoyrides]

FANTASTIC!! Can’t buy smiles for much cheaper than that! Hope it stays reliable for you man

[@APLFilms1]

nice

[@pete5534]

I kill the stereo, and roll down the windows when I come upon one of these things - such a gnarly sound.

[@panagiotisnikoloudakis4949]

This is the TRUE Abarth! With an ENGINE, TURBO, EXHAUST. I love this car it is a legent! Unfortunately Fiat decided to make the one EV. Fiat, if you're listening THIS IS WRONG A TRUE ABARTH HAS AN ENGINE. Just name your new EV something else. We grew up driving Abarth cars and the EV is not. Nice video, valid points 👍

[@JasonJoyrides]

Agreed! Ford did the same thing with their Mustang Mach-E. They know the EV won’t catch on with enthusiasts so I guess they are hoping the name will instead

[@dusankocisevic6823]

So true….. POOR Carlo Abarth is probably turning in his grave, for Abarth EV 🙄🙄

[@hugolafhugolaf]

#6 : reliable as hell. I'm not kidding. Aside from the door handle (they all break), the thing just doesn't break down.

[@JasonJoyrides]

Mine has been fairly reliable as well and the only issue I did have just made it misfire on WOT, didn’t leave me stranded. I am curious how reliable a 150k mile Abarth would be though. And yes things break over time and rather easily with daily use like door handles and the armrest. I don’t know anyone in my Abarth groups that has constant issues out of theirs though.

[@hugolafhugolaf]

@@JasonJoyrides Aside from wear and tear, I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

[@JasonJoyrides]

@@hugolafhugolaf what’s your mileage?

[@hugolafhugolaf]

@@JasonJoyrides 120k kms (roughly 80k miles). It has Alfa Romeo 4C coils, a Sprint free fow air filter, Eurocompulsion inlet hoses, Speedmotive tune, a NeuF short shift adapter, a 25 mm rear sway bar, and it's slightly lowered in the rear (to get rid of the rake) with shorter bumpstops and Corvette shocks. It's a Cabrio.

[@JasonJoyrides]

@@hugolafhugolaf very nice man! And 120k kms is nothing to be worried about then! Just take care of those oil changes at less than 10k kms and she’ll staying running like a rocket!

[@valentinchernysh1070]

Looking at buying one too, but I live in Mozambique now… and there is NONE here. So lots of questions about maintaining it pop-up

[@JasonJoyrides]

So far I have done all my maintenance myself. I haven’t had to go to a dealer to find OEM parts, and there’s lots of how to videos for most common maintenance items. Since I bought it I have done my valve cover gasket and plug tube seals, my brake discs and pads, oil changes, spark plugs. Oil changes are a bit tricky because of the tight space to work with and where things are placed, but it’s definitely DIY capable if you are mechanically inclined.

[@Simphiwe007]

South Africa isn't that far from you for parts and service. I'm seeing more and more of these cars here. Don't deprive yourself of fun 😁

[@Chosenfew_0129]

Im looking foward on buying one this summer there unique nobody have one around here

[@JasonJoyrides]

Its uniqueness is one of my favorite qualities!

[@Peggy0953]

Thanks for shearing these information

[@jazz9298]

I’m looking to get a 595 Pista. In the UK insurance is a joke. On a regular car I’m looking around £3000 but on the abarth it is a bit cheaper and for a first car it seems like a no brainer. Great video

[@JasonJoyrides]

Wish I had the option to get a 595 Pista here in the states. Those look soooo nice. Even better that your insurance thinks it should be cheaper! Congrats on your first car and make sure you get a manual!

[@jazz9298]

@@JasonJoyrides yeah I have driven manuals my entire life and I’m not going to stop here. The abarth is going to be my first proper car shall I say before this I’ve driven your standard vaxlhuall corsa. That’s a shame are only the standard models available to the US?

[@JasonJoyrides]

@@jazz9298 I forget that manual transmissions are far more common in the UK than here in the states so of course you will be getting one! We sadly only get the standard Abarth model here and they quit selling them before the series 4 facelift. They also gave us the multiair version of the 1.4L as opposed to the T-Jet they put in the European cars. I'm not sure the reason for that but it is frustrating for us Americans because the multiair is more difficult to get power out of and is a little less reliable.

[@jazz9298]

@@JasonJoyrides Yeah in the UK just in general there are a lot more manual cars than autos as most of the people here take their driving test in a manual car. Yeah the abarths are a lot more common here but there are a bunch more variants available. People often call this a girls car but try finding a car like this that is cheap and will put a smile on your face That’s a shame though but to be fair the states has a bunch more others cars that we don’t have available. But I guess thats how it goes though

[@JasonJoyrides]

You absolutely won't find a more affordable car that can put a smile on your face like the Abarth can ! You're right though we do have a lot of cars that you don't have as well but unfortunately I'm a Euro boi at heart and don't care about all of the V8 powered boats we have here lol!

[@andrewmoon9889]

Thank you... I'm currently looking for a unicorn in 2024, an actual 5 spd manual transmission Abarth 500. I'm a sucker for compact hatchback turner style cars. I love'em... All the goodies are the bonus, The manual transmission, good mpg, 10.5 gal tank, smaller wheels, and the availability to turn it into a two seater Boom loving it..

[@JasonJoyrides]

@@andrewmoon9889 good luck in your search! What part of the world are you looking?

[@BALHAM69]

Well done Jason This did good in views

[@JasonJoyrides]

Thank you! That means so much!

[@BALHAM69]

@@JasonJoyrides you’re welcome

[@eddie5484]

I almost bought one of those. I'd just had a Vauxhall Adam and wanted something as small but meaner. Over here they're sold as the Abarth 595 to distinguish them from the fiat 500 with the same body but a smaller, non-turbo engine. The engine is really developed for the Abarth 124 Spider, that's fiat's real sports car. That has a lot in common with the Mazda MX5 that you know as a Miata. In the end I liked the sleeker look of the spider and Miata and, due to waiting times, decided to go for the Mazda instead. One of my friends went the other way; swapping an MX5 for the Abarth, cos the Mazda can't fit any golf kit in the back. As an aside, the US and UK miles are different, so your 35 US mpg is about the same as the 42 UK mpg I get on the highway.

[@eddie5484]

Having said all that, i wish they still made the Adam 😞😢

[@JasonJoyrides]

Ah yes, my friends and I call the 124 the “Fiata”

[@gregmccoy5389]

I would appreciate your option. I found a 2013, one owner, 500 Abarth with a manual trans. It's priced just under $15K with just under 16K miles. Should I purchase or is it over priced?

[@JasonJoyrides]

Wow that is insanely low miles. I haven’t seen a 2013 go with that low of miles so I honestly don’t know exactly how much it SHOULD go for but that sounds like a pretty good deal to me. I would be cautious buying a car like that just to make sure that any age related maintenance items have been taken care of because sometimes a 10+ year old car that hasn’t been driven much can turn out to be less reliable than one with more miles and good upkeep and maintenance.

[@frankellul613]

I regularly achieve 40mpg with my Abarth and I’m no slouch. Use the highest octane fuel you can get for maximum fun and economy.

[@JasonJoyrides]

Exactly right. There is absolutely no point in running 87 with 18 PSI of boost…

[@ollieb9875]

UK gallons are about ⅓ larger than US ones

[@sunnydays9403]

Hi buddy cool video what do you think of the t jet ?

[@JasonJoyrides]

As an American, I wish we got the T-Jet here in the states. It has been proven to be superior in terms of tuneability. I have seen several guys do a T-Jet conversion as they chase more power.

[@tomgorr1591]

Picking a nit to be sure but Abarth is it's own brand. Note that nowhere in the owners kit / guide and in the car's badging will you find the "FIAT" name.

[@JasonJoyrides]

After doing a little digging, it appears that you are correct and dozens of automotive journalists, enthusiasts (including Abarth enthusiasts), as well as myself have it wrong calling it the Fiat 500 Abarth instead of the Abarth 500. Thank you for pointing that out!

[@monoton9597]

I heard NA Multijet engines are having issue with cyl 2 burnt valve. Any prevention mods exist?

[@JasonJoyrides]

Truthfully, I don’t know much about it. I do remember seeing a post from DiCorse on one of the Facebook pages where he was talking about it. I believe he said that 95% of cars that came in his shop with that issue, it was due to a lack of routine maintenance as well as oil starvation (usually due to a lack of routine maintenance). These cars burn oil (some believe they don’t burn oil but actually suffer from blow by or that the turbo is the one burning the oil) so it is easy to allow the oil level to get too low which causes a multitude of problems. It’s a basic answer but the best thing you can do with these cars is stay on top of the oil changes and wait for the car to warm up before you start getting into boost. My car has been very reliable and I beat on it (responsibly) daily.

[@taclow123]

I've been looking for a decent one but read somewhere that pre 2013 are easier to tune than those that are 2013+, is that true? I can't seem to find anything conclusive 😢

[@JasonJoyrides]

I have not heard this before and do not know of any differences mechanically between the pre 2013 cars and the 2013+ cars. However, I am not an expert when it comes to tuning. Are you in North America or somewhere else? If you live in an area that got the T Jet cars you will be much better off in terms of tuning.

[@taclow123]

@@JasonJoyrides USA, apparently this has to do with the ECU

[@JasonJoyrides]

@@taclow123 interesting. Well for what it’s worth, everyone I’ve known that had a tuned Abarth was a 2013+

[@bludclone]

hows the reliability? had any problems with it so far?

[@JasonJoyrides]

Only issue I’ve had was one of the plug tube seals started leaking which caused a misfire at high RPMs. Pretty easy fix though just had to replace it and went ahead and did valve cover gasket. I never question the reliability of the engine when it comes to getting stranded. The only thing you have to worry about is plastic pieces getting brittle and breaking, but as far as I’m concerned it’s very reliable if you just keep up on maintenance.

[@archstanton3763]

Reason number one, because it’s the coolest looking car there is ! Great video and nice looking 500 !

[@JasonJoyrides]

Thank you so much!

[@paleghost]

How tall are you? I'm 6'1" and wonder if it has enough room Also I saw a video where they said the pedals very close together, good for heel and toe driving but bad for big feet. Do see that as an iisue?

[@JasonJoyrides]

I’m 6’2” and was surprised with how much head room I had from the first time I sat in a 500. Leg room is a different story. You have to bend your knees much more than normal but you get used to it. It’s not like a squat or anything but it’s definitely not spacious for your legs. Fortunately I was already used to it after having an SVT Focus several years ago, although the 500 is even smaller than that. I’d say it’s one of those things that you just have to try out to see if you are comfortable. As for the pedals, I already made a video about heel toeing in this car if you are curious to see what that looks like.

[@paleghost]

@@JasonJoyrides thanks for the informative reply.

[@JasonJoyrides]

@@paleghost of course sir! Definitely take one for a test drive before making a final decision. You can check mine out if you are near upstate SC or Charlotte

[@paleghost]

Thanks for the offer and reply. I'm not close enough to take advantage of it. Looking to get something with a stick before they become extinct. In addition to the Fiat I'm looking at Mini and Golf.@@JasonJoyrides

[@JasonJoyrides]

@@paleghost I think you would enjoy any of those 3 choices. Definitely test drive them and decide your pros and cons for each

[@streetrunner8273]

Wonder if you could put a roof rack on it

[@JasonJoyrides]

I’ve seen guys do that for sure!

[@miguelangelrosalesreyes5801]

Excelente gracias Todo es correcto

[@JasonJoyrides]

Muchas gracias amigo

[@GeorgeLilly-d3t]

10 k with 100 k miles on you can find some for 8 k almost new with 30 k miles on where iam from

[@JasonJoyrides]

@@GeorgeLilly-d3t yeah prices on these cars have PLUMMETED since I made this video. They are an even better deal now!

[@stevegaudreau67]

They are definitely not common

[@borisjohnson6809]

i accidentally bought the fiat 500 sport

[@JasonJoyrides]

That’s okay! While it is definitely slower without a turbo, these cars are still a riot on a back road

[@buttlesschap]

How loud is it pulling out of a driveway slowly and taking it easy driving around? Partner doesn't like loud cars too much but she loves 500s.

[@JasonJoyrides]

The cold start alone would be enough for her to make you sell it... I mean you can put a muffler on it if you had to but it's straight piped from the factory other than the cat so it's pretty loud.

[@buttlesschap]

@@JasonJoyridesI showed her your POV drive and she is down to test drive it herself haha. Anything to watch out for if its had one owner, no accidents, 80,000km?

[@JasonJoyrides]

@@buttlesschap that sounds like a great example. Just make sure it’s had routine synthetic oil changes every 10k kms or less. Stuff doesn’t really start breaking yet at that point though so you shouldn’t have much to worry about. Mine had 45k miles (72k km) on it when I bought it and it was practically a new car. Previous owner had cared for it really well. The thing I’ve noticed is that if it has stuff like the climate control buttons flaking off and getting worn, the steering wheel and seats are already looking worn, the headlights aren’t clear anymore, and the paint looks like it’s seen better days, it’s safe to assume that it hasn’t been gently cared for and probably hasn’t been maintained properly. Just trust your gut and don’t be afraid to walk away if something feels off. There’s so many out there so you shouldn’t settle if you aren’t completely sure it’s a great buy. Good luck!