Fiat 500L

Form meets function with the Fiat 500L. This model sits on a stretched wheelbase version of the standard model and offers room for up to five occupants. Besides the longer wheelbase, the two added side doors makes this model easy to enter and leave, making it possible for rear riding occupants to actually have the legroom required to make their trip more than just bearable.

Fiat has a middle seat arrangement for the 500L, something to consider if you need a car that can carry five people in a pinch. Otherwise, that position’s seat can be folded down, to give two rear seating passengers access to cup holders and an arm rest.

Performance Specifications

Fiat is leaving nothing to chance with the 500L, equipping this model with its turbocharged 1.4-liter four cylinder engine and pairing it with a six-speed manual or an optional six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Fiat’s MultiAir technology ensures that every engine performs optimally, delivering quick acceleration and top speed on demand.

The Fiat 500L engine makes 160 horsepower and 184 foot-pounds of torque. Either transmission choice allows for spirited driving, something that this car delivers on its tiny frame.

Interior Highlights

The “L” in the 500L stands for “length” or extended length, but it could just as easily stand for luxury especially when this model is fully equipped. You get seven standard airbags, Bluetooth connectivity and a tilt and telescopic steering column. You also can opt for a navigation system, an upgraded audio package, SiriusXM satellite radio and a sunroof.

Fiat also makes available leather seating surfaces, heated front seats and a larger UConnect touchscreen. More than a half dozen exterior colors including a contrasting white or black roof with coordinated side mirror caps gives this vehicle a unique look.

Urban Utility Vehicle

Early marketing of the Fiat 500L reveals a car that has a roomy interior, ample storage capacity and unique design features including LED treatments that surround the head lamps. We don’t know the full measurements of this vehicle yet, but if you’re cross-shopping the MINI Countryman, you’ve found a good place to start.

The Fiat 500L is being plugged as an urban utility vehicle. This front-wheel-drive model should be acceptable for most, but a lack of all-wheel-drive availability will temper its utility vehicle credentials. Still, with its roomy interior and expanded storage capacity, the Fiat 500L does for the brand something that no other Fiat has done thus far: given us room to carry four passengers and their stuff in style.

In some cases, if you do not deal with a reputable supplier,you might end up buying wrong wheels for your car. Besides, you will not have the chance to change the wheels.Because many online stores do drop shipping which means they do not keep wheels in stock. They order from a third company and do not accept any responsibilities on wrong purchases. The reason is because they have not the stock available to correct the transaction. They have to contact the third company to send the correct wheels to the customer which requires effort,money and time for the dropshipper. Therefore they are unlikely to sort the problem out.

So what to do before buy a new set of alloy wheels for a Fiat?

First, do your homework. Find out the correct wheel specs for your car. You either find these details in your car’s manual book or on the internet. Search for fitting guide for Fiat wheels and make sure the site you have found the information on, is an expert on Fiat wheels.

Secondly, search the web for alloy wheels store. There are many online stores on the web which claims that they have thousands of wheels in stock! BEWARE! Many drop shippers use this fancy sentences to look like a real supplier who keeps stocks. However they are not. So make sure you are dealing with real importers and suppliers. If you buy directly from the supplier, you will have some important advantages. Direct suppliers offer the lowest on the market. By avoiding a drop shipper, reseller or a dealer profit margin, you will grab a good bargain. Your wheels will be %30-%50 cheaper. Another advantage is the supplier will be able to accept returns if you change your mind.

Thirdly, make sure the company sells the correct fitting for Fiat wheels. Generally Fiat uses 4×98 stud pattern which is a rare pattern to find as an aftermarket wheel. So if the company sells 4×98 wheels, you can be sure that the wheels are manufactured especially for fiat or Alfa romeo. Both will suit your car.

Lastly,check the warranty period wheels. They are some cheap wheels on the market. They are cheap because they only offer 6 months warranty and are manufactured in Far East under no control of safety regulations. For a new set of alloy wheels,make sure you have at least 1 year warranty. Some suppliers can offer up to 2 years.That’s because the wheels are manufactured to European standards. Ask for quality certificates!

With the simple instructions above, you will able to purchase a good quality set of wheels at a good price. Remember, wheels made off low quality materials or wrongly fitted wheels can cause handling problems for the car whilst in motion not to mention the security factors. Always use the expert suppliers.

Several basic steps are involved in the proper installation of Fiat 500 stickers. Although the product is designed to be maximally user-friendly and practical, you will still have to adhere to the basics in order to be absolutely satisfied with the outcome.

The first condition that has to be taken under consideration is the temperature. Fiat 500 decals come with a self-adhesive side and the glue is heat sensitive. Trying to install the stripes on very hold or very cold days will make it a whole lot more difficult for you.

The working space should also be impeccably clean. Best results can be achieved in a garage because you can control both the temperature and the cleanness. Application that takes place outdoors will be much more difficult. The wind that blows can stick dirt and small particles to the sticker.

Get your car impeccably clean. Wash it with a mild detergent and rinse thoroughly with water. Let the surface dry completely before you begin the installation of the Fiat 500 stripes.

The Fiat 500 stripes come with one great advantage – they are measured for this model. This means you will not have to waste any time on making measurements. It also means that the stripes will be just right and you will simply stick them, without having to trim the edges and to make other adjustments.

Place the stripe precisely where it should be appearing. Stripes are traditionally applied to the sides of the car. An alternative is having those on the hood, roof and the back of the Fiat 500. When you are happy with the position, hold the stripe in place through the usage of masking tape.

The stripe is a relatively long piece and you will find that installation is going to be easier if you rely on the help of a friend. The two of you can be working on the opposite sides of the sticker, which makes the procedure easier.

Remove the protective tape from the adhesive side of the sticker. You will need a credit card or a squeegee to gently push all the air bubbles from the central part of the sticker to the outer edges. Work methodically and make sure that you have removed all of the major air depots from underneath the surface.

Press against the car and your Fiat 500 stripes are installed. When you are ready, you can remove the protective cover from the front of the decal. The aim of this thin film is to keep the stripes safe from fingerprinting during the installation process.

You can drive your car as soon as you finish the installation but you should refrain from washing it for at least 24 hours. If you get the stripes moist too soon, you may interfere with the adhesion, causing the edges of the sticker to lift off the surface of the car. This is the only requirement that you will have to adhere to after the installation of the Fiat 500 stripes.

Fiat 500 stripes come with detailed instructions from the manufacturer. You should certainly examine those to find out if the producer is recommending any specific method of installation. This is also the best way to make sure that the stripes are installed properly and that they will remain intact for many years to come. An alternative is to rely on the services of a professional but most people will be capable of handling the project all by themselves.

Because the automatic transmission is the most complex piece of machinery in your entire vehicle, by no means can a list of warning signs be all-inclusive. With that said, here are the 8 most common problems that have been observed by transmission repair specialists over the years. These are the early warning signs that you want to look out for:

1) Leakage. That small pool of pinkish oil that you see when you move your vehicle from its parking spot in the morning is a sign of trouble. Transmissions can leak from nearly 20 different external seals- some are very simple to repair, while others require more involved service procedures. In any case, the idea is to have the vehicle looked at right away by a qualified transmission repair shop because, much like an engine that gets low on oil, a transmission that is low on fluid can fail completely in very short order.

2) Shaking. Sometimes a shaking or bucking sensation is experienced, especially at highway speeds. While this may be an issue of poor engine tune, it could also be a malfunction in the transmission. Take it to an expert that can tell the difference and diagnose it for you.

3) Delayed drive or reverse. A noticeably longer than normal hesitation for your transmission to engage a gear once the shifter is put in “D” or “R” is another sign of a transmission malfunction. These delays can be caused by anything from a low fluid level or a band that is in need of adjustment to an internal transmission seal or clutch pack that is failing. Again, sooner rather than later is the right time to get it checked out.

4) A neutral condition on brisk acceleration from a stop or when going around a turn. This is a classic sign of a low fluid condition. Remember, unlike an engine where it may be normal for some oil to be consumed over time, if a transmission is low on fluid it is leaking.

5) Burning smell. A burnt odor can be a sign of a transmission that is overheating or is leaking fluid onto the exhaust. This needs to be addressed immediately- if engine oil or transmission fluid drips onto a hot exhaust it could catch on fire.

6) Check engine light. Today’s transmissions are computer controlled and a check engine light can be an indication of a trans problem, even if you don’t have a drivability symptom yet. Modern automobile computers are extremely sensitive and can detect a transmission slip or malfunction that would be imperceptible to the driver. The light comes on to tell you that something is wrong somewhere- listen to it and get your car checked out!

7) Transmission Slipping. Slipping is a condition where the engine is revving but full power is not getting to the wheels. Slipping can be caused by a variety of transmission malfunctions- none of which should be ignored.

8) Harsh shifting and wrong gear starts. A hard shift or wrong gear start either by itself or in conjunction with a check engine light may be a sign that your transmission is in a computer commanded “failsafe” or “limp home” mode. This can be triggered by your vehicle’s computer when it detects a transmission fault. The reason for this computer strategy is to let the driver know that there is a problem and to help protect the transmission from further damage while it is “limped” to a shop to be repaired.

While we often fall into the trap of hoping that problems with our vehicles will somehow go away or fix themselves, rarely does it work out that way. Paying attention to and addressing your vehicle’s small problems before they turn into larger ones can often help you to avoid costly transmission repairs.

The two lower starter motor bolts are best accessed from the underside of the vehicle as these two lower bolts are located on the underneath of the starter motor. You will find the starter motor located in the centre of the engine at the rear under the air filter box and above the exhaust front pipe. The starter is connected to the car battery with red wire you must disconnect this wire by undoing the 13mm nut and washer from the rear of the starter solonoid, then you will find a 10mm nut and washer securing the wires on the smaller terminal. After removing the wires from the rear of the starter solonoid you will then need to loosen the two 13mm bolts that secure the starter motor to the gearbox. (A good tip is to always remove the lower bolts first to save the weight of the starter pulling downwards with gravity making the top bolt appear tight to the very last thread)

The lower bolt can be easily located and undone from the underside of the car where the top bolt is not quite as accessible, the top 13mm bolt is best accessed from under the bonnet at the rear of and below the vehicle battery it is easier to access this bolt with a 13mm socket.

To refit your new or used starter is a simple reversal of the removal procedure. After finally reconnecting the vehicle battery the starter fitting is complete. Finally expect to pay around £25 for a good second hand used unit from a Car Breakers Yard.