jmueller065 said:
Did your 500e get recalled (I guess that would depend on how long you've had it) when they had the "axle bolts fall out" recall earlier?
No, mine wasn't part of that batch. I did have an issue that caused the HVB to be replaced 3 days after I bought the car, but I'm coming up on 17,000 miles and it has performed flawlessly since.
hybridbear said:
Great pics! I especially like the last one you posted.
What do you think of the 500e? I'm curious to hear what you think of the Fiat compared to the Focus Electric.
I think the 500e is a fantastic little car. I picked it up last year for my girlfriend to commute to school and work so she wouldn't have to take public transit anymore, and she has nothing but good things to say about it.
I've only put about 60 miles on the FFE so far, so I have only a few initial impressions:
1. The FFE is more comfortable for bigger people. I'm 6'4", 240. I sit lower and the telescoping steering wheel is a huge asset for taller folk. The Fiat doesn't have a telescoping steering wheel and you sit a little higher in it. I fit in it fine, but I fit in the FFE better.
2. The "shifter" (it's just buttons) in the Fiat is a huge waste of space, and I hit my right knee on it when driving. They could have made it skinnier and avoided having that happen to people like me.
3. Surprisingly, the Fiat has a better use of trunk space. The actual trunk of the FFE is bigger, but when you lay down the back seats in the Fiat, it's flat from trunk door to front seats. The hump in the FFE for the battery really limits the single size of items you can put in there. For example, I just transported a 9,000 BTU rolling air conditioner in its carton in the Fiat, that would have never fit in the FFE.
4. The Fiat is
significantly peppier by a large margin, especially from a rolling start. That little car is
quick! The FFE also seems to have its sweet spot around the same speeds, it's just not on the same level.
5. The FFE has a quieter ride. The Fiat has a good amount of road noise.
6. The Fiat does
not have Bluetooth streaming capability. There is an AUX jack, but I use streaming radio on my phone any time I'm in the car, so SYNC is much better for phone integration. The Fiat does have Bluetooth connection for hands free talking, so I was a little surprised to find out I couldn't Bluetooth stream.
7. The FFE has a relatively poor turning radius, it seems. Sure, the Fiat can turn tighter because of its shorter wheel base, but I have a 1978 Chevy Malibu station wagon that can turn tighter than the FFE, and it's probably 2 feet longer. But in comparing the 500e to the FFE, the Fiat is much more maneuverable into tight spaces.
8. I'm pretty sure the Fiat can go quite a bit further on a charge. IIRC, the EPA ranges are 87 for the 500e and 76 for the FFE, and there does seem to be at least that much of a difference in real world driving. I'll have to pay more attention this as I put some more miles on the FFE.
That's what I can think of off the top of my head. If you're curious about a specific aspect, I'm sure I can take a look and give you an answer.
Is that better?