2008 Best Car Series: Buick Park Avenue vs FIAT 500

[YSSMAN]

Its the last threads of the first round guys... You know the rules and such...

===

The Buick Park Avenue

VS

The FIAT 500

===

While I would generally prefer to own a car like the Park Avenue (which sadly isn't available in the US, nor will it ever be), the 500 gets the win in a heartbeat. Like the MINI and the New Beetle before it, it has that wonderfully retro exterior meeting modern technology that ends up making it an instant-classic. Good fuel mileage, decent performance, all at a reasonably "cheap" price make it a winner.

Now we just have to convince FIAT to bring them to North America when they send Alfa Romeo over here...

 

[V1P3R]

 

[VA10]

That Fiat 500 is a Ugly car.. I saw one today it had a Red and Green Pinstripe down the side. I almost puked

 

[Philly]

Apparently I clicked the wrong button... I'm guessing that won't be much of a factor though.

FIAT 500 for me. It seems to do just about everything right. And the Park Avenue just seems rather "meh," although maybe not in China.

 

[homeforsummer]

There is not a hope in hell the Buick would get my vote over the Fiat.

 

[CyborgGT]

There's just no way I could live with a 500, as much as I like small cars. Too girly.

 

[Joey D]

I don't like the way the 500 looks nor do I really like how the interior is, but it does what it's meant to do perfectly. It's a fun car in a small package that's affordable to many people. It gets my vote for sure and will probably keep getting my vote unless something unexpected comes up.

 

[Jondot]

Well that was easy. Fiat 500, of course.

 

[gator of kana]

My vote is for the Fiat 500 because it's exotic, the Buick is too common where I live

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

My vote is for the Fiat 500 because it's exotic, the Buick is too common where I live

And where do you live? China?

 

[gator of kana]

And where do you live? China?

No, America dude. I wouldn't be able speak hill billy if I was in China.

 

[V1P3R]

Ooh... BuRn.

 

[MustangSVT]

FIAT 500 wins my vote easily. If the Buick was available in Canada, I'd think about my vote twice, but I'd still vote for the FIAT.

 

[Rotary Junkie]

No, America dude. I wouldn't be able speak hill billy if I was in China.

Yeah but the Buick ceased to exist here a while ago.

Sure, there's Buick Park Avenues all over, but they ain't THAT Park Ave.

Fiat for me. Less meh. The Buick doesn't look like much of a Buick IMO, and it's just meh. So the Italian gets my vote.

 

[Jim Prower]

It might be a Zeta, but I've done research...biggest engine it's offered with (That I can find om buick's Chinese website, anyway, is a V6. Yeah, Fiat for me.

 

[Muzaffar]

The Fiat Nuova Cinquecento of course. 👍
There is nothing special about that Buick, nor does most people even know about it......

 

[neanderthal]

Fiat

[/thread]

 

[exigeracer]

Can we have round #2 already?

 

[Sage]

*Looks at thread title*

Hahahahaah! Bahahahahahahaha! Hahaha! … Bwahahahaahahaha!

 

[Leonidae]

Fiat. Indeed it is a bit of a landslide..

 

[nd 4 holden spd]

Voted the Buick, couldn't help myself. I respect the Fiat 500 for being retro cool, and fuel efficient, etc. But I'd much rather own a nice luxury car, call me scarlet if you will.(Opposite of green)

 

[niky]

The Fiat 500 is the more desirable of the two... in any sense of the word "desirable"... sadly for the Buick, whatever its strengths... it doesn't have a chance in hell here...

 

[JacoJa]

It would have been funny to see a Buick Park Avenue vs. Commodore round.

But, yes... Fiat 500 for me.

 

[forza2.0]

Im gonna be driving my GF's 500 today, gonna really put that thing through its paces, then after ive driven it I will vote!

 

[YSSMAN]

It isn't as though the Buick is a "bad car," its just not wholly good on the global stage. It would be nice to have it in the US, but I'd much rather have the FIAT these days.

 

[Moglet]

Don't need to tell you what I voted for, I could sing the praises of the little Fiat forever.

As could all of the people who keep approaching me at petrol stations or whenever I park up to look at it!

 

[forza2.0]

I have driven it now. Its a 1.2 and I have to say its pretty nippy for a 1.2. No idea what trim level it is but it had hubcaps and rear drum brakes.

Didnt get to push it round and corners as the GF would have went mental at me lol. Its a comfortable car, only thing I did notice was that over bumps the car did have alot of suspension travel when going over them at speed.

The car is stunning from the outside and out retro's the mini. However the interior of the mini is better. I think fiat could have spent a little more money on the interior door handles which seemingly is a chrome plastic. Overall its a delightful small car and I give it 8/10 and a vote for me in this poll.

 

[Moglet]

I have driven it now. Its a 1.2 and I have to say its pretty nippy for a 1.2. No idea what trim level it is but it had hubcaps and rear drum brakes.

Didnt get to push it round and corners as the GF would have went mental at me lol. Its a comfortable car, only thing I did notice was that over bumps the car did have alot of suspension travel when going over them at speed.

The car is stunning from the outside and out retro's the mini. However the interior of the mini is better. I think fiat could have spent a little more money on the interior door handles which seemingly is a chrome plastic. Overall its a delightful small car and I give it 8/10 and a vote for me in this poll.

Yeah, there is a lot of suspension travel over bumps, especially at the rear, makes for some exciting moments in corners!

I much prefer the interior of the Fiat to the Mini though. I was actually looking at getting a Mini before the 500, and the interior put me right off, I really hate it. It's of a better build quality (and so it should be for £3,000 more) but it's too 'busy' to look at for me. And who's idea was it to put the speedo in the middle of the car and make it almost as big as the steering wheel?

 

[Joey D]

Wait you honestly think the interior of the Mini is busier then that of a 500? The 500 has one of the oddest looking and busy interiors I've seen in a small car, especially in white. It's like an iPod in there . The 1st generation MINI's were rather meh on the interior (and felt cheap) but they really made it better in the 2nd generation.

The interior quality on the MINI is just ok though, still lots of plastic and there are rattles and squeaks after 16,000 miles that I don't believe should be there. The fit isn't stellar but not bad.

Also the speedo on the MINI is in the centre and huge to pay homage to the classic Cooper...although no one uses it because there is a digital read out on the tac.

 

[forza2.0]

And who's idea was it to put the speedo in the middle of the car and make it almost as big as the steering wheel?

Yeah I dont like that at all its just so odd really after being used to having it on the same side as the driver.

The mini and 500 are both great cars, I hope VW can also join the show with a nice beetle this time round, as cars like the mini, 500 and beetle make the roads more interesting.

I have experienced the cooper s, now I want to try the fastest version of the 500, is that the abarth or abarth s?