# Fiat or Ford?



## wasfitonce (Apr 27, 2009)

Just about to order a Hobby Motorhome, I can have a Ford or Fiat which should I choose and is there much difference in the MPG?

Please help.

Paul :? :? :?


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## neilbes (Oct 16, 2006)

I am more than happy with my Ford.

There are pros and cons for both I would think,but there does seem to be 
more complaints about the Fiats,

do a search on here, remember the Fiats
out number the Fords by more than 10-1

Is the Ford rear wheel drive ? if it is then thats a plus.

What size engines ?

Having Driven both I think the transit is a nicer cab to be in.

potential judder on the Fiat ?

I think the Fiat looks Better on a motorhome


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

i would pick the Fiat but with an automatic G/box.3tr engine.

cabby


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Our Transit 2.2 130 consistently does >30mpg, sometimes up to 33mpg but never less than 30mpg on a run.

It has plenty of poke and impressive acceleration.

The Transit 2.4 140ps does use a lot more fuel.

Perhaps some Fart (oops!) owners will advise their fuel consumption.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

pippin said:


> Perhaps some Fart (oops!) owners will advise their fuel consumption.


Peugeot, but the same with a different badge.

Rarely less than 34mpg.

Usually around 36mpg if I stay with the lorries on the motorway.

More than 40mpg a couple of times when the empty and picturesque French minor roads had us poodling along at about 40mph.

Dave


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## blackbirdbiker (Mar 12, 2007)

If you choose Ford and you want rear wheel drive, you have to ask and it is more expensive. :roll: 

Keith


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## wilse (Aug 10, 2007)

Having driven both I would say there is not a lot in it.

Although the fiat was chipped. The chip is now removed and my friend is unhappy with performance. I can say when I had the Mk7 Transit, that it didn't need a chip, it's very smooth and doesn't have the judder of the fiat.
The clutch took some practice though [very light and keen to stall]

I'd go Ford!
The 2.2 130hp model, yes it's 5 speed, but it's great.

w


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

Why not test drive both? That's what I would do in your position.

How it performs varies so much on the specific engine size and power, and what you're lugging around. I can imagine that different make engines will perform differently depending on what 'house' you have on the back.

FWIW, I have a low profile 3.5 tonne motorhome, and I'm more than happy with the performance and 'driveability' of my 2.3l 130bhp Fiat. Fuel consumption varies so much with how heavy my right foot is. Before retirement, rushing from home to holiday to home (and cruising at 70-80 mph), we would get around 27-29 mpg. Now we don't have to rush, we cruise at around 55-60mph, and get around 30-32mpg.

Hope this helps.

Gerald


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## 38Rover (Nov 9, 2006)

A few coppers one way or the other on mpg is small beer when a clutch is £1000 and a gearbox £3000 on the FIAT go for the FORD.
I have a x250 2.3 Burstner Solano drive at 70/80 about 23mpg keep it to 60 and about 28/29


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## Waggie (Feb 10, 2010)

Having Driven both, I hired a Fiat Powered one last summer and now own a Rollerteam 700 based on the Ford Transit 2.4l RWD, i would definately go for the test drive in both !! Definately better fuel consumption on the Fiat Base, but the driving position and power of the Ford is so much better. 

So Basicallly its down to what you would personally prefer


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## Eisbaer (May 1, 2005)

I'd say Ford, VW, Lada, Trabant.... ANYTHING but Fiat!


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## Blueflag (May 16, 2007)

I've got a 2005 135 transit, lovely drive (6 speed and rear wheel drive through twin wheels). Great performance but MPG is not good. At best I've managed 25 ish MPG on a non stop 50 - 55 mph trip to scotland (albeit towing a bike on a trailer) At worst 18 MPG at around 60 to 70 MPH.
Unless you are doing a huge mileage per year it's, in my humble opinion, a bit irrelevant. Just buy the one you like to drive!
Oh! Also, RWD is much better when it's a bit slippery too....


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## robrace (Jun 30, 2005)

*Fiat or Ford*

I would always buy a Ford I have a 24tdi Buccaneer RWD.It tows my racing car and trailer briliantly at about 26mpg.Ford are more relable!Spares are cheaper!They are easiers to work on should you need to.i am told the factory reccomended time for a clutch change on a Fiat is 13hours!Only ever had one Fiat ! That was enough although there are a lot of owners who swear by them.i have a very good mechanic/garage owner locally who looks after my vehicles.He does mainly commercials and is a mine of info.I know which vehicles he thinks are the best.He has a Ford !!


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Fiat*

I love my Fiat - amongst other things, it goes like the clappers.

Russell


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

It obviously rings your bell Russell!!


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## zack (Jun 16, 2007)

My Hobby is on the Ford Chassis and I am more than happy with it which is more than could be said with the Fiat X250 which I had previously. To be honest when it was running it drove well but the customer service from Fiat was non existent. Parts for Fiat are more expensive, especially items like wing mirrors which are easily damaged


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

pippin said:


> It obviously rings your bell Russell!!


or my tambourine!

Perhaps there is a hidden meaning...


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## twinky (Aug 11, 2008)

We have 2.4cdti Ford Transit 140bhp twin rear wheel drive 6spd. 

It is rated at 3850kg and fully loaded to France last year did about 25mpg.

Never driven a new Fiat X250 but I doubt it drives better than my Ford. Very car like, smooth and powerful. Never noticed any stalling issues either.

I think the Fiat looks nicer but why have the potential grief of juddergate when there is an alternative which is at least as good.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

I like my Fiat but I do not think I will buy another one because I do not like the way the company has treated it's customers recently and you do not know if more problems will emerge. You do now know how Fiat will treat you if they can get away with it, so I say Ford, Alan.


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## kc10 (Jan 28, 2010)

I've changed from Fiat to Ford in the last week. This was the Motorhome manufactures choice rather than mine. I liked the Fiat a lot. The 2.3 130bhp is a brilliant engine and mine didn't have a shudder. The gearbox is good to use too. What let the Fiat down was the ride. Potholes are not absorbed well and the cab would .. eh shudder? I was happy with fuel consumption estimated around 33mpg. Overall I did 20,000 miles in the Fiat in 18 months and it never missed a beat. 

Since moving to a lesser powered Ford I like it too. The drive is very car like and forward and side visibility is excellent as there is no blinds. I've only had it a week but drove from Evesham to Edinburgh (330 miles?) on just over half a tank. The handling is particularly good and quite chuckable but where the Fords shines is its ride, it's very smooth and it's this that highlights the Fiats rough ride making the Ford feel particularly refined for a 'van. The dash is better designed too with more storage. Switchgear is good but little better than the Fiat but the 'info' system' is irritating and quite distracting. 

This is my first Ford as I always choose to buy European products before Multi-national/American ones. Assuming the long term reliability is OK I think I'll be happy but wouldn't rule out another Fiat.


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## goldi (Feb 4, 2009)

Morning all,

Their is a new van from renault to replace the master / movano coming onto the market next month with new engines, might be achallenge for Fiat.

norm


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