2004 FIAT Multipla reviews

Fiat Multipla Mk1 JTD 115 2004

It was with some trepidation that I made the decision to buy a used Mk1 Multipla. It was almost a straight swap for my 2001 Jag XJ8 3.2 Sport. Oh how I loved that car but it was not a practical child carrier and I had just been informed that I was now a Granddad (twice over). Even though I adored my Jag, my family will always come first..and second and etc. etc.. But what to replace it with? I trawled the Inernet and found several very favourable reviews from long-term users (they may even have been from this site) and started a search. To cut what is a long story short I found a 2004 Mk1 diesel with all the extras, for the same price as my 2001 Jag. I couldn’t have made a better choice. 4 years later I find that I cannot imagine what, if any car, I will ever replace this Multipla with. I even like the Mk1 looks. The Mk11 looks too much like that mini-Honda MPV... I have driven to the Spanish Algarve, twice, in her with 4 people and half the contents of my mate’s appartment and she never missed a beat. All my passengers love her, especially the kids, as the rear seats will recline to around 45 degrees, with the rear parcel shelf removed, and they can take a nap without getting a stiff neck unlike most somnambulant rear seat passengers. Those same rear seats easily remove and then you have a van!! This is surely the most versatile car ever built? The only problem is - what the H*ll do I replace it with? I have looked BTW and I am staggered to find that even after 4 years heavy usage I could sell her for not an awful lot less than what I paid for her. I couldn’t have said that about the Jag!!!! The new Peugot 5008 is a very poor attempt at copying the Multipla, imo.