2012 Fiat 500

Fiat 500

Fiat’s 500 Cabriolet still turns heads in Joburg’s traffic, and that matters. While Mini’s Convertible and VW’s Polo-based drop-tops hover around the segment, nothing else lands at the 500’s price point. Every listing here is petrol-powered — the familiar 1.2 and 1.4, plus the quirky 0.9 TwinAir — all tied to a manual ‘box that’s just enough fun for a city runabout. Don’t expect new stock; this is a used-only affair in South Africa, with eight examples spanning R77,500 to R229,900. That tells you all you need to know about the target buyer: someone who’ll trade age and mileage for Italian flair and a folding roof, all while keeping things (relatively) affordable. The median price sits at R129,442, proof that most folks are shopping with both eyes on their wallets. Most of the action clusters around the 1.2 models, three of which sit between R77,500 and R129,995. These cars range from 2010 to 2022, with averages hovering near 93,000 km — hardly scary for something that’s spent its life dodging potholes and taxis, not bashing along the N1. The outliers? A 0.9 TwinAir Lounge at R189,995 and the range-topping 900T Sport at R229,900, both claiming more “personality” for the money — on paper at least. Still, if you pack smart and don’t mind a bit of compromise, it’s the price gap to the Mini that seals the deal for most South Africans. The 500C’s charm isn’t just the badge or the sun on your face; it’s the sense that you’ve bought something special without needing to win the Lotto first.