andyg3

Fiat Coupe 20v Turbo...

What are your comments on these machines?

I've got a MY95 WRX at the moment but i'm having to sell it due to debt problems. So was just wondering what you guys thought about one of these as a slighty cheaper alternative, because they are quite resonable at the moment.

P1 Owner

A friend of mine had one.... went like stink, t was the 20v Turbo... good for 150.. :-)

Ali82

Try http://forum.fiatcoupe.net for more info. There's usually a few decent ones on there for sale as well. Decent cars, don't be too mislead by the poor reliability hype, they really aren't any worse the most performance cars but the bad name given to them means you can pick 'em up for peanuts.

MooseRacer

At the time of it's launch, a lot of the mags tested the Fiat against the Integra Type R - and it won.

Considering how fantastic my 'teg was, and the fact that so many other people rate them so highly I'd say the Coupe was a pretty good car - although I've not driven one so can't say for sure.

Mycroft

Cambelt a £1000 job, needs to be done officially at 72K miles but 48k is safer and the damned things can snap a few weeks after fitting... the 20V Turbo uses a ltr of oil every 600miles and that is NORMAL!!!.. they do rust (near the rear lights)... some have leaky floorpans, some just leak... they look like 'Bob-tailed Toads' or a 'Hippopotafrogs' (both phrases got me banned (for a while from the Fiat Coupe forum... a great site with some real good guys and just a couple of Nerks who didn't like my honest and open comments...

stevem2k

Sister's fiance has just got one .. ran lovely until the cambelt let go on the motorway ... it had been changed 3k before ( he has receipts etc from the main dealer ).

2k to fix at a non-maindealer specialist.

Steve

Mycroft

That is very common I'm sad to say... the design is at fault and losing the belt shortly after its replacement down to the way the motor is designed... it happens when the garage only shifts the motor off its mountings instead of (as they should do) removing it to replace the belt... I can almost guarantee that the replacement job done on your (possible) future B-i-Ls' car was done on the 'rock' method... it is doomed to failure... damnit it is bloody difficult when you take the engine out on the 5cyl... doing it in-situ must be damned hard...

stevem2k

They said that the dealer had bodged it, so I expect that was the cause. They also previously fixed the 'mysterious' oil leak where the high quality 35/hour labour hadn't tightened up the oil filter.

Apart from this mishap, he is very happy with it though.


Steve

andyg3

cheers for all the views, i just don't know what to get. I can't afford another scoob and have always fancied a coupe.

How quick are they compared with the likes of say the scoob? i don't think i'm ready for manic understeer again just yet either!!

Andy

chameleon

Nissan 200 then...won't rust, won't blow up, RWD tail out action if you're up to it...

andyg3

not really a big nissan fan, fancy either the fiat 20v turbo or if i could find one at a resonable price a alfa gtv v6. i no they're front driven but hey, look at them for god sake both look brilliant dont they?!

basal_lobe

FIAT dealers are amongst the worst in the UK appaling service and technical knowledge.
Don't buy one unless you know a decent specialist. As said earlier the cambelt change is very tricky- in fact if they are going to change it without engine removal (as most FIAT garages will 'cos they are to55ers) its better to leave the original and pray it doesn't snap.

Nice and fast cars though- new set of fronts every six thousand miles with a 20V turbo. I also like the way they look unlike a lot of others!

basal_lobe

"most dealers remove the engine"

well I know of at least one (south east) who doesn't rhymes with Pates!

they never bother but charge the labour for the full job- if you are lucky they might also give it a wash for you. Totally useless.

A specialist is the way to go with this car.

Mr Gee

Italian trash. Believe me, I grew up with italian cars, Fiats, Lancias, Alfas. The italians are only good when it comes to the Supercar league

Mr Gee

Juan - YES I DO THINK SO !!

I have owned the following Italian Cars:

Alfa Sprint
Alfa Sud Ti
Alfa GTV 6
Fiat 131 Sport TC
Fiat Strada 105
Fiat Strada 130 TC
Lancia Fulvia
Lancia Delta turbo
Lancia Integrale 8V
Lancia Integrale EVO 1

All owned before the age of 26. All had some sort of major mechanical or electrical problem at point of ownership.

And what exactly is "MY TYPE"

Mr Gee

Mr Gee

And oh yeh ! My boss has one. I have made many numerous calls for cheap parts (to replace broken parts) for his 20V.

MattN

Back to point.

Not owned one myself but have owned a scoob and I can't see where you'd make any saving a MY95 WRX is worth less than a 20V turbo.

Ali82

MrGee- Why own ALL those cars then complain about italian cars being crap? Surely if they were all crap you'd have stopped buying them after one or two.
I still say they (coupes) are as reliable if not more so than most performance cars including Japanese stuff. They will cost more to run than a nissan micra but what performance car doesn't?

P1 Owner

Me thinks this is getting out of hand now........

Doesnt matter what you own, obviously allot of bias toward scoobs on this site, hey, does it really matter......

all this started off a guy asking about 20v T fiat Coupes


NUFF SAID - Off my soap box now..

sempers

Fiat coupe - nice car. Quick, probably quicker at the top end than the (standard uk) scoob.
Little inert to drive - the lsd does a good job, but it scrabbles and noses gently wide (IMHO the lsd is too soft / doesn't lock hard enough, but that gives it quite benign handling)

Brake balance is a long way forward - forget left foot braking. I found myself underestimating how long it would take to stop for (say) a roundabout, whereas with the scoob I kept having to accelarate again to get there

Fiat's a much classier environment *inside*. Wouldn't be too sure about high milages, but that's my prejudice about the car's origins.

I bought the scoob. Was most tempted by the 200sx besides. Depends what you want - 200sx most fun/involving, cheapest (esp an S13 (wedge) one), fiat - classy, comfortable. Scoob best all round compromise. (IMHO)

Bottom line is that I don't think you'll find the coupe any cheaper to own/run than the scoob. As a driver, Id highly recommend the 200.

- Mark.

andyg3

I've been offered 6.5k for my my95 wrx and have seen quite a few 20v turbos knocking around the trader for 5-5.5k so thats a thousand quid in the back burner.

Mycroft

Just culled this from the Fiat site... it is not uncommon and there is also plenty of chat about leaks and rust from owners on there too.
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
Hi my name is Richard Groves,David is letting me post using his call sig.

I used to have a 20V Turbo!!!! Total bloody nightmare!!!!

For the past couple of hours I have been reading this forum,I wish I'd found it 3 years ago. I'd have never bought the damned thing. I put up with cracked manifolds (3) , oil leaks that I now find are not leaks but consumption a 'natural' fault , cambelts I spent £3000 because of these useless bloody objects, failed welds have anyof you a wet passenger area?, well there are 3 welds that fail and let in water, lots of it. Rust 2.5year old car and the floor pan was rusted the rear 'valance' was coated in a layer of rust and the dealer who sold me the car and maintained it from day one said 'someone had repaired it badly,they sold me it as being accident free and I never did anything to it!!!

I have now my lovely RX7, unlike the Fiat it has never missed a beat, has never left me stranded on the M5, M180, A33 or any other road,it is serviced in a morning once a year with 3 other oil changes (1hr) in between,I have checked the oil every week (you know why) yet it has never used one drop. The RX7 is the most delicate of all the Japanese 280hp brigade yet in comparison to my old Fiat it is in a different league.

How do you cope with all the faults I was alone and couldn't get rid of it quickly enough but as a group you know all the faults why do you keep them.

To insure and maintain that car cost me £120 a week my RX7 costs me less than £40 a week.

I just wish it was redesigned and built in Japan. (except the body which is still striking.

The best of luck to you all.

davyboy

Mycroft, I am suprised that I have posted last on the 996 thread.

tut tut

marty_t3

I have 2 friends who have owned 20v turbos. Both of them kept the car for less than 6 months. One sold his about an Integra-R, the other sold his and bought an MGF. Neither of them would ever buy another Fiat.

I'd suggest you rethink your opinion of the Nissan 200sx. It's only big flaw is that it's so under-rated. Very reliable if looked after, pretty quick as standard, easy and cheap to mod, cheap to buy, reasonable insurance, and a great car to drive. I'd put it's image down to yet another one of Nissans marketing blunders.

I went from 200sx to scoob. Kept the scoob for 6 months and went back to another 200sx. Don't regret it for a second. It's saved me a fortune in insurance, it's quicker than my old scoob, it looks better and most importantly, it's more fun to drive.

basal_lobe

I had the 200SX touring for a few months. It was a nice car but a bit of an old man cruiser. Unless you floor it in the wet when it becomes an oversteering monster.
Still very good value, more reliable than a Fiat Coupe and a lot less to run.

Mycroft

Buy a nice little 'teg coupe.they are cute and don't go 'phoooooom' if you look at them tersely

Mr Gee

Guys, dont get me wrong. The latest Italian cars are quite nice.
I loved the early 80's cars cause they had character and they were easy to work on. the 2.0 litre Fiat Twin Cam was a very underated engine. The rest of the car let it down.
My point being, that the latest Italian cars just dont cut it with the evolution of the latest Japanese pocket rockets. They are just a bit too bland looking.
The feedback I have had from 20V owners, is that they are quick but some of those 80's problems appear every now and then.
Not being Scooby biased, but just my humble personal opinion.

Mycroft

I think calling any Italian car well engineered is stretching the truth to breaking point... and applying it to the Bob-tailed Toad is not really very truthful... the faults I have mentioned are all present and readily verifiable... on your own forum.

How is the Old Soldier Hanny... are his war wounds still playing up and does he still post in a style similar to Jonesy' in Dads Army... send him my regards... bless!

Baby Ferrari

I have owned a fiat coupe 20vt for 16 months now. Have to admit i was rather skeptical about italian cars particularly a fiat. I can say now that it has been the most reliable car i have ever owned. till todate i have only spent for the regular service. No problems what so ever. Somehow fiat got it right on this one.

Reliability aside , this car is such a pleasure to own and drive.( this is the only car i really feel like washing and then admiring its beautiful italian curves in the sunlight...matter of taste though) The attention it gets is unbelievable. Rarely got that much of a second look with my scooby (apart from the guys who were into rally n stuff) And there is a thing called a "coupe effect"....when approaching the car in front they pull over immediately. Had to flash 3-4 times to get the guys to get out of the way in the scooby. The grip isn't up to that in a scooby but then again the fiat is not that sort of car.

My advice is , if you are planning to get a coupe, get a well looked after one. Preferably a later model coupe. They have their manifold problems sorted. I believe that fiat will repair all manifold problems free of charge if they are below 5 years. The dreaded cambelt change is also cheaper now at around 500 quid. Mate had his changed about a year now, was an engine in job and the car is running fine.

Go have a test drive. You will be impressed.....the interior grows on you. It is so classy.
Go ahead and keep us posted.

Mycroft

The thread starter asks for comments... that is what we have both done... all here can go to the FCCUK and type cambelt or oil or manifold or rust... that is what that I did and reported back... frankly, what either of us say about it counts for little, what really matters is what the forum discusses and has concerns about... any voice, no matter how biased, can be raised against me assertions and you have done this... why dwell on this?