There's been a few threads recently that have brought home to me that coupes really are worth very little these days.
They are comfortably within the reach of the scrote brigade now and more of the cars I do happen upon are fairly rough.

I've been holding onto the fact that (i) mine looks pretty good and (ii) coupes are sufficiently uncommon that in the mind of the public the nasty ones will not taint people's perception of my car.

Now, I know some will say "if you like your car who cares what others think" and that's true to an extent. However, it's also the case that if I am, unknowingly, driving a car that's going the way of the Calibra and most people on the street percieve me as I percive most Calibra drivers I want to know about it.

What do people think, mainly those who no longer own a coupe? Does the public still see it as a nice car, or do people now identify it as a chav-mobile.

The coupe is still ok. Not sure if you might be a bit of a chav though.

its not seen as a chav mobile,but its not really regarded as much of a performance car either tbh(regardless of real life,its a fwd coupe),coupes are generally seen as a posers car by the evo/subaru etc...brigade.
just from experience.

From my experiences the Coupe still gets alot of respect. Just drive towards the back of a meet convoy and see all the people gazing out of their windows, kids waving etc.

Aren't the 16v usually at the back

but i think...... no the coupe is still generally regarded as a nice car. most people think it's a lot more exotic that it really is

From my experience of collecting mrs samsite from work and meetings the coupe is very well received. Generally getting more comments than any car I have owned.
The general, that's nice, what is it? comment.

So general public perception is good. These cars however do not where there modifications well other than LE/PI/Zender kits with tasteful wheels although standards are by the far best.
As soon as some halfords store car fool gets there hands on them then they go down hill VERY fast in the public perception.

Long and short, any one who really knows there cars knows what a bargain they are and just how quick they are. Any one who doesnt still thinks there a nice looking car

I don't think a Calibra's ever been mistaken for a Ferrari.

I was going past the Jag HQ in Whitley Coventry the other day just as a Lime Green XKF pulled out. The car was obviously a trade-plated development car and sounded superb as it pulled off in front of me onto the A46. I saw the driver look at me in his mirror and we took it in turns to pass cars in and out of the lanes staying under the Queens rules......
The guy was obviously a petrolhead in a great job and nice car and genuinely seemed to enjoy watching the Coupe cruising along the road.
Not the first time this has happened to me either

Even the guys at work couldnt find one reason to take the piss out of mine, probably the first car ever to have parked in that car park that was untouchable. Instead, they all just wanted a ride in it.

My little coop is quite beat up but still, first time I picked up my GF from her new work the girls she works with reaction was that it was a really nice car and I probably had loads of money........which isn't true.

I know it's shallow but I quiet enjoyed it.

God we men can be pathetic can't we....

Does this ever actually happen? Really?

My eldest son is doing his A-levels at private school (funded by his grandfather I should add - I spend all my money on the Coupes ). The Coupes get admiring glances from his schoolmates and the other parents (usually in Range Rovers or X5s) when I drop him off or pick him up. Always depart in a bit of a hurry as well .

He is mortified when I have to use the van....

The coupe is much rarer than a Calibra and not as loved by the max power brigade, so it won't fall into that categorie. The good thing is that most people don't even know what it is or how old it is and it looks quite exotic.

The bad thing is that about 75% I see driving around are quite tatty old 16v/16vt's and that makes it look a bit rubbish. A very well looked after example is still a respected car! The 20vt's are very rare over here and people in the know will definately gives it thumbs up. But realistically to most people it's just an old sportscar (and being a Fiat doesn't help either).

i had this with a Bently continental not so long ago. (He showed me a clean pair of heels when he decided to go though)

You need some more mods then - I severely embarrassed a Conti GT a couple of weeks ago - he didn't look very pleased

Would take a fair few mods though Nigel, a Conti GT 0-62 in around 4.8 secs?

Seriously, and back on topic, I get so many favourable comments, at petrol stations, traffic lights. And that's just about me, before moving on to the coop

I think the perception of the coop is divided, mainly due to the look of it. As we would all agree on here the coop is a fantastic looking car but most of us will also say it look strange at some angles.
Naysayers will disregard the performace and mock the looks and the badge

These days it seems appearence is everything.

On the whole though, it gets respect from my experience, you don't see many coops around here not even beaten up ones.

0-60 in 4.8?
Nigel has 450 ish bhp, and what about 30 or 40 mph up to the national speed limit.................

I have just got rid of a calibra v6, the main reason i got it in the first place was because i thought it was a bit different from the run of the mill cars and you dont see many of them about..... but i was wrong, and most of them seemed to be driven by youngsters who wanted to try it on with everyone.

Im glad mine didnt last long because it means i can now buy a coupe. Im 44 now and dont want to be associated with chavs/youngsters/barry boys or whatever they are called nowadays, and i dont think the coupe is associated with any of the above.

the perception of mine amongst people i know is that it's crap and unreliable, and enforces the fiat (fix it again tomnorrow) myth that abounds. they conveniently forget the 4 years trouble-free with my previous one

they do all agree though, that nothing this side of £40k sounds or looks better than the coupe

i'd say the perception is good from most people is good for the coupe. always get looks and good comments on it.

only time people dont seem to like it is when they have a 30k+ car and they take you on and you end up wiping the floor with them lol.

in 18 months of ownership, only a corsa vxr has wanted to have a 'play' (not that I endulged him, too old for that )

which is suprising given the stories from other owners...

See my spec in my signature link for what it takes to match one (below 'silly' speeds). Quite an even to see one shifting though, I'll tell you that! Makes a hell of a noise too, I quike like them.

A lot of chavvy types have picked up 20vTs in my area now and the image is tumbling. I don't suppose the current (cosmetic) state of my car helps the local image either...

None of my mates/ work colleagues seem to be impressed by it much (though one does have one himself now). I don't think any of them have even commented on the styling either... Most suggest getting something newer/ more mainstream or simply aren't interested in motoring at all and therefore simply suggest getting something 'cheap'.

I wouldn't even say I see it through rose-tinted glasses; it just delivers what I want from a car and I still get excited at the prospect of driving it after nearly 7 years of ownership and 80,000 miles

I've been asked if I had won the lottery.

Was this your Porto?

Ummmmmm:





OMG

Mature people and those with a genuine passion for cars will appreciate a totally standard one (standard bumpers, black sills, standard ride height).

Younger people and again those with a genuine passion for cars will appreciate a tastefully modded one (one of the acceptable aftermarket bumpers and sideskirts, lowered ride height).

Its too rare to be a chav mobile.

Hmm, I've 18 more horses and 35 lbs torque more in my stable (and my link ) than your spec, and I reckon it'd be borderline whether I'd keep up with a GT to 100 (after which I'd be smelling exhaust fumes). Nigel's monster would more than keep up for sure. But the GT is seriously quick and is accompanied by a wonderful noise, shame they've been tainted with being the choice of the footballer

To go back to the subject, I've yet to come across another Coupe here in Belgium since last Spa Italia, and whenever someone comments on my 'new car' it's with disbelief that it's a Fiat, after which they ask if it's a new model because they didn't know they made sportscars now. Then when I say it's 10 years old they all go 'uuuuuuhhh? That looks brand new. Typically they then look inside, they ask again... '10 years old? No!' so I let them in, they really look around, then ask 'and how powerful is this'. I say 220 but tis has got a bit more. 'Jeez.' next I sometimes start it up if it's warm, give it some revs and I have to explain again it does sound like that even without tuning, as it's still standard apart from a sifferent Turbo, no fancy exhaust or anything.

And there it is, yet another one amazed by the Fiat. Still he same as when I had my sprinty 10 years ago.

I used to get the piss taken out of mine, Fiat = fix it again tomorrow, that sort of thing, then I took 1 of the lads out for a spin, he doesn't take the piss anymore