So, as per my thread in general maintenance it looks like my coop is having oil-related issues.

I've had this car for 2 years, and so far it hasn't cost me squat, but its MOT is due at the end of this month and I have a list of known jobs:

1. New oil-cooler pipes
2. Exhaust manifold needs welding/replacing
3. Dent in N/S rear-quarter still needs properly sorting out
4. Track rod ends need replacing
5. Needs two new rear tyres
6. Bonnet release cable needs replacing
7. Windscreen needs replacing
8. Air-bag warning light on all of the time
9. Alarm doesn't work (or it might do - I don't have a fob for it)

So, what to do. My wife is looking at getting a company car through the NHS scheme and she could get two cars through them, so my options are:

1. Bite the bullet and fix all of the things listed above

2. Or, probably for the same sort of cost, just get another coop

3. Or, let my wife get a new car and inherit her Mazda 6

4. Or, get 2 new cars (they won't be anything exciting, probably not even as exciting as a Mazda 6)

5. Or, drop down to being a 1 car family and get another motorbike (probably not terribly practical right now, as I still have to ferry the little 'un about, but I could probably just about get away with it).

So, any thoughts on which way to jump?

I usually find the best thing to do is just buy more Coupés. See if the NHS will give a company car allowance so your wife can have a Coupé as well.

The NHS aren't giving her an allowance at all. Basically they just do a personal lease plan where, because they're the NHS and buy ten thousand cars, the staff get a better deal than they would individually.

Scrap 2, if you say 'for the same cost' it will need spending as well.

Why don't you ask someone to give you a quote to do the work? Some of the things you mention are quite easy to do yourself (track rod ends), but others might be more than skin deep (eg. oil cooler pipes if the joints are really bad). As for the alarm: you'll probably want to just rip it out.

Sorry, when I said for the same cost what I meant was what it would cost to have the work done to mine, plus the money I'd get from breaking my current car.

The alarm isn't a big problem, but everything else needs to be sorted and I'm not the most mechanically-minded person. I certainly can't see myself doing the exhaust manifold, say.

There's some other cosmetic stuff to do to mine, but it does seem that a couple of grand gets a pretty sorted car these days, which is why I wonder if it's all worth the hassle.

So put it up for sale as is (spares or repair) and buy another one. I might have some spare Coupes, but you're not first in the queue.

they can usually fetch more in parts as spares if theres too much required... a specialist like joe and john could easily spend an hr investigating what would be required to keep her on the rd... all depends on whether you have lost faith or not..I personally keep coming back to coupes as they evoke a lot of passion and are really special when right..
One things for sure if you sell up and unless you replace it with something that stirs the soul you will probably look to get another.. and if you leave it too long chances are they will be expensive due to low numbers of cars on the road and being an appreciating classic! not sure if that really helps just my 2 pence worth!
all the best mitch.

Well it looks like this is the end

I decided to keep this car going until the end of the month, when its tax, MOT & insurance run out and then scrap it (open to any offer from here, of course).

However, since then the battery has died and I'm certainly not paying for a new one, so it looks like my time as a Coupé driver has come to an end. I'd like to say I'll be getting another one day, but in my heart I know that it's over now.

Personally, I think I preferred the indecision.

Sad times Andrew,

Many on here, will advise you spend every red cent you have on keeping a Coupe alive, How rediculous, I see no point drilling money into a car thats ALWAYS failing - if it's not rust / corrosion its the fact they are nearly 20 years old..

Its a case of do you own the car or does the car own you?

If you are spending more than you want/can afford and there's no enjoyment in owning the coupe, then its sensible to let it go.

I think a lot of us will be in that position over the next few years..

Good luck whichever way you decide.

That's because it's a Fiat Coupe enthusiast site - would you expect advice to say "Go buy a generic Euro box that shares it's drive train and platform with half of the other euro boxs on the road"



Sorry to hear Andrew.

Yeah, imagine if the Coupe shared its platform with something hideous like a 90's Tipo...

Really!!! this is a Fiat Coupe Forum? Well why didn't somebody say!

My point is/was simple - It's time to call it a day (if) It's not economical, financially to keep it running.. Vs what the cars worth.

People that invest their WHOLE life/wage in a Coupe, tend to get say things above..

I love Coupes.... I want one now, The only thing stopping me is my Girlfriend and her common sense, I can't afford 2 cars, I need 1 primary car, A Coupe is a weekend car as 'when'it breaks you still have you're daily car to rely on.

Hence why I always turn to VAGS - LCR's mainly, They dont have belts that take out belts, Injector lights glowing, manifolds that crack when they like, Hoses that loose coolant when they like and kill the engine, rot issues (but thats just due to age),

The reasons above are naturally part of Coupe paranoia, Or just Coupe love... I dont love bills into the ££££'s on cars cars worth £££'s

Sad to hear this Andrew....

However you have to do what you have to do. I am of a certain age where the kids (and the wife) have mainly gone and I can do what I damned well like. I still use a Coupe as a daily driver, which is why I have three ; at least one is going every day .

Good luck mate!

Thanks all.

If it wasn't going to cause such marital discord I would probably keep the coop running or get another one - I really do like them a lot and I think this one will be going on my list of cars I regret getting rid of.

Still, needs must.

The wife is ordering herself a new car through work, so it looks like I'm inheriting her Mazda 6 (which was originally mine, before I swapped it for her Focus, which I then swapped for my current coop). Yes, I'm very excited about driving it every day

So, anybody want a Coupé? It's legal until the end of this month and drivable if you don't mind giving it a jump start. If it stays with me then it's going to a scrappy, so I'd far rather somebody on here had it.

Why not advertise it in the "for sale" section

For maximum marital discord, try three Coupés, with two of them kept secret until found out!

Seriously though, if it's more hassle than the joy you get, get rid and come back another day when circumstances are right.

All the best.

I was planning to do so tonight, but she's already gone.

I'll miss her, but she's going to a far, far better place.

Thanks for those who PM'd me, but it's going to somebody local who has help me out in the past, so I'm happy with the deal.

But Andrew... this place won't be the same without you!

Sorry Chrissy what I posted doesn't read like it sounded in my head - I must have lost the witty banter bit somewhere between my neck and my fingers....

Hope you'll be hanging around here Andrew - you are simply quite awesome in general chat (on occasions)

Fiat Coupés, eh? I used to have one of them.

Should be nearly at it's new home now

Anyway, I'm still on the forum, for the time being. I can't image the Mazda 6 forum is as good as this one.

Plea to the FCCUK Board:

Can we please swap him for someone who can use apostrophes correctly?

Why? "It's new home" is a lake in Scotland.

Sorry, but as an ex-Coupé owner I no longer have to conform to your arbitrary standards