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Fiat Coupes are unreliable rust-buckets
#1480948
27/03/2014 11:06
27/03/2014 11:06
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 33,568 Berlin
barnacle
OP
Club Member 18 - ex-Minister without Portfolio
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OP
Club Member 18 - ex-Minister without Portfolio
Forum Demigod
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 33,568
Berlin
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Or so the knockers would have you believe... I was thinking back on mine after nearly twenty years. In that time it's left me on the side of the road I think fewer than five times: - Cambelt broke at 45k miles, a fortnight before it was booked in for a change: all 16 valves replaced.
- Bottom end expired at about 65k miles, probably as a result of bearing damage from the cambelt breaking: 'keep me running' scrap engine stuffed in and still there 100k later...
- Non start at around 80k miles: starter motor replaced.
- Non start at around 100k miles: failure of the ignition amplifier: replaced with new.
And that's about it. It's had three exhaust systems, one clutch, three or four alternators, two batteries, two thermostats, and a radio - all service items except the last. It's been shunted up the rear twice, once squashing it between the shunter and a landrover; it's had an incident where one side was gauged by a scaffolding bar. It's had two or three small patch repairs on the cabin floor. It's been resprayed once and it's about to get another. It's commuted through London; been cross-country on farm tracks and mountain roads; been in the north of Scotland at -20C; been driven flat out for hours on the Autobahn; been thrashed around Spa. And yet, I get in it and it still fires on the first spin, and it still makes me smile whenever I drive it. Unreliable rustbucket my bottom parts!
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Re: Fiat Coupes are unreliable rust-buckets
[Re: barnacle]
#1480953
27/03/2014 11:21
27/03/2014 11:21
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nissansteve
Unregistered
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nissansteve
Unregistered
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That's a better track record than some of the under two year old VW's I used to work on. German reliability pah.
I found VAGs to be no more reliable than any other. But....... when I worked for Mercedes commercial the local ambulance Authority proudly announced they could buy 3 fiat ducatos to one merc sprinter. We were forever replacing broken trim / handles / hinges / clutches and broken gear lever mounts on the fiats. While the Mercedes just had routine servicing and the odd clutch / dm flywheel.
That's what put me off coupes back in 98 even though I thought they looked amazing.
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Re: Fiat Coupes are unreliable rust-buckets
[Re: Gunzi]
#1481020
27/03/2014 19:21
27/03/2014 19:21
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RoyH
Unregistered
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RoyH
Unregistered
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Ok i have to comment. I have done over 480,000 miles in the 3 coupes we have owned. Two exhausts fallen off One turbo fed its insides to the engine... so rebuild of top end required A couple of burst water hoses And the oil cooler pipes once failed in a car park while not moving so no other damage.
Frozen hand brakes and doors have not let me drive a few times...but the weather was rubbish.
I have bought so much oil and screenwash, and new bulbs every 6 months in the headlights and tyres every 20,000 miles. Disks every 50,000 ish.
But if kept on top of they seem to go on and on.
Roy
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Re: Fiat Coupes are unreliable rust-buckets
[Re: barnacle]
#1481026
27/03/2014 20:21
27/03/2014 20:21
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nissansteve
Unregistered
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nissansteve
Unregistered
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Awesome mileage Roy. I must admit fiat cars are much better than the vans. I worked for Mercedes main dealer from leaving school in 93 till 2001 they were good then. But 01 to 03 vags were awful. Especially 1.6 golf between those years. VW offered £50 to techies finding any potential problems they didn't know about. Let's say 2001/2 was a good year for finding faults.
I went jap after leaving there.
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Re: Fiat Coupes are unreliable rust-buckets
[Re: barnacle]
#1481070
28/03/2014 01:26
28/03/2014 01:26
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baz4205
Unregistered
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baz4205
Unregistered
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The problem with fiat and reliability is the owners.People tend to buy fiats cheap then spend about 50 pence on maintaining it then there bottom lip drops when it breaks down .People that buy german cars spend decent money maintaining there cars therefor they tend to be reliable.
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Re: Fiat Coupes are unreliable rust-buckets
[Re: barnacle]
#1481085
28/03/2014 09:21
28/03/2014 09:21
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nissansteve
Unregistered
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nissansteve
Unregistered
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Rust is now a issue though. By the time you see it, its already eaten through seams. I saw a 52 plate focus yesterday that was severely rotten. And a mazda 6 with rotten arches. I think the coupe has stood up well in the rust department. But we need to act now. As this is what IS going to kill these cars off.
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Re: Fiat Coupes are unreliable rust-buckets
[Re: barnacle]
#1481097
28/03/2014 10:07
28/03/2014 10:07
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Cabbie
Unregistered
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Cabbie
Unregistered
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OK, Dan, you are going to have to spill the beans on how you got Fiat to replace the oil cooler pipes under warranty...
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Re: Fiat Coupes are unreliable rust-buckets
[Re: ]
#1481117
28/03/2014 13:13
28/03/2014 13:13
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 353 Leicester
Dan
Club member 1124
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Club member 1124
Making a profit
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 353
Leicester
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OK, Dan, you are going to have to spill the beans on how you got Fiat to replace the oil cooler pipes under warranty... That's the thing - It wasn't Fiat. I bought the car used from a VW dealer with a year warranty. I got the pipes replaced by Fiat for £440 and sent the invoice to VW. I was stunned to receive a cheque in the post a week later for the full amount!
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Re: Fiat Coupes are unreliable rust-buckets
[Re: barnacle]
#1481123
28/03/2014 14:23
28/03/2014 14:23
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Cabbie
Unregistered
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Cabbie
Unregistered
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Re: Fiat Coupes are unreliable rust-buckets
[Re: barnacle]
#1481681
31/03/2014 22:28
31/03/2014 22:28
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owl10
Unregistered
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owl10
Unregistered
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Gunzi,
Your coupe looks fantastic.
Thats all
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Re: Fiat Coupes are unreliable rust-buckets
[Re: barnacle]
#1483042
09/04/2014 23:49
09/04/2014 23:49
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Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 130 Hemel Hempstead
Freddie
On a journey
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On a journey
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 130
Hemel Hempstead
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I have had my coupé from new 1999 and in that time i have covered 167k miles, i have had 2 cambelt changed 2 sets of disc brakes, 1 exhaust,2 battery,1 clutch and that's it...oh i forgot to mention it had been keyed on both sides so i had it sprayed. It has never never let me down, my wife told me to sell it and get myself a new car and i did think of selling it but glad i didn't, to keep my wife happy i did by a new car a merc cls....guess what i prefer to drive my coupé 20v turbo,
So there you have it this is a very reliable car, still has its original turbo!
Freddie
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Re: Fiat Coupes are unreliable rust-buckets
[Re: barnacle]
#1483403
13/04/2014 11:38
13/04/2014 11:38
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 4,645
JKD
Forum is my job
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Forum is my job
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 4,645
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Or so the knockers would have you believe... I was thinking back on mine after nearly twenty years. In that time it's left me on the side of the road I think fewer than five times: - Cambelt broke at 45k miles, a fortnight before it was booked in for a change: all 16 valves replaced.
- Bottom end expired at about 65k miles, probably as a result of bearing damage from the cambelt breaking: 'keep me running' scrap engine stuffed in and still there 100k later...
- Non start at around 80k miles: starter motor replaced.
- Non start at around 100k miles: failure of the ignition amplifier: replaced with new.
And that's about it. It's had three exhaust systems, one clutch, three or four alternators, two batteries, two thermostats, and a radio - all service items except the last. It's been shunted up the rear twice, once squashing it between the shunter and a landrover; it's had an incident where one side was gauged by a scaffolding bar. It's had two or three small patch repairs on the cabin floor. It's been resprayed once and it's about to get another. It's commuted through London; been cross-country on farm tracks and mountain roads; been in the north of Scotland at -20C; been driven flat out for hours on the Autobahn; been thrashed around Spa. And yet, I get in it and it still fires on the first spin, and it still makes me smile whenever I drive it. Unreliable rustbucket my bottom parts! Barnacle, given your exclusive 'I've owned the original 16v Coop model from new and I've still got it' status, I seriously think you should write another book. 'Trust Doesn't Rust: Reflections on Twenty Years of Fiat Coupe Ownership.'
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Re: Fiat Coupes are unreliable rust-buckets
[Re: barnacle]
#1484658
22/04/2014 16:55
22/04/2014 16:55
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Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 130 Hemel Hempstead
Freddie
On a journey
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On a journey
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 130
Hemel Hempstead
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Barnacle, who would you recomend in fixing a few rust spots? and a bit touching up here and there?
Last edited by barnacle; 22/04/2014 17:28. Reason: sorted image
Freddie
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Re: Fiat Coupes are unreliable rust-buckets
[Re: barnacle]
#1484918
24/04/2014 13:03
24/04/2014 13:03
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Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 130 Hemel Hempstead
Freddie
On a journey
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On a journey
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 130
Hemel Hempstead
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Thanks in sorting my picture out for me..I will get the hang of it one day I'd rather stick local really, it just needs some rust sorting around the door posts you can see it just starting to bubble up, does your car need a lot of work doing to it?
Last edited by barnacle; 24/04/2014 13:55.
Freddie
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Re: Fiat Coupes are unreliable rust-buckets
[Re: barnacle]
#1484920
24/04/2014 13:06
24/04/2014 13:06
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 12,643 Watford
MarioCirillo
Ex El Presidente
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Ex El Presidente
I AM a Coop
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 12,643
Watford
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you could try my old mans business www.autovilla.co.ukhowever they are not cheap but you will get a top job!
Proud Owner of Rosso Speed LE041
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