It’s been a while since I posted one of these up. Years in fact since the section was removed - but this one is worth a mention. Looking back over the years, I’ve had many slip-road dust-ups with all manner of opposition. Modified hatches, super saloons, even some pretty formidable exotica from time to time, and yet the old Coop has always been in the running, that magical third gear always doing its thing.

I recently started a new job and I was a little dubious about driving the Coupé at first. It’s covered less than 5,000 miles a year for the past six years so the prospect of doing 300 miles a week was quite worrying. Plans to pick up a cheap runabout were scuppered when my landlord informed me that they were selling my house and so I needed to move on, getting a deposit together at short notice along with the usual expense of a house move. I was fully expecting the Coop to have failed me by now. Six months’ worth of mileage in six weeks was bound to knock her senseless…

I’ve been driving the Coupé to work for seven weeks today and it hasn’t missed a beat. The drive is mostly bumper to bumper traffic with the occasional foray up to national limits, the average speed over the 28 miles each way regularly dipping under 25mh… and yet the coop is still going strong. It starts every time, it gets me home every time and nothing has gone wrong. Sure, it’s throwing all kinds of fluids out from every orifice but ‘they all do that’ and it still keeps on hammering along.

I on the other hand, have taken a pasting

My back is killing me from sitting in the unsupportive seats daily and my left foot is a mess from working that Helix organic. The tendons feel bruised and I can barely put weight on it towards the end of the week. I’m tired after every journey and I now dread getting in the thing, avoiding driving it after work if possible.

So I just wanted to say that, after 12 years of ownership, I feel I finally know what it’s like coming up against a heavily modified Fiat Coupé 20vT… and it isn’t much fun!

Coupé 1-0 Trappy

Great read Trappy thanks for sharing.

Pleased to see you managed to get the words 'magic third gear' in as well!

Funny, I never had any trouble with the organic clutch and the Plus seats I had were supremely comfortable on long journeys. I also never got left behind

Yeah, I find the Plus seats super comfy. I think it depends a little on your body make-up. For instance years and years ago I had a the new vector, When it was new and i could not drive the thing after a few weeks as the seat design give me a trapped nerve in my leg/ass area. Got rid of the car and no more issues!

Maybe a bit more work in the gym mate!

Think my body make-up gone to pot!

Hmm, that doesn't sound great.

A very interesting write-up though, on an aspect of the driving 'experience' not immediately obvious to anyone, on the back of such mods...

Cabin ventilation and noise are always big factors for long term comfort.

A different seat could always be sourced, which might be more ergonomic for distance.

I've no experience of the clutch- but I did once 'toy' with the idea of a 348, and after sitting in it and pressing the clutch- and literally nothing happening- I realised I had to press with so much effort that my back just about went through the drivers' seat.

And I thought- that's not for me...

Maybe you should get a standard Coupé to droll-through-the-miles with; to keep yours special...?

Just get some better seats. Or, get a lovely standard VIS or NA - they are still going cheap, great on fuel, cheap insurance, ultra reliable ... mine sails through the MOT every year. You can still take the turbo for a blow at the weekend.

There is a Porto NA on eBay for under £800! It's in Kent.

My 20VT is my daily drive for more than 12 years, and all i can say it´s really wonderful and really reliable.
In this 12 years the only time it didn´t work was because of a dead battery.
The car will be 20 years in December the only parts that had been changed was the thermostat (of course) an injector, and some pump for the clutch, and of course the cracked manifold
Of course i´m not counting wear parts, clutch and suspension parts and brakes, but beside that no more problems, the turbo is the original one, still running strong, no smoke.

The car now has 110.000 kms and as been much more reliable than my father´s Audi and Mercedes.

I´m so happy with my Coupe that last month i bought another one, a stunning almost brand new 20VT Plus with just 56000 kms, that is amazing

So don´t be afraid of driving the Coupe this car is a tank if well treated.