Well I've had my Clio 172 for a couple of months now, and while it does put a smile on my face occasionally, it just isn't a coop. I have been considering a 993 Carrera4, but to get a decent one would leave me perilously close to a zero bank balance and should anything go wrong (It would be a 10 year old car, Porsche or not) I could end up struggling to keep it going. So, I'm considering coming back to the coupé fold, but I wont do it for any old coupe. I want my dream coupe. I want a Pearly white, completely immaculate, unmolested, cared for by an obsessive owner with all the major jobs done. Is it possible to find such a rare beast, or would I be better off Unicorn hunting in Sherwood?

Discuss....

So, you have 2 hopes, Bob Hope and No Hope

Yeh not the easiest of tasks.

Mine with 43k or whatever its done is nice, but like ALL low milers its not mechanically perfect, infact the engine is a little sick.

Carl, I wish I could have bought my bruised one back from the Insurance. The engine had done 65k, Silkolene ProS every 6K from when I bought it (38k), I'd just had the cambelt (PowerFiat) and the clutch (MotorMech) done in the previous 3 months. It would have been an ideal transplant for that Pearly of yours and I'd be very close to perfection.

B*ll*cks

Can you not buy another coop (in say silver or a lovely moon grey plus) and have Carl respray it? Remember, I'm a woman, so this may be a stupid suggestion

Who took yours brewster? Salvage co. name or recovery agent?

my old one is stuck on £300 on ebay, closes in 10mins!

think vickster is right but good luck

Carl, I binned all the details I had written down literally last week. I think it may have been Whitchurch recovery or something like that, but I googled it and I can't find anything. That said the crash was in early February and it was declared a total write off so I imagine it would have been crushed. I don't think the engine would have taken a knock though as it was the passenger front corner that took the brunt.

Nah that will have gone as a cat c to auction.

If you think of the area gimme a shout.

The problem with Vicks plan is the cost of a mint LE or Plus and then the respray cost (circa £2k) on top. I don't mind paying an extra £1k for a pearly, but you don't often find a Coupé that has been looked after mechanically, but not cosmetically, adjusting the price, and therefore the cost of a respray, in my favour.

Be a bit more than 2k for a paint.

Pearly would take approx 7 litres for a proper inc shuts job.

At approx £130 a litre for proper paint.

...and Bob Hope just left town.

something like this one? Probably still more, but it's a late six speeder

Did look on German eBay for you, but nothing...a rather nice orange one but with a hideous ironing board on the back

What's up with the engine on yours Carl? Would it be worth having it reconditioned if I alleviated it from you?

Put the engine from adder's Plus into carl's Pearly White and away you go (subject to agreed prices etc.).

Sprint blue plus that's what you need! mind you they're about as rare as pearly ones

There's a nice looking red plus at Solo Italia at the moment, not sure on its history though ?

Well Mr Brewster we appear to have the same Desire .

I too have been thinking of getting my hands on a pristine Coupé that I would be keeping for a LONG time. The Pearly Plus is on my shortlist, as is the Energy Green.

I still have great affection for Old Audi's though and everytime I consider raiding the savings to buy a Coupé I can't resist the thoughts of owning another UrQuattro.

never seen a pearl in the flesh, not sure if it suits the car or not. If its a keeper a respray is not such a bad idea. let you take out all the dings, door dents etc and give you a mint car. Damn expensive option tho on what is an old car.

I would be looking for an all original minter to keep and cherish for many years to come.

Ditto, shall we have a proper contest over this one?

First to roll 6 gets it?

Having seen a couple of pearl ones in the flesh, it's a nice colour but not *that* nice, certainly not worth the massive premium when new.

Just been having a look on the Italian Ebay site , low and behold what should I find staring at me but a rather nice looking pearly "blanco".......

http://cgi.ebay.it/FIAT-COUPE-2000-...hZ018QQcategoryZ9843QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Very Nice Indeed.....

Scooby, how much more of a premium was the pearly coop when new?

IIRC when i looked at the coupe in 1999 the option was over 1k, maybe 1.5k?

Yep, £1500 or thereabouts

That's probably what Hammond paid for his pearly whites

He lives round here, haven't seen him about though.

I'm tempted by the thought of doing this, too, Barmybob. It would have to be a rare colour and an original minter. I guess that narrows it down to Yellow, Sprint Blue, Pearly and Energy Green.

I'm borderline obsessive about them being in decent nick; can't stand the way some the cars I see are kept. Even bugs me how some people, even after they've had a car re-sprayed, then let their car's go again relatively quickly.

Thing is, Carl's got most (all?) of these, too......