How do you view yours?

No, not look out the window and there it is!

Chap came up to me and said' what a lovely 'old' car!' Old struct me as I'd not really thought of it as an old car, it's design is 'timeless', but realistically it is over 22yrs old and the design considerably older, thus by car standards it is old. It is classic in terms of design and pretty much age, but for me 'classic' cars tend to be treated with kid gloves and are generally seen driving along (slowly) on Sunday afternoons or returning from their annual trip to the local car rally, mine doesn't get this and has now become my daily driver.

Do you see yours as old?

Only when bits fall off, break, or don't work.

Rest of the time, it's my wonderful red coupe !

Indeed they are old cars, but there are old cars AND old cars like the Coop. Personally I don’t give it much thought other than jumping in and I still have big grin on my face.

I think that's the point Jim, it doesn't feel like an old car ought to feel!

I know mine is old but I don’t think of it as being old. I don’t think it looks old either but I could be biased a little.

It’s

I will say, and I’ve heard others saying, it’s probably the only car when parked and you head off, l still look back and smile some more, but it’s still an old car though. You could say it’s testimony to it’s owners who like the car so much to keep them road worthy, which we all know, is not easy or cheap.

I tell people I've got a knackered old Fiat

The totally standard, original design of the Coop is 26 years old.

The Limited Edition lips and sideskirts look (which serves as the basis of the Plus edition look) is 22 years old.

So what exactly are 26 car years and 22 car years in human years?

If I were to have a guess, I'd say the Coop was a physically fit, attractive, middle-aged person who gives younger people a run for their money.

Although I haven't had the pleasure, or lived the dream even, of my own coupé for a while now during its extensive renovation I do still have memories of how proud I was to get hold of her not long after its initial restoration. The long-standing forum member who had her then first introduced me to the concept of "coupé-paranoia" which I soon realised was a very real concept...

I'm sitting here half-watching the Last Night of the Proms (Mrs Ed's request) which is a surreal experience, semi-Zoom, players sani-distanced, audience outside - the parallel being that from time-to-time the concept of actually having owned a coupé has been equally distant and unreal.

In more lucid moments though I recall wonderful tours over the north of Scotland and beyond with good friends, a long week in Normandy a couple of years ago at the wheel in which she didn't put a wheel wrong, and happy and exciting visits to Spa and Assen.

In my doubting head I view her as very distant still, being meticulously proofed as far as possible against the ravages of the Scottish climate, while in my positive head I view it as the best car I could ever hope to have owned - and to re-own - before too very long

Lovely words there Simon, I know what you are going through to some extent, my Coop was out of my ownership for a couple of years or so. Joe will tell you how emotional I was when I flew down from the Highlands to pick up the beastie. I may tell you all that I have a great fear of flying as well. Seriously I hung on for the life of me, consoled my a very nice patient Welsh woman who kept me going and listened to my tale of woe about flying. At the airport we bade goodbye like old friends, I thanked her very much for her help and putting up with my bletherings A’s you say Simon and others have as well, the Coop just seems to draw you in and you land up treating it like one of the family, and a very special one at that.

Ah, about sixty then?

The coupe isn't old - it's just run-in.

When it took my 981 Porsche Cayman S owning friend a LARGE amount of MPH to finally draw along side me on a 2 lane private road-before pulling ahead bit by bit-my Coupe did not feel so old at all!

The Aux belts breaking, a few seconds later....yes did make me feel the age of the car.

The Fiat Coupe is simply what it is - an overlooked bit of Italian magic, where they went for looks and power before anything else. It's to my mind a 90's touch of the 50's/60's flair for car design. Its let down today mainly by the fact that its still in recognised and therefore, parts and support is becoming harder to get for a reasonable budget.

The rise and rise of power on standard cars mean- its not the benchmark it used to be for speed. Well...unless you play with it...BUT...is there anything remotely like it on sale today?

Regards

MM

Yes I use that one when overtaken by some idiot in an Audi (BMW etc other idiots are available) 'so your so proud of yourself for over taking a 22yr old knackered old Fiat with half your HP?'