Italian car nuts?

[zembonez]

The Japanese are not immune to building crappy cars. I won't go into naming names here, but after 30 years in the auto biz I can assure you that I have seen my fair share of Japanese junk that fell apart WELL before their time. Many Japanese cars are very reliable... but not all.

 

[M. Sage]

Yep . They just have a good percentage compared to other makers.

But all that needs be said is... Daihatsu.

 

[zembonez]

That is no joke.

 

[TheDan]

Japanese cars weren't very good in the 70's either. They started getting much better in the 80s... I have a 78 280z that is a great car, but its not nearly as well built as the Japanese cars from just a few years later. I would love to have an old RWD Celica, but those are hard to find because they all fell apart.

Coachrick, the 79 Strada was a pretty terrible car. The later ones with FI ran better, but the car over all is an oddball. I actually traded a few pounds of venision for an 81 Strada. I spent about $80 tuning it up and then drove it for 8 months. It was a total POS with rust holes and stuff falling off it. It did get 35mpg, however. I pulled the motor and saved it for a x1/9 and sold the shell to the scrap yard for $100. I think I got my value out of it, lol.

 

[coachrick]

Coachrick, the 79 Strada was a pretty terrible car. The later ones with FI ran better, but the car over all is an oddball. I actually traded a few pounds of venision for an 81 Strada. I spent about $80 tuning it up and then drove it for 8 months. It was a total POS with rust holes and stuff falling off it. It did get 35mpg, however. I pulled the motor and saved it for a x1/9 and sold the shell to the scrap yard for $100. I think I got my value out of it, lol.

Ah, the good old days! Yep, it was my first year as a struggling sales rep...took the back seats out for more room. I was driving that car when I first started to carry. A guy robbed me at gunpoint AFTER breaking into the Strada. You could see his boot print on the side panel where he tried to pull the locked door open with his bare hands...bent the heck out of the door! The he decided to bust out the liftgate lock with a hammer...knocked it clean out. The engine/drivetrain was the best thing about the car...decent power for a roller skate...better than the Rabbit I traded in! Fix It Again Tony ! BTW, I survived the armed robbery and bought a Beretta Model 84 the next week.

 

[espnazi]

I have a 1978 fiat spider!

It's a fun car but im trying to sell due to the fact that i am 6'2" and cant really seat comfortably, plus i need a more practical car maybe I'll get another one when I have money and get out of college.


The problem is I dont know what to ask for it maybe someone could guide me. The car is in fairly good condition has new carburetor, distributor,brakes, battery,..etc. It would only need paint since the hood was replaced and interior.
So how much $$$ should I ask for it?

 

[IXLR8]

I used to work on used cars in the late 70's. I remember the Fiat's because the did not have a wiring harness. At the factory they would run a wire the shortest distance across the car, and then put the carpet and seats over it. It was impossible to predict where the wires were run.

The Fiat X/19 was really beautiful car for its day, but remember looking at the motors and comparing them in size to a sewing machine. There also seemed to be more rust on the Fiat's than their contemporaries.

I also remember the little Alfa Romeo Spyder, you know "The Graduate" car? People would buy them at the then astronomical $16,000 and bring them in for the 2500 mile service which was $2400.00, and the screaming began!

 

[TheDan]

It's a fun car but im trying to sell due to the fact that i am 6'2" and cant really seat comfortably, plus i need a more practical car maybe I'll get another one when I have money and get out of college.

Stop whining... I'm 6'3" and 250lbs. I like to say my cars "fit like a glove"

It's hard to say what your car is worth without seeing it. If it runs its worth at least $800. If its in really good shape it could be worth $5k. Average price for a Fiat Spider is $1-3k. It all depends. Got any pictures?

 

[espnazi]

It would not be that much of problem other than Its my only car and If I used it I would have to haul all my range stuff in it. There isn't much space in the trunk plus its not a very secure car to have stuff in they would just slash the top and be able to get into the car.

Here is the link to a craigslist ad i posted a while ago 1978 Fiat Spider 124

I went a bit high I guess because I have somewhere around $1000 in spare extra parts sitting around in boxes

 

[TheDan]

I hear ya... My Spider was my only car for about 3 years. I pretty much never put the top up unless it was raining. Even if it was going to sit in a parking lot for a couple hours. I just never kept anything in it that was worth anything. I was more worried about vandals than theives, but luckily nothing ever happened. I still don't keep expensive items in my newer cars even though it locks and everything, lol... Good luck on selling your car. Try posting it on The Fiat Page Forum