Fiat coupe 20v turbo cool or uncool

[Graham]

Great car , hand built and very tunable.
I work with a girl who has one running about 480bhp reliably. And it is Fiats version of noggy blue.



5 pot is actually pretty reliable compared to other Fiat/Alfa lumps. Not much goes wrong with them really.

Maintenance can be an issue, such as changing the cambelts. Most places will want to take the engine out but some skilled guys can do it in situe.

I will be getting one within the next 2 years.

Doing the cambelt in situ is possible but you have to get a bit agricultural with it. My bro's marea had its belt done in situ, it was a case of undo suspension, undo subframe, undo linkages, and using a wide wooden wedge between the engine support and inner wing open up the gap. Then swear, curse, and do the Basil Fawlty thing and hit it with a branch, cos the only bit of skin left on you hands has just been removed trying to get a bolt in about 2/3 of the way down. It took 7 hrs as every fitting on the car is crap quality and either cracks snaps or rounds off, then once its all done you snap the bonnet cable which once again requires the engine so be shuffled about again---Prick to work on. I see them as a stunningly beautiful looking car, held together with wattle and daub.
Good luck dont want to put you off, you might be lucky and never touch the car only for servicing.
Graham

[Error404]

i never liked the crazy wheel arches on them, they look like a south london teenager's had a go at them with a blade

[Greg_S]

Yeah I think they are cool, got some nice styling too. DoctorFrag (Joe) on here has one running about 300hp which is very quick since it is lighter than the S2's too

[sheppardnias]

I'd treat it like I would an Alfa Romeo. Look at it, say how well it goes and how good it looks. Admire the Italian flare and admit to wanting one. I'd then run away and be gratefull that it's not me facing the repair bills on it.

Almost bought a FIAT diesel which (for a diesel) sounded great and went well but IIRC that was a 5 pot too (this is pre the 1.9 engines used now). I enquired how much a cambelt would cost and how often I'd need to change it based on me doing 45k miles a year. After that I ran away and never looked back. Repair and servicing was unbelieveable.

I'd certainly love to borrow a coupe, just not own it...

[hiltoa]

Like many good looking Italians - fantastic for a short term affair, but you wouldn't want a long term relationship... :mischeif:

[220bhp]

Just had another drive in this thing,its scary fast by that I mean you don't feel in control like in the s2.Stearing wheel looks great but feels like ****, no lock at all,wheel spins are second nature to it ,brakes are prity good, colour is noggy blue type ,leather seats are cool,had a women driver for a while so its had a new clutch,new tyres and cambelt 40000mls ago,few dents but all in all not to bad .I guess we will have to see how things pan out

[20vQC]

no way.... I hate Fiats. Those 20V turbo are a pain in the @ss! Once you go over the 300hp barrier you could start to say good bye to the engine(btw I'VE HEARD that the tune up is harder in comparisson with Audi's 5-pot... is that right??????). Reliability is poor, the consumption-to-power ratio is too high, maintenance is way too short between one and another, ect... that is about the engine. On the rest of the car... a corolla has better handling than the F.Coupè, spare costs are in the sky (even in italy). Nice but weird design, body and interior quality is higher than other fiats from those years, braking is good. It's a nice and very quick car but the same as happened with the old Uno turbo i.e... a quick way to death hehe

I don't like it! lol

[Heat Seeking Missile]

I like them, but as said by many others, all the fixings are horribly weak on all Fiats. I think thy're a good looker, but Bangle's designs always include what you could call a bizarre line. Take a look at the E60 BMW 5-series.

Mark

[AquaS2]

I quite the look of them in their 'noggy' blue, they come with brembo's if i'm correct! How do they fare in the performance side of things to a standard S2?