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Car Tawk

That typo is brought to you by FAIT.

:p

I'm actually a little surprised about the placing. While I do understand that FIAT's never been that high on the reliability chart, Top Gear has had several different FIATs on in the recent past and they rather liked the 500.

Fortunately or not, FIAT's and Smart's placing on the charts do nothing for me for my next car purchase: I need a vehicle that seats four comfortably -- and the driver's seat and ride have to be verrrry comfortable. Hey, I spend 2 hours a day in my car. The Mustang convertible's fun to drive, but it's not very comfortable.
 
I'm not sure how reliable J. D. Power's surveys are. Maybe they're just selling bragging rights. I have more faith in Consumer Reports.
 
I worked on new Fiats back in 1969, during my short career as a car mechanic. I got layed off before our little charges accumulated enough miles to do the falling apart thing. But they were very cool cars to drive, spirited with great handling. 850's and 124's mainly, and an ugly sedan that was badge engineered as a Lada or something in Russia and the Eastern Bloc.

And no, I didn't see any Fiats rusting out on the showroom floor.:tongue:

Julian
 
I've always been fond of the Alfa Romeo Spider. Someone in the neighborhood I lived in when I was much younger had one of these in baby-blue.

The reason why I mention the Alfa is because I eventually found out that there's a FIAT Spider that looks practically identical: Alfa's now part of FIAT, after all. I just knew that I could afford the FIAT, if I really wanted to.

The only car I regret not buying was a 1956 Chevy 210 (offered to me in the 1990's -- I'm a grandfather, but I'm not that old). I've had several I regretted buying, though :).

It's only been in the past few years that I've been able to try to get a car for a reason other than "really cheap." I went for "reliable" and "big enough to haul all my stuff" a couple times. As mentioned above, I now want "really comfortable" with "relatively good reliability."
 
Seriously there are quie a few Fiats at work with very high mileages, including a Punto with over 300 000KM and has just gone through it's bi-annual inspection without a problem and an Uno which did over 500 000KM. Pretty much minimal problems on these cars. A more recent Barchetta also did over 300 000KM.

Fiat own Alfa Romeo, and have done for some time.

Fiat made a spider based on the 124 chassis - a really pretty car and there are quie a few still running around here. They have a terrible reputation for rust and reliability. But rust is dealt with by taking the car off the road during winter, to avoid the salt.
http://world-viewer.com/fiat-124-spider.html

The spider to look out for is the Dino, with a Ferrari Dino engine inside.....
http://caretro.com/tag/fiat-dino-convertible/

Some years ago I was doing a lot of business travel, and hiring a lot of small cars as a result. The Punto was by far the most fun of all the cars I drove, and the little Opel the worst.

Rust is a problem, especially on the earlier ones.
 
I had a Fiat 850 Spyder, brand new in 1970. By that time, they were bored out to 902 cc because of anti-pollution devices. You could get a tenor sax or alto sax in a gig bag into the (front) luggage compartment. My Conn baritone sax fit in its hard case into the rear convertible top compartment even when the top was down, but you could steal it, no problem, if you knew it was in there. Mileage was fantastic, and two dollars, yes TWO DOLLARS filled the tank.

They had a reputation for blowing up at about 50,000 miles. I sold mine at 30,000 and went on the road - Big success story.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fiat_850_Spider_(16.06.2007).jpg
 
Fiat has made some beautiful cars, especially the various Spyders, and it may well be they are now building reliable vehicles. But in the 1970s I bought a new Fiat 128 that taught me the true meaning of a lemon. After a couple of months with that shop queen the dealer took pity and got me out of it.

That car soured me on Fiat forever.
 
Surveys aren't always right

We have a 2009 smart Passion, and have precisely zero problems with the car as far as reliability issues are concerned. Not so much as a cough over thirty five thousand miles thus far.

We did take the precaution of buying one with a solid roof - the much hyped Macron® transparent roof looks like a great idea until you consider that it makes the interior a hot house even in wintertime. Other than that, standard all of the way.

We like everything about the car except one "feature" - unfortunately, one that is impossible to correct. The small size of the vehicle, particularly the low height of the front end of the vehicle, limits the amount of suspension throw. It is a very rough riding vehicle under the street and road conditions operative here in Houston. (On the better roads up north, no problems.) From my time in Austin Healeys and MGs, I recall the same problem - small car, smaller suspension.

My wife's back is not up to a harsh ride in any car, and after a chance fall backward into a flower box this spring (don't ask), neither has been mine. Additional seat cushioning has not helped.

For that reason alone, we are looking to replace it in the very near future with a Scion iQ, meaning that someone will get a flawless 2009 Passion in immaculate condition. I hate to give it up, what with the small size and extreme gas mileage, but it has to go.

The iQ, while not perfect in some ways, is a very compact vehicle with a big car like ride (and better seats than those on the smart), a limited third and fourth seat utility that converts into a two seat car with a lot of cargo space (more important in our case), plus the octopus-like Toyota dealership network. (Getting a smart worked on is a chancy proposition unless you happen to be located near one of the limited number of smart dealership (dual purpose Mercedes-Benz facilities - not all of them do work on smarts).

And, the iQ doesn't have the two tire size arrangement of the smart. For whatever reasons (most likely for higher gas mileage), the front and rear tires on the smart are of two different (and hard to find) sizes. In a pinch, you can run a front wheel on the rear end, but if you would have a blowout (i.e., not a fixable puncture), you risk being marooned in East Nowhere OK for as long as five days while a replacement tire is air freighted in.

Like many newer (and high mileage) designs, the smart has no spare tire. Call me old fashioned, or over cautious, but I really like having the option of a spare tire in order to avoid the above scenario. (I have had about one blowout of a tire every 100,000 miles of vehicle travel.)

For that reason, I pursued a workaround solution to the "tire pump and slime" method of spare that is the rule these days.

img0505tk.jpg


The above is my "Continental kit" solution to the spare problem, one that rides on the car whenever we drive out of the immediate Houston TX area. It requires a trailer hitch to be placed on the car, but it allows for a spare mounted on a carrier that plugs into the hitch. It also has the added advantage of providing a stand-off bumper for minor rear end damage - taking the bumper out of play on a smart isn't much of a loss, since all of the body panels are designed to fail (and pop off) in the event of a collision.

When we get the iQ, I'll have to create something similar, although the iQ will require a side-swinging arrangement to clear the tailgate. I can't use the smart tire holder in any event, as the smart uses a three bolt arrangement in lieu of the more common five.

I always cause a sensation at car dealers when I make the crucial test of every new car under consideration. If it doesn't fit my coffin-like Yamaha baritone case, we don't buy it.

(For the record, it fits just fine in the smart (with the right seat in the folded position), along with my other horns, my horn rack, a cooler, a computer bag, and a couple of books to read between the tunes. In the iQ, the only way that a baritone will work will be in a gig bag, but it will work.)
 
Yes, those were the Fiat models I was referring to, the 850 and 124 spyder. We also sold Alfa Romeo. Alfa had a two seater sports car, a four place two door coupe, and a four place four door sedan. 1969 was the first year for mechanical fuel injection in the Alfa's, and I used to dig the low menacing whine that these units produced at idle, much like the fuelie 'Vettes of the '50s and early '60s. The Alfa's could be little rocket ships if you knew where to place the shifts, and nice handling.

We also sold the 1969 Saab. We had the Saab 96v4, which used a Ford derived v4 engine with a four speed column activated trans. We also had the station wagon and the very rare Saab sports car, the Sonett.

The Saab 96's were big fun. They had decent power with the v4, and they had great handling if you had the nerve to keep your foot down when cornering, and the nerve to ignore the body roll. With the 96, body roll was your friend. I guess that's why their great rallye driver, Eric Carlsson was known as "Eric on the roof."

Julian
 
Since this 'car thread' is still going I'll try to remember and list all of the cars that I have ever owned...

1. Qty (1) 1968 Buick Electra '225' 2 door hardtop - 430 CID - V8
2. Qty (1) 1962 Chevrolet Biscayne 2 door sedan - 235 CID - inline 6 cyl
3. Qty (1) 1967 Plymouth Valiant 4 door sedan - 225 CID - slant 6 cyl
4. Qty (3) 1967 Datsun roadster - 1600 CC - inline 4 cyl
5. Qty (1) 1966 Chevrolet Bel Air 4 door sedan - 250 CID inline 6 cyl
6. Qty (2) 1961 Chevrolet Biscayne 2 door sedan - 235 CID inline 6 cyl
7. Qty (1) 1962 Volvo Model PV544 2 door sedan - 1800 (?) CC inline 4 cyl
8. Qty (5) 1961 Chevrolet Impala 2 door hardtop - (2) 283 CID / (1) 348 CID / (1) 409 CID V8
9. Qty (2) 1961 Chevrolet Impala 4 door hardtop - (1) 283 CID / (1) 348 CID V8
10. Qty (1) 1964 Oldsmobile '98' 4 door hardtop - 394 CID V8
11. Qty (1) 1964 Oldsmobile '98' 2 door hardtop - 394 CID V8
12. Qty (1) 1963 Chevrolet Impala 'SS' 2 door hardtop - 283 CID V8
13. Qty (1) 1964 Chevrolet Impala 2 door hardtop - 350 CID V8
14. Qty (1) 1964 Ford Galaxie '500 XL' 2 door hardtop - 352 CID V8
15. Qty (1) 1974 Oldmobile Delta 88 2 door hardtop - 350 CID V8
16. Qty (1) 1975 Buick Century 2 door hardtop - 350 CID V8
17. Qty (1) 1976 Buick Century station wagon - 350 CID V8
18. Qty (1) 1984 Chevrolet Caprice 2 door sedan - 305 CID V8
19. Qty (1) 1985 Chevrolet Caprice station wagon - 305 CID V8
20. Qty (1) 1989 Pontiac Bonneville 4 door sedan - 231 CID V6
21. Qty (1) 1984 Ford Escort - 4 cyl (can't remember motor size)
22. Qty (1) 1978 Oldsmobile '98' 4 door sedan - 403 CID V8
23. Qty (1) 1979 Cadillac DeVille 4 door sedan - 425 CID V8
24. Qty (1) 1995 Chevrolet Impala 'SS' 4 door sedan - 350 CID (LT-1)
25. Qty (1) 1998 Chevrolet Silverado pick-up truck - 350 CID V8
26. Qty (1) 1996 Chevrolet Blazer 2 door suv - V6 (can't remember motor size)
27. Qty (1) 2000 Chevrolet Malibu - inline 4 cyl (can't remember motor size)
28. Qty (1) 2000 Chevrolet Blazer 2 door suv - V6 (can't remember motor size)
29. Qty (1) 2006 Honda Ridgeline pick-up truck - V6 (can't remember motor size)
30. Qty (1) 2010 Honda Ridgeline pick-up truck - V6 (can't remember motor size)
31. Qty (1) 1969 Triumph 'Trophy' motorcycle - 500 CC

32. I also had a Volkswagen 'Cabriolet' briefly but I can't remember the year or motor size...4 cyl...my youngest daughter drove it.

I may have missed some...

Added:

33. Qty (1) 2000 GMC Envoy 4 door suv - V6 (can't remember motor size)
 
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After the first few I owned, I started just started counting :).

Here's a few:

1989 Chevy Beretta
1993 Buick Regal
199x Buick Regal
1976 Chevy Nova
1987 Mercury Lynx
1984 Chevy Fiero (worst car I've owned)
1977 Pontiac Firebird
1980 Chevy Camaro
1980s Dodge Reliant K-Car
1980s Chrysler Cordoba (yes, it had plush Corinthian leather)
1979 VW Rabbit Diesel
1963 VW Type I (Beetle)
1969 VW Type I (Beetle)
2006 Ford Mustang
2006 Ford Taurus
2001 Chevy Malibu
2001 Olds Alero
1993 Mercury Sable wagon
1987 Eagle Premier
1984 AMC Eagle 4x4
1987 Ford Mustang
1984 Olds Delta 88
1987 Chevy Caprice (best car I've owned, based on the price I got it for, how long I owned it and the low amount of repairs)
1980s Ford Country Squire wagon
1969 Volvo 164 (had to look up the model # to confirm)
1993 Chevy Cavalier
1987 Olds Cutlass

I'm missing a bunch and model years are just as good as my failing memory: I keep trying to think of 'em in the order I owned them, but I keep remembering to add car X. I don't want to add too many duplicates. I also note that GM is rather well represented. That wasn't intentional.

Work vehicles:
1993 Pontiac Grand AM
1993 Chevy 1500 Pickup
1993 Chevy Astro Van
199x Chevy Astro Van

FWIW, the Regals I owned had the very nice 3800 V6 engine. They also both consistently got around 30mpg.
 
What were you running there, a motor pool? I got my first car (an Opel GT) back in the 1960s, but since then have only owned ten additional vehicles. Of course, we run all of our stuff out to the two or three hundred thousand mile figure, but still that half of your total or less. What gives?
 
I started counting and came up with 25 different cars I've owned. I think I forgot a few, and that doesn't count the cars for my sons when they were teenagers. The more interesting cars I drove were two Triumph TR3s and a Porsche 356 (all one step from the salvage yard), and three Studebakers -- two Hawks and one Lark. The others were more mundane.

And Terry, I had an Opel Manta that I bought new, drove for eight years, then sold to a nephew. It was a good car, and surprisingly fast.
 
I now feel like a Neanderthal - technically I don't own a car.

I do pay its bills, but legally Dah Missus is the owner, as she is a car-only person.
I owned a small number of motorcycles - a 1963 Vespa G.S. (bought for $80 off a wrecking site), a 1980ish Honda Twin and now an 125cc Cityfly. The latter is the only vehicle that was new, everything else is or was 2nd/3rd/nth hand.

One day, when I'm stinking filthy rich, I'll buy this. (the Pachyderm might be an optional item, I'll have to check).
 
Very relevant short video. Helen will love this, if she hasn't seen it already.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNUfils1X4I
Today, I had my Mustang convertible vs. full-size baby stroller. The stroller won.

The Fiero, mentioned above, had a dinky space in the "trunk" (mid-engine car; no front storage space) that could fit an alto and clarinet. I think I drove it once with a bari in the front seat.

SOTSDO said:
What were you running there, a motor pool?
Well, I had an excuse: ex-wife was a mechanic, so we often had more than one car (and at least one motorcycle) in various stages of repair at various times. Additionally, I've only bought a couple cars new:

Cavalier
Malibu
Beretta
One of the Regals

In my list, I had a couple cars that were given to me and several that were under $500. Since I remarried (11 years), I've had to replace three cars that were driven until they were no longer cost effective to repair and one that was totaled in an accident.

Personally, I would rather buy a nice newer -- not new -- car that has a good warranty than any of the older fixer-uppers my ex-wife was fond of. I purchased a warranty for my Mustang and I've used it a couple of times. I've not yet bought a "certified used" vehicle (definition changes with each manufacturer), but I've considered them.
 
More car tawk.

For my wife's birthday, she got her car replaced. Well, I'm saying it was for her birthday. She seems to accept that :). Anyhow, it's a replacement of our Taurus that had 120K miles on it and was needing repair. The new vehicle is a Nissan Sentra. It looks like, but didn't cost this.

I've got two comments about the car: first, the CVT is pretty much all kinds of awesome. Really smooth. Second, well, it can comfortably seat the 5'-ish daughter and the 4'-ish daughter in the back. It's a bit small for the 6'-ish me, except in the front.

Oh. Third comment. The difference in price between a used Sentra and a brand spankin' new one was about $1000. Allegedly, the used car market is relatively slim in the US because of the recession.

Of course, then my car broke yesterday. $1000 for multiple things that need repair. *Sigh*. well, it does have over 100K miles on it, so I suppose that the repair bill isn't that bad.

Anyhow, if the Sentra lasts for two-ish years, my Mustang replacement will definitely be a semi-new Nissan Altima, which is the size up from the Sentra. That car definitely has the right combo of size, comfort and gas mileage.
 
wow, that's alot of cars owned up there. I've only owned a few
1986 Escort GT
1992 Escort LXe (I should have kept the GT)
1994 Ford Mustand Cobra
1996 Ford Windstar
1999 Honda Odyssey
2005 Honda Odyssey
2009 Ford Taurus X

Also,
1998? Kawasaki Ninja250R
2001 Honda Interceptor

technically mine but were the ex-wife's
1991 Ford Explorer XLT
19something Geo Prism
1998 Ford Mustang LX
2001 Honda Accord
2002 Ford Econoline 250 with raised roof, tv, etc
2004 Ford Windstar
2008 Ford Explorer XLT
 
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