Hi Chris,
I am very biased, like Neil said, in 2014 I paid £800 for a cat C (declared in 2006... think it got hit by a super tanker or something like!) , the best version in my book, 16v N/A.
Picked it up in Newcastle on a Friday, pretty sure I was at the top of the Stelvio on the Wednesday am!, absolutely fantastic car, 2500 miles in 5 days, no adverse tyre wear , obviously a good cat C repair, drove it from Imola to Dunkerque in one hit.
Pretty sure I will never sell it as it it a logical successor to the Beta, but it does not handle as well due to the 'cheap'/modern? rear suspension set up., where I can hit a comfortable 60mph on an apex in the Beta Coupe, the Coupe Fiat will practically fall off trying to keep up, but not much can keep up with a Beta as we know when they are driven to their potential.
Construction of the Fiat is first class, mine has almost no rust to be interested in at all and was my daily from 2014 until 2020, largely living outside, North facing!
The 16v N/A strangely drinks more oil than the 16v turbo, pretty sure the owners manual says 0.7ltr pr 1000km which is high & the reason not many 16v N/A's survive as 'normal' (ignoramus) people don't pay attention to the consumption then blame the engine destruction on something else.
Not really had to do any major work other than a starter motor re-furb, stainless cat back exhaust with a silencer removed now making the nicest Lampredi note
, oh and deleted the balance shaft belt as I could not find a bearing for it so my skilled mechanic mate copied the Guy Croft idea & I would say the engine sounds and goes better for it.
Buy one now before prices kick, all models are good, we also have a mk1 mx5, very charming but I would pick the Fiat over it every time.
Cheers,
Tim.
