What's Bad
Avoid the 903cc 'Uno 45' engine (the timing chain and valve gear rattle and it's well past its sell-by date).
Unos look like old washing machines in white.
Many started their UK lives on rental fleets. Privately owned Unos that are used for shopping and the school run never warm up, contaminate their oil and suffer premature engine wear.
What to Watch Out For
Rust by the bucketload in pre-1990 facelift models.
Gearbox problems common when the car was new, but if it has lasted it should be okay.
Be extremely careful buying a Turbo (if you can find one) as the engine was very easily hopped up to give much more power and 'boy raced' to death.
Duff catalytic converters. Kerbing damage.
Bonnet catch cable releases break, so you have to ask yourself how long it has been broken and how long since anyone looked underneath.
Selecta best avoided due to potentially expensive problems.
If the car suffers from crashing from rear suspension, replace rear upper shock absorber mounts. About £12 from FIAT.
Problems with rear drum brake adjustors. FIAT/Alfa joint worst for breakdowns attended by German ADAC during 2001. High 7 out of 9 point death rate from accidents in this model.
