Having owned one of these from new (not a bad car at all) in 1989 (sold within family in 1992) I'm surprised that there seem to be so few of them about now.
Maybe one day Fiat will actually make a car that will last for more than ten years like their German rivals?
Come to think of it I haven't seen an Uno for ages (I had two of those).
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Galvanised, yes. Built to last, hahahahaha!
Fiats of the era lasted about six or seven years and then all hell broke loose mechanically/electrically.
By the time they're a decade old and not worth a light (same as any other mainstream car) the repairs are coming thick and fast.
Yes they don't rot, but that doesn't mean they last well.
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In comparison my 1985 Golf has just been scrapped (the young owner rang me in tears as he can't afford to put it right for MOT!).
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Not necessarily. The Tipo sold for far less. Second hand values were also far less. Any repairs needed, be it routine or not, suddenly become not economically viable, so car is scrapped sooner.
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Any repairs needed be it routine or not suddenly become not economically viable so car is scrapped sooner.
There is that of course -- coupled with the fact that this Fiat was "unloved" so there are few people willing to go over the odds for one.
There should still be more 1995 cars still kicking around though than there are.
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Were there that many around at the time? I had one, sold it in A1 condition to a mates sister. It developed a minor oil leak and she didnt bother to get it fixed. The engine eventually seized and it was scrapped
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I find it interesting that of the early-mid 90's cars you see around, among the most numerous and certainly among the best in outward condition are the Peugeots, Renaults and Citroens that the motoring press at the time said were poorly built and would fall to bits. Still see lots of 106's, 205's, 405's, AXs, ZX's, and first gen Meganes and Lagunas. Very rarely do they look ready for the knacker's yard either. Still a lot of tidy looking R8 Rover 200s around as well.
The last Tipo I saw was a mint L reg Sedicivalvole on the M25 about six months ago.
Cheers
DP
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My local independent loathes Fiats. The rear suspensions regularly collapse. As for the bedy, it may last 100 years but the electrics have a deigned in half life of 4 years after which they generate random faults.
Some people design in quality. Fiat design in faults.
106s are generally long lasting as repairs are simple and parts are cheap.. and maintenance is easy. Despite a few design weaknesses, the electrics last as well...(I manintain 3.. 2 over 10 years old.).
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I had a Fiat with galvanized chassis-excellent but the rest of the body fell apart round it-Fiat breaker took one look at it and said "No thank you".
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>Still a lot of tidy looking R8 Rover 200s around as well.<
I have owned a couple of these and they are very long lasting if you service them, esp the Honda engined auto's. they also, for their day, had excellent build quality, far better than the Escort/Astra.
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I find it interesting that of the early-mid 90's cars you see around among the most numerous and certainly among the best in outward condition are the Peugeots Renaults and Citroens
See shed loads of those really badly built appaling rubbishy clios around sporting early 90s K registrations.
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Maybe one day Fiat will actually make a car that will last for more than ten years like their German rivals?
You mean like my Mum's 1993 318i with more rust than metal and an engine noisier than the space shuttle at a "mere" 150k miles? ;)
No car is built to last forever, the manufacturer would be uncompetitive. From there they either go bust or cost cut to survive, c.f. Mercedes mid-90s onwards!
Edited by TheOilBurner on 01/09/2008 at 13:05
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No car is built to last forever >>
Nor would it be desirable.Just look at the advances in safety,comfort,reliability etc. over the last ten years.
Most of us would rather drive a newish car than a ten/twelve year old one.
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