Getting into a Barchetta

Hi guys,

Popping over from the Coupe section on here where I've posted a few times (also I'm quite a regular on FCCUK) as we are in the market for a Barchetta.

Our main car currently is a Skoda Fabia TDi, which was great when my commute was 1000 miles a week, but now this is a lot less, we fancy something a bit more 'interesting' and convertible. The Barchetta is something we've considered and looked at before when buying both of our Coupes, it's a wonderful, characterful car, plus my wife is tired of driving around the Skoda ('it's not her look' apparently )

The Barchetta would be my wife's car and our 'main' driver, used for work every day and also at weekends as the Coupe only gets used a couple of times each week.

How do people find using their B during the winter? (the LHD isn't a problem for us)

Also, I'm 6'2'', the driving position is fine (a problem I've had with an MX5 where I couldn't get my knees around the steering wheel), but I've only ever sat in one with the top down - do you all think I'll have enough headroom with the hood up?

If anyone is considering selling or knows of a good Barchetta for sale or one that could be for sale, I'd really appreciate it if you could let me know There is a midnight blue one for sale on PH at the moment which I'm in contact with the seller about. Owning a Coupe I know to appreciate these sort of cars based on history and condition rather than mileage or age and with the rarity of the B, I'm willing to travel.

Lanciaman - I spotted on another thread that you are thinking of selling your B - is this still the case? I'm up in Scotland in August (wife is from the Borders, we'll be visiting in-laws). Feel free to PM me

Cheers,

Simon

Welcome!

Good taste in cars - I'm a big fan of coupes too.

I've had my 2000 barchetta for 3 years now. For the first two years it was purely a summer car but I sold my other car and used the barchetta all through the winter last year. I've had no problems doing this and would recommend it. It's fairly watertight with the hood up and has good heating/ventilation. As an everyday car it can be a bit noisey (wind and exhaust) on the motorway and is obviously quite small - though has more space than an MX-5. There does seem to be plenty of headroom with the roof up. One irritant is the lack of space in the cabin for oddments - mine has a passenger airbag so no glovebox - there are two tiny door pockets and small cubby between the seats that's next to useless. Most stuff just ends up on the floor!

Go for it and enjoy! Just make sure you get one with a good history that's been well looked after. Despite the rarity there always are plenty for sale on Autotrader et al.

Good luck

On the height side, my Dad's 6ft4 and didn't seem to have any problem during a three hour drive last year.

I use my car all year round, but there are a few gotchas:

1. Plastic rear window gets brittle in cold weather, so be careful folding the roof down on a cold day. Don't let a long piece of wood your transporting for DIY purposes get pushed against it :-) Or, get a hard top.
2. Over three winters I once had the door handles freeze shut. Easy to fix though!
3. If the hand brake rubber boot isn't in good nick the hand brake can freeze on.

Other than tht I've had no problems and have even commuted to Luxembourg in it!

I'm 6'2" and have no problems at all, go for it, theres nothing makes you smile more!

[quote=Mad Matt;1634133]2. Over three winters I once had the door handles freeze shut. Easy to fix though!
3. If the hand brake rubber boot isn't in good nick the hand brake can freeze on.
QUOTE]

Had both of these with the Coupe. Petrol cap freezes too...

Cheers guys.

Well, I am 6'5" and have no problem with my B with the hood up or down. Always prefer it with the hood down of course. I have driven her to the South of France twice in the last 10 months and it has never been a problem, room wise or in any other way. Buy a nice one and you will never want to get rid of it, which is why mine is not for sale. Happy hunting.
Rich

Hi Simon, glad to see you popping over, most here with Barchetta's also love the coupe so there is plenty of mutual respect for both cars.

The Barchetta can easilly be used as a main car as long as obviously you won't need more than 2 seats. The boot space although limited is quite spacious and have had 4 alloys in the boot in the past.

There is no point in going into the all the aspects of checking a car you are buying as I'm sure you are compitent already but briefly the bigest concern if using daily and not garaged is to make sure that the window and cover rubbers are in perfect condition, if this is the case it should remain water tight. One way to check that the windows are OK is to drive at 60-70 drop the windows and put them back up again. If they don't go back up perfectly into place the windows need adjusted again to prevent any leaks.

Both Lanciaman and KC3 are selling cars that I would be more than happy buying over the phone so worth talking to.....

I do hope you get what you are looking for and positive that you will be very happy owning and running a barchetta.

Anyway pop in anytime with any questions and I'm sure we can help you out.

Get one gwan gwan gwan. You'll love it. I have a hardtop on mine which makes the winter months much less of a hassle. It was great in Jan this year on the run from the midlands to the Mull of Kintyre.

If you find one anywhere that you're thinking of buying post it here if you want some opinions but beware of colour prejudice. I couldn't whole hearedly recommed one that's not Rosso Corsa in colour.

As has been said a few times go for it. I'm 6'2" and use it for a daily commute and some quite long journeys with no hassle, as for brittle rear screen, use a length of pipe insulator not wood. Your wife and you will love it.

Hiya Fella

I think everything that needs to be said has been said! But as I am famous for talking lots I will reiterate, fab car to drive day to day, LHD is no issue (apart from car park barriers), great car in the winter - heater is effective, handbrake is not an issue - just park it in gear, doorhandles are not too much of an issue - put a matchstick behind them when you leave the car, boot is very respectable size for a 2 seater, lots of headroom with the hood up.

Go for a late mk1 and try to get one with the comfort pack (leather etc) or better still try to get a Riviera (like Lanciaman's), must have is full service - if you want a comprehensive 'what to look for list' drop me a PM.

I would give Lanciaman's some serious consideration, if it were not for my work position I would probably sell mine and buy his.................

Dear Simon and all!

It's good to be back. In some weird way I missed this forum during my 1 week drinking spree holiday.

Simon, I have a late (2000) mk1 Riveria with aircon. I'm really happy with the spec and the standard alloys that come with it are just a treat. However, I can't stress enough that you request details (including receipts) when buying from a stranger. My car has a full service history (according to the service manual), but I've still ended up spending 2000 getting a cam shaft rebuild to help correct VVT issues. It's around 25 degrees in Tampere Finland now, but I'm sitting in the Fiat garage waiting for the mechanic to fix issues that we already fixed with the expensive service just before my hols.

But, I don't mind, Zippy is worth it. You see Simon, once you get a B, nothing else matters =)

getting in and out the B is only a problem when:

• -top/hardtop is on
• -driver being over 6'2''
• -driver being over 40 year old
• -driver being overweight
• -driver being in bad condition (stiff & sore)
• -driver suffering from bad back

All this because of the awkward angle to get into the B in "one cool, fluid motion" without lookign like an overweight, overaged mid-life crisis prat

However, all these problems do not apply when there is no roof thou


And the seats in the B are actually were good... all those who suffer from a bad-back here will testify

I think a fair amount of that list can apply to a person fitting that description getting into, or out of any car!!

Dear Simon and all!

It's good to be back. In some weird way I missed this forum during my 1 week drinking spree holiday.

Simon, I have a late (2000) mk1 Riveria with aircon. I'm really happy with the spec and the standard alloys that come with it are just a treat. However, I can't stress enough that you request details (including receipts) when buying from a stranger. My car has a full service history (according to the service manual), but I've still ended up spending 2000 getting a cam shaft rebuild to help correct VVT issues. It's around 25 degrees in Tampere Finland now, but I'm sitting in the Fiat garage waiting for the mechanic to fix issues that we already fixed with the expensive service just before my hols.

But, I don't mind, Zippy is worth it. You see Simon, once you get a B, nothing else matters =)

Thanks again for the warm welcome guys

LittleRedB - you will have PM very shortly...