This is a response to Bumble's request for forum members to help out in keeping the Barchetta alive on the Fiat Forum by posting about their car. So here goes...

I love my little car and despite its age and the fact that it is not the best put together driving machine it is a pretty car, great fun to drive, is very reliable (maybe I've been lucky and I look after it) and in the summer sunshine it is everything I could wish for in a fun little car.

My Scottish Barchetta lives with me and my significant other (also Scottish) on the London/Kent borders.

This is a sort of diary entry (with pics) our annual trip to the South of France to celebrate le quatorze juillet, by the sea with some old acquaintances, and this year with two new friends who have never visited the south nor have ever experienced the fireworks and music of the cigales amid the scent of a July night by the edge of Mediterranean waters.

10 July - Day 1, Dunkirk to Alencon - 252 miles

Lovely weather. Top down, Andy Murray won Wimbledon. Car was lovely and smooth, had added in Redex to the tank. Arrived and parked for free next to the Ibis in Alencon. Had dinner in Haut Ministere in the town. Watched France v Portugal in the town square. Sad for the locals that Les Bleus lost. Wondered why there were so many British cars parked in the town square, until we were told by the owner of an outstanding MGA that the cars were returning from the bi-annual Le Mans classic. Filled up, had been cruising at 80 mph and got 360 miles before refuelling.

11 July - Day 2, Alencon to Bourges - 193 miles

(5 hours 15 minutes with a leisurely stop for lunch). Car very smooth, I think the car liked the Redex and prefers the lovely smooth French autoroutes to English suburban blacktop. Wish we had similar smooth roads where We live. Free parking outside the hotel in Bourges.

Will be staying one more day to look around this beautiful town including the UNESCO world heritage site of the Cathedral of Saint Etienne of Bourges. Lovely dinner at the very welcoming Cantine Berrichone - I had a local Berry speciality Ouefs en muerette, very yummy.

Until the next entry.

gorgeous little car Glad to hear you have great service from it. I have a 98, and it has been a lot of fun.Yes thr air bag light is stuck on( no luck with (multieuscan), but other than that my wife and I have been driving the wheels of the little thing and everyone who sees it loves it. But then again there are only a very few here in Ontario,Canada.Now if I only knew how to post pictures!

Thank-you eramosa. I'm absolutely with you on using the car. My wife and I use it whenever it is sunny and just make sure it is properly serviced every year. There are not many (that I have seen) around where I live and we both often get compliments from complete strangers either asking what the car is or saying it is very pretty. You have some fantastic roads in Ontario. I spent a very happy time living in Toronto some years ago and the countryside and sense of space Ontario had to offer is just stunning. You also have London beat for sunshine in the summer [emoji1]
I'm not sure if I can help with the photos. I use the Fiat forum app on my iPhone and to add a photo from the phone's camera roll is just a matter of clicking the + button to the left hand side of the text addition screen and then choosing the add photo (middle button, in the screenshot below) . It would be lovely to see a photo of the car against an Ontario backdrop. In terms lights-on warnings, I take the view that if I know the car has been serviced then the lights can be safely ignored (within reason of course). The engine management light sometimes appears. I have a £10 Chinese OBD port plugin dongle sourced from eBay and an app on my iPhone to read it. Nothing shows up most of the time and I can clear the fault from the iPhone app when it does need clearing. You can also usually reset the engine computer (as I learned from the forum) by temporarily disconnecting the battery. Our car has one of those low tech anti-theft devices which physically removes the battery connection. I just use that and 30 minutes later when capacitance in the system has discharged, light is no longer on [emoji1] - low tech but aside from resetting the clock, works pretty well for me.

your barchetta looks a minter , and a 2004year! I would not hestitate to do euro trip in car like yours.
Sadly I do not trust mine to do stuff like this ( well it's not a 2004year car like yours...) and there's no space to sleep in barchetta at night

Day 3 - 12th July - Bourges

Day 4 - Wednesday, 13 July left Bourges 7.50 and headed down via Montelimar towards Marseille. Filled up once and arrived 3.30pm in Cassis. 420 miles later.

Here are some pictures


A well packed boot [emoji1]



Almost there - coming up to Montelimar



Finally arriving in Cassis



In time to watch the sun set over Cap Canaille, reputedly the high sea cliff in Europe

Your car looks great!! And a nice trip. We were amazed how good ours was on a long journey. I'm really itching to do another.

Thanks, it's not too bad at all and then there is the adventure of it - it is the lightest we've travelled - even when back-packing we had more luggage [emoji33]

We are looking seriously at the trip you sent and thinking of going through the Alps to start it. Perhaps in March next year. I'm hoping to get up early tomorrow and post some pictures of local barchette

Sbd119 said:

thinking of going through the Alps to start it. Perhaps in March next year.

Click to expand...

Enjoying reading your road trip adventure, great pictures thanks for posting. Looking at doing a road trip also next year, currently considering Norway next June, but your trip going through the Alps onto Italy also sounds interesting.

My wife is Polish, and I don't know if you know this but Polish people cannot travel light. I've spent the last 24 years of marriage slowly convincing her that we don't need bread or eggs or 6 hair brushes (I'm not exaggerating here!) So, this trip was a challenge. She wanted to take her hair-dryer, so I conceded that one (it's one of those big ones! I can be happy it's not the type you sit under though!) but we got everything in with no worries and all organised. On the way back we were heavy with wine bottles in every space in the boot but it's amazing how much these little cars can carry.

The only thing I'd do differently is use two smaller bags, like you did, instead of the one big one I had. Once it got heavy it was difficult to get in and out at each hotel.

The Alps are fabulous. I'll post some pics of the road and views.

We're thinking about Norway too. We went way up north to Tromso in January (by plane!) and it's a great country - but VERY expensive. €10 for a glass of beer!! What a trip though. The northern lights are the only thing you need to see in your life

Here are few photos of the Alps the one of the wine area in the Langhe.

Nice trip. Love thew Langhe. If you're still in the Langhe, I can recommend the following trattoria

http://restaau.it/Restaurant/Detail/Show/62624

Stopped there twice on our perambulations around the Langhe in my Strada Abarth 130TC- first time by luck, the second time planned. Run by Giuseppe ADDABEO , a very interesting old guy when you get talking to him in French (he used to be in the French Foreign Legion) or Italian, and his family-- lunch for 2 around 65 euro, all home cooked there and then. He does his own, fine organic red wine- no hangover!-- at just 3euro a bottle..........

Hi Doblovert, yes I live in the Langhe! 12 years. The Trattoria are just great. I don't think I've been to this one so will give it a try. You cannot go wrong eating here. Forget the fancy expensive places in Alba but head for the hills and these little places that workmen go to for lunch. You then understand why Italians need a 3hr lunch break and why the economy is so bad... Who can work after half a bottle of wine and a 5 course lunch!?

Give this one a try next time: https://www.google.it/maps/@44.4817...z1CEkoYJwFalYpIvjQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1 and the chances are you'll have lunch with Chris Bangle. No one can talk cars like he does. An amazing bloke!

I'd like a house on the hill like the one in the picture please (as long as there is a good road up to it) [emoji1]

Oops just zoomed in and seen its a church. I'd like a house on a hill overlooking the sea with a garage with power so the Barchetta battery can be kept trickle charged, ready for when I escape England. Only problem is I don't speak much Italian. How long did it take you to get fluent or were you always?

Yes, a church and very isolated But what a view!! That day wasn't great for the Barch as it rained in the Alps even though it was 28C in the lowlands. On the way down was very heavy rain and hail so we had to shelter in a petrol station

View attachment 169615

Hi Richit the last attachment '169615' doesn't show. Can you edit the last post. Great seeing the pictures. Here are two taken at the 14 July event in the town square last evening.



There will be some of the Barchetta tomorrow [emoji1]

Sorry! I think I did something wrong..

Wow, that could be a monsoon.

Here is mine in Cassis
What have I done since I have had it?

New Brembo brake discs, calipers, pads and hoses all round.

New shocks and springs all round - suspension top mounts also replaced at the same time - thanks Henk at Barchetta parts.

Alloy wheels refurbished and four new Michelin cross-climates fitted.

New cambelt, water pump and filters changed. Denso iridium spark plugs.

Engine bay and body detailed by David at DBB detailing.

Stereo replaced with an amazing Alpine mech-less unit - amazing because it streams from my iPhone 6 and gives full 'Siri eyes-free' control. Sounds much better. New front speakers too.

New tie rods and inner control arms plus Hawkeye laser alignment of tracking and camber. Eibach Camber adjustment bolts.

All H1s changed to Philips Vision Extreme 130's. H3 (fogs) changed to Osram Nightbreaker Unlimited. Remainder lights replaced with Philips Vision Plus bulbs.

Still to do: new radiator, fit new camshaft sensor, sound-proofing - be interested to learn from Richit. Barchetta Parts indicator mod and window auto lower function. Replace instrument panel light on LHS I'd speedo.

There! Less off topic now [emoji1]

Excellent post! Off topic? Who cares? As far as I am concerned, the purpose of this forum is to share all things Barchetta related! If anyone disagrees, thats also fine but personally, I want to hear day to day stories about owning a Barchetta and associated adventures ! S