Buying a Coupe, On a budget - just trying to get 1 cheap as poss.. I'm after the 16v.. Any hot spots to look for? etc? 
General Buying Advice needed..
- Thread starter _CinqueCento_
- Start date
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General Buying Advice needed..
fsh with cambelt changed.
there is some buying advice here http://www.fccuk.org/ubbthreads/postlist.php?Cat=0&Board=UBB11
but watch out they got nutter called sammi on that forum
there is some buying advice here http://www.fccuk.org/ubbthreads/postlist.php?Cat=0&Board=UBB11
but watch out they got nutter called sammi on that forum
Hi cinqy my advice is read that buyers guide, visit the coop forum and absorb all that knowledge like a sponge! Just remember the essentials like cambelt, Red key, Service history (Specialist is preferable to Fiat)
The best info I reckon is Look at as many as you can! Don't fall in love with the first one you look at because it may well be a dog
You should be able to pick up a nice 16v For 2-2.5K now, I have seen some go on ebay for as little as £1800 that look quite tidy but what's in a picture hey
The best info I reckon is Look at as many as you can! Don't fall in love with the first one you look at because it may well be a dog
You should be able to pick up a nice 16v For 2-2.5K now, I have seen some go on ebay for as little as £1800
that look quite tidy but what's in a picture hey 
simonj
New member
My advice would be to try if you can to stretch your budget so you are not getting the cheapest Coupé out there as it's likely to be a dog and could cost you more to fix than you paid to buy it. They are cheap for a reason and there are some real sh*tters out there. At the end of the day they are/were a £20k 'performance/sports' Coupé when new and I know they depreciate, but you are unlikely to pick one up for absolute bobbins.
As Pinin said £2.5k should get you a decent-ish 16v non-turbo, but £3k would get you a nice one. Like he said, look at a few before buying, take the buyers guide on the Coupé forum along with you and all the usual - cambelt should have been done by 72k or 6 years and then every 36k after (I think) - if it needs doing, budget at least £400 (what some specialists charge) for that, but try and knock them down around £800 (the minimum I've seen FIAT dealers charge). FSH, red key etc. also important - check the condition of the clutch (new one is about £400 fitted at a specialist), wishbones likely to go around 50k.
Look at the exhaust, especially the tip. If its an original OE FIAT one, the chrome tip is only spot welded to the pipe and can fall off, the heat from the gases can then melt the bumper around it.
If it is a private sale, ask the owner about what oil they use/how much the car uses/how often they check (at least once every 1000 miles on a n/a) - this should give you an idea of how much they care for the car.
Generally the non-turbo engines are pretty reliable and there are plenty of 16v cars on the Coupé forum with well over 100k miles.
Of course, if you can stretch to £5k and want a nice late 20v car - I'll be selling mine within the next month (99T, red, black leather, 53k, cambelt, brakes, exhaust, wishbones all done within the past 9 months).
As Pinin said £2.5k should get you a decent-ish 16v non-turbo, but £3k would get you a nice one. Like he said, look at a few before buying, take the buyers guide on the Coupé forum along with you and all the usual - cambelt should have been done by 72k or 6 years and then every 36k after (I think
) - if it needs doing, budget at least £400 (what some specialists charge) for that, but try and knock them down around £800 (the minimum I've seen FIAT dealers charge). FSH, red key etc. also important - check the condition of the clutch (new one is about £400 fitted at a specialist), wishbones likely to go around 50k. Look at the exhaust, especially the tip. If its an original OE FIAT one, the chrome tip is only spot welded to the pipe and can fall off, the heat from the gases can then melt the bumper around it.
If it is a private sale, ask the owner about what oil they use/how much the car uses/how often they check (at least once every 1000 miles on a n/a) - this should give you an idea of how much they care for the car.
Generally the non-turbo engines are pretty reliable and there are plenty of 16v cars on the Coupé forum with well over 100k miles.
Of course, if you can stretch to £5k and want a nice late 20v car - I'll be selling mine within the next month
(99T, red, black leather, 53k, cambelt, brakes, exhaust, wishbones all done within the past 9 months). 