1997 Fiat Coupe review from UK and Ireland

Please note these didn't all happen at the same time, this is an entire 3 years worth of problems.. also some advice to any owners who experience similar. Hope it's of some help!

Felt like it was misfiring when accelerating, like something was 'holding it back'. TIP for anyone else who experiences this: get hold of a tube of silicon gel (about £8) and pop a small amount under each spark plug lead cover. The spark wasn't channeling properly into the plug, the gel makes sure it does. Worth trying before you go for any major repair work.

Car juddered when braking (esp braking hard from speed).. caused by warped brake disc, very common on these cars. New brake discs can be pricey (don't forget you need to buy and replace as a pair), but it's not as urgent a job as you might think - the brakes themselves are still safe despite the warp, and it'll pass it's MOT - it's just very annoying.

Oil filter pipe detached itself - just needed a new jubilee clip and re-attaching.

One of the radiator cables promptly followed suit as per above - same problem, same solution.

Car was cutting out at low revs, and occasionally would get the electrical fault light on re-start. Fault turned out to be Lambda sensor incorrectly managing the fuel - £100 to fix, mobile auto-electrician.

I've just bought my second Coupe - the above review was for my last one, a 1997 P reg 20v Turbo. I guess that speaks volumes about whether or not I'd buy another.. :)

These cars are purchased for performance, handling and looks - and it doesn't disappoint in any of these areas. Standard 0-60 is 6.3secs, 155mph top speed, designed by Ferrari design house Pininfarina. I don't believe you can get a better value for money sports car than the Coupe.

Handling is superb, just be careful in the wet - 220bhp all going to the front wheels can be dangerous on a wet or slippy road.

Cabin is deceptively big - loads of room in the front, also plenty of room for 2 adults in the back and a decent size boot. It's about as practical as a sports Coupe can reasonably be expected to be.

Fuel economy better than expected - 29mpg average, I use about £40 a tank (at 95.9p a litre), which does me approx 3 or 4 hundred miles. I had a 2.5 Vectra previously which had nowhere near the power, yet used more fuel.

I've found the reliability to be excellent. The above problems all happened over 3 years, total cost of repairs was about £250 tops (plus usual servicing costs) so overall absolutely superb. I once had a Citroen Saxo from new that had a failure in the heating motor and cost over £400 in one hit, which kind of puts things in perspective.

The dreaded cambelt change - a big sticking point for a lot of potential buyers. Yep, it's a big job. Yep, it's going to be expensive. BUT if you get quoted over £1,000 - look elsewhere. Fiat dealers will tell you that you have to remove the engine - you don't. It can be lifted to one side, and can be done for around £300 if you shop around. Just make sure they do the tensioner aswell!

Quick summary - great performance, handling and looks, and excellent reliability. Clearly not as practical as a family saloon, but this is a sports Coupe we're talking about, and as this type of car goes it's as practical as they get. Above average running costs for a standard car, I'd say below average for a sports car. Pricey insurance though (group 19) but if you offset this against the cost of purchase you'll find it more than worthwhile. Hope I've been of some help.