1997 Fiat Coupe Reviews - Page 3 of 3

Needed new brake pads & 2 new tires shortly after purchase.

Inter-cooler oil pipes found corroded at 72000 mile servicing - replaced those plus intercooler.

Excellent to drive, plenty spare power to get out of tricky spots.

Can be a handful in the wet.

Comfortable inside, plus rear seat legroom not too bad for a coupe-class car.

Uses oil faster than most new cars, and dipstick is deceptive. Consequently I managed to seize the engine - however Fiat rebuilt the engine for free (would have cost about £4000).

Otherwise, no problem more serious than a blown tail light.

A fabulous car.

Performance is unsurpassed at the price, or even at twice the price (leaves Porsche Boxters, all GTIs, other Coupes standing).

I don't agree with previous comments about handling - my experience is it is taut and corners "as if on rails" - I cannot believe the speed it will take a 90 degree turn at!

Stunning looks - still has no peer.

Feels solid - unlike Lotus Elan and friends.

Driven unsympathetically it does drink fuel eg 20mpg (buy a turbo diesel if this worries you).

Remarkably practical when viewed against the 2 door competition. The back seats will take 2 adults (just not on a 12 hour journey) or a child/baby seat.

After about 6 months from new, an intermittent electrical fault left me unable to start the car several times. Eventually it gave up altogether and had to be recovered to a main dealer. It turned out to be a defective relay which was fixed under the warranty and I had no further problems of any kind in 2 years of ownership.

In terms of grunt-per-£ it was unsurpassed in its class. Which was fine for straight-line performance, but the languid suspension made it horribly prone to almost terminal under-steer with the slightest provocation. I put this down to the touring comfort versus handling compromise, but was surprised by the extent of the problem in a front-engined, front wheel drive car, which you would expect to be light at the back. And before you ask, no it wasn't a suspension, wheel or tyre defect.

I did enjoy the car for a couple of years, though, and was in no hurry to change it.

Persistently squealing brakes.

Remote alarm.

New front discs at 37,000.

Superb performance and styling for relatively little outlay.

If you require true sporting looks, four seats and an engine to match, there is little else on the road.

Brake fluid boiled - no pedal.

Power steering fluid boiled.

Both the above during hard use due to the lack of airflow to the brakes (design fault).

Fantastic performance and value for money.

Great car marred only by the design defect mentioned above.

Alarm system failed - had to be replaced.

Indicator fuse blows permanently, still working on it.

Top engine mount broke.

Great car, very reliable.

Fast, I've now got 9 points.

Handling not as good as my Alfa 164.

Paint work very poor - 60+ chip marks after 5000 miles - Fiat resprayed front end under warranty but haven't cured the problem

Air Con didnt work when delivered.

Rear ash tray missing when delivered.

Alarm very temperamental.

Dealer very unresponsive.

Despite all of the above it's a lovely car to drive - you just have to shrug your shoulders and remember it is an Italian Stallion!

Air conditioning switch cooling fan required replacement after 10k.

Goes through front tyes a bit quickly, Pirreli PZero's = 11k miles.

Fantastic Car, Performance excellent, performance / comfort per £ excellent.

Purchase dealer was useess.

Have found another dealer for service etc who is very good.