Faults:

Quite a few, but the problem was that I never had enaugh money to fix things properly.

Electrical bits are a bit of a pain and I had problems getting spare parts.

Rusty tank that I had to replace, but surprisingly no rust elsewhere.

General Comments:

Great shape, absolutely original.

Thirsty (petrol).

Good performance, handling.

A lot of room at the back.

I miss it, but I didn't have enaugh money to keep it.

I used it quite a lot, though, driving through Europe 3 times (from London to Austria, Italy, Corsica, etc)

Faults:

Brake seals, big end bearings, all four struts have been replaced.

Rust around windscreen and rear strut mounts.

General Comments:

Excellent drive, by far the most torquey motor I've ever driven.

Unfortunately bits are not too easy to get but then again you can always scrap it and build a Stratos replica using the engine!

Faults:

Things too numerous (and unexpected) to list. It was like some surreal symphony of failure. I read that "owning a Lancia is like being in love with a beautiful woman who doesn't care if you live or die." That was about a Gamma coupe, but also applies to the Beta HPE. The design, especially the electrics, was hopeless in parts, but the car was the prettiest I've ever owned, even better than a 105 Alfa I had.

General Comments:

If you buy one of these, at least make sure that it's the HP Executive model rather than the HPE. The Exec (from about 1984 and only for a brief period) has a fully galvanised body, so it won't rust like the rest. But the bits and pieces will still drop off, and new things will go wrong while the car is stationary being repaired...

But they drive superbly (when going), and two people can sleep in comfort in them, and they look terrific. If you fall in love with one, indulge yourself, but be warned, and always carry a chequebook!