Car Talk 2: Un-American Motor Company.

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troyguitar
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My interest level in the damn Fiata continues to increase. First the brembros, then the recarbros, now a good hard top? I know it's probably $40k so I'll never buy one, but maybe some dumbass will get one with all those options and sell it to me for $20k in 3 years. :scrooge:
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troyguitar wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 3:23 pm My interest level in the damn Fiata continues to increase. First the brembros, then the recarbros, now a good hard top? I know it's probably $40k so I'll never buy one, but maybe some dumbass will get one with all those options and sell it to me for $20k in 3 years. :scrooge:
These things will TANK in value almost certainly.
Desertbreh wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
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Used fiata with hardtop+recarbros could be pretty fun with a tune. They must make pretty good power on these by now, right?
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troyguitar wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 3:38 pm Used fiata with hardtop+recarbros could be pretty fun with a tune. They must make pretty good power on these by now, right?
It's turbro, so I'm sure those stupid OEM engineers left at least 200 whp on the table.
Desertbreh wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
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Detroit wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 3:34 pm
troyguitar wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 3:23 pm My interest level in the damn Fiata continues to increase. First the brembros, then the recarbros, now a good hard top? I know it's probably $40k so I'll never buy one, but maybe some dumbass will get one with all those options and sell it to me for $20k in 3 years. :scrooge:
These things will TANK in value almost certainly.
It is a Fiat
Detroit wrote:Buy 911s instead of diamonds.
Johnny_P wrote: Thu Feb 09, 2023 3:21 pm Earn it and burn it, Val.
max225 wrote: Mon May 01, 2023 5:35 pm Yes it's a cool car. But prepare the lube/sawdust.
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4zilch wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 2:14 pm
troyguitar wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 1:50 pm

Ahh yeah 16" :ramz: limit your options. It might be worth picking up some cheap-ish and wider wheels to better support the tires anyway. They feel better and last longer with a small stretch (205 on 8, 225 on 9, just convert the mm size to inches and that's about the ideal wheel width).

Consider some $15 front camber bolts too to keep the front outside tires flat in corners. Having no class rules makes things so much easier. Between that and a wider wheel, you could double or triple your front tire life.
True story.

Problem is odd bolt pattern on the FiST makes finding :scrooge: ramz difficult to find, and difficult to sell when the time comes. Focal and Advanti make 17x8's for the FiST, as well as TD. Nobody that I can find makes a 16x8. TD makes a 15x8, but they also come have a fair amount of offset (47.5 OE vs 35 TD) Could convert to Mazda 2 hubs, discs, etc to get a 4x100 bolt pattern and open up options, but don't have much motivation to go that far.

Needless to say, my choices are limited.
4x108 right? That bolt pattern is a total bitch. Nothing fits it. Had to deal with that on my old Focus.
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Desertbreh wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 3:41 pm
Detroit wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 3:34 pm These things will TANK in value almost certainly.
It is a Fiat
:dat:
Desertbreh wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
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troyguitar
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Detroit wrote:
Desertbreh wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 3:41 pm

It is a Fiat
:dat:
Just gotta find someone who orders a new GT in yellow with brembros, recarbros, and :manuel: then stalk them for awhile.
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troyguitar wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 3:38 pm Used fiata with hardtop+recarbros could be pretty fun with a tune. They must make pretty good power on these by now, right?
https://shopeurocompulsion.net/blogs/dy ... no-testing

Looks like 190-200 WHP with a tune. Add an intake and other shit and you could get a lot more. Would probably be a barrel of fun.
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With Fiat's legacy of bombproof motors you could probably get a reliable 250whp out that no problem.
Detroit wrote:Buy 911s instead of diamonds.
Johnny_P wrote: Thu Feb 09, 2023 3:21 pm Earn it and burn it, Val.
max225 wrote: Mon May 01, 2023 5:35 pm Yes it's a cool car. But prepare the lube/sawdust.
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troyguitar wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 3:51 pm
Detroit wrote: :dat:
Just gotta find someone who orders a new GT in yellow with brembros, recarbros, and :manuel: then stalk them for awhile.
Give up on colors, and you'll probably be in luck.
Desertbreh wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
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Desertbreh wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 3:59 pm With Fiat's legacy of bombproof motors you could probably get a reliable 250whp out that no problem.
My sister's boyfriend's cousin's dog has one that he dyno t00ned at 298whp and he's had it for 257 miles with ZERO issues. Totally reliable, breh.
Desertbreh wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
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Desertbreh wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 3:59 pm With Fiat's legacy of bombproof motors you could probably get a reliable 250whp out that no problem.
I'd tune it.
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troyguitar
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Johnny_P wrote:
troyguitar wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 3:38 pm Used fiata with hardtop+recarbros could be pretty fun with a tune. They must make pretty good power on these by now, right?
https://shopeurocompulsion.net/blogs/dy ... no-testing

Looks like 190-200 WHP with a tune. Add an intake and other shit and you could get a lot more. Would probably be a barrel of fun.
That's plenty, would skip the intake/exhaust crap.
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Detroit wrote:
troyguitar wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 3:51 pm Just gotta find someone who orders a new GT in yellow with brembros, recarbros, and :manuel: then stalk them for awhile.
Give up on colors, and you'll probably be in luck.
:eeyore:
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Johnny_P wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 3:41 pm
4zilch wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 2:14 pm

True story.

Problem is odd bolt pattern on the FiST makes finding :scrooge: ramz difficult to find, and difficult to sell when the time comes. Focal and Advanti make 17x8's for the FiST, as well as TD. Nobody that I can find makes a 16x8. TD makes a 15x8, but they also come have a fair amount of offset (47.5 OE vs 35 TD) Could convert to Mazda 2 hubs, discs, etc to get a 4x100 bolt pattern and open up options, but don't have much motivation to go that far.

Needless to say, my choices are limited.
4x108 right? That bolt pattern is a total bitch. Nothing fits it. Had to deal with that on my old Focus.
:dat:

Fairly common in Europe....not so much here
As the only published author in a well-known motorcycle publication in the room...
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troyguitar wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 3:06 pm
4zilch wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 2:55 pm FWIW RE71's give me the most size options. Could do 195/55/16 :225:
In other news, they're making a Fiata that's sort of a coupe!

https://www.motor1.com/news/234511/abar ... ouncement/

Carbon hardtop with actual insulation and BIG rear window with defroster, plus lighter 17" OZ :ramz:

Image

Image

:notbad:
:megusta:
:wap: Where are these mangos?
Detroit wrote: Fri Apr 16, 2021 1:19 pm I don't understand anything anymore.
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Johnny_P wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 3:57 pm
troyguitar wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 3:38 pm Used fiata with hardtop+recarbros could be pretty fun with a tune. They must make pretty good power on these by now, right?
https://shopeurocompulsion.net/blogs/dy ... no-testing

Looks like 190-200 WHP with a tune. Add an intake and other shit and you could get a lot more. Would probably be a barrel of fun.
190-200 WHP out of a 1.4 liter italian motor. What could possibly go wrong.
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max225 wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 4:26 pm
Johnny_P wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 3:57 pm

https://shopeurocompulsion.net/blogs/dy ... no-testing

Looks like 190-200 WHP with a tune. Add an intake and other shit and you could get a lot more. Would probably be a barrel of fun.
190-200 WHP out of a 1.4 liter italian motor. What could possibly go wrong.
It's gonna break anyway, may as well let it break after having more fun with it.
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Johnny_P wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 4:28 pm
max225 wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 4:26 pm

190-200 WHP out of a 1.4 liter italian motor. What could possibly go wrong.
It's gonna break anyway, may as well let it break after having more fun with it.
Yep, nothing like dropping 40k on a brand new fiat and popping the motor by 30k miles.
This whole ... "think of a new car with a tune" attitude is completely not understandable to me.

BUY THE BETTER CAR, if you don't like it as it sits. These tooners come and go quicker than you can say Fix it again Tony.
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On a more serious note I wonder how the customer service is at the Fiat dealershits.
Jeep/Chrysler/RAM is notoriously ABYSMAL. At least in my area.
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max225 wrote:
Johnny_P wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 4:28 pm It's gonna break anyway, may as well let it break after having more fun with it.
Yep, nothing like dropping 40k on a brand new fiat and popping the motor by 30k miles.
This whole ... "think of a new car with a tune" attitude is completely not understandable to me.

BUY THE BETTER CAR, if you don't like it as it sits. These tooners come and go quicker than you can say Fix it again Tony.
Which better car? MX5/Fiata are the only tiny sports cars on the market here. Anything else is hundreds of lbs heavier and bigger.
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max225 wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 4:31 pm On a more serious note I wonder how the customer service is at the Fiat dealershits.
Jeep/Chrysler/RAM is notoriously ABYSMAL. At least in my area.
Can't imagine it's any better...which will prove to be a major issue with Alfa assuming they every get seriously off the ground.

I sat in a Giulia at the Detroit auto show. Felt insanely cheap inside compared to a BMW or Audi. I really don't see how it's going to compete with cheap interiors, horrific reliability, and awful service.
Desertbreh wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
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troyguitar wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 4:38 pm
max225 wrote:
Yep, nothing like dropping 40k on a brand new fiat and popping the motor by 30k miles.
This whole ... "think of a new car with a tune" attitude is completely not understandable to me.

BUY THE BETTER CAR, if you don't like it as it sits. These tooners come and go quicker than you can say Fix it again Tony.
Which better car? MX5/Fiata are the only tiny sports cars on the market here. Anything else is hundreds of lbs heavier and bigger.
Yea, I don't understand why small cars need to have small power. Why can't something in this size pack 250-300 hp? That would be good fun.
Desertbreh wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
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Detroit wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 4:38 pm
max225 wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2018 4:31 pm On a more serious note I wonder how the customer service is at the Fiat dealershits.
Jeep/Chrysler/RAM is notoriously ABYSMAL. At least in my area.
Can't imagine it's any better...which will prove to be a major issue with Alfa assuming they every get seriously off the ground.

I sat in a Giulia at the Detroit auto show. Felt insanely cheap inside compared to a BMW or Audi. I really don't see how it's going to compete with cheap interiors, horrific reliability, and awful service.
C/D jerked it big time to the Giulia, put it on 10 best list.
Detroit wrote:Buy 911s instead of diamonds.
Johnny_P wrote: Thu Feb 09, 2023 3:21 pm Earn it and burn it, Val.
max225 wrote: Mon May 01, 2023 5:35 pm Yes it's a cool car. But prepare the lube/sawdust.
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