I had a couple of FIAT's. I found the parts pretty cheap actually. The engines are great. Tranny's decent. Everything else pretty marginal, and the bodys are terrible. The old saying was "FIAT parts are like snowflakes, no two are alike". And it was pretty true. You learn to make things fit.

The Milano could be OK. But I would prefer the 164. If it is in good condition and the price is cheap (like 1500 or so maybe) and you like it, and you can fix cars then get it. You will like it. I hope Chrysler does the deal with Fiat and we have Alfa's and Fiats for sale here again.

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1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra

Yes!

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1987 W201 190D

Italian junk, have fun!

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I love the looks of the 67 1750 coupes. They ride and handle sublimely as well (I hear). They are on my list of cars I wouldn't mind owning some day but probably will run out of years first.

Some of the alfas from the thirties are simply stunningly beautiful. They were a major force in racing back then too.

The new cars are still gorgeous! They build some really sexy little wagons over there.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

My thoughts and hope exactly! I would love the new spider and old parts making their way over here again!

From the Fiat website in the UK it looks like they have some real interesting vehicles for sale now...

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"I have no convictions ... I blow with the wind, and the prevailing wind happens to be from Vichy"

Current
Monika '74 450 SL
BrownHilda '79 280SL
FoxyCleopatra '99 Chevy Suburban
Scarlett 2014 Jeep Cherokee
Krystal 2004 Volvo S60
Gone
'74 Jeep CJ5
'97 Jeep ZJ Laredo
Rudolf ‘86 300SDL
Bruno '81 300SD
Fritzi '84 BMW
'92 Subaru
'96 Impala SS
'71 Buick GS conv
'67 GTO conv
'63 Corvair conv
'57 Nomad

I don't think they have any old parts. When I was in Italy for a week I didn't see one old car. I did see an old Lamborghini, though..(tractor).

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1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra

There's a guy in Berkeley who sells OEM parts for BMW, MB, Fiat, Alpha, and Jaguar. He can usually get the stuff for around 60% of dealer. I see the OP is in Palm Springs, but if you do get it, and you're having trouble with parts, this guy's pretty good and does UPS.

In the phone book -- All New Parts.

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

My dad had a Fiat he used to work on and that's when I learned about the aero(sp) dynamics of a wrench.....and some of the worst language anyone could ever use......he always had his head under the hood with that car.

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"It's normal for these things to empty your wallet and break your heart in the process."
2012 SLK 350
1987 420 SEL

I was owned by a Fiat in the late seventies . . . .

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" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

It's like an expensive, unforgiving, critical, high-maintenance woman that you learn to live without...after you are bankrupt...

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Strelnik
Invest in America: Buy a Congressman!

1950 170SD
1951 Citroen 11BN
1953 Citroen 11BNF limo
1953 220a project
1959 180D
1960 190D
1960 Borgward Isabella TS 2dr
1983 240D daily driver
1983 380SL
1990 350SDL daily driver alt
3 x Citroen DS21M, down from 5
3 x Citroen 2CV, down from 6

I remember when Consumer Reports reviewed the Milano. Keep in mind this car had cutting edge Italian industrial design. The one they reviewed also had the Recaro seats.

Their analysis:

"Odd shaped brake handle, uncomfortable seats".

My opinion of them went down about 99% at that point.

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1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra

My Dad purchased a new 1973 124 Spyder in the dead of Illinois winter...needless to say, the car was absent of lower sheet metal a couple of years later!!

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car