Any money in these? On ebay they all seem purdy cheap. I've found one locally may be interested in restoring and then selling it, but it doesnt look to be a sound investment. Maybe I'm just looking in the wrong places. Or maybe they're junk and worthless.

Anyone I ever knew who owned one regreted it. They simply require a lot of repairs. The engines don't last, as well. Investment wise, its a loser. No one wants those cars, thats why you find them at giveaway prices on ebay. If your going to go Italian cheapo, look for a good used Alfa, or skip Italian and go Japanese sport cars. It's pretty easy to restore an RX-7, and it is starting to look like Miata's are coming down in price.

Contrary viewpoint. The 124 Coupe and the Pininfarina bodied Spider are great looking cars, had the better acceleration than the Alfa 1750, the MGC and the Triumph GT 6

Oh, they are great performers, they just don't like to stay running. Fiats in general are pretty fast cars. They break down a lot, parts cost a mint, so the car becomes an expensive proposition. I'm sure like all cars, they have their fans.

My dad had a 124 Spyder when I was in high school...

...it was a pretty spiffy little car, but "Fix It Again Tony" was an appropriate mantra! Parts were unreasonably expensive, hard to obtain (even when the car was new), and it would take at least two tries before the techs would fix it right!

The BIGGEST issue with the car was the lack of rust-inhibiting protection...he bought it in the middle of an Illinois winter (replete w/salt) and by spring, the first sign of rust bubbles were visible on the rocker panels.

He sold it a few years later, and by that time, the rockers were gone!

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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

Kirk, we agree to disagree.

The vunerablilites of late 60's/early 70's sports sedans and cars make well kept ones that much more valuable. The BMW 2002's were rust buckets as well, but the value of good examples skyrocketed. Even a rusted shell of a Fiat Dino would not be a good investment, so whether it comes back as a "classic" will depend on what the previous owners did to keep the car in good to great condition.

Thanks everyone for posting, I found everyones comments interesting. I'm the kind of guy that appreciates a car even if it requires lots of maintenance, etc. even if its a pain, IF the car is kool enough. But, I also know what garbage is.

This particualr spider was in decent shape, no rust, engine was pretty sound, the trans. was as good as any. New top, only $2200. Werent too many miles either. Interior is shot and the paint is bad, mostly it just needs a cosmetic restoration.

I'll see what happens, I think they're kool, and even if the resale wouldnt yield a bunch of money it would be fun while I had it. I've only really ever owned a mercedes, they're great and I'll always have one, but not too much fun. I would prefer to do an Alfa giulietta or MGB or something like that, but havent really found any.

If you are considering an MGB, find one that is '73 or older, since after '73 the US federalized bumpers were installed and '73 might have been the last year that the wire wheels were standard. I remember mine fondly . . . when it was running . . . Those Lucas fuel pumps were awful.

Fix
It
Again
Tony.

Never buy anything made in Italy unless you can drink it.

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Palangi

2004 C240 Wagon 203.261 Baby Benz
2008 ML320 CDI Highway Cruiser
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2000 F-150, Destroying the Planet @ 20 mpg



TRUMP .......... WHITEHOUSE
HILLARY .........JAILHOUSE
BERNIE .......... NUTHOUSE
0BAMA .......... OUTHOUSE

There is another half of that old saying, unprintable in a family newspaper.

Yea, I've already been looking at Lancias too. I think theyre kinda kool.

If you have woodworking skills, there's always the Saab Sonnet!

Don't get me wrong MTI, like I said, all cars have their fans. I was just giving my life experience on these cars and am simply trying to point out the fact that these are not good cars if you are on a budget. If he has a car that is a steal, by all means buy it, but beware older Fiats.

A lot of what I have experienced is regional as well. Those cars rusted out really bad on New England salt roads. I also had two friends, one who owned a Alfa that he beat to $hit, and another who was devoted to his Fiat spyder. The stupid Alfa would run day and night no matter how hard Leadfoot pounded that thing, while the Fiat spent most of its life up on jack stands. I earned a real appreciation of Alfa Romeros. Last time I saw the Fiat it was up on blocks in my other friends back yard after the tranny blew.

There really are some great deals on 107s these days. You can get a pretty good fixer upper for less than $4,000. There was a guy on the SL forum trying to sell one for the price of the new engine he put in, it still needed some work but sounded like a way to get one cheap. If you want to go that route, post a message over there, some of those guys have two or three of the darn things.