Red coupe on ebay something to look out for

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/1997-FIAT-COUPE-...9091?nav=SEARCH

Hi all I looked at this coupe a few months ago. It drives really well. But it did have a water leak if you intend to buy it please check . Also the cambelt tensioner seems tight you can here the belts whining.

I would also say if the water leak has been fixed its a great coupe for someone
The aesthetics are as they would be for a car of that age
Best

The paint looks very good for Speed Red.

The paintwork is as you see it.

But the car drove really good felt like driving a new coupe suspension steering spot on no interior little rattles ( like mine) . If it had a sunroof and colour coded sills I would have bought it.

Pmd

I bought this Coupe Saturday just gone. The way it was described in the advert on eBay and from the pictures look and described as immaculate. Not quite as what was described when I got there.

Brakes had a horrible judder on the test drive and I immediately asked what was up and I was told it's just surface rust as the car has been sitting for a couple of weeks. Before buying the car I asked are you sure that's the reason and he yes honestly there is nothing wrong with the brakes they are perfectly fine having been replaced in 2013


I naively bought this rubbish and drove the car 300 miles home and the judder still persists, the brake pedal felt awful and the brakes are what can only be described as dangerous.

I've taken the wheels off today and both discs are scored heavily on the inside with a small chunk missing completely. Inner pads have loads of tread whilst the outer has hardly any. Managed to finally get the pads out after an hour of trying and pressed the brake pedal to check the caliper pistons. Both of front calipers the inner pistons are seized and don't move at all.

Brakes do not go like that sitting there for a week or two. He has driven the car 3000 miles in 4 months so he totally aware of the problem and ha just been dishonest the while time.

Couldn't phone me enough prior to the sale and now I've tried calling and messaging him and funnily enough no answer.

What a nice chap

Clarion radio has no reception and volume button doesn't work so it's basically useless and I wasn't told this either prior to buying.

From his mouth 'the car is perfect and doesn't want for nothing'

Yes it's my fault I bought the car and in hindsight I should have just walked away and braved the 5 hour journey back home.

It annoys me when people are dishonest when selling cars and blindly lie to your face. I'm completely honest when selling cars and list everything that may be a problem, even the smallest of things.

I would never let someone travel 5 hours to lie to their face.

I paid strong money for the car and just know I could have got a lot more, should have bought a car from a forum member, live and learn I guess

We've all been there Danny. Best to look at the positives mate and fix her up as you can. Doesn't sound disastrous so keep the old chin up mate. It's a lovely looking car!

Agree, looks cosmetically really nice in red

Discs pads and a radio aren't the end of the world, its an old car now, like with any car, take someone with you if your not sure, some sellers don't have a conscious and some don't even realise there's anything wrong with their car, keep that in mind.

Looks a nice car, sure it's worth fixing,good luck with it.

I'd say you still got a good car for a very good price.

I agree, they aren't the end of the world. He builds kit cars etc so I'm pretty sure he knew something was up with the brakes that's for sure.

It's not the fact that I need to replace the front discs/pads and the calipers rebuilt, it's the fact he clearly knew they were like it and lied.

I will do for sure. Looks immaculate in pictures but up close its not as clean as it it looks

Well I thought that whilst I was on my way to see the car but in person I quickly realised it wasn't. It's easy to say that if you haven't personally looked the car over fully

By the time the front brakes are sorted and other bodywork bits and pieces I'm mid 3k which you can pick a mint 20vt up for.

Again that's what I thought looking at the first picture from the eBay advert.

In person the red has faded to a slight pinkish colour, this includes the rear bumper, boot and the start of the rear quarters. I'm assuming the front half of the car has had a respray in the last few years

But on the flip of this you did drive it, spot something not right, and still bought it.

Notwithstanding the stuff you've listed, if you get to 3.5k and have a genuinely good example of a 20vt, then you've done well. The car is nearly 20 years old.

I'd post in the technical section about the issues. A lot of common problems easily fixed.

I don't think you can get a mint 20vt for £3.5k A couple on here were £5-£6k and I'd say that's about right. It must have had a lot else right with to overcome the doubts.

Enjoy

Yes because I thought he was a genuine guy and he couldn't stressenough how there wasn't an issue and it's only a build up of surface rust/dirt where it has sat for abit.

Discs and pads are quite easy to replace yes but rebuilding the calipers and changing over brake flexi hoses is not something I've done before. As I said, it's the fact he has deliberately lied about the issues.

He has driven the car 3000 miles since the MOT in April, that doesn't happen overnight

I believe you can. Take a look on eBay, there are 2 that seem to be extremely clean, a wine red @ 3650 70k miles and a Porto with similar miles for 3250.

I was planning to enjoy, but with brakes that hardly stop the car I can't at the minute until I get the time to completely overhaul them

Its the same as your unfortunantly, pics don't show the full story. They look great on paper but only an in depth viewing will say for sure if they are mint cars.

Naughty yes, but when there sorted you will know sure sure the brakes are going to be all good. Proper tidy coupes are fetching 5-6k+ in reality now.

Most need something due to age. As you've all ready purchased have to roll with and sure you will have a fairly decent coupe after brakes are done.

Yes exactly. I shall get the brakes sorted and hopefully start to enjoy it. It has abit of a whine as the revs increase, I was told this is normal for the 20vt lol, I hope it is. I've read that this can be due to the cambelt being too tight

It's mentioned in the first post of this thread.

Difficult to know your whereabouts but sounds like a good health check by a specialist wouldn't be amiss for what is going to be your special car....

There fact that the Clarion Radio is broken is a positive too. They are truly awful units.

For me personally, I would never purchase a car without a thorough inspection first. Looking at the pictures of the red paint it's obvious to me anyway that it's been cleaned & tarted up in the engine bay area to an inch of it's life, far too shiney for an honest motor if you know what I mean. Pictures are always going to look good/better than close up in the flesh. In saying all that as others have said, nothing too drastic to do to the old girl to put things right.

Obviously the seller needs a sale, but again for me his patter was just a bit over enthusiastic, perhaps my cynicism working overtime. Just my thoughts.

...........

I think you are spot on. I wanted an inspection but I didn't know any specialists in that area, should have done my homework alot better!

Haha, I'll take your advice. New head unit it is then

I'm in essex. I've got the car booked in at poweritalia in Basildon on Friday so I'll know more details then

Good one

Danny

It does drive very nice nice did you get the very thick folder with the history? Come to think of it the brakes were a bit spungey but even if you get disk and pads all round that won't break the bank.


Go thorough the folder and itemise the work done with mileage.

The cambelt was done recently at a fiat dealer so I suspect it will just require adjustment.

It's a nice coupe

Hi Makka

I did yes and there is a good history which is good to see. The pads and discs were replaced by Fiat in 2013 so I was surprised they were in the state they are after 3 years.

The cambelt was done in 2012, so following guides it's due in a year or 2 tops.

It didn't drive to bad I agree but the brakes are deadly. The guy has drove 3000 miles in 3 months with them like that so what does that say?

Discs and pads are easy yes but it's the calipers that have seized, so I need to rebuild them.

The paint is as you said faded towards the rear end, needs a heavy compound to bring it back it up

Been a fairly busy week on the car.

Front discs/pads removed including calipers. Caliper bolts were an absolute pig to undo, plenty of plus gas and a torch to heat the bolts up.

Finally got them removed and then had another long old task of removing the seized pistons from the calipers.

Fully cleaned and new seals installed.

Brake hoses weren't looking great so ordered new hoses. The brake pipe going from the calipers to the brake hose had rusted on so had to cut them both sides.

Anyway, calipers refurbished, brake hoses replaced and only the 2 small copper brake pipes to make up and then I can put it all back together and hopefully some decent brakes.

Happily surprised when I took the pagid disk out and it came already sprayed so job done!

nice one ....

and of course you now know the job has been done and done well. It can be very satisfying working on your own car! Congrats!

Sure is. Few more bits and pieces and it should be a nice little coupe.

Tried adding a few pics using the normal img code from photobucket but it wouldn't have it?

looking good Dannyboy... are you bleeding out the Rear calipers so it gets a complete brake fluid change at the same time ?

Danny what make and model tyres do you a have ? reason I ask is the coupe drove as smooth as a VW Golf.

I think they are Pirelli P600 205/50/16 I believe

And yeah I'll be bleeding them all, peace of mind. I'm going to take the rear calipers off and give them a thorough clean and regrease the sliding pins if needs be.

Brake judder still persists when braking at higher speeds. Driving at 35mph and braking no issues, but anything about 45mph say the brake judder appears.

I've just replaced fronthe discs and pads and rebuilt the calipers.

Could a wheel out of balance cause this or a worn suspension component?

Couple of jobs sorted today with thanks to the guys that wrote the how to's

Fuel cap refurbished and headlights refurbished.

If you have fitted the disk and callipers perfectly .

Check for any play on the front both sides rock wheels side to side and up and down.

If you have play the in a suspension or transmission component it will show up

Also check a wheel has not buckled

Few updates;

Rocker cover gasket replaced, previous one was leaking badly, although it was only replaced in April by previous owner, may behave been a cheap gasket.

Power steering belt, tensioner and idler pulley replaced.

Better condition 2nd hand arch liners fitted.

Full degrease underneath as the oil leak had made a mess!