Just been thinking about my Coupe experience- good and bad.


Running out of fuel (doh was parked uphill, low fuel and then a 2 mile trip up and even steeper hill to the garage - cue thinking cam sensor, yellow fuse of death, ecu blow out?..nope 2 gallons of fuel after a walk of shame and she was back...of course it was at a t junction on a set of lights....)

The time the alarm system went awol - driving everywhere with hazards flashing and not a clue why..! as I cruised around in "stealing me" mode.

Shredding the aux belt when I went toe to toe with a modern Boster GTS - driven by a friend. Beaten only just (i should have simply changed up earlier and let the trubo do the work....but got in to a "grunt" race with an extra cylinder on their car). As the power steering stopped and the battery warning light illuminated at ...well high speed....I realised what had happened.... Cue 1-Thanking the gods i had Joe put on his aux guard custom pulley- a car saver!! Cue 2...I was calm enough to be able to figure out how much battery life the car had..drive to a pub, Have a pleasurable pint and a half- chit chatting about how close it had been. And then calmy driving off....all the while knowing what had happened....confidence sometimes is king.

The time I took her to Nurburgring. On the way- high summer in Belgium near Slijpe on theE40 - a road that can see some commuer congestion but usually rolls freely. Que a traffic jam due to a crash. Then dark summer rain storms.....then the most biblical hail storm I have ever been in (and I have been in USA hail many times) with hail the size of gobstoppers- i just sat there fearing that the car had been peppered and ruined...and that the glass was going to come in...i even thought about getting out and throwing clothing over her....she survived somehow without any dents. How to this day i do not know.

And the fact that each time I do maintenace/repair- she rebels. Going sulky.

The good...

First buying her. A bit unloved by the last owner...driving her pretty much the whole country home.,..I had toppped up fluids, she was warm and at a motorway toll gate - just thought "aw to hell with it- why not" and pegged her- cue illegal speeds in 2nd!!!!!! flat out".

Realising she needed a real bit of resto....cue first trip to FCSS....and a lot of work later-with realisations that one of the injectors was not right. Nor was the MAF, nor the temp sensor....you get the picture -then picking her up and just feeling her run so "sweet" with that 5 pot burble.

Surprising a 911 996 4s (gosh i sound like a boy racer- but all of these have been traffic light grandprix moments) at another set of dual carraigeway roundabouts- when he just assumed he would pull out in to the fast lane and disappear....and just cut me of -but could not detach me from the rear of his car-even though it sank inches at the read as he pressed the gas and gave it his all....smiles all around from me.

After advice that coupes can come alive under a Mr Flea (Leighton) tune-up - taking the decision to have him give her a very customised "GT" spec- more frugal on fuel, but better speed with revs and much more toruge everwhere....and seriously swearing out loud when I first put my foot down! Cue the same day getting in to a dual carriageway roundabout to roundabout rodeo with a Ferrari 550 brachetta-(yes a proper one-hens teeth)in the same colour as mine- i think he just assumed this little red "fiat" would be humiliated.....and yet when the speed got serious...he faded away...yes of course his car was cooler and i wanted it. And no doubt he could have gone faster...but i think mine was totally able to see of the bigger Fiat brand that day!!! And Mr Fleas work has proven to have been such a good decison- anyone driving her can not beleive she is- whn psuhed but how easy under normal driving conditions. I was always acverse to tuning...but if you want a teateful considered step up the ladder-m with BETTER mpg..I promise you-do it!


Hoping to take her out again this weekend!

Wondered what your experiences have been?

Regards MM

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Hello MM

Your adventures seem a little more exciting than mine !

My favourite trick is revving the engine and moving slightly forwards at lights, while in the slow lane next to a nutter.
When the lights change and he is 400 yards away in a cloud of smoke, I turn left.

Worst is getting invoices. However small

Worst moment was a total brake failure at 70mph when I applied brakes to come off dual carraigeway at my junction!! Managed to get off at the next junction and crawl home with gearbox/handbrake use. Helix braded hose had been rubbing, worn through and dumped all fluid.

Most fun was a rolling (ca. 40mph) start burn up with Nissan GTR, he only dropped me by a car length, before he experienced the magic 3rd gear and must of wondered what they hell was following him with laugh out loud driver :-)

Oh yes, returning from Flea's on M4 with OBC in passenger seat, not wanting to get pebble-dashed by a gritter, so undertaking by going off at junction and then coming back on, giving it some beans and experiencing the full benefits of the 360bhp re-map......

All my numerous visits to Rog at Powerfiat, PowerItalia and PowerDevelopments were a highlight and a great laugh.