How old are most FIAT fans here?

[cinquecento]

I feel like I'm probably one of the youngest here; when I was born the Fiats were already long gone.  I had the pleasure of owning a 2000 Fiat Bravo HGT while I was in France, and fell in love (of course I always preferred the 500).  I'm only 25 and would love to learn more about the older Fiats as well as the new!

[sjmst]

Bought my 81 Fiat Spider new when I was 23. 52 now..

[cinquecento]

Maybe I'll be able to get a Fiat Spider in a couple decades then? Here's hoping!

[ciddyguy]

cinquecento wrote

I feel like I'm probably one of the youngest here; when I was born the Fiats were already long gone.  I had the pleasure of owning a 2000 Fiat Bravo HGT while I was in France, and fell in love (of course I always preferred the 500).  I'm only 25 and would love to learn more about the older Fiats as well as the new!

I remember when Fiat was here in the US but never owned one myself although I came close to checking out a 78, I think it was Fiat 128 in the early 80's and remember liking the looks of the Ritmo/Strada before poof, they were gone in 1982, well, the X-1/9 and the 124 Spyder stayed around as Bertone before they left in '85 here in the States.

I'm hoping to be in a financial position to buy my first brand new car, perhaps the Fiat, once I test drive it and all that, not a well used older model this year.

I'm 45, will be 46 early next year.

[Minuszka]

I'm 44 and a Fiat 500 was our first family car in Europe when I grew up. So, it's me at the wheel on my thumbnail photo.

[Fiat500USA]

Hi cinquecento,

Today I'll be 48 and this past week has been a great birthday present!

[prima 109]

I'm 41.  Will be 42 next August.  The PE will be my first Fiat.  I know people who have had them when they were here in the 70s & 80s, they loved them.  i'm buying this one because I was lucky enough to get a reservation spot after being on wait list.  Getting excited.  The local Chrysler dealer was chosen as a Fiat dealer, so that makes it even better for me.

[NM dude]

I`m 68. Have owned many cars of all types over the the years, but prima #201 will be my first Fiat.

[FiatGal]

44, and very young at heart.

Happy belated birthday Chris!!

[Mike S]

I'm 63 and I'm surprised at the average age so far.

Fiat may want to add a wheel chair rack and oxygen bottle holders as additional options.

[Carabinieri]

I'm 63, too, Mike, but if you drive like I do, let's hope the options list also includes a roll cage and nitro boost.  

As for prior FIAT's, I bought a '76 131 new in Virginia and then drove it in Italy for 3 years, '77 - '80.  Great car.  I still miss it.

Bill

[Mike S]

Roll cage and nitrous?

I and many others would like to see a real abarth 500 that can compete on the world rally circuit like in the old days.

With some work, it could compete with the likes of the Subaru WRX...

The current version of the 500 Abarth is slower than my stock Volvo station wagon.

[Gerre]

I'm 54 and will be 55  at year end. I was 17 when I bought my first FIAT 500. A 1964 500D bought in 1973. I payed $364 and sold it for $364 three years later. I am (just) a little older than the original 7/4/1957 debut FIAT 500. Still want to hug it every time I see one.

[Carabinieri]

I was, as were you, just teasing, tho I am having difficulty imagining a Volvo wagon getting out of its own way, much less be faster than the Abarth version 500.

We sold the 131 and bought a '83 244GL.  Wonderful family car, but (in non-turbo) S L O W.  Got 200K+ out of it, too, and probably would still have it had not a darling daughter totalled it.  She wasn't hurt, but had the tow-truck driver call me as she didn't want to tell me she destroyed that loyal beast.  Only had two real issues with it: electrics and lights that made Brit cars seem inspired technology and plastic that made we wonder how it survived in Sweden because so much cracked in East coast winters.

I've about decided to give up my #160 and wait to buy something more made to order.  Kathi had a good time watching the various Abarth vids out there and I'm thinking she'll be hooked.  I really don't care about 0-60 and other "fast" results, but care very much about suspension.  

Regards,

Bill

[Mike S]

Yes, I know. Volvo wagon faster than the Abarth?

Volvo couldn't have done a worse job promoting it. It is the "R" version. V70R, 300 hp all wheel drive and push button adjustable suspension. The 2006 - 2007 were the last of them. 0 - 60 in 6.5 seconds! The numbers I have seen for the Abarth are 7.9 seconds.

I couldn't help myself. After 3 months I reprogrammed the ecu with a softloader. 0 - 60 is now 5.83 seconds.

Now what cop would give an elderly man driving a Volvo wagon a speeding ticket?

I did get dusted by a Subaru WRX so be careful with those.

[JustWilliam]

 45 years old. Hopelessly devoted to the marriage of practicality and artistic expression.

[elaborus]

43 years old from Thessaloniki - Greece...

[Jim McKenzie]

57 but feel like 27 years ago :)

[ScarGo]

I'm 46, and never owned a Fiat.  I do remember encouraging my brother to buy an X1/9, that must have been 1978?  I think somehow I have always been attracted to small cars.  Maybe it was the fuel crises in the 70's.  My fist car was a 1980 Ford Fiesta and my wife and I purchased a 2004 MINI Cooper S.  We had the second one in our area...so early adopters I guess.

[RacerRon]

I'm 59. Bought my first Fiat new in 1978 (X1/9). I have owned several X1/9s. My dad had an 850. I started racing Fiats in the early 1980s. I'm interested in buying a 500, but am going to wait until the Abarth version is available in the U.S.