future classic?

[eugene]

I always understood that it was only LADAS one gets for FREE .Never new Fiats werw for free as well.
Everyday one learns something new .Eugene

[Blue850]

I worked in a Fiat dealership in the early 90's and we were plagued with Regattas for rust warranty, they must have been the last of the non galvanised Fiats, We had to put 4 doors on one and couldn't any for the passenger side, so we put 2 Ritmo ones on it, so it had rectangular handles on one side and round on the other . The 1.9 turbo diesels were pokey though.

[simon131]

It's terrible how these cars were the replacement for the 131, but FIAT were just answering what the buyers were asking for.

The thing about the "Regretta" tho was that it was so very different to the car it replaced. Front wheel drive and transverse engine for starters. Yeah, I drove lots when they were current cars as my wife Wendy worked for FIAT from about 1990 until 1996. The 100S (1600TC) was superior to the 85S (1600 ohc), but the 85S Automatic actually had the Strada sourced 1500 single ohc, which for some reason FIAT thought was good idea (perhaps because the Strada 85 was already available as an automatic so there was no development cost).

The Regretta was dated when it was launched, especially when you compare it with the Tipo/Tempra range that replaced the Strada/Regata. As someone has already said, they rusted for Italy and did nothing for the reputation of FIAT. A mate of mine had a 1985/B-reg 100S saloon in gold that was totally rotten. He paid for a cheap respray and punted it quick before anything fell off. Yeah, it was quick, but it weighed nothing as it was made out of Coke cans.

All that said tho, if the price was right and I had the money I'd have a 100S saloon. I think that they will be worth something one day, especially those with a TC. The cars with i.e. injection were extremely complicated and the electronics often went wrong.