Are Abarth prices getting more realistic...?

[kev131]

http://www.lanciaflavia.it/annunci/dettid.php?gb_id=46432

[simon131]

Is 40,000 Euros realistic then Kev? I might have to put mine up for 35,000 and see how she sells! Any takers??

[BKFIAT]

If you did sell your car simon what would you buy to replace it ? assuming that is your hypothetical situation.

[curt]

I could answer that on his behalf but I wont - I know what I would do - Go for a holiday in NZ and pay the excess baggage allowance 

[simon131]

You know what BK, I don't know what I'd buy?? Sometimes though I think it would be far easier to sell all of my old cars and invest the time and effort in something where I'll actually make money instead of losing it Then I clean one of them, or take one for a drive and wonder what on Earth I'd do without a 131 (or two! ) in the family

Possibly the only thing I'd sell my Abarth for is a mint, original, untouched black 131 Sport. I know it sounds riddiculous, and my silver Racing should fulfil me in that area, but it's not black and it's not RHD. I don't know what I'd do with the spare 'change' though

I went to see my friend in NZ a couple of years ago Curt, and was seriously thinking about emigrating over there as it's such an unspoilt Country with spectactular scenery. Unfortunately my wife had other ideas, so here we still are

Italian cars seems few and far between in NZ and Australia, but they do exist and are usually owned by enthusiasts now. I have very strong links with that part of the World - especially Oz as my wife's family are there, so every couple of years we visit and we look up our friends in the Fiat Car Club of Queensland . A great bunch of people

[BKFIAT]

I Often feel the same way.................."sell the bloody lot".......then 5mins later I wonder , what sort of crazy talk was that? Brother and I own about 40 cars and storage is big problem. It rains 24/7 here,so indoors is a must but this is expensive. >:(We have a storage facility hired,holds 25  to 30 cars,but costs 320yoyos a month!So probably in the future we will sell most of the cars,try to buy an Abarth and keep maybe 5 or 6 of the fleet as well. I am  building a 10x10metre garage at the moment and this will hold 5 cars easy.This is all i plan to keep,because its really a waste of time and money parking cars under the clouds and watching them vanish before my eyes!.......................... ............you are lucky to have friends in NZ and OZ...Great countries....hope to see them someday

[simon131]

Yes I agree totally BK, cars that are left out in all kinds of weather deteriorate very quickly. It's not only the bodywork that suffers, but the chrome, rubbers, tyres, exhaust and to a greater degree the electrics, all suffer too

I have problems with storage and I've only got 8 cars

Two of my 'Babies' (the Abarth and my mint orange Special) are locked up tight in the dry, secure garage next to my house. Unfortunately everything else is outside, although the Racing is under an 'all weather' cover . It's not so bad for the modern cars in my fleet as they are galvanised and (so far at least ) show no signs of decay.

I'm currently undertaking extension works at home and the plan was to build a 4 car garage and large hardstanding, but funds have been diverted to the main project. Still, one day......

If you get the chance you must visit NZ and Oz. Both are great countries, and totally different.

[bellamacchina]

We all have the same problems guys!  We discuss about exactly the same. And I also discussed with my girlfriend. I promised her that around 5 cars ago THAT car was my last purchase! Indeed it was the last purchase by then! Sometimes I also think about selling most of my collection but to be honest I love them all and I just don't wanna part. Think about how other people can destroy your lifework. NO, I am a collector not a dealer or seller!
Storage is also a very big problem here. I am looking already longer for an own storage and I hope very soon with a good result. That means, if the bank gives the green light we have our own 384 sqm in the place where I live. I wanna try to rent half to make it possible to pay every month easily but that is another story.
At the moment 4 cars stand outside and that causes me headaches as they are also from Italy!
About Abarths. People ask money but I don't see them change hands easy?? And what is a normal price for an Abarth. To be honest, I went into the Volumetrico direction instead of the Abarth Stradale because of the money.

Greetings from an also rainy Holland!

[simon131]

I agree Albert that VXs are cheaper than Stradales, but I'd love one nonetheless

I'd always wanted a 131 Abarth for as long as I could remember and it took me a long time to get together enough funds to go for even the cheapest one. I knew that I wouldn't be able to get a Group IV, but I was happy to buy a Stradale that was "roadworthy but needed work", so that I knew it was sound.

The car I eventually purchased back in the summer of 2004 was sold to me with the assistance (if you can call it that!) of an English speaking Italian intermediary who collected me from the airport and took me to the car for the first viewing. He was decent enough but the seller was a complete liar It was clear that he just wanted rid of the car as he needed the money, and he even lied to the intermediary, telling him that his wife was leaving him and that he needed the money from the sale for the divorce. How strange then, that when we collected the car some weeks later, his wife gave us coffee and cake whilst we sorted the paperwork

Still, the car was reasonably straight, and now that I have renewed all of the suspension and brake components, the steering rack and tyres, and sorted most of the electrical gremlins, it drives beautifully - even if the bodywork could do with a little attention

I'm glad I invested in the car I bought - although I have since vowed never to buy from Italy again. My total buying experience was 'disappointing', but I'm glad I did it!

[eugene]

Simon i presume he was a bit of an Arthur Daly character!!!!