Member Since: 29 Sep 2006
Location: MIDLANDS
Posts: 8143
Waiting for the sun.....
Sold the Fiat 124 Spider to get an Abarth 124 instead 8)
Gone for the auto, SWMBO drives it occasionally and has a dodgy knee and, TBH, I just prefer auto’s myself. Sure the manual would be more fun that 5% of time you spank it round the lanes but this has ‘tiptronic’ and flappy paddles and is only car I can imagine using them. Fixes the only dislike I had in my standard 124; used to bog down before turbo spooled up around 2k, often had to drop into 1st gear in town traffic, auto fixes that.
Sounds awesome, real V8 bark and burble like my XKR’s, neighbours will love it at 6.00am.....
27th Mar 2019 7:32 pm
DG Site Moderator
Member Since: 12 Dec 2005
Location: The Gaff
Posts: 50978
Great motor ...my lad was given one by Abarth for a week for promotion ...soundtrack very impressive 21 year LR veteran > D2 GS 2003 > D3 S 2006 > D3 HSE 2009 > D4 HSE 2013 > D4 HSE 2015 > D5 HSE 2018 > DS HSE R-Dynamic P300e 2021
27th Mar 2019 7:49 pm
Moo D3 Decade
Member Since: 13 Aug 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 14430
Nice
They sound awesome. SWMBO's Spider is in for a new exhaust tomorrow to help give it a bit more of an aural presence.
It'll be interesting to see if she notices - she has no idea. D4 HSE EU6 (Known as Jeeves)
New Defender L663 110 SE (known as Noddy!) Sold
Sold Volvo XC90 R-Design (known as Basil)
Sold - D4 HSE (Known as Gerty)
No longer the Old Buses original owner
231,000 miles and counting
05 S manual owned from March 2005
D4 Face lifted
Still original injectors and turbo
V8 Front brakes
BAS Remap, Allisport Intercooler and deCat
EGRs blanked
T-Max split charge
Hanibal Expeedition rack
Prospeed ladder
Duratrac tyres
IID BT
BAS FBH control
27th Mar 2019 8:10 pm
astonbuilder
Member Since: 29 Sep 2006
Location: MIDLANDS
Posts: 8143
It was some of your comments, amongst other factors, moo that helped convince me to go for the Fiat over another MX-5, ended up with same colour as your SWMBO coincidentally (bronze with tan leather). However had a chance to try an Abarth and knew I wanted one so that’s how it’s ended
The standard 124 was a bit muted I thought so a new exhaust should help on yours.
27th Mar 2019 11:15 pm
J@mes
Member Since: 10 Nov 2008
Location: Bomber County
Posts: 4547
That's a great looking convertible 2014 D4 XS
2005 D3 SE - Gone
28th Mar 2019 7:35 am
Moo D3 Decade
Member Since: 13 Aug 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 14430
astonbuilder wrote:
It was some of your comments, amongst other factors, moo that helped convince me to go for the Fiat over another MX-5, ended up with same colour as your SWMBO coincidentally (bronze with tan leather). However had a chance to try an Abarth and knew I wanted one so that’s how it’s ended
The standard 124 was a bit muted I thought so a new exhaust should help on yours.
Thanks. I think they are cracking cars, good looking and really good value. We have the roof off most of the time unless its raining. You keep toasty warm inside with very little buffeting. The only bit missing was the exhaust note but thats about to change. D4 HSE EU6 (Known as Jeeves)
New Defender L663 110 SE (known as Noddy!) Sold
Sold Volvo XC90 R-Design (known as Basil)
Sold - D4 HSE (Known as Gerty)
No longer the Old Buses original owner
231,000 miles and counting
05 S manual owned from March 2005
D4 Face lifted
Still original injectors and turbo
V8 Front brakes
BAS Remap, Allisport Intercooler and deCat
EGRs blanked
T-Max split charge
Hanibal Expeedition rack
Prospeed ladder
Duratrac tyres
IID BT
BAS FBH control
28th Mar 2019 7:49 am
Biker Pete
Member Since: 23 Jan 2014
Location: Gateshead
Posts: 513
Now that is just lovely 8)
I did try one and loved it but couldn't justify the expenses as have use of a convertible already for summer days. Still tempted though!
28th Mar 2019 8:36 am
astonbuilder
Member Since: 29 Sep 2006
Location: MIDLANDS
Posts: 8143
They are absolutely great VFM in my opinion. When they launched the premium added over the 'standard' 124 Spider range was a bit daft TBH. Mine would have retailed at £34k new (that infringes into some serious blue-chip marque territory IMO).
Whilst it had Abarth bits and bobs added in over and above the increased power output engine it also lost features that made no sense to me really (unless you look at it as a half-hearted attempt of 'pure sports and no fripperies I suppose). It's lost the rear-view parking camera and the keyless go on the central locking (never understood any manufacturer where you need a fob to plip the doors open but then still have a push-button for the engine start (neither are available as options)
It also has the same infotainment system as the other cars but they take the SD card out and put that on as a £400 option (genuine branded cards available on the web' for circa £50 - the system isn't great TBH and even in my last 124 with sat-nav I had a Tom-Tom available if needed mounted on the screen).
All worth it for the sound and the extra go though
Without too much searching you can find 18 plate cars at dealers with nominal mileages (less than 1k) for around £20k. Some missing things like Bose speaker upgrade option and some visuals (which many prefer) I've seen some below £19k at indy specialists - bargain IMO
28th Mar 2019 9:02 am
Charliecloud
Member Since: 31 Jul 2014
Location: Tonbridge
Posts: 980
Member Since: 13 Aug 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 14430
Big improvement
D4 HSE EU6 (Known as Jeeves)
New Defender L663 110 SE (known as Noddy!) Sold
Sold Volvo XC90 R-Design (known as Basil)
Sold - D4 HSE (Known as Gerty)
No longer the Old Buses original owner
231,000 miles and counting
05 S manual owned from March 2005
D4 Face lifted
Still original injectors and turbo
V8 Front brakes
BAS Remap, Allisport Intercooler and deCat
EGRs blanked
T-Max split charge
Hanibal Expeedition rack
Prospeed ladder
Duratrac tyres
IID BT
BAS FBH control
30th Mar 2019 8:46 am
astonbuilder
Member Since: 29 Sep 2006
Location: MIDLANDS
Posts: 8143
Has your SWMBO noticed yet? Wait for her to moan it’s ‘too noisy’ now
30th Mar 2019 8:49 am
astonbuilder
Member Since: 29 Sep 2006
Location: MIDLANDS
Posts: 8143
drmcw wrote:
Like the Italian number plate
£100 off eBay
30th Mar 2019 8:50 am
Moo D3 Decade
Member Since: 13 Aug 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 14430
astonbuilder wrote:
Has your SWMBO noticed yet? Wait for her to moan it’s ‘too noisy’ now
We’ll see in half an hour. D4 HSE EU6 (Known as Jeeves)
New Defender L663 110 SE (known as Noddy!) Sold
Sold Volvo XC90 R-Design (known as Basil)
Sold - D4 HSE (Known as Gerty)
No longer the Old Buses original owner
231,000 miles and counting
05 S manual owned from March 2005
D4 Face lifted
Still original injectors and turbo
V8 Front brakes
BAS Remap, Allisport Intercooler and deCat
EGRs blanked
T-Max split charge
Hanibal Expeedition rack
Prospeed ladder
Duratrac tyres
IID BT
BAS FBH control
30th Mar 2019 8:51 am
Moo D3 Decade
Member Since: 13 Aug 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 14430
Mrs Moo unhappy.
Mrs Moo says ‘ why can’t you just leave things alone? Why do you have to keep messing with everything? The amount of money you’ve wasted over the years fiddling with your bloody cars and bikes is ridiculous!’
It didn’t help taking her to the Specilized store in Bristol where she saw how much things really cost......
Now off to join the Foreign Legion with RN Clayton.
Car sounds good though D4 HSE EU6 (Known as Jeeves)
New Defender L663 110 SE (known as Noddy!) Sold
Sold Volvo XC90 R-Design (known as Basil)
Sold - D4 HSE (Known as Gerty)
No longer the Old Buses original owner
231,000 miles and counting
05 S manual owned from March 2005
D4 Face lifted
Still original injectors and turbo
V8 Front brakes
BAS Remap, Allisport Intercooler and deCat
EGRs blanked
T-Max split charge
Hanibal Expeedition rack
Prospeed ladder
Duratrac tyres
IID BT
BAS FBH control
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