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From: ec120bdh@sdcc3.UUCP (MATTHEW SCHOLZ)
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: re:best car worst car
Message-ID: <3124@sdcc3.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 8-Jan-86 14:32:51 EST
Article-I.D.: sdcc3.3124
Posted: Wed Jan  8 14:32:51 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 11-Jan-86 07:09:44 EST
Organization: U.C. San Diego, Academic Computer Center
Lines: 85
Keywords: FIAT=HELL

O.k. gang here is the single worst car that should (along with it's
designers, manufacturers, producers, engineers, and sales reps. burn
in hell for all eternity) never have been built, the FIAT, either
the boxy looking 128 sl (1974) or the X19.
Consider:

        1) Performance: the 128 corners well until the front wheel
        bearing give out, and then they can't be replaced, because
        the hub was flared in assembly to never allow removal.  This
        front end also results in the death of the; cv joint,
        spyder, boot, bushings, and trans. with a discount repair
        cost of $285-$600.

        2) Economy: the gas sending unit gives out after about
        70,000 miles, and to replace it the "factory trained" mechs.
        split the gas tank in half, and put the beast in resulting
        in *severe* gas leaks if the tank is ever filled above the
        1/2 way mark (4.5 gals).

        3) Reliability: the thing has a rubber timing belt that if
        not replaced every "30,000 miles" (more like 20K actually)
        will break, and when it does, on its last dying suicidal
        revs the valves all open, the piston tries to compress, and
        the resulting firing bends the valves, warps the aluminum
        head, and scores the cylinder (resulting cost: + $1000).
        The brake components are made of a highly breakable plastic
        which noone stocks, and there is a magnet in some of the
        lousy transmissions used to collect filings, but when it
        gets old the little itty bitty magnet lodges itself in the 4
        th gear somewhere, and one revolution later, POW! new trany.

        4) Ease of repair: The welding on the adjustable passenger
        side seat broke.  No one said they could weld the thing, and
        the closest seat in S.D. was on a '75 128.  The sliders
        under the seat were welded on the opposite sides.  The
        mounting bolts, and hole locations were ~4" off, the actual
        rack that the seat slides on was 4" narrower, and the stupid
        sliders were welded on the ends to prevent removal.

        5) Power: the 4-speed 1300cc engine is such a dog that
        chevette owners get made 'cause it takes so long to
        accellerate up to its 55 mph max.

        6) Convenience: The parts come with no instructions, or
        Italian instructions, and in the Chiltons, and Haynes
        manuals many tasks have the quote "this should not be done
        by the normal owner due to the number of special FIAT tools
        needed to complete this task." *AND* the stupid oil drain
        plug.  The stupid thing needs to be removed with a hex key,
        and the outside of the plug is round and smooth to foil all
        attempts (except those made by a half crazed, severly pissed
        off engineer with giant vise grips, a breaker bar, and a bad
        temper) to remove it.

        7) Safety: the crank jack was so weak that after setting the
        emergency brake (which fails...the stupid thing never holds,
        even after adjusting it all the way with the tensor nut),
        putting it in gear, blocking the rear tire, and being on an
        almost perfectly level surface, the jack twisted, and broke
        dropping that satanic 4-wheeled jackal on me, and the broken
        hunk of jack had ripped through the door panel, leaving a
        hole, a dent, and all kinds of paint damage.

        8) Style: the car just sucks.  I mean, it just sucks.  It
        looks like an ugly box, was painted the *special*
        FIAT-SNOTTY-FESTERING WOUND-GREEN, and has a little ugly
        FIAT symbol attached to the hood which long ago was pried
        off and throw off a high cliff.

        9) Service:
        $$%&%%^%$!!$%$$%%^*%^%$@@@!!!!$^$%$#$#@@!!!#$#$#$#$###$#$#$
        #$#^%%!!FACTORY TRAINED???!!!???!!!%$^$%$%^$%^!!@#%#%#$%#$$
        $%@@#@#$@#$@#$@#$@#$$$$^&*^&%^%^&%MECHANICS?!?!$%$*&@#@@#@#
        #$#$&^*&^YOU REPAIR?!? FIATS?????@#$@#$@!!!!!!!!!E99+

        So I think all you other unhappy lemon lovers out there
        should agree that the general concensus is that FIAT
        (yes, I *KNOW* all the stupid acronyms!!) is indeed the
        worst car ever made...i mean, you can repair a chevette, or
        an Edsel, or even a "fluid-drive" De Soto, but these????

        NNNOOOOOOOOO!!!!! WAAYYYYYYYY!!!!!!

        'nuff said,
        M.Scholz     sdcc3!ec120bdh