FIAT 127, 131 (was: Re: Car of the century)

["David Ross" <ross@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Carl Prochilo wrote:

"Yugo of course proved that the 127 really wasn't really worthy of surviving in NA's temperate climate (at least up here in the NE)
because they never enhanced the car's infrastructure to last more than a couple of years.  "

I don't think it is reasonable to infer too much about the 127 from the Yugo.  I drove and enjoyed a 127 for several years in
Northern England, and what killed it at almost 10 years of age was not bad infrastructure but an errant  Volvo.

"And lets not forget the 131 Mifafiori...  Well, okay, let's forget it."

The replacement car for my 127 was a Mirafiore, which was almost as fun to drive - at least at speeds <40mph - as my Alfa Spider.
Of course, I didn't actually own this car (it was a several-month lease from a place called, I kid you not, Speedy Spares), so I
didn't have to deal with maintenance.

My *next* car was a Honda Civic, which blew up within weeks of purchase on the M1 outside London, when I tried to drive it like the
Italian cars to which I was more accustomed.

Needless to say, I'm inclined to agree with the other posters that the FIATs are a better advertisement for this engine layout than
the Hondas.

- - David R.

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