Well, the 124 Spider is cheaper than the Miata

At the higher end, anyway (Abarth vs Club/Grand Touring). But both are more or less analogous otherwise.

http://jalo.ps/ehkkUBl

It turns out that the 124 Spider starts at $24,995 for the base Classica model, moves up to $27,495 for the mid-range Lusso, and tops out at $28,195 for the Abarth version. Those prices don’t include the $995 destination fee. Compare that to the Miata, which starts at $24,915 for the base Sport, $28,600 for the Club and $30,065 for the Grand Touring—all not including an $800 destination fee.

The only thing I can confirm on the Fiat site is a $24,995 base price.

I have a feeling we're going to be seeing a lot of these.

In reply to Keith Tanner:

So, is Flyin' Fiat open yet?

Sure. Bring us yours today. Seriously, we probably have suspension, brake and wheel options on the shelf and ready to go.

And yes, flyinfiat.com goes to our website.

I was driving behind a black one this Wednesday with M plates on it. It was very sharp, looked much better than I thought it did in photos online.

It's a neat car and prettier than the ND. After having spent a little time in an ND, I want one, but I NEED a real roof or hardtop that I can fit a rollbar under. I just can't justify one without that. Dammit.

Do all colors of the 124 have that goofy silver windshield frame? I don't like the hood, but I understand the homage to the original 124 spider. I like the grill. Will they also make the retractable targa version?

WildScotsRacing wrote: In reply to Keith Tanner: So, is Flyin' Fiat open yet?

Flyin' MFiata?

I really think they are going to look amazing in person and I would really, really like to go put my name on a list for one. It's totally possible that we will pick up a used one in a few years. Honestly though, if they so much as hint to the possibility of a 124 Coupe or Sedan, I will be the first motherberkeleyer in that line with pockets full of cash...

So long it's a little less awkward that these renders.

If they do a 124 sedan, I'm going to do my best to ensure it is nicknamed a Lada.

Burrito wrote: I really think they are going to look amazing in person and I would really, really like to go put my name on a list for one. It's totally possible that we will pick up a used one in a few years. Honestly though, if they so much as hint to the possibility of a 124 Coupe or Sedan, I will be the first motherberkeleyer in that line with pockets full of cash... So long it's a little less awkward that these renders.

I'll be outside the Fiat dealer waving a fistful of $100's.

All I want is the manual version, which means Classica. Good deal, though I'll bet there will still be a first year of gouging before settling down into typical Fiat discount mode.

My main question is, who will be the first vendor to offer the snout-mounted fog lights seen on the Rally? And will they offer the hardtop as an accessory?

mazdeuce wrote:

Burrito wrote: I really think they are going to look amazing in person and I would really, really like to go put my name on a list for one. It's totally possible that we will pick up a used one in a few years. Honestly though, if they so much as hint to the possibility of a 124 Coupe or Sedan, I will be the first motherberkeleyer in that line with pockets full of cash... So long it's a little less awkward that these renders.

I'll be outside the Fiat dealer waving a fistful of $100's.

I would be is so much debt so fast...

Gearheadotaku wrote:

mazdeuce wrote:

Burrito wrote: I really think they are going to look amazing in person and I would really, really like to go put my name on a list for one. It's totally possible that we will pick up a used one in a few years. Honestly though, if they so much as hint to the possibility of a 124 Coupe or Sedan, I will be the first motherberkeleyer in that line with pockets full of cash... So long it's a little less awkward that these renders.

I'll be outside the Fiat dealer waving a fistful of $100's.

I would be is so much debt so fast...

Don't they already make this though?

Whats your excuse for not being in debt already?

Meh. I like the Miata sheet metal better.

The FRS/BRZ is OK, but it's not nearly as pretty as the Fiat. The big thing is the engine. I wasn't thrilled about it on release and I know several people that have blown theirs up which has made me even less interested. For me to buy a new car I have to be significantly emotionally drawn to it. A hardtop Fiat pulls at my heartstrings.

In reply to mazdeuce:

I'm curious, and to clarify - blown up an Abarth or a Frisbee?

if somebody blew up an abarth 124... they did it in record time

Frisbee. Two blown up motors, one at 24k-ish miles, one I don't know, cam gear failure at 80k. A couple of other significant issues I don't know specifics of. Maybe the 124 motor will blow up too, who knows, what I do know is that I'm very lukewarm about the longevity of the Frisbee motor doing the stuff I like to do with cars.

mazdeuce wrote: The FRS/BRZ is OK, but it's not nearly as pretty as the Fiat. The big thing is the engine. I wasn't thrilled about it on release and I know several people that have blown theirs up which has made me even less interested. For me to buy a new car I have to be significantly emotionally drawn to it. A hardtop Fiat pulls at my heartstrings.

How many is several and what were the circumstances? It seems the ones blowing up motors are FI and/or on poor tunes just mercilessly raping the car on a second basis.

There are too many guys who regularly track the cars on E85, over 200whp naturally aspirated to believe all the whinging street racers.

Also, the stock tunes have been shown to knock insanely on 91 octane.

Neither one was FI, both tracked, both driven hard in Texas where it's hot. I understand that a LOT of people do just fine with them but I have a bias based on what I've personally seen that keeps me from spending money on one. I like them a lot. I've driven them and spent time in them. When you can pick them up for $5k they'll be the bargain of the century.
For now, a hardtop 124 or even a proper Miata coupe (not the retractable Targa) would coax money out of my wallet in a way that the frisbee cars don't.

My friend is a shop manager at a huge Toyota dealership and has said they've replaced a number of short blocks. The reason: a steady diet of ethanol gasoline. Apparently the ethanol in the fuel screws up the DI and it fails. I had a friend who had an FR-S and when circumstances forced him to run ethanol gas, it would start making a chirping noise underhood that I assume was the HPFP. He also said he had read about stock engines blowing up from ethanol gasoline and that was a big reason why he sold the car off.

Still, I wonder if just the act of putting Fiat badges on a Miata makes it instantly less reliable, let alone putting in a Fiat engine as well.

Id take a 124. I may go look at them as a brz replacement.

As to the brz...at 18k miles mine definitely has the cricket noise, and has now developed a valve rattle. It has only premium and mostly shell or Exxon. Dealer looked at it last week and basically said there was no issue. It comes with a power loss to boot. I'm not happy at all with Subaru at the moment.

with Fiat's of old.. except for people not replacing the timing belts at the proper intervals.. the engines were not the issue. The electrics and transmissions were.

I can't imagine that the new fiat's are any different, it's not a new engine, it been out in some form or another for quite a few years now.