CAR WARS! Sibling Rivalry Edition — Would You Rather Have A Vintage Alfa Romeo/Fiat Spider OR The All-New Fiat 124 Spider?

At the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) debuted an all-new Italian to join the Fiat family. On the surface that sounds pretty awesome but then I saw what the company brought to the table.

Dubbed the Fiat 124 Spider, it is largely based off of the Mazda MX-5 Miata. While many adore the Miata, I can't get my head wrapped around it. It may have to do with the fact I can't fit into the damn thing but that's another story for another day.

Having said that, something tells me that the all-new 124 Spider will probably wind up costing about $30,000 when all is said and done at the dealer. And then when Agent 001 started to send me eBay Motors auctions for vintage Alfa Romeo and Fiat Spiders that got my clock ticking. Most reserves were in the region of $20,000-30,000 depending on condition.

So, I have to ask:

IF you were in the market for something small, Italian and sporting, would YOU go for a proper, vintage Alfa Romeo or Fiat Spider, OR would you opt for the all-new Fiat 124 Spider?

MDarringer - 12/8/2015 8:30:43 AM

+1 Boost

I'll take the Fiata. The vintage Italians are notorious for their terrible reliability and rust.

mini22 - 12/8/2015 11:15:46 AM

+2 Boost

Well we complain about Fiat not being that reliable today. But most of the complaints are about a rough shifting auto tranny or a poor infotainment system pale from the complaints about Italian cars from the 70's. Those days it was about shoddy electrics, leaking oil, rust, parts falling off etc. Other than the 500L which is produced in Poland other Fiat's do not have any more reliability issues then any other Chrysler products. As for the Fiata that car will be built in Japan by Japanese workers. The only Italian piece of that car mechanically is the 1.4 Turbo multiair engine. It has proven to be a very reliable engine. Therefore I see no real issue's with the Fiata. In fact being that it has a turbo it is very tunable to get a lot more HP out of it. When I had my 500 Abarth I was able to get over 200 HP out of it through a combination of a performance intake and a Unichip piggyback ECU.I can tell you that the Aftermarket Fiat guys are just waiting and salivating to get their hands on the 124.

TomM - 12/8/2015 6:26:24 PM

+1 Boost

So then the question for YOU - Agent00r is whether you actually fit in the FIATA - which I doubt is that much bigger than a Miata. Since it is unlikely that you will fit - or I will (I am tall) and MDarriinger has also said he is tall - that leaves us with the question - what are we going to do with two roadsters that we cannot comfortably even sit in. Even though I am financially well off - I am not the point that I would want one of these as a Statue in my garage. So I will pass- on both

MDarringer - 12/8/2015 9:20:55 PM

+1 Boost

I'm 6'2" and with the top up a Miata is inhospitable. I'd put up with a Miata or the 124 if either of them had 300 horsepower.

Till then the red GT350 will do nicely.

mini22 - 12/9/2015 12:39:11 AM

+1 Boost

I don't have that problem of excessive height. I'm 5 6 1/2 so an MX5 or a 124 Spider is not an issue for me. If I had the money I spring for a GT 350. How ever since I don't a mid to upper 20 grand roadster will suit me just fine.