A ROUGH GUIDE TO BUYING / OWNING AN ABARTH 124 SPIDER - updated July 2021

[A]

Hello and welcome

A ROUGH GUIDE TO BUYING / OWNING AN ABARTH 124 SPIDER

I thought over the years ahead many people will come to our virtual group exploring the 124 and wanting to check out if it’s a good idea. So here is a personal view point that might help. Feel free to add your own views as owners or questions if you are visiting.

Let’s be clear the Abarth 124 is something unique. It’s not another BMW, Audi or Mercedes. Only about 1700 were sold in the UK. The big picture is that this is based on an MX5, simply a winner of many car awards where do you start. Fiat take it and restyle it. Then Abarth add a bit of magic.
There are three versions, Scorpione which has for example no heated seats, plastic dash etc. The full fat Abarth as someone called it has these features and a few more. I don’t have a list of the full differences and it’s a personal choice to decide what is key to you. There is also the GT version which I understand 50 were sold in the UK. 20 Manual and 30 Automatic. A manual one is currently on Autotrader and has the highest price of any version. The GT version has a number of enhancements most importantly the hard top roof.

Let’s get to the point, this is a special car which is just so much fun. It’s rare to see another and you drive along just enjoying the experience. I’ve smiled every mile I’ve done to date.

Thinking of buying well there are not many and it will come down to budget. However the decision you need to make is manual or auto. The auto version was on approx 600 cars and was about £2500 extra on list price. For me I was driving an auto and will never go back to manual. At first I felt the auto on this car was not quite as good as my previous VW DSG box. However after 4000 miles I'm not so sure. Its more if you are driving slower or changing your speed its felt weaker. But it also might be that as you are so much more connected to the car and its noise you notice. When driving faster its perfect! Additionally with paddle shift and manual gear shift mode you still have the manual option should one wish. The shifting between auto and manual is easy, simply hold the right paddle shift for about a second and it’s back into auto. I fully understand and respect that some will just want Manual as I just want an Auto.

Any issues with the car. I don’t drive it enough yep, I just look forward to the drive when before I hated driving. Remember this is an MX5 that’s had its engineering tweeted and refined over decades. One area has been my back after driving. However a small cushion at the base of my seat has solved that issue for me. If you are interested in the handling etc then look at Richard Hammond’s video online review. https://youtu.be/rMLduHw1Fio

The truth is this is not the fastest car. Personally it’s fast enough, we are not on a race track and it’s faster than the vast majority of other cars on the road and that’s quite sufficient. Need 0 to 60 in 4 seconds, this is not the car for you. So compared to other sports cars the 124 has its own niche. Its quite similar to the MX5 but obviously better You just have to decide if you fit the niche.

Here are a few videos to watch for some light relief.

https://youtu.be/yZ3GoNR2-7A
https://youtu.be/MXuz4QM2QCA
https://youtu.be/jE9OnbDgI70
https://youtu.be/XEVgqn7_GQU

It’s loud, yep loud, fact, but that’s brilliant and part of its charm / character.

What options?
Well this is a unique car and it’s a personal choice that reflects you. For me an Italian car should be red, but the silver, blue etc all look great too. The seats had I think 3 options and again it’s up to you. Take your time and decide what you want.

Navigation as an option was about £500. But £32 on eBay buys you the SIM card, so every car therefore has NAV. I've done that and it works.
The 7" screen is quite dated compared to say a BMW. The system sometimes is slow to load up and feels a bit more 80's than 2020's.

Bose adds a few speakers and well sounds good to me but I’ve not been able to compare a car without. A little silver BOSE on the seat tells you.... dealers often take photos that either show this or just miss off this area of the seat. Buyer beware.

Visibility pack. Only about 14% of cars have this and so is rare. It adds auto head lights, brighter LEDs which are self leveling, so no dial on the right of the steering wheel plus the for me the massively important option of REAR PARKING SENSORS. However with few cars available I guess it’s a balance of price, age, mileage and then features and you may not have the choice.
BUT...now you do have a choice. https://124spider.uk/ offers self fit or fitted a wide angle reversing camera for about £100 or fitted £150. Look through the how too guide and if you have personal doubts then I would advise that you pay for fitting. If you are happy to de trim your car and run wires around it then you can fit yourself. Cameras are discussed by others on this forum in more detail. I have read that only 10% of cars had all the options, Visibility, Bose, Heritage and Nav, so around 170 cars total.

Currently the 124 Spider site is fast developing into my personal go to site for after market Abarth 124 options. But also try https://mx5things.com which has a section just for the 124. This appears to be a US site, but they do have a UK distributor. If you have seen any other good sites please post and share.

The black bonnet, know as heritage, after the 1972 124 Spider race paint scheme, is on about 50% of cars and is again a personal choice. Some will love it, some will hate it. However I look on it like this, diversity is good. These cars are individual and all owners could meet and we will have our own preferences, but the more variety the better. After all on the rare occasion that I get to wave at another 124 on the road that’s their car and mine is mine. We are unique and so are our cars. Want a Porsche, that’s easy, spend lots, a friend has and that’s fine. But for me you sort of select an Abarth 124.


OWNERSHIP
Life with an Abarth 124 is not like a BMW where you buy drive and that's it. You are part of a special club of people. Many post on this forum, in time we will meet again and some just browse for tips and advice. However what we are is a group who all simply love our cars. It's more than showing off our toy like a rich bloke. It's an appreciation of what Mazda, Fiat and fundamentally Abarth have created.

Possible changes to the car are numerous. One to consider is to hack the entertainment system and alter the set up, ie stop the warning at start up or change the background display. All I'll say is be certain of your version, read the guide a few times donate a few $ and then follow the guide with great care and bang it can work. See link for details....do not rush this one. https://21stcenturyfiat124spider.wordpress.com/

Winter driving required a bobble hat, new jacket just for the car, driving gloves, scarf and glasses. The rule for me is simple, no rain = roof down. A Scandinavian once said to me "The weather is never bad, you are just not properly dressed".

I've swapped the Radio whip for a shorter one. I actually prefer the original but I kept hitting it in my garage. So a short stubby one looks OK instead.

I've been trying to find a boot liner but a bit of plastic has to do for now. I had thought an option was an MX5 one off the MX5 Spares web site but I have read on the 21st Century’s web sites that the boot shape is different so it’s a NO for that one. However the MX5 offers lots of possible ideas and web sites for buying things and this is good. The MX5 is a sister we love. The theme is clear, this is a car that if you choose you can make your own.

Many have discussed cup holders, car mats and sill protectors...oh the list goes on. Have a search around other threads and you will find a great history, shared experiences and some great people to help you out. I've been given some top tips so have written this as a thank you.

So in essence this car is simply awesome, unique, fun and special.

If you have specific questions ask, we are a friendly bunch and we will try and help. But don’t expect a quick reply as we are a small group

Obviously this is just my best effort at helping others, if I’ve got something clearly wrong tell me and I’ll edit. I have put forward opinions, they are just mine and don’t be offended. I’m not trying to shock or annoy, more convey the emotion that goes with owning and selecting an Abarth 124. Want to say something, then add your thoughts.

So prices: I am no expert but no more are being built and its a fun two seater. However we are probably linked in some ways to the our MX5 sister.
As at June 2021 a 2019 with 10,000 miles, possibly with BOSE and Visibility, Auto will be on Autotrader for around £22 - £23k. A 2018 is around £21k. A GT version is currently on at £26k. It’s now July and prices have increased further. This could be part of a wider market second hand market rise, the summer effect or a host of reasons. Bottom line the asking price on Auto trader has increased within the last month. Let’s see what the years ahead bring.

This car is a hidden gem that over time people will fall in love with it’s magic


A


Updated July 21 with my latest thoughts.

[Glee]

Hi

Ordered a SIM card for the sat nav can you advise how the black plug next to the USB ports comes out please ??

[Geoffxb]

I totally agree I sold my beloved VXT that I had for over 13 years at first I thought I had made a mistake but after a few months I realised I hadn't  I love my spider yes my VXT was faster and a lot of fun but the spider as a package has got everything you need and of course now there are only a few left so in my opinion its the best 2 seater to have and on top of that its cheap to run cheap to tax and insure so what more can you want.

[BmBusa]

Really good summary. They are just a great, fun car at any price. Not the fastest, not the best but great fun and I would say more fun most of the time than something that is more powerful and 'grown up' as you can access what you have more easily, and  the balance of power and handling can make any road drive exciting. Its a very good sportscar in the MG/MX5 type tradition with a step up in performance. Well suited to people who enjoy planning a journey, set off to miss the traffic and take the twistiest route wherever they go.
I suspect a lot of people who have brought one might have felt obliged to look at because they are good, but won't really have wanted an MX5. They would be more excited by the prospect of or might even have considered a used Lotus Elise or even Alfa 4C  over buying a new Abarth, neither the default sportscar choice for most. While the Abarth isn't as focused or as compromised as an everyday choice as the Lotus or Alfa, its got a more raw feel and sound than something like a stock Boxster or Z4. I really liked the fact it's about as basic and light as modern cars get with manual roof, manually adjustable seats and only weighs a tonne.  All of these things make it feel as special and fun to own and drive as something with far greater  running costs . The fact that a lot of people will ask what it is is also quite nice.
It was hard to get the spec. you wanted when they were new. Mines grey without the heritage pack, and I had the seats swapped out for black over the red before I took delivery. I didn''t want new but with five colours heritage pack making ten body options and two seat colours and me wanting the vis pack and manual I gave up after a year waiting for a second hand one to turn up, by which time they were really keen to get them off the forecourts! If it's for you it's worth looking out for and travelling to get what you want because the more you drive it, the happier you'll be. It's a car that makes you smile every time you use it. 

[buckwits]

Cant argue with any of that, never considered an MX5, came from a 595 comp, but now have a new found respect for MX5 owners.