When the latest addition to the Classic Car Auction Results team walked (rolled) through the (garage) door we were genuinely the happiest team in existence. Patting each other on the back saying ‘haven’t we done well?’ and revelling in the Italian sportscar-ness of what we’d done, we mused about all of the adventures and auctions that lay ahead of us and our little Fiat.

A prerequisite of welcoming this continental cruiser as the new office runaround was that each outing demanded a story. No problem. Our trip home was written up, and our outing to H&H’s sale at Duxford became a story where we spoke to Damian Jones; life was easy and our Fiat was taking us to exciting new places. Then came my turn to take the Fiat Coupe away for a weekend…

In the spirit of ‘haven’t you done well’ I found the perfect opportunity to take the Fiat on an adventure to the Cotswolds for a University reunion. I could show off the perks of my job to my friends and create a story in the meantime – wonderful. However, this not being the platform to share the antics of a well fuelled Exeter reunion I got to thinking if, as an auction results site and an authority on the area, had we actually bought the right car at auction?

Everyone wants to buy a fun sports car and make money on that purchase, and the initial signs here are good. The hammer price of our particular Coupe was £2,600 before fees at Anglia Car Auctions which, when you compare to values of the 20V model below, looks like a decent price. The car’s values are certainly going in the right direction, and a cursory glance at the classifieds confirms that we bought a car that is more than likely to go up in price given ours has only 36,ooo miles. Objectively we have bought the right car.

You have done very well…

Taxed and insured for the weekend, I was ready to dive head first into the Cotswolds in my 20V five-cylinder company car. Of course I did check that the thing started first…

Following the repeated sound of disappointment it dawned on me that I might not have done very well, my friends wouldn’t get to see (or hear) the lovely Fiat and I’d come across like a prat. Business as usual, then, for the latter. I was warned that something would go wrong, I just wasn’t expecting it so soon. Perhaps ‘the right car’ is one that actually starts.

Luckily a kind colleague was nearby and after push-starting the Fiat on a hill I was running on the first try. Advised to leave it running I headed to Halfords in search of a new battery, the only caveat was that I couldn’t stall during this first drive or we’d be back to square one. In London. On a Friday.

I am very happy to report that not once over the weekend did I stall. Just call me Lewis.

Did you buy the right car, though?

I was fortunate that following a dire start my weekend with the Fiat went off without a hitch. The car started first time every time and my friends enjoyed their bursts in the Italian car, which left me time to address the question at hand – did we buy the right car?

Like I said earlier values of the 20V model are heading Northwards with models in the classifieds selling a tier above those at auction. The auction data looks good for these cars and they certainly seem near the bottom of their price curve. How much further will their values go? We’re not sure as there were a lot produced, but if you take care of yours then £5,000 – £8,000 in the next few years doesn’t seem like to far a stretch for a good one and the turbo models are looking set to reach further.

Our choice when we bought the Fiat was between a rally prepped Peugeot, an MX-5 and a Mini. Despite the fact that this car handles like a towel it makes a great noise and features enough Italian charm to win over anyone, and it certainly beats the competition. Add to this that auction prices are on the up and it looks like the market is truly in our favour here, even if the car’s electrics are not.

Flip this situation on it’s head though, say we had any ‘classic’ of this ilk at our disposal, and I’m not sure any would offer the complete package that this does. A Capri is a touch too old to be fully reliable in any condition without spending the earth, a Scirocco won’t fit anyone over 5′ 10″ in the back, and a Mini would struggle on our longer motorway adventures. I for one think we have chosen wisely and can’t wait to take it on another adventure. For work, of course.

Hold tight for more shenanigans as and when they happen.

 

George Cheetham