Fiat 124 Spider Forum banner

Does your Spider get unsolicited compliments from strangers?

70K views 507 replies 128 participants last post by  Steele 
#1 ·
As the weather thaws and I drive my Spider more regularly, I’ve been getting compliments from total strangers.

Driving home yesterday, a young dude in a VW GTI rolls down his window to give me a thumbs up. When we line up next to each other he says “GORGEOUS CAR, SIR!” I am still trying to get over the sir part, but I took his compliment all the same.

Filling up at the gas station the day before, a guy comes over and asks “Is that a Ferrari?” “No.” I say. “It is a Fiat.” He couldn’t hear me well so we went back and forth a few times. When he finally heard FIAT, he look puzzled and walked away. I still took it as a compliment...

Last fall dad and I are parking the Spider, when an older gentleman comes over and says “Beautiful car! Is that a Lamborghini?” Turns out he had migrated from Italy to Canada decades ago, so dad struck a conversation with him in Italian.

I owned cars that prompted strangers to offer their compliment before: my 2005 Chrysler 300 SRT8, and my 2012 Dodge Challenger SRT come to mind. But I admit it catches me by surprise that people swoon over my little $30,000 red Fiat.

Perhaps the fact that these cars are so rare is a factor.

Are you guys getting the same?
 
See less See more
#30 ·
I wasn't going to add my enthusiasm to this thread sa I had noticed myself that I was getting carried away with enjoying this site "sorry" but..though I have just written about my move from 205 Bridgestones to 215 Michelins in "Brexit Mods" I just had to tell you this little gem...........ATS Euromaster (National tyre centers) I drove in this morning, sat in the little office with a "Top Gear" mag and listened to the boys who work there.....
"When is an Abarth not an Abarth "?
Three lads, only my Spider in there, so..."WOW! What is it?, It's Italian, isn't it, It says "Abarth", they are the Specialists who tune up cars". I got stuck into my magazine and half hour later saw my bonnet was up and the boys were crowded around having changed the tyres, so, I joined them, explained that it was "Badge Engineering", not really an "Abarth" but a "Classica" been Abarthised, Lussoised, infact B*st*arised I suppose and "invited"..I went on to tell them all about the Forum, Buying and Modding and the very short production run. The lads were well impressed with the Spider, non had seen one other than Fiat 500 Abarth variety, all interested in the Spider and even Thanked Me for bringing it in !!
Now that is progress ! Such a shame that it is going, going, gone.....but even these boys pointed out that I had a "Classic car there" . Right,I will get back in my box and shut up.... Cheers
ron
 
  • Like
Reactions: AnClar and Aldo
#31 ·
I've had my Abarth for two weeks now. So far, I've seen...

-While stopped at a light, a guy on a motorcycle stopped next to me, looked the car back and forth, nodded a few times in approval, and then drove off...

- A construction worker did a double take, and then grabbed his buddies arm as he pointed at me as I drove by.

-A passenger in an NA Miata gave me a shaka while at a stop light.

- I came out of an ice cream shop to find a foreign couple posing around and taking pictures of my car.

-Literally 10 minutes after the foreign couple, a guy who had been taking what looked like professional photos of the area stopped and took a few pics of my car.

I don't know how many 124s are in this area (Raleigh, NC, USA), but I have yet to see another one since I got mine. Perhaps that is why it is getting so much attention.
 
#36 ·
-A passenger in an NA Miata gave me a shaka while at a stop light.
Think that in Italy we have the opposite reaction from Miata owners, especially from the ones owning the first and second generation. They usually try to overtake or outrun you as soon as they see the 124, and they get so mad when they realize there is no hope for them. :devilish:
 
#33 ·
I rarely drive my Abarth (my daily driver is a truck which I use for work), but when I do I often get people pulling along side of me when stuck in freeway traffic or stopped at a light and asking what it is. I’ve also had (friendly) honks when people pass me. The rarity and good looks of the Fiat 124 really earn a lot of compliments from the general public. I guess I don’t need to buy a Lamborghini anymore to get attention (which I would need a 50 year loan to be able to buy one).
 
  • Like
Reactions: Brexit !
#37 ·
Went up to the dealer to pick up my registration yesterday. A man stopped me outside and asked what kind of Alfa I was driving...haha. He asked if it was the 4C. When I told him it was actually a Fiat, he went inside to ask if they had any for sale. Spent a good amount of time talking to him. His enthusiasm was refreshing. He was also about 6’3”, which would have been interesting to watch during a test drive. ;)
 
#38 ·
As the weather thaws and I drive my Spider more regularly, I’ve been getting compliments from total strangers.

Driving home yesterday, a young dude in a VW GTI rolls down his window to give me a thumbs up. When we line up next to each other he says “GORGEOUS CAR, SIR!” I am still trying to get over the sir part, but I took his compliment all the same.

Filling up at the gas station the day before, a guy comes over and asks “Is that a Ferrari?” “No.” I say. “It is a Fiat.” He couldn’t hear me well so we went back and forth a few times. When he finally heard FIAT, he look puzzled and walked away. I still took it as a compliment...

Last fall dad and I are parking the Spider, when an older gentleman comes over and says “Beautiful car! Is that a Lamborghini?” Turns out he had migrated from Italy to Canada decades ago, so dad struck a conversation with him in Italian.

I owned cars that prompted strangers to offer their compliment before: my 2005 Chrysler 300 SRT8, and my 2012 Dodge Challenger SRT come to mind. But I admit it catches me by surprise that people swoon over my little $30,000 red Fiat.

Perhaps the fact that these cars are so rare is a factor.

Are you guys getting the same?
To be honest I got many more compliments on the 2001 BMW Z3 I sold just before buying the Spider. People think I am driving a Miata now. A little disappointed.
 
#41 ·
Where do you live?
 
#39 ·
I get compliments thumbs up and nods regularly here in metro Atlanta, even a few hoots and hollers. I've never seen another 124 here, and had never seen one in person prior to buying my Abarth. I am 6'3" myself and with a large Irish ancestral head. I fit in the car how i thought was perfect (and still do think that) but one day the wife was in the car with me and said "good thing you did all the whitewater kayaking bc you are wearing this car like you wear a kayak" and I was all like "ohhhhhhhhh! YES!!! RIGHT!" Feel almost like putting on my kayak skirt and seeing if it would (somehow) fit the car, lol
 
#45 ·
Hi, Brian Goodwin is doing some lowered seat rails I think...worth a shout ?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Buffandsweet33
#40 ·
Was just asked if my car was a Ferrari.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AnClar and Brexit !
#46 ·
From the first day I picked up my Abarth I have gotten waves, thumbs up and compliments when I have it out. I have even had people come out of stores after I parked, to look at the car. The best one was when my wife and I were at dinner and three older people (two ladies and a man) walked into the restaurant. It wasn't crowed and they kept looking my way. As we left, they were leaving at the same time, one of the women asked me if I was driving "that racing car parked out front". I said I was and she was so excited to meet someone who drove an Abarth. It seems during dinner she had looked up Abarth and was impressed with the car. There are a few in the Albany NY area but not many. As I said it turns heads all the time...love it!
 
#48 ·
Yep, get it all the time (2017 white Abarth spider loaded). Amazing the guesses. A couple got in the parked car next to me and the wife indicated for me to roll down my window.."I'm not a car buff, but your car is beautiful". Couple from Australia said "It has a great sound". Love it. Even in LA...seldom see another one. Went to a car show of high priced cars and was asked "Why isn't your car out there?"....and Fiat doesn't promote it!
 
#51 ·
Pretty rare when anyone says anything to me about my car. A couple times each summer, maybe. Mostly just quiet side glances of "Minnesota Nice". (Google it.) Minnesota is the land of trucks, SUVs, and clapped out rust bucket sedans. Not many convertibles on the road. Even the modern day muscle cars don't have many ragtops, except retired fellas in their convertible Mustangs.

I see many times more Porsche convertibles than Fiat. Easy to say when I can proclaim seeing only 5 or 6 124 Spiders on the road since 2017.

Steve.
 
#53 ·
Not many in Cumbria UK, see a few around..always get asked if I park up somewhere. Get looks on the motorway as well from people. But many just ignore it.

I have still yet to actually follow one or pass one on a motorway, so have no idea how mine even looks on the road lol.

Still feels good driving it 3 years on (!!)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Buffandsweet33
#55 ·
John Phillip Souza... is it just me or does every flatbill doucherocket in a fart-canned Toyubarion GTRZ86 or Mitsuwagen EVTi feel the need to rev at you before they perform full drag launches away from every stop sign or traffic light?

Or come screaming up behind you at 90+mph in order to slam the binders on and cut some poor innocent person off to get into the next lane so they can weave back and forth next to your passenger door, jerking their head up the road like a Burmese Bird Of Paradise doing the spring mating dance?

I mean, I'm a car enthusiast too, and I like to sing the song of our people as much as the next guy, but for frick-frackin' sake, NOT in the middle of town, you halfwit grade-schoolers! ?
 
#56 ·
John Phillip Souza... is it just me or does every flatbill doucherocket in a fart-canned Toyubarion GTRZ86 or Mitsuwagen EVTi feel the need to rev at you before they perform full drag launches away from every stop sign or traffic light?

Or come screaming up behind you at 90+mph in order to slam the binders on and cut some poor innocent person off to get into the next lane so they can weave back and forth next to your passenger door, jerking their head up the road like a Burmese Bird Of Paradise doing the spring mating dance?

I mean, I'm a car enthusiast too, and I like to sing the song of our people as much as the next guy, but for frick-frackin' sake, NOT in the middle of town, you halfwit grade-schoolers! ?
Well said Apex, I had a kid in a Subaru pass me on the right, at speed, in the breakdown lane, just yesterday. This happened on a main road in a congested area. I suspect he spent the rest of the day bragging to all his Subi Bros that his car is sooo fast, he blew the doors off a Ferrari. Idiot!

This kind of thing has happened to me quite a few times. It's usually a rusty crap box with a fake hood scoop and a fart can exhaust. I even had a rusted out old pickup truck try to get me to race him once. It seems like the enthusiast kids driving newer cars that they care about are a bit smarter and don't pull that stupid crap.
 
#59 ·
The short answer is yes. A good example being the day after I picked the car up, I was at my local car parts store to get some touch up paint when another customer came in and asked who owned the red sports car outside. After fessing up that it was mine, he asked "what is it" and then burst into a eulogy about its looks and proportions and how much better looking it was than an MX5 (Miata) after I explained that its a joint effort with Mazda, built by Mazda sharing many components.

Although I've meant to reply to this post for sometime it was an incident today that provoked me to get on with it. Driving home from work today I had the roof down as the sun was shining at 18c ( pretty warm for Derbyshire NW England in March ) when a black Lamborghini Gallardo Spider (roof up) drove past in slow moving traffic and guest what - I caught the driver checking out my humble 124. Priceless!
 
#60 ·
[Q
The short answer is yes. A good example being the day after I picked the car up, I was at my local car parts store to get some touch up paint when another customer came in and asked who owned the red sports car outside. After fessing up that it was mine, he asked "what is it" and then burst into a eulogy about its looks and proportions and how much better looking it was than an MX5 (Miata) after I explained that its a joint effort with Mazda, built by Mazda sharing many components.

Although I've meant to reply to this post for sometime it was an incident today that provoked me to get on with it. Driving home from work today I had the roof down as the sun was shining at 18c ( pretty warm for Derbyshire NW England in March ) when a black Lamborghini Gallardo Spider (roof up) drove past in slow moving traffic and guest what - I caught the driver checking out my humble 124. Priceless!
In Calgary, during the summer months,we have a "cars and coffee" evening each week in which the majority of the vehicles allowed in the display area are Lambos, Ferrraris, along with some Masseratis, Porches, etc. And, I'm allowed to park in the show area as well, and it's surprising how much interest it gets, even when surrounded by it's wealthier Italian cousins. It's a fun little car, and it just plain looks nice. Curves. Nice curves... :)
 
#61 · (Edited)
My Abarth turns heads all of the time... people linger on it...even funnier is how people will move aside to let me pass... My exhaust is on its way to me... super excited for it.

I also notice that parents like to point me out to their kids when I drive by... "look!"... lol...

When I had to go through emissions the guy running the test asked me how many cylinders it has.. Everybody loves the sound.

I adore this car...
75356
 
#64 ·
As the weather thaws and I drive my Spider more regularly, I’ve been getting compliments from total strangers.

Driving home yesterday, a young dude in a VW GTI rolls down his window to give me a thumbs up. When we line up next to each other he says “GORGEOUS CAR, SIR!” I am still trying to get over the sir part, but I took his compliment all the same.

Filling up at the gas station the day before, a guy comes over and asks “Is that a Ferrari?” “No.” I say. “It is a Fiat.” He couldn’t hear me well so we went back and forth a few times. When he finally heard FIAT, he look puzzled and walked away. I still took it as a compliment...

Last fall dad and I are parking the Spider, when an older gentleman comes over and says “Beautiful car! Is that a Lamborghini?” Turns out he had migrated from Italy to Canada decades ago, so dad struck a conversation with him in Italian.

I owned cars that prompted strangers to offer their compliment before: my 2005 Chrysler 300 SRT8, and my 2012 Dodge Challenger SRT come to mind. But I admit it catches me by surprise that people swoon over my little $30,000 red Fiat.

Perhaps the fact that these cars are so rare is a factor.

Are you guys getting the same?
I get that "Ferrari" comment a lot. Yesterday some kids about eight or nine years old were walking by and saw my Abarth. They stopped and stared. I got the same reaction from kids when I had my BMW Z-3. I just tried out the new Camaro with 650 hp. I can have one for $50,000 and my Abarth. Think I'll stick with the Abarth:)
 
#67 ·
One time at a light there was a guy in a 392 Challenger revving and basically asking me (in a friendly way) if I wanted to go head to head..... first off... save that sh!t for the track.... secondly...I had to shout "Dude....it's a 1.4 liter!".... I guess he just saw/heard 4 exhaust outlets and made a whole slew of assumptions. ;)
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top