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10 Posts
http://jalopnik.com/the-2017-fiat-124-spider-is-how-you-say-not-as-good-as-1786756320
Are you agree with him?
Are you agree with him?
Jalopnik review
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Have you got to drive the Miata as well ? I personally haven't, just asking to get a better perspective
I did test drive the miata before I bought the fiat sight unseen. I like the overall styling better.
Ive not been disappointed with any of the handling or power.. Its does just fine for my tastes.
I do need to revisit driving the miata again.. Ive got about 1500 miles behind the while on my 124 spider.
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102 Posts
It seems that many car reviews say more about the personal preferences of the author than they do about the objective merits of the car. As a result, there are plenty of conflicting opinions. In the case of the Spider, some critics prefer the suspension tuning saying that it gives more confidence - the exact opposite of what Jalopnik concludes. All critics that I have read seem to agree that the Spider has a more comfortable ride, but disagree substantially on whether or not they prefer the handling characteristics. Several have indicated that the Miata has more body roll in the curves, which some like and others don't, and that the Miata is much more lively and challenging, which makes it more exciting and engaging. Others prefer the solid feel and confidence of the Spider. Some like the mid-range torque of the Spider, while others prefer the linearity of the Miata. I don't think this makes one better than the other, just very different, which is a good thing. What would be the point of two identical cars? For me, the smoother ride of the Fiat and reduced body roll make it more pleasant to drive since I often have my wife sitting in the passenger seat with me. We live in the flat desert and the fun curvy mountain roads are an hour or more away, so for me, having a roadster that is enjoyable to drive on the highway with less noise, better passing power, and a smoother ride are all significant pluses. I have a friend who owned a Miata for a while, but sold it because his wife wouldn't ride in it. The Miata is going to be a better choice for some and the Fiat a better choice for others depending on what they like and how they're planning to use it. It's great that they're not the same. If they were, I probably wouldn't own a roadster at all right now. For me, the Spider is unquestionably the better choice.
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102 Posts
I like this Miata/Spider comparison review by Jason Cammisa of Motor Trend because he drives and compares them back to back, both on the road and on the track.
I find it interesting that he really believed the Miata was faster because it felt "so much faster," but in reality the Spider's lap was .01 seconds faster than the Miata. I can understand where some people could prefer the spirited feel of the Miata to the more controlled feel of the Spider. But personally, I think the ability of the Spider to go fast without having to work so hard at it and feeling like you're pushing every limit is a positive.
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603 Posts
Jalopnik is the most uninformed and single worst car reviewer I have ever encountered. Why does anyone care what they say?
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1,068 Posts
This review is from 2016. And now they complain about suvs and autos. Eff em.
Could have purchased many cars as my weekend driver. And while the Fiat v Miata ND battle maybe a relative "push" in terms of performance, I never considered purchasing a Miata because, to my eyes, its uncommonly ugly and looks like the $10,000 car I would have wanted to purchase in my college years. That may be harsh but I have to think that styling accounts for roughly 50% of a purchasing decision for a recreational car and the Miata has nothing going for it in that area. Now one's taste is another matter........As for reviewers and their "insights", just watch reviews for the 2008-14 Ferrari California that the "critics" initially "panned". Remarkably, now the same critics maintain that the California is the "underappreciated gem" of the used Ferrari market, and most admit that their past reviews may have been negatively influenced by the fact that Ferarri, with the California, was trying to attract a broader, upscale market (heavens forbid, Ferrari went "out of the box"!). .....Just like the editorial press that covers sports, politics, entertainment, etc, the priority of the vast majority of automotive reviewers is to retain their indie cred by applauding/cheer-leading for the status quo. And just like the television press's accolades for the 1970's sitcom, "Love American Style", that won the Emmys or the Helen Redy songs that "won music critics hearts" and swept the Grammy awards, these reviewer's strong opinions and strident editorials, more often than not, age comically poor with the passage of time.
2017 Fiat 124 Spider Abarth, fully loaded from the factory, with just a wee bit of aftermarket mods.
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3,638 Posts
When the Miata first came out, I really wanted one.... because they were, at the time, pretty much in a market by themselves... but alas, my budget didn't support a toy at that point. Over a decade later, and I'm now looking at options. The Miata was no longer on my radar at all, and I was seriously considering the BMW Z4. That was until I went to the local FCA dealer to see what I could get for my 500 Abarth (which my wife despised with a passion). That was when I first saw a 124 Spider in the showroom, which was a Classica. I knew they must make an Abarth version, and asked. The sales staff has zero concept of what I was talking about since it didn't include the words Cherokee or Jeep. I did the research, and came back to them with the build specs and placed the order. The hard part was the months of waiting for the boat to arrive from Japan, but it's been a wonderful experience ever since I finally took posession back in January of 2017. If I ever had to replace the Spider, I'd go back to the BMW Z4. Regardless of the handling or performance merits of the Miata, it (in my eyes) just looks too commonplace and no longer has the unique factor. I guess that's what happens when a vehicle is successful and has an extremely long production run. Something we'll never have to worry about with the Spider, as those five limited years make it one of the more rare vehicles out there. I'm not knocking people's choices if they prefer the Miata, as it is, as many things are, such a subjective choice. If they're happy with the car, wonderful, Just wasn't the choice for me.
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1,068 Posts
I guess the point I was trying to make is that car magazines and auto review websites preach the save the fun, simple sports cars and manual transmissions etc, all the while poo pooing the lack of options and features, saying they don’t have as nice a ride, that they aren’t roomy, and that the insert name here auto is actually faster and more intuitive than the manual.
They then complain about all of the cookie cutter, look alike designs from the main stream brands, while also inserting doubt about the viability and long term reliability and service of these smaller brands that actually design nice looking cars.
Well then, don’t wax nostalgically about of the loss of these cars to nondescript SUV’s. You reap what you sow.
Btw, I love how they now report that they I general turn off all of the electronic safety aids like lane keeping assist, distance cruise control and auto braking because of annoying, unreliable and intrusive corrections.
Rant complete.
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62 Posts
It's kinda funny, It was actually Jalopnik's multiple positive reviews of the 2017 spider that got me shopping for my first one. Honestly, if it wasn't for Jalopnik I probably wouldn't have even known they existed. And if I saw one on the street I would have assumed it was a jag or some such and out of my price range.
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