Episode 39

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Published on:

16th Feb 2023

Fiat 500 Abarth – The Spicy Italian That Your Body Needs Daily

00:00 - SHOW OPEN - Your Daily Serving of Spicy Italian

If you’re looking for passion, fun and value in a daily driver, today’s Better Than New vehicle - a 2-door turbocharged hatchback from that country shaped like a boot - definitely serves up copious amounts of all three.  And I'll tell you what this car is and why you might want one in just a moment. So hop in, buckle up, and let's go for a drive.

01:35 - INTRO - The 2012-2019 FIAT 500 Abarth

Italian’s have a reputation for speaking loudly, dressing stylishly and driving quickly from point A to point B, and today’s Better Than New used car - the Fiat 500 Abarth, sold in the US from 2012 to 2019 - is no different.  It’s a car that speaks loudly (in a good way through its fantastic unmuffled exhaust), it’s stylish and it can quickly whisk you from point A to point B with minimal fuss and maximum fun. 

04:00 - What is an Abarth?

If you’re not familiar with name Abarth, it’s the in-house tuning company for Fiat.  It was founded in 1949 by Carlo Abarth, a former car racer turned tuner and designer – and for more than 70-years, the company has been in the business of pumping up performance on many memorable Italian cars, including the Fiat 500. 

04:35 - You Might Want a FIAT 500 Abarth If...

  • You love the sound of a perfect exhaust note as you run up and down through the gears
  • You need some Italian passion in your life, but you can’t afford a Ferrari or a Lamborghini
  • You like cars that are practical, yet fun to drive
  • You don’t want to drive a car that’s like everything else

06:40 - FIAT 500 Abarth - Details, Performance & Styling

  • Engine
  • Transmission
  • Suspension & Handling
  • Performance
  • Style, Inside & Out

12:50 - Possible Problem Areas on the FIAT 500 Abarth

  • Inconsistent build quality between vehicles
  • Potential HVAC blower motor failure
  • Boost and vacuum leaks over time
  • Excessive oil consumption on some examples
  • Excessive interior rattles over time
  • Don't forget to change the timing belt
  • Occasional parts availability issues from the dealer

17:45 - What Should You Expect to Pay for a FIAT 500 Abarth?

  • $6000 to $8000 - An Abarth in this range will likely have issues.  Either they will have damage, or a rebuilt title, very high mileage or some other issues that keep the price low.  Occasionally can find a decent example within this range, but it will be rare.
  • $9000 to $11,000 - Things get interesting in this price range.  There is good value here and occasionally great value, but it may take more time to find the best examples in this range.  
  • $12,000 to $14,000 - This is the sweet spot and I think you will find your best values in this range.
  • $15,000 to $18,000 - This is a no-brainer price range. If you have the money, you should easily find a newer (2016+) Abarth in this range with only one or two owners, very low miles, no accidents and in excellent condition.
  • $18,000 to $22,000 (or more!) - There are many examples around the US posted for sale in this range, and if you have money to burn, be my guest. But I think you can find something great for much less money, unless you're looking for that perfect, one-of-a-kind, zero-mile Fiat 500 Abarth for your museum collection. Good luck!

21:35 - WRAP-UP

The Fiat 500 Abarth is one of my favorites, and could become one of yours too if you spend a little time behind the wheel, so go check one out and at least take a test drive to hear that unmuffled exhaust hit a high note at redline, like Luciano Pavarotti (may he RIP) nailing the high notes in Nessun Dorma, one of my favorite arias.  I put a links to both in the show notes (below), so click & listen… Your inner Italian will love you for it.

LINKS:

Short, but sweet – A Fiat 500 Abarth exhaust sound sample:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-RWcJ6RsVA

Long, but sweet - Luciano Pavarotti sings "Nessun dorma" from Turandot https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWc7vYjgnTs

Here's the FIAT 500 Abarth US Launch commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjGSzSyHqMU&t=58s

And don't forget this Abarth commercial with Charlie Sheen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjGSzSyHqMU&t=58s

 

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About the Podcast

Better Than New
Find a cool used car, truck or SUV at a price you'll love
The average new car sales price in the US is nearly $50,000, and the average used vehicle sales price is close to $30,000... I think that's insane! Well if you're like me and you don’t want to pay these crazy inflated car prices, I believe you should still be able to drive something fun. That’s the idea behind Better Than New – a podcast to help you find a cool used car, truck or SUV at a price you’ll love.

I’m Gary Crenshaw, host of Better Than New and a long time automotive enthusiast, and I want to inspire car buyers on a budget to think differently about what they can actually afford to drive. My goal is to introduce listeners to the broad array of interesting, fun-to-drive, enthusiast-friendly used cars, trucks and SUVs available at prices just about anyone can afford… vehicles from the 80s, 90s, 2000s and beyond that offer buyers a wide range of interesting choices. Each week we’ll explore a specific vehicle or vehicle category, tell you what to look for and what to avoid, and give you practical tips to help you find your next cool used car, truck or SUV and keep it on the road for years to come.

With a little work, the joy of owning a cool used car at price you’ll love is within reach and this podcast is here to help you find it.

So hop in, buckle up and let's go for a drive!

About your host

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Gary Crenshaw

A lifelong lover of all things mechanical, Gary has spent the majority of his existence driving, dreaming about or wrenching on cars, motorcycles and even the occasional airplane.

It started with mini-bikes and go-karts as a kid, progressed to 2-stroke dirt bikes, followed by his first car… a 1969 Volkswagen Beetle. Then came the Yamaha era with several RD400s, RZ350s and a Canadian RD350LC (should have kept that!). A pilot’s license was next with some memorable hours flying a 1946 Aeronca Champ low and slow around the Pacific Northwest. While in college, his brother-in-law who sold high-end cars hired him to deliver BMW, Mercedes and Porsche vehicles to customers.

Those early experiences led to a lifetime of owning an eclectic mix of interesting used cars, including a ‘65 Mustang GT, a ’72 Datsun 510, a Porsche 914, a Celica Alltrac Turbo, a Mini Cooper S, a couple of Miata’s, two Audi S4 Avants, a Galant VR4, a Fiat 850 Spider, a 1983 Subaru 4x4 GL wagon and a first gen RX-7, along with dozens of daily driver cars and SUVs from Acura, Honda, Toyota and Mazda. And his favorite? Depends on when you ask, but that distinction likely goes to the Mazda RX-4 station wagon he learned to drive in. That fun-to-drive car combined Gary's passion for wagons, rotary engines and manual transmissions all in one.

So what about you? Which used car, truck or SUV would you love to own? Let’s find it together!