Head vs heart: Buying a pre-owned Fiat Palio Adventure 1.6

It could have just been an impulse buy led by the heart but the rational part of my brain jumped in to play spoil sport.

BHPian Mojoholic recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I am great fan of cars that boast of a solid build quality and have an old school mechanical feel to the way they drive. I keep searching on various platform for cars that meet these criteria. Recently, I came across a 15-year-old Fiat Palio Adventure 1.6 Sport in not-so-great condition. I quickly contacted the owner and fixed a date for a test drive. I drove the car and instantly fell in love with the way it feels from behind the wheel. It could have just been an impulse buy led by the heart but the rational part of my brain jumped in to play spoil sport. I decided to get the car inspected by an experienced Fiat mechanic. That inspection is due soon. Till I get a car health report from him, here are some of the pros and cons that I could notice.

Pros

• Single owned car with around 55k kms on the odo. Documents seem legitimate.
• The car has retained its tank-like build quality even after so many years.
• The suspension felt solid and was able tackle the broken patches of tarmac with aplomb. I could not hear any major noises or feel any issues from the suspension.
• The engine felt responsive and I could not hear any signs of strain.
• Most of the electricals work fine.
• The car has oodles of character and a magnetic personality. Looks and feels like nothing else on the road.
• It has an air of exclusivity.

Cons

• Time has not been very kind to the car. The paint has lost its sheen after all these years and the interiors have not aged well. All buttons, knobs and switches work as intended but feel as if they might break any time.
• The underbody has signs of rust – not sure if it is just surface rust or something deeper. I plan to get the underbody thoroughly inspected.
• The starter motor Bendix drive had a problem and the owner got it fixed. There might be similar such issues lurking in the background.
• The car will need an extensive restoration to make it livable and usable.
• As the car has crossed 15 years in age, the current registration has expired. My local RTO agent said that I can get it re-registered for another 5 years by paying a nominal charge. But, the government scrappage policy being just round the corner, can the car be re-registered legally without any issues? Also, will I get comprehensive insurance for the car?

I am happy to spend money to restore the car to its original glory. What concerns me are the government scrappage policy related uncertainties and Fiat’s not so great track record with reliability. I have contacted some Fiat enthusiast and all of them whole-heartedly recommended the car. There were no concerns around availability of spare parts (excluding some critical components) and running costs according to them. I have reviewed online platforms like 99rpm and Boodmo and they seem to have stocks of necessary spare parts. I will take a final decision based on the results of the inspection. If I decide to buy it, this would not be my daily driver and plan to use it sparingly, much like a vintage car. This is feel-good car I would want to use and maintain it that way. I would like to hear the views of the enthusiast community on this.

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

If you love it, go for it. Will be dirt cheap anyway. Since you like oldschool + mechanical, I would strongly recommend an old Mercedes W124 to you as well.

Buy these kind of project cars only if they're cheap, you have spare parking, lots of free time for a hobby and money to blow. Be prepared to write off the entire amount if it doesn't work out. I own a 25-year old Jeep that is pretty much a toy now. I keep it for the purity of oldschool motoring, the memories associated with it and to ogle at it (she looks really good).

I doubt the government will roll out an India-wide scrappage policy for 15+ year old cars because India still has innumerable economically poor cities, towns & rural areas where cheap cars are the need of the hour. That said, I would expect major metros like Bombay to follow Delhi's lead sooner or later. Pune? I have my doubts, but cannot say as the current State government is aggressive.

Here's what BHPian 2000rpm had to say on the matter:

I would say skip. The Palio parts are hard to come by and the car will be useless from transportation purposes.

Since the plastic parts are breaking off, it may slowly require you to replace parts slowly which will be a pain. Imagine the jumping through the loop required to replace something as simple as AC Knobs.

Also, the Palio was not a mechanically simple car, like a Maruti. And what I understand from you is that the car in discussion is not a very well maintained car. Its better to buy a well maintained expensive car in the used car market than a poorly maintained cheaper car!

I saw a S10 on Team BHP classified somedays back. You can check that out!!

Here's what BHPian dhanushs had to say on the matter:

I have a Fiat Palio 1.6 myself. Its in bone stock spic and span condition. I try very hard to keep it in OE shape, but, its getting increasingly difficult to do that. Parts availability is a H-U-G-E problem. I recently had leaking front struts and decided to change all four bushes. Strangely enough, parts weren't available in 99rpm, the company or anywhere. I finally got it from a spare parts guy who scouted for a long time. Now, this didnt make the car undrivable.

But, there are lot of niggles which can make driving the car a nightmare! Maintaining a collectible car means the car needs to be used frequently, but, not so much so that the parts wear and tear happen. You have to keep the documents up-to-date, the 1.6 means a 10k insurance minimum. Also, every 5-6 years, you have to change the tyres.

Apart from the money part, it also means spending time. The main issue I see is the lack of availability of spares for these cars. Aftermarket parts available now are NO WHERE near the quality of OE spares. Also, if spares are available, they cost a bomb. The front struts and bushes alone costs close to 25k.

You have to decide if the car is worth it.

Here's what BHPian revver had to say on the matter:

Check the underbody to see the extent of rust in it. If its not that serious, please go ahead and get the car. Or else you will regret it in future.

Adventure 1.6 is definitely worth keeping. It has the punch of 1.6 and lots of practicality added to it. Good ones are hard to come by these days.

If you take care of the mechanicals properly at first, it will serve you reliably for years.

Some important things to note:

• Radiator+ Fan : flush it thoroughly & check the temperature gauge while running. Ideally the needle should stay just below the half mark in all cases. Lot of 1.6's face overheating issue due to bad radiator/Fan/thermostat set up.
• Replace the timing kit with original one. Remember this is an interference engine.
• Original COFAP shocks are costly. Aftermarket options are not good (read EXCEL make)
• Some Cosmetic parts like trims etc. may not be available new. So be ready to search for used ones.
• Try to source different sensors like MAP, crank position etc.. You have to change all these once for peace of mind. MAP sensor is costly.
• Another Bonus point of Adventure is the adequate brake set up compared to Palio. Check hoses, master cylinders, etc. Pads are available
• Clutch kit + slave cylinder to be checked & replaced. parts are available.
• Alternator may have to be replaced / reconditioned.
• Fuel Pump will have to be checked/replaced.

Most important of all, you must find a capable mechanic.

Wish you good luck. I will be happy to guide you or help with troubleshooting.

Here's what BHPian Emvi had to say on the matter:

I would stay away from a Fiat Palio even if someone offers it for free. No doubt a TERRIFIC car performance wise, but when it comes to spares and maintenance, it's a TERRIBLE car to own. I am talking based on my/our ownership experience. We bought it (Palio 1.6 GTX) new in 2002 and sold it about a decade later with only 36500 kms on the clock. I would never ever recommend this car to anyone.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.