I found my Spider...with help from Denise

[HersheyPAGreg]

After months of looking I recently found the car I wanted in Greensboro NC. A rust-free, 1980 Spider with fuel injection, a 5 speed transmission and 97,000 miles. I'd like to thank everyone here who gave me buying advice along the way and child car seat installation tips recently. Here is a link to some pictures:
https://picasaweb.google.com/greg874/Fi ... HVreuBlgE#

I'd also like to say a big thank you to Denise for all her help. When I found the car online I emailed her to ask if she knew
anything about it since it was in her area. Even though I was a complete stranger, Denise kindly offered to check out the
vehicle in advance for me and she gave me a very thorough and accurate description of the car along with her thoughts on what the car was worth. She then set me up with an appointment with her local mechanic to replace the timing belt and water pump (the original plan was to drive the car back to PA) and later drove me between Winston-Salem and Greensboro a couple times to arrange shipping the car home. While visiting with her, I got to meet Don and Juan and even got a ride in her new 500

I initially planned to drive the car back to PA after the timing belt and water pump had been changed. The previous owner
thought driving a 30 year old Fiat from NC to PA was a crazy idea, so the day before I arrived in NC he contacted the
Greensboro Auto Auction for a price to ship the car to PA. After I took the car for a test drive and we had made a deal, he said he really didn't like the idea of me driving the car home and said he'd pay to have it shipped for me. I told him I
didn't want him to do that but he pulled $300 cash out of his pocket and insisted I take it. Great guy.

So Denise, thanks again for all your help and for a fun day with you in NC.

Greg

Code: Select all

[code]

[/code]

[mdrburchette]

It was my pleasure, Greg. I hope you will enjoy your REDFIATSPIDER for many years to come and will expect you to make the trip to FFO in Nashville this year. There's a caravan coming from your neck of the woods!

[DUCeditor]

Happy for you Greg! She's a beauty!

And I love to hear stories like this. Of one enthusiast helping another. Kudos to Denise for really looking out for another forum member.

And if I might say it... Welcome to the America I grew up in. An America where one person helped another. An America that still exists but is sadly ignored by the media who either prefer to see everything as dark, or if/when not, as it being some rare, government-caused, occurrence .

Drive on!

-don

[So Cal Mark]

congrats on the new car! And yes, we're all aware of how much better our lives are because Denise likes Fiats! We're lucky shes not into British cars

[wikkid]

Beautiful car - and yes, good people.

[spidernut]

Nice looking car! Congratulations and I hope you have many years of driving fun. That's great that Denise helped out. Happy motoring.

[kmead]

Nice looking car, congrats! Hope you enjoy it!

Good luck and thanks to Denise for being such a great Fiat'r!

[mdrburchette]

Shoot guys! You know I just want the best owners for our cars! Besides, it's always nice meeting everyone.

[tonyfromjersey]

That's a fine looking car you got there Greg.

We have a pretty active group in New Jersey, not too far from you.

Don, you are correct. "A bitterly divided country..." is a media fabrication that fits a narrative whether its true or not. I have found in traveling the country and the world that people are basically good, decent, and willing to help. Are there assholes out there? Yes, and they've been here since the dawn of time. The rest of the world would gladly lend a hand when they can, simply because its the right thing to do.

[spiderron81]

Your car looks great but your gas gauge is only half full, fill her up and cruise (crociera). I gotta say I love the looks I get driving and strangers smiling, giving me thumbs up or yelling on street "nice ride".

Since you mentioned the new 500. I just came across and ad for it. When I went to the FiatUSA website I couldn't find what the gas milage is. Maybe I missed it, anyone know what it is?

Thanks,
Ron

[kmead]

I beleive 30 city and 39 highway.

Denise has the most mileage of anyone I have read about on her 500 (probably from all the trips chasing other people's Fiats) so she should be able to give you some real world figures. Keep in mind though she does apparently have a pretty heavy foot, or so they say...

[mdrburchette]

The New 500 is rated at 32 to 38 mpg. My car now has 5200 miles on it and I have been regularly averaging 40 mpg. My driving is part highway, part rural and part city driving. The car's fuel mileage and overall performance has pleasantly surprised me.

[baltobernie]

Wait 'till Amber starts driving it

[mdrburchette]

Like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mANpzN83AjU