Anyone familiar with X1/9s?

[SportBikeMike]

OK I recently sold my 280ZX-T and had plans to buy something more practical, probably a pickup truck. But as usual I got sidetracked when going through the classified and stumbled upon this ad for a '84 Bertone X1/9 with only 15,600 miles and a price of $5K.

Of course I've always been a Datsun/Nissan guy and know NOTHING about these cars. I did go look at it yesterday.....and its very clean with just a small amount of surface rust. The interior is like a new car. I was pleasantly surprised at the roominess, at 6'2 and over 200 lbs., I was able to easily get comfortable. The car was a hoot to drive, alot quicker than you would think for something with just 75 hp, and extremely nimble....almost go-cart like. Of course it has that Italian "pizzazz". The current owner is in his 70s and is selling it because he is just too old to drive it and because of his bad back.

I've did some googling, and have got horror stories on the reliability (lack-of) and rust issues. I've also seen stories of people driving them 100K mies with minimal problems. Anyone on here have any experience with these cars and could give me some advice.....or warnings?

Here are a few pics:

Any advice is appreciated!

[240260280z]

One passed me when I was a kid walking along the highway living in the stix. Instantly fell in love with 2 seaters.

[Walter Moore]

I had a friend who owned one in the early 80's. He said it was the safest car he ever owned. The only way you could get hurt was if it fell off the jack stands and crushed you.

When it worked, it was cool. I gather like a lot of Italian cars (and many American cars) if you got one that was "good" then it ran forever. But there were a lot of problems with that car. My friend's was a much earlier year than 84. (Mid to late 70's)

His car had a 7 foot cable that connected the clutch pedal to the clutch master cylinder. It had a hydraulic clutch, but a cable to connect the pedal to the master cylinder. (strange I know...) On his car this cable kept breaking in a particular location. At first it would last a couple of months, then weeks, and by the end it would be broken within 24 hours of being replaced. I gather that someone eventually told him that this happened when there was a problem with the tunnel through which the cable ran. It became progressively worse until the car was junk. The only way to repair this was to cut the unibody open and rebuild something.

He also had electrical problems that could not be cured. One of the problems (I don't recall what it was) he looked up in the Fiat factory service manual and it literally said something to the effect that the cause was unknown.

On the other hand, my friend is the only person whom I ever knew who drove faster and more recklessly than I did at that point in my life. So there is the strong possibility that he just beat the car to death. If the current owner of the car you are looking at just drove it like it was an economy car, which I believe was it's actual intended purpose, it may have served him very well. I would just caution you that in my experience, flogging an X/19 isn't a good idea.

[Mike]

Sure, I think that's a lot more practical. :-P

Neat looking car though, I remember seeing these on the road back in HS.

[Arne]

A friend and co-worker bought one new in '76. They were still 1300cc carb'd then. Handled like a go-kart. Not very fast, though. He spent a pile of money on that motor, trying to turn it into a four-cylinder Ferrari. By the time he was done (head work, pistons, big valves, cam, exhaust and dual 2-bbl Webers), it was a snarly sounding mini-beast. Much quicker than stock, but still not really fast. After the motor was de-bugged, given regular maintenance it was reasonably reliable. He drove it daily that way for several years. His ex got the car in the divorce, I don't think it survived a year in her hands. She didn't understand its needs.

Given his experience, I'd say that with good maintenance, and left fairly stock, an X1/9 could be a fun toy. I think the only consistent trouble area I can recall was wheel bearings. The early cars were pretty hard on them. Don't know if the later cars were the same.

[Z train]

F ix

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T ransportation

In the 70's & early 80's there was a mall near me(West Farms Mall)that was the local stolen car capitol.A friend had a X1/9 and he detailed it to the hilt.Parked it at the mall WITH the keys on the floor.2 weeks later Mall security called him and told him to come take his car home.

Nobody has ever really wanted a Fiat.Mike-run.Run away fast.Screaming is optional.Walter's story is standard fare.

[Arne]

An X1/9 is the cover story on the latest issue of Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car. They may be less prone to pre-judge than others. Worth a look.

[SportBikeMike]

An X1/9 is the cover story on the latest issue of Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car. They may be less prone to pre-judge than others. Worth a look.

Arne, I actually subscribe to that magazine. Thats what got me interested in the car. Before reading that article, I hardly knew these cars existed. I've owned Italian motorcycles and have thought about getting an Italian car, but can't afford a Ferrari or Lamborghini, so this might be my best bet.

The current owner is in his 70s. He was probably late 40s/early 50s when he bought the car. I'm pretty sure its never been abused or driven hard. He said he just used it for casual Summer crusing on the weekends, and the overall condition of the car would confirm this. No signs of abuse that I could detect, and I looked her over real well.

For the record, no matter how many cars/bikes I obtain, the Z is going nowhere! It will always have a place in my garage.

Edited July 11, 2011 by SportBikeMike

[SportBikeMike]

F ix

I t

A gain

T ony

F ound

I n

A

T oilet

F riggin'

I talians

A ttempting

T ransportation

In the 70's & early 80's there was a mall near me(West Farms Mall)that was the local stolen car capitol.A friend had a X1/9 and he detailed it to the hilt.Parked it at the mall WITH the keys on the floor.2 weeks later Mall security called him and told him to come take his car home.

Nobody has ever really wanted a Fiat.Mike-run.Run away fast.Screaming is optional.Walter's story is standard fare.

Its not a Fiat, its a Bertone!

[240260280z]

Fiat X1/9's For Sale on Craigslist, EBAY and Kijiji Edited July 11, 2011 by Blue

[MEZZZ]

I knew a couple guys that owned them back when I was a late teen. I remember one of them was mid seventies and the guy had alot of trouble. He broght it to my uncle to look at. I remember my uncle shaking his head looking the car over, saying what an absolute PITA it was to work on. He said you needed a special tool to get the plugs out. A couple years later, a guy at my old job bought a '78 (He had traded a "77 Trans Am for it). He owned it about 3 months(traded it in on a "79 RX7). He liked the car initially but grew very tired of its quirkiness and lack of power very quickly.

Driving back from a picnic, 4th of July, I saw a red Dino sitting out at a dealer lot way outside of town in the sticks....it had some weeds growing up around it in the gravel lot, must have been sitting there for awhile. I fought the temptation to pull over and look at it, twice, coming and going....helped my lovely wife was with me.

Finally, on the Fiat front, a co-worker came in Friday with a new Red Fiat 500...Im old enought to remember why they pulled out of the U.S., hopefully, they have their act together now.

[SportBikeMike]

Dude, I can't believe you didn't look at the Dino! I've honestly never even seen one in person....

Anyway, if I buy the X1/9, it would just be a weekend toy like the Z. I could see where they might get annoying as a daily driver.