Need advice on buying a 126 BIS

[EJ]

Hi

Have just joined the Club and wanted some advice on buying a 126 BIS.  I have a chance to buy a 1990 blue model.  Excellent condition - no rust and very very low mileage.  Asking price is ?700 do you think too much?  Also using it to commute about 15 miles to work each day - is it reliable or am I better off buying a newer Fiat?   I have heard there is sometimes a problem with the head gasket on this model - but there is a new one being put on it?  Are there any other problems I should be aware of as really need a reliable car to get me to work!

Would appreciate anyones advice on this.

THANKS
EJ

[Chris Lakin]

Hi there EJ and welcome!!

How many miles does it have on the clock exactly first of all?? When you say immaculate does it have any rust at all? have you checked the spare wheel well? There is nothing to say that the car wont be reliable as long as you maintain it well!! Ask them if the head gasket has gone in the past?

You wont believe this but a BIS round the corner from where i live went fot ?1299!!! They initialy put it up for ?999 then the folowing week they put it up. This was over a year ago. It was immaculate with around 12,000 miles on it, if i remember correctly.

If anything, 126's like to be run everyday! So might make an excellnt everyday car for you!! ?700 is cheap if its immaculate. Does it have an MOT??

regards

Chris

[EJ]

Thanks Chris

It was owned by a lady and has 14000 miles on the clock.  A mechanic friend of ours is selling it and has found all the petrol receipts in the glove compartment and they list miles against each receipt so definitely only 14k on the clock.  He has checked underneath and is immaculate.  I think he is aware of problems with the model with the head gasket so is replacing it just in case.  I will check the spare tyre, but current wheels in fantastic condition and still have original fiat hub caps.

Thanks

Emma

[ChrisRLewis]

EJ welcome to the forum.

If it is a genuine 14k immaculate model that seems not a bad buy!

If you have never driven a 126 I would do so first before you commit to buy. They are very crude compared to modern cars so be prepared for that. But they have plenty of character easy to park and economical.

There are various views on the reliability of the Bis models some good and some bad. It is worth getting the cylinder head torque checked and also do this at service intervals, I am told that this helps with the Bis headgasket problems!

regards
C
 

[Chris Lakin]

Hi Emma, yes "Cars" is right, have a little test drive. I find them nice and easy to drive & fun too.

About the head gasket problem, if he is replacing it well thats superb!!!

when i said about where the spare wheel goes, water gets in and sits underneath the wheel, and so rusts away at the metal, just get him to take the spare tyre out so you can check the well for rust. Im sure there wont be!! IF you find you dont like the car for some reason or another, im sure it would sell on well anyway. Any more questions please just post a message and someone will give you advice/help

regards

Chris

[fiatfsm]

If you are using it everday for work then you really need to get it rustproofed thoroughly. Get some waxoyl or dinitrol into all the cavities,
sills and doors etc. Also underneath check the underseal is intact and not dried out. Its work spraying it with some diesel as this softens it up making it effective again. If you dont do this then rust will soon become a major issue. I know of someone who had a Bis new, and three years later it was scrapped due to extensive rusting. Personally, I wouldnt use a 126 everyday during winter... they do need lots of maintanance which is not nice in winter, and honestly would recommend something else for those months.