New member in SE PA

[ACSPIDER]

I recently joined to learn more about Spiders. I am looking to sell my wife's 12 500 Sport and get her into a classic Spider. She is resisting learning the manual trans, are there any down sides to the Spider auto I should know about before jumping in?
Thanks,
Tom

[SunnySideUp]

....are there any down sides to the Spider auto I should know about before jumping in?

Welcome to the best forum for Fiat Spiders on the planet!

I believe the transmission was built by Opel and was the same one found in the now-defunct Chevy Chevette. There's more tubes and cables that goes with the automatic such as the kick-down cable for the fuel management system and extra plumbing for a transmission cooler which sits in front of the radiator.

At risk of becoming very unpopular very quickly I'll answer your question about the downsides of an automatic - it's kind of a taboo subject. The downsides are only a couple but, in my opinion, major. First, the performance. Don't expect them to have the anywhere near the same performance of the 5-speed versions. The automatic is better suited for straight suburban roads rather than curvy and hilly back country roads where the 5-speed reigns. The automatic is a 3-speed and will rev higher at speed on the highway. Second, re-sale. There is a reason that automatics typically sell for less and take significantly longer to sell. They may be rare, just not "desirable." For what it' worth, a few forum members have converted their Spiders from automatic over to a 5-speed. I don't recall anyone going the other way unless they are swapping out the entire drive train by putting in a V6 or V8 from another manufacturer.

I'm sure I've offended members with automatics and that is unavoidable with this topic as just having a Spider is a great experience. None of us want to down-talk anothers Spider, regardless of transmission. The Spider was not originally intended to have an automatic transmission but it was the American market that caused Fiat to alter the platform in an effort to keep sales up along with adding other options like power windows and air conditioning (and accompanying inherent quirks). Unfortunately, by doing so, Fiat helped cement the unflattering designation of the Spider as a "Secretary's Car." However, it kept the Spider around longer.

If it were me, I would keep the 500 Sport AND have a Spider. If the root of the matter is that you just want a convertible or if parking space is limited, trade the 500 in on a convertible 500 with an automatic. In your part of the country I would not park or store any Spider outside when it's wet or in the off-season - hence the recommendation for the 500 instead. That being said, there are some nice Spiders on the market with automatics right now. IF you can hold off until the end of summer you can probably pick one of them up for less than what is currently being asked as there is a good chance they'll still be available.

Let us know what you decide! Meanwhile, I'll put on my flack jacket.

[AriK]

If it were me, I would keep the 500 Sport AND have a Spider.

+1 on that. Why rack up daily mileage on a 35 yr old car? You're likely to deal with bugs if you go that route. Your 2012 is a reliable new(er) vehicle made to deal with the daily grind of everyday life. Buy the Spider and deal with it as a novelty item, driven on sunny warm days and for pleasure driving only. You will appreciate both cars more this way and you wont get stressed everytime your wife hears a new squeak. Selling one car over the other is comparing apples to watermellons.

[81SPIDERMATT]

resisting learning the manual trans will seem silly once she does learn ... she will thank you for the push and the spider driving experience will be 10 times better ... shifting is part of the whole experience and not something that should be eliminated from that experience ever .... as stated.. if that will not fly than .."trade the 500 in on a convertible 500 with an automatic"

sorry to the auto guys

[RRoller123]

Welcome aboard! You will find plenty of knowledgeable and friendly people here.

Here is a thread on how to post pictures directly to the forum:

http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=21014

And here is another picture-posting thread:

http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic ... 12&t=23084

And here is a link to a map of Spider owner’s locations. Many forum members have listed their locations.

https://www.zeemaps.com/map?group=191825

Pete

[FiatBen]

An automatic can be fun, but it just can't be "driven" like most of us like to push our cars out on back roads. The transmissions seemed to be pretty reliable. You'll still have that great Italian sound, the wind in your hair and the sun in your face. And if she really likes it, then maybe a 5-speed will lure her to the dark side. As for trading, I agree with everyone else. Would not really want to have my Spider as a daily driver, even though for the past several years my '69 saw a lot of road time putting about. Depends on how much grief she will give you if she breaks down, and how capable you are of handling problems that will surely come up.

Either way, post pics of both, the 500 and your "new" Spider (when you get it.)