Hey Jazz, what are these like?

I have two times actually, a 1991 Corolla I purchased 4 years ago for $400 with a smoky engine and I fitted a low km ( like 58,000km) engine from one of the same year but rear ended wreck total cost overall was $650 and over the four years I had it did 35,000kms trouble free in it.
Bought the wreck for $250 used the whole drive train/sub frame front axles wheels etc swapped out the smoky engine/drive train complete in about 5 hours and drove it the afternoon of the same day for the first time and trouble free from then on up to when I sold it.
Sold remaining good panels/doors and various other parts off the wreck in about 10 days and made $450 for what I sold off after removing drive train from wreck, I can't deny that I made a tidy wee profit from the wreck there .
Sold the Corolla I swapped the low km engine/drive train into recently for $1300 so a tidy profit there also.
Last year I bought a real tidy 1993 FX Corolla for $2400, the kms are up a bit but I have done 12,000 km since with no drama's at all. In my case the 1992 $3200 corolla doesn't stack up and I reckon at that price it would be an exceptional one, but they do exist, some I think being sold on here the sellers are "wishful thinkers."
I will admit they don't depreciate quite as fast for sure as some others and the Fiat on here represents great value .well bottomed out dollar value and as Jazz says you can't go wrong really and as richardmayes says ( I whole heartedly agree) if something does go really wrong it's not a big loss $$$ wise anyway and not a big issue at all.
Real cheap motoring even if OP got only a year or two years out of it and moved it on most likely for a similar price to what it is now, lots of folks buy bottom depreciated price cars and get a lot of fun for SFA cost.
The OP is like me .handy around cars and this would be right up his alley definitely, go for it I'd say.
have it checked out by a reputable guys like Car Inspection Services would be a good move.

Does anybody know if you can get a bezel with a DIN slot for the dash of a Stilo in order to replace the stereo!

someone around here surely has interests in a Europeon car yard or parts supplier.

You'd think so as the apparent interest in them on the MB is disproportionate to the actual interest in them IRL.

Yes, should be available online. I have not ever ordered a Stilo one but have found Punto ones easy enough. Just have a search, cheap enough even with freight if they are similarly priced to the Punto ones.

BTW, that one possibly has a factory sub and some decent speakers in it. Can't tell you for certain off hand but I wouldn't be surprised.

UPDATE, stink one saxman99 looks like you missed out on the Stilo. Thats the thing with bargains, you have to be quick!

No worries, thanks for the info Jazz.People think I'm nuts but the stereo question is important to me, I'm too fussy to listen to factory sound. ;-)

LOL, I don't think you are nuts at all wanting decent sounds. remember who you are talking to!

Besides life is to short not to enjoy decent cars and decent music.

I saw that, only after seeing your link, & I dont know what you were waiting for. You should have hit the 'Buy Now'
I'd have bought that for my oldest boy to learn to drive in if he was interested yet, being a manual & all.
He could have killed that learning & probably still sold it without losing too much, if anything.
I dont know why people muck about, they only miss-out. Case in point.

It sure is ugly though.

I'm not in a screaming hurry.

My wife doesn't want my car - she wants a reasonably Eco smaller car. My 540i isn't. ;-)

I am sticking with rear drive and V8 for the time being.

She currently has a 318i E36 which she loves, but at 360,000ks it's getting a bit tired, especially interior.However, whatever we get to replace it will have big shoes to fill - I bought that car with 146,000ks and have thrashed the snot out of it and NEVER had any breakdown at all.Which apparently is impossible for one of these.

We shall see.

Ahh, well fair enough. If I had a 540i I would be keeping that over the Abarth too!

I am a little more pro-Stilo than Punto now, given what she has come from as the ride and road noise of the Punto may be a bit disappointing after the BMW. Don't get me wrong the Punto handles really well its more just a quality of ride thing if that makes any sense.

In terms of high km's, those Fiat motors have no issue with that. The one in my petrol Multipla which is essentially the same engine as the 1.6 Stilo, has about 215'000km on the clock now and still does not need the oil topped up between changes. The spark plugs always look like they went in yesterday when I change them too.

Ahh, well fair enough. If I had a 540i I would be keeping that over the Abarth too!

I am possibly a little more pro-Stilo than Punto now, given what she has come from as the ride and road noise of the Punto may be a bit disappointing after the BMW. Don't get me wrong the Punto handles really well its more just a quality of ride thing if that makes any sense. Its great for a little car but it is a little car.

But then I guess she may be expecting a little bit of a compromise in that department going to an eco-box. If economy really is the focus then the 1.2 twin cam Punto will certainly give you that! I don't think she will be disappointed with the performance so long as you stayed with the twin cam 1.2 not the 8v.

In terms of high km's, those Fiat motors have no issue with that. The one in my petrol Multipla which is essentially the same engine as the 1.6 Stilo, has about 215'000km on the clock now and still does not need the oil topped up between changes. The spark plugs always look like they went in yesterday when I change them too.

Same deal with the smaller fire series engines (like the 1.2) I have bought those in past that have had a lot more than 215K on the clock and they have been in great shape, even the abused ones.

I will keep an eye out for bargains for you. Best of luck with it all.