Still On The Ship: 1996 Fiat Barchetta
The Fiat Barchetta (aka Type 183) was an Italian-built roadster built between 1995 and 2006. Its name in Italian means “little boat” and denotes a type of open-top sports car body style. The car went head-to-head with the Japanese Mazda Miata, yet was never imported into the U.S. This 1996 edition looks to be a sharp survivor, but if you’re interested in the sports car, you’ll have to wait a bit – it’s on a ship on its way to Lake Forest, California from Germany. The asking price for the Fiat is $14,990 here on craigslist. Thanks for this exciting tip, Rocco B.
Development of the Barchetta took place between 1990 and 1994, based on the underpinnings of another Fiat, the Mark 1 Punto, but using a shorter wheelbase. A 1,747-cc DOHC engine with variable valve timing powers the car, with an output of 131 hp, and is paired with a 5-speed manual transmission. Before the production of the vehicle ceased, more than 57,000 copies were built. All of them were fitted with left-hand drive even though some countries the car was sold in were geared toward right-hand drive.
This edition has had just two owners across 62,000 miles. The last party, a lady, has had the little auto for the past 16 years. The body and blue paint look great, except for a little parking lot ding here or there, and the black leather interior doesn’t seem to want for anything but a new driver. The vehicle is being imported by a specialty car retailer in California that says this is the only state out of 50 where the Fiat cannot be titled and registered. For more details before pursuing this vehicle, you may want to check out their website here.
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Comments
A brilliant Red Barchetta from a better vanished time…
The engine photos are of 2 different cars, likewise the gearstick pictures are not the same. I would not buy a car like this until it arrived & I could check it out. It might be coming straight from the wreckers, could have been in a flood, may not exist at all .
If you would click on the link: More ads by this user
You would actually see the Alfa Spider that just arrived. No cars from junk yards. Oh, and I don’t require customers to pay the cars in full until they take delivery. I have been doing this for 35 years. NOT EVERYBODY IS A CROOK
Buddy, don’t worry. I googled your name. You seem like good guy. Take care. Dave
It will never be able to be licensed in California.
As stated explicitly in the ad. However the US, has 49 states where the car can be licensed. I advertise in Orange County because that’s where I live
Strange that it’s listed on a California craigslist,
when it can’t be sold there.
Maybe, because I live there. But you can also find my cars on Hemmings
Interesting…3 different engine shots, 1 with abs, 2 w/o = 3 diff cars…good luck
Because I had 4 and now I have 2 blue left. One with A/C and one without. One car is leaving from Bremerhaven on the 20th and one is in Yokohama coming from there. And you are right.
Only one car left. 1995 in Silver. This car will (!) arrive in Long Beach November 28th
I have a very positive memory of driving a yellow barchetta with a pretty girl in the passenger seat (who later became my wife)
I really liked it. Sharp handling, willing peppy engine, very fun little car.
One odd quirk is that the name should never be spelled with a capital B. It’s always been barchetta (little boat in Italian) with a lower case b.
When it’s just a noun it is a small b but when it is a personal pronoun such as a name the capital B is correct. As in a toilet is called a john but your brother’s name is John. Just saying.
I believe Beyfon is pointing to the fact that Fiat uses the lower case in all of the emblems and other names of the car model on the actual vehicle. Or in this case, vehicles since it appears there are pictures from more than one “barchetta” in this ad.
Thanks, I was referring to proper Italian, not the spelling Fiat uses. Thanks for making me aware of that. I had a 62 Fiat 1500 spyder and would never buy another Fiat due to that experience.
Or like the rocket took off like an Oldsmobile Rocket , or I wrangled a Jeep Wrangler , or I focused on a Ford Focus . Etc.
It’s a mishmash of different interior photos too…different gear shift knobs. Some pictures show controls for side view mirrors, some do not.
It may be coming from Germany, but it has a Dutch plate on it
I had one in 2006-7 which was a great little car. We used it a few weekends for fast drives from Madrid to Alicante, 1000 miles in a weekend with no problems. Don’t pack too much luggage. Excellent top was up, because summer in la Mancha is not for sports cars…
Mechanically they are very strong, handling is great and it looks even better today than when new. Some nice touches like the door handles, but I kept bending my keys. The boot lock is in the door jamb, so if, like me, you forget and shut the door….
Agree with earlier posters, not sure this is real. $15000 buys you 2 good ones in Europe.
Plus trucking to Bremerhaven, $2k shipping to the West Coast, insurance, customs clearance, duty, etc. and some profit. However, there is a 1995 for $9.999.- available landed in Long Beach
Fiat…. ugggghhhhh
This fiat title is still actual in The Netherlands so it is not exported !!
Where do we get repair parks?
Where do we get repair PARTS?
You’d have to order any parts direct from Europe/UK.
Exactly what I was thinking. Not the car to get into a fender bender with. And how do you insure this in the U.S.?
Definitely two different cars are represented in the pictures. Also seems that photos were snapped in different locations. Some look to be in a Netherland landscape as you can note a NL yellow plate; others in Italy as you can spot an Italian plate in a car in front of the Barchetta and see an aside Ape Piaggio trike which is not a frequent view outside Italy.
Yes this car is in the Netherlands and The Title is still active here and is not reported as exported
Seller plays fast and loose with facts, (and apparently photos too.) This car is impossible to register in Oregon in the Portland metro region as well.
Fast and loose with the facts? If you follow the link to my website, there is a page whole about importing into the US and California!
Why can’t I register an Import in California
12.050 Direct Import Vehicles
Direct imports are vehicles which have been imported and originally manufactured for use in other countries. These vehicles may have foreign emission and/or safety labels, or no labels. A Vehicle Identification Number Analysis (VINA) validation determines when a vehicle is a direct import (grey market) vehicle.
Registration and/or Titling Requirements—The following must be submitted:
The basic nonresident registration documentation outlined in the Basic Registration Requirements section in this chapter.
Evidence or documentation to prove that the vehicle was imported legally and cleared U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). CBP forms 7501, 3461, 6059, 3299, or 3311, stamped or endorsed by CBP are acceptable. This does not apply to U.S. territories.
Evidence that the vehicle was modified to meet Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). This may be FMVSS labels affixed to the vehicle or a letter from the manufacturer certifying the vehicle meets FMVSS requirements.
Evidence that the vehicle was modified to meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards and requirements. This may be a label affixed to the vehicle or letter from the manufacturer stating the vehicle meets U.S. EPA requirements.
Manufacturers may certify to FMVSS and EPA requirements on the same letter.
If the vehicle is less than two years old, a certificate of conformance from a California Air Resources Board (CARB) authorized laboratory.
A smog certificate, if required.
When an application for direct import vehicles is submitted:
Do not accept a REG 256F, REV. 8/2016 or prior revisions.
Inform the applicant the exemptions are not applicable to direct import vehicles.
snapers R following it w/pic as it & sibs travel along the route to the Cali guy’s. He’ll load them in (usa calendar allows it now) for nation wide sales (but mostly Cali fanatics) and the home used ones will B registered in MT to B legally driven at home.
To Doon (2) above “that’s Y I got 2 or 3 of them and went onto multiples of each: 1200, 1600, 124, 850 ‘spyders’ and 128 sedans. I lub’em.”