Was super stoked to learned the Fiata started at $25k

"Milky" (jordanmielke)
05/02/2016 at 22:28 • Filed to: Fiata, MX5, Fiat, Mazda, 124 Spider

Until I found out that to get the nice headlights it would cost $32k! What the hell.

Everything is lumped into one package, not available on the base trim and it adds $4k. I get the package has a lot of content but damn, don’t want to spend $32k on a car. I don't think I could live with walking to my car everyday and seeing base-ass headlights.

I’m still going to wait until I can test drive this thing before I do anything though.

.... and just because.

DISCUSSION (47)

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Milky
05/02/2016 at 22:32

Stepping out on the old Crossfire, are we?

Nauraushaun > Milky
05/02/2016 at 22:33

I think the base ones look better. What makes them not so?

Vicente Esteve > Milky
05/02/2016 at 22:34

I had the same issue with my Golf and just upgraded the headlamps. But of course, it won’t beat OEM for preciseness.

Milky > Vicente Esteve
05/02/2016 at 22:39

Went at look at your photos ... nice upgrade. Did you have to do any of your own wiring for those to work, or just plug and play?

ranwhenparked > Milky
05/02/2016 at 22:40

I can get a 124 I’m happy with for around $29k, minus a hard top. And that is a big issue for me. I’m willing to tolerate two seats, for the right car (and the 124 Elaborazione Abarth might be that car), but the lack of an available hard top is kind of killer.

Probenja > Nauraushaun
05/02/2016 at 22:41

I agree, I don’t mind the base headlights at all, I would be worried about the lack of foglamps on the base model more, it makes it look cheaper.

Vicente Esteve > Milky
05/02/2016 at 22:41

Plug and play thankfully.

Milky > Nauraushaun
05/02/2016 at 22:41

Eh I’m not a fan. I also have done some headlamp design at work now ... and it would just bug me. I like the upgraded LED light shape.

Milky > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
05/02/2016 at 22:42

Yea, over 3 years in it and I got a new job in the fall. So its upgrade time!

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > ranwhenparked
05/02/2016 at 22:52

That's where the Miata RF comes in...

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Vicente Esteve
05/02/2016 at 22:53

I was gonna say this. If you have to have the lights then just buy the base, and when you can’t take it anymore buy some used OEM upgrades for 300 bucks. Done.

Milky > Vicente Esteve
05/02/2016 at 22:54

Well that is good to know, for some reason I was thinking it’d be more complicated.

Vicente Esteve > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
05/02/2016 at 22:55

I absolutely love HID, Xenon, LED, anything-but-halogen lights so I found the investment to be well worth it.

Milky > ranwhenparked
05/02/2016 at 22:56

2 seat is best life. Can still get groceries but I’m never the one to drive out to the bars ... or hungover brunch.

Vicente Esteve > Milky
05/02/2016 at 22:56

Depends a lot on the car AND the market it was designed for.

My car was Mexican spec, so I could do plug and play whilst in the US IIRC you have to do some coding.

ranwhenparked > Van Man, rocks the Man Van
05/02/2016 at 22:59

Yeah, no thanks. Retractable hard top with tacky fake plastic windows.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Vicente Esteve
05/02/2016 at 22:59

Totally. I like my old headlights, but on a modern car halogens just look lame unless it a Jeep.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
05/02/2016 at 23:00

Many cars have pretty dramatic differences between the versions with and without (wiring, switches, and software). For example, I would be surprised if you could plant my lights in an ST1 Focus without changing out a lot more than just the headlight assemblies (mine are steering projectors, so probably about the worst imaginable difference between them and the base halogens)... They’re also comically expensive, so unless you somehow found a wrecked one... There’s a reason people don’t upgrade them.

ranwhenparked > Milky
05/02/2016 at 23:01

I still need to occasionally carry a 3rd or 4th person, and my other car that can hold more is 32 years old, so I really don’t want to always rely on that. A 2+2 is ideal for my needs, but, like I said, I can talk myself into a 2 seater, if it’s the right 2 seater, and the 124 does come pretty close.

Vicente Esteve > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
05/02/2016 at 23:03

Agree completely.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Eric @ opposite-lock.com
05/02/2016 at 23:07

That’s a fair point.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Milky
05/02/2016 at 23:16

That with a hatchback would be amazing. I hate convertibles.

BigBlock440 > Milky
05/03/2016 at 00:20

I...I don’t know which ones are supposed to be the nice headlights?

Tapas > Milky
05/03/2016 at 01:43

I love the Miata TdF. I’ll just get the seats from the Fiat, because apparently you can only get black interiors even in the top of the line Mazda so yeah...

Kailand09 > Milky
05/03/2016 at 06:12

Buy the base, wait for someone to total the upgrade and part out!

Or go after market

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > ranwhenparked
05/03/2016 at 06:52

That's a hole in the market that will soon be filled I think. Wait a year or two and there will be a hardtop on the market from someone...

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Milky
05/03/2016 at 06:53

Yeah those headlights are pretty crap compared to the good ones.

Personally, being the cheapskate that I am, I'd buy the base version and then wait a couple of months til people start crashing them and then try and get a pair of the good headlights of eBay or something...

Milky > ranwhenparked
05/03/2016 at 09:39

Having a classic car for “occasional” trips and a 124 as a DD sounds perfect! And like BiTurbo said someone always come outs with a hardtop for the Miata. I’d have to imagine that it’ll work on the 124 spider too.

Milky > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
05/03/2016 at 09:43

I’ve never had a convertible, but I want to try that life out while I’m young and kid-less.

Milky > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
05/03/2016 at 09:46

Its not a bad thought. I probably could get a base model, swap the headlights and buy wheels/LSD/exhaust dump all for the price of the Abarth. But have my perfect 124.

Yea I should wait to test drive the thing before I write it off.

Milky > Tapas
05/03/2016 at 09:48

IIRC you can get tan leather in the GT. But if you want the Club, yea you can only get black ... and I hate that.

Milky > BigBlock440
05/03/2016 at 09:57

The nice ones light up like this.

Kinja'd!!!

The base ones just have a normal bulb in a chrome housing.

TylerJ > Milky
05/03/2016 at 10:02

This is how I feel with the WRX. I don’t care whether or not it has leather seats or a backup camera, but I want the nice LED headlights. So basically I have to get the Limited trim.

On the other side of the coin, you can option for “technology pack” or something on the Charger to get the nice HIDs.

TylerJ > Milky
05/03/2016 at 10:03

Also would need to check if they use the same wiring harness for the headlights.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Milky
05/03/2016 at 10:30

Yeah good plan :) you could probably throw a quick ECU tune into the mix and be hitting around 180-200bhp if you fancied it :)

Tapas > Milky
05/03/2016 at 10:35

This^

Milky > TylerJ
05/03/2016 at 11:20

Being part of a tech pack is what I though they would do, not be a part of the only $4k package. I get its easier to make cars when there are only a few packages, but thats some luxury car package pricing.

Milky > TylerJ
05/03/2016 at 11:22

Sadly I’m sure it’ll be different, the nicer lights are a lot nicer. Auto on/off, LEDs, turning and probably something else I’m forgetting.

Milky > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
05/03/2016 at 11:27

Oh I would fancy that, but I’d put that off for a while because warranty. Having one of those sounds real nice.

Kanaric > Milky
05/03/2016 at 12:08

if I buy a car like this I need a limited slip, so i’m definately looking at the abarth as a minimum

Kanaric > Milky
05/03/2016 at 12:13

wow what happened to the black and red or black and white look they had shown for the abarth, I thought it was going to be an option at least and it’s not there

Milky > Kanaric
05/03/2016 at 13:04

Its still there. I just went with this trim to show the cheapest way to get the fancy lights.

Kinja'd!!!

But as for your other comment, I agree. I live where it snows and I really want a LSD.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Milky
05/03/2016 at 13:21

Yeah that sounds sensible. It’d probably be enough fun to last out the couple of years or so for the warranty, then a bit more pep could reinvigorate it after you’ve got used to the standard performance :)

Kanaric > Milky
05/03/2016 at 18:37

no i’m talking about the black hood car you see when they debuted it at shows

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Milky
05/26/2016 at 11:38

Buy the base model then upgrade the headlights yourself. Or have the dealership do it. I’m sure you could say “order replacement light housings for the higher trim level and install them on this car” to tune of probably $1000, but still far cheaper than $4k

Milky > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
05/26/2016 at 12:02

Yea its a good thought and I’m going to wait until I can test drive one. But I have no clue what I’m going to do. I should buy something else for a year and let someone else take the deprecation hit these thing will surely have.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Milky
05/26/2016 at 12:34

I want one so bad. So very, very bad.