Lancia Beta Rust Recall Video

[67alloy]

Amusing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjgHSqdY5nQ&feature=related

[CraigInPa]

Ironically, a few years after this was filmed in the UK, approximately 1982, Fiat settled with the US government over the rusting propensities of the early 1970's 850's. The agreement paid each owner for repairs, or would carry out repairs if not already performed. IIRC, it was advertised as the very first time a manufacturer was ever required to recall a call for rust. A friend of mine was given $1500 for his repair of his own car, a princely sum considering he paid $500 for the running car with no floorboards.

Craig

[Andrew S]

..."the new anti-corrosion guarantee; introduced in this country on April The First..." Fools!Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaa arrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Andrew.

(P.S. I'm not sure how worldwide April Fools Day is but in Britain that must've been hysterically funny at the time... unless you owned a rusted Beta of course...)

[1,6 HF]

..."the new anti-corrosion guarantee; introduced in this country on April The First..." Fools!Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaa arrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Andrew.

(P.S. I'm not sure how worldwide April Fools Day is but in Britain that must've been hysterically funny at the time... unless you owned a rusted Beta of course...)

It's recognized widely, and it was by far the most appropriate day possible...

[Andrew S]

...it was by far the most appropriate day possible...

How right you are, Ed.
I have vague recollections of this fiasco (I was only a boy) and the reactions amongst the general public at the time... it was all bad. Really bad. Lancia have never recovered over here. Hard to believe that only a few years previous to this they outsold BMW in the UK... whenever I say that to anyone they look at me with amazement. Still, Jaguar and Vauxhall recovered from their appalling rust reputations in the UK after most of their '60's production fell apart so you'd think that Lancia/Fiat/Alfa would too. I suppose Fiat and Alfa have but the first thing on anyone's lips over here when you say 'I own a Lancia' is RUST. Shame, especially when you see the new cars Lancia are making. My friend has just personally imported a brand spanking new Delta and, although new cars leave me cold, I have to say I'm extremely impressed. I doubt the motor will be 'falling out' of that...

Andrew.

[rossocorsa]

read 'turning back the clock' by Geoff Owen pages 217 to 227 in fact buy a copy all Beta owners should have one...and the rest of the book is quite a good read too