Lancia Motor Club

There is a UK registered Kappa Coupe for sale in Edingburgh, http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C207485/

What a lot of car for the money as they say. Am sorely tempted and love the interior. If it was RHD I'm sure i'd be biting his arm off!

Overall I don't think that we missed much post Lancia's withdrawal from the RHD markets, but this was clearly one of the exceptions.

Now that is tempting, even if it is the "miserable" 16v turbo S1 version. Bank on the engine going bang at some point but very tempting

Actually that came across as a bit miserable and stupid. I think the 16v version is perhaps a wiser choice than the 20v in that it may be more easily maintained - but belts and bearings are essential!

Still sorely tempted!

And me, anyone know who it belongs to as the number plate isn't visible, I thought it might have been the ex Adam Jefferson car that I almost bought about 7 years ago, but I don't think it had that colour interior.

Brian
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Oh that IS nice...and at about half the price of that Gamma on ebay at the moment.

David

OK I will own up!! It used to belong to me, the chap who is selling it is the person I sold it to about 3 years ago.
Bit strange that the photo he is using in the ad is one I took of it in France before I sold it, and it is supposed to have had a respray since then??
Here's another photo from when it was mine, I can't remember what the registration number is now as I obviously kept my personalised one. Must admit it is one of those cars that I would like to own again.

The truth will out!
Funny about the photos, as the Kappa I looked at was advertised showing the photos taken 3-4 years and a hefty dose of mileage before, one of the reasons I didn't go for it, as by that time it wasn't a true reflection of the condition.

Brian
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Like mine, Adam's was a 20vt - and he had an almost white cream leather interior. And ours are Black Storm metallic. Distingustingly cheap though. And anyone worried about where the steering wheel is, is missing out big time. I haven't bought a RHD car since 1998 and the last car I bought was ordered new in the UK as LHD because I just prefer to sit that side now

I have mailed the seller a couple of times and await some up to date pictures. If no one else snaps it up I possibly will - which means along with the 3.0 Thema SW I will soon be single again.  Now, can anyone assist in some duplicitous scheme whereby I can justify all this to an totally un understanding other half??!!

You say single again as if that was a bad thing!  ;D

Could be time to get that de-humidified barn with the attic conversion! lol

Tell her you've taken leave of your senses and can't be held responsible for your actions :D

Brian
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at least it wouldn't be a lie Brian!!!

If you want me to have a look at it for you I'm only around 20 miles away.

Thanks Matt. May well take you up on that. However, no recent photos available, only ones of when Ade had it which is a while ago now. The engine management light is on, although seller says it is intermittent and has done it pretty much since he bought it. I know these things can often cry wolf but even if nothing would be annoying having the damn check light on all the time. Not sure. Need it like a hole in the head but it does appeal still.

Well, have put an offer in for the K Coupe..... i need it as much as a hole in the head with the Thema SW coming, the SL broken and all the rest of it, but it was just too tempting. Whether it is accepted is another matter...

Now, can anyone recommend a good therapist?

At least you're making ME feel a lot better  :)

Not for long. My miserable offer has not been accepted....

Sounds like you tried the Martin Buckley approach to buying a car!

Brian
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Hi Brian, not sure of Martin's approach but I think i get it. Unlike the car which I haven't!!!

Go on go for it !! I would only I bought a 8.32 last week and Im still in the dog house ;D. Im due to be let back in for Valintine's.

Hi Lindsay,
Have a read of his column in Classic & Sports car magazine March 2011, he offered someone 1/2 of what he was asking for a Mercedes, he was politely told what to do with it, a week later Martin received a call from the Merc owner saying that he would accept his offer after all, MB then offered him minus another £500 less than he'd previously offered, as in the meantime he'd bought something else, and didn't really want it by then, needless to say, he was instructed once agaon what to do with is offer.

Brian
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Hi Brian - does sound like a great way to approach car buying! Can understand why the vendor may not have been too thrilled by it all. It is fine if you have a take it or leave it approach to a car, but hard to do if you really want it. I think this K Coupe is a great buy for someone and one reason I was wanting it was to make sure it doesn't get into hands of oinks who want something different and reasonably quick, but have no appreciation for the car itself. If the SL wasn't proving to be such a pain in the backside then I think it would be mine already, but some sense has to remain.

Well, for now!  ;D

Hi Lindsay, no it is a bit of a brutal way of buying cars and I certainly wouldn't want to be on the receiving end, I wonder if he was one of those who tried it on when I was selling my 300se!

To be honest I wish I had the spare cash and the need for it as I've always wanted one, but I haven't and I don't, so I won't ;D
Brian
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I fear I may have purchased said Kappa Coupe as well as the Thema LX SW......

Ooops.  ::)

OOOOH Dear ::) :D
In the dog house time again.

Brian
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Well done!! Looking forward to seeing some photos of it.  Ade.

It's advertised again, this time for £1,695 and with some photos.
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C207485/

There is one on eBay for £500....

Why is everybody getting so worked up over an old Kappa? There are hundreds floating around Europe going cheap, and with less mileage. Get a grip.

Mainly because it's the Coupe Peter, of which there wasn't that many built, I think about 800?

Brian
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Still can't see it, just because it has a Lancia badge, unless its really, really low mileage and like new let it go, its just another old nail for the scrapper. Thats my opinion anyway, for what its worth.

Personally I like the design and would quite happily own one old banger or not.
Brian
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But a/ you have to keep it somewhere, tax and insure it. How much is that? Then b/ what does it do to the gallon? Probably before that there are repair costs, bet your life its being sold because of myriad faults that the new buyer inherits. Warning lights, burnt out cat and non air con spring to mind. I can see the car now, sitting on the drive with tyres and battery slowly going flat while owner pours himself another large glass of wine wishing he/she had ignored the add and left the money in the bank account. Might as well buy a Gamma. Now thats a proper two door coupe and I bet there's less than eight of them. Hmm.   

What a great idea! A 'proper' Lancia  ;D And you'll find there's more than 8 of them; there's at least 25 in the UK alone  ;D

I wonder if the four I have owned still exist. A754NKL was a blue one, then there was the gold car B644TKN. Can't remember the others except one was a sedan, or should I say berlina. I think I liked that best.

And where are they now pray ??? I don't disagree about the Gamma as I'm quite partial myself, but if you're talking about troubles and Bangers, from what I've read most Gamma's fit this catergory as well, and you've still got to pay road tax as it doesn't fit into the Historic catergory as currently set up.
 I speak only from reading what previous Gamma owners have written, never having owned one myself, I'm afraid that's all I can go on..

Brian
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THeo, being rather provocative here, how is a Gamma anymore a "Proper" Lancia than a Kappa Coupe, both having been built after Lancia's demise by Fiat ;)

Have owned my Kappa Coupe for nearly 10 years now and hope to keep it for some while yet.  It is a 20v turbo & was 2 years old when I bought it.  It is an absolute delight to drive, for example Edinburgh to Harpenden in 5 hours 15 minutes then got out of the car as fresh as a daisy.  I must say I am disappointed to read some of the disparaging remarks, have you really driven one?
Peter

I'm tempted to say "show me the Fiat that uses a Gamma engine" but then some uneducated people might say that it would have been better if the Gamma had used a Fiat engine!  There is little doubt that the Gamma was the last gasp of the remnants of an independent Lancia team. 

Im not saying there is anything wrong with the Kappa, per sa. What I am saying is why go and buy a high mileage cash consuming car that is probably full of technical issues that are difficult to solve. Mr Watcham did the right thing, he purchased a low mileage car with good history to use everyday. As far as I can see most replies on this thread are from people who already own goodness knows how many Lancias most of which are probably lying around gathering dust so why add another to the list? I come back to my original arguement, wait for the right car at the right money, not buy just because it happens to be a Lancia.   

I dare say in their time the Fulvia HFs, Aurelias, Flaminias et al were also just other old nails fit for the scrapper...... if folk had thought that way in the 60s and 70s then where would the "proper" Lancia snobs be these days?

But then the Lambda lot would probably claim theirs were the last. Who cares? If you like the car then get it.

I agree, buy whatever you like, if the fancy takes you.

( I enjoy my Gammas, one breakdown in 4 years of pushing a car to its limits )

Geoff

Peter, I think you may be a little out of touch with Kappa prices in Europe, most Kappa coupes now start at about 3,000euro, less than that and they are mega mileage, true there are cheap Kappas, but they are NOT coupes.
Secondly, and my main reason for posting that this car was for sale is that they are very rare in the UK (Less than10) and you would also be very unlikely to be able to register one now as the rules covering things like non MPH speedos and non converted LHD headlamps have been tightened considerably since I imported two Kappa Coupes into the UK.
So if you fancy a Kappa Coupe for UK use your selection is very limited and the price of this car compared to mainland Europe (even with its faults) is very reasonable.
The Kappa on ebay at the moment is a saloon (It has 4 doors) also it makes no mention that it is UK registered, which I would suspect is the reason it is being sold cheaply.
I agree with Peter W, they are excellent cars, in the typical Lancia tradition, an elegant coupe with plenty of space, very comfortable and with a reasonable turn of speed, a true G.T.  Yes they are not that econamical 25Mpg ish but do you get more than that from an Integrale, or Subaru??

The production figures for Kappa Coupes are as follows:-
2.4 5cyl   837
2.0 Turbo 16V and 20V   1933
3.0 V6   456
Total:3,226
There was also a prototype diesel engined Coupe, it is for sale in Italy, but 45,000euro for a Kappa is a bit steep!!!

As allegedly the first kappa coupe owner in the UK, and surely the first (if not the only)to buy a brand new kappa coupe in the UK, all I can say is my k coupe is the seconmd best car I have ever owned (a 20vt). Given that I have owned 2 x W129 500SL, Ferrari 348 Spider, Porsche Carerra Cabriolet, 4 a Lotus Esprit, XJS Convertible, etc....its in pretty decent company. The k coupe is massively underated, can't imagine ever selling mine and I've owned in 11 years

Its not the most obvious - the looks take a bit of getting used to, must be the only car where the coupe is less attractive than the saloon and even the SW, but to own one is to appreciate all that is great about any Lancia

Okay, you've convinced me. Glad to see the passion still exists.