Well i cannot speak for dave but i DO have to whipe the inside windscreen every time I drive because the heaters don't work and the condensation in winter is terrible!
Dave, I feel very lucky to have this car right now, but it is funny. The price of insuring and maintaining this old car is actualy way cheaper than if I was to get a modern family car with the same size engine. Not to mention that this makes driving a pleasure, not a task. I expect it will die sooner rather than later I just hope to get one good summer out of it.
Well, I must confess that I don't drive my Fiat in the winter these days. I'm fortunate to be able to afford a summer toy, she lives in the garage through the winter. That said, my experience with Fiats isn't heater problems... Quite the contrary, I can recall the heater blowing on my right foot so strongly that I had to cut long drives into shorter pieces simply because the heater was burning my right foot!
Insurance wise, I agree 100%! When I had my '74 Fiat, it was considered a sexy performance sports car! My current '83 almost qualifies for Antique license plates!
Let me know if you are looking for a good source for parts... I know a couple companies that specialize in Alpha and Fiat parts.