Redkiwi, I am truly envious. A 156 (maybe a Selespeed) would be the perfect complement to our current Alfas. While I'm dreaming, let's add a 166 for the wife. As Dug says, we're not so patiently waiting for the forthcoming US Alfas and hoping they do us right. In the meantime, the GTV6 makes an excellent fast daily driver, the 69 GTV (big valve 1750, Ward & Dean, etc) is great for running the canyons and track days and the wife drives the hell out of the Spider. Obligiatory audio content: no sounds other than the glorious 1750 in the GTV, no sounds other than the magical V6 in the GTV6, Sony ES head unit, 10 disc changer and Soundstream refrence amp in the Spider. Dug, I used to have a 900 Desmo SS in the late 70's -- I am obviously envious of you, too. Happy Holidays mates! |
And I would like that Spyder. Sometimes I think the most thrilling auditory event is opening the throttle on the Alfa at about 90mph. |
i've always enjoyed the alpha style, with some exceptions, but have steered away from purchasing one (or 2 or 3) 'cuz i could never afford the retainer demanded by the always-there backseat mechanic. ;>) |
hi cornfedboy, my alfas have been no more unreliable than any other cars i've owned, which have included toyota, datsun, volvo, suzuki, to name a few. they are a lot *more* reliable than the bmw's my friend has owned over the past 15 years... ;~) doug |
It is fair to say that there have been some reliability problems with Alfas, it all depends on how long your memory is - even in recent years, like a 164 I had where the switches needed to be cleaned or replaced every few years. But mechanically they have been marvellous from both a reliability and performance point of view for several years. Right now, with Alfa at last buying in from other parts of Europe, they are as reliable as anything out there. IMO their biggest problem has been the lack of good technical backup around the world, but even that is pretty good these days. |
my 164, w/~165k miles on the clock, has prolly been the worst, maintenance-wise, but it's still not bad. and, the only non-normal-wear failures have usually been parts that have *bosch* written on 'em. the gtwe6, w/150k, has been amazingly trouble-free. so was the milano verde, sold w/145k, cuz i found another one w/only 66k... doug |
|
do you find it as interesting as i that posts re: automobiles on an audio site draw none of the wrath manifested by threads on krell/mit, etc.? perhaps all of us (excluding david99 and carl_eber) should join the alfa group, where we could discuss audio without hostility and intimidation. just a thought. |
cornfedboy, the alfa digest is actually quite a civilized mailing list - sure, ruffled feathers once in a while, but never anything like that which takes place here. the pantera-digest is actually a bit worse than the alfa-digest, but still doesn't hold a candle to what goes on here. the bmw digest, on the other hand, which used to be run by the same guy who runs the alfa digest, was shut down by the guy cuz it got so bad, so i've been told by those who know... i wonder if it's cuz bmw's attract status seekers as well as enthusiasts, similar to hi-end audio... hmmm.... ;~) regards, doug |
And you told me that the Pantera Digest was "redneck"...;>) |
You boys have TIN EARS and are STUPID, STUPID, STUPID! everyone with half a brain knows that those little engines have NO BOTTOM END. I mean, you might as well just turn off the whole left side of your graphic equilizer, AND I MEAN ALL 10 OF THEM! Those little cars are just SIBILANCE ON THE HIGHWAY. IDIOTS! EVERYONE KNOWS A BIG BLOCK OLDS IS THE ONLY WAY GO! I AM RIGHT AND YOU ARE WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. ROCKET 455. |
|
sedond: i can certainly understand a bmw site going down in flames. i, too, find many other bimmer owners insufferable. as for me: i bought my first, a '69 2002, the day our first son was born. cost $3800. i've owned 7 since then and have loved each for the fun they provide to driving, whether on the daily commute or a trip through our state's mountains (colo). that first son of ours, BTW, owns a 2000 beetle (which his wife drives on her short commute) AND an '89 bmw 528i. he also inherited from me a love for audio, purchasing this year his first accuphase (integrated) and avalons. i'm very proud to say, "like father, like son." (our 2d son is cool, too, but just starting up the management ladder at qwest, saving all his $$ for an engagement ring--hooray!!). best regards. |
Was in Italy last year and drove the 156 Sportwagon. Gotta have one with the V-6 and a stick! GM, as you know, has a stake in the company and is rumored to be planning a stateside ALFA comeback within two years through Buick dealers. I heard the same thing from ALFA concessionaires in Milan and Rome. So the story goes, they would re-enter the market with a brand-new GTV and Spider, and follow immmediately with the 146, 147, 156 and 166. How much of this is bilge, is open to discussion. One of the last discussions I had with ALFA people in California (when the marque was fazing out US operations) concerned why ALFA was withdrawing from the states. The common answer seemed to be poor marketing and uneven supply, questionable reliability and parts availability, and some rather undesirable looking cars. The latest ALFA lineup suggests they would see some healthy sales stateside, assuming prices weren't out of sight. The GTV can be had in Europe with a Twinspark 2.0L for as little as $23K and goes up from there to around $32 for the V-6 w/6-speed, leather, etc., etc. The new 147 2-door hatch with the Twinspark and mods is a nasty package--a real Q-boat. In the meantime, our '63 Spider with the much-modded 2.0L, close-ratio Colotti, much uprated suspension and 4-wheel discs must suffice. |
We can only hope that Fiat does it right and are prepared to commit to re-building Alfa over a number of years. I really hope they are in it for the long haul. There are a lot of misconceptions among the general public regarding our beloved marque, but I think there is enough pent up demand among Alfisti to get things off to a good start. Your Guilia sounds swell -- with the 2 liter and the disc brakes you have the best of both worlds. Happy Holidays. |
almost 4 years later and still waiting for them damn Alfas to arrive... |
In four years some peoples opinions have changed, while others seem to be the same. |
Now that's a rhetorical statement if I've ever read one = P. |
I find it interesting whenever there is a long thread about Krell,Bose is always mentioned. |
And not so strangely, after four years, Krell's still suck.
But then, some people think CD players are inherently better than LP's.
There's no dealing with that. I agree - synergy.
But in all likelihood without a Krell. |
viggen, latest i have now heard is alfa won't return 'til 2010. don't hold yer breath! ;~) i now have two milano's & the gtwe6; the 164 was totaled w/210k on the ticker & still goin' strong. god rest it's soul... may it give it's parts so that other alfa's shall live. ;~)
dug seed in |
