Discussion
What do people think of this? Quite taken with it but is it a bit steep price wise?
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C917641
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C917641
Tell you what though. Front/mid V engine, torque tube, rear transaxle gearbox and a twin plate clutch that owners changed for a single plate 75 clutch, ironically. And the best engine note E-VER!
I was about to post about my just-purchased Vantage and how it reminds me of the good bits of GTV6 driving. But not the crap bits like gargantuan and slow gear lever throw, feeble synchro in second, truly rubbish interior and rust that is scary.
Price? From what I have seen and to my eternal regret, looks about right. Having stoved mine into a retaining wall after mud on the road sent me sideways (ok it was me!), it would have made a decent wedge by now. How we laughed as I was cut out of the car with the Fire Brigade's jaws of life. That, and having passed up my Dad's 209 GTi 1.9 for a grand as I had nowhere additional to keep it...
Such is life.
At that money I'd be looking at more reliable metal. But if you fancy it, that exhaust note is to die for....
If you are still watching this and not on the Alfa forum!
I was about to post about my just-purchased Vantage and how it reminds me of the good bits of GTV6 driving. But not the crap bits like gargantuan and slow gear lever throw, feeble synchro in second, truly rubbish interior and rust that is scary.
Price? From what I have seen and to my eternal regret, looks about right. Having stoved mine into a retaining wall after mud on the road sent me sideways (ok it was me!), it would have made a decent wedge by now. How we laughed as I was cut out of the car with the Fire Brigade's jaws of life. That, and having passed up my Dad's 209 GTi 1.9 for a grand as I had nowhere additional to keep it...
Such is life.
At that money I'd be looking at more reliable metal. But if you fancy it, that exhaust note is to die for....
If you are still watching this and not on the Alfa forum!
Generally speaking reliability is not an issue with Classic Alfa’s, the basic engineering is superb, the bits that go wrong tend to be minor electrical stuff (often German in origin!).
Rust is always on your mind, but as this Car is for sale at the most experienced and well respected Garage for Transaxle Alfa’s I’d not be worried about that.
Rust is always on your mind, but as this Car is for sale at the most experienced and well respected Garage for Transaxle Alfa’s I’d not be worried about that.
I’ve been thinking about this one, and for the money you can get a very decent Caymen, even a Gen 2, etc, but that isn’t really the point is it? I do actually agree with Velocemitch, the electrical gremlins were a bit of pain but the mechanicals are very strong excepting the synchro’s, but they are all new on this one. Looks like the rust is sorted too. This one used to be gunmetal grey which I quite liked!
I’d ask if the diff is the 75 one, it’s a LSD.
If you fancy it, can afford it and the quality is up to the ad, it looks the dogs so I’d say why not?
I’d ask if the diff is the 75 one, it’s a LSD.
If you fancy it, can afford it and the quality is up to the ad, it looks the dogs so I’d say why not?
Thanks for the detailed responses. Hmmmm. I'd be using this as a daily although I don't do that many miles I'd run it alongside a trusty Honda Accord. I do do a 700 mile trip every 3 weeks or so. Clearly I could use the Honda for that but I'd prefer to use the Alfa. Would it be up to that kind of mileage? If I bought it I would want to use it. Thanks in advance.
I am a good customer of Alex Jupe and it is fair to say that he is obsessed with and obsessive about these cars. He has historically always used one as a daily including towing duties apart from using a 145 briefly (shudder).
My only comment about using something like this is that "small" things like poor standard headlights, s
te demisting/heating system (in cars without air con), veeeerrryyy slow electric windows and susceptibility to rust will make it a poor choice over winter but summer use would be fine. Others have alluded to electrical niggles which are fine is you are Alex Jupe but if not, they take time and money to fix.The electrics and headlights can be uprated easily:
http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/electrical-chassis...
My only comment about using something like this is that "small" things like poor standard headlights, s
te demisting/heating system (in cars without air con), veeeerrryyy slow electric windows and susceptibility to rust will make it a poor choice over winter but summer use would be fine. Others have alluded to electrical niggles which are fine is you are Alex Jupe but if not, they take time and money to fix.The electrics and headlights can be uprated easily: http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/electrical-chassis...
I have a 2.0 GTV and I think I'd struggle to use it as a daily now.
For a decent trip where I have options, sure, I'd have no qualms about doing a few hundred miles in the car. But having to leave home on a freezing cold morning where the inadequate heater and frankly bloody awful demist capabilities would be a very different matter.
It's also an old car - it drives like an old car, it handles like an old car. Don't get me wrong, I love driving it, but modern cars are a lot better to drive when you just want to arrive at your destination.
I'm sure that one is very well prepared, but if you're using it every day in the winter, there will come a time when the door or boot seal hasn't worked properly and the damn thing is full of water.
For a decent trip where I have options, sure, I'd have no qualms about doing a few hundred miles in the car. But having to leave home on a freezing cold morning where the inadequate heater and frankly bloody awful demist capabilities would be a very different matter.
It's also an old car - it drives like an old car, it handles like an old car. Don't get me wrong, I love driving it, but modern cars are a lot better to drive when you just want to arrive at your destination.
I'm sure that one is very well prepared, but if you're using it every day in the winter, there will come a time when the door or boot seal hasn't worked properly and the damn thing is full of water.
I have bought and sold through Alex and can thoroughly recommend him. He is the go-to guy for Alfettas and does a wonderful job of restoring and uprating, as evidenced by his cars at the NEC classic car show. You can be certain that if he is endorsing it, he’s been through it very carefully from nose to tailpipe.
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