What's wrong with the Alfa-ish experience?!?! 

 

Saying that, I've just been looking at the price-range to sell my 2.5 year old Alfa MiTo Cloverleaf.... 

The 90k one is an '03 53 and the 70k is an '05 54 Not sure if there's likely to be much difference spec wise through the years though the '05 lacks parking sensors.

I have just spotted a red '03 south of london with 70k as well but it's more money still and cambelt at 50k so starting to become essential.

Nicholas, I'd snap your hand off if it wasn't yellow! Sorry- experience of yellow is it tends to suffer fade more than most.

To answer the other questions posed, looking only at petrol vRS and my mileage is 10-12 k a year. Top end of budget is £4500 but ideally I want to spend around 3k tops or thereabouts.

 

If you've got £4500 to spend I'd get one from a garage with a warranty  and you'd have change left over.

Edited 7 January, 201412 yr by GAZ911

You are right about the yellow though.  My paintwork looks good after a bit of elbow grease using SRP. It does want to be constantly waxed a polished to look good though. However, the spoiler has faded beyond repair and probably need a respray if you are bothered about faded paintwork.

 

It does look like RARB + stage 1 remap on mine now and keep it for a few more years.

 

£4.5K should get you a great example. I had a look around, one like mine is going for around £3K at the moment private.

I'm not far from Reading and after a decent mk1 vrs...

I always go for condition. High mileage cars don't bother me aslong as there clean. I had an 1.8t golf with 186k miles and it's still going strong. Aslong as it's got good history etc high miles don't put me off.

Id want my cake and to eat it

What's wrong with the Alfa-ish experience?!?! 

 

Saying that, I've just been looking at the price-range to sell my 2.5 year old Alfa MiTo Cloverleaf.... 

 

Nothing wrong with it at all. Loved all of my Alfas to bits and the age old 'it'll be in the garage all the time' thing is definately a load of garbage, much like how 'a Skoda will fall apart' hasn't been true for about 25 years!

 

The only problem I had is that I don't like how the newer GM derived platform cars and engines drive, and the older 156 platform cars are fantastic but expensive to run for what they are. I've had a 2 litre 156 and a 156 v6 as well as my current 147 - probably done around 150k miles in total in them.

 

Switching from my 147 2 litre twinny to an Octy vRS means the same amount of road tax, a drop in insurance of about £250 and going from 25mpg average to 30+ as well as significantly improved performance. Yes it won't sing to my soul and get under my skin in quite the same way, but in terms of smiles per miles over cost I think the Skoda is miles ahead, and for the running costs of the Alfa I want much better performance.

 

Re the vRS hunt, seen a couple more (including a Banana Yellow one!) and starting to come around to just looking at condition. The first one I've seen is still a definate possibility but i'm looking at another one on Friday afternoon that if it's is good as it sounds I'll be driving home in - fingers crossed!

Stick a few easy performance mods on too, ARB & remap and youll enjoy it even more.

Well after travelling all over the place I bought this one today from South London- originally from Winchester which is only just up the road from me!

Was well worth shopping around. I've got a full history from new with all old MOTs, cambelt and water pump done just 2k ago and 70k on the clock in total. Yes she has no parking sensors and the stereo isn't standard but I'll live.

Paid just over 3k which I think is a fair price. Well chuffed

Be interested to know if anyone recognises this car as it's clearly been well cared for - suspect a possible member?

Tidy looking car! 

Looks well, nice motor.  You can always get aftermarket parking sensors fitted anyway if you want and the original stereo is utterly pants (worse than any car stereo you've ever listened to), so consider your aftermarket one a bonus!

Looks tidy. Now let the modding begin !

Looks tidy. Now let the modding begin !

Ah men to that lol.

But leave camber alone