I suppose owning an Alfa would be like owning a Fiat and once you had got rid of your Alfa/Fiat you would appreciate your new car more than if you had bought a reliable car in the first place.

 

Number of times my Mk1 Octavia broke down and left me stranded - 1

Number of times my Mk2 Octavia broke down and left me stranded - 1

Number of times my Fiat Bravo broke down and left me stranded - 0

Have only owned one Alfa, a 156 1.8 ts sp1. I was running a Fiat Coupe at the time, 2.0 twin cam, and found an ex demonstrator which had originally been shipped over for the press launch. Had the car for two and a half years and it never missed a beat. Occasional the fog light switch didn't work but seemed to fix itself after a while and that was it for faults. Performance was OK for a 144 bhp 1.8 and it would do 30 mpg. It was not perfect though, the suspension travel was limited at the front with the car bottoming out on fast bumpy roads and the steering was almost too fast at 2.2 turns lock to lock. It was a car with character, enjoyable to drive and I was sad to part with it.         

Hmmmm Clarkson is not the person I listen to for car recommendations ( can't stand the man ) but it depends what Alfa. I would love a 1960s 1750 GT with the classic twin cam in it, a 164 with the same engine (with twin sparks) is a less hassle, more economical, better handling version to the V6 (though would probably still go for the V6 lol). Always liked the 75 and the previous GTV6 but i remember reading tests as a kid that said they had terrible gearboxes and were dreadfully unreliable.

My favourite Alfa has always been the Alpha Sud. A neighbour had one as a kid and I loved the rasp of the little boxer. I since read of course that is was one of the best handling front wheel drive cars ever but criminally badly made out of recycled washing machine steel by untrained Calabrian peasants. Trying to find a good one today is nigh on impossible but yes would love to own one.

I drove a new Giulietta when it first came out (report on here somewhere) and the 170 bhp twinair was a lovely engine: pulled really well but had absolutely zero character. Gone are the days when an Alfa engine sang to you. So yeah a good 164 or Alfasud or if i become rich a 1750 GT but probably not a modern one.

Edited 23 January, 201412 yr by Matt Bodycombe

Yes, an Alfasud Ti . . . . . .  for about a week  . . . . . . . . it was an utter s*** box! Quite a bit of its structural rigidity (or lack of it) was down to Mr Kelloggs bonding with Fe₂O₃.nH₂O   :peek: 

 

All Italian cars of that era were (so I'm told) made of low grade Russian steel, which made them disappear before your eyes!

@jlwah yes 60s to 80s Fiats, Alfas and Lancias were all made of thin recycled steel. It is a major job even for enthuiasts to keep in good order. It's s shame as the engines of the era were tough as they come. I know that a good Alfasud though is supposed to dance and most experts in the day lauded the car to the skies. I have seen some nice ones for sale in Italy but unfortunately the whole business of a foreigner buying a car for export is horrendous out there.

@jlwah yes 60s to 80s Fiats, Alfas and Lancias were all made of thin recycled steel. It is a major job even for enthuiasts to keep in good order. It's s shame as the engines of the era were tough as they come. I know that a good Alfasud though is supposed to dance and most experts in the day lauded the car to the skies. I have seen some nice ones for sale in Italy but unfortunately the whole business of a foreigner buying a car for export is horrendous out there.

Indeed. I remember someone in the early 80's having two front wings on a Lancia Beta Coupe (pretty car) replaced at 9 months old as they had rusted through!

 

You're right about the engines, tough and generally reliable. If there was a problem it was usually electrics stopping them from running.

 

If I had the space, the time and the money and after I'd been through a few other cars (Mk 1 & 2 fast Escorts, V6 Capri, Porsche 928, etc.) I'd certainly consider a 70's V6 GTV, 1750GTV or maybe a Lancia Fulvia (and certainly a Stratos if I won the Euro Lottery!).

@jilwah yes totally ridiculous situation. Fiats were the worst: the Lampredi designed twin cam in those Lancias and the sporty Fiats of the time together with Lamp single cam first introduced in the 128 (the latter when most brit cars were still running pushrods) were bombproof engines and so was the later FIRE 999cc engine. My first car (an Uno) had one of those and the engine never missed a beat and also have seen this engine in cars in Italy with 300k kilometres plus on the clock) but the rest of the car rusts away. Such a great shame as those 70s and 80s Italian cars were lovely.

My neighbour back in the 80s had a Lancia Gamma coupe with a big 2.5 litre flat four in it. It was a lovely car: rare as nowadays though.

Mate had as Alfa Sud in the late 70's. great fun motor but he live by the sea and it rotted through in no time.

I used to have a 155 2.0l 16v. Red with black speedlines. The engine was awesome, electrics shocking (no pun intended), bodywork....was metroesq.  When everything worked on it, which was not very often it was a joy to drive. Financially it was a money pit!

I nearly owned one, when I passed my driving test my Dad gave me an R plate Fiesta he had sat rotting on the drive as my first car, I hated it so much I wanted to change ASAP and I liked the Mito's (still do in fact, they're just utterly impractical), so went for a test drive.

 

Absolute hoot, I had the finance quotes all ready to go and could afford* the monthly repayments, so phoned the insurance company to get a quote

 

 

 

No problem Mr Thexton, that's only a £30 admin charge to do that, however, it will put up your excess to £3,000

 

 

 

That sort of slapped some common sense in to me.

 

*I could afford the payments, because at the time I still wasn't entirely used to being sensible with my money

I had a 51 plate 156 1.8TS and loved it, one of the best cars I have ever owned.

 

 

I bought it at 3 years old, and owned it for nearly 4 years, during which time all I had to replace was the battery.

The only Alfa I've ever fancied would be the T33/3, a fantastic car. No way could I afford to buy and run it, though.

They were very successful in their day.

As I said earlier, the local Alfa indie is about 400m from where I'm sitting. He currently has a black Brera Coupe there for £4995. No idea of the mileage, model or condition but it looks gorgeous.

I had a 1978 Alfetta 2.0 back in 1984. It had the twin cam engine with twin dellorto carbs. I didn 't need a stereo as the engine sound was music to my ears. I did love that car.

I then had a 156 Sportwagon company car in silver with red leather. That was great to, but the 78 car was definitely the best.

That Alfa on Top Gear last night?

Oh Yesss!!!

Fantastic looking car and wont rust due to the Carbon Fibre Chassis

I then had a 156 Sportwagon company car in silver with red leather. 

 

 

 

 One of the best looking estate cars ever made. Didn't have mine for long but I loved its looks. 

ALFAs RULE OK  if you have a passion for style. 

 

Nothing comes close to a true Italian designed car by Pinninfarina, Bertone or other style house, lost their way a bit I think lately with inhouse deigns but still way ahead of the competition.

 

My previous 1992 164 2L Lusso did 160K miles, only bits that failed were relays and idle control valve all made by Bosch !.  BTW this had variable inlet cam timing  - way ahead of Japanese.

 

My current (now project) 164 CL 3L V6 24V is the best car I have ever owned and I hope to keep it forever, it drives and sounds fantastic with 240bhp, as well as looks so sharp and sublime. 

 

Lower body is galvanised and perfect but unfortunately not the rear subframe which has been eaten by tinworm so off road at the moment.

 

But for daily drive the Octavia 1.9TD estate takes a lot to beat, fast, comfortable, agile, economic and relaxing to drive.  

Again only Bosch have let me down and now a rear door lock jammed - seems to be a design failing on all medium size VAG cars.

  I've just crammed a 2 litre twin cam Alfa engine in the back of my crappy old Estelle. Lot's of flaws, not much floor until I've finished welding, but Shed loads of fun!