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Thread: Welcome back little fella...

  1. #106
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    Quote Originally Posted by 6'bore
    Or just avoid buying an alfa romeo.
    Alfas are some of the sexiest cars in the world. All of them look so amazingly feminine, and have great feeling.

  2. #107
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    Quote Originally Posted by spi-ti-tout
    Alfas are some of the sexiest cars in the world.
    And that more than makes up for all the depreciation in the world...
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
    Visca Catalunya!

  3. #108
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ferrer
    And that more than makes up for all the depreciation in the world...
    You don't even need to worry about the depreciation. It'll break down and evaporate in no time.

  4. #109
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    Quote Originally Posted by spi-ti-tout
    You don't even need to worry about the depreciation. It'll break down and evaporate in no time.
    Base that sentence on facts. That's a myth. I never heard directly from an Alfa owner, a complaint about reliability. Old Alfas rusted away easily. But they never were really unreliable. Their engines are strong enough.
    What gave the unreliability image to the Alfas were the Boxer engines. Not that they weren't reliable. But their valve opening got out of tune easily if the engine wasn't revved up regularly. Since many owners usually used the car for city traffic, those engines would start sounding horribly and choking with gas. What would usually happened was their owners taking the car to a garage to have them timed again. All the mechanicals used to do was check the fluids, pick the car and go to the highway stretching each gear as long as reasonable. When the cars came back from that "exercise" they were sounding sweet and quiet again, with better fuel effiency and performance. Alfas always were cars for the connoisseurs.
    BTW, here goes an anorak fact: on their time, a Giulia Sprint was more expensive than a Porsche 356. Maybe there was a reason for that.
    Last edited by McReis; 06-23-2006 at 08:33 AM.
    Money can't buy you friends, but you do get a better class of enemy.

  5. #110
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    Quote Originally Posted by McReis
    Base that sentence on facts.
    Only after you return to humour mode.

  6. #111
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    Quote Originally Posted by spi-ti-tout
    Only after you return to humour mode.
    Have I ever been humourous? According to Matt, today I'm on "elderly man mode". I pretend to be consistent.
    Read my edit to the previous post.
    Money can't buy you friends, but you do get a better class of enemy.

  7. #112
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    Quote Originally Posted by McReis
    Have I ever been humourous?
    You were yesterday. I just have a feeling you're trying very hard to be unhumourous today.

    Read my edit to the previous post.
    HUMOUR!! WE WANT MORE OF IT!! MORE!!!




  8. #113
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    Quote Originally Posted by McReis
    Base that sentence on facts. That's a myth. I never heard directly from an Alfa owner, a complaint about reliability. Old Alfas rusted away easily. But they never were really unreliable. Their engines are strong enough.
    What gave the unreliability image to the Alfas were the Boxer engines. Not that they weren't reliable. But their valve opening got out of tune easily if the engine wasn't revved up regularly. Since many owners usually used the car for city traffic, those engines would start sounding horribly and choking with gas. What would usually happened was their owners taking the car to a garage to have them timed again. All the mechanicals used to do was check the fluids, pick the car and go to the highway stretching each gear as long as reasonable. When the cars came back from that "exercise" they were sounding sweet and quiet again, with better fuel effiency and performance. Alfas always were cars for the connoisseurs.
    BTW, here goes an anorak fact: on their time, a Giulia Sprint was more expensive than a Porsche 356. Maybe there was a reason for that.
    The 33 also had the problem of the two twin choke carbs in the 1.7 QV version. As you say city driving meant they got out of tune very easily, and there weren't many maechanics who knew how to properly tune them. By the way did you consider a Series 4 Alfa Spider when you bought the MX-5, Hugo?
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
    Visca Catalunya!

  9. #114
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    Quote Originally Posted by spi-ti-tout
    You were yesterday. I just have a feeling you're trying very hard to be unhumourous today.
    And you're trying to spoil my effort.
    Money can't buy you friends, but you do get a better class of enemy.

  10. #115
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ferrer
    By the way did you consider a Series 4 Alfa Spider when you bought the MX-5, Hugo?
    I seriously did. I wanted it a lot as I think it's a far more stylish and refined car than the MX-5. But unfortunately, it seems like I'm not the only one thinking like that, since it's hard to find one for sale and when you do, they are very expensive. All of them above 10.000€ without air conditioned or any of the extras my Mazda has.
    I was prepared to forget the pure driving experience for that bit extra style and heritage. But I was definately not willing to pay 2000€ more for a worst car.
    Money can't buy you friends, but you do get a better class of enemy.

  11. #116
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    Quote Originally Posted by McReis
    I seriously did. I wanted it a lot as I think it's a far more stylish and refined car than the MX-5. But unfortunately, it seems like I'm not the only one thinking like that, since it's hard to find one for sale and when you do, they are very expensive. All of them above 10.000€ without air conditioned or any of the extras my Mazda has.
    I was prepared to forget the pure driving experience for that bit extra style and heritage. But I was definately not willing to pay 2000€ more for a worst car.
    Above 10.000 € That's some serious money. You could almost have a Duetto for that...
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
    Visca Catalunya!

  12. #117
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    The latest Alfa Romeos are pretty damn reliable! I love them. They actually scored higher than Mercedes Benz and VW in Top Gear JD Power Survey one year...

    And Husain, that picture gave me the best laugh I've had all week. Thanks

  13. #118
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ferrer
    Above 10.000 € That's some serious money. You could almost have a Duetto for that...
    And fight the rust.
    A friend of mine sold a 1600 Duetto some 3 years ago. But the prospect of repairing it was scary. He's now selling his 1750 SII, wich is a rather good shape. But my pocket is not deep.
    Money can't buy you friends, but you do get a better class of enemy.

  14. #119
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    Quote Originally Posted by McReis
    And fight the rust.
    A friend of mine sold a 1600 Duetto some 3 years ago. But the prospect of repairing it was scary. He's now selling his 1750 SII, wich is a rather good shape. But my pocket is not deep.
    That's a shame... Still I'd love one...
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
    Visca Catalunya!

  15. #120
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ferrer
    That's a shame... Still I'd love one...
    So would I. On my opinion, the S4 is probably the best looking Spider after the Duetto. The cut-tail of the SII is a bit of a clumsy to end such a curvaceous and stylish body.
    Money can't buy you friends, but you do get a better class of enemy.

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