Seeker_UK
Feelin' nearly faded as my jeans
Until it starts falling apart.
Sports car chat
- Thread starter Whaleblue
- Start date
Until it starts falling apart.
Simon Dawson
Angry, Ill & Ugly
I think that FP may be talking about one of these: Giulia
Seeker_UK
Feelin' nearly faded as my jeans
Evo ran one as a long-termer back in 2022 and bits of trim started falling off during its time there.
I had a 156 when they where new. Only fwd I had where left foot braking actually worked. Reliability? Let's put it like this: I've had high status expensive German cars with much more trouble.
A funny note. When the 156 had just arrived from the factory and stood outside the dealer in all cover wax glory, I noted something that looked like an yoghurt cup on the parcel shelf. 'Bloody hell, not only did the communist Italian workers eat their breakfast in my car, they even left the trash behind!!!' The dealer comforted me, it was cream to remove the cover wax
A funny note. When the 156 had just arrived from the factory and stood outside the dealer in all cover wax glory, I noted something that looked like an yoghurt cup on the parcel shelf. 'Bloody hell, not only did the communist Italian workers eat their breakfast in my car, they even left the trash behind!!!' The dealer comforted me, it was cream to remove the cover wax
Had a D reg XR3i like that, the "Ford 6 year no quibble corrosion warranty" was worthless and it rapidly became clear that they'd take it to court.
Thus the next car wasn't the Cossie Sierra and the next combine was a John Deere; never given a p since.
I had a Monaro VXR which had so much scope for improvement. LS2 which was not even woken up at 400bhp, lazy delivery waiting for a 'charger that I didn't have the funds for at the time. It was surprisingly controllable for a big comfortable boat!
flatpopely
Prog Rock/Moderator
I'm at 42K and nothing has fallen off. I have had some issues though, all sorted in warranty. No diffetent to the BMWs I ran for the last 20 years.
flatpopely
Prog Rock/Moderator
Funny that they recommend it as the best sports saloon!
Old old thing but 320bhp and 4wd lifesaver from my own driving!
2.2 na, slow on the straights but difficult to stay with on any bend.
130i with low rent interior, no room in the back, 3.0 and 280 bhp. I got my first points in this - 99 on the motorway and didn't realise it.
The wife's s/c mini. Great fun.
Seen this already
400bhp from 6 litres. So much more could be gleaned from this. TERRIBLE BRAKES.
https://i.postimg.cc/hQT2S7q6/1651213459424.jpg[
/img][/URL]
Sean Regan
pfm Member
It wasn't really a sports car, but in the early eighties I had a red 2lt Alfa Romeo Guilietta.(you had to have red).
I think it was the last conventionally aspirated model. It had a double overhead cam, all aluminium engine canted at 30 degrees to reduce height, with a hardened crankshaft. Two down-draught, twin-choke Webber carburettors. The gearbox was strapped to a deDion back axle to give better weight distribution, as it had no power steering.
It was a delight to drive, though the gearstick felt like a wooden spoon in a pudding basin after my "Life on Mars" 2lt Cortina GXL.
It would see off those, "biscuit tins with an engine," (Ford XR3s) though being around, I think, 300lb heavier.
Unfortunately, "it rusted to death."
I think it was the last conventionally aspirated model. It had a double overhead cam, all aluminium engine canted at 30 degrees to reduce height, with a hardened crankshaft. Two down-draught, twin-choke Webber carburettors. The gearbox was strapped to a deDion back axle to give better weight distribution, as it had no power steering.
It was a delight to drive, though the gearstick felt like a wooden spoon in a pudding basin after my "Life on Mars" 2lt Cortina GXL.
It would see off those, "biscuit tins with an engine," (Ford XR3s) though being around, I think, 300lb heavier.
Unfortunately, "it rusted to death."
Seeker_UK
Feelin' nearly faded as my jeans
They do, but they put the "Thrill of driving" above everything else. including build quality. For me, s**t falling off the steering wheel at less than 10k miles is a show stopper.
AFAIC, Alfa peaked build-wise with the 159 / 166 / Brera / Spider, but that's based on test drives only - my only experience with Italian cars is a succession of 90s and 00s Fiats owned by mum and one Fiat Brava owned by me which was so shockingly badly slung together, it's put me off Italian cars for life.
We forget how bad all cars of that era were for rusting, with the notable exceptions of Volvos and VW from the Mk2 Golf on. I had an 86 C Fiesta, rusty holes in the rear valance by 7 years. Another 88 model had a holed windscreen surround by the same age. Both were rock reliable though to 90k miles. However The Indestructible Mondeo went on to 15 years and 160k miles, no perforation but it was on the way and mechanically approaching the end. I still rate Fords. It's fashionable to deride them as rough and ready but they have never failed to do a job for me.
gez
pfm Member
There's no denying that Alfa have made some very pretty cars. The only thing that always bugs me about them though, is the way the front number plate is mounted. It just looks wrong over to one side, so much so that it completely destroys the otherwise stunning lines, thus undoing the visual appeal completely. IMHO of course.
gez
pfm Member
80's Fords had a reputation of being dust after about 60k miles. Back in the day nobody would touch one with higher miles than that. There was (is) a reason that Ford parts were dirt cheap compared to most other marques, they needed to be to be able to afford to keep them running.
flatpopely
Prog Rock/Moderator
gez
pfm Member
True.
But specifically which bit of my post are you referring to? Alpha's (some) being pretty or the number plate bit?
flatpopely
Prog Rock/Moderator
The Giulia is way ahead in build quality compared to previous models.