Paging Timo....

SteveH · May 15, 2005

Bear said:

As I've said up there, ukrm's done motahs umpteen times, and time and
again you've been proved wrong, more wrong, and further wrong. You go on
believing whatever you choose to, but you'll be wrong I'm afraid.
Click to expand...

No, UKRM has been taken in by people they choose to believe are right,
when, in fact, they're often way wide of the mark.

Catman · May 15, 2005

Bear said:

Catman said:

Bear said:

To be fair, the 156 is the only half-decent Alfa in the last 25
years.

*bzzzt* - the 164

Nowhere near as good as people think ... it's weird; even the trade
bought into it for a while [1], until common sense reasserted itself
and they became about as sought after as a case of the clap.

[1] I recall seeing Quentin Wilson doing a "hey, they're not *that*
bad" bit on Top Gear and thinking "hmmmmmmmm, you'll regret that one,
Sparky" ... sure enough, a later column by him mentioned the stick he'd
got off people who'd bought them as a result. They seem to go on
forever or completely do their tits, and there appears no way of
knowing which will do which. Plus they're ugly as ****, and very dated,
design-wise
Click to expand...

There is a very simple way. Look after them and they will go on and on.
Click to expand...

Sorry, but that's just not right ... I *tried* to buy one off an
Italian, garage owning mate a few years back, and he laughed in my face;
I had cash, waved it, and he said something along the lines of:

"I'm Italian, I own a garage, and even *I* wouldn't buy one ... I'm not
certainly not letting you do it ... sometimes they're great, but often
they're not, and how you treat them doesn't have much to do with it."
Click to expand...

Well, each to their own. *Mine* (so far) have been utterly reliable......

--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7 155 TS 75 TS
Triumph Speed Triple: Black with extra black bits
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

Catman · May 15, 2005

The said:

Someone I know ran one (a 3-litre Lusso) in company with a 75 Twin
Spark, for many years.

The 75 had 'issues', but the 164 went on and on. I had a spin in it
once, albeit in the passenger seat. It went like stink, but you could
see the steering wheel twitching from the torque steer every time he
floored it.
Click to expand...

Even the TS does that.

All those square buttons look a bit odd. I quite like the looks, even if
it is essentially Peugeot 405. I did think about when when I was out
buying my old Saab (same floorpan....).

I'd have thought any 164s left on the road are starting to get a bit
ropey now, though.
Click to expand...

There are some nice ones, if you like that kind of thing (which personally I
don't)
--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7 155 TS 75 TS
Triumph Speed Triple: Black with extra black bits
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

SteveH · May 15, 2005

Bear said:

It's all moot anyway, since it'll be a chilly day in hell before I buy
an Alfa, unless someone were to chuck me one for free. And even then I'd
have to think about it. They just don't do anything for me; even when
they work they're not all that. The 164 3.0 Lusso I drove was ok, but
the handling wasn't a patch on the 3000 GSi Carlton I had at the time,
mostly due to the Alfa's FWD issues. Stupid torque steer (which I noted
you said in reply to TOG isn't limited to 164s), all the more daft
because it wasn't even *that* powerful.
Click to expand...

Late shape 24v Cloverleaf.

230bhp. Which is 'adequate', and the phase 2s had pretty much sorted the
torque-steer.

Catman · May 15, 2005

Bear said:

The thing is, when you say that, I believe you. I wouldn't believe Steve
if he said a particular car had 4 wheels, unless I'd checked for myself.
If you read what I said, the point with 164s isn't that they're hugely
unreliable, more that *some* of them are, and your average punter's
chances of telling the solid from the grenade are remote.
Click to expand...

Ahh, not sure about some of them being less reliable. They may become such
due to lack of care. You do need to know what you're doing before you buy
one, though.

It's all moot anyway, since it'll be a chilly day in hell before I buy
an Alfa, unless someone were to chuck me one for free. And even then I'd
have to think about it. They just don't do anything for me; even when
they work they're not all that. The 164 3.0 Lusso I drove was ok, but
the handling wasn't a patch on the 3000 GSi Carlton I had at the time,
mostly due to the Alfa's FWD issues. Stupid torque steer (which I noted
you said in reply to TOG isn't limited to 164s), all the more daft
because it wasn't even *that* powerful.
Click to expand...

The torque steer certainly came as a shock to me. My mech uses them as
loaners.

Now a *really* old, classic Alfa maybe, but even then I think I'd rather
have a silly Arbath or Renault Alpine instead. "'You're not a real
petrolhead unless you've owned an Alfa Romeo'" is about the biggest load
of old tosh I've ever seen in ukrm, and that's up against some pretty
stiff competition.
Click to expand...

TBF it wasn't his (original) quote

But we're running over old ground here, so WTF. If it makes you happy
then cool, good on yer.
Click to expand...

--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7 155 TS 75 TS
Triumph Speed Triple: Black with extra black bits
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

SteveH · May 15, 2005

Rope said:

I thought it was the Saab and Fiat Croma - there is a family resemblance
to the 405 in the bodywork, but I don't *think* they were of the same
stable.
Click to expand...

Alfa 164, Saab 9000, Fiat Croma, Lancia Thema. Hence 'Type 4'.

The Saab was the most different mechanically, the Alfa shared the lest
number of outer panels. ISTR Croma, Thema and 9000 doors are
interchangeable.

Not related to the 405 in any way other than the Pinninfarina styling -
which leads many to assume the Pug. 605 was a 'Type 4' platform.

Catman · May 15, 2005

Bear said:

I can see that ... there are cars I'm happy to buy by looking at them as
any other vehicle, like (say) Volvos. Then there are cars, like beemers,
where I need to research what I'm looking at.
Click to expand...

Ding: When I totalled the 75 I had real tyrouble finding another Alfa
(cheers Steve). I considered some Saabs (cos I always fancied one) but
backed off cos I simply don't know what to look for. With Alfa's I do.

I found a great Jaguar a
while back (now the Shaguar), but for the amount of time I spent
researching it, talking to owners, looking up every last detail, and
looking at god knows how many clunkers and tarted-up nightmares, I could
practically have built one from spares.
Click to expand...

Yep. Life's too short IMO.

It was just plain wrong, especially on a car that was supposed to be
their flagship.
Click to expand...

Not sure if that's strictly true. AIUI they wanted an executive missile to
complete the range (much as the 6 and 90 did). I personally felt the the
flagship was always the 'normal' saloons that refelct (IMO) the ethos of
the marque. The Alfetta, the Giulietta, the 75 and the 155. To me, the
bigger ones are just 'wrong'

No it was Clarkson, IIRC (but I may not), but it's still utter bilge.
Click to expand...

Each to their own. Owning one is an experience , good an bad. It certainly
(if you let it) makes you closer to the petrol IYSWIM

Whatever makes you happy, go for it, say I.
Click to expand...

agreed.
--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7 155 TS 75 TS
Triumph Speed Triple: Black with extra black bits
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

Catman · May 15, 2005

Bear said:

Oh I dunno ... I rather enjoyed the process; I found Jag owners to be,
on average, some of the nicest and most helpful people I've ever met.
Wonderful bunch.
Click to expand...

Fair enough, if you have time and desire

I can see that. I find them all pretty ugly I'm afraid, even most of the
"classics" ... dunno why, just do.
Click to expand...

THe styling is different. I don't really like the 164. I think the
Giulietta is lovely (against all available evidence) I do wish the didn't
undersize the wheels on just about every car though.

Eh? Do what?
Click to expand...

Heh. IME owning (as opposed to just driving) an Alfa makes you closer to
the esssence of driving than anything else. YMMV

--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7 155 TS 75 TS
Triumph Speed Triple: Black with extra black bits
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

SteveH · May 15, 2005

Rope said:

Andy H then advised me to avoid the 165- beautiful motors, but utterly shit
mechanical reliability.
Click to expand...

166, I assume.

Timo Geusch · May 15, 2005

Bear scribbled on the back of a napkin:

Mined ewe they don't sell in huge numbers, and there's a small,
deranged following to offload them onto, so you may be right ...
Click to expand...

<looks in the mirror>

Nah, he can't be referring to people like me...

The Older Gentleman · May 15, 2005

Rope said:

I thought it was the Saab and Fiat Croma - there is a family resemblance
to the 405 in the bodywork, but I don't *think* they were of the same
stable.
Click to expand...

It was. I merely meant it looked like the 405 - same Pininfarina styling
on both.

The Older Gentleman · May 15, 2005

Bear said:

Arbath
Click to expand...

Abarth.

Timo Geusch · May 15, 2005

Bear scribbled on the back of a napkin:

Now a really old, classic Alfa maybe, but even then I think I'd
rather have a silly Arbath or Renault Alpine instead.
Click to expand...

105 Coupe (aka Bertone), yes, I'd have one anytime if it's half decent.
However half-decent ones in the UK are mega-money...

SteveH · May 15, 2005

The Older Gentleman said:

Abarth.
Click to expand...

Heh. Even I didn't spot that one.

The Older Gentleman · May 15, 2005

SteveH said:

Heh. Even I didn't spot that one.
Click to expand...

For some reason I always, always fancied the Abarth Fiat 500 - the one
with half the engine poking out in the breeze 'cos they couldn't
shoehorn it all inside the boot.

Timo Geusch · May 15, 2005

The Older Gentleman scribbled on the back of a napkin:

For some reason I always, always fancied the Abarth Fiat 500 - the one
with half the engine poking out in the breeze 'cos they couldn't
shoehorn it all inside the boot.
Click to expand...

Steyr Puch 650 in rally trim. About 70bhp from a boxer twin in a Fiat
500 bodyshell.

Madness cubed.

petrolcan · May 15, 2005

SteveH said:

No, UKRM has been taken in by people they choose to believe are right,
when, in fact, they're often way wide of the mark.
Click to expand...

But is the mark based on a golf floorpan?

Pip · May 15, 2005

Now a *really* old, classic Alfa maybe, but even then I think I'd rather
have a silly Arbath
Click to expand...

That's "Abarth" FFS.

Salad Dodger · May 15, 2005

That's "Abarth" FFS.
Click to expand...

Arbath is wot norveners have in front of the fire on Satdy nights,
innit?

--
| ___ Salad Dodger
|/ \
_/_____\_ GL1500SEV/CBR1100XXX/KH500A8/TS250C
|_\_____/_| ..75127../..18583.../..3196./.19406
(>|_|_|<) TPPFATUICG#7 DIAABTCOD#9 YTC#4 PM#5
|__|_|__| BOTAFOT #70 BOTAFOF #09 two#11 WG*
\ |^| / IbW#0 & KotIbW# BotTOS#6 GP#4
\|^|/ ANORAK#17 IbB#4
'^' RBR Landmarks: 12 Pts: 220 Miles: 914

Pip · May 16, 2005

Arbath is wot norveners have in front of the fire on Satdy nights,
innit?
Click to expand...

Reet, man.

Paging Timo....

SteveH Guest

Advertisements

Catman Guest

Advertisements

Catman Guest

SteveH Guest

Catman Guest

SteveH Guest

Catman Guest

Catman Guest

SteveH Guest

Timo Geusch Guest

The Older Gentleman Guest

The Older Gentleman Guest

Timo Geusch Guest

SteveH Guest

The Older Gentleman Guest

Timo Geusch Guest

petrolcan Guest

Pip Guest

Salad Dodger Guest

Pip Guest

Advertisements

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

Paging Timo

Paging Timo

Paging Timo

Paging Timo: re XL250

Paging Timo the Kraut et all

Paging Timo - K100

Paging Timo

Paging Timo

Paging Timo....

SteveH Guest

Advertisements

Catman Guest

Advertisements

Catman Guest

SteveH Guest

Catman Guest

SteveH Guest

Catman Guest

Catman Guest

SteveH Guest

Timo Geusch Guest

The Older Gentleman Guest

The Older Gentleman Guest

Timo Geusch Guest

SteveH Guest

The Older Gentleman Guest

Timo Geusch Guest

petrolcan Guest

Pip Guest

Salad Dodger Guest

Pip Guest

Advertisements

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

Useful Searches