09-24-2006, 11:02 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Vancouver, BC
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'88 Verde for sale in Vancouver...?
Gents,
I must confess to being a BMW nut (own an Alpina B11 3.5), but have always had a major soft spot for Milanos and 164s. I actually had a Saab 9000 Aero which I guess shares some platform bits with the 164.
I found this Milano for sale locally, I presume it's a Verde as he says it's a 3 litre. I haven't seen it, but I LOVE how it looks... is anyone familiar with this car? I don't know much about these things... are those stock wheels? Would I be nuts to go look at it, knowing I'd probably fall in love with it?  I know that two things every proper petrolhead must do at some point are own anything with a V12, and own an Alfa...
Also, could anyone point me at a "Buyer's Guide" of sorts, detailing the common failure items on these cars?
Cheers,
--jeff
Last edited by JeffCullen; 09-24-2006 at 11:05 PM.
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09-25-2006, 01:07 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Canada
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C$6490 is too high. Being nuts is an Alfa prerequisite; the best Alfa experience also requires being "cloverleafy" (lucky) - that's an uncertainty.
Common failures are just about the same as those on BMW's, my "cloverleafy" experience tells me the Alfa is a slightly lower/cheaper maintenance than the BMW. Good luck
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09-25-2006, 01:36 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Vancouver, BC
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Thanks for the input. Nice 540i Is it a 6-speed?
I am far, FAR from lucky... but if I have lots of E34 and E32 experience (have had an E34 M5 as well...) then a Milano probably won't kill me or drive me nuts?
Which is more brutal to maintain in your experience, the 164 or the Milano? Which is more fun? |
09-25-2006, 02:35 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Switzerland
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Don't know how you can say that it's too high, if it really is in very good condition, it's the right price...
It does look like a genuine Verde
But... no, those aren't the right wheels and part of the bumpers should be part painted and part dark grey plastic (they seem to have been totally repainted)
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09-25-2006, 03:36 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Canada
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 Quote:
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Originally Posted by JeffCullen
Thanks for the input. Nice 540i Is it a 6-speed?
I am far, FAR from lucky... but if I have lots of E34 and E32 experience (have had an E34 M5 as well...) then a Milano probably won't kill me or drive me nuts?
Which is more brutal to maintain in your experience, the 164 or the Milano? Which is more fun? |
 for sale, and remains unsold for 6 months now...
Milano is also an automatic. Wife switches between these two for commute. The only 5-spd, 164S is mine.
Hard to say which one of mine is more fun, mostly because of the automatic setup and also the fact my 2.5 Milano is wildly tweaked. It feels much more powerful than the stock 155hp, I like its nimbleness due to size and weight distribution; will love its look better too, after it comes out the bodyshop with a full Veloce kit, Zender spoilers, and new red paint (probably next week); I DON'T like the exhaust mod which makes the car sound too loud, noisy! (the stock sound is nice), I also spent $$$ just to restore the lowered suspension (too low to be roadworthy!) back to factory height.
The 164S is all stock, no complaints; of course you're in a FWD, but it's ok, the fact it still stuns ( I mean visually ) every BMW old or new just makes one feel so happy
Maintenance-wise: please remember I am a solid "Cloverleafy" Alfa owner. Few people can believe this, but honestly the 164S is the most reliable, low-maintenance car I ever owned. I've enjoyed it almost 4 years so far. All my life I've only owned European, so I can't say my 164 is like a Toyota because I can't say based on ownership. I think I have a thing with BMW, hence the e46-328 and e34-540 I had are the highest expenses; maybe there's some kind of a karma: I started out as a Saab 9000 fan, and graduated to Alfa freak. Both cars, Saab and Alfa are supposedly maverick BMW-repulsive. I had the e46 and a Saab 9000 Carlsson at the same time, and now an e34 and two Alfa's... I guess because I love the 9000 and Alfa's more, so my BMW's hate me
Too early to tell my luck with the Milano, which only came to me a long way from Texas 6 months ago. That's a nutty way to buy an Alfa thousands miles away without actually having seen it plus custom clearance. So far the Milano is trouble-free. I'm still feeling lucky. Although not a Verde, it has a 75 cloverleaf emblem on the back by the previous owner. I put a cloverleaf decal on my 164 too the first year. It's a cheap superstition everyone could give a try? just put a cloverleaf and see you get "cloverleafy"
Last edited by yiminlu; 09-25-2006 at 03:40 AM.
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09-25-2006, 02:00 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Portland, OR
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Isn't C$6490 about $2.43 US?
In my opinion, that price for a well sorted Verde is not too high. Of course having never seen the car in person I can't really say.
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'08 Ducati Sport 1000 'El Duce'
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09-25-2006, 05:38 PM
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by magista
Isn't C$6490 about $2.43 US?
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 historical Canadian - US dollars trade is about 1:0.8, the lowest C$ ever hit was 0.63; As of now, it is 1:0.91 for 6-month straight.
C$6490 = US$5900. If we're in LHD Europe, this price is reasonable. In North America, too high. 75/Milano is usually cheapest in RHD UK, highest priced in elsewhere Europe (LHD), in North America its value is somewhere in-between.
And then, west coast price is higher than east coast.
For a BC Verde, C$4500, certified & emission-tested, is OK.
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09-25-2006, 06:00 PM
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AnsArias
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Harvest, AL
Posts: 1,136
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Recognizing we're speaking in general market terms here, opinions are just that, and anything is really only worth what a buyer is willing to pay- my $.02 is that if you find a Verde in good cosmetic and mechanical condition, with no rust, original paint, and no deferred maintenance, then the asking price is very reasonable. As far as "brutality" of ownership, I bought my 75,000 mile Verde two years ago, and it has been trouble-free. And, it's a HOOT to drive! 
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Jim Isaacs
Harvest, AL
1988 Milano Verde
1979 Sprint Veloce
1965 Giulia Spider, gone but not forgotten
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09-26-2006, 10:04 AM
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And I thought the E34 M5 I had with the 3.6 liter inline six sounded good!
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09-26-2006, 12:39 PM
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I agree, the price is reasonable for a well sorted Verde. But you know, I don't live in Canadia.
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