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....Its Getting Better All The Time...

1K views 12 replies 8 participants last post by  Superflow 
#1 · (Edited)
I own too many cars. Older cars. My newest is my wifes 1997 Toyota Rav4, and it has nearly 180k miles! I am not complaining. Being a mechanic for the past 30 years, I have an advantage, that I can FIX what I choose to own.
So, in April of 2011, I found a "basket case" GTV6...and brought it back to life, and what a life its treating me too! I pity the poor souls who conform to the "norm" of owning an ordinary car....they think its impossible to have a classic. They will spend 25 to 30 thousand on a new car...and then watch it DROP in value like a stone!
Today I drove my GTV6 to work....different...set apart...looks and stares of strangers wondering, "what is that?"
My V6 purring like a cat ready to play or strike....no regrets....I own another piece of history.
Its getting better all the time.
 

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#3 ·
If you have the means...and ability to restore something of interest...like an Alfa Romeo, then DO IT. Some things in life are WORTH saving, and sharing with others. Family will always come first. Love being the greatest.
But...after that, we all have a weakness...for things, perhaps a toy. When you were a child, you treasured something...maybe shared it with others. When you give life back to an Italian car....as people see it drive by.....you bring back memories to those who remember, a special moment of FIRST seeing or riding in that car. Many automobiles are truly ART. As the GTV6 gets scarce, its appreciation grows with the passing of time. Nothing as we know it lasts forever, but perhaps, our fond memories will.
 
#5 ·
Great words. Unfortunately, there are those among us who don't see it that way. That GTV6 reminds me of my same looking 86 I owned. It was a good one, best of the GTV6's. The only thing that took me away from it was my 91 164S. That engine, so improved.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Driving a GTV6 is an amazing experience. For so little money, you get so much performance and passion. And the SOUND !! I consider myself very fortunate to have found them, and they so captivated me, I have surrounded myself with them and drive them everyday.

And you are right, saving one from being lost is a very satisfying and rewarding accomplishment.
 
#8 ·
I found that for me, the 164S was an increase in performance over the GTV6, except that the GTV6 handled just a little bit better, well, differently anyway; however, overall, the S is a better all around package for probably less money now
 
#9 ·
Well, Del, in my considered opinion, and I have driven 164S's and GTV6's a LOT of miles,, The GTV6 is a true Sports Car, and the 164 is a Performance luxury car. Mind you, I love them both.

But we digress. We need more people like you Desert Rat, to embrace and save these great cars. The rewards are So worth it !!
 
#10 · (Edited)
Won't argue with you, I do miss my 86 GTV. Was seduced by the engine of the S.

After driving Alfas of all models for many years (have calculated well over a million miles by now), however, I have found that I do tend to drive the S (always in sport mode) exactly the way I drove the GTV6, as a daily driver sports coupes, basically pretty much equal to the GTV6. Let's face it, neither of them is an Alfa Roadster, Boxster, or even MGB as a true sports car.

The 164 having two more doors, and a few more less reliable electronic systems, and the transmission and final drive up front, that's all. That does change the handling a little, but not a detriment, nor less sportscarish. Yes, I've tossed them around on tracks, etc. Our Milano is the best handling of them all, with it's full Shankle suspension. Now, that's definitely more sportscarish.

I could care less about any "luxury" add-ons some see. Actually the interiors are pretty much the same as well, just with as I said, a few more unneeded electronic doodads. That's not luxury in my book.

The LS, perhaps, is more of what you think of as a "luxury" grand touring car, with it's peppier engine and highway gearing. That's how we use that car.


"We need more people like you Desert Rat, to embrace and save these great cars. The rewards are So worth it"

Couldn't agree more. Unfortunately, there are those who don't agree, alas.
 
#12 ·
I don't pity people who conform to the norm to own an ordinary car...there are a lot of people who prefer cars that are less temperamental than Alfas and they don't drive Alfas for very good reasons. I ditched my Alfa in 2002 because I needed a reliable car to trek across Los Angeles everyday in. My 1974 GTV was great looking and fun beyond measure but I drove it everyday and everywhere and, as a result, it was in the shop about once every three months which always left me borrowing someone else's car in the meantime.

I bought a Honda Civic with the money I got from selling the Alfa and got 150,000 miles of undisrupted, reliable service from the car until 2009. Today I own an Accord and it too has proven to be a good car by the standards of reliability I expect from it.

Yes, the styling of anything Japanese will always leave something to be desired from European counterparts but the people that buy "ordinary" cars often do so for very justifiable reasons.

With that being said, I have to admit that there was nothing like the feeling I got when I drove my Alfa. There really is a thrill about the whole thing. And I got to admit, I have felt a slight "irk" about owning a common import (Honda) from time to time and it has made me interested in getting back into the seat of an Alfa (if and when they do come back to the states).

My only qualm with that though is that on paper, everything that Alfa offers today resembles the same sort of vehicle that I can already find in the innards and performance of the last two Hondas I've owned.

I find it odd that Alfas today seem to strive for conformity, the very thing that they strived against in their "cooler" days.

The old ones will always be better...
 
#13 ·
Personally, I prefer older, interesting cars. I've only have had one new car that I bought back in 1989, and one Japanese car, a Miata "R" Edition, the sportiest Miata they had back then that I leased; no powers windows, no power steering, stiffer springs, and Bilsteins as OEM. It was fun for about 6 months, then I grew quite bored, returned it in 1996, and made my '49 Chevy pickup as my daily driver (stock splash oiler six).

Other than the Corvair, the '93 Range Rover, the '93 Mercedes (my wife's daily), and the '83 Spider are the newest vehicles that I have had in a long time! Before the Spider, and R-R, a 1974 AMC Hornet Sportabout wagon and a '76 Jeep J10 were my drivers.
 
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