Please sell your low mileage California cars to exporters, it means we have more to choose from down here in Australia!
PS, would love a clean, rust free, 4th-5th generation Ranchero!
PS, would love a clean, rust free, 4th-5th generation Ranchero!
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The same situation applies to Italy.
Being an Italian, and being an Alfista, my big regret is that many many Alfas have said bye-bye to their motherland in these years.
A first big 'help' came from the government from 1997 on. They did laws to make away with old polluting cars and promote new clean ones by giving financial help. Which is surely a good thing to environment.
But... So many Alfas sent to junkyards. And not rarely very beautiful cars! Verified with my own eyes
And many were - and are being - sold abroad, mostly to Northern Europe. Well, not only owing to those laws, but usually to get some extra-money compared to Italian market!
As a result:
1. Classic Alfa clubs are loosing more and more members (but many clubs of 'new generation' Alfas are arising. Only dailydriver Alfas & young members)
2. Suddenly we're now waking up and realizing that some classic Alfas are becoming rare, so their quotations arise. As an example, only few years ago you litterally couldn't sell a 75 TS, now it's worth 3,5-4,000 €, if not more!
Sure, a reason to the above is the current economical crisis, but that's not the only explanation.
I'm very sorry to say that, but reality is that in Italy there is very little culture about automobiles. The Italians (but not me!) don't care a s*** about keeping our car-heritage and prefer to make away with our jewels in order to get some money and buy new cars. Who are you without a new, big, shiny, diesel(!) car? Nobody!
Let me do an example.
I think you already know that Fiat group keeps in stock spare parts for ten years only, then STOP.
My brother worked for an official Alfa dealer some time ago. Well, one day they decided to partially throw away and partially sell abroad (Belgium, if I remember correctly) a huge amount of what they considered 'cumbersome, useless and old' spares. Nowadays if we need those spares, we have to buy from abroad...
Absurd !
And very sad
Sorry for being... sincere
Ciao
Being an Italian, and being an Alfista, my big regret is that many many Alfas have said bye-bye to their motherland in these years.
A first big 'help' came from the government from 1997 on. They did laws to make away with old polluting cars and promote new clean ones by giving financial help. Which is surely a good thing to environment.
But... So many Alfas sent to junkyards. And not rarely very beautiful cars! Verified with my own eyes
And many were - and are being - sold abroad, mostly to Northern Europe. Well, not only owing to those laws, but usually to get some extra-money compared to Italian market!
As a result:
1. Classic Alfa clubs are loosing more and more members (but many clubs of 'new generation' Alfas are arising. Only dailydriver Alfas & young members
) 2. Suddenly we're now waking up and realizing that some classic Alfas are becoming rare, so their quotations arise. As an example, only few years ago you litterally couldn't sell a 75 TS, now it's worth 3,5-4,000 €, if not more!
Sure, a reason to the above is the current economical crisis, but that's not the only explanation.
I'm very sorry to say that, but reality is that in Italy there is very little culture about automobiles. The Italians (but not me!) don't care a s*** about keeping our car-heritage and prefer to make away with our jewels in order to get some money and buy new cars. Who are you without a new, big, shiny, diesel(!) car? Nobody!
Let me do an example.
I think you already know that Fiat group keeps in stock spare parts for ten years only, then STOP.
My brother worked for an official Alfa dealer some time ago. Well, one day they decided to partially throw away and partially sell abroad (Belgium, if I remember correctly) a huge amount of what they considered 'cumbersome, useless and old' spares. Nowadays if we need those spares, we have to buy from abroad...
Absurd !
And very sad
Sorry for being... sincere
Ciao
@fabiogtv6: while the Alfas, Fiats and Lancias disappear to northern Europe, the Saabs and Volvos go the other way I found out by coincidence that Italy has a lot of people that are fanatic Volvo collectors, but I'm only glad to see them go and get Italian beauties in return
I spent about two weeks in northern Italy in 2006, driving from Milano, via Lago di Garda to Venezia and back again. The only old Alfa Romeo I saw on public roads was a white GTV 2000 in Salò.
I found out by coincidence that Italy has a lot of people that are fanatic Volvo collectors, but I'm only glad to see them go and get Italian beauties in return I spent about two weeks in northern Italy in 2006, driving from Milano, via Lago di Garda to Venezia and back again. The only old Alfa Romeo I saw on public roads was a white GTV 2000 in Salò.
Yeah, I confirm it's difficult to see classic Alfas on public roads, but on week-ends it's easier.@fabiogtv6: while the Alfas, Fiats and Lancias disappear to northern Europe, the Saabs and Volvos go the other way
I spent about two weeks in northern Italy in 2006, driving from Milano, via Lago di Garda to Venezia and back again. The only old Alfa Romeo I saw on public roads was a white GTV 2000 in Salò.
BTW, I live half the way from Lago di Garda to Venice. Next time you come around, please advice!
Honestly, I'm very happy if Alfas go to people who LOVE, KNOW and DESERVE them, here or any other part of the world. But you understand my point of view as Italian...
I 'hate' dealers who only consider Alfas as 'making-money machines'!
Last thing: 'we' sold abroad or threw away almost all the Alfasuds, Sprints, 33s, Arnas (well, I can understand the latter
) because 'we' don't like them. And IMO that's WRONG, 'cause they're part of Alfa heritage! I neve see them on Alfa meetings. The only rare and wonderful ones come from Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, GB, The Nederlands...Sorry for maybe being a little off-topic
but people must know how things are in the 'Beautiful Alfa Country'.Ciao
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