[azzaob]

Hi this is Shayne the guy who thinks he's got a good deal, but time will tell.
I've already got a GTV6 & so it was either spending lots on mine or sourcing another that's had lots of work done on it.
I'll keep you informed on how the new one is.

Good on you Shayne.

Hope for your sakes it is a good buy $8300 seemed about right IMHO but I didn't see it so what would I know eh??

All the best, Aaron

 

[Rik]

Shayne - My trigger finger was very itchy to jump in to the bidding, but once it went over $8k I figured it was heading into serious money.

You've probably read through this thread and the discussion going on as to what it would go for. Personally I thought it would go over the $10k mark. Shows what I know!

Richard - The roads down south certainly are far more car friendly. My intentions are to to do do a lap of the South Island in somthing other than a campervan or a rental car, which have been my previous experiances to date. Up here in Ak the roads are so busy that you really need to head quite a long way out of town to find a good drivers road that isn't clogged up with Sunday drivers.

I just had a look on TM at Porsche 944's, a contemporary rival to the GTV6, and the prices seem to be around the $8 - $12k mark. Interesting, after all these years they are still closely matched on price. German build quality against Italian style.

 

[alfavirusnz]

I hadn`t compared Rik but you are right regarding a comparable car in the marketplace. If Porsche around that price range then I don`t feel quite as bad (although having driven several 944`s, nowhere near as characterful, nor are they better built) What saddens me is how very ordinary cars are higher valued but i guess one can`t argue with the market and ordinary folks like ordinary cars. Sad isn`t it.

 

[Rik]

Sad indeed.

I'm actually looking for a daily driver at the moment. It's quite strange that you can pick up a mid 90's C class Merc for around the same sort of money as a Japanese shopping box of similar age. I've got one of the latter and just had a look at one of the former. The two don't compare in driving experiance, build quality, refinement etc. It's that age old niggle in the back of every Kiwi's head that says Euro cars are unreliable and when something needs to be fixed it will cost an arm and a leg.

Although having said that I think its the shopping boxes that over priced rather than the Euro cars being too cheap.

 

[NZ1300 Ti]

With the amount of cars coming over from asia, it's really very easy to see why the prices are the way they are. The countries to the north have been importing alot of bmws, mercs, to their country for years now, and we are now receiving them at a cut price. This also drops the price of the alfa's from the 80's and onwards, as they are put into the same Euro category.

I agree, NZ's mentality on japanese car's is alot better than the euro's, tell someone you have honda or a toyota and they don't bat an eyelid, it's normal to own such cars. If you tell them you a have something Euro then your crazy, to tell you the truth they all cost an arm and a leg to fix. The merc's and bmw's are getting alot cheaper to fix also due to the amount that we have in this country Pick-Apart always has a couple.

 

[azzaob]

Sad indeed.

I'm actually looking for a daily driver at the moment. It's quite strange that you can pick up a mid 90's C class Merc for around the same sort of money as a Japanese shopping box of similar age. I've got one of the latter and just had a look at one of the former. The two don't compare in driving experiance, build quality, refinement etc. It's that age old niggle in the back of every Kiwi's head that says Euro cars are unreliable and when something needs to be fixed it will cost an arm and a leg.

Although having said that I think its the shopping boxes that over priced rather than the Euro cars being too cheap.

Our daily driver is the 155, its been a revelation really in terms of my attitude to 155s. I was quite agin them before getting the V6. It has been the school drop-off mobile/across country traveller since February and [touchwood] hasn't missed a beat yet. Only things are a sticky passenger window occasionally and the rear tailight assembly failed - $20 fix from a parts car.

Given how many Alfa-snobs don't even regard the 155 as a "true" Alfa they are ridicously good value and nothing beats the howl of an Alfa V6 everyday...much better than boring BMW/Mercs hands-down. I'd like to replace the 94V6 we have with a widebodied 16vTS 1996/7 version if things work out. Great cars.

 

[alfavirusnz]

Rik, just watch the `93-98 Mercs. They have an electrical wiring problem where the insulation disintegrates on the engine wiring loom, it is a very common problem, and the replacement is around a couple of thousand dollars. I had a C200 which was a brilliant car but unwittingly got rid of it just in time and I currently have a mid 90`s E class which has sat for a year as I`ve tried to get around the buying a brand new loom, but have finally bit the bullet and spent $2k. If interested in Mercs buy earlier than `93/94 or later than `98. Most parts are actually quite reasonable, in fact as someone who used to work at a Nissan dealership, I can say were more than comparable and often cheaper than Nissan parts.
As we all know only corporates and the stupid buy parts at franchises and the independents supply parts for Euros as cheap as Japanese.

 

[Rik]

Richard,

Yes I had heard there were some issues from the mid 90's onwards. I was quite keen on a 1994 320-24 E class which was like new. It got snapped up quite quickly though. I believe around 1995 ish Merc stopped making cars up to a certain quality level and instead built down to a price. I have also heard the auto transmission must be serviced religously as well.

Having spent a fair amount of my life in Europe and a lot of travelling around, I still look at smaller Mercs and think "Taxi" though. And after a drive I reckon they are a nice car but not very "me". My wife tells me I'm too young for a car like that!! I'm taking it as a compliment!

The little Nissan can chug on 'till after Christmas.

 

[alfavirusnz]

We`ve got a E36 318i BMW ,NZ new ,and manual and that is a lovely car for commuting-easy to work on, cheap to run and not too bad to drive as a daily driver. The Mercs are arguably a car that is a lot more able than you think and to drive one daily you learn to appreciate them. I travelled around NZ extensively with my C200 and it was very quick point to point , extremely economical and handled really well. surprised a lot of people at its speed through the windy bits. -lost my licence for 28 days instant suspension in the McKenzie Country speeding in it -so only an "old man`s car" by those that have never owned one. Everything apart from the wiring weakness is no better or worse than most other modern cars insofar as durability goes but they exude a certain conservative style.
Nothing beats an older Alfa though for driving pleasure.

 

[Stravs]

*** NEWSFLASH ***

Looks like there is another one up for sale. this time in Ashburton. $6000
Alfa romeo GTV6 2.5 1987 for sale - TradeMe.co.nz - New Zealand

I have seen this car myself about a year ago and at the time looked quite original and well looked after.

I still have mine and will not sell it EVER!

Karl

 

[Rik]

I thought it might have been yours actually. How many GTV6's are there in Ashburton?

 

[Stravs]

Just two i think?

There used to be a nice black one aswell 10 years ago but it has gone south somewhere.

 

[alfavirusnz]

that GTV6 is Mike Hill`s car and is a good example, perhaps better dare I say than the previous GTV6 on TradeMe (but I didn`t like those stripes). doesn`t have any suspension mods though but rust free and unmolested by any f/whit previous owners.
Mike is a pretty particular guy and the car gets plenty of open road hot running when he commutes to the school he is Deputy Principal of about 30km`s south of AshVegas. It would be a good one for any serious lookers.

 

[fortom]

Did the Ashburton GTV6 sell?
Tom

 

[Stravs]

It says it was withdrawan by seller.

 

[Rik]

I spoke to Mike on Thursday and he says it has sold. He thinks it's coming up to Auckland, so we're getting one back after losing the previous one to the south!!

 

[azzaob]

The GTV6 from ChCh area did make it up to Auckland. The new owner brought it over a week back and its a nice car. He seemed wrapped with it

 

[thealfamale]

Maybe its a bit off topic but any chance that you can post any photos of your GTV in the NZ picture thread Rik ?

 

[humpster]

Hi all, yes it's in Auckland alright. I am the new owner and love it. I bought the car within hours of it being listed, the seller getting a deposit within 24hrs. Flew down to CHCH with a friend paid the seller the balance jumped in the car (only the second GTV6 I have ever driven) and drove straight back home to Auckland stopping overnight in Wellington
I's a funny thing that another GTV6 should appear soon after the racing striped one in Auckland (of which I was the second-to-last bidder). That car was the other GTV6 that I drove. A very nice car too, it had a lot of money spent on the suspension front and rear and at $8300 I thought it was a real bargin but I just could not stretch for the extra cash as i had also just bought a red 75TS from Hamilton as a quick fix to get transport since my 33 1.7 slipped a belt and bent some valves:-(
What I always wanted was a GTV6 but none where on the market so I settled on the 75 only to see 2 x GTV6's advertised just after I bought it. And yes the GTV6 is all that I wished for, such a spunky, but butch but pretty GT all rolled into one. The 75 though is a much better car and fells very modern and well sorted in comparison, it is such an overlooked car, the styling dosent suit everbody.
Anyway back onto the topic. The GTV6 came with a spare motor as well, hmmm just as well cos the motor that is in the car is a little smokey, smooth quiet and punchy but smokey . Also the suspension (rubbers and bushes ) all need to be replaced as they are flogged and makes for a sloppy drive when pushed. Gearbox is perfect though absolutely no issues unlike the striped one which was snicky in second
But the drive back was one to remember, it was a fantastic journey only made better by the fact I was behind the wheel of my new GTV6.

Just a quick question, would you guys replace the rubber suspension bushes with rubber or nolathane, keeping in mind I don't want a crash bang ride quality.

Cheers and Merry Xmas.......already got my present!!!!!!!

 

[alfavirusnz]

It`s the drives like that you remember for the rest of your life. Glad you enjoy and appreciate the car.
As far as suspension goes it will be more cost effective, I believe, to put in the aftermarket products on but for a road car it depends whether you wish to increase the harshness a little for a very modest gain. Well worthwhile lowering just a little though and replacing the shock absorbers, which if the bushes are worn, the shocks will be too.