The time has come ...for an Alfa Romeo

[P4g4nite]

For Mum...


She is ready to get rid of the Magna, which has faithfully and tediously performed the job of standard transporter for 10 years and is now remembering the fun she had in her Datsun 200B SSS before she needed a baby seat and room for 4.

I was instructed to shortlist cars which are:
Small
Interesting
Fun
Not hatchbacks or too old
Not too expensive
Should cope with 5-6000km/year without serious hysterics as the Magna has done lo these many tedious years.

No easy task in Australia but my front runner at the moment is the Alfa GTV, with Alfa coupe girls switching to the Brera there are a stack of '03 '04 coupes and convertibles available at dealers for $20-23K with 40-60Ks on the clock. Mainly in 2.0 JTS Spec.

What do we think? Any alternatives?

[clutch-monkey]

how many seats does she need?

[f6fhellcat13]

Will the Alfa give you the kind of reliability you want?

I think not.

[Spastik_Roach]

Its a Modernish 2.0l one, shouldn't be too bad in the reliability stakes

[wwgkd]

While reliability isn't really the point of an Alfa, like roach says, the newer ones aren't too bad in that department.

[Ferrer]

The Alfa will be fine as long as it has been properly looked after.

Keeping with the italian theme, what about a Fiat Coupe? In turbo guise they are seriously fast cars.

[clutch-monkey]

^ not too many around, could probably find a few good ones but might not be worth it.

[pimento]

I like the Alfa idea. Otherwise, MX-5? Nice and reliable, inexpensive, small, fun...

[IBrake4Rainbows]

It seems a shame to discount Hatchbacks because I'm thinking a VW Golf GTi......

Otherwise....a BMW E36 coupe might fit the bill?

[Rockefella]

Toyota MR-2?

[LeonOfTheDead]

that Alfa would work fine. We had a 164 2.0 Twin Spark, from 1989 to 1998, worked fine for 420.000 km with just the usual care of it, no bigger issues. the best car dad had so far, and he owned quite a lot of cars.

the JTS is even newer, so go for it. the fuel consumption is a little higher than some competitors of the sime category, but it's not that you have our gas price...
the only problem of the GTV is the little trunk, but I wouldn't bother, the look is soooooo sexy, especially in the restyled versions.
you should consider the V6 version, just for the sound.
even being an fwd car it can handle quite a lot of power, Alfa and Honda became very efficient at that.

[Spastik_Roach]

Official name says Coupe but perhaps too hatch-backy?

[Fedex...]

Alfa goes well...

[P4g4nite]

Thanks for the suggestions chaps, I know near on nothing about Alfas apart from the interesting styling and infamous reliability, which I'd assumed had improved in it's more modern examples.

how many seats does she need?

A 2+2 should do it, cargo space not a big factor.

While reliability isn't really the point of an Alfa, like roach says, the newer ones aren't too bad in that department.

Good to hear.

Keeping with the italian theme, what about a Fiat Coupe? In turbo guise they are seriously fast cars.

Not likely to see any in good nick, at a reasonable price or able to be serviced properly in rural NSW.....'Tis an interesting car tho.

I like the Alfa idea. Otherwise, MX-5? Nice and reliable, inexpensive, small, fun...

A new one is $45k, an old one is too old unfortunately ...besides
, the open top nature brings in the safety issue.

It seems a shame to discount Hatchbacks because I'm thinking a VW Golf GTi......

Otherwise....a BMW E36 coupe might fit the bill?

I thought it was a shame too, a GTi is a lovely little car but "hatches are noisey and look boring", besides..it isn't really an interesting place to be ..inside a Golf.
E36 is too old unfortunately, they'll all have 100 thousand on them now and the services around here are murder.

Toyota MR-2?

Occurred to me before I remembered I was shopping for a 56 year old woman.

that Alfa would work fine. We had a 164 2.0 Twin Spark, from 1989 to 1998, worked fine for 420.000 km with just the usual care of it, no bigger issues. the best car dad had so far, and he owned quite a lot of cars.

the JTS is even newer, so go for it. the fuel consumption is a little higher than some competitors of the sime category, but it's not that you have our gas price...
the only problem of the GTV is the little trunk, but I wouldn't bother, the look is soooooo sexy, especially in the restyled versions.
you should consider the V6 version, just for the sound.
even being an fwd car it can handle quite a lot of power, Alfa and Honda became very efficient at that.

Thanks Leon, I was hoping someone would offer a word of reassurance on behalf is Alfa reliability.
If I can find a well priced V6, I'll push for it. Those polished manifolds look magnificent. The car being a special thing to live with is as if not more important than how it drives.

Official name says Coupe but perhaps too hatch-backy?

Might hold it's value too well, part of the attraction of the Alfa is that it is a $70-$80k car a few years ago...now 1/4 of that.

Alfa goes well...

Need to get hold of a test drive to confirm.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

If an E36 is too old try an E46.

Or even a CLK.