*nods*
I've been on the Alfa Romeo section of Autotrader every day this month.

Shinnyyyyy
( Kroney, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 10:25, 2 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

See I can't quite stretch to an Alfa. Well I could but it wouldn't be a good one.
Looking at Volvo C70 convertible or BMW 850i so cheap now
( SteveFrench Cardio is for homo's. do you even lift bro?, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 10:28, Reply)

I can't either
Plus they're unreliable and the girlfriend thinks they're hideous. All of which just makes me want one more.
( Kroney, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 10:29, Reply)

wait, what, your girlfriend thinks Alfas are hideous?
fucking hell. Is she blind?
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 10:35, Reply)

Don't ask.
She's the world's most intolerant person where cars are concerned.

She likes Baur BMWs and that's about it, so far.
( Kroney, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 10:37, Reply)

The 840 is better than the 850 - smoother engine, cheaper to service and better economy - little difference in power

(lkjshaglkasjdhglkhjz lkcvl; g;aodh;owih, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 10:29, Reply)

depends which Alfa.
You can certainly buy a V6 GTV for less than either of those two, and it'll make a better noise.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 10:29, Reply)

But if anything goes wrong I will be buggered trying to maintain it.
I think I will do the Alfa thing once I've graduated. Leaning towards the Volvo more than the Beemer but need to get one soon as uni starts in 4 weeks and my car is dying.
( SteveFrench Cardio is for homo's. do you even lift bro?, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 10:32, Reply)

what, as opposed to a 5-cylinder volvo or a V8 beemer, which you can maintain in your sleep?

( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 10:33, Reply)

The volvo will never be as expensive as an Alfa
and my friend is a mechanic for Dick Lovett and does my cars out of work anyway for mates rates.
( SteveFrench Cardio is for homo's. do you even lift bro?, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 10:36, Reply)

It's really only the engine electrics that are brutally expensive on Alfas
well, and the clutches. And the brakes....
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 10:43, Reply)

I just don't want to take the risk whilst studying
I want something I know will go round the clock again before spilling its guts on the M4.
( SteveFrench Cardio is for homo's. do you even lift bro?, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 10:46, Reply)

Mitsubishi Galant V6-24.

( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 10:51, Reply)

A bit ugly.

( SteveFrench Cardio is for homo's. do you even lift bro?, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 10:53, Reply)

and a Volvo isn't?

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 10:59, Reply)

A lot of them are gorgeous.

( SteveFrench Cardio is for homo's. do you even lift bro?, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 11:10, Reply)

YAY! Galantness

( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 11:07, Reply)

Yeah, that's a real word.

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 11:26, Reply)

I'm quite tempted to buy another 166 just for the fuck of it.
especially since they cost about 12p. My last one only broke a bit...
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 10:28, Reply)

Depending on my mood
I want a 156, 147, 145, 146, GT, GTV, Brera or a GTV6.

I'm a bit of an Alfa slut.
( Kroney, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 10:30, Reply)

but you already have the bestest of all cars
why would you change?
( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 10:32, Reply)

I get bored quickly
buy something on impulse, then spend the entirety of the time I own the new car regretting the loss of the old one. So then I buy a new one on impulse and regret the one I just sold.

ad infinitum
( Kroney, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 10:34, Reply)

I've had a 156, 166 and a GTV.
only the 166 actually really broke down on me, but I tend not to keep them for more than a year. Plus, it didn't "break down" as such. Just behaved interestingly.

I'd like a Brera but they just don't drive very well. My 156 was a lowered SP3 ex-demo car and it's one of the best handling cars I've ever had. And I've had an S2000.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 10:32, Reply)

My Z4 M handled well - did a few track days in it. Quicker and less skittish than the TVR I had before

(lkjshaglkasjdhglkhjz lkcvl; g;aodh;owih, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 10:36, Reply)

Driven by wifeswappers, though. ;)
My mate has an atomic breadvan, that's pretty tidy. I imagine the drive is similar.

The S2000 was mental on a track but a bit too much on the road, the power delivery is too brutal, plus you had to rev the nuts off it to get the power and then it would only do about 70 miles on a tank of super, which isn't cheap.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 10:41, Reply)

doesn't an S2000 rev to 9000 rpm or something daft?
Got taken out in an Arial Atom last year - quickest thing I have ever experience except for the 600RR bike I used to have.
(lkjshaglkasjdhglkhjz lkcvl; g;aodh;owih, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 10:45, Reply)

redlines at 9000, yeah.
the top end of the power doesn't come in until about 7-7500 though, which makes it fine on the track but a bit iffy on the road, because you're constantly driving round at less than 3/4 power so as not to make small children cry with the noise, and then you'll forget, bury it off a roundabout in the wet, rev into the power band and find yourself going backwards at 50. Not from repeated personal experience, oh no.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 10:51, Reply)

*strikes S2000 from list of potential cars*
the list of convertibles that I can allow myself to buy is rapidly dwindling...
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 10:56, Reply)

How tall are you as well?
My friend has an S2000 and he is 6'3. He looks like a dick in it.
( SteveFrench Cardio is for homo's. do you even lift bro?, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 11:00, Reply)

If you are over 6' you look a dick in any convertible.

( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 11:01, Reply)

*cries*

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 11:04, Reply)

Don't worry
you look a dick out of a convertable
( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 11:07, Reply)

at least I can spell convertible
IN YOUR FACE
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 11:09, Reply)

6'2

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 11:01, Reply)

Don't write it off.
It is an epically brilliant car, and a work of engineering genius. nearly 250 bhp from a normally aspirated 1998 cc 4 cylinder engine? Genius. But if you don't respect it in the wet it will bite.

It also costs best part of £1000 to replace the clutch and it eats tyres and brake pads, especially on the track. And if you run it on anything other than Bridgestone S02s you will die a bit on fire backwards through a hedge. But I loved it.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 11:01, Reply)

it does sound like fun
but something a little less hungry for wearing parts would be nice.

Plus, my mrs will be driving it some of the time at least, and I'd rather not buy a car that will lead directly to her death.

I mainly just want a convertible, not overly concerned with performance, beyond a certain point, as I'm used to driving diesels.

I'm quite fond of the old Porsche 944 convertible at the moment, particularly as there aren't many around.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 11:03, Reply)

What about a BMW 328 convertible? (Cheaper than the 330 and a better drive than the 325)

(lkjshaglkasjdhglkhjz lkcvl; g;aodh;owih, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 11:07, Reply)

tempting
and arguably more practical

it's not going to be for a while, particularly as I need to buy a van first
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 11:10, Reply)

CLKs are cheap now
plus you get back seats. Or do you want a 2 seater.
( SteveFrench Cardio is for homo's. do you even lift bro?, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 11:11, Reply)

not reay to rule anything out at this stage
I'm in the long term dreaming phase of the plan at the moment.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 11:15, Reply)

expensive parts on a Merc though, plus CLK's have a reputation for dodgy electricals

(lkjshaglkasjdhglkhjz lkcvl; g;aodh;owih, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 11:17, Reply)

I'm used to that
the electricals in my car have been done by the Spanish
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 11:19, Reply)

That's why I liked my M - 3.2 straight 6 gave it power all through the rev range. At 336 bhp it was still entertaining in the wet though

(lkjshaglkasjdhglkhjz lkcvl; g;aodh;owih, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 11:05, Reply)

I'm tempted to just knock my dad out and nick his Z3
I will at least have a less gay car than my mates who drive MX5s and MGFs
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 11:07, Reply)

I did a standing quarter mile in my Z4 against a Z3 - Z3 was almost as quick 5 speed box v my 6 speed was the only thing that held it back a bit

(lkjshaglkasjdhglkhjz lkcvl; g;aodh;owih, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 11:08, Reply)

Overall, I want a GT 2.0
I love the older style boxy styling. But the 156 is probably the most practical answer. Of course it's an Alfa, so why bother with practical? Blah blah eternal spiral of lust and misery.

The only thing putting me off a 156 etc is the 600 pound clutch. And the cambelt needs doing every 36000 miles.
( Kroney, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 10:37, Reply)

yeah. Still, buy one at 40,000 miles and sell it at 70,000.
Job done.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 13 Sep 2010, 10:42, Reply)