The Car Thread.

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

OK - I get the impression they were pretty well-built, but you need to be careful with any car of that vintage I would suggest. I'd be taking someone with genuine mechanical nous with me if I were you.

 

[WayneKerr]

I totally understand the Alfa is your pride and joy PP, and you want to preserve it, but unless you are going to take it off the road completely this is going to be an expensive option. Road tax on two cars, additional insurance and servicing costs, etc., not cheap.

No experience of the E30/36 but they're getting on a bit so expect usual gremlins with cars this age and BMW parts ain't exactly cheap. You could end up buying someone else's problems.

Sometimes cars don't like laying dormant and prefer daily use, I know mine doesn't, as I've discovered since I retired.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Having had the engine rebuilt, I'd be tempted to get the benefit and use it as its maker intended! (Rather than preserve it for someone else who won't love it like you do.)

 

[plastic penguin]

I totally understand the Alfa is your pride and joy PP, and you want to preserve it, but unless you are going to take it off the road completely this is going to be an expensive option. Road tax on two cars, additional insurance and servicing costs, etc., not cheap.

No experience of the E30/36 but they're getting on a bit so expect usual gremlins with cars this age and BMW parts ain't exactly cheap. You could end up buying someone else's problems.

Sometimes cars don't like laying dormant and prefer daily use, I know mine doesn't, as I've discovered since I retired.

On the E30 you can get classic car insurance, which is peanuts by comparison to newer cars.

The Alfa will still be used not as often. Given how rare the Sportwagon is in general and my version with the JTS engine in Azzurro Gabbiano blue, there's only two registered in the UK. The other is somewhere in Ireland according to Alfa Owners Club. The one in Ireland doesn't have the original wheels and the owner has stuck a Cloverleaf sticker on it, which isn't correct.

 

[plastic penguin]

OK - I get the impression they were pretty well-built, but you need to be careful with any car of that vintage I would suggest. I'd be taking someone with genuine mechanical nous with me if I were you.

Yup. The Italian police used them with 3.2 GTA engine as high speed persuit vehicles.

 

[plastic penguin]

On the E30 you can get classic car insurance, which is peanuts by comparison to newer cars.

The Alfa will still be used not as often. Given how rare the Sportwagon is in general and my version with the JTS engine in Azzurro Gabbiano blue, there's only two registered in the UK. The other is somewhere in Ireland according to Alfa Owners Club. The one in Ireland doesn't have the original wheels and the owner has stuck a Cloverleaf sticker on it, which isn't correct.

I seem to make a habit of buying rare versions. My old XR3 was a 'Y' plate, registered in 1982 - the same year as Ford introduced fuel injection to the XR3i. The Dolly Sprint was on a 'W', registered in September 1980, the same month as Triumph discontinued the whole Dolomite range.

The old Dolly 1850 was one of the first to be registered in very early 1973 ('L' plate), the first models were released in Sept. 1972.

As a car geek I like details such as that.

 

[Revolutions]

My old XR3 was a 'Y' plate, registered in 1982

Mk3 XR3 ❤️ I’ve been seriously too close to wasting a lot money on one, or a l/h drive rs1600i.

My brother & I have been talking about putting some cash together to buy an old sports car to burn around on track days. You can get a lot of Lotus for your money these days. A lot more than an unreliable 1.6 ford engine 😂

 

[WayneKerr]

Mk3 XR3 ❤️ I’ve been seriously too close to wasting a lot money on one, or a l/h drive rs1600i.

My brother & I have been talking about putting some cash together to buy an old sports car to burn around on track days. You can get a lot of Lotus for your money these days. A lot more than an unreliable 1.6 ford engine 😂

A workmate had an RS1600i and a Capri 280. I had a Sierra when they first came out and had two Escort RS Turbo's plus a couple of Capri's. Worked for Ford at the time so new car discount came in handy

 

[plastic penguin]

Mk3 XR3 ❤️ I’ve been seriously too close to wasting a lot money on one, or a l/h drive rs1600i.

My brother & I have been talking about putting some cash together to buy an old sports car to burn around on track days. You can get a lot of Lotus for your money these days. A lot more than an unreliable 1.6 ford engine 😂

What Lotus were you thinking about? Along with Alfas Lotus are my favourite cars. Owned a 1968 Elan +2 back in the 80s. Great cars and love the Lotus heritage, although with fibreglass glass bodies they were proned to earthing issues.

 

[Revolutions]

A workmate had an RS1600i and a Capri 280. I had a Sierra when they first came out and had two Escort RS Turbo's plus a couple of Capri's. Worked for Ford at the time so new car discount came in handy

That would have been fun. Amazing time for hot hatches 🤩

What Lotus were you thinking about? Along with Alfas Lotus are my favourite cars. Owned a 1968 Elan +2 back in the 80s. Great cars and love the Lotus heritage, although with fibreglass glass bodies they were proned to earthing issues.

Exactly that: Elan. Or maybe Excel if we could find one that’s in good condition. Seems like it’s getting harder & harder to find any old sports cars for reasonable prices.

Pretty sure we’d spend more time repairing anything we buy. But that’s part of the fun, right?

 

[plastic penguin]

That would have been fun. Amazing time for hot hatches 🤩

But that’s part of the fun, right?

Depends how you favour clonked knuckles and stinking of Swarfega, I suppose. Certainly beats alcohol and illegal substances I've never tried.

Really, if you value a car that corners better than modern cars, the Elan would be the ultimate, affordable sports car. Even many modern sports cars were born on the strength of the original Elan. Colin Chapman claimed he "added lightness". He was genius of the automotive world.

 

[daveh75]

Having owned numerous old BMWs, 320 & 325 (E30), 530 (E34), 750 (E32) mechanically none of them ever missed a beat. Electrical issues on the other hand... OMG, just avoid them like the plague would be my advice.

 

[JDL]

I'm thinking about a old BMW, probably a 325i E30 or E36. Won't sell my pride and joy, but use the Beema as an everyday car.

Anyone with any experience of these older Beemas?

In the early 90s I had a 320i. Beautifully smooth 6 cylinder two litre. It was a nice car. The strange thing with it that I never liked, was that the seat backs on the front seats were both not straight, like really wonky. I couldn't seem to do anything to get them straight.....very strange. Nevertheless it was very reliable, not bad on petrol and you could cruise that car at 110 on the autobahn for several hours no problem. Of course I would never, ever drive at that speed on a British motorway. Not now anyway.

 

[plastic penguin]

In the early 90s I had a 320i. Beautifully smooth 6 cylinder two litre. It was a nice car. The strange thing with it that I never liked, was that the seat backs on the front seats were both not straight, like really wonky. I couldn't seem to do anything to get them straight.....very strange. Nevertheless it was very reliable, not bad on petrol and you could cruise that car at 110 on the autobahn for several hours no problem. Of course I would never, ever drive at that speed on a British motorway. Not now anyway.

Thanks. We never use the motorways, living 5 miles from the Surrey section of the M25, it's automotive beelzeebub. You're luck if you can get out of first gear.

 

[JDL]

Thanks. We never use the motorways, living 5 miles from the Surrey section of the M25, it's automotive beelzeebub. You're luck if you can get out of first gear.

Oh dear, that's frustrating.

 

[plastic penguin]

Well, would you believe it. Other than the wheels, spot the difference.

 

[JDL]

They're both beauties!! Which one's yours, the one with turbine wheels?

 

[plastic penguin]

They're both beauties!! Which one's yours, the one with turbine wheels?

Yes. They are both gorgeous.

The difference between them is the colour. The one with teledial wheels is Azzurro nuvola, where mine is Azzurro Gabbiano. The difference is Nuvola is a tad more silvery where my one is a tad more blue but you really need to squint to notice the shade.

 

[plastic penguin]

Love to buy that car as they are both very rare, both are 1 of 2 left in the UK. Also it has a lovely sounding 2.5 V6 Busso engine, which mine doesn't. And the owner told me he's willing to do a deal on price.

The main snag it's the other end of the country in the Lake district.

 

[plastic penguin]

This is a sassy looking car.

For Sale - Alfa Romeo GTV Cup

View full details of this vehicle to purchase from Richard Grace Cars in Chester, Cheshire

www.richardgracecars.co.uk

It's a limited edition Cup version.

 

[Friesiansam]

This is a sassy looking car.

For Sale - Alfa Romeo GTV Cup

View full details of this vehicle to purchase from Richard Grace Cars in Chester, Cheshire

www.richardgracecars.co.uk

It's a limited edition Cup version.

Only 29,300 miles and looks well looked after, including fitted with costly rubber.

Me want!

 

[plastic penguin]

Only 29,300 miles and looks well looked after, including fitted with costly rubber.

Me want!

It's above market price though. If money was no issue I'd be beating a path to his door. They produced a very limited edition of the GTV with a 3.2 litre engine, that's the one to get.

 

[plastic penguin]

A workmate had an RS1600i and a Capri 280. I had a Sierra when they first came out and had two Escort RS Turbo's plus a couple of Capri's. Worked for Ford at the time so new car discount came in handy

I've never understood the fanatical appeal of fast Fords. I've owned two from the dim and distant... and they are okay but nothing special. They weren't even that fast by comparison, although they are tuneable.

I'd rather have a Triumph Dolomite Sprint which is as quick as a Escort MK2 RS2000 (in stock form), both achieving 0-60 in 8.5 seconds. The Sprint is far more distinctive to drive, and the Sprint first came out in 1973. The Sprint was also a BMW killer, that's the BMW 2002 TII, but I am biased as I've owned two Sprints.

 

[WayneKerr]

I've never understood the fanatical appeal of fast Fords. I've owned two from the dim and distant... and they are okay but nothing special. They weren't even that fast by comparison, although they are tuneable.

I'd rather have a Triumph Dolomite Sprint which is as quick as a Escort MK2 RS2000 (in stock form), both achieving 0-60 in 8.5 seconds. The Sprint is far more distinctive to drive, and the Sprint first came out in 1973. The Sprint was also a BMW killer, that's the BMW 2002 TII, but I am biased as I've owned two Sprints.

The only thing that appealed to me was the 20% Ford employee discount

BL were rust buckets - I've owned a few over the years. I've never understood the fanatical appeal of Alfa's... I'd rather have a fugly reliable car than a pretty but unreliable one... guess that's why I drive a Bora

 

[Friesiansam]

I've never understood the fanatical appeal of Alfa's... I'd rather have a fugly reliable car than a pretty but unreliable one... guess that's why I drive a Bora

That Alfa GTV would have had a good chance of becoming mine, if I could afford to buy it as a second car. Unfortunately I don't. Something else I would rather like is a Citroën SM.