WTFOT: Anybody every own an Alfa Romeo GTV6 Maratona?

[Tim in N FL]

Hey Gang,

Anyone ever own one of these -

1984 Alfa Romeo GTV6 - Maratona
(with the 80's chic see-through engine "window")

http://www.mnsolutions.net/gtv6/

Back in high school I loved these cars but didn't see many of them past the mid-80s.
I had the opportunity to drive a regular GTV6 (not a Maratona) and a Milano sedan and have to say they were interesting looking and fun cars....great sounding engine and FAST FAST FAST!!!

I remember some one on the board saying that the biggest "money pit" they ever owned was an Alfa Romeo Spider. These seem like pretty straightforward cars to me...what about ownership costs so much? parts? labor?

Why did Alfa quit selling cars in the U.S.? Sort of the same deal as Peugot went through...awful dealership network and service?

Best,
Tim

ps.
Oh and NO...I am NOT considering buying an Alfa...OK :p



[Edit by Tim in N FL on [TIME]1122323474[/TIME]]

[stuartinmn]

My next door neighbor has an Alfa spider. I'm not sure of the year but it's from around 1980 or so. It's a little bit on the ratty side, but as far as I can tell it's been a reliable enough weekend car. He does a little tinkering on it in the spring when he gets it out of storage, but beyond that he just drives the thing.

[BKCowGod3]

Lesse now... My Spider was the money pit, but that is a completely different monster than the GTV6. (mechanical fuel injection, and mine had a healthy appetite for head gaskets)...

As far as the V6 alfas are concerned, they're supposed to be great cars but I just don't see the soul. My friend has a 164 (same engine as the GTV6 and Milano) and I readily squashed his poor little FWD ass in the e28. He also has two GTV6s with 3.0 engine swaps, and they could easily kill me.

There are a few strange things about them, namely the transaxle and inboard brakes make for a weird rear end. Check out inside the rear wheel in a milano - kinda scary when you see a spring, but no brakes ...

Rust is always a problem with 80s Alfas because a lot of their steel came from russia. Parts are not horrible, but weird things end up costing a fortune. Windshields are impossible, stuff like that.

The way I see it, (to slightly change a Car and Driver quote) BMW is the star quarterback, Mercedes is the Valedictorian, and Alfa Romeo is the prom queen who can steal your heart from across the dance floor.

[BKCowGod3]

to clarify a bit about Alfa Spider reliability...
1960s - carbed
1974-1979 - SPICA mechanical fuel injection
1980-1982 - SPICA, with a bunch of crap on it too
1983-1992 - Bosch, a few different ones.

my only car/daily driver was a '78 SPICA that had been badly abused.

[Velocewest]

Maratona was a short run cosmetic package for the GTV-6. Alfa Romeo suffered from a poor dealer network in the US, which didn't do enough to provide after sale support, leaving owners stuggling for parts and qualified service. Alfas are not particularly difficult or expensive to maintain, but when you show up at Bubba's garage with a car that has an alloy V6 with dual belt driven cams, a rear mounted transaxle, torsion bar susension and inboard rear disc brakes, Bubba tends to be in over his head, and your wallet is his lifeboat...

The Alfetta hatchbacks are one of the best balanced cars ever built. They have 50/50 weight distribution, and with some minor tweaks to improve the shift linkage, they can kick ass on a lot of exotic machinery in the twisties.

Tony

[Tim in N FL]

Ben,
This is a great quote buddy...thanks

from BKCowGod: ...The way I see it, (to slightly change a Car and Driver quote) BMW is the star quarterback, Mercedes is the Valedictorian, and Alfa Romeo is the prom queen who can steal your heart from across the dance floor.

I've never had the fever to buy one of these cars but the Spider, GTA, and GTV6 have caught my eye for many years. I've always felt the exotic nature of these cars and relative obscurity in almost every part of the nation I've lived in thus far that I would quickly be the victim of Bubba's Garage or be so far in over my head mechanically as to have a non-drivable car sitting around gathering dust. I don't need such hassles in my life.

Now, in my current local, there is an Alfa specific shop with a good reputation. So, at some point, I may rethink this prospect. However, for now, BMW has stolen my automotive enthusiast heart and a Porsche 911 (air-cooled) is likely to a future automotive mistress.

Thanks for your thoughts guys...

[Bryan in SB]

BK,

I love that quote regarding MBZ,BMW and Alpha.

I'm going to have to remember that one.

[BKCowGod3]

Better come clean then... I believe it was originally Jaguar that was the prom queen... I'll check my archives to be sure when I get home tonight.

It's just always stuck in my mind.