Clarkson says you're not a true petrol head

[Cleggy the Spyder Man]

take Clarkson's dribble with a pinch of salt - but who has owned an Alfa

I have but only just - I paid £150 for a totally rotten Alfasud 1.5ti - had it for about two months before I scrapped it  

mine was in black but other than that like this one

http://www.cars-data.com/en....to.html

maybe looking through rose tinted glassed but for me one of the best handly cars I have owned and a cracking little engine too - RIP

[Nick Algar - Competition Secretary]

Always managed to avoid to Alfa experience, but nearly bought one of those 3 seater mid engined Lancia's. At the time wish that I had as the Renault 5 Gordini I bought instead (great little car) but lost half it's value in 1 year, when i moved into Company cars.  

[nlash]

Yep, in order of ownership...

1984 33 Green Cloverleaf 1.5 in red, awful torque steer as I remember but great lift off oversteer. Nasty rust appeared on rear quarters, patched it up and sold it on.

1982 2.0 Alfetta GTV in metallic maroon. Great drive, loved it but rust got hold and I sold it before it became too noticeable

1985 Alfetta GTV6 in gunmetal, concours condition. Oh how i miss this car    WHY did I sell it      

1992 155 2.0 in metallic maroon, awful electrics and a gearbox leak but a very nice drive, sold it to pay towards my divorce

Would really like another eighties GTV6 and from time to time I search the classifieds looking for a nice one, one day  

[cliveboy8]

Haven't had an Alfa but I did have a Fiat some years ago - well, it's Italian!

A Fiat Stilo Abarth in Red with the 5 cylinder engine. Had auto with paddle shifts and sat nav.

It was actually Maroon. The paddle shift had what seemed to be a 5 minute delay before changing gears and the sat nav kept crashing, usually when I was looking for a hotel in the centre of a City.

It drank oil like an alcoholic and finally the engine expired.

What a horrible car.

[Captain Colonial]

Had a 156 for a couple of years as a company car.  When it was right, it was a cracking drive.  But memories of breakdowns sort of spoil the happy times.  It never stranded me anywhere but home, but the electrics!  I swear that car was possessed, lights turning themselves off and on, engine still running when you took the key out, locking and unlocking the doors as you drove along... it had a well-earned nickname of Christine.

[Norman Verona]

The 3 "best" cars I've owned (oe used maybe a better description as I was in the motor trade) are

1) Caterham 7 BDR

2) Alfa Romeo 1300 GT Junior (1966)

3) Lotus Cortina

of these 3, and the hundreds of other cars, including Ferarri & Massarati, only the Alfa gave me the experiance of being at one with the car. However you have to learn how to drive them to get that experiance.

Balls out is the answer.

[RedditchJay]

never been in the Alfa fan club myself....... best 3 cars owned though would {in order}

Mexico MK1 {pre Westy}

Westfield {current}

Defender {current}

[peterg]

Never owned an Italian car of any description...  

Best 3 cars I've owned

1) Vauxhall VX220 N/A great fun car sadly missed...

2) Vauxhall Magnum 2300 (poor man's Escort RS2000)

3) er, that's about it unless I include my single seater  

[Tigger]

Another Non Alfa Fan here, never floated my boat in any form. The Brera is about the closest it's ever got to getting me excited

Best car I ever owned was my RS2000 (custom), what a hoot that was, next was a Audi coupe (1988) which I just drove for the sake of driving, superb.

[craigito]

Happy Days with all the italian cars i have owned and they have been by far the most enjoyable and reliable cars i have ever run.

1968 Alfa Duetto spider 1750

1974 Alfa Montreal

1984 Alfa Sud 1.5ti  

1983 Alfa Sud Sprint (2 door coupe)

1984 Alfa Giulietta 1.6

1982 Alfa GTV 2.0

1995 Alfa 75 3.0 v6

1999 Alfa 156 2.0ts

My friends were buying Rs2000 etc and tuning them up but i could never see the point as most alfas arrived with either twin cams or boxer engines with twin dcnf or dcoe carbs and a raspy exhaust.

I wish i had kept the Montreal and the Duetto but i decided to move onto Lancias, the proper ones Pre Beta.

[Guest]

Had a 164 saloon and a 155 v6, as company cars, and did over 100,000 miles in both.  Once everything settled down / fallen off over the first 10,000 miles they were fine.  Great cars but crap dealers (FIAT) who had no interest, no stock, so that every service was a two or three day affair.

BUT, the best cure for a bad day was flooring that V6 on to the motorway at the start of the journey home.  

[Dommo]

I had a 1.9JTDI GT as a hire car from work once. Probably the best hire car they've ever given me.

I still bet it was a punto or something underneath, which is pretty much the worst hire car they've ever given me.

[deanoecosse]

I've had:

1989 33 1.7 Sportwagon Greencloverleaf (twin carbs, boxer engine-what a noise)

1990 33 1.7IE hatchback

156 1.8 Twin Spark

currently running a 2001 GTV 2.0 Twinspark as my 2nd car and loving it as per all my other Alfas.

Yeah they had minor niggles, but these cars have soul like no other i've ever owned and they look so damn good. Clarkson is right, you NEED to own an Alfa at least once.

[MrL]

I had a 1.3 Alfa 33.

Bought it off a mate's mum for £35 with 3 months tax & MOT left on it.

Scrapped it 3 months later for £95 :-)

The only car I've ever made a profit on !

[pistonbroke]

One of me old bosses had a 156 twinspark CC , he used to let me drool over it but wouldnt laet me drive the thing in spite of me reminding him often it was a  "Company Car" and , being part of that Company was surely allowed a share of it .

He said No probs , I could have my full share entitlement , i.e. tin of Alfa 156 polish ( with proviso's )