Alfa Romeo's

merlin

merlin

merlin

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I watched the top gear best of the other night and found the Alfa mission entertaining.

Quite a few people I know have had/have presently Alfa's and all talk in this odd mystical way about how fantastic their Alfa was/is and how: -

"there's just something about them"

or

"there's just something that makes you smile"

or

"that unmistakeable italian character"

or

"that good feeling you get driving an Alfa"

Now, here's my thinking -

I think they're all completely deluded and couldn't tell a decent car if it ran over their penis.

I've checked performance stats for a few Alfa's and come away scratching my head. Ok sure there are some hot ones, but none of these people I know ever had a hot one, or a vintage one for that matter.

I asked one of my bosses if his Alfa ever broke down. He replied yes 4 times and then reeled off some affectionate story about how funny it was it broke down when he was on a date and what they did to get home. Not a bad word about the car - just some drivel about how they looked on the bright side. If that was me I'd have torched the mofo and promised the gf I'd buy something proper just as soon as the insurance money came through.

So, the question is - just WTF are these Alfa people on about?
 
Having had one for a brief spell (2002 2.0 TS GTV), I can safely say that I "got" the whole alfa thing.

The noise, the interior feel, the looks, everything was just "right", kind of reminded me of being in the 355 that I had a drive in, and it just felt a bit more special than a "normal" run of the mill car of the same type.

Granted nothing went wrong in the month I had one :p
 
I think most of its made up to save face.

'So bob, you bought the Alfa instead of the BMW?'
'Yes I sure did! Ok, it doesn't handle as well, it isn't as fast, it rattles like a branch of Early Learning Centre and it breaks twice a month but its got soul, you know?'
 
Other than the things you have in quotes I can't really tell you why they are so enjoyable to drive.

I had a V6 156 in iridescent blue and still think of it as one of the best cars i've owned and driven. Only one fault on it was if you moved the drivers seat all the way forward (girlfriend drives you home from pub) and then all the way back (i get in it next day) the air bag light would come on and require a dealer reset !

Loved the sound, loved the way it felt like it was built around you, really enjoyed taking it out.
 
Behold, more evidence of delusional behavior:

Asked Boss how much money he lost when he sold his last one. Conveniently he didn't know how much he lost because he can't recall how much he paid for it in the first place but hello surprise of all surprises he had an amusing story about the day he sold it. F me what is it with these people?

Story goes he put a For Sale ad in local Stoke on Trent newspaper. Guy turns up and offers him £750, car was priced at £1500. My Boss says offer not accepted, sorry so punter says "look mate, there's only two people in Stoke on Trent who would buy this car - one is you and the other is me, so it's £750 or nothing". Boss immediately took £750 and stored event in memory as a really funny Alfa day.
 
merlin said:
Behold, more evidence of delusional behavior:

Asked Boss how much money he lost when he sold his last one. Conveniently he didn't know how much he lost because he can't recall how much he paid for it in the first place but hello surprise of all surprises he had an amusing story about the day he sold it. F me what is it with these people?

Story goes he put a For Sale ad in local Stoke on Trent newspaper. Guy turns up and offers him £750, car was priced at £1500. My Boss says offer not accepted, sorry so punter says "look mate, there's only two people in Stoke on Trent who would buy this car - one is you and the other is me, so it's £750 or nothing". Boss immediately took £750 and stored event in memory as a really funny Alfa day.
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I'm sorry, but this doesn't prove that Alfa's aren't "special", just that your boss... IS. Special with a capital R.
 
Usually we get to hear about every car you've owned in massive detail paradigm, how come the first we've heard of the fact you once had a 2002 Alfa is in this Alfa thread?
 
Never owned an Alfa, but I get the 'character' thing.

Its like Kawasaki's - somehow they feel more alive than other brands. Honda's are better built, and are generally better bikes, but they have the soul engineered out of them.
 
Well, the interiors are pretty nice on the eyes. Maybe breaking down with a date isn't such a bad thing for a quick fumble while you wait for rescue.

I suppose some people aren't used to these inconveniences if they can afford an Alfa, maybe they had something decent and reliable prior. Maybe their first breakdown was like their first kiss?

I was kind of attached to my Punto. It was my fiurst full time car and I bought it from my uncle who bought it from my gran. My uncle trashed it and it ended up 3 colours then I set upon ruining it. I met my current girlfriend and we went all over in that car and enjoyed the rythmic vibrations at 70mph on a trip to Newcastle and the icy fun on the wya to her countryside house. It was a hoot, and without it we would probably never had much of a chance with her seeing as we lived so remotely.

That said, I wasn't in love with it and I wouldn't own it again! Actually, you're right, WTF are there people on?!
 
[TW]Fox;13225009 said:
Usually we get to hear about every car you've owned in massive detail paradigm, how come the first we've heard of the fact you once had a 2002 Alfa is in this Alfa thread?
Click to expand...

I never owned it, it was a wedgwood pool car that I took whilst they wanted me to work in Sheffield for a month.

I have mentioned it breifly before, but I never did a run-down of "oh I've got this car temporarily", much like I don't give details of the citroen Picasso I had when my saxo went into the dealership for two weeks, nor the Astra Mk4 I've had for a few weeks, etc etc.
 
I've had a few, and so has my father. I just love 'em. I think they're good looking cars, they have all the mod cons I could want, they have some stonking engines, the interior is stylish, maybe I've been lucky but they have never broken down any more than any other car I've owned, and in fact that basically means 0. They are just a step apart from all the other run of the mill hatch backs and saloons you get. I don't know, they just look different, and just have something that appeals to me.

I've owned quick ones and slow ones, I've had a whole range of different cars and whilst maybe Alfas haven't always been my favourite (my mx5 turbo has to be the most fun I've ever had) the Alfas have always provided me with great pleasure when driving them.

They don't hold they're value so they're bargains. I'm not delusional, and I have a more than a clue about driving and motoring. I have no "face" to save either.

Let's face it, some people like German-generic saloons, some like Italian flair, some like French quirkiness, and some like Jap style. We're all different. What's the big deal? If you don't like 'em well then don't drive one. Don't whatever you do belittle people who like them because that's frankly daft and pathetic - though I would agree that the "bible-basher" types do my head in. I would never try and force my opinions on someone, but I would at least ask them to understand/respect that I've made an informed choice and that the reason I made my choice was because it beat all the other contenders.

It really is that simple, I think that Alfas are better and more appealing that a lot of the other cars out there. Would it stop me getting any other type of car? Of course not, I owned fords, fiats, mazdas, bmws, peugeots and even a VW!!!! But I have also owned a couple of Alfas and currently do and it just ticks the boxes that I want :)
 
I also find that Alfa owners always need to run down the competition when justifying their purchase. Of course with an Alfa, you get flair, and obviously, the alternative German car is 'generic'...
 
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