RE: SOTW: Alfa Romeo 145 Cloverleaf
Discussion
Rollcage said:
First car I have ever seen advertised by them for sensible money!
Yep, they do often ask some very daft prices for stuff.And then drop the price when they have been sitting on the car for 12 months.
I bought a GTV from them a few years ago and it was a pretty good experience to be honest, but they had originally been asking far more than I eventually spent.
But the whole point of buying a shed is that it should be really cheap and that you take a big gamble that nothing goes expensively wrong.
I can't help but feel that buying from a dealer defeats the basic point of bangernomics. One way or another you are paying a slice to cover the dealer's margin and his overheads, including some sort of warranty.
Other than that, it is an old Alfa. So it will be great fun to drive, with added comedy moments when things go wrong.
I'm pretty sure I will always find space in my garage for an old Alfa.
Their cost/fun ratio is fantastic and they make great sheds.
I've always had a soft spot for Alfas, and always loved the idea of owning one, but that love has never been enough to actually buy one whenever ive had the chance.
That said its a great shed, and certinley better then the normal german barges with the fuel economy of an oil tanker (and a similar budget to maintain one
)
That said its a great shed, and certinley better then the normal german barges with the fuel economy of an oil tanker (and a similar budget to maintain one
)I haven't driven the 145 but have owned or driven most Alfas from this era. Despite the unfeminine lines and the occasional minor glitch and high maintenance I have always found them to be fantastic fun to drive and relatively reliable- the complete opposite of the 156/147 era cars.
At £750 from a well known source this is a top shed IMHO and has prompted me to make this first post on PH!
At £750 from a well known source this is a top shed IMHO and has prompted me to make this first post on PH!
roadwolf said:
DrNicholas said:
What is this about 'lightweight 38k mileage' when it says 112K in the ad?
I saw that as well, can we have a reply please.Ugly in the pictures (looks like a van) but like the looks in the flesh, could be great everyday runabout. I always think its an advantage to feel like you are doing 10mph more than you are, though maybe not if its all rattles and wind noise.
Edited by re33 on Friday 13th January 08:56
Great shed, really good drivers car.
I had a 146 ti for a while, the techs at the Alfa specialist I used to work for claimed this to be Alfas most reliable model.
Only spoilt for me by the unusually high seat position and interior plastics.
Both worth living with for a great steer though.
I had a 146 ti for a while, the techs at the Alfa specialist I used to work for claimed this to be Alfas most reliable model.
Only spoilt for me by the unusually high seat position and interior plastics.
Both worth living with for a great steer though.
Numeric said:
I always find with Alfas that I think I'm going really fast - lots of noise and passion from the car and rattles like I'm reaching the outer limit - then I look down and find I'm going 10mph slower than in my normal car.
I'd have to agree. And nothing wrong with that either.I'd given up Alfas in the early 90's for a few years due to company-enforced Chavalier-dom when a friend got a 145 Cloverleaf as a company car.
Punting the 145 down the road brought back floods of fond Alfa memories. The fact that the 145 was relatively light and had a 2.0 made it even better to me. Plus the 2.5 turn lock to lock steering was fabulous.
It's January and I've already chosen my SOTY.
Also own a 145, althought the 1.8 variant. I've owned this since 2008, with 83k on the clock. Now has 110k. In that time nothing major has gone wrong. The only time the 145 never started was due to the muppet driver leaving the stereo on over night. This year some minor welding on the sills, due to rust. And very minor. The cat has developed a rattle which needs sorting. Rest has been consumable items, which you would expect form a car with 110k miles.
For the money, fantastic car. We own a much newer Alfa as well, and I do love driving this in the twisty roads compared to our 147.
Not the best looker, but I fell for the wheel arches, and the lines. Shame about the 'bread van rear end'. For a cheap thrill car, you could do much worse, prices are great. A friend who owns a well know Alfa specialist wants mine as a courtesy car, alongside his existing phase 1 145. Why? He thinks they are fantastic, and cheap and easy to work on. Secondhand parts are plenty. My local specialist labour charge makes running an Alfa no more expensive to run, than say a ford. And how many fords for this money are as fun, and have such a loyal following of Alfisti?
For the money, fantastic car. We own a much newer Alfa as well, and I do love driving this in the twisty roads compared to our 147.
Not the best looker, but I fell for the wheel arches, and the lines. Shame about the 'bread van rear end'. For a cheap thrill car, you could do much worse, prices are great. A friend who owns a well know Alfa specialist wants mine as a courtesy car, alongside his existing phase 1 145. Why? He thinks they are fantastic, and cheap and easy to work on. Secondhand parts are plenty. My local specialist labour charge makes running an Alfa no more expensive to run, than say a ford. And how many fords for this money are as fun, and have such a loyal following of Alfisti?
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff