Discussion
I just had to get back to Alfa. It was not a rational decision.
Last year, I had a GTV V6 in Blue...I made a thread about it here..
http://pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t...
Well, in May last year, a lorry driver decided to make mincemeat of it on the M1 at 10pm driving in a 50mph average speed zone. I was hit on the passenger side rear and spun... the car was written off.
Then I got an E34 540i BMW. See here http://pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t...
I just kept hankering after another busso V6 powered Alfa though. As great as the BMW was, I needed another Alfa. It is that simple. It is not something I can quantify. I saw this GTV for a good price and snapped it up quickly.
Reasons I bought the car:- busso v6 engine, the noise, the power delivery, the throttle response, the engine telling you to rev it till you hit the redline, the looks. It just feels special. Sorry for the cliches, but it's true. GTVs do have a fair few niggles though eg. wind noise around the window seals, crashy ride at low speeds, weird driving position.
Don't listen to people say they are unreliable etc. As long as you keep the oil level topped up and get it serviced when it should be serviced, it should be ok. Also, the car is galvanised, so there should not be any rust issues. There isn't a spot on mine. It's ironic really, as many people mention rust in association with Alfas, yet even the 164 in the early 90s was galvanised and my previous 164 had no rust on it either. (L574SGJ where are you?).
73k miles, cambelt just done, all bushes recently done, 6 speed, red leather interior.
Here are a few pics. I will get some better ones at some point.
Last year, I had a GTV V6 in Blue...I made a thread about it here..
http://pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t...
Well, in May last year, a lorry driver decided to make mincemeat of it on the M1 at 10pm driving in a 50mph average speed zone. I was hit on the passenger side rear and spun... the car was written off.
Then I got an E34 540i BMW. See here http://pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t...
I just kept hankering after another busso V6 powered Alfa though. As great as the BMW was, I needed another Alfa. It is that simple. It is not something I can quantify. I saw this GTV for a good price and snapped it up quickly.
Reasons I bought the car:- busso v6 engine, the noise, the power delivery, the throttle response, the engine telling you to rev it till you hit the redline, the looks. It just feels special. Sorry for the cliches, but it's true. GTVs do have a fair few niggles though eg. wind noise around the window seals, crashy ride at low speeds, weird driving position.
Don't listen to people say they are unreliable etc. As long as you keep the oil level topped up and get it serviced when it should be serviced, it should be ok. Also, the car is galvanised, so there should not be any rust issues. There isn't a spot on mine. It's ironic really, as many people mention rust in association with Alfas, yet even the 164 in the early 90s was galvanised and my previous 164 had no rust on it either. (L574SGJ where are you?).
73k miles, cambelt just done, all bushes recently done, 6 speed, red leather interior.
Here are a few pics. I will get some better ones at some point.
Edited by strangehighways on Monday 7th January 19:19
Alfa is running well.
Had it MOT'd and all it needed was a new wheel, as one of the rear ones was bent.
If anyone wants to know what a standard GTV V6 sounds like from inside, here is a video......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdLM3Tx6y58
Had it MOT'd and all it needed was a new wheel, as one of the rear ones was bent.
If anyone wants to know what a standard GTV V6 sounds like from inside, here is a video......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdLM3Tx6y58
ambuletz said:
Your GTV looks lovey. Do I spot red leather interior?Fancy posting some pictures up of that?
I've always wondered about alfas as I like the GTV and the facelift 147 but have been wary from people saying they are unreliable. Although reading around here, It seems to be exaggerated, and as long as you stick to the regular upkeep it'll be fine (as with any car i guess).
I'll get some pics of the interior in the next couple of days for you. I've always wondered about alfas as I like the GTV and the facelift 147 but have been wary from people saying they are unreliable. Although reading around here, It seems to be exaggerated, and as long as you stick to the regular upkeep it'll be fine (as with any car i guess).
Sorry I took so long to post pictures of the interior. Here are some.
Car is running well but has thrown up a few bills here and there. The engine fan stopped working and had to be sorted.
I use it to commute every day to work and even try and find any excuse to drive it through the countryside at the weekend. Windows down, V6 screaming.....
![](http://thumbsnap.com/sc/UY5fGbH3.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="http://thumbsnap.com/JERk1L3j" Target="_blank">[img]http://thumbsnap.com/sc/JERk1L3j.jpg)
Car is running well but has thrown up a few bills here and there. The engine fan stopped working and had to be sorted.
I use it to commute every day to work and even try and find any excuse to drive it through the countryside at the weekend. Windows down, V6 screaming.....
Been a while since an update.
The GTV is going strong. A fair bit of money has been thrown at her because she had cooling issues.
Though the cambelt was changed by the last owner, I was not sure if the waterpump had, and suspected not. After changing the radiator and the thermostat, my overheating issues continued; behaviour was strange in that the car kept to a reasonable temperature in traffic and behaved ok but on the open road where you would expect the car to be cooler, it actually got hotter!
The culprit was the waterpump and a crack in the plastic impeller which caused slipping at higher engine speeds. Once replaced, all was well.
I had a Wizard Unicorse replica quad exhaust put on the car and it now sounds fantastic. Not boomy at all when cruising, but very loud when accelerating hard...
Alfa Romeo GTV V6 Wizard Quad Exhaust - YouTube Stationary
Alfa Romeo GTV V6 Wizard Quad Exhaust - YouTube Drive By
While getting the exhaust fitted at Autolusso (great place), the guys noticed that the 3 litre busso engine was actually a 2.5!! I was shocked and pissed off to say the least. Still, I'll stick with the car as I love it. If I do manage to blow the engine up, I'll get a 3.2 dropped in from the phase 3 GTV. The 2.5 is quick enough, but does not have the mid range of the 3 litre and needs to be revved hard to get the best out of it.
Recently someone reversed into the passenger door and the damage to it meant it had to be replaced. The insurance company wanted to write the car off and offered £1400. I laughed in their face and asked if it was possible to fix the car myself. They offered me £1000 to do this and I managed to sort it for £400 by getting a door from another black GTV being broken
I love Alfas more than ever!!
The GTV is going strong. A fair bit of money has been thrown at her because she had cooling issues.
Though the cambelt was changed by the last owner, I was not sure if the waterpump had, and suspected not. After changing the radiator and the thermostat, my overheating issues continued; behaviour was strange in that the car kept to a reasonable temperature in traffic and behaved ok but on the open road where you would expect the car to be cooler, it actually got hotter!
The culprit was the waterpump and a crack in the plastic impeller which caused slipping at higher engine speeds. Once replaced, all was well.
I had a Wizard Unicorse replica quad exhaust put on the car and it now sounds fantastic. Not boomy at all when cruising, but very loud when accelerating hard...
Alfa Romeo GTV V6 Wizard Quad Exhaust - YouTube Stationary
Alfa Romeo GTV V6 Wizard Quad Exhaust - YouTube Drive By
While getting the exhaust fitted at Autolusso (great place), the guys noticed that the 3 litre busso engine was actually a 2.5!! I was shocked and pissed off to say the least. Still, I'll stick with the car as I love it. If I do manage to blow the engine up, I'll get a 3.2 dropped in from the phase 3 GTV. The 2.5 is quick enough, but does not have the mid range of the 3 litre and needs to be revved hard to get the best out of it.
Recently someone reversed into the passenger door and the damage to it meant it had to be replaced. The insurance company wanted to write the car off and offered £1400. I laughed in their face and asked if it was possible to fix the car myself. They offered me £1000 to do this and I managed to sort it for £400 by getting a door from another black GTV being broken
I love Alfas more than ever!!
GTiFrank said:
Very tidy, black on black has worked very well. Any idea how a 2.5 lump ended up in there?! I would be really cheesed off!
I am not certain but I am pretty sure that the guy who sold it to me changed the engine in it. He had told me he changed quite a few things on the car and had tidied up the engine bay and replaced bits and pieces. He also had a fair few Alfas so I wonder if he put the 3 litre in a 156 or something. Who knows?RikZR said:
Lovely Alfa, nice to see one that's not in Red either!
Wow that's odd it having a 2.5 though! Is it registered on the V5 as having a 3.0 then?
It is currently registered on the V5 as a 3 litre. Wow that's odd it having a 2.5 though! Is it registered on the V5 as having a 3.0 then?
Breadvan72 said:
OP, I wonder if the seller of the car was entirely straight with you. If you want to keep the car, that's fine, but you might, depending on how the sale was handled, have a firm basis for complaining about the price that you agreed to pay. You cannot now honestly sell the car on as a 3 litre car, and as far as I am aware it is the 3 litre that is the most sought after variant of the GTV and the one most likely to hold its value or appreciate as a modern classic.
The 2.5 litre V6 is still a great engine - I have one in my 156, but I would be distinctly miffed if I had bought 3 litres and obtained 2.5.
I will be keeping the car until it dies, so I guess the value of it is meaningless really. I would never sell the car on as a 3 litre and it is worth literally bugger all with a 2.5 in. I will just keep it, and one day replace the lump with a 3.0 or 3.2. The 2.5 litre V6 is still a great engine - I have one in my 156, but I would be distinctly miffed if I had bought 3 litres and obtained 2.5.
St John Smythe (surely a reference to the awful but still enjoyable James Bond film), I have dealt with Ned before and will be using Autolusso from now on for all my Alfa servicing etc. Very knowledgeable guys there.
Had a great day out at a Rolling Road place in Leeds with some other Italian machinery and people. Mostly Alfas but there were a couple of Maseratis - 4200 and 90s Ghibli (coolest car ever).
About 12 of us ran. Most cars were around the factory figures. The odd diesel was a fair bit above having had remaps.
My 2.5, not 3 litre GTV made... 191.2 bhp! I was very happy with that as this is around what they are meant to be (somewhere between 187 and 192 I think).
Two other 3 litre GTVs ran and made 219 and 223 bhp (factory is between 218 - 220 I think).
Only car down on power considerably was a 2.2 JTS which made 161 bhp - should have been 185!!
Best sounding? Either the 4200 or the 155 v6 with a custom exhaust.
Great day out
About 12 of us ran. Most cars were around the factory figures. The odd diesel was a fair bit above having had remaps.
My 2.5, not 3 litre GTV made... 191.2 bhp! I was very happy with that as this is around what they are meant to be (somewhere between 187 and 192 I think).
Two other 3 litre GTVs ran and made 219 and 223 bhp (factory is between 218 - 220 I think).
Only car down on power considerably was a 2.2 JTS which made 161 bhp - should have been 185!!
Best sounding? Either the 4200 or the 155 v6 with a custom exhaust.
Great day out
bmthnick1981 said:
Sounds amazing! Whats the cost for one of these exhausts?
I sent you a message about the cost. The makers don't seem to like the price being banded about. Dan from Autolusso is the guy to contact if any of you Alfa owners out there want a superb sounding exhaust....Met with a friend recently who also has a black GTV (twin spark).
Was great fun blasting down some roads with another GTV!
His car is much comfier than mine. It might be down to the fact that mine is lowered and not sure what else, but it's certainly stiffer and much worse over bumpy roads. His steering and throttle pedal feel are slightly heavier.
Was great fun blasting down some roads with another GTV!
His car is much comfier than mine. It might be down to the fact that mine is lowered and not sure what else, but it's certainly stiffer and much worse over bumpy roads. His steering and throttle pedal feel are slightly heavier.
MrBrightSi said:
You have no idea how much your car is making me want a GTV. I think for the past year and a bit ive wanted one, shame i got a chance to own a financially deadening williams. I guess you have to meet your heros when you get the chance.
I think this or next year will see a v6 living in the garage.
What are the costs like? Im not fussed for petrol as it'd be a toy, but servicing and bits and bobs, how much does it throw its toys out the pram. All my weekend cars had their issues, the only perfectly reliable car was the spitfire.
The car cost me a lot in repairs initially (radiator, water pump etc) but has cost me nothing in the past 6 months. There are always niggly things that need attention but nothing serious. I am commuting 50 miles a day in it now and it's been fine I think this or next year will see a v6 living in the garage.
What are the costs like? Im not fussed for petrol as it'd be a toy, but servicing and bits and bobs, how much does it throw its toys out the pram. All my weekend cars had their issues, the only perfectly reliable car was the spitfire.
It's been a while since an update. I still have the Alfa after selling it to a friend and running a BMW E38 740 for a while, which I loved, but missed the GTV so did a swap to get it back.
The car now has the factory silver teledial alloys as opposed to the black spray painted ones the car came with. I prefer the silver definitely.
The car has given me no trouble at all in the last 6/7 months I've had it back. It's doing about 1500 miles a month as my only car and apart from a routine oil service hasn't cost anything. This could be about to change with an MOT looming in the next few weeks. As a minimum I need to get the front tyres replaced, and the airbag light turned off. A friend has the software and lead required to turn the light off with a laptop so I'll get that sorted.
Anyone thinking of getting a busso v6, do it! Life is too short and the UK must have the cheapest used car prices in the world
The car now has the factory silver teledial alloys as opposed to the black spray painted ones the car came with. I prefer the silver definitely.
The car has given me no trouble at all in the last 6/7 months I've had it back. It's doing about 1500 miles a month as my only car and apart from a routine oil service hasn't cost anything. This could be about to change with an MOT looming in the next few weeks. As a minimum I need to get the front tyres replaced, and the airbag light turned off. A friend has the software and lead required to turn the light off with a laptop so I'll get that sorted.
Anyone thinking of getting a busso v6, do it! Life is too short and the UK must have the cheapest used car prices in the world
Another few months, another update.
I've been driving the car so much in the last 6 months and have done about 10k miles during this time. The car hasn't missed a beat, almost...
The car broke down outside my house a few months ago and needed a new battery. I've had this before with a previous GTV. They seem to be very sensitive cars to old batteries and I would urge other GTV owners to replace theirs after a while.
The car has been pretty good, though the MOT cost me a few hundred - it needed replacement rear brake calipers! I don't really have an issue throwing 500 a year at the car in "fixing" costs (let's not include stuff like tyres and oil change in that!). I mean, it is a 15 year old car and gets used all year round.
The last big trip in the car was to Bergamo (near Milan) for my brothers wedding. My girlfriend doesn't like flying (neither do I really), so it was a great excuse to take the car. I did a fluids check and then the car was on its way. I got the ferry from Harwich to Hook of Holland and stayed in the Netherlands that night. Then I drove the circa 700 miles down to Bergamo through Germany and Switzerland. The Gotthard Tunnel is a long one!!
Anyway, the car was faultless for the whole journey (round trip 2000 miles starting and finishing in York). My god it does lose power when the altitude rises though, it was so noticeable.
Also, the Germans are superb Autobahn drivers and their lane discipline exemplary. The Brits are hopeless in this regard.
I've been driving the car so much in the last 6 months and have done about 10k miles during this time. The car hasn't missed a beat, almost...
The car broke down outside my house a few months ago and needed a new battery. I've had this before with a previous GTV. They seem to be very sensitive cars to old batteries and I would urge other GTV owners to replace theirs after a while.
The car has been pretty good, though the MOT cost me a few hundred - it needed replacement rear brake calipers! I don't really have an issue throwing 500 a year at the car in "fixing" costs (let's not include stuff like tyres and oil change in that!). I mean, it is a 15 year old car and gets used all year round.
The last big trip in the car was to Bergamo (near Milan) for my brothers wedding. My girlfriend doesn't like flying (neither do I really), so it was a great excuse to take the car. I did a fluids check and then the car was on its way. I got the ferry from Harwich to Hook of Holland and stayed in the Netherlands that night. Then I drove the circa 700 miles down to Bergamo through Germany and Switzerland. The Gotthard Tunnel is a long one!!
Anyway, the car was faultless for the whole journey (round trip 2000 miles starting and finishing in York). My god it does lose power when the altitude rises though, it was so noticeable.
Also, the Germans are superb Autobahn drivers and their lane discipline exemplary. The Brits are hopeless in this regard.
Edited by strangehighways on Sunday 11th October 17:37
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