Head (E36 328i) vs heart (GTV 3.0 V6)
Discussion
After 18 months of fettling a Golf V6 4Motion its being sold and looking for a fun replacement.
I'm an Alfa nut and seriously tempted by one of a selection of rather nice GTV V6's that are available for sensible money. Also love the purity of RWD and a late plate 328i Coupe is also appealling
Car will only do 6-8k miles per annum, practicality is not a major issue - our son is only 3 years old and we have a family hack.
Let me know your thoughts
I'm an Alfa nut and seriously tempted by one of a selection of rather nice GTV V6's that are available for sensible money. Also love the purity of RWD and a late plate 328i Coupe is also appealling
Car will only do 6-8k miles per annum, practicality is not a major issue - our son is only 3 years old and we have a family hack.
Let me know your thoughts
I have also looked into this. I haven't got around to buying one yet and with petrol increasing like it is it's lookng less of a possibily everyday.
If I hadn't already got a fun car I probably would go for Alfa...but since I do, I'd go for the BMW everytime since they apparenty drive better, more practical, more economical, RWD and German. That's the head talking. But I'd go for the Alfa if it's my only car. They are rarer, better sounding, prettier and perhaps a bit quicker in a straight line. That's the heart talking. It's up to you!
If I hadn't already got a fun car I probably would go for Alfa...but since I do, I'd go for the BMW everytime since they apparenty drive better, more practical, more economical, RWD and German. That's the head talking. But I'd go for the Alfa if it's my only car. They are rarer, better sounding, prettier and perhaps a bit quicker in a straight line. That's the heart talking. It's up to you!
Edited by The Lukas on Friday 30th April 14:10
andy665 said:
After 18 months of fettling a Golf V6 4Motion its being sold and looking for a fun replacement.
I'm an Alfa nut and seriously tempted by one of a selection of rather nice GTV V6's that are available for sensible money. Also love the purity of RWD and a late plate 328i Coupe is also appealling
Car will only do 6-8k miles per annum, practicality is not a major issue - our son is only 3 years old and we have a family hack.
Let me know your thoughts
Looking through a few old Autocars from last century I happened across a 4-way test of the ALfa GTV V6, Merc CLK 230, 406 V6 Coupe and E46 328ci.I'm an Alfa nut and seriously tempted by one of a selection of rather nice GTV V6's that are available for sensible money. Also love the purity of RWD and a late plate 328i Coupe is also appealling
Car will only do 6-8k miles per annum, practicality is not a major issue - our son is only 3 years old and we have a family hack.
Let me know your thoughts
The Alfa was the genuinely rapid one in a straight line ( 15.6 to 100 ) which was nigh on 3 seconds quicker than the next nearest. It put its extra 30bhp to real use there.
Test/touring route mpg for the Alfa was 16.2/21.3, Merc 20.2/28.2, BM 19.9/28.1 and 406 17.1/23.4
Alfa was the lightest car at 1404kg.
Tagline in the article was "the Alfa is for the hard-core enthusiasts" and the summary "its performance is addictive in bursts, it lacks composure and is too cramped and too impractical to keep its head up beside the opponents".
In the end it came to a 2-way contest between the BM and 406 and they seemed to side with the German car as an all-rounder.
If you want I can scan the article and email it you?
Sounds like if you've got a family car the Alfa is the more exciting perhaps
I have owned both these cars back to back.
BMW is considerably better built, handles miles better and is a much more accomplished all rounder. It has a very nice, but slightly strangled engine that can be easily and cheaply tuned.
Alfa has an utterly fantastic engine. You will probably never drive a car with a nicer sounding motor, nor one with such delightful power characteristics.
The Alfa looks nicer inside and out, but the seats are hopeless and the body is made of tinfoil and is a magnet for parking dents.
The Alfa has far less poise on twisty roads, the turning circle is awful and the brakes and damping inferior to the BMW.
Used as a GT car, the Alfa is a rewarding companion. Driven at 5/10ths it is a delight. At 10/10ths it is all a bit scrappy compared to the BMW.
I kept my BMW for nearly five years and it stood up very well to 60,000 miles of hard driving. I sold my GTV after eight months because I felt like I was going to ruin a lovely and special car with my daily slog.
Having sold it, I missed that motor so much that I recently bought an Alfa 156 V6, which has most of the GTV's charms in a more sensible package.
If you want a second car and don't always drive around flat out, then the Alfa is without any doubt the enthusiast's choice.
If you want a faithful daily snotter, then an E36 328 Coupe is a great car.
If you ever consider doing a track day, the BMW is the one to buy.
BMW is considerably better built, handles miles better and is a much more accomplished all rounder. It has a very nice, but slightly strangled engine that can be easily and cheaply tuned.
Alfa has an utterly fantastic engine. You will probably never drive a car with a nicer sounding motor, nor one with such delightful power characteristics.
The Alfa looks nicer inside and out, but the seats are hopeless and the body is made of tinfoil and is a magnet for parking dents.
The Alfa has far less poise on twisty roads, the turning circle is awful and the brakes and damping inferior to the BMW.
Used as a GT car, the Alfa is a rewarding companion. Driven at 5/10ths it is a delight. At 10/10ths it is all a bit scrappy compared to the BMW.
I kept my BMW for nearly five years and it stood up very well to 60,000 miles of hard driving. I sold my GTV after eight months because I felt like I was going to ruin a lovely and special car with my daily slog.
Having sold it, I missed that motor so much that I recently bought an Alfa 156 V6, which has most of the GTV's charms in a more sensible package.
If you want a second car and don't always drive around flat out, then the Alfa is without any doubt the enthusiast's choice.
If you want a faithful daily snotter, then an E36 328 Coupe is a great car.
If you ever consider doing a track day, the BMW is the one to buy.
Surely lighter and more power is better than one but not the other? I'd quite like to lighten my 328i but it's a daily driver and I don't want to drive it about without carpets etc
If the poster above is right and a standard 328i does handle better than a GTV then all it really lacks is 30bhp/50bhp depending on which GTV we're talking about.
If the poster above is right and a standard 328i does handle better than a GTV then all it really lacks is 30bhp/50bhp depending on which GTV we're talking about.
The GTV is such a massively special car, the engine, the design inside and out, the traction is very high but you can get the back to step out...
However I wouldn't say the GTV is as agile as the 156/GT, it has a slower rack and doesn't feel quite as responsive in the handling department.
The BMW imo has a slower rack than the GTV but it is probably better for accuracy throughout the range.
The Alfa engine simply wipes the floor with the BMW unit though imo, for noise, power delivery...everything. It can cruise in 6th gear happily, or drop some cogs and let all hell loose with the most amazing sound.
Some bits of the GTV interior are a little flakey, but on the whole it feels like a million dollars and is a mini piece of exotica.
Picture from my old GTV
Ps: Seats are not supportive in the slighest, boot is tiny and the rear seats suitable only for a midget, but you won't even care.
Alfa review is from 6.33 onwards
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YNWzIXFPOc&fea...
However I wouldn't say the GTV is as agile as the 156/GT, it has a slower rack and doesn't feel quite as responsive in the handling department.
The BMW imo has a slower rack than the GTV but it is probably better for accuracy throughout the range.
The Alfa engine simply wipes the floor with the BMW unit though imo, for noise, power delivery...everything. It can cruise in 6th gear happily, or drop some cogs and let all hell loose with the most amazing sound.
Some bits of the GTV interior are a little flakey, but on the whole it feels like a million dollars and is a mini piece of exotica.
Picture from my old GTV
Ps: Seats are not supportive in the slighest, boot is tiny and the rear seats suitable only for a midget, but you won't even care.
Alfa review is from 6.33 onwards
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YNWzIXFPOc&fea...
I think for a road car I'd go as far as changing the front seats. I have a coilovers and Michelin PS2's and I'm finding myself sliding out of the standard leather ones as it is. I'm not eager to remove the spare, knowing that sods law a couple of days later I'll get a puncture. It's also weight over the rear wheels.
You really haven't seen my car. It was proper poverty spec when I got it. I like to think of it as a sort of lightweight spec. Somebody really wanted a 328i 14 years ago.
You really haven't seen my car. It was proper poverty spec when I got it. I like to think of it as a sort of lightweight spec. Somebody really wanted a 328i 14 years ago.
Both good cars.
Alfa will be much newer which is a big advantage.
I have only had one 3.0 gtv and it was a soft top version, 3.0 V6 manual.
To most people it was a lovely car, but when driven hard it was just a big soft understeery mess, its a long time since I've driven an Alfa that was a drivers car, a very long time. Sadly looks come before driving dynamics with recent Alfa's.
Alfa will be much newer which is a big advantage.
I have only had one 3.0 gtv and it was a soft top version, 3.0 V6 manual.
To most people it was a lovely car, but when driven hard it was just a big soft understeery mess, its a long time since I've driven an Alfa that was a drivers car, a very long time. Sadly looks come before driving dynamics with recent Alfa's.
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