Just how silly would this be...
Discussion
Hypothetically...
I suddenly found myself with a rather extreme desire for one of these:
http://www.alexjupemotorsport.co.uk/g35/index.htm
I realise it'd probably be a bit high-maintenance as an only car, but as a semi-usable toy (garaged, religiously waxoyled etc.) it seems to tick all the boxes:
I suddenly found myself with a rather extreme desire for one of these:
http://www.alexjupemotorsport.co.uk/g35/index.htm
I realise it'd probably be a bit high-maintenance as an only car, but as a semi-usable toy (garaged, religiously waxoyled etc.) it seems to tick all the boxes:
- One of the best road car engines ever
- RWD
- Simply gorgeous to look at
- Deeply retro and very Italian interior
- Practical enough for longer trips
Cactussed said:
Also one of the MOST uncomfortable driving positions I've ever encountered.
Bags of charisma though...
That slightly dents its 'practical enough for long weekends away' credentials I guess. Still, I should probably try one, maybe I have a Latin bone structure... Bags of charisma though...
On the subject of reliability, are they really that bad? The people who actually own them seem to quite rate Excels. I certainly didn't find TVR ownership - also much maligned - to be as bad as people make out. There again, I guess I had one of the 'safest' TVRs and the Alfetta, in contrast, is a proper old school Alfa.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZYwlyfGgAU&fea...
Not a clue but, listen.
Not a clue but, listen.
Edited by Skylinecrazy on Wednesday 22 September 16:10
shouldbworking said:
The rear seats dont fold which somewhat dents the hatchback utility. Would still have enough room for a weekends worth of stuff though provided you werent planning on taking inconviently sized objects like bikes.
I know. I did toy with the idea of one of these as a daily driver when I was a bit more naive. Now I think I'd have to have another car for daily duties so I could use that for lugging bikes etc. around.TypeR said:
I'd have that in an instant, I've had a V6 Alfa before. Great memories. However that GTV6 looks like it's already been sold.
Wasn't you OP was it?
Sadly not. I think it may have been sold some time ago, I just used it as an example. The whole thing's a bit hypothetical at the moment. I've decided I'm going back towards something a little more practical as a fun car in a few months and immediately assumed that'd mean a 944. Then I started thinking Excels, then Alfettas. It's a slippery slope...Wasn't you OP was it?
I ran an earlier 2 litre every day (that it would start 
). It was perfectly usable every day. The boot was shallow but could swallow my racing bike if I took the wheels off. The back seats aren't particularly practical and they are a really odd shape - I've heard of bucket seats but I think Alfa didn't research that term properly when they designed the back seats, they really do feel exactly like sitting in a bucket! Legroom in the back is also bad. Space in the front was fine if you're short, otherwise headroom is a problem but the cars do have height adjustable seats. The driving position is reclined and Italianate but I found it perfectly comfortable. For long distance touring they are comfortable and refined enough and ride quite well, but they don't have particularly big fuel tanks and the range is quite limited if you drive enthusiastically.
Rust is the biggest enemy. Once that takes hold the car is headed for the scrapheap rather quickly. I heard somewhere that replacement body panels are becoming scarce too. Mechanically they aren't bad but weak spots are the three rubber doughnuts on the propshaft and the second gear synchro. The V6 has bigger doughnuts if I remember correctly but I think they still go.
If you're talking about a standard 2.5, there are a few things that make it a bit less practical than a 2 litre:
The boot is smaller because The 2.5 has a bigger fuel tank and it's behind the rear seats instead of under the boot floor as it would be in a 2.0. Also, if I recall, the 2.5's battery - I think - is in the boot. Either that or it's the other side of the engine bay to a 2.0, I can't remember which.
The 2.5 had a twin plate clutch which was very grabby and made stop - start driving a pain. This was often replaced by owners with a larger single plate clutch which would solve this, and it's quite possible that there are no longer any 2.5s running the twin plate clutch.
The 2.5's steering is heavier and as a result less feelsome and delicate. The 2.5 also doesn't have as good balance as the 2.0. It understeers more, particularly under power. It's actually easier to persuade the 2.0 to oversteer. However, the V6 sounds miles better, the engine is more responsive and the car feels much faster.
Alex Jupe seems to sell a lot of GTV6s with bigger engines, suspension kits and so on. Once you start with all that, then you've got to take each car on its own merit I guess.
I don't know how all this compares to an Excel or a 944, but I know the Alfa's steering feels a lot better than a 924's, but the gearchange on the Porsche's transaxle is better and the Porsche's handling is more accomplished.
I can't help you say whether to go for a GTV6 or an Excel then, but I can tell you that, if you find a reliable one (yes they do exist), the GTV6 is a perfectly habitable daily driver which feels different enough, and is so communicative, that every trip feels like an event even if you aren't in a hurry.
Gratuitous grainy picture of a picture of my old GTV:
). It was perfectly usable every day. The boot was shallow but could swallow my racing bike if I took the wheels off. The back seats aren't particularly practical and they are a really odd shape - I've heard of bucket seats but I think Alfa didn't research that term properly when they designed the back seats, they really do feel exactly like sitting in a bucket! Legroom in the back is also bad. Space in the front was fine if you're short, otherwise headroom is a problem but the cars do have height adjustable seats. The driving position is reclined and Italianate but I found it perfectly comfortable. For long distance touring they are comfortable and refined enough and ride quite well, but they don't have particularly big fuel tanks and the range is quite limited if you drive enthusiastically.Rust is the biggest enemy. Once that takes hold the car is headed for the scrapheap rather quickly. I heard somewhere that replacement body panels are becoming scarce too. Mechanically they aren't bad but weak spots are the three rubber doughnuts on the propshaft and the second gear synchro. The V6 has bigger doughnuts if I remember correctly but I think they still go.
If you're talking about a standard 2.5, there are a few things that make it a bit less practical than a 2 litre:
The boot is smaller because The 2.5 has a bigger fuel tank and it's behind the rear seats instead of under the boot floor as it would be in a 2.0. Also, if I recall, the 2.5's battery - I think - is in the boot. Either that or it's the other side of the engine bay to a 2.0, I can't remember which.
The 2.5 had a twin plate clutch which was very grabby and made stop - start driving a pain. This was often replaced by owners with a larger single plate clutch which would solve this, and it's quite possible that there are no longer any 2.5s running the twin plate clutch.
The 2.5's steering is heavier and as a result less feelsome and delicate. The 2.5 also doesn't have as good balance as the 2.0. It understeers more, particularly under power. It's actually easier to persuade the 2.0 to oversteer. However, the V6 sounds miles better, the engine is more responsive and the car feels much faster.
Alex Jupe seems to sell a lot of GTV6s with bigger engines, suspension kits and so on. Once you start with all that, then you've got to take each car on its own merit I guess.
I don't know how all this compares to an Excel or a 944, but I know the Alfa's steering feels a lot better than a 924's, but the gearchange on the Porsche's transaxle is better and the Porsche's handling is more accomplished.
I can't help you say whether to go for a GTV6 or an Excel then, but I can tell you that, if you find a reliable one (yes they do exist), the GTV6 is a perfectly habitable daily driver which feels different enough, and is so communicative, that every trip feels like an event even if you aren't in a hurry.
Gratuitous grainy picture of a picture of my old GTV:
Edited by Alfanatic on Wednesday 22 September 20:19
Re: uncomfortable driving position. Anyone else remember the way in reviews, cars used to be described as having "a typical Italian driving position, short legs, long arms" an assumed it meant the people rather than the "car industry".
For years I expected Italians to resemble some sort of knuckle dragging dwarves. (I'll set 'em up...)
For years I expected Italians to resemble some sort of knuckle dragging dwarves. (I'll set 'em up...)
sleep envy said:
If it's your one and only car?
Nope. If I went for an Excel or GTV6 it would be a (fairly frequently-used) second car.In a way that's why the idea came up. Bearing in mind my daily commute is barely worthy of a car at all, let alone a decent one - I often cycle because doing 20mph through suburbia is so bloody dull - there's little extra benefit to having a fun car I could use every day.
Something fractionally more sensible like a 944 might just about allow me to run it as an only car and get rid of the accompanying shed, but I'd have to compromise somewhat, so for the sake of a few quid I'd probably keep a sensible car for lugging bikes around and parking in questionable areas. And as soon as I have that second car (and a decent sized garage and full AA cover!) to fall back on I feel like I should be a shade braver than a comparitively-sensible 944. They're great cars, but I'm not sure it'd have the emotional draw of an Alfa or Lotus.
Speaking of which...
Alfanatic said:
I don't know how all this compares to an Excel or a 944, but I know the Alfa's steering feels a lot better than a 924's, but the gearchange on the Porsche's transaxle is better and the Porsche's handling is more accomplished.
I've driven all the four-cylinder front engined Porsches at one time or another and I've owned one (albeit a 924S) in the past. The balance is sublime, verging on Caterfield, but the steering is nothing special. The engines, although pretty torquey, are rather uninspiring. I haven't driven any of the turbos admittedly, but the 944, S2 and 968 all have a rather artificially restricted feel, where the power stops quite abruptly just as it feels it's getting into its stride and the noise is almost offensively bland. Similarly, the interior is rather austere, particular on the later oval dash models. But those are pretty much the only faults, the rest is all good. As practical-ish, reliable-ish, affordable, slightly leftfield (i.e. not RX8/200SX), RWD coupe it still has a lot going for it.
DrTre said:
For years I expected Italians to resemble some sort of knuckle dragging dwarves. (I'll set 'em up...)
Andsleep envy said:
they fit me just fine 
In which case you could always give this chap a shout and see if you could make a few quid...PH Lounge: How much to hire a dwarf???
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