GTV Buying one

[Mike Mondeo]

Hello everyone this is my first post on Pistonheads.

I have decided I deserve a exciting second car in my life and I am really tempted by a 3.0 GTV. I have a budget of 4K in mind is this a reallistic figure to play with or am I wasting my time expecting a good one for that kind of money?

Is the handling of the 2.0 car significantly better to warrant buying it over the glorious V6?

Like I say the 3.0 tempts me but I am open minded and would consider a 2.0, your comments on the above are welcome.

Cheers

Mike

[pdV6]

Mike Mondeo said:

Hello everyone this is my first post on Pistonheads.

Mike Mondeo said:

I have decided I deserve a exciting second car in my life and I am really tempted by a 3.0 GTV. I have a budget of 4K in mind is this a reallistic figure to play with or am I wasting my time expecting a good one for that kind of money?

Depends on what kind of age car you're after and how long you're prepared to spenf looking. It's definately possible to get a decent V6 for that kind of money but probably an earlier one if it's going to be any good.

Mike Mondeo said:

Is the handling of the 2.0 car significantly better to warrant buying it over the glorious V6?

It's fairly marginal really. Most people who have tried both reckon that the extra oomph of the V6 more than makes up for slightly less crisp turn-in.

Mike Mondeo said:

Like I say the 3.0 tempts me but I am open minded and would consider a 2.0, your comments on the above are welcome.

Cheers

Mike

Once you've tried the V6 the TS will no longer be on your shopping list!

[JR]

Suspension comment surprises me. That money should get you a nice 1998/9 model. See also http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... main problem is finding roads where you can open up the engine :-)

[_Batty_]

only thing i can say is ignore the TS (you'll only end up wishing you bought a V6) and don't be afraid of high milers,
but *do* insist on a FSH, preferably non main dealer.
a good car will have all specialist work done, and ensure you look at cambelts (36,000 or 5 years) and rear suspension bushes (replaced with uprated items).
Also be aware that 20mpg is the norm, and oil usage is a bit more than normal.
Please make sure you get a phase 2, as the interior is alot better than the phase 1.
you will *not* get a car that provokes more emotions than a V6 GTV for anywhere near the money.

Cheers Matt
(Owner of a 98,000 mile GTV phase 2)

[JR]

_Batty_ said:

oil usage is a bit more than normal.

I thought that but the oil consumption to visit the Alfa museum was negligable. Great car.

[pdV6]

JR said:

That money should get you a nice 1998/9 model.

i.e. An early one.

[_Batty_]

pdV6 said:

JR said:

That money should get you a nice 1998/9 model.

i.e. An early one.

which would also be a five speeder as apposed to a 6 speeder.

Pete, do you know if the 0-60 times are different for the two?
i'd imagine it would be marginal, but didn't know if two sets of figures where produced..

[pdV6]

I think they're about the same due to the ratios for 1st & 2nd being the same in both 'boxes and the cars weighing near as dammit the same.

[_Batty_]

pdV6 said:

I think they're about the same due to the ratios for 1st & 2nd being the same in both 'boxes and the cars weighing near as dammit the same.

ah, always wondered that.
what was the reason for the change?
more mpg?

[jamieboy]

_Batty_ said:

pdV6 said:

JR said:

That money should get you a nice 1998/9 model.

i.e. An early one.

which would also be a five speeder as apposed to a 6 speeder.

...maybe. My '98 is a 6-speeder. I think it was an option on the early phase 2 cars and became standard later on, but I wouldn't swear to it.

Edited by jamieboy on Monday 20th August 16:01

[_Batty_]

jamieboy said:

_Batty_ said:

pdV6 said:

JR said:

That money should get you a nice 1998/9 model.

i.e. An early one.

which would also be a five speeder as apposed to a 6 speeder.

...maybe. My '98 is a 6-speeder. I think it was an option on the early phase 2 cars and became standard later on, but I wouldn't swear to it.

Edited by jamieboy on Monday 20th August 16:01

well mines an 'S' and is a five speeder but a phase 2 (making it an early one i think)

[jamieboy]

_Batty said:

well mines an 'S' and is a five speeder but a phase 2 (making it an early one i think)

Well, so is mine.

It's a September 98 S-reg phase 2 V6 24v Lusso - one of the first in the country, an Alfa UK press car. And it has a six-speed gearbox. Like I say, I'm pretty sure it was an option.

[retrorider]

i bought my 3.0 gtv lusso last year as a weekend toy and i love it(had all the mods done before i got it).buy a full history car and you should be fine.it really is a baby ferrari for lemonade money

[_Batty_]

jamieboy said:

_Batty said:

well mines an 'S' and is a five speeder but a phase 2 (making it an early one i think)

Well, so is mine.

It's a September 98 S-reg phase 2 V6 24v Lusso - one of the first in the country, an Alfa UK press car. And it has a six-speed gearbox. Like I say, I'm pretty sure it was an option.

interesting

[Pooh]

The only thing I don't like about my 2001 85k mile V6 lusso 6 speed is the bouncy ride on rough roads(soon to be sorted I hope by some Bilstein shocks)other than that it is great and burns almost no oil. A lovely car but they do require the attention of a good Alfa specialist from time to time.

[Mike Mondeo]

Thanks for all the replies and the kind welcome.

I think its time for me to track down a 3.0 and give it a test drive and see how I feel about it. I am prety sure I will like it as a V6 with decent handling is right up my street. The only 2 previous Alfa's I've driven are the 146 1.7 and a 155 2.0 TS 8V both of which drove rally well and put a big grin on my face.

Cheers

Mike

[pdV6]

jamieboy said:

_Batty said:

well mines an 'S' and is a five speeder but a phase 2 (making it an early one i think)

Well, so is mine.

It's a September 98 S-reg phase 2 V6 24v Lusso - one of the first in the country, an Alfa UK press car. And it has a six-speed gearbox. Like I say, I'm pretty sure it was an option.

It certainly was an option for a while. I have an ARUK brochure at home that lists 3 models:

• TS
• V6 5sp - No aerokit option, 16" teardrops (17" teledial option)
• V6 6sp - Aerokit (no delete option!), 17" teledials.

I also have the brochure for the next year where the 5sp has mysteriously disappeared and the resulting V6 6sp has the aerokit as an option

[pdV6]

_Batty_ said:

pdV6 said:

I think they're about the same due to the ratios for 1st & 2nd being the same in both 'boxes and the cars weighing near as dammit the same.

ah, always wondered that.
what was the reason for the change?
more mpg?

As far as I can see, the only reason for the change was fashion. If ever an engine didn't need an extra cog, it was the Arese V6.

I could understand it if they had kept the same 5 ratios and then slotted in a motorway cruiser gear but what they did was shorten 5th and add a marginally longer 6th. A bit pointless as the gearing in 6th is good for 180mph-odd but the aerodynamics restrict v.max to 155. 100mph comes up @4k rpm in 6th so why not up the ratio and have a proper cruising gear?

{edited to add:} In most "enthusiastic" driving, I rarely get above 4th and on the motorway illegal speeds come up just as 6th is getting into it's comfort zone, so as a result 5th is hardly ever used (blat up the sliproad and short-shift from 3rd or 4th into 6th)...

{edited again to add:} Probably the most use 5th ever got was at one of the VMax events @ Bruntingthorpe where I'd hit the limiter in 5th just before the timing beams when trying to eke out a few extra mph without needing to change up into 6th just as the line came up.

Edited by pdV6 on Tuesday 21st August 13:31

[_Batty_]

pdV6 said:

jamieboy said:

_Batty said:

well mines an 'S' and is a five speeder but a phase 2 (making it an early one i think)

Well, so is mine.

It's a September 98 S-reg phase 2 V6 24v Lusso - one of the first in the country, an Alfa UK press car. And it has a six-speed gearbox. Like I say, I'm pretty sure it was an option.

It certainly was an option for a while. I have an ARUK brochure at home that lists 3 models:

• TS
• V6 5sp - No aerokit option, 16" teardrops (17" teledial option)
• V6 6sp - Aerokit (no delete option!), 17" teledials.

I also have the brochure for the next year where the 5sp has mysteriously disappeared and the resulting V6 6sp has the aerokit as an option

ah thanks chap, certainly clears that up
(hence why mine had no aerokit, and the lovely 16" teardrops ....)

oh and would love to know the Vmax of my 5 speeder, still pulling at 137..(on a private road of course )

Edited by _Batty_ on Tuesday 21st August 16:37

[pdV6]

_Batty_ said:

would love to know the Vmax of my 5 speeder, still pulling at 137..(on a private road of course )

Assuming the engines put out just about the same (mine's officially 218bhp, yours probably 220 - what they actually put out is anyone's guess ) the difference will be due to aerodynamics. The difference between an aeorkitted car and a non-kitted one is supposed to be under 5mph.

At the very top of the scale, mine over-reads by a good 10mph and I've seen it comfortably off the clock, so I reckon a real-world 155 is where it's at (which, incidentally, is what AR claim for a kitted car)