Alfa SV, running costs?

[kazino]

Hi all, this is my first post in the alfa forum.
I have always dreamt of owning an Alfa and now I think the time has come to get into ownership. There was a lovely SZ parking in South Kensington that I used to pass by years ago, what a beast of a car.
There are a couple of the classifieds in my budget, but I need to know if I can stomach the running costs. Could anyone shed some light

[rijmij99]

well its basically a 75 underneath so used parts are available very easily along with a good after market in spares and performance parts. ex-75 owner. basically stick with alfaromeo75.co.uk for all your diy stuff. and get your stuff from eb spare, alfaholics etc

[PhilipAlfa]

Yes there is a lot of 75 underneath, but also a lot that isn't. Front suspension for example is coilover and not torsion bar. All the shocks are special as they're linked to a hydraulic pump which can raise and lower the car by 2 inches when you need a bit of extra ground clearance. Even the standard stuff 75 parts are becoming harder to find. Headlights are unobtainable and windscreens pretty difficult to come by. Body panels are equally tricky to get hold off.

However solutions are available for most things, it just takes a little effort some times. If you really want an SZ then don't let the spare parts issue put you off. Make sure whatever car you go to look at is checked over by a knowledgeable specialist before you purchase to ensure you don't need to buy lots of spares to start with!

In terms of day to day running then they aren't too bad at all. I can get 30 mpg on a gentle run, but more usually get around 24mpg. Cambelt is every 3 years.

Best SZ site is http://home.wxs.nl/~evdbeek/monster.html

Also a good forum can be found at www.alfasz.nl which can be useful.

Good luck

Edited by PhilipAlfa on Sunday 22 July 16:36