"thatsmr" (thatsmr)
04/29/2020 at 16:20 • Filed to: None
1
13|
"thatsmr" (thatsmr)
04/29/2020 at 16:20 • Filed to: None | 1
| 13 |
Already gave up hope owning another GTV2000, Now GTV6s going way out of fun car budget. Hell I only paid 7k for the Lexus. Anybody know a driver Milano/75 out there for fuckit money? The transaxle Bussos are now not so underrated!
AlfaCorse
> thatsmr
04/29/2020 at 16:32 |
|
Seems like Milanos are relatively cheap compared to GTV6s. They just seem to be pretty rare these days. I’ve seen nice good ones pop up for 5-7k and stay for sale for months, but they so rarely pop up.
Tripper
> thatsmr
04/29/2020 at 16:38 |
|
I had a guy offer to trade his GTV2k for my 02 (plus a little cash on my end) it was a killer deal and I’ll never come close to a deal like that again, but I worked too damn hard to get that 02 and get it stateside. Just couldn’t do it.
Jb boin
> thatsmr
04/29/2020 at 16:46 |
|
That’s actually “cheap”, they seems to be starting a 15k€ in France for the ones in good shape (but the ones with the 2.0 seems to start at 7k€).
Here you can find cheap Busso on the GTV 916 like this one with the 2.0 turbo (its a 96 so you would have to wait one more year to import) for 3600€.
Or a 155 like this one that needs some love but is a 1992 for 1990€.
Or the 166 are dirt cheap like this one with the 2.5 that is in my city and cost 600€ with minor things to fix (2 CV boots and 3 coils... and the paint) but unfortunately they started to be sold in 98.
|
thatsmr
> AlfaCorse
04/29/2020 at 17:00 |
|
Had both and the Milano just felt taller. Either are so balanced and feel viscerally mechanical like nothing Ive ever driven (other than the GTV2000).
Sorry I cant figure out which way I hold my phone while taking pictures of pictures!
Snuze: Needs another Swede
> thatsmr
04/29/2020 at 17:00 |
|
I had a guy offer to give me a GTV V6 (early 2000's version) because he was sick of it and all the maintenance and headaches. Granted, that should have been a clue, but I like to pretend it would have been amazingly perfect in every way.
Of course, I was in France at the time for a wedding (it was the groom’s father who had the car ) and I had no way to get it home, plus this was in like 2012 so there’s no way I could have registered it here. Otherwise, OMG, the noise that thing made!!! So much cooler than my rental Peugeot 206CC!
|
thatsmr
> Snuze: Needs another Swede
04/29/2020 at 17:10 |
|
Mine was an 81 transaxle and was brilliant for two years 88-90? I promised myself and the (italian) car it would be strictly dealer maintained, but the 90 min drive into the city and the shop costs were too much for college me, so I traded in for a CRX. The Alfa never gave me a problem but I was always afraid to neglect an Italian car
|
thatsmr
> Jb boin
04/29/2020 at 17:14 |
|
Other than the 164/9000/Thema body, we never saw the FWD Alfas. I did enjoy my 9000 though the electronic climate control was junk
|
Snuze: Needs another Swede
> thatsmr
04/29/2020 at 17:14 |
|
That’s kind of sad, but at the same time understandable. I’ve never owned an I talian car or bike, and don’t plan to until my pockets are a bit deepe r.
|
thatsmr
> Snuze: Needs another Swede
04/29/2020 at 17:17 |
|
Ive got a beater FIAT 850 in the garage I can throw money at whenever Im ready (tires fuel lines gas tank carb battery) it wont be too much to get on the road and super easy to wrench
|
Snuze: Needs another Swede
> thatsmr
04/29/2020 at 17:19 |
|
850s are adorable! That would be a ton of fun!
I have a Volvo 850 I’m trying to sell and a 240 sitting in another Oppos driveway that I need to get to my house to start working on.
|
thatsmr
> Snuze: Needs another Swede
04/29/2020 at 17:28 |
|
The 850 is a deathtrap for a dd, but easy to kick the back end out on 25 mph roads at will. 850/s70 the last of the bricks! I did have the latter and it was a good car. A 240 would be cool esp if wagon :)
JMordu becoming “savethemilanos”
> thatsmr
04/30/2020 at 02:07 |
|
I’ve got loads of milanos! Unfortunately only one is in basically driver condition right now am I intend to drive it until I fix up another/values on them spike. But yeah, transaxle Bussos rule and I’m glad I was able to pick up most of 4 (two drivers for restoration, one that might be saved with herculean effots, and a pile of parts ) for about $5k. Still feel ahead even after spending at least that much again on all the new parts and restoration costs. Looking like as good of an investment as cheap older cars can ever be! I j ust wish I had had the money up front to buy a good condition dark grey Milano Verde a couple years back/get the chance again. I would love to have a 3L Milano someday! I’m even considering hunting down a 3L 24v motor from a 164 for one of my builds, but not holding my breath.
I hope the GTV market collapses someday. I know it’s nearly impossible. But now that they frequently go for $50k+, t hey just don’t make sense for normal people anymore, and that makes me sad. It’s hard for me to see a GTV as a collector car rather than an “everyday classic.” ( I feel The same way about Ferrari 308s, when those were like 30-40k 10 years ago they seemed really cool to me, now at more money than a 90s Ferrari I just can’t understand why anyone would ever buy one)
Sure nearly every Alfa is beautiful and special, but I would argue most are also meant to be attainable. Most GTVs should be driven regularly by weird Alfisti hipsters, classic Italian car fans/racers , or old farts who’ve had them forever, not treated as collector/speculation items by rich assholes with car collections.
Thats what I’ve loved about the Milano/75 community, it’s weird people who are super passionate about a great car that is attainable to nearly anyone. i keep in touch with Milano/75 fans all over the world and most of us don’t have the means for any sort of collection, we just love these Alfas! And we don’t feel bad doing lots of work customizing and keeping them on the road because they are meant to be used and enjoyed not kept perfect for future value. For example, the guy with maybe the only 75 1.8 turbo evoluzione in Norway is always fine tuning his aftermarket ignition/fuel computer. No one else will understand it and not having the stock setup may be ‘ bad’ for ‘value’ but it’s part of what he enjoys about the car, and that’s what matters!
|
JMordu becoming “savethemilanos”
> thatsmr
04/30/2020 at 02:24 |
|
Buy another one then do the work yourself! The Milanos at least are actually pretty easy to do most maintenance on. Milano timing belt was easier than a 2002 Honda Accord (did both last year), and any headaches I’ve had have mostly been from previous owner neglect rather than inherent issues to the car (maybe invest more than the about $1500 per car I did to start from a better place) .
T hese are 30+ years old now and won’t ever be collector rarities needing pedigreed shop invoices, just document your work and keep parts receipts and you won’t lose meaningful value if you choose to sell.
It’s hard to neglect the car when it spends every winter in your garage getting checked over and fixed up (to be fair, it’s also hard to get exactly right and I’m planning to call the local specialist for a check over soon). Plus they actually are pretty resilient. I’ve got 4 Bussos that average over 100k miles each with no serious issues. In fact, the only things that killed any Milano I’ve heard of is rust/rot if truly neglected for years outside , and low speed parking lot accidents (guess they’re so attractive that even other cars just get sucked right into them!)