OK, £15-18K to spend on an everyday, fun Sports car - what?

PSut · Post by **PSut** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 9:37 pm

The latest Alfa Brera Spider is a stunning car and I believe can be had for that sort of money. Looked at one about a year ago. I believe they can be had second hand now for your budget.

I had a P reg Alfa Spider a few years ago and it was the best car I've owned apart from the Porsche. Looked stunning in red with black roof and black leather. There were a few niggles with the electrics but apart from that it was reliable. Brilliant to drive and not alot of cash.

Ian Gunney · Post by **Ian Gunney** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 10:10 pm

I think the Z3 M coupe is a wonderful looking machine - especially in that lovely blue colour (Avus?)

If he is after a BMW - may be worth him speaking to James Booth who posts here - he works for BMW dealer in Hereford, may have some useful contacts...

mind you Bogsters are ridiculously cheap now - must have hit residuals on late 944s and 968s I'd have thought.

Bertroex · Post by **Bertroex** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 10:20 pm

Alfa? Alfa???? As in front wheel drive Fialfa?/?

Goodness I took a lancia 8.32 to Swits one holiday- what a total utter uncontrollable machine. Yes, italian flair until kingdom come and I know that for the Italian and Swiss markets they made a Quadra 4 wheel drive version- torque transfer at the rear wheels rather than permanent 4 wheel drive IIRC but anything over say 200bhp over the front and I could be a gonner faster you can say Bert Charles Walter Maria Roex.

For me, the last real Alfa was the 75 3.0 America. *that* great engine that everone still raves about but RWD and boxy and quircky and unreliable electrics and and and...

Slate beamers as much as you want, but what dynamic driving machine is there with RWD these days?

Bert

Matt black70 · Post by **Matt black70** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 11:14 pm

No one has mentioned an ur quattro 20v yet. A great car with a superb sounding engine. Also like the S4 or old twin turbo RS4.

richkaz · Post by **richkaz** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 11:33 pm

Never had the bottle to actually buy an Alfa - but the look of that thing makes me WANT one

Had a 3.0L 164 auto for many years. The superb sports autobox was by ZF , the electrics from memory were Bosch.Body was galvanised and never rusted.
Kept it until 176,000mls and it was, apart from a shocking turning circle ( apparently only on RHD cars ) the most exciting and reliable business express I ever owned. Clarkson reckons THAT engine was just about the best production engine of its day.
Good 'standard ' 3.2 GTA's now sell for between 7 - 15k. The 2006 Autodelta probably needs a couple of years to make budget.
Clip of the original from 5th Gear.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFvJIZTvXAQ

pmjt · Post by **pmjt** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 6:18 am

richkaz wrote:Clarkson reckons THAT engine was just about the best production engine of its day.

Did some reading and, unless I'm mistaken, its roots go back to the Dino?

richkaz wrote:Good 'standard ' 3.2 GTA's now sell for between 7 - 15k.

Saw a 19k miler for about that - did look nice.

richkaz wrote:The 2006 Autodelta probably needs a couple of years to make budget.

Apologies for the ignorance - is the Autodelta like an Alpina is to BMW - small homologated specialist production?

P

richkaz · Post by **richkaz** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 8:12 am

Apologies for the ignorance - is the Autodelta like an Alpina is to BMW - small homologated specialist production?

yes.
Was set up in 63 to help Alfa back to racing and to improve the TZ.
Develped the typo 33 sports racer giving its boxer 12 cylinder engine 500BHP and the world championship with 7 wins out of 8 races.

pmjt · Post by **pmjt** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 10:41 pm

richkaz wrote:Was set up in 63 to help Alfa back to racing and to improve the TZ.

Which is a car I have a huge fondness for - I've been on track with a couple and the way they sit on the road and then get flung into corners with gusto is wonderful to watch - very pretty car

richkaz · Post by **richkaz** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 11:29 pm

Which is a car I have a huge fondness for - I've been on track with a couple and the way they sit on the road and then get flung into corners with gusto is wonderful to watch - very pretty car

Thats for sure but possibly £ 1000000 over budget

-

pmjt · Post by **pmjt** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 8:46 am

richkaz wrote:
Which is a car I have a huge fondness for - I've been on track with a couple and the way they sit on the road and then get flung into corners with gusto is wonderful to watch - very pretty car
Thats for sure but possibly £ 1000000 over budget
-

James (Hot66) has been with me on Paddock Club days when there's a little red TZ that comes out and struts it's stuff on the track - achingly pretty car

Philip

964RS · Post by **964RS** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 11:29 am

The TZ is jaw droppingly beautiful....

964RS · Post by **964RS** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 11:40 am

http://pistonheads.com/sales/1163613.htm

Philip what year is your Alpina car - I REALLY like it. Is it a D3?

pmjt · Post by **pmjt** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 10:16 pm

964RS wrote:http://pistonheads.com/sales/1163613.htm

Philip what year is your Alpina car - I REALLY like it. Is it a D3?

2004 and it's an E46 B3S.

D3 is only on the new(er) E90 / E91 cars and it's a 200bhp diesel TDI. D3 'Bi-Turbo' is a bit more full on diesel.

The B3S replaced the B3.3 (265bhp) based on the 330i with an Alpina engine rework - an M3 based cylinder head - quoted 305bhp but several have been dyno tested at more. ZF auto gearbox replaces the Borg Warner unit with buttons on the wheel (they REALLY work - honest, great change), revised suspension etc., etc. Wonderfully cammy a 3,250 and 5,500 - redline at 7,200

They only made 24 Tourings, so they're quite rare. Quite a few cabs out there at the moment.

Just done 700 miles in twenty four hours and, unlike the M3 it's a really relaxed drive - very compliant suspension with the 8J/9J wheels, yet flick it into manual and it's awesome fun.

The Roadster S is the same engine in a Z4 body, Lux version has sat nav, xenons and full leather.

Good bunch of guys who have been very generous with their advice to me at: http://thealpinaregister.com/

If you want a butchers, I'll meet up with you next week when I'm going / coming back from Yorkshire?

964RS · Post by **964RS** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 9:06 am

Thanks for the offer Philip but off around Europe for 5 weeks on Monday with the family. Is it 3 seats in the back or 2 + 1/2?

pmjt · Post by **pmjt** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 10:32 am

964RS wrote:Thanks for the offer Philip but off around Europe for 5 weeks on Monday with the family. Is it 3 seats in the back or 2 + 1/2?

Have a great break Jason - after this year you deserve it

It's a 3 series so not exactly huge - you'd get three in the back, but not for long journeys