Re: Seduced by an Italian (Audi Content, but not important)

[Dwight Varnes <mxbreed@lancnews.infi.net>]

Timothy C Salazar II wrote:
> 
> Fellow Auto Unionists,
> 
> I just had my first experience with an Italian car.  I test drove a `81
> Alfa Romeo GTV6.  OH MY GOD!!!  It was't just the added horsepower of the
> V6, (I've only owned I5's in CGT's), but the whole driving experience.
> The sound of the exhaust, the driving position, the feel, etc.  For about
> five minutes I was REALLY tempted.  

I can only sit here and giggle. I had narrowed my car choices down to
the Audi Coupe and Alfa GTV6 myself, way back when. I chose the Audi
over the Alfa for a very few reasons:
1) Rust
2) fwd vs. rwd (I live where it snows)
3) parts availability (and I worked for an Alfa dealer at the time!)

There are few engines sweeter than the Alfa V6. And the GTV6 is a nice
looking car. I'm sure other listers will be giving you all sorts of
juvenile responses about how horrible these cars are. They really
aren't. Not as good as the Audi, IMHO, but far from the truly mediocre
Alfa Spider that the Alfa guys still foolishly worship. If you decide to
look harder at the Alfa let me know, and I'll happily give you some
tips.

I love the Audi I-5, but there's no way in hell without a turbo or an
influx of thousands of $$ it will ever compete with that V6 Alfa engine.
If only you didn't have to take the cams out do do a valve adjustment...

Tempeted mainly by the fact that my
> insurance agency rates the Alfa lower than my past Audi, (by like
> $50/month), 

My difference between the two was $60/yr...
-- 
"Life is too short to drive boring cars."

Dwight Varnes, insurance appraiser and car nut
1970 124 Spider (restored, mostly)
1986 Audi Coupe GT (bigger engine at machine shop)
1989 VW Jetta GLI 16v (the wife's ride, needs restored)
1984 Nissan 4x4 Pickup (rust never sleeps)
1965 Buick Skylark conv. (more fun than you'd think)