Potential buyer of a 2006 GT 3.2lt V6 6 Speed Manual Coupe

[Bob B]

Hello, I hope I'm in the right section and I apologise in advance for all the questions.
I have the opportunity to buy the above for around $17,000 (negotiable) but need some advice.
The vehicle was a trade-in at a Toyota dealership and is not registered. It has 72,000km on the clock.
After some research I asked if it has a Q2 diff but they don't know.
Is there any way of checking if one has been fitted?
If not could a reputable mechanic check to find out. There is a Euro specialist in the area but not Alfa specific.
Does this vehicle seem like value for money considering it drives very well and look in very good condition?
BTW - it is advertised as a 2006 model but the spec sheet says 2004. The explanation was it was ordered in Italy 2004 and
plated in Australia in 2006. Is this normal?

[Bob B]

It's a GT not GTV so market price seems fair to me given the ones I've seen on  carsguide.com.au
However in the absence of service details and because I haven't driven one before to compare torque steer
I may give this one a miss.
There isn't an Alfa dealer for several hundred kilometres. There is a European Automotive mechanic where my doctor had his Alfa's serviced but not sure if that qualifies them as competent.

Thanks for the tips.

[John Hanslow]

I suppose that you can only look at the books and hopefully service receipts of what has been done. 

If not held, has car been in an accident and can it be checked out to see what needs doing and at what price?

End of the day if yiou can take a bit of time and get a car inspected, then it is just peace of mind.

[colcol]

The Q2 diff is a replacement of the original diff which had a tendency to explode and wipe out the gearbox casing, a must on these cars, see if there is paperwork to show it has been fitted, and contact the place that fitted it to see if its all true, take it to an Alfa Romeo specialist to get it checked over, not just a European place, as The Alfa places work on them all the time, things such as cam belt changes and the correct type of oil and regular replacement, that sort of thing, Colin.