Perth to Narrogin and back. A 374K round trip in a $3K 916 GTV TS.

[ugame]

Sometimes it takes a road trip to get to really bond with a car.

This isn't my first GTV. I bonded with my old Silver 98 phase1 in ways I'd not expected because of it's raw character. But the clean straight new car feeling of the better condition 02 model I now have has so far slowed the forming of any kind of relationship.

Now while I pride myself in the fact that I snagged this bargain beast for a mean $2990, I have also now "invested" more than that amount through required servicing. This has included brakes and belts, spark plugs, Bridgestone RE003's, donated original wheels, and most notably, one rear left wheel bearing set that instantly transformed the car and smoothed the ride beyond my expectations. Keeping in mind I also purchased a new set of rear Koni Str.t shocks that are yet to be fitted. (This weekend is the plan).

So yesterday I had to travel to Narrogin to deliver a workshop. While I could have opted to take a work car, and while the Nissan Pulsar or Holden Cruze where very tempting options, I opted to take the GTV for the 374k round trip.

A 6:30am start is early by my standards but that is the time I hit the road. As I live in the hills, my day began on some of my favorite stretches of road. Canning road joining up to Brookton highway.

But as dawn began to break and the road opened up into the 110 zones, the GTV just came alive. The weather was pretty average and felt at times as if I was driving through all four seasons, but the GTV just pushed on, harder and faster. Hugging the line at every turn. Poised. Balanced. Smooth. Fun.

The cars only notable instability being the occasional rear end bounce during a left hand sweeper. A tell tail conformation of the worn shock on the driver side. Both soon to be replaced.

The route I'd chosen was Brookton and then Great Southern highway. The roads are winding, undulating, but mostly fairly smooth apart from the odd rut that, in rain, are easily avoidable as the gathering water gives them away.

The 2.0 TS never felt out of puff and provided enough fun at the speed limit to not warrant risking any fun tax. It is the living embodiment of the phrase "It is more fun to drive a slow car fast, than a fast car slow". Not that it is slow.

This became clear on the return trip when, having been giving ample room to a learner driver in an i30 in front, I took the opportunity given by an overtaking lane. Dropping down into 3rd, the GTV surged toward, and then past, the 100kph i30 like it was standing still. Suddenly I was at the rev limiter. Suddenly I was well past the learner, and well past perhaps what I should have been doing. So to reign things back in, I skipped 4th and opted to jump directly to 5th. Only I missed it and ended up in 3rd again. Twice.

Once in 5th, and once back in the left lane, I brought the GTV back to the pace it should be travelling. I never saw the i30 again. Not even a glimmer of it's headlights in my mirror.

The trip also gave me time to contemplate the interior. I know it's sacrilege, but I do find the cloth interior to be more comfortable than the leather in my old 98 model. Given that I do need to source some door cards due to a seat-belt puncture in the passenger side, I found myself wondering if "upgrading" to a leather interior would be a good idea or not. I fantasied over several colour sets. Black over red? Black over cream/tan? Black over black? I concluded that the interior that I have in cloth is just fine, but that I'd be wise to at least sit in a leather 02 model to compare, when the chance arises.

I'd begun my day on 3/4 of a tank, so as my day came toward an end, I became more aware of the fuel gauge. I'd opted to not fill up in Narrogin but now, with 100k's to go, I was on 1/4 of a tank, and my tripometer was showing 500k's. On a good tank I've sometimes nudged 600k's before the light comes on. This would be close. So I settled back and cruised at the limit and rolled into Kalamunda and home just as the light flickered on.

Let me remind you of the toys I've had in the past. 180SX Turbo. 300ZX Twin Turbo. 350Z. Chrysler 300C 5.7 V8. But I kid you not, by the end of my round trip, there is not a car in my past that I would have preferred to do that trip in.

The balance of the car, great tyres, smooth ride, front wheel drive, and a sensible amount of power all added to the experience of being able to enjoy the road regardless of the conditions.

I suspect the only car better, would be a another GTV with a Busso under the bonnet.  Or of course a Ferrari. But not in the wet. And not on one tank. And possibly not at the speed limit.

[poohbah]

Great account mate, and great car. I feel exactly the same about both my Alfas and regularly take them out country to give them a proper blast. (I won't say just how much above the posted limit I took the 156 on a particularly long straight and deserted stretch of road in the Wheatbelt a while back. Another time, the 116 GTV made quite a grand entrance to a regional minesite on a  work visit a few months ago! I'm surprised at your fuel numbers, I regularly get well over 620km on a tank in my busso when I've done country runs during the week (62L tank). In fact. I average  10L/100km most weeks, which is 5 days in peak hour. And I am no eco hyper-miler!

[ugame]

Cheers mate.

Re fuel, let's just say this. I get similar numbers in my 147 TS as well.  However my wife and kids (on L's) get significantly higher millage when driving it in my place for a week or so.



Sorry...but it calls for a movie reference.

[Citroënbender]

Great write-up. Always good to hear of people actually using a car built for driving, for proper driving (as opposed to commuting or 15km visits to the "cars and drivel" weekend breakfasts/brunches).

Last month I did heavy mileage in the work ute (a 15 year old Flagon) and couldn't wait to get back into something European that "knew" - with negligible supervision - how to hold a line through corners. A 600km round trip the following day was a pleasure.

[poohbah]

Sorry...but it calls for a movie reference.

hehehe. I have a dirty confession to make too. In the three years of owning my first Busso 156, I racked up a few (minor) speeding tickets. When the 2.0 GTV became my daily driver for the following year, I didn't rack up a single point. Unfortunately, I clocked another ticket within a month of buying the current V6. I have been a little more circumspect since then...

[ugame]

Sorry...but it calls for a movie reference.

hehehe. I have a dirty confession to make too. In the three years of owning my first Busso 156, I racked up a few (minor) speeding tickets. When the 2.0 GTV became my daily driver for the following year, I didn't rack up a single point. Unfortunately, I clocked another ticket within a month of buying the current V6. I have been a little more circumspect since then...

Haha yes my habits changed as after 350Z and 300C ownership, I found myself 4 points short of being without a licence.

Ironically the 300ZX probably saw the highest top speed reached, but I never saw a single ticket in that.

The 350Z also on one occasion had a lovely female police officer pull me over and tell me that my alleged loss of traction was an "impoundable offence", before a more pressing call came across their radio, and they sped away.

I've now been clean for 5+ years. But with the closure of the RAC driver training center, I have an itchy right foot again at times.

One of the reasons I want to join the local Alfa Club and get into their track series. Scratch that itch.

[ugame]

I've also added to the story above in italics, my thoughts on the interior.

I'll add it here also.
The trip also gave me time to contemplate the interior. I know it's sacrilege, but I do find the cloth interior to be more comfortable than the leather in my old 98 model. Given that I do need to source some door cards due to a seat-belt puncture in the passenger side, I found myself wondering if "upgrading" to a leather interior would be a good idea or not. I fantasied over several colour sets. Black over red? Black over cream/tan? Black over black? I concluded that the interior that I have in cloth is just fine, but that I'd be wise to at least sit in a leather 02 model to compare, when the chance arises.

[poohbah]

I get what you mean. Last year we  updated the family hauler from a 2012 Subaru Forester with leather to current model without, and in terms of using it every day I prefer the cloth in the current model to the black leather in the earlier one.

But - I absolutely love the red leather in my 156. It wouldn't be the same car without it, and the colour is key - it's much nicer than the bone leather in my prior 156. Yes, its a bit cold when you first sit down in winter, and can be a bit hot if the car's been parked in the sun in summer but it makes it feel a bit "special'. Plus the usual practicalities of leather over cloth - easier to clean and harder wearing.

Leather interiors seem to be fairly readily available from wreckers/donor cars at pretty reasonable prices.

As to the dreaded demerits - I came within two points of catching the bus two years ago. Thankfully, I have a decent buffer now, which I am doing my best to keep...

[ugame]

Likewise, the red leather in my 147 is so very comfortable. It's like a lounge suit.

The 98 GTV in comparison was hard.

Hence why I'd like to so a test sit in a leather 02 GTV just to feel.

[poohbah]

Now you mention it, my recollection is that the bone leather seats in my 2001 Series 1 156 were firmer (and slipperier) than the red ones in my current '99 model. But that may be imagined. The only difference to look at them (apart from colour) was that the bone ones did not have the embroidered Alfa logo in the backrest. Whether or not that signifies some other design difference I cannot say. I would be surprised if there was anything significantly different.

[ugame]

Dont know. The ones in my 98 GTV had "MOMO" embossed.