Alfa Romeo GTV-6 [97>]

[colcol]

Last Saturday's Age DRIVE liftout, they looked at the Chrysler Crossfire in the preloved,[used] car review, the conclusion was compared to its competitors,
3.5 stars Alfa Romeo GTV,[97 onwards] Depreciation has made the GTV a real bargain, it may not be youthful, but with the 3.2 litre V-6 and 6 speed gearbox, this was a real hoot to drive.
3.5 stars Audi TT, Slick and stylish, the retro Audi is still a head turner long after its original launch in 1998. Turbo four cylinder is a whizzer and there's an all wheel-drive version to please the technocrats.
3 stars Chrysler Crossfire, With arresting looks and strong pedigree, this former love child makes a strong second hand buy.
3 stars, Mazda RX-8, The Japanese alternative but a car that never really delivered all that it should have. The car's rotary engine is a talking point but not, in this case, one to get excited about.
Colin.

[JAM87]

Hi Col,

You are spot on with regards to the GTV- i think the reasoning behind the price drop or lack of interest for these beautiful vehcies is the cost of the cambelt and tensioners.

[Davidm1600]

Regrettably, I suspect it is not just the cost of maintenance in replacing the cambelts but suspension, computers, coils etc etc.  Mind you non of this is any different really to most modern cars.  I was having this very discussion with my mechanic the other day.  Modern cars in general are all expensive to maintain was his conclusion.  Mostly, they are so complex that the labour cost is always going to be high given how much stuff needs to be removed in order to do what ever job is required, while the use of complete section parts rather than simply being able to replace just one component is another factor, ie. upper and lower control arms as an example.

The GTV6 or GTV are sweet to drive, and offer a high level of features.  Bearing in mind these were pretty expensive when new (ie. GTV6 around $80K), so yes they are currently bargains to buy now.  Have been tempted on a number of occasions.  I just wish they hadn't come in FWD but rather AWD, for that would have made them awesome.

[colcol]

Yeah, but, if they were 4 wheel drive and not 2 wheel drive, that would have made them more expensive and slower and more unreliable and use more fuel and cost more to run and have less room inside, with the GTV, being 2 Wheel drive and similar to a 156/147, lots of the parts interchange, imagine rocking up to work in a $15,000 GTV that a couple of years ago was worth $80,000, while everyone else have just got normal cars, while we are 'living the dream', sighted a new gearbox for the current GTR Nissan, weighs 150kgs, takes 2 men to lift one and is about 3 times as long as a 156 gearbox, Colin.

[Davidm1600]

Col don't disagree with anything you say.i remember driving both the gtv6 and GTV when new and thinking Wow! Would love one but out of my league finanacially. Then some years later trying out a mates gtv6 which was for sale for $24k and given I had already spent $20k on my 156 realizing that perhaps one day I could. These days I have seen examples for below $10k but most cost less than $15k it is true. They are relatively so cheap to buy. The maintenance costs for the v6 perhaps more so over the Jts? The only real wish I have is that at the limit I would have preferred RWD to FWD. logically for Alfa given the shared driveline platform with the 156/147 this couldn't be justified. Ultimately it wouldnt stop me having one if I could.

[colcol]

I remember when the 156 first came out in 98, and the Alfa club when to Lance Dixon in Doncaster, and i was thinking, is that the most gorgeous sexy 4 door i have ever seen?, but 10 years later, they are worth $10,000, and someone else has worn the rapid Alfa depreciation, the maintanence costs for the cam belt change would be slightly higher for the V-6, but the JTS has 4 Lambda sensors that should be changed at 100,000kls, swings and roundabouts, but the V-6 is a purebred Alfa motor where the JTS is shared with the Lancia Libra, and it has a block shared with Fiat, Rear wheel drive versus Front wheel drive, how longs a bit of string?, today i drove the 156 to work, enjoyed it, drove the company car rear wheel drive, still prefered the 156, the good thing about Alfas is they run the body's for a long time and a 10 year old one doesn't look that different to a new one, but they are all damm fine looking cars, and you always get a kick out of driving one, Colin.

[John Hanslow]

Colin, interesting comments on the 156 and JTS.  Yes the V6 is the real Alfa engine.

But back to the 916 Series GTV, yes they are cheap - and as always numerous purchase options are avalaible. 

Like purchasing a spider of that era without soft top motor issues or fabric deterioration - because itis a fixed head coupe. 

And for us a better look for a more mature aged driver.

Cheers