Conference terri::cars_uk

    re.1
    Has there been a roadtest of the new 33's yet in any of the magazines
    If anyone has read one yet could you let me know which mags they
    have been in
    
    steve
    

    
    	There was a roadtest in the Observer last Sunday,it was done
    	by the woman who co-presents Top Gear.On the whole she was 
    	happy with the 33 but complained about the finish and 
    	reliability.
    
     

    there was an advert on TV yesterday claiming the new Alfa Romeo
    can do 0-100mph in 8.6 seconds!
    

    I WANT ONE!!
    
    Seriously, which Alfa? The 164 TS and 33 1.7 16v, both have 0-60s
    of about that. Could it have been the SZ?
    
    Paul

RE: .3

I bet it was a 0-100 kph time.

	The problem with these cars is that they're so grotesquely 
	ugly that other issues fade into insignificance.

	-John

    I agree that my 75 is not to everyone's taste, but the 164 is one
    of the most elegant cars on the road, and the 33 is not bad either.
    At least Alfas have individuality rather than Euro-Box blandness.
    
    But if your talking seriously ugly, then the SZ takes the biscuit.
    That is one mega-brutal car!
    
    Paul

	I must admit I don't know one from t'other. Usually I only
	notice cars if they're very good looking or very ugly. The
	only Alfas I've seen lately are in the latter category.

	-John

I saw an advert on one of those crappy satellite channels when I was in Munich.

I think it was for an Alfa, and they said 0-100 in 8 seconds. I'm pretty sure
they mean kph.

Mark.

    Re: .6
    
    You could be right about the styling. I followed a 33 Estate yesterday
    and it looked just like a BMW 3 Series Touring..........

    	This'll probably make you green but a friend who's an Alfa dealer
    has got me an invite to the launch of the Alfa 33 16v on sunday
    1 July where they will be available for test drives!  I won't give
    the dealer name as 17 Sackman's will probably turn up!! Tee Hee 
    
    	8-)
    
    	I'll post my report on Monday
    
    	Jon.

    To answer my own base note....
    
    Last Friday I got invited down to my local Alfa shop for a launch
    day for the new 33s and the 164TS. I had a drive in an 8v 33, they
    weren't letting anybody drive the 16v ;-)
    
    The seating position is better than my 75 but still a bit Alfa-ish.
    The finish looked good, rear space OK, and hatch space excellent.
    On the road it handled very well, sounded lovely, and had just the
    right amount of power assistance. It felt quite quick, so the 16v
    must be something else.
    
    After that they let me out on my own in a 164TS. This was beautiful,
    all peace and tranquility after the 33, but still quick off the
    mark. And the seating position - *normal*!!!!
    
    New models coming up were the Cloverleaf 164 quite soon, a 4-w-d
    16v 33 mid next year, a revised 33 Sportwagon, probably with 4-w-d,
    and at the end of '92 a new 75, based on a heavily revised Tipo
    floor pan, and with front wheel drive.
    
    I also had a sit in a Spyder, how does anybody change gear in that
    thing!
    
    Paul

   I had a test drive in the new Alfa QV 16 valve.  I have written a report 
   about it in 557 (.36 i believe) for those who are interested.


  Garry

    
    Re .12
    
        "I also had a sit in a Spyder, how does anybody change gear in that
    thing !"
    
    	Simple... smile, dip the clutch, blip the throttle, slip from third
    to second, drop the clutch, and let it wail...! Remembering all the
    time to grin like a Cheshire cat...:-)
    
    	Rat grins...

    
    A couple of us went for the test drives when the two new ALFA 33 models
    (1.7 ie and 1.7 16V) were launched in Singapore this month.
    
    The cars resemble slightly of the appearence of their big sister ALFA
    164.  The interiors remain very much like the old 33 series.  That kind
    of spoiled the appeal of new models.  The cars were fun to drive
    though.  Overall, the ie model is a better buy because of better seats,
    additional instruments, etc.
     

    Has anyone bought and taken possesion of the new Alfa 33 Boxer 16V yet?
    
    The reason I ask is that I will be getting mine in 2 months so I want
    to know if there are any problems with them.
    
    Has any of the motor magazines done any tests on them?
    
    

    Re .16		16v Boxer
    
�    Has any of the motor magazines done any tests on them?
    
    Yes, general opinion was that the engine was liked,
    but that Alfa still have not sorted out problems in
    'ape-like' driving position (common description for
    Latin cars).
    
    In the write-up(s) that I have seen, I don't think that any
    *problems* are described.
    
    Glad to see that someone is buying Italian...
    						J.R.

    
    I get hacked off with the "ape-like" innuendo on Italian cars (&
    motorcycles).
    
    They fit me perfectly ........ perhaps 'cos I've got a normal body,
    longish arms, & short legs. I like straight arms & straight legs (or as
    near as I can get) & find Alfa's, Lancia's, Moto Guzzis etc fit me
    fine.
    
    Only time I'm in trouble is one my Laverda when there are times when I
    can't get my feet on the ground. Embarrassing when 520lbs of expensive
    toy starts to fall over!
    
    Just buying another Delta Turbo as a spare car, 'cos they are great
    fun. This one has the full chip conversion, suspension mods, etc all by
    Brodie Racing. Should be fun, but brakes suspect under repeated,
    serious, heavy-duty braking (fade .. no known cure) -- found out at
    Castle Combe on an earlier version when trying on a fun day.

    Re .18
    
�    I get hacked off with the "ape-like" innuendo on Italian cars (&
�    motorcycles).
�    They fit me perfectly ........ perhaps 'cos I've got a normal body,
�    longish arms, & short legs.
    
    Most of my bits are 'long', but I *am* comfortable driving my Delta,
    although I do think the driving position is 'not quite right'.
    
    I quoted the 'ape-like' comment as it is generally used in articles,
    even if it is a bit unfair.  I have not driven the Alfa 164 or 33, so
    repeated the above comment 'as read'.
    
    In all cases, it would depend upon personal choice as to driving
    position, but perhaps more adjustment in the controls would help.
    
    Re. Your BBR-modified Delta - that sounds fun.
    
    Re. The 'fun day' you mentioned, was that run by BBR ?
    
    J.R. (who would like some other Italian car(s) as well)

    I too drive an Alfa and am not an ape (scratch, scratch)
    
    However, I am a mere 5'9" and have to have the seat on my 75 TS full
    back. The main problem is that the pedals are very high, making the
    throttle foot sit at a strange angle, which can get a bit tiring.
    
    However, the car is so much fun I'll accept it!
    
    As for the new 33's and the 164, I've driven both (2l TS 164 only
    unfortunately :-( ) and while the 33 still has the 1950's F1 style of
    sitting, the 164 is pefectly normal.
    
    Roll on December '91 when I can order a 164 TS or maybe the new 75,
    based on a heavily revised Tipo floor pan.
    
    Paul

    
    I've got a superb Alfa dealer close to me in Haverfordwest. Gave me a
    a 164 2 litre for a half day, & the offer of a 3 litre for a day any
    time I want it. Great service, deserves to succeed.
    
    Currently drive a Mazda 626 16v pretty hard. Both cars have 148bhp, so 
    evenly matched. Mazda has much better creature comforts for same cash -
    ABS, air conditioning etc. Alfa Lusso has similar spec, but costs
    nearly �3k more.
    
    Alfa good on the road. One of those cars you can drive smoothly as soon
    as you get in it. Very civilised, good ride & handling. Predictable &
    safe, comfortable for passengers. Visibility good. Gets noisy when
    pushed hard, but not unpleasant sound. Feels solid, no rattles. Always
    feels a bit slower than the stopwatch measures. Suspect the 3 litre is
    rather more fun, but I think the turbo 2 litre is on the Italian market
    & that would be worth a try.
    
    Performance at class norm. Not exciting, but competent. Might well buy
    one as the tweaked Turbo Delta will be my road kart, & I can use the Alfa
    when I feel old (most days....).
    
    May well nip down to the auction & buy a 2 year old 3 litre. Cheapest
    option by far, if slightly unkind to my friendly dealer. I have told
    him to call me if he gets a good low-mileage car ...........
    
    

    Aren't we getting a bit analytical here, Colin.......?
    
    Forget all the Technical wizzy bits....
    
    Does anybody actually like the looks of the 164? IMHO even the Volvo
    flying brick looks better. 
    
    Be positive, Clements, the standard 164 does look better than the
    Zagato, but then so does almost anything else on the road!
    
    I think I'd better duck now.........;^)

    IMHO, the 164 looks quite stunning, especially in Alfa Red, when the
    tail lights disappear into the colour. There are only four things
    which put me off ordering a 164 TS Auto today;
    
    1. My existing lease does not run out for another 6 months
    
    2. Iam being rightsized anyway, and thus do not yet know if I will have
    a job
    
    3. The lease price, due, I guess to a combination of leasing company
    prejudice and low residuals, is much higher than its Carlton/Grandad
    competitors
    
    4. They do not make a 164 TS Auto.
    
    Steve

    I also think the 164 looks great, but they went and cocked it up
    when they added the bodykit (Richard Grant Accesories ?) for the
    go-faster model...
    
    J.R.

    re Last 2...
    
    I said it was a contentious statement, didn't I?
    
    Tee-hee........ ;^)

    I had a test drive in a 16v and liked it a lot. 
    
    In France, they do two versions of the 16v - Sport Green Cloverleaf and 
    Elegance. The sport has the body kit, ABS, and sports seats as std. The 
    Elegance has ABS as an option, no body kit and 1.7E velour seats. The
    engine sounds wonderful and I didn't get the slow speed problems described
    in the two CAR mag tests. Did I get one? No, I went for a 75 America (V6) 
    which goes rather nicely with the GTV and Spider :-)
    
    Ken

    Ken,
    
    Now tell them about the low-fuel starting option on the V6 model *-)

    
    I test drove a 16v 33 a couple of days ago.
    
    It looks quite good from the outside, but I am in two minds about the
    interior trim pattern, and the quality of finish on the car I drove
    was not good with badly fitting panels in evidence.
    
    The car was very new, so the extremely stiff gearchange may have been
    due to that and (although I dislike it) the PAS seemed fairly good on
    the car I drove once I got used to it.
    
    Not having driven a Sud or anything like it I wasn't prepared for the
    odd noise that the engine made (presumably it WAS normal), which I
    suspect could become a little tiring on a long journey. The driving 
    position was offset to the left (which I didn't like) and the pedals
    seemed very close together (again which I didn't like).
    
    The acceleration seemed reasonable (but as the car was new I couldn't
    really push it) and the handling was generally good although it seemed
    very prone to hopping on poor surfaces (more so than the light Renault
    5 GTT that I drive normally).
    
    I wasn't incredibly impressed by the car, but equally it wasn't bad. I
    shall probably go back for another test drive nearer the time that I
    decide to replace the Renault.
    
    Mark
    
    PS One for 'stupid things salesmen say'. On being asked if the car had
    ABS he replied 'No, but it has ventilated disk brakes which is a sort
    of mechanical ABS'!!!!!

    Does it have Air Conditioning?  No but it does have windows which are a
    sort of driver operated air conditioning!! (^8*.
    
    Garry

    
    So, after a very long wait (6 months) I have finally taken delivery of
    my Alfa 33 Boxer 16V Cloverleaf Empty Ashtray Sunroof Extra but
    Electric Windows Standard, etc.
    
    I had all the plastic rubbish at the back taken off, it makes it look
    much nicer and cleaner (^8* !  It also makes the tailgate easier to
    open, it is much lighter now.  Finally, nobody knows that I have 16
    valves and 132 BHP to play with (^8*.
    
    I have already clocked up 800 KM in it without any serious faults
    developing, apart from the plastic insulation sheet getting caught in
    the electric windows and coming loose.  The guy in the garage said it
    was the fault of the company who put in the radio etc.  Still he did
    wait for me to come back and fixed it for me on the spot.
    
    I have to take it easy of course (only 2200 km to go) but already there
    is a hint of the driving pleasures to come.  The steering is light when
    it should be and firm when it should be.  The engine noise that someone
    else complained about is not noticeable when you have 7000 decibels of
    Van Halen blasting out of the 4 speakers (dont have less than 4 way
    sound in a sports type car) so I cannot comment (whatcha say?).
    
    Here is the good bit, people look at you.  The styling of the alfa is
    very sweet (not germanic and boring) and typically italian.  If you
    want to be noticed in a car, without paying Ferrari prices, then this
    is it.  I used to have the Pug 1.9, which would occasionally attract
    admiring glances but the Boxer looks nothing like the standard 33s, so
    it is getting more than its fair share of looks.  Even people
    driving obviously much more expensive cars can't help but glance over
    when passing (I'm being good).  
    
    The seating position is fine by me, as I am normal (5'8", long arms,
    short legs) and like to have both sets of appendages stretched out when
    driving.  Not particularly happy with the pedal positions, too close
    together but I suppose I will get used to them.  Interior finish could
    be a lot better, you can actually see the workings of the handbrake.
    
    Instrument layout is OK, nothing startling.  Engine purr is beautiful,
    automotive soul music.  The 'whole steering wheel' horn is irritating
    if, like me, you like to hold the inside of the wheel when cruising. 
    The boot unlocks from inside the car but can't find any way of opening
    it from the outside, annoying.  Petrol cap is a daft design.
    
    I love this car, for all its little faults (and they are little).  I
    will tell you more later once I have it run in (which will be next week
    at this rate (^8* ).
    
    Garry
    
    
    
    

    A letter in this month's CAR magazine included the following cutting :-
    
    
    Superstitious Singapore owners of Italian Alfa Romeo 164s are changing
    the car's badge number to 168 even though such a model does not exist.
    
    The reason: In Cantonese 164 sounds like "die all the way" while
    168 resembles "prosper all the way".
    
    (Reuters)
    
    
    J.R.

    This reminds me of the MR2's unpopularity in France.
    It sounds like "Sh*t"
    
    Wonko The Sane
    

	A chinese friend of mine refused to take delivery of his lease car
	because the number plate was 224 (double death and disease).

	Dave

Anyone out there driving a 33 16v?

Greg

    Anyone out there been driving the new Alfa 146?