1996 Alfa Romeo GTV review from UK and Ireland

My engine caught fire @ 80,000 miles.

I believe it was started by an oil leak in the engine and a broken spark plug (when I say broken I literally mean a piece of the gold tipped spark plug had broken off and is stuck in the piston) this lead to the two distributor caps catching fire and I dread to think what would have happened if I had been going any faster that 50 mph. Anyone that has seen an Alfa engine will know that there is a casing over the engine that you need tools to remove so even when I stopped the car I couldn't actually see what was wrong. On inspection from my mechanic he estimates that there is approx €2000 worth of parts needed for the engine alone, to be repaired and it will then need to be reconditioned etc. Aside from all this I wasn't happy with the wear of the shock absorbers they just weren't sufficient for a sports car, and meant that the handling was affected i.e. (i never trusted the car's handling) also because the car is so low to the ground I was always weary and of the oil sump, which meant that I found myself desperately avoiding roads with the slightest pot hole.

Overall I will never feel the same about Alfa Romeo's again. All this said the car still looks immaculate and all electrics and inside leather upholestry is well in tact it's just an awful pity it doesn't move!!