Faults:

Nothing has really gone wrong with this car as yet. All I have done is general servicing and balancing the twin 40's.

There is a small amount of play in the steering rack and a new one is quite expensive. I am having trouble finding a second hand one as most have power steering. Except mine!

General Comments:

The car is great fun to drive and handles as you would expect from Alfa. The 1800cc engine produces around 120bhp which is not too bad for a car of this age. Mind you, I used to have a V6 and that was quick!

I get around 35 mpg on a run, but that drops to around 26 - 28 on small and twisty roads. May have something to do with my driving though.

Considering the size and weight of the car, the acceleration is fairly good, but it really shines coming out of bends as you can get the power down earlier than some lesser cars due to the fantastic grip.

A brilliant car.

Faults:

Nothing with me so far - I've had it about 8 months and thrashed from cold every morning, never missed a beat once.

Previous owner did put a petrol tank on it.

Handling is very poor, handles better with aftermarket sports kit - Spax or something like that.

General Comments:

Nice looking cars bar the crap handling.

The engine you could never kill, I haven't had to put oil in the engine for 6 months!

Pity the secondhand value wasn't a bit better.

Faults:

110,000 miles on clock at present.

Working backwards:

Front bumper re-fitted/repaired after minor shunt ~ 75 pounds.

Head-rebuild - slightly bent valve replaced - valves re-ground - head cleaned. This cured an annoying 'ticking' in the engine.

Exhaust mainfold bolts replaced due to "grounding" of exhaust against speed bump ? 480 pounds.

Front lower ball-joint replaced ~ 100K - 80 pounds.

Front disks and pads replaced with Tarox equivalents. Front brakes on a 75 are notoriously bad ~ 300 pounds 100K.

Rear discs and pads replaced ~200 pounds 95K.

Leads to engine plugs replaced.

Hole in boot fixed.

Rear-shocks replaced with Konis ~ 100K 80 pounds.

85K:

Car handed into Alfa Garage after hitting a bollard in car park. Not worth repairing but not a write off.

Following items replaced:

Front bumper 92 style ~ 400 pounds

Front bonnet.

Front Radiator ~ 80 pounds ?

Water pump, oil pump.

Cam-shaft replaced - tappets and VVT adjusted.

Sun-roof replaced.

Shocks - front and rear replaced.

Respray to remove rust around boot area.

Clutch slave cylinder replaced.

Front - cracked one of two exhausts replaced, mid section of exhaust replaced.

Petrol tank (leaking) replaced.

Fault management system replaced.

Tacho adjusted to compensate for reading 500 rpm higher than it should.

General Comments:

Can't fit anything much bigger than 195/50 15" as tyres.

Braking appaling - replacement/upgrade on a car of this power is a must.

Rear Wheel drive takes getting used to break away is difficult to detect.

Body roll a little excessive though age could account for that.

Exhaust note a little boommy - not as nice as 33 or V6.

Engine tractability superb.

Gearchange bad - rebuild is a de-facto must on high milage Alfas ~ 500 pounds.

Electrics prone to act-up especially fault management system.

Starts first time - every time - handling apart from roll superb.

Positioning of radio / electric window controls ridiculous. Windows prone to seizing up.

Electric Ariel just seized up.

You have to be crazy or there just has to be something special about it to buy one but the flip side is you will find owners that have spent thousands on them and for the performance and 80's looks there's not much better performance for cost about.

I paid 2.8K for it 1 yr ago. Have probably spent 2K+ on it and will probably spend another 1K. I've put 20K up on it in a year - intend to keep it as re-sale value is probably not much more than 1K. On the other hand there should be a good 40-50K left in the car. Runs on unleaded too.