Summary:
A brilliant performance saloon
Faults:
Steering rack leaked and was replaced soon after acquiring the car.
Starter motor failed at 78,000.
Complete exhaust needed at around 80,000.
Seat motors played up although a gentle knock with a hammer sorted it!
Started to have starting problems at 82,000 which eventually were traced to a worn rotor arm and distributor cap.
The clutch does not last long and I had to have it changed at 85,000 miles, only 43,000 after the first change.
General Comments:
This my second 164 V6, the previous one being a 1989 model. The comments apply to both cars.
The car has gorgeous looks, especially in red and is still a relatively rare sight on British roads unlike, say a BMW 5 series.
The V6 gives tremendous performance (average mpg of 26) and a great sound coupled with decent handling - the post 91 cars have a lot less torque steer than the earlier cars.
The car has decent interior space and boot, is refined and is a great cruiser with the ability to accelerate easily past traffic.
The body work is good and won't rust unlike previous Alfa Romeos.
However, expect things to go wrong on a regular basis.
Parts tend to fail prematurely although the engine and manual gearbox are generally very reliable.
Maintenance is hence expensive - I spent £1300 in just over a year and I did not use use dealers.
My previous 164 had a similar pattern of maintenance costs.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 10th May, 2001