1988 Alfa Romeo 33 1.7 IE review from Australia and New Zealand

Water pump replacement.

Window lift replacement.

Brake pipes front and rear replaced.

New rotors and pads.

Master cylinder replaced.

Some parts of trim started to fall off.

Very endearing little car - I went looking for a 318 BMW and purchased the 33 instead.

The 8 valve 1.7 injection engine is the pick of all 33 engines - it has bags of torque and is cheap to service.

At higher revs (above 5,500) the engine is flat and gaspy... I could have souped it up, but why bother - it was reliable, economical every 33 IE I drove was like that (see my 1981 Alfa Sprint review for a different perspective)...

The 33 has split fold rear seats that make it really practical.

I would purchase another Alfa - they are very well built and designed cars.

By 1988 Alfa were making good, solid cars - parts may be quite expensive, but generally the original parts have a long service life.

If you are buying a 33, get it checked thoroughly. If a 33 does not come with log books and receipts, the first dollar you should spend is to get the cam belts replaced. Forget about tinting, a stereo or anything until you get it's belts replaced. From that point on, every 60,000klm or 3 years... it's very cheap insurance.

PS a set of spark plug leads can be horrendously expensive... my tip - get a competent auto electrician to make a set up for you - I saved 75% by doing so.

Oh, PPS - fuel filters... injector cleaning etc... replace and carry out as per user manual... cheap insurance!!!