[C19fan]

Money quote:

During its 14 months with us, the Giulia spent 80 days out of commission.

I sometimes watch the Mecum Auctions on tv. Every time there are a few low mileage Maseratis that hit the auction block and sell in the $20 K - $30 K range. I was thinking to myself. WOW I can own this gorgeous car for the same price as a new Honda Accord. Of course, I do some research why a car listed for $80 K new depreciates so much. This article encapsulates the reason. These high end Italian cars look gorgeous and are impressive on the specs sheet but they are absolute maintenance nightmares. A dream car would combine Italian design, German engineering, and Japanese quality controls and reliability. The moniker Fix It Again Tony seems to apply to any Italian car.

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

People like retro. How much more retro can you get than building poor reliability into Italian cars. Man, JUST like the good old days. Now, you too can have the full experience of owning a beautiful genuine Italian. Warts and all.

[Paladin2]

Here ya go:

HERE q

[Zathras]

The Alfa story is always the same...only the model changes.
Kind of like dating a stripper.
Loads of excitement until she finds someone richer and leaves you holding the lease.

[tet68]

I have heard it said that the only reason to own an Alfa
is if you can afford to support three Alfa mechanics and
their families...

[Richard Kimball]

I owned an MG Midget back in the 70s. Great car to drive, but horribly unreliable. I finally gave up and sold it. Later, saw another Midget with a bumper sticker that said, "Every part that falls off of this car is of the finest British craftsmanship."

I don't have a need for one, or a place to park it, but a Triumph Spitfire with reliable innards would be awesome.

[centurion316]

Once upon a time, I bought a Lotus Elan +2S. I picked it up at the factory in England and drove it back to Germany. It was a beautiful car wth burl walnut dash panel, leather seats, and the rest. Under the bonnet, it was a pure Formula Ford racing machine and it drove that way.

It was also a maintenance nightmare. I used to have to take my wife’s paycheck and hand it over to the mechanic. You can imagine how well that went. Broke my heart to see it go, but you know what the choice was.

[MeanWestTexan]

“A dream car would combine Italian design, German engineering, and Japanese quality controls and reliability.”

I fell in love with a Lotus (lots of trouble, usually serious) — specificaly a Lotus Exige.

Italian style, Toyota supercharged engine, German ergonomics.

Also so stripped down that it has very little to break.

I track the crap out of it and have never done anything but change the oil (and the brakes and the tires, but that’s because I track the crap out of it).

Great car; mind-blowingly spartan.

[PAR35]

Alfa are Fiats. As is Chrysler, Maserati, Lancia, and Ferrari.

[Sparticus]

What chaps my hide is that the most quintessentially American automobile brand, Jeep, is now a Fiat pig wrapped in a Jeep blanket.

My brother bought a Fiat Spider many Yates ago. Parts were dirt cheap, but you made up for it in volume.

[Michael.SF.]

An oldie, but goodie:

GUIDE TO BUYING EUROPEAN CARS:

NEVER BUY A FRENCH CAR, UNLESS YOU LIVE IN FRANCE

NEVER BUY AN ITALIAN CAR, UNLESS YOU'RE A MECHANIC

NEVER BUY AN ENGLISH CAR, NEVER

ONCE YOU OWN A SAAB, YOU WILL OWN IT FOR LIFE

IF YOU CAN AFFORD A BMW, BUY A MERCEDEZ

[TChad]

Our Heart Is Broken

You had to fall in love with the car before it could break your heart. It's 2019. How many new cars can you fall in love with?

[catnipman]

thanks for posting ... i just cancelled my order ... haha

[Lockbox]

depreciates so much = Out Of Warranty!

[Macoozie]

Many cars have a “national” personality. Nimble, flexy, hands on the lap steering Italian. Bank vault doors, over engineered parts, steering as heavy as can be German. Big hands can’t fit repairs, reliable, $50k but still feels like tin Japanese.
Etc etc etc.

You grow a “partiality” to one, and despise the rest.

Ich bin rennfahrer! Zoom zoom!

[yarddog]

I just realized something. I have a subscription to car and driver but don’t recall getting an issue in some time.

It is amazing to me how much power they are now getting out of small engines.

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

Not to worry, by another year it will be in the junkyard because it won’t be worth replacing a $10k part.

[DesertRhino]

“Italian design, German engineering, and Japanese quality controls and reliability. “

Behold, the Datsun 240z.

[crosdaddy]

I only have a few thousand miles on my Alfa, and it will remain a low mile car(toy), but I honestly have more fun driving it, than I did myE46 M3, or my 996TT. 2016 Alfa 4C Spider, its a hoot, like driving a late 80’s super car. Every time I drive it, I smile.

[Ex gun maker.]

Just send all your unreliable British and Italian cars to me!
The older the better.
I will change the oil regularly, clean the electrical grounds, set timing properly, and have more reliability than the modern eco-boxes with their infestation of computers.
I already have one Alfa and am building a “Special” around the mechanics of another.
Triumph GT6 and Spitfire, really want a TR3, and all my old Jags back too!
The only American car I own is getting some Jag parts added to make it better.

[wardaddy]

I owned a 1988 Alfa Romeo Milano Verde

Absolute piece of junk

I quit payments and filed lemon law with state of Florida and Prestige motors on north Biscayne came and got it

Looked good though