BANGERNOMICS (sub2k) of the week/day

W123-80's

'00 Avensis estate 1.6
Low miles claim 76k
Test May '18
Tax end of the month
Nice unassuming workhorse albeit a little pricey.
If the miles check out its a very decent runner for someone.
Asking €1,050

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/toyota-avensis-terra-1-6/17036225

Greybottle

commited wrote: »

Here's an interesting e39:

01 520i SE, 190k kms, €650

It's an Oceania model which means it came from Oz or NZ. Pretty poverty spec for Australia but has climate, high OBC, upgraded HiFi and it's Cosmos black which is a great colour. If it was imported relatively recently then much lower chance of rust etc.

Interesting alright. As a matter of interest, how can you tell its an Oceania model? Just curious.

bazz26

Kph only speedo and odd spec are usually the tell tail signs. The likes of motorcheck will also throw it up as an import.

ongarite

Alfa GT, NCT 5/18 for €1,800:
https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/2-0l-alfa-romeo-gt/17167453

ongarite

Saab 95 Linear Sport 1.9D, NCT Jan 18 for €2,400:
https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/saab-95-1-9tid-linear-sport/16822421

ongarite

Volvo S40 1.8 petrol, NCT 3/18 for €1,650:
https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/volvo-s40-nctd-amp-taxd-very-clean/17168482

ongarite

BMW 320D, good spec, NCT 5/18 for €2,500:
https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/320d-huge-spec-new-nct-beautiful-car-/17168264

1874

ongarite wrote: »

Volvo S40 1.8 petrol, NCT 3/18 for €1,650:
https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/volvo-s40-nctd-amp-taxd-very-clean/17168482

Does the price not seem a bit steep? It's mileage is fairly high, but it looks clean. Are all 1.8's flex fuel? Or how is that identified?

jacksie66

This post has been deleted.

bear1

ongarite wrote: »

Saab 95 Linear Sport 1.9D, NCT Jan 18 for €2,400:
https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/saab-95-1-9tid-linear-sport/16822421

Very short nct and a bit over budget.
But I really get the impression this car featured here some years back.
The number plate rings a bell and if I remember someone went to see it and said it was a shed.

commited

Greybottle wrote: »

Interesting alright. As a matter of interest, how can you tell its an Oceania model? Just curious.

Km/h Speedo was first sign but didn't have Jap rear bootlid. Ran a VIN check then.

Mini850

jacksie66 wrote: »

I think they're one of the most beautiful cars on the road. I'd be keen to pick one up in the new year. I know alfas ain't know for their reliability but how do the GTs stack up?

Same as all the Alfas from that era...........look after them and they are fine

I have no experience with the JTS engine though, only ever owning T-spark engined Alfa's

Love the look of them too. The front end (wings, bonnet) is from a 147 GTA, sitting on top of a 156 platform. They are surprisingly practical too.

JohnBoy26

Mini850 wrote: »

Same as all the Alfas from that era...........look after them and they are fine

I have no experience with the JTS engine though, only ever owning T-spark engined Alfa's

Love the look of them too. The front end (wings, bonnet) is from a 147 GTA, sitting on top of a 156 platform. They are surprisingly practical too.

In theory maybe but in the real world it just doesn't ring true

ELM327

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

In theory maybe but in the real world it just doesn't ring true

I owned an alfa 156 before which I bought for the princely sum of 500 quid with a few months tax and new NCT. Essentially a free car with the amount of tax.
Never a day's bother with it, I sold it on when the tax ran out for the same amount I paid for it.

I don't get the hate for alfas. They are as reliable as any other car, sure they aren't a Carina E/Corolla 1.3EFI from the 90's but sure what is these days.

Mini850

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

In theory maybe but in the real world it just doesn't ring true

I owned an Alfa 147 for two years. apart from serviceable items it gave me no trouble and was my daily commuter for a 50km round trip.

When I bought it (for €400), I fitted new front suspension, brakes, a service and did the TB.

NCT'd it for a year, and again the next year with just a track rod end.

The exhaust manifold cracked which was the only real non serviceable item that went.

People wont keep them maintained because they are worth so little

punisher5112

Serious rust issues on them Alfas be careful.

ELM327

punisher5112 wrote: »

Serious rust issues on them Alfas be careful.

I've never seen an alfa with rust.

I've had a rusty 320d and a couple of rusty VAG cars but never so much as seen an alfa with rust.

Quazzie

ELM327 wrote: »

I've never seen an alfa with rust.

I've had a rusty 320d and a couple of rusty VAG cars but never so much as seen an alfa with rust.

I'm assuming this is sarcasm

alastair

punisher5112 wrote: »

Serious rust issues on them Alfas be careful.

The 70’s called and want their cliche, and cheap soviet steel, back. Pretty much the entirety of that GT, and any other modern Alfa is galvanized. No doubt you’ll find rust on some of them, but only to the same degree as any other modern brand car.

ELM327

Quazzie wrote: »

I'm assuming this is sarcasm

Well not really, not for modern (ie not 70's/80's cars) alfas anyway

fancy pigeon

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

In theory maybe but in the real world it just doesn't ring true

That rings of barstool commentary...

Begrudgers will always continue to begrudge

colm_mcm

Didn’t someone one here have a GT with completely rotten sills?

bear1

Why is it the moment an Alfa is posted and someone shows interest it becomes a battle of it's a ****e/it's not a ****e car?
No one will ever like 1 car and tbh Alfas do need that extra something to keep them going but they are also very good cars to own.
For example, I'd never own a Passat again cause it broke my heart in repairs but it was still a nice comfortable car to drive - when it worked.
I've mine for a couple of months now and apart from a timing belt and pump change it hasn't given a seconds worth of trouble which is more than what I can say about the VW.
What does badly rust on them are the sub frames and no ifs or buts about it will change it. If it rusts you'd need to combat it immediately before it falls to pieces.

frozenfrozen

I found the alfa gt interior felt very cheap

selectamatic

Tbf a well known poster on here had an Alfa gt earlier in the year and it broke his heart so people saying just service them and mind them and they'll be fine are being a touch disingenuous.

The truth lies somewhere in the middle; they're alright if minded like a baby, have a nice layout inside, great seats, parts are dear-ish and some items are alot more difficult to fix than they should be. So make of that what ye will, they're certainly not very reliable but they're not sh1te either.

Also the arse on the gt is such a let down ruins an otherwise brilliant looking car.

1874

ELM327 wrote: »

I owned an alfa 156 before which I bought for the princely sum of 500 quid with a few months tax and new NCT. Essentially a free car with the amount of tax.
Never a day's bother with it, I sold it on when the tax ran out for the same amount I paid for it.

I don't get the hate for alfas. They are as reliable as any other car, sure they aren't a Carina E/Corolla 1.3EFI from the 90's but sure what is these days.

Nice to hear, I think that last Alfa looks nice, seeing so many options in this thread, very tempting. That Alfa might be nice to own for a bit, but then the replies , I'd like to change, but my car suits my needs, and is currently (fingers crossed) reliable with good mpg, so I'll hold out with my current bangernomics Octavia as long as it keeps going or until I get declined to insure it.

bear1

selectamatic wrote: »

Tbf a well known poster on here had an Alfa gt earlier in the year and it broke his heart so people saying just service them and mind them and they'll be fine are being a touch disingenuous.

The truth lies somewhere in the middle; they're alright if minded like a baby, have a nice layout inside, great seats, parts are dear-ish and some items are alot more difficult to fix than they should be. So make of that what ye will, they're certainly not very reliable but they're not sh1te either.

Also the arse on the gt is such a let down ruins an otherwise brilliant looking car.

The same could be said for the majority of cars out there.
Even cars which have the stigmata of utter reliability can cause serious heartache.
To give my own perspective, I owned 2 156s.
1 a 2.4 and 1 a 1.9.
Wrecked the engine in the 2.4 which was reliable before that and the replacement was a pile of ****e which kept going wrong.
The 1.9 on the other hand didn't cause any issues.
I've the 159 now 2 months and it's been very good to me but of course it's early days and I've probably jinxed it.
Agree with the gt, lights are what ruin it for me but give me a brera any day of the week!

selectamatic

bear1 wrote: »

The same could be said for the majority of cars out there.
Even cars which have the stigmata of utter reliability can cause serious heartache.
To give my own perspective, I owned 2 156s.
1 a 2.4 and 1 a 1.9.
Wrecked the engine in the 2.4 which was reliable before that and the replacement was a pile of ****e which kept going wrong.
The 1.9 on the other hand didn't cause any issues.
I've the 159 now 2 months and it's been very good to me but of course it's early days and I've probably jinxed it.
Agree with the gt, lights are what ruin it for me but give me a brera any day of the week!

Ay I'd agree with all that and I'd view the 156 and 159 as Alfa's 2 most reliable offerings of recent years and both your own and 166 man's 159's are alfa's I'd love to own.

My point was more to do with the gt and especially given the fact that a well known poster who is known round here for taking exceptional care of his cars and also buying very clean examples was burned badly by a gt. And yet there's another poster who has one that's been grand but they're definitely a mixed bag reliability wise.

bear1

selectamatic wrote: »

Ay I'd agree with all that and I'd view the 156 and 159 as Alfa's 2 most reliable offerings of recent years and both your own and 166 man's 159's are alfa's I'd love to own.

My point was more to do with the gt and especially given the fact that a well known poster who is known round here for taking exceptional care of his cars and also buying very clean examples was burned badly by a gt. And yet there's another poster who has one that's been grand but they're definitely a mixed bag reliability wise.

Oh yeah Cian right?
You win some you lose some basically, not many people would agree with me but I think it's mostly down to how they have been maintained previously.
My manager had the 20v 156 and it was in and out of the garage every month and eventually got rid before he became homeless.

JohnBoy26

ELM327 wrote: »

I owned an alfa 156 before which I bought for the princely sum of 500 quid with a few months tax and new NCT. Essentially a free car with the amount of tax.
Never a day's bother with it, I sold it on when the tax ran out for the same amount I paid for it.

I don't get the hate for alfas. They are as reliable as any other car, sure they aren't a Carina E/Corolla 1.3EFI from the 90's but sure what is these days.

Not hating on alfa, they are a nice car, I like them in many ways but saying they are as reliable as anything once properly serviced is bull tbh. Even when minded like a baby they still give a host of issues that no maintenance can prevent.