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Mr_grumpy
Posted on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 01:27 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Had a little trip to Bremen this week to pick up my new (to me) set of wheels.

It's an '04 Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon.

Got the 2.4 5cyl diesel, 20v head common rail multi-jet injection. 175 horses & bucketfuls of torque.
6 sp manual box means it's well lively but economical cruising.
I ran the autobahn all the way down through Germany running between 75 & 100 mph most of the time, 38 mpg.

It's an ex company car dealer maintained, so doesn't need much doing, just a good clean & some front wheel bearings (one's a little rumbly).

Due to the weird & wonderful convoluted taxation systems in Europe & it's member states, I paid less than half it's book value in France, as it was being sold for export only.

I'm a happy bunny, now just got to do the French paperwork.







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Greg_e
Posted on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 02:05 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Maybe we should go with a wide and short plate like that in the USA, sure would be a lot closer to aerodynamic on the front bumpers of just about ever modern car.
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Mr_grumpy
Posted on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 02:23 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

That's a german export one, temporary registration, the date of expiration is in the yellow box.
Rear plates are to a Euro spec these days so they can be "read" by number recognition systems.
Big Brother is watching you!
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Tbolt98
Posted on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 02:29 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

"Company car"... is that where the MV sticker came from or did you put it on?
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Mr_grumpy
Posted on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 03:03 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Apparently the guy that had it rode one.

I'll either have to buy one myself or get the hair-dryer out to warm it up & peel it off.

As I'm pretty sure Madame G won't sanction an MV as yet another toy, the hair-dryer will probably be coming out.

It's a pretty sticker though.
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Britchri10
Posted on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 03:18 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Don't leave it out in the rain.....
Chris C
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Kcfirebolt
Posted on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 04:00 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Gorgeous car. According to Top Gear, you're not a proper petrol head til you've owned one.

In high school, my best friend had a '73 Spider Veloce, and we drove that think all over Kansas for two years. Needed some fiddling from time to time, and it was expensive to fix, but my God, how that car stirred the soul. I'm on my second Miata thanks to the memories of that Alfa.

Last year, my friend sold his 2 1/2 Alfa Berlinas, because all three didn't add up to one good one. He promptly ran out and bought another Spider. He's a maschocist, and I love him for it. Great car.
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Crusty
Posted on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 04:18 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Leave the sticker on it. It adds a touch more class to a vehicle that's oozing class.
Nice car. I'm almost jealous.
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Court
Posted on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 06:20 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I like that !
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Etennuly
Posted on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 07:21 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

It looks like the kind of bullet that needs to be fired through a cross bow. Smooth like butta!
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Ft_bstrd
Posted on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 08:46 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

THAT is a sexy beast.

To bad we don't get any of the good cars in the US. : | : | : |


I want a pantheon of diesel cars to choose from. We get VW and Mercedes.
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Xl1200r
Posted on Sunday, April 29, 2012 - 12:05 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I wish we'd tell Italy to keep those new Fiat 500s they're shipping over here and hook us up with some Alphas instead.
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Danger_dave
Posted on Sunday, April 29, 2012 - 02:19 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Oh. A station wagon.
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Mr_grumpy
Posted on Sunday, April 29, 2012 - 02:40 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

The new Dodge Dart is based on an enlarged Alfa Giulietta platform.

Another benefit you may see in the US is in the handling department.

All the Chrysler models that have been rebadged FIAT or Lancia, have had their suspension reworked to bring them up to What you'd expect from the Italians.
So you may get some cross pollination.

As for the 500s get hold of an Abarth version if you can, with a stick shift.

It's a pocket rocket!

But bang for the buck, go for the sport version & get it tuned, it'll be 95% as good as the Abarth but way cheaper, & more of a sleeper.

Be great fun to run the Dragon with one if you could get a clear shot at it.

My Alfa would be good too, but would be much better suited to howling the Cherahola.
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Mr_grumpy
Posted on Sunday, April 29, 2012 - 02:44 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Dave, this is one of those rare cases where the wagon is better than the sedan.

Volvo T5 was the same, it was so much better that they used the wagon shell for the touring car racer back in the 80s.
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Danger_dave
Posted on Sunday, April 29, 2012 - 03:06 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Oh - a station wagon. :-P
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Mr_grumpy
Posted on Sunday, April 29, 2012 - 03:10 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

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Torquehd
Posted on Sunday, April 29, 2012 - 03:11 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

now Dave... we have to be nice. people these days get offended by such simple things as words. that's why i won't mention cars imitating mini-vans or anything of the like.
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Danger_dave
Posted on Sunday, April 29, 2012 - 03:27 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

A friend of a friend is a Volvo T5 enthusiast.
I said 'Oh - a station wagon'.
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Danger_dave
Posted on Sunday, April 29, 2012 - 03:51 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

You know when my mrs came home with one of those four wheel contraptions:



I said 'Oh...a car.'
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Guell
Posted on Sunday, April 29, 2012 - 10:23 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I want a pantheon of diesel cars to choose from. We get VW and Mercedes.

or porsche, or bmw, jeep had diesels for a short period. I too wish we had more of a selection of diesel cars though.
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Aesquire
Posted on Sunday, April 29, 2012 - 10:45 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Sweet!
Personally, I prefer the wagon/estate version to the "regular car". Aerodynamically, there is an advantage, and it's way better for the "sleeper" aspects.

Having a '09 Sportwagen TDI, and liking it, I'm envious of that Alfa.

Getting 40mpg at 70mph, and being able to carry a lot of camping gear, including an entire medieval pavillion, in a car that is really a Mk5 GTI underneath..... is nice.

However, the Mk5 VW looks like a shoe. That Alfa........
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