RRH

Dead right. Swedish tish (re-arrange the letters as you see fit). Hate mine with a passion. Fortunately it goes back to the contract hire co in Jan so I can have the S2000 that I got talked out of last time.

Shame you're thinking of parting with the RS6 Ed, as I'm sure you'll miss it. We've had a couple of good years and I considered one myself, based on what you've reported, but have decided it'd be just too much of a financial commitment, and a millstone if business took a downturn. I have the STi too, and having two cars that do similar performance (albeit one with a maissve boot) didn't make too much sense either.

Here endeth the sermon, sorry guys!!!

Simon

RRH

how about one of the quick mitsi galant's? I don't know a lot about modern day Alfas, but would reliability be an issue with the sort of exciting life you have???

Edcase

Allegedly not on the GTA as it was the most recent of the 156 at which point they seemed to have got their act together.

Very rare too, less than 100 in Uk apparently?

Mitsi...well I may as well go for a scooby wagon if I went that direction

For the money the RS cost me I could have a very nice GTA and a lotus Exige for the track

Edcase

http://www.topgear.com/drives/A0/B8/...sts/06/01.html
great review...

mrtheedge2u2

the GTA is nice car..... avoid selespeed at all cost (regardless of engine). Try to get a model that is nowhere near due a cambelt change as its an engine out job. The 3.2 V6 sounds great but can be a heavy drinker. As you already know it can understeer quite alot.

To get more advice visit www.sportsalfa.com

gso

Edcase, get the GTA, you know you want to!

Yes you may spend some time at the shop getting warped brakes and rattles looked at, but the rest of the time you'll have a massive grin on your face!!

Edcase

I'm looking at one on Saturday afternoon!

As much as I love my RS6, I'm actually quite excited, I always get excited at the thought of trying a different car!

Heavy drinker?? Bear in mind what I'm coming from

On WOT the DIS reads 6mpg (and I think that's being hopeful!) and on a long trip I'll be lucky to average 18mpg

Edcase

Sorry, WOT being wide open throttle and DIS being driver info system

Deep Singh

I'm a bit confused by your maths.

Are you sure new brakes will cost £2k? I've just replaced the front discs and pads on my AMG and I was pleasantly suprised to find they cost less than £200! The rubber on my car costs approx £200 a corner for Mich pilot sports, so approx £1200. Yours are bigger though, granted.

Are you sure you've got the numbers right?

Edcase

Believe me.

Parts alone for the brakes are well over £1k.

logiclee

I ran a selespeed for just under two years around 2001. The gearbox was reliable and I got to like it a lot.

The rest of the ownership experience was a let down though, loads of niggles with suspension, steering and rattles. The dealers are useless, I even carried out warranty work myself because at least I knew it would be done correctly.

Cheers
Lee

twistybits

if you go ahead with the GTA go and visit Jano at www.autodelta.co.uk

Top bloke who knows Alfas inside out (personal experience)

Simon S3

So then Edcase, how was the Alfa?

Edcase

Didn't get there in the end, took advantage of the good weather and went mountainbiking.

There RS6 is booked in for cambelt and 40k service a week today so I can't go about selling that til then anyway.

Karl 227

I test drove the 159 3.2 over the weekend and was totally unimpressed, it felt slower than my ST220 estate, shame as I like the look of it but for a 3.2 lump it felt like a 2 litre