What To Do!

[smiffy 99]

Here's the the thing, as some of you know I've got a GTA and a GTV, the GTV I think has had it the bottom engine gone and idleing funny, the GTA although great to drive infact awesome to drive needs a lot doing on it.

I love the shape and colour of the GTV and the way it handles and it is quite nippy for a 2.0.

So I can try and sell the GTA and with the sale money sort the GTV out either get the 2.0 rebuilt and modified with a supercharger or get a coupe engine fitted.

Or sell the GTV and spend it on the GTA.

I love both cars and would love to work on both on them.

How much would a 2.0 rebuild cost approx and what can be done to it to produce more torque and bhp? I like the idea of the supercharger tho

 

 

[Gibot123 16]

Think alot depends on what you want out of the car.

If its classic status the GTA will just have the edge over the GTV one cause its a GTA and then it's the busso .

If you want a cool street racer a breathed on GTV is probably the way to go .

You could find a good 3.0 to go in the GTV and fit a supercharger but you would be looking a a few grand I would have thought .

The same would apply to the twinny so difficult choice think they would be about the same fuel and maintenance wise all in all.

[LJ_GQV 115]

how much would you get for the GTA as it is though? If you are going to spend a lot on it it might be worth weighing up what its worth £££ (and what its worth to you).

 

If you go & spend more money on it than it is worth then you'll have to keep it a long time or let someone else benefit from your time/money.

 

 

GTV is nice too, how much is that worth? If it needs a new engine a coupe job would make it pretty cool. Could end up costing a lot again though because would you want more stopping power so cost of brake upgrade etc

 

 

[K9d 108]

What needs doing to the GTA and what model is it ?

[LJ_GQV 115]

its a 156 GTA (not an SW though)

[K9d 108]

If it was a SW I would be very seriously tempted as it is I'm just seriously tempted.

[LJ_GQV 115]

Go and buy this

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Alfa-Romeo-156-GTA-Sportwagon-NEW-MOT-/251326551506?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3a843ad5d2

[smiffy 99]

That's the thing at the mo the gta in current state I don't think is worth alot, I paid £5500 for it about 2yrs ago and every since prices have slowly gone down (I've seen some go for £2500 on eBay and they where half decent examples) if I sold it now I wouldn't get back what I paid (which was always the plan cus it was a rare car).

It needs discs pads all round calipers need a refurb and wheels needs a refurb.

The top arms have just started to groan and creak the bottom arms will probably get do aswell also the drop links.

Suspension is standard which is fine.

The two front wings need attention as they are blistering on the arch ( planning on getting new ones)

Rest of body work is in good nick and looks awesome after a spit and polish

Cam belt done last year with new metal water pump and cf2 mod.

 

Don't really want to sell it as I think it will be worth quite a bit a in a few years time especially if I get everything done that I want.

Just need to know how much it's all gonna cost

 

The GTV would be a cool car to do. As G said a fast street racer it would be quicker and better handling than a v6 . But the brakes would have to be uprated and would lower the car different alloys and the engine rebuild and supercharger.

 

Need to cost up both or sack it and bug a TVR Cerbera and live in a cardboard box

[smiffy 99]

Go and buy this

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Alfa-Romeo-156-GTA-Sportwagon-NEW-MOT-/251326551506?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3a843ad5d2

 

That's not bad might buy that one myself

[Gibot123 16]

I ve not seen many below £5000 seems to be the set bottom line for decent runners.

You may find the odd one where the seller is desperate but don't undervalue it in your head . Think most expect to pay £4500 up .

[Gibot123 16]

As for the paint try chips away or someone similar if its minor you may be surprised at the price .

[K9d 108]

I'm closer to it, will race you there

[LJ_GQV 115]

tbh everyone has been saying GTA's will go up in price since i bought mine, i sold mine at the right time i think. i paid £8500 for it, sold it 2 years later for £7900. i spent quite a bit on it so i lost money that way but since i sold mine prices dropped by a couple of grand quite quickly. i think they will go up in price, just think you'll be in for a long wait for it to happen

[LJ_GQV 115]

That's not bad might buy that one myself

 

I'm closer to it, will race you there

 

3.....

 

2.....

 

1.....

 

GO!

 

 

 

it does look like a good 1

[LJ_GQV 115]

as an alternative, why not swap the V6's around?

 

i mean like get a GTV cup and a 'lesser' engined car for your other 1? kids taxi, shop run etc Cup for the weekends

[Gibot123 16]

You two did notice the mileage I take it ,?

[smiffy 99]

I ve not seen many below £5000 seems to be the set bottom line for decent runners.

You may find the odd one where the seller is desperate but don't undervalue it in your head . Think most expect to pay £4500 up .

 

If I did all that was needed I do believe it would command a high price indeed but it would be harder to sell.

 

[Clem Fandango 71]

Five year plan

 

Fix the GTV first, new engine or whatever and keep the GTA ticking over then do the GTA up and keep both.

[smiffy 99]

You two did notice the mileage I take it ,?

 

Yes G my GTA has done 135,000 but you would struggle to find a better stronger engine, mileage doesn't bother me as long as there is paperwork to back it up.

[LJ_GQV 115]

You two did notice the mileage I take it ,?

 

if its been looked after it should be no difrent to a lower mileage car imo

 

I bought my 147 GTA on 28000 miles (roughly) suspension was shot and squeaked/knocked/groaned, blew the diff on it, brakes were gone, battery was knackered, lots of niggly little things i always wanted to sort out on it and it hated sitting around doing nothing. the more i drove it the better it got

 

joss made a good point when i was helping him find his GTA, he said if a car has got to high mileage it has obviously been looked after or it would've blown up by now

[smiffy 99]

Five year plan

 

Fix the GTV first, new engine or whatever and keep the GTA ticking over then do the GTA up and keep both.

 

That's a sound plan with the mot due soon and winter coming up sorn it and get the mechanicals done through the winter. Sort the GTV out now

[K9d 108]

Yes G my GTA has done 135,000 but you would struggle to find a better stronger engine, mileage doesn't bother me as long as there is paperwork to back it up.

 

My 166 has got 138,000 miles on it and the engine is sweet, they do seem to be good engines.

 

My 2.4 jtd has got 190,000 miles on it, and still runs great

 

I think its a case as said above, if its survived that many miles it must have been looked after.

 

Smaky said to me a while back that as Alfa's get older everything gets replaced so nothing is too old

[Gibot123 16]

That is true I personally would want to think about a rebuild at that sort of mileage that's all . Had a Beemer 323i that had that sort of mileage on it and felt good until it had 3/4 people in it going up hill then you could feel the lack of compression apart from that it was pretty fault less.

All depends on how it's done the mileage I suppose.

Edited September 14, 2013 by Gibot123

[LJ_GQV 115]

All depends on how it's done the mileage I suppose.

 

thats a good point, if its mainly motorway cruising its less likely to have been given abuse than a car that is used for short runs to/from work on some twisty roads etc. maybe

[K9d 108]

A diesel will have done less revs in its life than a V6, no matter how hard I try can't get the 156 to 7,000 rpm