166 Depreciation, and the way Alfas tug at the heart

Martin Jacques · 22-04-2003

I have spent a lot of the Easter weekend torn between conflicting emotions, and I felt compelled to put finger to keyboard. Please forgive me.....

As many of you will no doubt be aware, owning an Alfa is not the most sensible decision when looked upon from a purely financial point of view. I adore my 166 as a car, and it gives me great pleasure seeing it each morning looking so glorious. It is the car that I have wanted for so long, and the one that tore me away from a succession of worthy, but uninspiring company cars.

I have been looking at the used values of 166s, and I am shocked to see that they are commanding no more money than a 156 V6. I know that people have an aversion to large non-german cars, but this is mad in my mind.

I am changing jobs in the near future, and I will be going from a job that pays for all of my fuel to one that does not - and also happens to be a 120 mile daily commute away. These two factors combined with the fairly inconsistent nature of the M4, mean that I will be commuting by bike rather than by Alfa's finest. I cannot justify keeping the 166 as driveway art, no matter how much I would like to, and so it is with great regret that I realise that I must sell the car.

No matter how hard I think about the plain numbers of this, the glacial depreciation, the 'frustrating' experiences with the Alfa dealers, I am still left with a real sense of loss thinking that this car has to go. This is the only car I have ever owned that I will miss.

I think I must need some counselling - this is merely a 'hunk-a-metal' as our trans-atlantic cousins would say. Someone please tell me that I am not the only sad, delusioned, Alfa soul out there......

Martin.

ps: Hopefully, one day I can return to the fold - when the 167 starts being a reasonable price used.
pps: If anyone knows someone looking for a 1999 166, martin.jacques@cedar.com.
ppps: Is there a classifieds section on this site where I could post details - I cannot see one?

Banflu · 22-04-2003

why dont you use the 166 if the fuel's paid?

i would do close to anything to keep it!
but if not....

frown

LaTiNo · 22-04-2003

<blockquote>quote:<hr />
ps: Hopefully, one day I can return to the fold - when the 167 starts being a reasonable price used.
<hr /></blockquote>The good side of the enormous depreciation is that you won't have to wait that long

Too bad you have to let her go :'(

bazza · 22-04-2003

There is a classified section. You need the page list up on the left (you might need to go to the AO homepage to get this, it seems to make it's own mind up whether to appear generally or not), if you click on 'main menu', a sub-list will open, classified is in that list.
Don't know how many people use it though, might be easier to just post a for sale topic to the 166 lounge.

23-04-2003

Six glass of red wine (make that seven)and a cheese sandwich. Now love of a car is nor sad or stupid. The joy of driving a car with flair, emotions and soul is something that most car owner will never know and therefore never miss.

Before my 166 i had a lancia thema 16v turbo, this car i still miss even that every weekend was spent fixing, cleaning and making her the best she could be. To leave at the lights every car that challenged a old italian car (1991) to see in my rear view mirrior tiny spots which seconds before where bmw's, and the rest was better then sex (well nearly). Then to trade her in for the only car that would replace her my alfa 166. No not as fast but still the same feel of soul and flair. No bmw, audi, or volvo etc can( I have driven them all) ever be the same.

Over to you?

Martin Jacques · 23-04-2003

Well, a sincere thank you for all the kind words. A lot of sense talked here, something that normally does not fit with Alfa ownership.

My emotional rollercoaster continues today...., the car is at the dealers again to finally fix the clutch problems I have been having - I am replacing both the master and slave to see if that does the trick.

The loan car they have given me is a Nissan Almera. I have driven it the 80 miles to work this morning, and I missed my 166 every single one of them. I have no doubt that the nissan will be faultless for ever more, but it is like driving a spin dryer.

I really, really need to find a way to keep the 166. I think the mastercard advert springs to mind....

Fuel for the monthly commuting to work - £300.
Dealer visit every alternate Tuesday - £250.
Hire car when the clutch fails, again - £100.
3 litre Alfa V6 and the smug grin of driving something different - priceless.

Just need to find some other areas to sacrifice.

Anybody want to buy some shoes???

Martin (currently changing my mind more often than a LibDem politician)

ps: These damn cars get into your soul, don't they?

LaTiNo · 23-04-2003

Martin, if you are not going to use the 166 to go to work anymore you will drive a lot less miles each year which would also result in less costs (fuel and service). Or am I wrong?

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Martin Jacques:
Well, a sincere thank you for all the kind words. A lot of sense talked here, something that normally does not fit with Alfa ownership.

My emotional rollercoaster continues today...., the car is at the dealers again to finally fix the clutch problems I have been having - I am replacing both the master and slave to see if that does the trick.

The loan car they have given me is a Nissan Almera. I have driven it the 80 miles to work this morning, and I missed my 166 every single one of them. I have no doubt that the nissan will be faultless for ever more, but it is like driving a spin dryer.

I really, really need to find a way to keep the 166. I think the mastercard advert springs to mind....

Fuel for the monthly commuting to work - £300.
Dealer visit every alternate Tuesday - £250.
Hire car when the clutch fails, again - £100.
3 litre Alfa V6 and the smug grin of driving something different - priceless.

Just need to find some other areas to sacrifice.

Anybody want to buy some shoes???

Martin (currently changing my mind more often than a LibDem politician)

ps: These damn cars get into your soul, don't they?

Ivo · 23-04-2003

This morning I passed this very

black 166, with chrome accents, slightly lowered and very nice 17"-ers

Hmm, she looked very temtping

I like that car

LaTiNo · 23-04-2003

Ivo: Saw a beautiful Nuvola 3.0V6 Super with navigation, leather seats etc for 16.000 euro's at Milano this weekend. Much cheaper than a Maserati wink

Ivo · 23-04-2003

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by LaTiNo156:
Ivo: Saw a beautiful Nuvola 3.0V6 Super with navigation, leather seats etc for 16.000 euro's at Milano this weekend. Much cheaper than a Maserati wink <hr /></blockquote>I know, I know

I visit their site almost every day

So you did an alternative "meubelboulevard" tour this weekend wink

Anyway, It'll be the 3200 GT or nothing

LaTiNo · 23-04-2003

Every time when some friends come to us for a new car we go to Milano

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Ivo:
 <blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally osted by LaTiNo156:
Ivo: Saw a beautiful Nuvola 3.0V6 Super with navigation, leather seats etc for 16.000 euro's at Milano this weekend. Much cheaper than a Maserati wink <hr /></blockquote>I know, I know

I visit their site almost every day

So you did an alternative "meubelboulevard" tour this weekend wink

Anyway, It'll be the 3200 GT or nothing

Ivo · 23-04-2003

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by LaTiNo156:
Every time when some friends come to us for a new car we go to Milano

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Ivo:
 <blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally osted by LaTiNo156:
Ivo: Saw a beautiful Nuvola 3.0V6 Super with navigation, leather seats etc for 16.000 euro's at Milano this weekend. Much cheaper than a Maserati wink <hr /></blockquote>I know, I know

I visit their site almost every day

So you did an alternative "meubelboulevard" tour this weekend wink

Anyway, It'll be the 3200 GT or nothing

<hr /></blockquote><hr /></blockquote>ohhhhh, it's not the silver one anymore, it's the gunmetal grey one

I like that one very much

Ivo · 23-04-2003

50% depreciation in 2 years eek! wink

bazza · 23-04-2003

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Ivo:
50% depreciation in 2 years eek! wink <hr /></blockquote>Are you saying this is the average for Alfa's? Or are we talking about the Maser now?
I know for most cars the rule is that they'll lose just over 50% in their first three years. To tell the truth, if Alfa's go quicker than that, I'll be quite pleased, it brings my second-hand 147 GTA that little bit closer.

Ivo · 23-04-2003

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by bazza:
 <blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Ivo:
50% depreciation in 2 years eek! wink <hr /></blockquote>Are you saying this is the average for Alfa's? Or are we talking about the Maser now?
I know for most cars the rule is that they'll lose just over 50% in their first three years. To tell the truth, if Alfa's go quicker than that, I'll be quite pleased, it brings my second-hand 147 GTA that little bit closer.

<hr /></blockquote>Sorry: I was talking about the Maser LaTiNo has seen this weekend

LaTiNo · 23-04-2003

Told you it was a beauty!!

And it has red leather!

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Ivo:
 <blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by LaTiNo156:
Every time when some friends come to us for a new car we go to Milano

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Ivo:
 <blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally osted by LaTiNo156:
Ivo: Saw a beautiful Nuvola 3.0V6 Super with navigation, leather seats etc for 16.000 euro's at Milano this weekend. Much cheaper than a Maserati wink <hr /></blockquote>