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Re: Howzit from South Africa
Welcome to the lovely world of Alfa Romeo Ownership... one of the most satisfying/gratifying things in life. I have three now, and I cannot shake it. Each one is different in character, look, power, capability yet they each manage to put a big smile on my face while driving. My two litre TS is in South Africa with my old man, she was my first alfa. Bianco Polare in colour.. and she now has 262,000km on the clock. I drove her from Gariep Dam (after Bloemfontein) to PE through Venterstad, Steynsburg, Hofmeyr and Cradock, appr. 600km in exactly 3hrs and 45 mins.. and I loved the high pitched whine of the twin spark as she climbed up past 5000rpm to the 7000rpm redline everytime. The balance of the TS was also excellent, not as nose heavy as the V6. I have a 156 GTA Selespeed (2004) and a 166 3.0V6 Sportronic (2004). The 156 GTA kicks your behind in a real special way, and the blip of the throttle on downward gear changes is enough to give any alfa nut goosebumps... certainly entertaining to pedestrians and other onlookers. The 166 is all grown up and mature. Nice to take to meetings, big enough boot for golf clubs, always a special cos it looks so different from its stablemates, (E Class and BMW 5 Series).
There is an Alfa Romeo club in Edenvale in Johannesburg, and once a year they have concours at Kyalami. Would make a nice drive up for you to Gauteng, to meet up with the other Alfa Owners. There are plenty in JHB. At the last meeting I went to in 2007, there were probably 600 cars there, all shapes sizes ages.. and one of the best tuners of Alfa's on earth is based in SA. Dawie de Williers of Glenwood Motors in Pretoria..
Anyway, enjoy your alfa bru, and remember, it's a TS. Change tensioners, belts, pulleys, water pump (has plastic impellor), at least every 60,000km. Let her warm up nice in the morning, and once the tem gets up to 90, you can be a real numpty with it. I gave mine 7000rpm to work everyday and back, and she has 262,000km and still going, so don't beleive all the kak out there that the TS is unrelaible. As long as you do decent maintenance, and check oil levels always, TS's are thirsty, and use GTX Magnatec 10w40, motoring will be fun..
Cheers man..
Stephen Manjai
Alfa Romeo 166 3.0V6 2004, Alfa Romeo 156 GTA Q2 Selespeed 2004, Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV 1968, Alfa Romeo 156 2.0TS 2000
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Hi, 
