[Robbo73]

Hello all.

I wanted to get thoughts on my scenario.

Thinking to change my car. It's a red Ti sportwagon, one of the last run ones with 40 k on the clock. It's a great car, rare spec and I've owned since new. I have been offered 11.5k for it with 16 monthly payments left before I own it outright. I do fancy a change and owning a Busso v6 before these are all on big miles would be cool. Veloces have a nice GT for sale for 7,950. It looks well kept. If I bought it and ran it for 2 years until the Giulias are out, it would be essentially a trade in and no payments which I'd put aside for a new car.

These seem to be holding their value at the moment/going up. This particular GT has 79k on the clock and had 4 owners. I believe it's been owned by someone in the Bedfordshire section of AO. I only do 7-8k a year so wouldn't put much on the clock. I've got two boys(4&6)so need the decent boot for set of golf clubs! let's say I want to sell it in 2 years would I get close to my money back for it? Or should I hold on for one with 50-60k on the clock. Or will it make much difference in order to enjoy one?

Thanks,
Iain

 

[115686]

It would have to be a very nice one to be worth £7950 with 89k on the clock. As in "we've just stuck a new engine in it, clutch and a Quaife". If it is just a well serviced car with good paint it is approaching the age when expensive things need doing. That sort of money is for a car that just needs servicing for the next 3 years...

I don't think they are depreciating any more, rather it is a question of whether you will fork out a vast amount of money to keep it going.

 

[DNG]

Save yourself £2.5k and buy mine. 81k on the clock and all big jobs done on the engine

 

[Alan Walker]

That sounds expensive for a 3.2 with that mileage. Veloces are ambitious with their pricing I think. I only paid a grand more than that for a 37000 mile, one owner example from a specialist last year.

 

[daKlone]

Just a suggestion, but this one is £2k cheaper and 3 years younger with similar mileage:

Used Alfa Romeo Gt Coupe 3.2 V6 24v Lusso 2dr in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire | Auto Motion

Could put you in a better position to recoup your money in 2 years time, or worst-case give you £2k to cover any problems in that time?

 

[DNG]

A forum member has been to see that one. He was quite unimpressed

 

[sye]

A forum member has been to see that one. He was quite unimpressed

+1. Avoid

 

[sye]

A forum member has been to see that one. He was quite unimpressed

Hello all.

I wanted to get thoughts on my scenario.

Thinking to change my car. It's a red Ti sportwagon, one of the last run ones with 40 k on the clock. It's a great car, rare spec and I've owned since new. I have been offered 11.5k for it with 16 monthly payments left before I own it outright. I do fancy a change and owning a Busso v6 before these are all on big miles would be cool. Veloces have a nice GT for sale for 7,950. It looks well kept. If I bought it and ran it for 2 years until the Giulias are out, it would be essentially a trade in and no payments which I'd put aside for a new car.

These seem to be holding their value at the moment/going up. This particular GT has 79k on the clock and had 4 owners. I believe it's been owned by someone in the Bedfordshire section of AO. I only do 7-8k a year so wouldn't put much on the clock. I've got two boys(4&6)so need the decent boot for set of golf clubs! let's say I want to sell it in 2 years would I get close to my money back for it? Or should I hold on for one with 50-60k on the clock. Or will it make much difference in order to enjoy one?

Thanks,
Iain

This car was for sale a couple of months ago privately for just over £5000.
IMO, the car is nowhere near £3k better that it was when first advertised. I honestly think that with one or two 'specialists' advertising V6's at big numbers, it has artificially inflated prices in recent months. Fundamentally, I would suggest that some of these examples are perhaps not as good as a well written advert would suggest ..

 

[mjaz101]

Which engine do you have in the 159? We also have a ti SW as the baby wagon with the 1750tbi motor. It's a great drive but the GT v6 is in a different league as is much lighter and stiffer as well as more powerful.
I've had my GT v6 for 2.5 years now having run a 156 GTA and GT jtd before that (among others).
The price for a GT is really dependant on spec and history. The champagne colour would be an abso no go for me irrespective of history etc!
You will always get a better deal buying privately however the confidence to return an iffy car is where the dealer can assist and therefore the price reflects this...
Do your homework, inspect and drive the cars back to back and go for it!

 

[Shimmerydolmeo]

Low mileage and FSH does not mean no problems! I learned the hard way.

Yes you can probably buy a low mileage one and sell on in 2 years without losing (much) money but you will put money in over those 2 years.

The 2 cars discussed are too expensive. If you're going for 80k plus then I would buy cheap and have a few k set aside for rebuilding etc. If you're going low mileage I paid just over 6k for lovely condition with 55k on clock. Had the head gasket not been knackered then this would have been a fair price.

 

[mjaz101]

It's the same game with buying a GTA: buy a cheaper car and expect to have to fund some repairs, or, buy a more expensive car and then probably have to fund some repairs. However, at the end of the day, the price point that you buy in at will probably determine the resale value:
Buy a low mileage more expensive option and the resale will be higher, assuming that all options 'could' require the same expenditure on repairs.
However, like GTAs, when extra has been spent in extras, the mileage debate becomes a bit more blurred.
I bought mine 2.5 years ago at 40k for what was a relatively high price (at the time). I've since spent lots on pre-emptive maintenance and some basic upgrades however mine, if for sale (which it is not) would be considered to be overpriced by many, even though now at a leggy 81k.
Buy what you like, expect that at some point you will have to spend some money on it (it's a machine), be happy.

 

[joeymannero]

So Easy to get it wrong with these..GT's have enough non engine related stuff to be concerned with without adding a V6 into the mix..its a simple engine in its operation but due to access and parts costs, repairs are often pricey if required.

The Busso was never designed to handle the multiple cats that later models where saddled with,this causes back pressure which has to go somewhere ..hence the headgasket issues that seem to have become more common than I would like..at least3 on here in recent months.


Great car combined with a legendary engine ..but buyer beware. I would have a compression test,sniff test ,diagnostics and a thorough inspection of all the oily bits.

In addition I would want a recent cambelt ,upper and lower wishbones evidence of regular and early oil changes,at this age a clutch or two a flywheel and a rust free or replacement oil cooler.

If a seller didnt want or couldn't arrange an inspection by my trusted specialist I would jog on..

You need to be as cautious as a naked bloke in a room full of razor blades in a power cut is what i'm saying.

Do it by all means you wont'be sorry..IF you don't rush in and get it all checked out.

Good luck and pics please as and when you buy..

 

[mjaz101]

Sounds like normal practice for buying a secondhand car. No need to be so scared, just have your eyes open!

 

[Robbo73]

Good advice here chaps. I'm going to take my time and consider carefully! that is after all the most fun bit?

 

[joeymannero]

Yup,thats one way of looking at it.

All marques /models have known issues so really no different in that respect.

Its just if you do miss something big open wallet surgery is just around the corner..