[Simes]

Right,

156GTA or Brera - it comes down to this....

Had a good run out in a 2.2 spider today with mrs simes - and we were shall we say underwhelmed. The roof mechanism is poor especially compared with the competition, the seats are not ones you sit in but on, there was a fair amount of scuttle shake and it's a lot slower than my 3.2 and certainly felt slower than the 2.2 in the 159 - on the upside it looked gorgeous...

We then went for a run in a Panda 100Hp - oh boy - if anyone is on the lookout for a fun little car and I mean fun in the same way the spider isn't you should seriously look at this. We take delivery on the 1st.

Mrs Simes now has a company car and we've ordered a 2.0tdci mondeo titanium X - (no 159's on her list) the mondeo is a large solid and given ford these days probably reliable. it also comes in under her allowance budget and leaves a small amount of tax to pay.

With all these changes I'm now in a quandary do i

1) keep running the 3.2 Brera - get a re-map, tweak the suspension to stop it crashing into speed bumps....

2) buy a diesel GT Q2 and get an angel map.

3) find a good late model 156GTA - I have my eyes on one and send it to Auodelta for a ferkling (map,suspension,zorst,brakes,induction,diff (or a Q2), cams). and set some money aside for the 60K service, new rad etc that it will need

all are about the same cost give or take a couple of thou - same for insurance although the GT will be cheaper on fuel and I do do the mileage.

It's all too hard - the GTA is my favourite car of all time and I'm getting soo tempted -

so with this in mind I open it to the floor for your thoughts....

Thanks,

Simes.

 

[Guest]

Errm no choice. What you propose to do (get a GTA fettled by Autodelta) is a dream come true. The GTA remains the ultimate performance Alfa until they do something new to beat it. But it does depend what you want - the Brera is a beautiful tourer but it is a different car to the GTA. I just fitted the Autodelta intake upgrade to mine and she is now fully alive. Just beautiful, but Q2 diff and coilovers also recommended.

Cheers,

Nigel (but I may be biased)

 

[Simes]

Had one of the first GTA's into the UK (MAR 02) - loved it to bits....

Needed a milemuncher, still do but want that something more - the GTA will share my personal mileage duty with the 100HP, family mileage will be in the mrs car, if she's off the road for a few weeks it wouldn't matter as much, and at the price I can most definately afford some AD breathing nothing too extreme mind you..

Simes.

 

[Kevin Slegg]

Keep your Brera and get it tweaked

 

[GhostyDog]

Buy something with a burbling V8, it's time to upgrade properly

 

[Roswell]

What about an Audi S4, BMW M3 or M5?

 

[GhostyDog]

OR a Maserati V8 Gransport, secondhand granted but... yee god's it's a LOT of car for the money.

 

[Simes]

Hmm V8

I draw the line at 20mpg - I was thinking of a monaro, but just can't see me doign it. The masers are just too expensive for me to run servicing costs are shall we say steep...

No BMW will ever darken my door again not after my 5 series episode.

The audi is interesting but just doesn't do it for me.

Anyway you trying to get rid of me?

Simes

 

[GhostyDog]

After what I saw today, there's going to be something trident shaped in my future, can't say when bt it's a must.

Although, I've kinda got my other half convinced about a second hand lambo gallardo, maybe in a few years. She absolutely drooled her bits off over the murcialago at AICC today

 

[Guest]

im with kev..

 

[ACAPULCO AL]

GTA. 'nuff said