The Prodigal
Member
This thread follows my introductory one on Newbies Central.
So after years of desiring a little soft top for fun in the sun, I began my search in earnest before Christmas, when I finally got the nod from my wonderful wife.
I have to confess I only had eyes for the Z3, and test drove one. I was very disappointed. The handling felt heavy (my Passat estate is lighter to drive), and I didn’t get that thrill that I was hoping for from a roadster. It just seemed like an ordinary car but with less seats.
My love for the Italian motor started when I was about 20, and, after I had abused a little Fiat 127 until it died far too prematurely (I was young), an Alfa Spider (late 70s model) appeared in a local showroom. I went as far as sitting in it for size, and showing it to my parents to see what they thought of the idea. I was somewhat alarmed however when the trader came down from £8000 to about £4000 fairly quickly. A check in the boot revealed some rust, and I walked away from what on the surface looked like a beautiful thing.
I must have banged on about this experience years later to my wife, and for my 40th birthday she hired us a Alfa Spider for a day, and we drove around the Cotswolds with the top down in the sunshine. That was 2 and a half years ago, and I was hooked.
Back to the present, and I can’t remember when I first thought it, but I suddenly noticed the Barchetta, and started to seriously think about it (having said that, I watched the Boxing Day Top Gear, and even then the Barchetta didn’t register with me, because I was watching the Z3, and test drove the Z3 subsequent to watching the programme). But as I surfed various sites for the right car at the right price, the Barchetta rose to the surface as the obvious choice. I test drove one in Bristol, and when I drove it, the experience I had had in the Alfa (and was sadly lacking in the Z3) came back to me– exactly the sensation I was looking for from a roadster.
So anyway, the Bristol one needed a little too much attention for me (no experience fixing cars) so I’ve finally got a 2004 model in black, and picked it up two weekends ago. I’m still in the honeymoon period, and keep sneaking into the garage (which happily has direct access from our hallway) when my wife’s back is turned.
Unfortunately the service history is scant; there is no evidence of cambelt or variator changes (get me!), or even oil filter/oil change, just several ‘services’ stamped in a book, and in some cases not even dated.
I am therefore assuming that with 51,000 on the clock, these are things I should get looked at/changed as a matter of urgency (I should add that I drove it for 2.5 hours home when I bought it, and it ran beautifully).
As with a lot of newbies first threads, I end with saying that any advice is gratefully received! (I just noticed Blackydog’s thread on a similar vein)
So after years of desiring a little soft top for fun in the sun, I began my search in earnest before Christmas, when I finally got the nod from my wonderful wife.
I have to confess I only had eyes for the Z3, and test drove one. I was very disappointed. The handling felt heavy (my Passat estate is lighter to drive), and I didn’t get that thrill that I was hoping for from a roadster. It just seemed like an ordinary car but with less seats.
My love for the Italian motor started when I was about 20, and, after I had abused a little Fiat 127 until it died far too prematurely (I was young), an Alfa Spider (late 70s model) appeared in a local showroom. I went as far as sitting in it for size, and showing it to my parents to see what they thought of the idea. I was somewhat alarmed however when the trader came down from £8000 to about £4000 fairly quickly. A check in the boot revealed some rust, and I walked away from what on the surface looked like a beautiful thing.
I must have banged on about this experience years later to my wife, and for my 40th birthday she hired us a Alfa Spider for a day, and we drove around the Cotswolds with the top down in the sunshine. That was 2 and a half years ago, and I was hooked.
Back to the present, and I can’t remember when I first thought it, but I suddenly noticed the Barchetta, and started to seriously think about it (having said that, I watched the Boxing Day Top Gear, and even then the Barchetta didn’t register with me, because I was watching the Z3, and test drove the Z3 subsequent to watching the programme). But as I surfed various sites for the right car at the right price, the Barchetta rose to the surface as the obvious choice. I test drove one in Bristol, and when I drove it, the experience I had had in the Alfa (and was sadly lacking in the Z3) came back to me– exactly the sensation I was looking for from a roadster.
So anyway, the Bristol one needed a little too much attention for me (no experience fixing cars) so I’ve finally got a 2004 model in black, and picked it up two weekends ago. I’m still in the honeymoon period, and keep sneaking into the garage (which happily has direct access from our hallway) when my wife’s back is turned.
Unfortunately the service history is scant; there is no evidence of cambelt or variator changes (get me!), or even oil filter/oil change, just several ‘services’ stamped in a book, and in some cases not even dated.
I am therefore assuming that with 51,000 on the clock, these are things I should get looked at/changed as a matter of urgency (I should add that I drove it for 2.5 hours home when I bought it, and it ran beautifully).
As with a lot of newbies first threads, I end with saying that any advice is gratefully received! (I just noticed Blackydog’s thread on a similar vein)
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