General Which Coupe?

[sattyb]

i have to agree. Buy an Alfa GTV 2 litre instead. Currently run an Alfa 166 2.0 t/spark (2000 model and 103,000 miles) same engine as in the GTV. Never had any probs, even with oil consumption, on mine. my 2 brothers currently run 3.0 litre v6 GTV's :devilone of them being the Cup edition:slayer and both have never had any probs with them. As said if you look after them you shouldn't get any issues BUT make sure you go for one that's been looked after. As the saying goes "you get what you pay for". So avoid the cheaper (thrashed/neglected) ones.

 

[pinin__prestatyn]

Dobby, I think a 20V fits the bill, it's plenty fast enough and a HELL of a lot cheaper on the juice, insurance and in maintenance. A friend is selling her yellow 20V on fccuk for a bargain price, it's a lovely coop too. (girly owner) up for £1750 but I reckon she'd take less for somebody who'd love the coop as much as she has

http://www.fccuk.org/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=559714#Post559714

Whatever you decide, read the buyer's guide on fccuk, and perhaps take somebody with you that knows coops. Plenty on fccuk are willing to do this.

 

[an-drewm]

The benefit of having a 20vt as a company car - no insurance and no bills. That was in the days before silly emissions stuff though. My boss also had a 20vt but he didn't check the oil and the lease company made him pay half for the new engine. No idea what it cost to run but I was told the engine had to come out to change the cam belt.

Would I have one again? Yes, but not if I had to pay the bills.

 

[symonh2000]

I would rather have a 2 litre GTV than a Non turbo Fiat coupe as well.

However if it was a choice between a 20v turbo and A 3 litre GTV I would find it a very hard choice. The Fiat is a bit faster and more roomy, but I think the Alfa looks a bit better and has a better badge.

the Alfa was a more expensive car in the first place as well.

 

[Vickster]

But isn't the coupe faster and bigger - I think Dobby has kids - the GTV has less legroom and a smaller boot (if the urchins are going to be aloowed in that is )

Oh and the coupe is far far prettier IMO :yum:

 

[bridges]

I would rather have a 2 litre GTV than a Non
turbo Fiat coupe as well.

No way. Have you heard the engine in the stock 20v much better than the Tspark.

Interior is down to personal opinion. personally having driven the alfa I prefer the coupe interior. In fact I drove a few before opting for the N/A coupe

The V6 alfa would be nice but the coupe is so tunable.

Anyway back to the question. The 20v is very reliable. The only real things to look out for are the wishbone and bushes and that the belts have been done.

 

[StevenRB45]

V6 alfa sounds gorgeous...ones of the best engines ever made in IMHO the fiat coupe motor sound unfortunately reminds me of a volvo 850 but personal thing...also budgetting 1k for repairs in a year seems not that bad considering my 85 punto has cost 1.5k in 18months, I'd love either car a GTV or a coupe, but petrol and insurance would kill me, and not sure my driving style could cope with a car like that, don't want to stack something that cool...

 

[h2ypr]

Some interesting comments. Just to add a few points.

There was a 16v 1.8 version of the coupe, only available in europe, but if you were hell bent on getting one, its 130bhp and can be available in RHD although most are left hookers.

Its the general opinion of the coupe engines that this is the reliability scale.

16v non turbo - how deep are your pockets?
16v turbo - Hope you love visiting garages. Maintainance will be expensive
20v turbo - Better than the 16v engines and if you keep on top of it, will do you proud.
20v non turbo - Best engine of the lot. Most reliable and fewest bills if you buy a well maintained one.

The potential for modifying isnt there with the 20v n/a (well not on the engine side ) but if you cant afford the stnd turbo running costs, its not an option for you anyways.

Things to remember are that wishbones need replaced 20-30k, oil change preferably every 6k and cambelt change is a bugger so its better to take to a specialist.

Also think long and hard before having the coupe as your main car. Personally, i would have the cheapest crappiest run around aswell, to keep the mileage off the coupe and as a back up when the coupe breaks.

Ross

 

[ycming]

so ross, what is your idea of cheapest and cappist run around ?( better not be the cinq!!! )

Ming

 

[symonh2000]

Some interesting comments. Just to add a few points.

There was a 16v 1.8 version of the coupe, only available in europe, but if you were hell bent on getting one, its 130bhp and can be available in RHD although most are left hookers.

Its the general opinion of the coupe engines that this is the reliability scale.

16v non turbo - how deep are your pockets?
16v turbo - Hope you love visiting garages. Maintainance will be expensive
20v turbo - Better than the 16v engines and if you keep on top of it, will do you proud.
20v non turbo - Best engine of the lot. Most reliable and fewest bills if you buy a well maintained one.

The potential for modifying isnt there with the 20v n/a (well not on the engine side ) but if you cant afford the stnd turbo running costs, its not an option for you anyways.

Things to remember are that wishbones need replaced 20-30k, oil change preferably every 6k and cambelt change is a bugger so its better to take to a specialist.

Also think long and hard before having the coupe as your main car. Personally, i would have the cheapest crappiest run around aswell, to keep the mileage off the coupe and as a back up when the coupe breaks.

Ross

I use my Coupe everyday, although so far I found my 16VT to be more reliable than the 20VT I have now. Even though the 16VT had done 108,000 miles and my 20VT has only 73K on it..

 

[hmallett]

20v non turbo - Best engine of the lot. Most reliable and fewest bills if you buy a well maintained one.

Really? I've never heard anyone else say that the the 20VT is more reliable than the 20V.

 

[hmallett]

Buy an Alfa GTV 2 litre instead.

My experience of the GTV is that the back seats are for putting your coat on only, and that the view from the driver's seat is like looking through a letterbox!

 

[bridges]

Really? I've never heard anyone else say that the the 20VT is more reliable than the 20V.

read it again

 

[hmallett]

:doh:
In that case, I've never heard people say the 20V is the best... Most reliable, yes, but not the best .