RE: a little rant on newbie Alfa buyers and ownership

["Jorge Mazlumian" <jmazl@domain.elided>]

Subject: a little rant on newbie Alfa buyers and ownership


<<and the inevitable is happening as I am sure is
part of the death throw of a car marque in an abandoned market. >>
<snip> (removed the rest 'cause it's long and to save space)
by AlfaBill
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Hi all
I'm surprised that no one responded to Bill's *rant*.
At first made it me rather sad to *see* Alfa-in-the-US reality so well
painted.  But after thinking about it all day (yes Bill, you made me think a
lot about it), and re-reading it,  I got rather annoyed at some of the
statements.

<Milanos are in the center ring of unwanted Alfas at the moment, taking
over for the GTV6 as they fade into garages and salvage yards>

Man, that hurts!  I see, granted not every week, lots of beautiful GTV6's
and Milano/75's on the streets and Alfa events that make me truly believe
that they will be around for a long time.  Not because they are cheap,
because they are, but because they are part of that select group of cars
that make it through time, and age gracefully, beautifully, with *dignity*.
Such is the case of the GTV's, Spiders, Supers and so on.  The fact that so
many fade into garages and salvage yards is just nature at work, but there
is a percentage that will live on, just because "it's an Alfa"
You asked not so long ago, and it got printed in the Alfa Owner, "why an
Alfa".  Most of us started loving these living creatures when we were young,
with no money, and no idea of their real maintenance cost.  But that's how
we start, and then the *Alfism* (Alfistism?) begins to be.

Please don't discourage young or new prospective buyers from being
inoculated with the virus.  If the host is good to it, the Alfa virus will
live on.  If the car is a lemon the virus will die anyway.  On the other
hand it is inevitable that some good Alfas will land in the wrong hands, and
will be neglected.  This is painful.  But good Alfas are not that cheap.
Cheap Alfas will end up in the pile anyway, unless a buyer decides to really
invest in it, or make it a racer.  But if that first owner got to know the
Alfa, eventually will look for a better replacement, and a better one, until
he/she is satisfied (does this ever happen?)

<<My whole point here, is this. If you are buying an Alfa because it is
cheap and cool, beware>>

*My* point is: go and buy it!  It either wont be cheap, and will survive, or
it will end up in the junk yard anyway.  But it will give a new owner the
chance to experience an Alfa.  Who knows.

Jorge Mazlumian
89 Milano Verde 239K and beautiful
74 GTV 110K and more beautiful than ever.  Certainly not cheap.

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