Re: alfa-digest V7 #1383

[Pottree@domain.elided]

In a message dated 02/23/2000 10:38:04 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:

<< Jaguar owners used to proudly display their
 weekly shop bills as a badge of courage.  Ferrari owners are accustomed to
 large cash outlays every five thousand miles just to keep things in proper
 tune.  "I own this car because I can *afford* to own this car, the frequent
 and regular service is part of the cost of the privilege of owning such a
 thoroughbred."  Alfa erred in not marketing the quirkiness as a feature,  >>

Interesting you point to two marques that sell for multiple times what mass 
production Alfas have sold for.  Can't have it both ways: if you want to 
compete with Camry at a price level, you have to be competitive in most other 
ways; if you want to be in the Ferrari or Jag class, and all that goes with 
that, you can't sell for Camry prices.  Alfas were far too inexpensive in the 
USA to create any customers in the showoff trade, and far too -- je ne sais 
quois, quirky? -- to develop much mass market appeal.

A car like a 164 should have been selling against Mercedes, not Saab, Toyota, 
or Infiniti.

Just my HO.

Charlie
LA, CA, USA

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