Re: Alfa US Sales

[Douglas Munford <doug@domain.elided>]

Kevin Fillip wrote:

> I personally believe that the single biggest stumbling block to any attempted
> reintroduction of Alfas in N. America would be the perceived low
> quality/reliability of the cars. I cannot tell you how many times someone has
> looked at my 164, said "what a lovely car" followed immediately by "I heard
> they are a nightmare to maintain" or something to this effect. Read any
> classic car magazine's review of an Alfa/Fiat/Lancia and what do you always
> see "great
> engine......wonderful car" but "dodgy electrics.....unreliable" or a similar
> comment. The Japanese manufacturers have set the bar incredibly high in this
> regard and the public will accept no less these days. I think that Alfa would
> have an incredibly difficult time overcoming this issue today. Having said
> this, I personally believe that a '91 BMW 325/525 is no less reliable or
> cheaper to maintain than my 164.

A major part of Alfa's disastrous marketing here was Alfa's reluctance to step
up, accept responsibility, and make good when they had considerable QC problems
in the 70s-80s.  The American public is very forgiving to transgressions when
the guilty party confesses, apologizes, and sets about making up for it (or at
least, is perceived to be doing so).  During that crucial period, I think, BMW
and Mercedes got the upper hand in the consumer's perception of what the quality
European car marques were, and they never looked back.  What Alfa had
accomplished in all the previous decades - the quality, beauty, rich history and
advanced engineering of their cars, including the ones sold here in the 50s and
60s, was forgotten; the return to high quality in the 90s didn't matter - it was
too late.

My first Alfa was a '75 and I absolutely loved it, but it rusted like mad, and
needed a lot of attention to run at or near peak performance.

Agreeing with what Kevin said: now, when friends, acquaintances and clients hear
I'm an owner/enthusiast, many try to tell me how horrible Alfa's reliability
is.  It's a common perception.  Two quick examples: a manager at a Valvoline
joint, it turns out, knows the 164 fairly well.  Has done routine work on many
of them.  Yeay.  But as we're in the pit, under the car, and he's telling me
interesting stuff about them, he adds, "This thing must be a nightmare in the
snow."  Sheesh.

Story 2: a lawyer-client of mine (a partner in one of New England's primo law
firms), upon seeing the 164 in the parking lot from his Infiniti, asks, "Who
owns the Alfa?"  Hearing it was mine, he continues: "Have a lot of problems with
it?"  I said actually, it's been terrific.  He then asks, "How many minutes have
you owned it?"


This all goes back to marketing; specifically, P.R.   Seeing now how
Fiat/Alfa-NA handles things (the logo matter), I understand why they failed so
miserably in P.R. here.  There's an arrogance.... a disturbing inflexibility....
an insistence on focusing on the most absurd things.... and of stubbornly
adhering to a way of viewing the marque's loyal enthusiasts (i.e.: Alfa web site
owners, owners' clubs) with contempt - or, at the very least, a condescension.
Rather than trying to understand its audience and re-acting, Fiat-Alfa / ARDONA
probably felt that if NA consumers were too stupid to buy Alfas instead of
german luxury-performance sedans and roadsters, then to hell with them (us).
>From what I've seen lately, they seem to like to dictate, rather than
accommodate, their customers - even their most dedicated ones.

I very much agree, too, that Chrysler played a pivotal role in screwing things
up.  Two current and one former Chrysler dealers are among my friends, and
before I got my 164, I was warned by them about what horrid quality and parts
distribution Alfa is famous for.  One called them "Italian junk."  Another told
me I'd have to go to New York to get decent service.  Fell on deaf ears, of
course, but I already owned and loved my '75.  If I hadn't, and knew little
about Alfa ownership, I probably would've been convinced.  There was a lot of
anti-Alfa propaganda out there, perpetuated thru Chrysler.


~ Doug in CT

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