Alfas in daily use

[Pottree@domain.elided]

In a message dated 02/02/2002 7:00:53 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:


> I recently moved, the result being that I'm even closer to work than before
> - -- about 2 miles one way.  There is no way my 164 is warmed up after 2
> miles, especially considering the *freezing* morning conditions here in San
> Francisco (about 43 degrees F).  
> 
> Should I just take the bus to work rather than wreak havoc on the engine
> during such a short jaunt?  
> 

There was a recent post about an American visitor to Italy and all the great 
cars and especially Alfas all over the place. 

Did you notice how they were driving in the cities and on the nearby roads?  
The traffic and roads there are (well...) city streets are mostly old 
fashioned and there is a lot of congestion and the cars spend a LOT of time 
crawling along.  Visiting smaller towns (once in the towns) you are also 
forced to drive very slowly in low gears a lot of the time because the roads 
are ancient and not meant for speed (many not really meant for cars; Venice 
carries this to the extreme!)  The point is they seem to do OK there with a 
regimen that can accommodate both low speed traffic conditions, perhaps never 
getting properly warmed up (if they are lucky enough to be able to drive to 
work in a congested area for a short distance!).  In Milano now the weather 
is pretty chilly and there are Alfas parked outside all night everywhere.  
So, I don't think this is going to absolutely wreck the car as long as it is 
properly maintained and it gets the regular enthusiastic IT workout you 
describe.

YMMV

Charlie
LA, CA, USA

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