[alfa] Mostly off-topic

["eric h" <ejham@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

As a long-time, on-and-off-again Alfisti, I feel somewhat qualified to offer
some advice regarding two cars which might appeal to readers here. Having
owned and used as daily drivers a '79 Spider, an '83 GTV6 with mods, two
Milanos (one a low mileage stock Platino and the other a killer Verde), and
a nice 164 L automatic, I have a feel for these cars since my first in 1984.
I'd like to offer up two 21st century cars worthy of consideration:

Cadillac Catera - for those of you who like the 164's stock ride and
features. While it misses a little in style, this Opel Omega in Caddy
badging has some 164-like features: leather interior, aluminum DOHC 200 HP
engine complete with rubber timing belt (and yes, GM is finding the belt
needs replacing more often than they thought), a transmission which is not
afraid to send the engine to red-line, European feel. It doesn't have
stepper motors which break or a ZF transmission which slips and dies at 100K
miles. Like the 164, it's way undervalued and discontinued in the US. As a
bonus, the seats flip down for extra hauling capability -- a feature more
useful than the ski-condom of the 164.

Another perk is the startled, confused or envious looks you get from Camry,
Accord, and SUV owners when you pass them with the engine singing at 6K RPM
through a genuine dual exhaust. Yes, it has two cats and knows how to
breath.

I loved my Catera, but found a car I had to trade it in on...


Mazda RX8 - over the years, I've met many Alfisti who owned RX7s (and 4's
and even 3's) and came to the conclusion that this is not coincidence. The
engineers at Mazda (and, arguably, Nissan) really seem to know how to build
a sports car when they want to. To keep things short -- as you can read all
the specs at mazda.com -- I'll sum up the RX8 in one sentence:

It's a 21st Century, 240 HP rotary-powered GTV6 with a redline of 9K into
which passengers can actually seat themselves comfortably in back and is
nimble enough to feel like a '74 Spider with 4-inch-wide tires inflated to
50 lbs. yet can pull .91G on a turn while being stared at for its, thus-far,
out-of-the-ordinary appearance.

Whew!

As Ferris Bueller once commented about a F**r**i Daytona 250 -- "I highly
recommend picking one up." Until Alfa returns with something balanced and
fast, the RX8 is what I will drive unless someone gives me a F**r**i 355
Spider that seats 4.


Flame me if you like...I'll just take refuge in my 96K mile, 1976 Spider
which gets out now and then when the sun shines. I'm not trying to lead you
all astray, but we must face the fact that our cars are fading from the
'daily driver' scene. If they are to last, we need to drive something else
to work. Why not smile while we commute?

- Eric Hambleton, Marietta, GA

Alfas present: 1976 Spider, 1977 Alfetta GT (free to good or bad home -- 
come get it!)
Alfas past: 93 164L, 88 Milano Platino, 83 GTV6, 82 GTV6, 87 Milano Oro, 79
Spider Veloce
Alfas future: that 4WD or rear-drive fast one with 300HP.
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