[alfa] 164 fire and couple of final thoughts.

[VLADDS@xxxxxxx]

Hi everyone
My '91 164 L burned 2 weeks ago. I owned it since '98. I've put on it since 
100K miles. Was a 5 speed. I'm almost sure that what caused the fire was the 
rear defogger relay. I used to always find the fuse melted on top of it, in the 
back, right next to the battery. Basically, I was driving the car on my way to 
woek when i smelt this odd smell, looked in the rear-view mirror and saw 
smoke and flames coming from on top of the driver's rear wheel from under the 
fender. I pulled over imediately in the center divider, jumped out, grabbed my 
fire extinguisher and put the fire out (I always carry one). But then the fire 
came back out! , more powerfully this time. The rear of the car was getting 
engulfed in smoke and flames to i ran away and called 911.
 The fire department arrived in quite good time (Long Island, NY)  in like 10 
minutes. I thought the car was going to blow sky-high with the tank 
being...on fire..
Those men, I must say, walked right up to the car, doing their job, really 
gutsy if you ask me.
Anyway, everything burned from the back window to the tip of the back bumper, 
except the tank didn't blow. The rate at which it burned was too fast, if you 
ask me, the materials were not fire-retardant enough, and the smoke was 
unbelievable.
So, at the time of the fire, I had in the car $14000 I sold it for $170. It's 
not a new story and I knew the car was on it's last leg, at 150 K miles.
In my ownership time, I got to know some nice people here in the digest and 
learnt a lot more about Alfa and italian cars ( I owned a Maserati Biturbo 
too). I was into Alfa before owning the 164, worked for them in Romania, when they 
were selling the 164 new.
I don't think that Maserati are bad, but don't want to restart that thread. 
And with 164, the worst part is the need to re-change parts.3 water pumps? 
third one (counting the factory as no1) 1.5 years after second one. Steppers every 
4 years (no metal gears, but what if the neck of the drum cracks even with 
the steel collar)?. Gasoline hoses every cold season? Timing belt once a year 
with worries about batch of bad tensioners?
I would do all this and more for a car that I perceive to be a top 
sedan/sports car. In '91 it was and I would say up untill 2000 it was, but then the new 
muscle car era begun. For Instance, the biturbo, once i changed something "it 
stayed fixed"and then there was the renewed surge of power.
Basically, I replaced it with a 2002 Subaru WRX (Hi Bill), a different 
proposition.
 So, It was nice talking to all of you guys, if anyone wants, please write 
couple words, even off digest.
Sorry for the length, let's say that I usually save length by not posting, 
and am consuming now for like 3 months.
Bye
Vlad
former '91 164L
2002 Subaru WRX
Long Island, NY
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