What is your confidence level in the Milano V6? (was RE: [alfa] Re: What I want)

["Gregory Youngblood" <greg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> In fact, in a 1997 European Car article, the Milano was 
> listed as the best bargain of used daily drivers.   I have to agree.

Was that the V6 Milanos or the 4 cylinders?

I'm (hopefully) about to get a Milano (ok, my second -- after having to sell
my first, but I only drove the 1st a couple of times since it was in MN and
I wasn't) that I plan to use as a daily driver for both my wife and I. I
know I'll be putting some money into it early on. You usually do when you
get a new used car. 

What has me the most concerned is the timing belt "issues" that the v6s
suffer.

[you can skip the long paragraph below, it tells about my fixed up Honda
commuter from a few years ago.]

In general terms, a used car is generally much cheaper than a new one, if
you start with a good "base" or foundation. In the past I bought a 2 door
Honda accord (technically it was a 3 door since they count hatchbacks as
doors) that had a good body and good interior and a blown motor. I had a
used motor put in, did some other work, and for a grand total of about
$2,500 to $2,800 I had a car that was "worth" on paper about $2,000. On the
other hand, it drove me to and from work every day (120+ mile round trip) at
about 26 mpg for over a year. The commute was hardly "easy", it was split
into multiple legs, a 20 mile sprint that averaged 80 to 100 mph, about 10
miles ranging between 0 and 60, another 10 miles at 50 to 70, and the last 5
to 15 miles in stop and go traffic, with the rest somewhere in between
everything else. Sometimes I would have to take side streets to avoid
accidents. In short, for less than $3000 I had a mechanically "new", or at
least solid, car that more then earned its keep. Putting 24,000 miles in one
year on a "new" car would have lost more than $3,000 in depreciation alone,
let alone what you also would pay in payments.

[ok back to Alfa stuff]

In that Honda, if I got a call that I needed to head cross country because
of a sick family member, I wouldn't have hesitated. Get in the car, start it
up, and go. 

How many of you would do that with your V6 Alfas? Make a "last minute" trip
of at least 1,500 miles one way, checking only the oil, fluids, and tires
before getting on the highway? What if you have 25,000 miles since the last
t-belt? What if you have 29,000 miles on the t-belt?

I guess the better question is to ask how confident you are with the v6
Alfas? A car that faithfully and reliably takes you to work less than 10
miles each way, but that your not comfortable taking on a cross country trip
is complete different than a car that you'd hop into and drive 12 hours to
meet some friends for a last minute gathering, or even head out on a cross
country road trip.

Of course, my question assumes regular maintenance items are taking care of.
The whole "horror story" of the t-belt and the tensioner/detensioner is what
makes me pause and consider things more carefully.

Ok, long-winded, verbose comment and question is now over. I look forward to
reading your replies, and I apologize in advance if I somehow stirred up a
hornet's nest. :)

Greg
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