Three Alfas, a Turbo Porsche, and a German Wagon: Members’ Rides

Hey there! Thanks for coming back to read another installment of Members’ Rides. Last time we looked at marvelous matching Miatas, as well as a tricky Triumph track star (ok, autocross car, but track worked better for the alliteration). That proved to be a popular collection of cars with y’all. This week, we’re going Italian!

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Like many of you, I’m sure, I follow the offerings on Bring a Trailer more than I probably should. It’s always fun to see the unique rides that pop up there. Autopion Member TheModernLeper does that too, but he’s not just a virtual tire kicker – he went out and bought three Alfa Romeos from the site! In addition to the Italians, he’s also got a lust-worthy 911 Turbo, and a gorgeous Mercedes station wagon. We’ll get to all of them, don’t worry.

How did you get into cars?

I’ve been into cars since I was very young. Starting with Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars, then building models and racing AFX slot cars with my siblings. I also remember a lot of trips to the Chicago Auto Show back in the day. Beyond that, I also worked on cars with my family. I remember helping my dad change the pitman arm on a ’71 Vista Cruiser and working with my sister to change the timing chain on her ’70 Chevelle.

And what’s in the garage now?

• 1971 Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV
• 1991 Alfa Romeo Spider
• 1996 Alfa Romeo Spider 2.0 Twin Spark
• 2007 – Porsche 911 Turbo
• 2019 – Mercedes-Benz E450 Wagon

Which of the fun cars do you drive the most?

In order of most to least driven: 911, GTV, ’96 Spider, ’91 Spider. In terms of mileage, I probably put a few thousand miles on the 911 and less than 1,000 miles on each of the Alfa Romeos. I am trying to drive the fun cars more this summer.

What made you seek out the Alfa GTV?

When my wife was growing up, she spent summers in Europe. After seeing them there, she always wanted one. Being a car guy, I was familiar with the Alfa Romeo brand but not really this specific model. I knew them more for the Spider. The more that I read about the GTV and the more I saw them on BaT, the more enamored I became. But it was definitely my wife’s interest that led to our Alfa Romeo collection.

How was the BaT experience?

I had bid on quite a few GTVs, but they kept selling for more than I wanted to spend. Since I kept losing the auctions, I realized I needed to increase my budget. For this auction, I submitted my last bid and closed my laptop. I didn’t want to bid any higher, and closing my laptop and walking away ensured I wouldn’t. I checked back a few minutes later and was delighted to see I had won.

The seller was very easy to work with. We chatted on the phone, and then after I wired the funds, she overnighted the title and other paperwork. I used BaT enclosed shipping. They coordinated pickup with the seller, and the next day, it was in my driveway. Buying on BaT has been painless for all three of my Alfa Romeos.

The nice surprise with this purchase was all the provided history. I have the owner’s manual, maintenance/warranty book, original window sticker, original bill of sale and repair receipts starting from 1976. I am only the 4th owner, and it was always a California car until I moved it to Colorado. It is cool to have all of this documented history.

Have you had to do much work on the GTV?

Whenever I buy a used car, I set a known baseline for maintenance. I do a full fluid flush/change and change plugs and the air filter. So that work was done shortly after I acquired it, along with some other basic things. Then, when I moved it from sea level to 8200 ft, the fuel pump wouldn’t create enough pressure, so that had to be upgraded. The big maintenance was the transmission – the synchros for first, second, third, and fourth were worn out. I had them replaced during a full transmission rebuild.

I have also done some cosmetic work to the car. It came with 14″ steel wheels with 185/70 tires, but I like the look of a slightly wider tire. I ordered some 15″ aluminum rims from Alfaholics and put on 195/60 tires. I also changed to euro taillights with Jason-approved amber turn signals. The last cosmetic change I made was yellow fog lights up front. This is a controversial change because they were not standard in the USA, but my wife prefers them, and that’s all that matters.

Is the GTV known to chew up synchros? And did you stick with the factory gear ratios for the transmission rebuild?

Old Alfa Romeos are notorious for having terrible synchros. Reading the online forums, the suggestion is to double-clutch and rev-match when downshifting, but to be honest, I couldn’t successfully do that every time. There was a lot of crunching going on. Since I wanted the synchros replaced, I went all in with an Alfaholics lightweight, close ratio gear set along with the rebuild kit and competition synchros.

How is it after the upgrade?

The car is not a highway cruiser, so the slightly shorter gears are not a problem. It makes it much more fun on the mountain roads where I live. The car will still cruise at 75 mph on the highway, albeit at a noisy 4000 RPM. Primarily, it is really nice not to worry about the synchros during a spirited drive.

Were you only looking for a GTV with a 2000cc engine or would you have considered the smaller mill?

I definitely would have considered a smaller engine. My wife really likes the GT and the Junior with just the two headlights (no fog lights), and those often have the smaller displacement versions of the Nord engine. The design of the car is what really attracted us.

You mentioned that you would keep this over all of the other fun cars. What makes it so special over even the 911?

The old adage rings true with me: It is more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow. I live in the mountains and there are many fun driving roads out my back door; any time I leave the house, I’m on a twisty mountain road. But, to have fun in the 911, I’m seriously breaking the law and not being a very good neighbor. The acceleration is crazy fun, but it really is too fast for many of these small mountain roads.

The two Spiders are fun for top-down cruising in the mountains. The ’96 has some pep and is fun to put through its paces, but I still prefer the GTV. A prior owner modified the GTV suspension with Competition springs and shocks from Centerline International to improve the handling. The small size and light weight of the GTV, along with the suspension modifications, make it perfect for the mountain roads. With the rebuilt transmission, effortlessly rowing the gears is a lot of fun. In the 911, I usually just stay in second gear, maybe get into third, but third is really fast on small mountain roads. The GTV is much more engaging to drive because I actually get to shift.

Now what led to the ’91 Spider?

In addition to the GTV, my wife also likes the design of the Spiders. I was watching auctions, and the Spiders were more affordable than the GTVs, so this made for an easier entry into classic Alfa Romeo ownership. It helped that it was close by and that I didn’t have to pay for shipping. Also, I really like this car in red with a tan interior. That classic color combination increased my interest.

And how is it?

It is a fun car to drive around town. With all the original suspension, it is not super sporty, but it does get a lot of looks and thumbs up from others. It is a rust-free Spider in good mechanical shape with classic styling. There is a lot to like about it.

Was it as advertised on BaT or worse than you expected?

The seller was really honest in the comments and was great to work with. However, he did forget that the rear bushings needed replacement. Also, the interior had photographed well, but the reality was that the driver’s seat was a bit rough. The vinyl was in bad shape, and the seat bolster was no longer bolstering. I ordered new seat upholstery and seat bottom foam, and upgraded from worn-out vinyl to leather and suede. After a professional install, it looks just like it came from the factory. Other than the interior refresh, I’ve kept it the same as when I bought it.

Has this been pretty easy to find parts for and people to work on it?

In the Bay Area, I found a good, independent mechanic who specialized in older Alfa Romeos. He was great for working on both the Spider as well as the GTV. After my move to Colorado, I found another good mechanic. Unfortunately, he is a bit far away, but a knowledgeable mechanic is good to find, and he’s worth the drive.

Parts for these are not that difficult to find. The Nord engine was stuffed into almost everything Alfa produced from 1956 to 1994, so engine parts are readily available. A lot of the other mechanicals were also rather long-lived and shared across the Alfa Romeo family of cars. The primary shop I use in the USA is Centerline International. There are also a few places that are parting out old Alfa Romeos. For anything that Centerline doesn’t have, Alfaholics in the UK is a great source. All parts are available, but possibly not at the local parts store.

Wait, the 74 and the 91 have the same engine? Does it feel similar?

Even with the same Nord engine under the hood, the GTV and the Spider feel really different. The GTV was rated for more horsepower (130 hp) than the Spider (119hp). They also have different fuel injection systems, with the GTV having a SPICA mechanical injection and the Spider using Motronic electric fuel injection. It’s probably a safe assumption that the addition of emissions components on the Spider negatively impacts the performance as well. Overall, the GTV feels more lively (even before the gearing change).

What is better about this one vs the ’96 spider?

Alfa Romeo made variations of this Spider for nearly 30 years. It is a very classic-looking car and well recognized. This car is a nice cruiser with a softer suspension to accommodate the not-so-stiff chassis. It is still nice to drive, but with only 119 hp from the factory and running on original suspension components combined with living above 8200 feet elevation, it is not a quick car that begs to be driven hard.

Is this one still stock?

Not quite. The previous owner did some retro modifications to it. The large, body color side mirrors were replaced with small, round, old-school chrome mirrors. They are completely useless, but they look great. The big, blobby steering wheel with the airbag has been replaced with a beautiful, wood Nardi wheel along with a matching shift knob. The modifications look great, and it’s fun to confuse the crowd at Cars and Coffee because they can’t figure out what year the car is. Some parts look older … some look newer.

Any plans for additional upgrades?

The prior owner removed the stereo head unit and antenna. My plan for this summer is to get an audio system installed. It definitely needs a new head unit, but the original speakers will need an upgrade, too. And, maybe I’ll sneak in a subwoofer. The recent Autopian article on the retro look Pioneer unit reminded me that I want to get this done. It would be nice to use something like the Pioneer or a Blaupunkt that looks old but has new features and functionality.

How did you end up buying the ’96 Spider?

This is the third car that I bought on BaT. I hadn’t researched them at all and was browsing BaT when I saw the auction was closing in an hour or so. I read through the comments, looked at the photos, and went for it. It was very much an impulse buy; I definitely overpaid (oops). However, I don’t regret it as it is a unique and fun car to drive.

What does this do better than the 91?

The ’96 Spider feels more modern than the ’91. The ’96 was a really big upgrade from the aging ’91 model. There seems to be less cowl shake, and the extra horsepower (150hp vs 119hp) is welcome. The ’96 Spider dash also feels much more modern, it definitely feels like there is more than a five-year difference in their age. The big difference is the chassis and horsepower. The ’96 handles better, and the extra horsepower is enjoyable. And living where I do, I need all the horsepower I can get.

If you had to pick between the ’96 and the ’91, which would you keep?

This is a tough question. The ’96 drives a bit better, and the extra horsepower is a bonus, especially in the mountains. It just drives more like a modern car than the ’91. The styling of the ’91 is much more classic, and even with the rarity of the ’96 Spider in the USA, the ’91 gets more looks and comments at car gatherings. With a nod to the classic styling and because my wife likes it more, I think I would keep the ’91.

Have you ever had a hard time finding anything you need for this?

I have not yet had a problem finding parts for this non-USA car. The car only came with the owner’s manual (in French) and no documentation for the maintenance history. This is an interference engine, and the original recommendation for the timing belt change was 72k miles/6 years. After many issues with belts breaking early, Alfa Romeo then halved that recommendation to 36k miles/3 years. Without knowing my car’s maintenance history, I ordered a new timing belt, balancer belt, water pump, spark plugs, and oil/air filters from England. They arrived in a few days. I also ordered a new radiator and hoses, which arrived only 2 days after ordering. Fortunately, ordering from overseas has not been a problem.

When I got it, the switches for the convertible top worked, but the plastic that held them in place was broken. These switches are not available new anymore. I ordered a used switch, and of course it was from a later model year and wired differently. I guess Alfa Romeo realized the original switch was poorly designed and redesigned it. Even the wire colors changed. So, wiring in the new switch required sitting with the wiring diagrams for a while. Luckily, the entire set of repair manuals is available in PDF format, which helps identify needed parts and maintenance.

Now what’s the story behind the 911 Turbo?

I was actually looking to buy a used Cayman S. The dealer had one listed on their website, and I called to make sure they still had it. When I arrived at the dealership the next day, the Cayman S, the only used one they had in stock, had already sold. I drove a used Carrera S, which was a great car, but it was black and I wasn’t interested in a black car. The Turbo was in the corner of the used lot and had just come off a three-year lease. I thought I might as well give it a test drive since I was there! The sales rep had it easy because I totally upsold myself. With over 44000 miles, it was a high-mileage example, but that increased the depreciation and helped me afford it. Now it has over 93,000 miles.

What is this best at?

Acceleration! The acceleration in this car is wild. Even without the turbos, the acceleration is good, but at 3000+ rpm with the turbos contributing, off-to-jail speeds are quickly reached. It has the Sport Chrono package, which at the press of a button changes the throttle response, firms up the already firm suspension, and allows for up to 20 seconds of overboost. The more responsive throttle helps my meager heel-toe shifting skills. The firmer suspension is very, very firm. You don’t want to accidentally have that on while driving in downtown San Francisco. Ask me how I know.

The overboost increases horsepower from 455 to 505. My guess is that if all 20 seconds of overboost were used, the speedometer would be well into triple digits. I’ve of course never tried it (wink), but I have heard that even at speeds above 150 mph, it is still accelerating briskly. It is great fun, but it is deceptively quick, and you really need to pay attention to the rapidly increasing speed.

Is there anything you don’t like about it?

Not anymore. The original head unit didn’t support Bluetooth or Apple CarPlay. A few years ago, Porsche came out with Porsche Classic Communication Management Plus (PCCM+) systems to add these capabilities to older cars. It looks stock and provides almost all the current features you could need (no wireless Bluetooth, though). That was the only change I’ve made to the car. I just don’t want or need to make any other changes.

People always talk about how reliable these Porsches are. Has that been your experience?

It has been mostly reliable. Thankfully, it was a CPO purchase which added a three-year warranty. Shortly after I acquired it, the check engine light came on. A dealer figured out that a solenoid on one of the adjustable cams was stuck open (in high output mode). That was an expensive repair that was covered under warranty. After discovering a very large puddle seeping out from under the car, another warranty repair was required to replace the steering rack. Those are the only two major repairs during the warranty period.

A few months after I purchased it, the clutch started slipping. The is not covered under warranty, so I had to pay for that repair. Another expensive out-of-warranty issue was a leak in the hydraulics for the adjustable rear spoiler. A lot of Turbo owners buy a kit that just locks the spoiler in the up position. I wasn’t ready to start bodging things on this car, so I paid to have the hydraulics replaced. There have been other small issues. A CV boot replacement or three. I’ve replaced the water pump as well, and an issue with the power window not lowering for clearance when opening and closing the door.

It has only stranded me once. Last summer, shifting from first to second, the shift linkage broke and the car was stuck in first. I’m 45 minutes from the dealer, so a AAA tow was ordered.

I started this answer with “mostly reliable,” but then listed quite a few repairs. I guess it’s not too long a list for 15 years of ownership. Also, I have the desire and can afford to keep everything working perfectly on it, so I’m not going to ignore issues or delay repairs. Adrian’s recent article adding up his costs of Ferrari ownership had me considering doing the same, but there is a part of me that would rather not know that number!

How did you pick out the E450?

I bought a 1999 E320 wagon new, and had it for 20 years and 8 days. It was a good, solid car, but was definitely showing its age with 225k miles and a close encounter with a deer. It was time.

Jumping forward 20 years, how is this in comparison?

I think the biggest difference is the addition of driver aids and having more comfort features. Simple things like keyless entry and the heated steering wheel, and armrests are quite convenient and nice to have. The car has active parking assist (it will park itself), but I’ve only used it twice. I just get weirded out by the car steering itself. On the highway, the adaptive cruise control, active steering assist, lane change assist, and blind spot monitoring take some of the stress out of long highway drives.

Did you look at anything else?

I’ve owned wagons since 1993, and I wanted another on,e which in the States quickly reduces the options. I really only considered the Volvo V90 and this MB wagon. When it came down to it, I liked the styling on the MB a bit more than the Volvo, and there were more Mercedes wagons available in the Bay Area where I lived at the time. I searched inventory online and then had Tom McParland at Automatch negotiate for me. He negotiated a great deal, and it made for a much quicker and less frustrating car-buying experience.

Do you miss anything about the older car?

I prefer an old-school gear selector in the center console. The new car has a stalk on the steering column and a button to push for select park. I’m not really a fan of that, but I’ve learned that I can just turn it off, and the car will put it in park and set the parking brake.

What’s your favorite thing about this?

It is a great car to drive, especially on road trips. It handles very well at highway speeds and is very quiet if I don’t have the roof rack installed. As mentioned above, the driver’s aids are nice for long drives.

Anything you don’t like on it?

Besides the gear selector, I also wish it had a touchscreen for the infotainment unit. The Porsche has a touch screen, and it is much easier, faster, and safer to navigate with a touch screen than a cursor.

Another annoyance is that the adaptive cruise control will slow down for curves, and it does so too aggressively. It actually brakes noticeably, and it scrubs too much speed. This can be turned off, but I hesitate to do so as this setting is probably better than being too fast in curves. Usually, I just turn off the cruise if the interstate has curves.

Thanks TheModernLeper!

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