Can someone learn me about Alfa 164s

I found this listing and I really want to go look at it. Can any gurus give me the heads up/things to look for specific to these cars?

http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/cto/1671045559.html

I want to hear about 'em too. There's always a few on CL for little cash and I try to think of reasons not to buy one

Same basic chassis/platform as a Saab 9000. FWD. That's as much as I remember.

I remember a review in either "Autoweak" or Road & Track back in the day that spoke quite highly of them, fwiw. A customer in the bakery I used to manage 'round 1996 had one and I mentioned the review to him. I might have looked it up for him. He told me that he liked his Alfa a lot.

craigslisting said: Professionally maintained since it rolled out of the showroom by Robert Rogers at Shadetree Enginetrics (www.shadetreeenginetrics.com). I am the second owner; I bought it from another client of Shadetree's and have all of the records since March 1999. 152,000 miles with a new clutch at 120,000. Anything that ever needed attention was attended to.

If there was ever a 164L to buy for $3K in Dallas, this sounds like the one. Robert @ Shadetree is a great guy, and extremely good with Italian cars. Go through the records and make certain that the timing belt has been changed in the last 30K miles or so. If not, plan on having that done.

Check each and every button on the dash - they can die, and they don't do well with spilled drinks! Also, check to make certain that the stepper motor that moves the barrel valve for the HVAC is working. Meaning, check that you can direct heater air/air conditioner air where the buttosn say it will go. If not, that's an expensive repair (because getting to the stepper motor under the dash is a real PITA).

Don't expect the Alfa V6 to go as far as a typical Japanese engine between repairs, but do expect to become hopelessly addicted to the sound of the engine.

you will definatly get addicted to the sound.. and the looks of that V6. Not too many modern engines are as pretty to look at

One quick tip I learned the hard way. Do NOT buy a cheap 164 with a busted windshield. Windshield glass is darn near unobtanium on these and will run you $800-$1000 if you find it.

Safelite and the other online places will quote it for you (cheap too) and tell you they have it in stock, but when you go to set up the appt it will be a no show.

Yeah, windshield glass isnt cheap for those. But, if you have a way of removing a used one without breaking it you can get a good deal, at least if you get to one in the junkyard before the people who smash the glass out of all the unusual cars get to it.

yea.. I never understood why all the rare cars have their glass smashed out... botched removal techniques?

I think people just smash them for the fun of it, I have seen at least a couple with the axle shaft still stuck through the window, etc. One day i was at the junkyard and was almost hit by a metal object being thrown among the cars (out of sight of the person who threw it). After seeing the same thing happen a couple more times, I told the manager of the yard and I think they were asked not to come back. For whatever reason though, if you want a specific item from the junkyard that there is only one of, if you don't get it right them its likely to be broken when you get back.

Timing belt, timing belt, timing belt. that's the most important thing on the car. Everything else are cheap problems relative to that.

Make sure it was done correctly- there are many good repair systems out there, but these are interference engines. And while it's possible to just swap the valves in the head and go with it, it will eat oil pretty quickly.

These are not the most fun cars to work on- being EW mounted, there's not a huge amount of space to work.

That being said, we sold our '94 LS (auto) after owning it for 12 years. We sold her for $2500, and she was still rust free, and ran great. It was just time to move on. When she was in the shop once, we had a '92 with the save 2V motor, and really liked it. Great torque.

Bear in mind, though, while 200hp was pretty awesome in 1991, it's not exactly earth shattering anymore.

In terms of "worth"- they are worth what you are willing to pay for it. If you think $3000 is too steep, then it is. If it's a great price, it is...

E-

They are nice and have one of the best looking intakes on any car:

Hotlinked from Gearhead_42s readers rides section.