which car?

Nope, not a what car to buy, but a what car to keep.

I have an '87 Alfa Milano and an '88 XR4ti.

I sold the Merkur back in Nov. of '09 to fund the purchase of the Milano. It recently came back to me at no cost needing a clutch.

The XR4ti is faster, the hatch makes it overall more practical (even it it does only have two doors), and is faster.

The Alfa makes better noises and handles better.

Both are about the same in condition, so it is a draw there.

Ideally I'd sell them both and get a Biturbo, but the interesting cars on CL in Texas have all dried up.

shrugs

Toss up.

I can't help, sorry.

Both cars have alot of cool factor. I'd probably keep the alfa because it's more obscure.

Sell both for a biturbo? You are a glutton for punishment I take it?

mndsm wrote: Sell both for a biturbo? You are a glutton for punishment I take it?

A boy's gotta dream, no?

Here's a challange; find a running BiTurbo with more than 50k miles on it. I do not think they exist.

Normally I'd ask which you enjoy more, but as you've posted here, I assume you enjoy them equally.

Me, I'd keep the Merkur. I know a lot more Ford than I know Italian, and I've seen wicked things done with a turbo 2.3L.

I'd say keep whichever one you'll actually drive more.

ReverendDexter wrote: Normally I'd ask which you enjoy more, but as you've posted here, I assume you enjoy them equally. Me, I'd keep the Merkur. I know a lot more Ford than I know Italian, and I've seen wicked things done with a turbo 2.3L. I'd say keep whichever one you'll actually drive more.

I'll drive them equally, daily driver.

The only reason I have both now is the Merkur came back to me for free after I sold it.

I'd have to say go with the Merkur barring a Biturbo find. I just like the concept of Cosworth anything.

I say keep the alfa and turbo it. Then you end up with something MUCH cooler than a stockish xr4ti.

Merkur because they can be made to look cool and handle well. There's someone on this forum with a white one with a Jetta bumper swap, 17" wheels, all sorts of Ford RS bits attached and it seriously looks the business to my eyes.

Same rule as buying stock, which one would you buy now? There should only be two options Buy or Sell, if you won't buy it now you might as well sell it...

Keep the Ford. Its meant to be badass.

m4ff3w wrote: . Ideally I'd sell them both and get a Biturbo, but the interesting cars on CL in Texas have all dried up.

LIES!

http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/2152549451.html

http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/2140607908.html - maybe not so interesting but i'm sure negotiating would be.

Me personally if we're talking as is i'd keep the Alfa. If you threw money at the Ford i'd say keep it.... so sell the alfa and cosworth out the Merkur

Vigo wrote: I say keep the alfa and turbo it.

Since it does appear clear that you like to poke yourself in the eye with a sharp stick- turbo Milano = bi-turbo. Or at least close enough.

I've seen a twin turbo 24V v6 Spider. Gotta be plenty of space for a turbo in a Milano. And if you run into a '91 164, you can start the twin turbo work on a 3.0l, and not take down the Milano.

OR

Finding a real cossie, and dropping it into the Merkur would be cool. There was at least a decade where that cossie was sold in the US in the Motorsports Book.

Either way, it's a strong pull on the manly region in terms of pain.

E-

Strizzo wrote:

m4ff3w wrote: . Ideally I'd sell them both and get a Biturbo, but the interesting cars on CL in Texas have all dried up.

LIES! http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/2152549451.html http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/2140607908.html - maybe not so interesting but i'm sure negotiating would be.

No lies. I need 4 seats, I sold the X1/9 to buy the Merkur so I had room for the kids. I then sold the Merkur to buy the Alfa.

I had a 260Z. I like it, but I value obscurity over about everything else these days. So no Z cars for me.

I vote Alfa.

I'l vote Merkur. The're pretty cool. I kinda miss mine sometimes. I don't miss always working on it, but I miss the rush of the thing.

What does a '88 XR4ti go for these days, besides free with a blown clutch?

$300 with a good clutch and bad headgasket?

I don't know FMV.

Since it does appear clear that you like to poke yourself in the eye with a sharp stick- turbo Milano = bi-turbo. Or at least close enough.

Uhh.... minus 2 doors worth of practicality, the fact that he already has the milano, and likely being easier to make work consistently? I bet it even handles better.

Honestly, the merkur seems a lot closer to the biturbo.. So take everything you dont like about the merkur, triple the parts cost and remove their availability entirely, make it harder to work on, put a carburetor on it and throw the injectors away.. now it's a biturbo?

Keep the XR4Ti. Drive it while saving money for a gtv6.

Alfas make my pants a little tighter. A Merkur is, well, a Ford.

I like them both, but I'd keep the Alfa for its sensual charms.