At $13,000, Is This 1996 Alfa Romeo 155 A Formerly Forbidden Fruit That's A Peach Of A Deal?

While ne'er sold present arsenic Alfa Romeo had pulled up stakes successful nan U.S. earlier its introduction, today's Nice Price aliases No Dice 155 elsewhere replaced nan 75/Milano that we did get. Now we tin sensation that replacement, and we will person to find if its value proves palatable arsenic well.

There's a tired trope successful teen romance movies wherever a bookish young woman's existent beauty is revealed simply by removing her glasses and un-mousing her hair. An other effort was undertaken—perhaps unknowingly—by nan proprietor of nan 2005 C6 Chevy Corvette coupe we looked astatine yesterday. Painted a non-standard weapon metallic grey and sporting a heck of a batch of miles, it appeared to beryllium much of a witnesser protection programme recipient than an unexpected prom queen. Despite its rebuilt centrifugal (no connection connected receipts) and saucy six-speed stick, fewer of you were consenting to meet that seller's $15,000 asking price. In nan end, nan Corvette cratered successful a 77% No Dice loss.

Of late, we've had immoderate highly high-mileage cars present seeking favor. With nan existent import taxes being levied connected caller cars, nan utilized car marketplace is heating up, making moreover nan well-worn worthy astatine slightest considering. Italy erstwhile had dense taxes connected automobiles pinch engines complete 2.0 liters, some home and imported. Fortunately for Italians pinch a desire for displacement, that believe ended successful 1994. As a result, this 1996 Alfa Romeo 155 2.5 V6 could beryllium enjoyed wrong Italy without its proprietor having to salary nan 38% VAT (fun tax).

Few, however, took advantage of nan opportunity. The 155 was not a income deed for Alfa, with less than 200,000 built complete nan model's six-year run. Why was that? Perhaps it was because nan FWD car replaced nan 75, a rear-wheel thrust car that could trace its lineage backmost to nan Alfetta of nan early 1970s. Or possibly it was because, being 1 of nan first cars introduced nether Fiat's ownership of Alfa Romeo, its styling was penned excessively adjacent to that of nan Fiat Tempra, pinch which it shared its Tipo Tre platform.

Thankfully, this 155 has immoderate existent Alfa Brio nether nan bonnet. That's nan 2.5-liter eight-valve V6, a legendary motor designed successful nan early 1970s by Alfa main technologist and erstwhile Ferrari method head Giuseppe Busso. With its polished intake runners and reddish Alfa Romeo book formed into its cam covers, nan Busso is simply a point of beauty. Making 164 horsepower and 159 pound-feet of torque, it besides offers immoderate beautiful awesome powerfulness for its era.

Here that's mated to a five-speed manual transaxle and, according to nan seller, benefits from newish timing belts, a caller h2o pump, replaced ignition leads, and a wide resealing each around.

Other updates connected nan car see Koni yellowish struts and shocks. Masking those are a group of grey Speedline alloys fitted astatine nan factory. There are besides disc brakes each around. According to nan seller, nan car is rust-free, a declare supported by a changeable of nan underside that shows nary evident leaks aliases different issues.

This being an Alfa, and much to nan point, 1 from nan era erstwhile nan Italian carmaker wasn't trading cars present officially, 1 mightiness ideate this would beryllium a quirky and unmanageable ride. The seller calms these qualms by stating that everything connected nan car useful arsenic it should, correct down to nan rear defroster. It moreover comes pinch A/C that nan seller describes arsenic "Gelato-grade." It's each beautiful stock, too; however, nan azygous DIN caput portion successful nan dash and nan back-up camera surface successful nan rear position reflector are nods to modernity.

The car looks awesome successful nan pictures, some wrong and out. A mates of issues are noted successful nan ad, peculiarly immoderate problems pinch nan car's clear overgarment successful places, and immoderate fading successful nan overgarment connected nan roof. On nan positive side, this is nan later version of nan 155, truthful it has nan flared fenders and much fierce wide stance than nan earlier cars. Being a European marketplace car, nan instruments are, of course, each successful metric units, pinch nan speedo marking kilometers, nan temp gauges successful Celsius, and nan unit successful Bar, not PSI. The odometer sounds 119,000 kilometers, aliases astir 74,000 miles.

Regardless of its metric machinations, nan interior is successful bully style contempt nan estimation of Italian plastics and its-always-a-Monday build quality. The import paperwork is claimed to beryllium complete, and nan car carries a cleanable title.

Privately imported cars are ever a spot of a difficult waste arsenic there's a fearfulness astir getting stuck pinch thing that has nary serviceability should parts aliases knowledge beryllium needed. That's not nan lawsuit for nan awesome elements connected this 155 arsenic its drivetrain is adjacent capable to nan earlier 164 that Alfa-leaning shops should beryllium capable to root an lipid select aliases nan overseas insignificant replacement part.

Despite that, nan seller warns that this is 'not conscionable a car; it's a statement. One that says, "I cognize what a timing loop is, and I invited a small passion nether nan hood."' They situation buyers to "Dare to thrust thing different. Dare to thrust Italian."

If that connection speaks to you, we now request to see this Alfa's $13,000 asking price. What's your return connected this privately imported sports saloon and that $13K costs of entry? Does that consciousness for illustration a woody to get down immoderate saccharine Busso bass notes? Or is that excessively overmuch for thing this quirky?

You decide!

Nice Price aliases No Dice:

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