I have owned 3 'older' alfa's (33 1.3s/33 1.7 16v qv/145 2.0 16v qv). Never had any big issues or malfunctions. The thing with these cars is that they are not only for transport from a to b, but they start to become a part of the family. They are a joy to drive and bring loads of character. Not always the fastest car in the lane, but always sporty and a guarantee for a smile.
My 156 blew up after 3 months of ownership. I loved driving that thing, lovely interior, nice noise, good handling... cheap as chips as well. But then the crank went after a "spirited shopping run" shall we say, oil pressure light lit up, lots of grinding and it never started again. Good times. Would own again.
They are not that shitty. I owned many and they have never given me that much problems. Had a 5 year newer SAAB and that had way more things that broke down
Ask a man who he was dating at a certain time in his life and he probably won't be able to remember. Ask him what car he was driving and he'll not only tell you that, but also everything that was wrong with it.
That's not irony. It'd be ironic if it was the one job he wanted to be sacked from but never was, or he was sacked from the job because of his love for it, but your statement is not ironic.
I had a GTV 3.0, when i opened the door one day, the mirror fell off and the tweeter fell out of the door. In the summer the panels would swell, and the door would rub on the wing when you opened it, the swing arm also rubbed a groove in the rear spring, which was worrying. But when it worked it was amazing, and beautiful. I loved it.
Oh god, i just sold my Alfa GT (not the absolutely awesome GTV6 from the 80's, the slightly less awesome one from the mid 2000's). And i already regret selling it. Friggin' Alfas... these cars have something.
Zappaman88 Enjoy it and take good care of it! What engine does it have? I miss mine a lot... i ended up buying a diesel Renault Megane II Cabrio... cool car, excellent mileage, but... feels like an elephant compared to my beloved GT.
+ComandanteJ i thought it was me, my god its so true, i sold my 1993 spyder and i still cant sleep well since then. ive owned many cars since 1970 and the spyder was my favourite.
I had one actually, an '06 1.8 Twin Spark. 140 horses, not that much fast but still enough power to have some fun, especially with that handling. I swear, I never drove a car that handles so well, nothing could throw her off the road, not even with slightly bad suspensions. She hated me however...it's true, Alfa Romeo are something more. She hated me and we never got along, every time I drove her, something bad happened, she only wanted to be driven by my dad. We sold her a year and a half ago because we needed money and she wasn't being used that much, since my dad lost his job. Still it was an awesome car, I'd buy another one any day (maybe a 3.2 this time).
i had a 147 then went for the GT, then went for the Giulietta Cloverleaf and now i have a Giulia but i am looking at getting the Stelvio. I simply cannot drive anything else. Alfista for life!
I totally get Clarkson with the whole 'losing a car is like losing a dog or a member of the family' thing. I don't find it ridiculous at all. I got rid of my first motorbike, an Aprilia RS125, and I still miss that bike so much.
I have owned two Alfa Romeo cars (still have '82 Spider) and had a '73 Berlina. Only reason I let the Berlina go was to make room for a prancing horse, so it took some of the sting away :) But agree with both Jeremy and James, there is just *something* about having an Alfa that no other car has managed to do.
I had a 1973 Alfa GTV 1750 and I had no choice but to let it go. I spun it in the wet and hit the sump and had to bodge the repair as parts weren't available. Gutted to this day. Seems paltry that it was only something like 105-115 bhp but it felt very fast
Watching this just after parking my Alfa 147 for what will most likely be the last time in my life, after giving it a nice 3 hr detail wash like i used to do monthly. Tomorrow a guy is coming to mostlikely buy it from me. It's my first car, a 2006 2.0TS 147 in silver metallic with red leather and 18" cloverleaf wheels. With those nice red dials that say 'Giri and Acqua' instead of RPM and coolent. I remember buying it and could hardly believe it. 'That's mine, it's my very own Alfa Romeo!' Driven it for almost 4 years and 50.000km. Drove it across the Alps to the Alfa museum in Milan, maxed it to 222kph in Germany, did some 18+ stuff with my girlfriend in the back, took it for drives blasting music when life wasn't going my way, i learned working on cars on it, i made friends with it, spent hr's upon hr's cleaning it and spent countless early mornings driving it to work, relaxing in those nice red leather seats. But nowdays i ride a motorcycle to work and bearly drive the Alfa, my girlfriends doesn't need a car either, insurance and tax is expensive, the gearbox doesn't feel too great all the time, the timing belt needs doing again, the aircon is broken, the remote for the key is broken, it appears to be burning some coolent and the tires are gone too. It's the right time to end the story of my 147 here, before the great memories become overshadowed by bad ones of things breaking and it costing too much money. But it will forever be a great first car, my very own Alfa Romeo.
My mother used to own a 1971 1750 Berlina Alfa, stunning interior, with a lovely wood alloy steering wheel. The only problem was that it seemed to eat clutches for breakfast, so it was not reliable, lovely to look at and sit in, when it was going that is.
I used to own Alfas, all bought used, all pre-Fiat, and rust was more an issue than mechanical bits. Had a '67 and '73 GTV, no mechanical let-downs. My '78 Alfetta GTV had a finicky ignition switch but that was it. My '79 Alfetta was abused by the time I got it and it burned a valve. Haven't had an Alfa in 25 years yet sometimes I still have dreams that I discovered I had stored away one of them and still owned it.
Own an 156 🙋♂️. Theres always something minor wrong with it, but its the moment when everything works that the car truly hits you in the feels. I'm afraid of the day when it has to go. The light Chassis, the simplicity, the cool interior, the sporty suspension, the short travel steering and just that beautiful badge in the middle of it. You can't help but feel happy to sit in that car no matter what is wrong with it.
I don't have much interest in cars (I still can't even drive) and yet I love seeing these 3 talk about them. They have such a natural chemistry that's so hard to replicate. I always liked the Top Gear challenges the most where they have to go out with a small budget and buy a car for whatever purpose and then they ridicule each other's choices. I hope Amazon Prime keeps up the good tradition!
I loved my two GTV-6's, but I got stranded on the side of the road just too many times. Every time I drove them, I just didn't know if the car would make it home in one piece, and if I were to get stranded again, then what the cause would be. It's such a high maintenance relationship.
I'm in the US, & I went to test drive an ALFA Romeo 4C & it was the most joyful driving experience I've ever had. The car brought back memories of when I was racing around my yard in a petrol go cart, but the go cart had hot rod flames & a Subaru engine unlike the Exotic looking 4C. The only bad thing was that the go cart was more reliable! I still have it in my garage, yet the 4C broke down during the test drive due to heat soaking & I wasn't even pushing it! I'd love to own a 4C but I believe if I want to have one that's semi-reliable I'll need to do an engine swap with my go cart.
italo 1 No, I did test drive it. I never mentioned I could afford it, or that I was looking for a car similar to it. When the car actually goes into limp mode during a test drive, that tells you it's not going to be reliable. And it was 78*F outside so the heat soaking from driving 60-80 mph couldn't have been what caused it to go into limp mode. As for ***** : Okay? Not sure why you told me about the car's engine & transmission, but my 335is has a Inline six cylinder engine, 2 small turbo chargers, a ZF DCT gearbox with paddle shifters & has a JB4 custom tune to give me 480-490 horse power & 500-520 torque which is available at 2200 rpm. 0-60 in 3.7-4.0 seconds with a 1/4 mile time of 10.8-11.2 on street tires with an aftermarket LSD. All while still being able to sit 4 people comfortably, listening to music via blue tooth & having the AC on in a car under 3500 pounds. As for track performance, I'm faster than a 2011 M3 & base C7 around the same track. It's a cool car, but it's a lesser Lotus Elise.
Alfa GTA, GTB, GTV, and an Alfetta GT.... loved every one of them, and hated them at times too.... But ooooohhh when they were on it was paradise and all smiles... When they were off.... Well, bloody hell...
Hey BBC. Look at that audience hanging on the show's stars every word. You just broke up the "Beatles" all over again. Brilliant! Keep up the good work.
I remember my old alfasud 1.5ti cloverleaf when i was 22yrs old.. loved it... when it rained hard the brakes would not work,one day it would start,the next it wouldn't.. but that sound and awkward pedals and steering feel.... I missed that car more than my old xr2,xr3i, golfmk1, 205gti i had when i was young lad
I own a 1980 GTV6 since 2009 and have driven it for 25,000 kms. Nothing has broken, since. I only repaired those parts that I saw not being in good condition when I bought the car: front calipers, ignition distributor, water pump… ... a reliable car, if you ask me. And when you park it in front of a 5 star hotel, it makes a BMW or a Merc look obvious…
I had five Alfas over about fifteen years and only had one that broke down at 150,000 miles when the diff went. James is right, the 164 was a great car, far better than you might think. I had three of them and it had a quality to it no other Alfa has quite achieved. It wasn't perfect but it was very well made where it mattered.
Both are wrong, he and Hammond just never renewed their contract, technically Jeremy didn't get sacked either, the BBC didn't want to renew his contract.
This is so true. I have a facelift Alfa Romeo 166 3.0 V6 sitting in y drive and I've deleted the rear muffler and the sound is glorious. Yes the electronic transmission can be temperamental, the electrics have a mind of their own but she is beautiful, fast and exotic. I wouldn't change her for anything.
Speaks truth. Guys if you have never even driven an older Alfetta, do so when you get the chance and you'll understand in just a few kilometers. I had an Alfetta sedan for 7 years, I sold it because I had 3 kids by then and I had moved to a very hot climate and it had no air con for the kids.
I've had 2 alfas to date, my first a 156 which i loved even after the electrics packed in. Then i had a 147 and the big end went on it (which was partly my fault)
***** No.. Alfa is not Alpha for Italian. Alpha is 1st letter on the greek Alphabet. (2nd is Beta.. thats why its called Alphabet afterall) Alfa stands for Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili
Sold my 156 Alfa after putting 300,000kms, almost no issues, I know I had to sell it, I know you shouldn't keep a car over 300,000kms, I know it would have started to cost me large amounts of money, but I missed it as soon as I got home, Alfa's have heart and that's impossible to explain to anyone that's never owned one.
I have an Alfa Stelvio, love it. It does do weird things sometimes, computer/sensor stuff, but it cures itself and has almost 30k mi. of happy driving. Do it!! Buy one!!
I really wanted to buy a 156 with the 2.5 V6 (thanks Gran Turismo 2 for inspiring me) but as a young chap working up the savings ladder it seemed to risky :(
I regret selling my ‘07 Mercedes CLK63 AMG convertible. I loved that car so much... It had such a personality to it. It wasn’t the most reliable though, which is why I sold it. No mechanic in my area could figure out what was wrong with it, but I still loved that thing. It had that amazing AMG V8 and it was this tiny car with a huge engine. It was brilliant!
Funny how the rest of the world has major clichè ideas about our cars being unreliable and all, and yet they all three mentioned italian cars they regret the most selling (:
Its because the rest of the world understands that Italians are good artists, while the Germans are better engineers. Artists are born, engineers are made.
nitarsh Actually Italians have really great engineers just like Germans IMHO. Italian cars not have so much issues about engines, mostly interior trim, electronics, etc. If you have examples like Ferrari, you cannot talk about engineering failure so much.. They still can gain much more horsepower from little displacements as Alfa always do. And ordinary Italian cars has always greater technology in their engines. VW has 1.6 8v engines even in the near future...
VirtualViolence Engineering is not just about buidling a product that has a better specs than another. If a car costs $10,000 (say), the company has to decide how it has to balance the cost among the various components - right from engines to wires for electronic components. After this, the car has to be rigorously tested to check the endurance and durability of various components and car as a whole. So, yes, if I could buy two cars I would buy a German car for everyday use and the Italian car for going around the country with my girl.
nitarsh Even Ferrari's doesn't have reliable engines. I prefer having bad times with an Italian instead of roaming soulless in a BMW. Actually I made that mistake one time. Never again. Italian's are not reliable but when they're working, it's pure joy to ride. And more successful on the road and track, too.
I agree 100%. My ex brother in law let me begin to restore his 1963 Giulia 1600 and it worked it's way into my blood as I toiled (in vein) on her bodywork. My sisters divorce forced me to return the Alfa before I had a chance to drive her fully restored and I still think about it as the one that got away.
I have a Alfa 3.0 GTV and it's the best car and the worst car that I have ever owned. Needs never ending amounts maintenance, parts are expensive and some are hard to get, crap on fuel, back seats are there just for show. BUT!!!! It's so beautiful to drive and the note from the exhaust is like music, you just have to experience one of these cars to appreciate what joy it gives you. Not withstanding the look of a GTV, I think it's one of the most prettiest Alfa's that's ever been made ( that's open to debate, just my opinion ) but they have "sole" and that's something a car manufactured in the land of the rising sun can NEVER have. An Alfa is like having an Italian girlfriend, beautiful, raunchy, captivating, amazing, But every now and then tend to have a "strop " and when an Alfa has a "strop " it will cost you a lot of money. Still great cars near going to sell mine.
Which series do you have? The 116 (RWD) or the 916 (FWD). Mine is the RWD with a 3.0l in place of the 2.5l. Been very reliable except when the belt jumped teeth and bent the valves. Since then the Thermal Temp Sensor has failed 3 times. But for a 30 y.o. car it's not that bad.
I have the 3.0 GTV as well, and 99% of the time is spent looking after it. Its only the 1% of enjoyment I get when the throttle is flat out and I hear the exhaust note !
greygtv6 My Alfa is the 916 version (FWD). I think Alfa should of made them RWD like your classic 116. But I love the car anyway even though it's eaten up some lot of my money
To me it's about the memories. So many good and bad times you've spent in it. So much laughter and tears. When they die it's like losing a member of the family.
Actually they really aren't that old, the thing is that they probably don't take good care of themselves. They're still in their 50s and Hammond in his 40s.
Musa Biyikli They both smoke like chimneys and it's worsening their health, which is a shame as we don't want them dying or being forced to retire early.
My “wish it didn’t go away “ story was a Ford Sierra (American version called Merkur XR4TI.). I don’t know the ownership list but I know that the last owner was from a flood prone area. Mine went like stink and handled like a cat... until the the electrics took a dive in a puff of smoke. The closest thing I have ever had to an Alfa Romeo was a Dodge truck. Fun to drive in its element, makes all the right noises. Scoop up chunks of it and throw it away with a bucket as it dissolved in Wisconsin winter weather.
I just counted eighteen cars in my eighteen years of driving. Twelve different makes, both diesel and petrol. Slow and fast... Mostly germans. But I do miss my Alfa Romeo 166. It didn't work either, but it had character. I do agree with Clarkson and May on this one.
Funny, I'm about to turn 51, had about 60 cars, All the way down the alphabet.. First an Audi, rare 1981 4000s 5+5, I'm on number 17 of the Alfas.. to a Volvo S80 V8. Had a 1989 Porsche 944 turbo somewhere in between. But never owned a diesel, always wanted a Mercedes w123. But something always about an Alfa Romeo. My friend asked me once why I drove a Milano. It's ugly. Then I gave him a ride in it.. He understood then.
No one remembers the Vector W8. Why is that? That was one of the best cars we ever made. It may have been bought because no one could afford the massive $1.5 price tag, but that was the first production car to get to 242mph in 1990. :(
It's pathetic isn't it? I'd expect that mediocre spelling mistake from some top newspaper journalist [because c'mon they can't spell for shit, and when it comes to cars, ohhh don't get me started] but this is definitely a low blow from TG, laughably bad!
I haven't owned an Alfa. Yet. I keep looking at them, they are such lovely cars. When I was looking at a new car to replace my faithful Ford Focus (Which I miss) I kept looking at Alfas. The only thing that stopped me was the reliability. I work in one end of the country and live in the other. The thought of being stuck on the side of the M6 every time I went from one to the other didn't appeal. I know that one day, probably when I tire of the Mazda 6 Sport I bought (which maybe never as the power from 2.2L diesel engine is intense) I will finally bite the bullet and give in to temptation.
Justin Lee mate, poor reliability is the single biggest myth concerning Alfa Romeo. Most of the bad rep is thanks to terrible dealership network. I can confess that not all Alfas were brilliant, and some of their engines were more problem prone, but i for one can tell you that during 8 years of Alfa ownership i have not been let down by any of my Alfas. I have owned 8 Alfas, still own 3, and would never sell them. Admittedly i have only ever owned Busso V6 powerred Alfas, including the 3 i still own (‘84 GTV6, 156 V6 auto, 156 v6 manual). If you end up buying an Alfa, get a Busso V6. Honestly one of the worlds most iconic engines, and arguably the best production v6 ever made.
Had a 2009 159 Ti and it was wonderful. The first car I ever had that I could see keeping for a long time.... until someone drove into it and wrote it off.
I have to admit I agree with Jeremy cause I am planning on buying the 159 Alfa Romeo, as my first car. And honestly I can't wait and feel attached to it already
I've never wanted an Alph R. but I did love my '76 Nova, and I regret allowing my Hubby to let it go to pot! We sold it to a neighbor who used to retsore Nova's - I should have gotten it back! I loved that car, it would drive for miles on fumes! Drive through the worst roads with no problems, drive in the worse weather and snow and ice - with no problems! God I miss that car!
Looks like James and Jezza both had a Busso V6... I've had a 3.0 24v flavoured one for 6 years now and I can't face ever selling it. Yes the car it's surrounded in is just a Alfa badged Fiat but the engine is out of this world. The engine itself has been bullet proof, auxiliaries and other bits on the car have gone wrong over the years but the engine itself has never even used any oil let alone not started.
I understand the feeling. Had a gtv cup v6 until recently which was continuously plagued with problems so I sold it but I still miss it in a weird way. Everything about it was rubbish! Handling, steering, practicality, build quality, reliability and so on but that v6 was a masterpiece and the body design was a thing of beauty
I can honestly say that I don't regret selling my old ALFA 156 V6 - because I didn't. In fact I've still got a very old Fiat as well. Both cost me buckets of cash to keep but...
My girlfriend owned a Lancia Beta HPE in late eighties, We had several roaring trips abroad, to Northen Europe and to the East. Fine memories of that car from an alfista
Man the chemistry between these 3 is just unparalleled. 👌
Messi, Suarez and Neymar??
Who?
BBC
Bale, Benzema, Cristiano
Geo. Will the next msn or even better the next bbc
Yeah you can tell they cuddle every night
1:18 "This is the only job James has ever had that he hasn't been sacked from... yet" Its all gonna end very soon...
He wasn't sacked... In fact he still works for the BBC...
Jackomac43 James left BBC to work on the Amazon show
+MichaelParktheFirst Yeah, but it was only Jeremy that got sacked.
(technically "contract not renewed")
+MichaelParktheFirst he still has contracts with bbc he just quit Top Gear, bbc still has him as an editor and makes another shows for them as well
+MichaelParktheFirst ACTUALLY HE DOES A SHOW ON OLD CARS WITH THE BBC SO MEH DURHHH
Jeremy got his Alfa GT V6 back :)
I have owned 3 'older' alfa's (33 1.3s/33 1.7 16v qv/145 2.0 16v qv). Never had any big issues or malfunctions. The thing with these cars is that they are not only for transport from a to b, but they start to become a part of the family. They are a joy to drive and bring loads of character. Not always the fastest car in the lane, but always sporty and a guarantee for a smile.
Exactly
James May seems like a top bloke.
He's my personal favourite, he seems the nicest, least arrogant, most genuine and most intelligent out of the three of them.
shellsbignumber2 he's my favorite cause he relates to me
"james' first job he hasnt been sacked from... yet"
he died
@@ArtVandelayOfficial excuse me
My 156 blew up after 3 months of ownership. I loved driving that thing, lovely interior, nice noise, good handling... cheap as chips as well. But then the crank went after a "spirited shopping run" shall we say, oil pressure light lit up, lots of grinding and it never started again. Good times. Would own again.
thats the proper alfa experience
Did you buy it new or used? Alfa Romeo are unreliable, but not THAT much unreliable.
They are not that shitty. I owned many and they have never given me that much problems. Had a 5 year newer SAAB and that had way more things that broke down
I love my 156 2.4 20v.
I've had my Alfa 75 3.0 V6 for the last year, and I wouldn't trade it for anything
"This is the only job James has ever had that he hasn't been sacked from... yet"
SimplyCantBuild He didn't get fired he quit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
+Monkeyclub He didn't even quit. He just chose not to renew his contract when it expired, along with the other two.
Says Jeremy who got sacked
+TN gamer He didn't get sacked either, his contract expired and wasn't renewed.
***** They are using it as a cover, originally the bbc had plans and they cancel all of it, hence not 'renewing' his contract.
B = Bring
B = Back
C = Clarkson
wacek4001 Just watch an old episode, it's not like he (and the other two) was doing anything new. Just different scenery.
B = British
B = Born
C = Christian
D = Don't
S = Shove
P = People
O = Over
S = Steak
B = British
B = Bias
C = Corruption
M = Make
A = An
A = Amazon
P = Prime
A = Account
Ask a man who he was dating at a certain time in his life and he probably won't be able to remember. Ask him what car he was driving and he'll not only tell you that, but also everything that was wrong with it.
That's one of the beauties
To be fair, cars can often last longer than relationships
@@funkyfranx Yes, and they're usually far more memorable as well.
boomer
@@funkyfranxnot an alfa
"This is the first job James has has where he hasn't been sacked yet."
Oh the irony.
That's not irony. It'd be ironic if it was the one job he wanted to be sacked from but never was, or he was sacked from the job because of his love for it, but your statement is not ironic.
He didn't get fired though? He left of his own accord
@@tylerorr3851 irony is in that guy saying about sacking got sacked from that job.
@@ThorneyedWT Except Jeremy didn't get sacked either. They let his contract expire.
@@hellrzr1670 yeah I'm not completely sure behind his logic
I had a GTV 3.0, when i opened the door one day, the mirror fell off and the tweeter fell out of the door. In the summer the panels would swell, and the door would rub on the wing when you opened it, the swing arm also rubbed a groove in the rear spring, which was worrying. But when it worked it was amazing, and beautiful. I loved it.
Oh god, i just sold my Alfa GT (not the absolutely awesome GTV6 from the 80's, the slightly less awesome one from the mid 2000's). And i already regret selling it. Friggin' Alfas... these cars have something.
I've had many cars, but it's my old Alfa 166 I miss most.
+ComandanteJ And i just bought a GT, its simply amazing :)
Zappaman88 Enjoy it and take good care of it! What engine does it have? I miss mine a lot... i ended up buying a diesel Renault Megane II Cabrio... cool car, excellent mileage, but... feels like an elephant compared to my beloved GT.
+ComandanteJ i thought it was me, my god its so true, i sold my 1993 spyder and i still cant sleep well since then. ive owned many cars since 1970 and the spyder was my favourite.
I had one actually, an '06 1.8 Twin Spark. 140 horses, not that much fast but still enough power to have some fun, especially with that handling. I swear, I never drove a car that handles so well, nothing could throw her off the road, not even with slightly bad suspensions. She hated me however...it's true, Alfa Romeo are something more. She hated me and we never got along, every time I drove her, something bad happened, she only wanted to be driven by my dad.
We sold her a year and a half ago because we needed money and she wasn't being used that much, since my dad lost his job. Still it was an awesome car, I'd buy another one any day (maybe a 3.2 this time).
i had a 147 then went for the GT, then went for the Giulietta Cloverleaf and now i have a Giulia but i am looking at getting the Stelvio. I simply cannot drive anything else. Alfista for life!
🐍🍀🇮🇹
Could you please share some experience regarding giulietta qv? I'm looking to get one myself. Thanks!
@@duleopasni i can't say anything bad about it. An absolute bullet. go fo it!
I own an Alfa.. absolutely understand what he´s talking about... It´s something more than just a car... #CuoreSportivo
@Teamgeist it's a 156, not a MiTo
I totally get Clarkson with the whole 'losing a car is like losing a dog or a member of the family' thing. I don't find it ridiculous at all. I got rid of my first motorbike, an Aprilia RS125, and I still miss that bike so much.
"This is first job James May hasn't been sacked from...."
Is that why he quit instead ;)
Love my Alfas. Currently with a 159, still going strong. No issues
I had the 2.4 Q4 JTDM. It was gorgeous but I had to let it go, it was reliable though(but I did only have it for 9 months)
I have owned two Alfa Romeo cars (still have '82 Spider) and had a '73 Berlina. Only reason I let the Berlina go was to make room for a prancing horse, so it took some of the sting away :) But agree with both Jeremy and James, there is just *something* about having an Alfa that no other car has managed to do.
Who has never own an Alfa, can't understand... Thanks Jeremy!
Never owned an alfa, but I understand perfectly. The best cars are always the least reliable. thats why I drive old VW bus'es..
The most wise words ever coming out of clarkson's mouth...
These 3 guys need to keep going. Never stop.
I have an Alfa Giulia 1975, she have a soul, sell an alfa is just leave a friend or something more.
1:19, that's some amazing foreshadowing.
86Timewarp he didn't get sacked, he left. Only Clarkson got sacked.
I had a 1973 Alfa GTV 1750 and I had no choice but to let it go. I spun it in the wet and hit the sump and had to bodge the repair as parts weren't available. Gutted to this day. Seems paltry that it was only something like 105-115 bhp but it felt very fast
Watching this just after parking my Alfa 147 for what will most likely be the last time in my life, after giving it a nice 3 hr detail wash like i used to do monthly. Tomorrow a guy is coming to mostlikely buy it from me.
It's my first car, a 2006 2.0TS 147 in silver metallic with red leather and 18" cloverleaf wheels. With those nice red dials that say 'Giri and Acqua' instead of RPM and coolent. I remember buying it and could hardly believe it. 'That's mine, it's my very own Alfa Romeo!'
Driven it for almost 4 years and 50.000km. Drove it across the Alps to the Alfa museum in Milan, maxed it to 222kph in Germany, did some 18+ stuff with my girlfriend in the back, took it for drives blasting music when life wasn't going my way, i learned working on cars on it, i made friends with it, spent hr's upon hr's cleaning it and spent countless early mornings driving it to work, relaxing in those nice red leather seats.
But nowdays i ride a motorcycle to work and bearly drive the Alfa, my girlfriends doesn't need a car either, insurance and tax is expensive, the gearbox doesn't feel too great all the time, the timing belt needs doing again, the aircon is broken, the remote for the key is broken, it appears to be burning some coolent and the tires are gone too. It's the right time to end the story of my 147 here, before the great memories become overshadowed by bad ones of things breaking and it costing too much money.
But it will forever be a great first car, my very own Alfa Romeo.
My mother used to own a 1971 1750 Berlina Alfa, stunning interior, with a lovely wood alloy steering wheel.
The only problem was that it seemed to eat clutches for breakfast, so it was not reliable, lovely to look at and sit in, when it was going that is.
Alfa Guiletta cloverleaf with stage1 tune 260bhp 400nm of torgue. I ran it for 2 years from 35000 to 65000 miles no problems ever. Fast and great car
I used to own Alfas, all bought used, all pre-Fiat, and rust was more an issue than mechanical bits. Had a '67 and '73 GTV, no mechanical let-downs. My '78 Alfetta GTV had a finicky ignition switch but that was it. My '79 Alfetta was abused by the time I got it and it burned a valve. Haven't had an Alfa in 25 years yet sometimes I still have dreams that I discovered I had stored away one of them and still owned it.
Own an 156 🙋♂️.
Theres always something minor wrong with it, but its the moment when everything works that the car truly hits you in the feels. I'm afraid of the day when it has to go.
The light Chassis, the simplicity, the cool interior, the sporty suspension, the short travel steering and just that beautiful badge in the middle of it.
You can't help but feel happy to sit in that car no matter what is wrong with it.
I don't have much interest in cars (I still can't even drive) and yet I love seeing these 3 talk about them. They have such a natural chemistry that's so hard to replicate. I always liked the Top Gear challenges the most where they have to go out with a small budget and buy a car for whatever purpose and then they ridicule each other's choices. I hope Amazon Prime keeps up the good tradition!
My father's Alfa 75 2.0 double carburator was great! That thing had a soul...
I loved my two GTV-6's, but I got stranded on the side of the road just too many times. Every time I drove them, I just didn't know if the car would make it home in one piece, and if I were to get stranded again, then what the cause would be. It's such a high maintenance relationship.
I'm in the US, & I went to test drive an ALFA Romeo 4C & it was the most joyful driving experience I've ever had. The car brought back memories of when I was racing around my yard in a petrol go cart, but the go cart had hot rod flames & a Subaru engine unlike the Exotic looking 4C.
The only bad thing was that the go cart was more reliable! I still have it in my garage, yet the 4C broke down during the test drive due to heat soaking & I wasn't even pushing it!
I'd love to own a 4C but I believe if I want to have one that's semi-reliable I'll need to do an engine swap with my go cart.
***** Well it was more Alfa with a go cart engine but It's a 100HP Subaru engine.
try the lotus exige. It should be just as fun but i think it's more reliable, considering it's using a toyota engine.
italo 1 No, I did test drive it. I never mentioned I could afford it, or that I was looking for a car similar to it.
When the car actually goes into limp mode during a test drive, that tells you it's not going to be reliable.
And it was 78*F outside so the heat soaking from driving 60-80 mph couldn't have been what caused it to go into limp mode.
As for ***** : Okay? Not sure why you told me about the car's engine & transmission, but my 335is has a Inline six cylinder engine, 2 small turbo chargers, a ZF DCT gearbox with paddle shifters & has a JB4 custom tune to give me 480-490 horse power & 500-520 torque which is available at 2200 rpm. 0-60 in 3.7-4.0 seconds with a 1/4 mile time of 10.8-11.2 on street tires with an aftermarket LSD.
All while still being able to sit 4 people comfortably, listening to music via blue tooth & having the AC on in a car under 3500 pounds.
As for track performance, I'm faster than a 2011 M3 & base C7 around the same track.
It's a cool car, but it's a lesser Lotus Elise.
***** American arrogance, but close. We can agree to disagree though.
DirtDude117
Fake, there's no reliability issues with the 4c engine!
I had a gtv6 and it really is an awesome car. Also had a 75 and currently have 3 156s
I'm dying for an Alfa. I was recommended to get an Alfa spider duetto 1966 for my first classic car project. That is a thing of beauty.
Alfa GTA, GTB, GTV, and an Alfetta GT.... loved every one of them, and hated them at times too.... But ooooohhh when they were on it was paradise and all smiles... When they were off.... Well, bloody hell...
Hey BBC. Look at that audience hanging on the show's stars every word. You just broke up the "Beatles" all over again. Brilliant! Keep up the good work.
I remember my old alfasud 1.5ti cloverleaf when i was 22yrs old.. loved it... when it rained hard the brakes would not work,one day it would start,the next it wouldn't.. but that sound and awkward pedals and steering feel.... I missed that car more than my old xr2,xr3i, golfmk1, 205gti i had when i was young lad
I owned a 166 for 5yrs...... I still miss it all these years later
Beautiful sport sedan that didn't meet the right success
I own a 1980 GTV6 since 2009 and have driven it for 25,000 kms. Nothing has broken, since. I only repaired those parts that I saw
not being in good condition when I bought the car: front calipers, ignition distributor, water pump… ... a reliable car, if you ask me. And when you park it in front of a 5 star hotel, it makes a BMW or a Merc look obvious…
I had an alfa GTV 6 from '98 when I lived in Switzerland. Couldn't agree more about the noise.
I had five Alfas over about fifteen years and only had one that broke down at 150,000 miles when the diff went. James is right, the 164 was a great car, far better than you might think. I had three of them and it had a quality to it no other Alfa has quite achieved. It wasn't perfect but it was very well made where it mattered.
Agree, I had 1 and it was a magical car. I’ve just purchased a low mileage GTV and it’s the same. As a weekender they are wonderful.
First job james has ever been sacked from, YET
Nah, he quit. That's different.
Both are wrong, he and Hammond just never renewed their contract, technically Jeremy didn't get sacked either, the BBC didn't want to renew his contract.
This is so true. I have a facelift Alfa Romeo 166 3.0 V6 sitting in y drive and I've deleted the rear muffler and the sound is glorious. Yes the electronic transmission can be temperamental, the electrics have a mind of their own but she is beautiful, fast and exotic. I wouldn't change her for anything.
My first car was an Alfa Sud, loved that rust bucket.. Never left the drive way until a truck came and took it away...
Speaks truth. Guys if you have never even driven an older Alfetta, do so when you get the chance and you'll understand in just a few kilometers.
I had an Alfetta sedan for 7 years, I sold it because I had 3 kids by then and I had moved to a very hot climate and it had no air con for the kids.
I've had 2 alfas to date, my first a 156 which i loved even after the electrics packed in. Then i had a 147 and the big end went on it (which was partly my fault)
I know Alfa but alpha? Is it a new company?
We meet again
Cookie 2501 still confused about alpha
Cookie 2501 LOL
*****
No.. Alfa is not Alpha for Italian.
Alpha is 1st letter on the greek Alphabet. (2nd is Beta.. thats why its called Alphabet afterall)
Alfa stands for Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili
Yes, like Pherrari
He's sort of right...I had a 156 once and I miss it. Somehow it was fun.
Its spelt Alfa to everyone in the comments. Not Alpha
Read the discription...
YesIAmThatCoolBitch if you type alfa in on the internet it will come up with all the cars.. description is wrong mate.
Tell Ben Bonar, not me...
GreatBritishGaming
yeahdescription is wrong
Spelled. Spelt is a kind of grain.
i HAD A RED GTV6, WENT LIKE SHIT OFF A SHOVEL JUST COST A FORTUNE FOR REPLACEMENT PARTS
Sold my 156 Alfa after putting 300,000kms, almost no issues, I know I had to sell it, I know you shouldn't keep a car over 300,000kms, I know it would have started to cost me large amounts of money, but I missed it as soon as I got home, Alfa's have heart and that's impossible to explain to anyone that's never owned one.
I have an Alfa Stelvio, love it. It does do weird things sometimes, computer/sensor stuff, but it cures itself and has almost 30k mi. of happy driving. Do it!! Buy one!!
I really wanted to buy a 156 with the 2.5 V6 (thanks Gran Turismo 2 for inspiring me) but as a young chap working up the savings ladder it seemed to risky :(
I regret selling my ‘07 Mercedes CLK63 AMG convertible. I loved that car so much... It had such a personality to it. It wasn’t the most reliable though, which is why I sold it. No mechanic in my area could figure out what was wrong with it, but I still loved that thing. It had that amazing AMG V8 and it was this tiny car with a huge engine. It was brilliant!
Funny how the rest of the world has major clichè ideas about our cars being unreliable and all, and yet they all three mentioned italian cars they regret the most selling (:
Its because the rest of the world understands that Italians are good artists, while the Germans are better engineers. Artists are born, engineers are made.
"It's not a matter of when you're going to get there but IF you're going to get there". They like the car's personality despite it's unreliability.
nitarsh Actually Italians have really great engineers just like Germans IMHO. Italian cars not have so much issues about engines, mostly interior trim, electronics, etc. If you have examples like Ferrari, you cannot talk about engineering failure so much.. They still can gain much more horsepower from little displacements as Alfa always do. And ordinary Italian cars has always greater technology in their engines. VW has 1.6 8v engines even in the near future...
VirtualViolence Engineering is not just about buidling a product that has a better specs than another. If a car costs $10,000 (say), the company has to decide how it has to balance the cost among the various components - right from engines to wires for electronic components. After this, the car has to be rigorously tested to check the endurance and durability of various components and car as a whole. So, yes, if I could buy two cars I would buy a German car for everyday use and the Italian car for going around the country with my girl.
nitarsh Even Ferrari's doesn't have reliable engines. I prefer having bad times with an Italian instead of roaming soulless in a BMW. Actually I made that mistake one time. Never again.
Italian's are not reliable but when they're working, it's pure joy to ride. And more successful on the road and track, too.
Its mad he obviously really missed his old GTV6 considering he actually kept the one from The Grand Tour, don’t blame him tbh they are stunning cars
I agree 100%. My ex brother in law let me begin to restore his 1963 Giulia 1600 and it worked it's way into my blood as I toiled (in vein) on her bodywork. My sisters divorce forced me to return the Alfa before I had a chance to drive her fully restored and I still think about it as the one that got away.
Cool knowing he kept his GTV6 from the grand tour😁
I miss my alfa 33 / 164 qv / 156 gta as well...
+Hedo's 80's & 90's Cars
I miss my dog.
I love my 164S, good taste, James May. Alfas are so fun to drive, plus that exhaust is pure Italian music. lol
One does not really know what is like to have an Alfa Romeo, until owns one. They are special cars.
I have a Alfa 3.0 GTV and it's the best car and the worst car that I have ever owned. Needs never ending amounts maintenance, parts are expensive and some are hard to get, crap on fuel, back seats are there just for show. BUT!!!! It's so beautiful to drive and the note from the exhaust is like music, you just have to experience one of these cars to appreciate what joy it gives you. Not withstanding the look of a GTV, I think it's one of the most prettiest Alfa's that's ever been made ( that's open to debate, just my opinion ) but they have "sole" and that's something a car manufactured in the land of the rising sun can NEVER have. An Alfa is like having an Italian girlfriend, beautiful, raunchy, captivating, amazing, But every now and then tend to have a "strop " and when an Alfa has a "strop " it will cost you a lot of money. Still great cars near going to sell mine.
Which series do you have? The 116 (RWD) or the 916 (FWD). Mine is the RWD with a 3.0l in place of the 2.5l. Been very reliable except when the belt jumped teeth and bent the valves. Since then the Thermal Temp Sensor has failed 3 times. But for a 30 y.o. car it's not that bad.
I have the 3.0 GTV as well, and 99% of the time is spent looking after it. Its only the 1% of enjoyment I get when the throttle is flat out and I hear the exhaust note !
greygtv6
My Alfa is the 916 version (FWD). I think Alfa should of made them RWD like your classic 116. But I love the car anyway even though it's eaten up some lot of my money
Then you need to try the brera 3.2jts v6 my God kost me 8000 euro in 3 months time I also owned the gtv far better quality
disagree. I had an FD2R civic type R & it had an incredible character. Preferred it over my E92M3.
Wow, an Alpha! That must be a new car company. Hope they include it in the Newwwwwwwws
Alfa*
The company is quite old actually, beautiful cars.
You two should read the description.
Jeremy Clarkson at 1:18
"This is the first job James has ever had he hasn't been sacked from, yet"
LOL ***** *****
To me it's about the memories. So many good and bad times you've spent in it. So much laughter and tears. When they die it's like losing a member of the family.
I want a 4C after seeing this, even tho it's a whole nother world from the classic alfas, I think it's definitely made a mark in the car world forever
A Range Rover running on 7 cylinders is not unusual. I had an Alfa Sud which I sold when the children came along.
Dam they're getting old
But funny as ever 😄
Actually they really aren't that old, the thing is that they probably don't take good care of themselves. They're still in their 50s and Hammond in his 40s.
Jeremy smokes i think James does as well
Musa Biyikli They both smoke like chimneys and it's worsening their health, which is a shame as we don't want them dying or being forced to retire early.
***** Ah so apparently you don't know
TopGear you've made a spelling mistake, it's Alfa not Alpha
There's No Top Gear without theses three
That guys face and head nod on 0.08 sec. Good man that Clarkson!
My “wish it didn’t go away “ story was a Ford Sierra (American version called Merkur XR4TI.).
I don’t know the ownership list but I know that the last owner was from a flood prone area.
Mine went like stink and handled like a cat... until the the electrics took a dive in a puff of smoke.
The closest thing I have ever had to an Alfa Romeo was a Dodge truck. Fun to drive in its element, makes all the right noises. Scoop up chunks of it and throw it away with a bucket as it dissolved in Wisconsin winter weather.
Alpha sounds like a cool car, but will it beat my Alfa?
I just counted eighteen cars in my eighteen years of driving. Twelve different makes, both diesel and petrol. Slow and fast... Mostly germans. But I do miss my Alfa Romeo 166. It didn't work either, but it had character. I do agree with Clarkson and May on this one.
Funny, I'm about to turn 51, had about 60 cars, All the way down the alphabet.. First an Audi, rare 1981 4000s 5+5, I'm on number 17 of the Alfas.. to a Volvo S80 V8. Had a 1989 Porsche 944 turbo somewhere in between. But never owned a diesel, always wanted a Mercedes w123. But something always about an Alfa Romeo. My friend asked me once why I drove a Milano. It's ugly. Then I gave him a ride in it.. He understood then.
No one remembers the Vector W8. Why is that? That was one of the best cars we ever made. It may have been bought because no one could afford the massive $1.5 price tag, but that was the first production car to get to 242mph in 1990. :(
Beauty is NOT enough... I Love my Alfa GTV 2.0 JTS. 18 years with just 32000 km. Brand new...
I love my Alfa Mito far more than I should 😳
I regret selling my 156 Sportwagon. I happily have a Giulietta now and it’s great. But I’d love a GTV6 - first Alfa I ever sat in. Glorious.......
Proud Italian here 🥲🇮🇹
All three regret selling Italian cars
VIVA ITALIA!
Alpha with ph?! Ahahahahahahahahah
such an idiotic guy who wrote this
It's pathetic isn't it? I'd expect that mediocre spelling mistake from some top newspaper journalist [because c'mon they can't spell for shit, and when it comes to cars, ohhh don't get me started] but this is definitely a low blow from TG, laughably bad!
What a rubbish spelling.
they will burn, all of them.
Alpha without ph = Alha, alha? Allah? ALLAH AKBAR!!!
Where can we find the entire interview?
/watch?v=F8T1rMsJtQU
Colonel CatFood Thanks!
All Alfa it is masterpiece..! For me 156!after all 🇮🇹 Italian job!!
I haven't owned an Alfa. Yet. I keep looking at them, they are such lovely cars. When I was looking at a new car to replace my faithful Ford Focus (Which I miss) I kept looking at Alfas. The only thing that stopped me was the reliability. I work in one end of the country and live in the other. The thought of being stuck on the side of the M6 every time I went from one to the other didn't appeal. I know that one day, probably when I tire of the Mazda 6 Sport I bought (which maybe never as the power from 2.2L diesel engine is intense) I will finally bite the bullet and give in to temptation.
Justin Lee mate, poor reliability is the single biggest myth concerning Alfa Romeo. Most of the bad rep is thanks to terrible dealership network. I can confess that not all Alfas were brilliant, and some of their engines were more problem prone, but i for one can tell you that during 8 years of Alfa ownership i have not been let down by any of my Alfas. I have owned 8 Alfas, still own 3, and would never sell them. Admittedly i have only ever owned Busso V6 powerred Alfas, including the 3 i still own (‘84 GTV6, 156 V6 auto, 156 v6 manual). If you end up buying an Alfa, get a Busso V6. Honestly one of the worlds most iconic engines, and arguably the best production v6 ever made.
Mine was the Alfa 166 2ltr automatic, it had acceleration unlike any other automatic on the planet. I can’t even remember why I sold it.
You are right! Alfa is the beauty's t car here in Germany :-)
James wasn't the one to get sacked......
Nor was Jeremy.
I miss my 67 GT 1300 Junior …
"Now when will I get there but if I will get there"
That killed me XD
Had a 2009 159 Ti and it was wonderful. The first car I ever had that I could see keeping for a long time.... until someone drove into it and wrote it off.
I have to admit I agree with Jeremy cause I am planning on buying the 159 Alfa Romeo, as my first car. And honestly I can't wait and feel attached to it already
I've never wanted an Alph R. but I did love my '76 Nova, and I regret allowing my Hubby to let it go to pot! We sold it to a neighbor who used to retsore Nova's - I should have gotten it back! I loved that car, it would drive for miles on fumes! Drive through the worst roads with no problems, drive in the worse weather and snow and ice - with no problems! God I miss that car!
Owned a 166, loved it.
Looks like James and Jezza both had a Busso V6... I've had a 3.0 24v flavoured one for 6 years now and I can't face ever selling it. Yes the car it's surrounded in is just a Alfa badged Fiat but the engine is out of this world. The engine itself has been bullet proof, auxiliaries and other bits on the car have gone wrong over the years but the engine itself has never even used any oil let alone not started.
I love alfas especially the 156, i had one and turned out to be the most powerfull fwd car in gran turismo 2
I understand the feeling. Had a gtv cup v6 until recently which was continuously plagued with problems so I sold it but I still miss it in a weird way. Everything about it was rubbish! Handling, steering, practicality, build quality, reliability and so on but that v6 was a masterpiece and the body design was a thing of beauty
I can honestly say that I don't regret selling my old ALFA 156 V6 - because I didn't. In fact I've still got a very old Fiat as well. Both cost me buckets of cash to keep but...
He’s now got a GTV6 again and it’s got a permanent home on diddly squat
I MISS MY GIULIA SUPER 1973 ANY DAY
Loved my Lancia Beta HPE,but things just kept falling off of it .
My girlfriend owned a Lancia Beta HPE in late eighties, We had several roaring trips abroad, to Northen Europe and to the East. Fine memories of that car from an alfista