Italian fun in an affordable used sedan.

I purchased a 1992 Alfa 164-S (sport model) with 120000 miles on it two years ago. The car needed significant brake work and a complete engine service (belts, valve clearance, tune up, cap, rotor, wires, plugs, new intake flex pipe, and engine mounts) but for an average street price of $5000-6500 for an S of this vintage spending $1500-2500 to make the car perfect is still an excellent value.

First the warnings: on S models the active suspension and ABS can get a little squirly as the car ages, the ABS can be ignored, as the 164 has fabulous easily modulated brakes and the system functions whether or not the ABS distribution block is happy. The active suspension is MUCHO expensive to repair with factory parts, but retrofitting KONI manual adjustable struts is a less expensive and perfectly reasonable solution, many 164s of this vintage have already had the conversion. The front A-arms may also need to be replaced due to worn bushings on cars over 100000 miles.

Now the Good Stuff: parts are hard to find, but CHEAP. the afore mentioned A-arms are available for $65usd each with ball-joints included!
The 3.0 liter alfa V6, when cared for (regular oil and timing belt changes) is nearly eternal. considering that this is a 10.5:1 compression 215+ hp engine now with 140000 HARD DRIVEN miles on it only burns about a quart of oil every 1500 miles! The 164 has exceptional handling for a mid-size front drive car, but tire choice is very important to get the most out of this tight, but heavy (3,500 lb) chassis. The V6 is smooth and has huge torque down as low as 2000 RPM, with power coming on smoothly and just getting bigger as RPMs rise. Not only is the engine strong and smooth but it makes a lovely Italian roar when you put the boot to it as well.

Tire destroying smoke shows are easily accomplished with the manual trans models, and still entirely possible with the autos. Speed is easy, the 164 feels relaxed and stable at 130 mph, in fact speeding is a little TOO easy in this car. I average about 24 mpg in my daily driving, but long high-way trips yield upwards of 27 mpg, very reasonable milage for a car with this much power. High octane fuel is a must.

The interior, weather cloth or leather features excellent side bolsters and firm hip support that is still very comfortable on long drives, short drivers may have difficulty with the long bottom cushions and close dash, but drivers in the average height range should be able to find a very comfortable position, and with an excellently placed dead pedal, hard driving is easy to brace for. The HVAC controls are a button rich environment but make sense if you take the time to understand the lay-out, gauges are large and easy to see. When I first purchased the car the A/C had been recently recharged, and I swear, no joke (this is the honest not a joke really real truth!), it would put frost on the inside of the windsheild on a 90 degree day. However, a stone has since punctured the condensor (and radiator, which I replaced...) and left me without any air cooling capability at all. The heater will put out air so hot you can get 1st degree burns off it, but not untill the car has been running for 15-20 minutes. This is somewhat irritating, as the first half of my winter commute leaves me shivering, and the second half sweating.

The low radio placement is less than perfect, but a CD can still be removed or inserted with the shift lever in 1, 3, 5(manual) or Park. (auto) switch gear is of above average quality, and trim is nicely executed in leather and high quality soft touch plastics.

Rear seat head and leg room may be a little on the low side for tall passengers, but the seats are VERY comfortable and visibility from the rear is excellent. The trunk is cavernous, but has rather high lift over, four large suitcases can fit with room to spare though, as well as having a ski-pass through bag. The car also comes with a nearly complete tool kit featuring plug wrench, 8-15 mm wrenches, lug wrench, and screw drivers. A mini spare is the only option, but full size spares are hard to come by on any car.

User service points in the engine compartment are well marked and easy to access, but this is a 3.0 liter transverse engine in a mid-size car, space is tight for more complex work. Changing sparkplugs yourself is a 3 hour job.

The 164 has been described as "Built like a German car with Italian flair" and the whole is a well executed, well built, comfortable, reliable, great performing package that's faster than an Audi, and cheaper than a BMW or Benz. Reports of less than stelar reliability have been exaggerated, my 164 has had no problems that any car of it's vintage shouldn't have, It starts great in the cold, is completely rust free, and still feels tight despite spending it's entire life on the salt ridden less-than-smooth roads of Vermont.

Minor mechanical and electrical problems, as well as the need for regular professional service (timing belt every 30,000 miles, regular oil change, short lived engine mounts, short lived dash lighting) make this a car for the "drive and forget" owner to avoid. However the involved and/or performance minded owner, even one on a budget, should definitely consider a 164, especially an "S" as an affordable alternative to an Audi, Lexus, BMW, or Benz. Any potential buyer should make sure there is a local mechanic willing to work on Alfas, and have the car checked out by said mechanic, due to the relative scarcity of such mechanics he/she will probably be able to tell you the whole history of the vehicle in question.

Because they are so much fun to drive hard, there are some badly abused Alfas out there, take a careful look and drive before buying.

UPDATE 11/16/03
A long commute to my most recent job has put my 164s over 200,000 miles. She still starts in the dead of winter with no issues, averages about 25-27MPG, and will pass all but the fastest competition at the stoplight and on the highway. She burns more oil now, about a quart every 600 miles in normal driving, but the oil is still pretty clean at 3000 miles, so my rings are probably still pretty tight. The oil's just leaking down the valve guides from the top-end.

Some recent experimenting --back around the 170k mile mark-- with a G-tech performance meter yeilded 6.3 sec best 0-60 time, 1/4 mile in 15.4 sec at 95Mph. .89g max holding on clean pavement (all with 205/60/15 Yokahama AVS Intermediates fitted), another less-legal experiment yeilded 143 Mph, at which point I chickened out and didn't go any faster. There was a good 800 RPM left on the tach though... red-line is at 6500, you do the math. The 164s rates as a VERY fast car, even by current standards.

I need front suspension bushings again, and engine mounts, and have changed the timming belt, but this 164s still proves to be one of the more reliable cars I've ever owned. I have yet to be left stranded.

UPDATE: 8/14/2004

Now in my fourth year of ownership I'm still loving the car, but she's getting a little long in the tooth. Nothing major mind you, just the little bits that start to go on 12-14 year old cars. The rivets that hold the break-away side mirrors onto the spring-mounts finaly rusted through and now both of my side mirrors are held on by judicious application of black silicon RTV. The FACTORY muffler and tailpipe that have laster 13 years finnay gave out, litteraly falling to peices on the driveway after hitting a pot-hole. The rest of the exhaust still seens quite solid.

I've delayed replacing the muffler the whole summer for one simple reason: Oh the SOUND! The pipe ends just after the center resonator and although it's quite loud, it's not loud enough that Cops look more than once. The SOUND! The SOUND!!! Imagine a 5 litre Mustang with side pipes, then chop off 20% of the rumble, add 40% more snarl and make it whistle just a tinny little bit at WOT. Even the smell of exhaust intrudeing into the cabin hasn't turned me off this sound... oh well I guess I'll have to fix it before winter, I know I won't want to drive arround with the windows open then.