Its funny how a BOT can start a thread that is now two pages long.

I noticed another bot has created another thread. Seems like the server is having issues.

nija edit: Now officially three pages long.

No kidding. The De Tomaso Pantera was famous for the rear wheelwells rotting out.

No - thank god! To the guy who "corrected" my post - yep - they have made some fantastic shapes. The owner of my company is right into old Jags and agrees that they are anything but reliable!

Much prefer classic muscle cars myself and my SS drags the Tigers magnificently (Just to get the topic slightly sailing related <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />)

Tiger Mike

Ford and General Motors cars are only good enough to keep both companies flirting with bankruptcy. They seem to be very good at making simple trucks.

The current Alfa Brera uses an engine from Australian automaker Holden. The current U.S. Pontiac GTO, which GM will pull off the market in 2007, is also a Holden. Their death must be due to those awful Aussie auto designers.

Fortunately, some Alfas that you may be describing are totally unfamiliar to the U.S. market. For example, the badly made Alfasud with it's anemic engine never made it to these shores, thank God. The U.S. has never seen any of the diesel Alfas or any of the cars that were not much better than those funny Fiats. The only cars this market has seen from Alfa-Romeo have been the Alfettas and the Spiders.

Many owners that dipped into sports car ownership bought used ones that were already problematic due to truly awful dealer service or from self described experts in their own garage or by the fiddling by ignorant previous owners. Then, they blamed the car - hardly a fair evaluation. (Sounds like boat ownership.) That was true of Alfa-Romeo. The engines were bullet proof, ditto the marvelous transmissions and suspensions, but the service technicians should have been shot. I was fortunate to have Paul Spruell in Atlanta for the service I couldn't perform to my Alfetta GT and my wife's Spider. The Alfetta was sold after 13 yrs. with more than 250,000 miles. The Spider was sold after 23 yrs. and 276,000 miles. I still have my 1987 Jaguar XJ-S (213,000 miles). I'm not a masochist. All cars were daily drivers and really reliable cars. The Alfas had their engines rebuilt once. The Jag has only had ancillary stuff replaced; water pump, radiator cleaned, filters, belts, relays, one steering rack, and more than a few tires. Everything else is original from 1987. Do you think your 1987 ride is still moving?

Many guys will automatically repeat things they've heard about cars without having firsthand experience because it's cool to sound knowledgeable. Those same tired things have been repeated for 50 years. "Ya'll know what FORD stand for? Fix Or Repair Daily! Haw, haw, haw!" Then there's the warm beer, Lucas the Prince of Darkness, if Britannia rules the waves why won't her cars go through a puddle, ad nauseum.

Jaguar has been #1 on the J.D. Powers new owners satisfaction survey for quite some time, now. BMW and Mercedes/Daimler are far down the list beneath the rice makers because the Germans currently have some of the worst cars on the market. We need some new jokes for the junk from Germany. How about, "You know what BMW stands for? Badly Made Wolkswagen!"

I'll offer one of the things-to-say regarding boats: Hobie 16's can't tack.

Ah yes - back to boats. If you think a hobie 16 can't tack - you should try tacking a hobie 14.
(or did he mean Hobie 16 sailors can't tack - in which case it's always the crews fault) :->

Deg204:

The TRICK with a uni (I have a Hobie 17) is you MUST let out 3-4 feet of sheet as you go head to wind. Even more in a blow or the boat will go into irons. Try that and you should tack better, and even if you blow it. Reverse the rudders and back it up.

Doug

Speaking of boats and hot cars, what is the fastest you safely towed your boat? (if that is possible <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />)
Towing a H20 with a supercharged Tbird SC, I would go to Fl from GA and cruise around 85mph, though to trailer tracked well, I would get worried about boat/trailer much faster. (only a couple of tickets)

Oh, the wonders of unreliable (Lucas) wiring...

I saw a really wonderful, reliable, excellent performing '78 Jag coupe once... it had a Chevy 350 and Painless wiring kit!

However I've never seen a reliable Alpha.

I routinly tow an TheMightyHobie18 with a VW Passt 1.8T (manual) at 75-80 mph. When in a hurry I have been known to go as fast as 90 mph. This is with a new trailer that tracks well, is loaded properly, has properly inflated tires rated for high speed, and there is not a strong crosswind. I also usually have a bike or two and a kayak or two on the roof rack as well.

I would not do this with any tow vehicle or trailer. Both are in excellent condition.

Re: VW 1.8L Passat- Turbo gas or Turbodiesel?
Has anyone been towing with a VW turbodiesel? Good or not?
We ALL know to use a manual tranny for this, eh?

I still think about the Honda CRX from Canada that I saw: towed 2 stacked Hobie 20s to Davis Island Yacht Club, Tampa-and got home ok! 1.5 L gas x manual if I remember...
Maybe I need one of those 85 CRXs now. My '86 tow-car Nissan 300 ZX is getting iffy at 213 K miles, and maybe needs an transfusion of cash. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> Close to Dean's Jag, eh? <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I've seen a few reliable Alphas, but they all had mechanics as owners. I drove Rabbits for many years, and would still be now were it not for bad mechanics. Driving a Honda Civic Si now. Hopefully it won't need a mechanic for a long time! Tows the 17 very nicely, and handles better in the rain than any other car I've driven, including Subarus and Jeeps. Jake, a friend just got a 1980 RX7 with 47K original miles. It still looks like it could be on the showroom floor. Any idea about what a fair price would be?

Hmmm...not really. I've not stayed in close touch with the Rx-7 community for about 7 years. I bought my GSL-SE (the only 1st generation body style with the fuel injected 13B engine, limited slip dif, and four wheel disc brakes) for a steal at $2000 - probably worth $5k. I would say with 47k and the right buyer an '80 is probably worth $3000? But then again...I was never a fan of the rear bumper and tail light combo that they ran up until the 81 model...maybe it's worth more. Say, I'm getting rid of the two I have here - one has many performance items on it that would be applicable to your buddies '80...both are mostly parts cars. One engine will probably run well. The other is carbon locked (likely rebuildable). I put myself through college rebuilding rotary engines in my own "shade-tree" shop.

No but I did own a Range Rover. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> While it never let me down it was the most anxiety creating thing I've ever owned. Went a lot better with a much modded Ozy 4.5l P76 but the transmission was a disaster.
I agree the TF was a great car but my preference is for the earlier TC. Much more tradition and possibly the most raced car of all time.

Is that a TC? Berny, it looks more like a TD (model between the TC and the TF), except that it has wire spoke wheels (added?) and all the TD's came "as standard" with "solid" steel wheels. It has the "tapered" to the grille bonnet similar (but slightly different as the TF sloped from the windscreen down to the grille as well as from the doors into the grille on the sides, completely unlike the straight bonnet of the TC) but the TF also had the headlights set into and part of the front fenders. This one has "stand alone” headlights like the TD and TC. I can only repeat, the TF was (and still is) the greatest “chick magnet” ever made (who cares about racing when you can draw any chick you like?)

1.8T is a gas engine. I don't think the diesel is 1.8L... maybe 2.0L?

I'm not worried about the power of the engine, but the power of my brakes. When I do a lot of towing I tend to go through pads pretty quickly.

Jake is real close, for the 1980 RX-7, the S top price is $3,200, a GS $3,400. Owned a '79 GS-SE, nice cars Brian, real performers, 51/49 weight distribution (gas hog too). Things that go wrong at 40 to 50K, fuel pump (electric), distibutor plate (that the points mount on), and brakes. What a breeze to work on though, excellent engineering.

I will admit that I've always been too chicken to go faster than 65 or so while pulling the boat. I imagine passing a tractor-trailer and watching in the rear view mirror as the boat goes airborne as it hits the wind shadow of the tractor. I have a vivid imagination that keeps me at 65.

My brother had an RX-7 with the 13B. Nice car. I considered buying the new one but the styling is a little too rice for my taste.

Darryl,
Agree on the TF.

Regards,
Phill

It's a TC, my bro's first car. That's him at the wheel circa '55.

I towed my H16 home from the beach while a hurricane was coming ashore. It was flying a hull -er, wheel- all the way down the causeway!