This Alfa Romeo is a car that possesses two very important attributes. The first is that it is loaded up with luxury appointments that should make any journey a pleasurable experience. The second is that under the hood rests one of the most fantastic V6 engines ever produced by a manufacturer for road use. Unfortunately, Alfas also have something of a reputation for suffering from the double whammy of mechanical unreliability and rust issues, but maybe it is worth the effort to take a look at this 1993 Alfa 164 to see if it manages to break that mold. It is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and has been listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding on the Alfa is sitting at a mere $1,136 in what is a No Reserve auction.
While the Alfa is advertised as a one-owner vehicle, it has been advertised by the seller following the passing of the original owner. The 164 is finished in a color which is officially called “Nero Pergusa,” which, to you and me, would be called Dark Grey Metallic. The paint itself looks to be in really good condition, with the only noticeable area of deterioration being around the front edges of the hood. The rest of the paint has a consistent shine to it, and when you look through the array of photos supplied by the seller, there are no signs of any rust anywhere. The external trim and plastic all appear to be in good condition, while there are no signs of any pitting, staining, or damage to the alloy wheels.
I previously talked about the glorious engine under the hood of the 164, and there it is. This is a 2,959cc fuel-injected V6, and its power is sent to the front wheels via a 5-speed manual transmission. Also included in the package are power steering and 4-wheel anti-lock disc brakes. The engine bay is showing a bit of age, but there is an interesting story behind what we see here. Apparently, that original owner was both a motorsport enthusiast and also the owner of a pair of European auto dealerships. He loved his Alfa, and was said to be meticulous about its care and maintenance. The story goes that the engine in the 164 received a full rebuild in 2015, and was upgraded from standard specifications to those of the 164-S. This should push the power output up from around 184hp, all the way to 207. That’s all good news and the fact that the car runs and drives nicely also adds to the positive impressions that this car makes. Now we get to the bit that worries me just a bit. The Alfa has accumulated 224,523 miles throughout its life. That is not far short of driving from the Earth to the Moon. Now, that might not be an issue, but it would be interesting to know whether any other components have been rebuilt or replaced because there will be components like CV joints which could be really starting to show their age if they are original. Given the background of the original owner, it is to be hoped that the car comes with a comprehensive service history.
When I first saw the mileage on the listing for the Alfa, I thought that it must have been an error. When you look at the condition of the interior, it doesn’t look like the interior of a car that has traveled nearly a quarter of a million miles. The leather on the seats looks to be soft and supple, while there is no sign of any edge-wear on the outer bolsters. Amazingly, all of the plastic trim is in good condition, with no obvious signs of cracks or discoloring. Even the carpet has managed to remain free of fading and stains. A premium model is always going to feature some luxury touches, and apart from the leather trim, the Alfa brings plenty to the table. This includes climate-control air conditioning, power windows, power locks, power seats, a premium AM/FM radio/cassette sound system, remote trunk release, cruise control, a tilt wheel, and remote adjustment for the exterior mirrors.
On face value, this Alfa 164 is a great car, and bidding on it has been quite subdued. This is a marque that has developed a reputation for both mechanical maladies and rust issues. However, this particular car seems to have avoided all of these problems. I suspect that the bidding has probably been subdued due to the reading on the odometer. Of course, if the Alfa has been properly maintained, then this might not be an issue. What do you think?
It has to be meticulously maintained with every mechanical part replaced at least once!
I’m sure it drives like a dream. Think about why a mechanic sells a car he has been so devoted to.
Owner of the car died, hence its sale-according to the Ebay add.
I’m sorry, I read that and ignored it for some reason. Being cynical about these incorrectly overode my rational thoughts.
The only CV axles I’ve ever make it beyond 200k are the rear units on any Subaru – and they’re just half-shafts, really…
I have had 4 GTV6 with this engine and to this day I have yet to find an engine with such a great soundtrack. The interior material and quality of my GTV6 interiors were horrible and rust on these alfas can be a issue for sure.
What is it with Italian cars and exhaust notes? They have the corner on the market for sure be it Fiat, Alfa, Maserati, Ferrari or Lambo. Same can be said for Italian motorcycles.
When you look at the overall condition of the car, you have to think that the owner maintained it mechanically. Look at those seats! I’ve seen much worse on cars with way fewer miles. Also….and to me this is important….this car was driven. It didn’t sit for decades in a warehouse, allowing the rubber to rot. My guess is that this car was maintained as it should have been. One of my buddies is an Alfa guy and he swears by this model.
This car must have been an L model and uprated to the S. I would be concerned about when the timing belt/water pump/bearings were last replaced as it is 4 years or 30,000 miles whatever occurs first. There is hopefully a paper trail that comes with the car. I would have the car inspected by someone knowledgable about the model. If you can’t then the price should reflect any unknowns. These are sweet drivers and there is great support on the AlfaBB. I have a 164Q that looks just like it and that engine wants to rev to redline with a sweet sound.
The S engine in an L body is my idea of perfect, given the lack of too-fussy plastic cladding and that ungodly heavy spoiler on the S boot lid. Ask me how I know …
Typical Alfa in that the 200+ HP feels like a whole lot more, and YES the sound it makes is hugely rewarding if you know how to ace a double-clutch downshift from 3rd to 2nd. Makes words like “roar” and “howl” seem inadequate. And as I’ve mentioned before, for real thrills drop the hammer in 1st gear and just TRY to hang onto the wheel without hurting yourself. But don’t worry – the rev limiter kicks in before you can count to 1!
Downside is it MUST be fed Premium. Oh, it’ll run on anything, but not well. The robot brain (L-Jetronic) is a good one that most shops are familiar with; my guys in Burbank handled the last three or four tests my S went through, and it got better numbers than my Subaru!
As for “leather” upholstery, the seats on my 2002 Audi with almost 200,000 miles still look new, as did the vinyl seats on my ’69 Camaro at age 15, at over 160,000 miles, neither with any special care, while the leather driver’s seat on my 2006 Chrysler T&C van was shot at 5 years and 100,000 miles.
One used to look at the accelerator, brake and clutch pedals when looking at a used car, to see if they matched the odometer, but they wear a lot better now, the accelerator and brake on my Audi still look unworn. The wear item on the interior of the Camaro was the rubber shift boot which had a very short life.
Somehow he has 100% rating on eBay but Carey Motor Sales in Philadelphia has less then stellar ratings on Google Maps and Yelp. Pretty interesting reading.
Nero is Italian for black. Pergusa is a village, a lake and a track circling the lake on Sicily. Don’t know what it has to do that has to with the color. I guess it’s like the Sebring Orange Tintcoat available on the 2020 Corvette
Time left: Time left:4d 08h Monday, 7:00PM
Current bid:US $1,525.00
[ 34 bids ]
Sounds like a heck of a deal
These things are stone bargains now. An local AROC member ran an ad the the chapter newsletter for three or four issues for a nice if rather used-looking one, starting with $1500 OBO and then practically giving it away … to someone who just wanted the engine for a LeMons car! I DID give away ours, but to a couple of body-refurbisher guys. Sometimes I really wish the third bay in my garage hadn’t been turned into walk-in-only storage space …