Faults:

Nothing major, other than engine mounts (forgivable) at 175,000km, a few minor electrical gremlins (rare), and a totally worn through interior, especially the seats.

Engine has been almost 100% reliable so far, and the only major components that have been changed are the variator and the water pump; the latter out of an abundance of caution, more than anything else.

Oil changes are 5000km (full synthetic) and belts every 30,000km.

Other service items to note are shock absorbers & front lower suspension arms.

General Comments:

Despite having a hard life of almost 193,000 km, the car has been surprising reliable. Other than having cracked a sump last year (my stupid fault), nothing major needed replacing.

Dealer service and especially the spare parts situation in Malaysia sucks big time, so unless you are prepared to play intelligent with 3rd party repairs and service, it's a vehicle I would avoid for the obvious reasons.

The recent addition of a pair of C&B camshafts and a Squadra chip adds another 200% to the fun factor of this car.

Faults:

Air Flow Sensor failed and replaced three times (!)

Faulty Intake Cam Variator.

Head gasket blown at 140,000km.

Shifter cup broke, could not select any gear. Had to have it towed home.

Clutch slave cylinder leaked in a middle of a traffic jam. Had to limp it home in second gear and turn off the engine every time I had to stop since there was no clutch disengagement.

Hatch creaked badly when raining. Never figured out what the problem was and just lived with it.

Electric fan failed in a middle of a traffic jam, causing overheating. Had it replaced with an aftermarket electric fan which was a lot cheaper.

Left rear wheel bearing failed.

General Comments:

Every time I looked back and think of all the problems this car had given me throughout my (brief) ownership, I just think some kind of curse was cast upon me. I mean, how could a car merely four years old could give me so much trouble? And the fact I sold my father's hand-me-down '84 Mercedes 280SE for this car made me think maybe I deserve such a curse for making such an inexcusable mistake.

Superstitions aside, I bought this car with the promise that it was a hoot to drive, and it was. Of course it was, it's an Alfa Romeo. The engine made the most intoxicating noise this side of a Ferrari, the shifter very slick, the looks are just drop dead gorgeous. The seats were contoured just right, and although I'm not a big fan of the Italian driving position, I learned to live with its quirk. The pedals are close together and made heel-and-toe shifting easy. What surprised me the most was the amount of interior room this car had, especially considering its compact size. I could easily carry five adults comfortably, and the boot will swallow quite a bit of luggage load.

Overall, I found it hard to fault its capabilities and practicalities. It really would've been a good car had it been (much) more reliable that it was. Because even with its enormous reliability problems, I still had some regret when I finally let go of it. I was truly disappointed with its problem. If it was even half as reliable as a Japanese or German brand, I would've kept it. When it did work, it put a smile on my face every time I drove it.