Faults:

Fuel pump failed, dropped a valve and required a major head rebuild.

Used oil like the Valdez.

Generally the parts were reasonable, but service options were limited.

Timing belt and water pump are a normal repair, and I did one.

Really, for the higher miles, the car was very reliable and never left me beside the road, save one time for the fuel pump failure - started every Midwest winter morning.

General Comments:

I fell in love with this car and bought it sight unseen over Autotrader.com. Probably could have paid less, considering some of the oil gasket leaks and other updates that needed to be done, but I loved, loved, loved driving this car. The power is very under-rated, and the sound from the engine is a pure Italian aria.

The car looks so good from the rear 3/4 view, and it was a very good daily driver. I never got sick of walking up to it and driving it. It always got curious looks, and I thoroughly enjoyed running away from Mercedes and BMW - and even a few Mustangs. It is a real sleeper in a way, and loves highway cruising.

Hated to sell it, but had to because I was doing too much driving and needed a small economy car with a warranty! I miss it, and will probably buy another one.

Faults:

This car needed only an alternator replacement, muffler, typical old car part munching.

General Comments:

Oh My God Fast, and this is a base car! HiWay Star.

Excellent ride quality. Surprising mileage on hiway.

Do not buy for a lot of around town driving--poor turning radius. Built 1/90 and still turns heads young and old wherever it goes.

Faults:

Water pump failed at 91,000 miles, 2,000 miles after previous owner had replaced it. Car had been driven less than 1,000 miles in two years before I purchased it.

Replaced valve cover gasket, cam-timing belt and two fuel hoses.

General Comments:

In previous posts, somebody mentioned "This is not a car for women." Indeed, the original owner had purchased it new in 1991 for his wife who hated it's bulk and rarely drove it. When I bought it, it was showroom fresh.

I am a woman, and I thoroughly enjoy the agility and high-speed gusto of this large Alfa sedan. "Off-the-line" performance is somewhat sluggish with the automatic transmission, but when shifted manually, the 164 can blow away a BMW M3 with ease.

The big Alfa hums along effortlessly at 80mph. A mere tap on the gas pedal results in rocket-like acceleration even on an uphill grade.

Fuel economy is an unexpected bonus. Compared to my previous Jaguar XJS, this is an econobox! It averages around 25mpg city even with aggressive driving.

The leather orthopedic seats seem to be custom-made for me. I can drive for hours without a "rest stop".

So far, the previous owner bore the brunt of repairs, and everything works as it should, with just enough sporadic quirkiness to keep me from taking the car's thrill quotient for granted. The downside is, there's only one mechanic in San Diego, CA who's familiar with the 164 Alfa, and he's 30 miles away.

This Alfa has all the luxury and performance features of a BWM, with a sort of spirit and panache all it's own. I forgot to mention the awesome sound system installed by the previous owner!

All I can say is "Wow!" After a succession of high-maintenance cars ending with the XJS (which was to be my last "fling"), I was intent upon replacing my passion for exotic cars with a bland middle-aged security blanket. A "normal" Lexus LS400 or Toyota Camry was my planned replacement for the Jaguar.

Just in time, and at half the price of a used-up Camry, this Alfa came along and put a huge smile on my face. If it goes up in smoke tomorrow, it will have been more than worth it... What a BLAST!!