5th Jun 2001, 11:49

Alfa's quality in mid to late 80s was at times shaky. By the time the 164 rolled out things were looking pretty good (if it were re-baged as a Lexus or Infinity in the US it would have sold well).

I think sometimes in the case of the 75/Milano, its quirky ergonomics could add to the frustration level of overall ownership.

15th Sep 2001, 10:32

I have not heard this person say one positive thing about the 3.0 liter gem of a motor, the fantastic balance of the chassis, or the powerful brakes with Brembo calipers.

It is true the fit and finish of these cars are not that great, but these motorcars are not Mercedes Benzes. They were built with the intention of providing the driver with sheer driving pleasure. I have owned several 75's and with proper care and maintenance they will provide years of driving satisfaction. This person obviously has no business owning this car and does not deserve it...

28th Oct 2001, 13:42

I just have to say that the Milano is one of the best driver's cars on the road. After purchasing one then selling it, then purchasing it again, I find great humor in these complaints about a gem of an auto. Have you ever heard of maintenance? My Milano was totalled when some American behemuth (mid 80's Caprice) decided to rear-end me. What a sad day! She was so young with only 230,000 trouble free miles on her! :)

27th Feb 2002, 10:03

I wholeheartedly agree with all of the retorts to this dismal review. My '87 2.5L has taken me 167,000 miles and is still going strong. It is most certainly not a vehicle for the average Joe and only enthusiasts need bother owning one. That said, it is a breath of fresh air on roads littered with cookie-cutter Asian cars and efficient, but soulless German offerings. This individual has too much sphincter tone to enjoy driving an Alfa.

16th May 2002, 14:20

I own a Milano Platinum 89 which my fiance who is an Alfa collector (2600, Giulietta, GTV Spider and others) gave me as a present a few months ago. I love her. Is the best car I ever drove. She is smooth, resistant, reliable, loyal and has a soul. I love Italian cars, specially Alfas.

I live in Lima, Perú. In this city, roads and traffic are chaotic. Even though I manage to maintain my Milano in excellent conditions with the help of a very good mechanical engineer specialist in Alfa Romeos.

It is not understandable how someone living in a First World Country cannot take care of his car having all the facilities we do not have in Third World Countries. If the commentator is not prepared to own an Italian car he should not buy it. I agree with the other commentators and I congratulate them.

24th May 2002, 08:17

Although I do not own a Milano, I did test drive one recently and decided against purchasing it. The car was sweet to drive, and the styling is simply timeless, yet I felt the need to defend the reviewer from these subsequent attacks--I don't think that a person is being unreasonable in expecting a car that runs. I don't think replacing drive shaft donuts and temperature sending units every year should be a required right-of-passage in order to enjoy a high performance sports sedan. The reliability problems with these Alfas cannot simply be explained-away by poor maintenance and/or mechanics. These Alfa apologists are using weak arguments not unlike those of the U.S. car manufacturers when they were getting battered by the Japanese in the 80s.

4th Sep 2002, 23:38

After owning 29 cars since I started driving, the Alfas, and my Verde, are still, simply put, the best. My '89 Verde has 135,000 miles on it and aside from normal maintenance (which sometimes includes driveshaft donuts) and a water pump when I bought it at 50,00 miles, the car has been very reliable and trouble free. It is my every day driver, although it now splits some of the duty with my '77 Spider. I would not hesitate to get into either car and drive it anywhere.

Many inexperienced folks buy the car and then pamper it to death. An Alfa is a car that is meant to be driven, and meant to be driven HARD.

12th Sep 2002, 20:06

I've owned 2 Verdes for over 7 years and have owned Alfas since 1983 and I know where this guy is coming from-he's probably still wondering why there is no cup holder. Alfas are for a select group of people who appreciate performance and agility at the sacrafice of comfort and accesories- some would even say aesthetics (but I love the way 75's look). To go in and buy and Alfa blind and drive it and maintain it like a Toyota/Honda is pure gambling. Alfas are a real "zen" car, you have to get the serpent in your blood-take a different perspective-get a think outside the box mentality, etc... His car sounds like a true abused Milano that wound up at a hokey car seller's/dealer's lot for free. Avoid these guys, avoid these Alfas, study up on the quirks because they have them, but realize that for the money you are getting into a car which shares a real de-Dion suspension based off vintage racing Ferrari, has a sweet revving aluminum 3.0L, and is practically 50/50 balanced front and rear for superb neutral handling. Yeah, they can leave you stranded out of the blue, but I've been stranded in Toyotas too. These cars are for driving with the pedal to the floor, winding just up to rev-limiter shifts, and entering turns at double speed sign minimum-and the reason they don't have a cup holder is because you don't need it, you need both hands on the wheel!

23rd Dec 2002, 06:11

I am an Alfa "apologist" as the reviewer of 24 May suggests. I am also a long-time Alfa owner and knowledgeable about automobiles. That said, no one (the original poster included) suggested that replacing senders or donuts "every year" was a "right of passage" in Milano ownership. What was said is that older Alfas are not vehicles that were made for with the US market in mind. They require patience and proper care, which, if provided, will reward the owner many times over. If driving in the anesthetized state interests you, buy a Lexus, BMW or similar offering and leave the Alfas for folks who enjoy driving.

11th Oct 2004, 10:22

I can see both sides of this debate.

I still will say though, that the Milano, is a superb car.

The proof I believe is in all those RWD re-incarnations that are coming or have come into the market like the CTS V8, or the Lincoln LS for $40k or above.

Having said that, I want to say, that I wished that I had made more research on the car, before I bought mine.

My car was an abused milano, and it took a lot to get her to be reasonably reliable. Additionally, it took me a long time to find a mechanic that even remotely knew how to take care of the car.

My first hint of not buying mine, should have been when I saw its replacement, in the prior owners garage a brand new BMW.

Even in its abused condition my Milano has offered me a lot of fun from day one.

If you can invest the time to find a good condition non-abused milano, then I truly believe that you cannot get a better value for your money.

Weak points on the car, are the ABS, doughnuts, water pump and rust on uncared for Northern climate cars.

If anyone is looking for a used one, and want some advice on what and how to look for it, I can be reached at thinker_2_004@yahoo.com.

Even with all of its problems my milano has provided me, with some wonderful motoring experiences, that no other car has come close to reaching.

I highly recommend the car to any driving enthusiast, and to those who are not so mechanically inclined, I would recommend it, if they are willing to spend the extra money and effort in tracking down a good sample of the species.

For those who believe they should never have to pop their hood open, or do not know what an oil stick looks like, I would say to them, buy a Toyota or a Honda.

21st Oct 2009, 17:45

I'm the owner of 7 Alfas; they are all in my garages. I've got a GTV6, a 90 2.5 QO, a Nuovo Giulietta 2.0, a Spider Aerodinamica, a 164 2.0 twin spark, and two of the 75s (or Milano) 2.0 TS. I'm doing all the mechanics of my own.

And to compare: I've got two BMWs, 2 Volvos, a SAAB and a german Ford.

The Alfas do not keep the same standard as the swedish and the german cars; neither in the electrics nor in the body work. The electric connections of the 70's and the 80's are bad solutions.

But I love, drives and keep my Alfas because they've got charm that most cars don't have.