Hello all, introducing my 2001 20VT. I like to think it's quite unique. I’m the first and only owner with 6,030 miles on the speedo. All original, no mods. Cheers.
Re: Rarest 20VT in the world?
[Re: ryvinson]
#1630179 28/02/201912:0628/02/201912:06
Thanks. Car’s garaged, serviced and maintained in Kuala Lumpur while I live in in Melbourne mostly. Hence, the low mileage. Have a very good mechanic in KL, specializing in Coupes and Alfas, who keeps the car humming.
Re: Rarest 20VT in the world?
[Re: ryvinson]
#1630205 28/02/201916:2128/02/201916:21
Thank you. Interestingly, I just read a post on a 20VT imported from Japan with 8,298 miles on the clock, asking for £19,940 in Autotrader. I guess I have bought and sold enough assets to not scoff at any asking price, as there’s always a taker(s) out there for any asset at any price. Always. It all boils down to luck and/or timing. One of the car pics in Autotrader did strike me as odd though - that one giveaway pic is not consistent with the low mileage or age of the Japanese 20VT. I’d know as my car’s just 2,268 miles short and 2001 manufactured as well. I’m sure there’s a good reason(s) for that glaring inconsistency. Cheers.
Re: Rarest 20VT in the world?
[Re: Kelv27]
#1630225 01/03/201906:1101/03/201906:11
Read another post on a Coupe red key and service booklet going for £500 on Gumtree. Believe it or not, someone, who’s a sucker for completeness like yours truly, will surely buy them!
Re: Rarest 20VT in the world?
[Re: ryvinson]
#1630231 01/03/201908:5801/03/201908:58
Thank you. Interestingly, I just read a post on a 20VT imported from Japan with 8,298 miles on the clock, asking for £19,940 in Autotrader. I guess I have bought and sold enough assets to not scoff at any asking price, as there’s always a taker(s) out there for any asset at any price. Always. It all boils down to luck and/or timing. One of the car pics in Autotrader did strike me as odd though - that one giveaway pic is not consistent with the low mileage or age of the Japanese 20VT. I’d know as my car’s just 2,268 miles short and 2001 manufactured as well. I’m sure there’s a good reason(s) for that glaring inconsistency. Cheers.
What inconsistency is that? Or am I being thick?
Re: Rarest 20VT in the world?
[Re: ryvinson]
#1630246 01/03/201915:3201/03/201915:32
The customised set of 17-inch alloys for the 20VT, an initiative by the local Coupe club then, was the best buy for the car. Inexpensive, they’re visually stunning on the car and fit like a glove. More importantly, they’re sparing the original alloys from wear and tear and damage by potholes aplenty in KL. Yes, a labour of love in keeping the car mint and original lol.
Last edited by ryvinson; 02/03/201907:57. Reason: Typo
Re: Rarest 20VT in the world?
[Re: ryvinson]
#1630275 02/03/201910:0502/03/201910:05
Plenty of elbow grease - the weekly wash and vacuum, even though it’s garaged and infrequently driven. The paintwork is as it was on the day I drove the car out of the showroom. It has never been resprayed.
Re: Rarest 20VT in the world?
[Re: ryvinson]
#1630345 04/03/201910:4204/03/201910:42
No, I don't believe they (the 17-inch) are available now, even as used, as they were a one-off production run 10 years ago. I stand corrected on the cost of about £270 then for a set of 4 rims of export quality. If I recall correctly, no more than 20 sets were produced.
Cheers.
Re: Rarest 20VT in the world?
[Re: ryvinson]
#1630437 06/03/201908:5606/03/201908:56
Lol. A matter of personal taste. All badges stuck on to keep car stock. Am stocked up on ”ricambi originali” badges, which are easily loosened, stolen or damaged given conditions here. The badges should be as rare as hens’ teeth to buy new today.
Re: Rarest 20VT in the world?
[Re: ryvinson]
#1630581 12/03/201910:2312/03/201910:23
Understandably, being fast even by today’s standards, 20VTs will be driven hard by most owners. What is hard to understand is why many 20VTs are not as well maintained, with second-hand values falling through the floor.
The conditions of many pre-owned 20VTs on sale here are simply shocking, earning the 20VT an undeserving bad rap. They’re not even worth the dirt-cheap asking prices.
The fast speed of 20VTs has been its curse, with many already souped-up, and beaten up on tracks and country roads on a budget. The requisite periodic and specialist maintenance just do not correspond to their hard usage. Sad.
Oops. My bad-day-in-the-office rant. Lol.
The epic Sunday wash below.
Last edited by ryvinson; 12/03/201910:35. Reason: Pic sizing
Re: Rarest 20VT in the world?
[Re: ryvinson]
#1630592 12/03/201912:5712/03/201912:57
Ownership is a labour of love, it is an enthusiasts car for sure, which if driven and used as was intended demands what some perceive as higher maintenance costs...given the low outlay for the car some in the era Pete mentions failed to maintain the cars as required...for me the biggest outlay has been bodywork and the treatment and prevention of the 'hidden' rust traps the car has due to the environmental conditions in the UK. The mechanics of the car in standard form (well a Gtec) have been bombproof for me save for the expected maintenance of belts, clutch and suspension arms, droplinks etc.
The 'developing world' conditions of many of the roads in the UK now and the use of salt in Winter has proven to have taken its toll on the Coupe many of which are/were used as every day drivers.
Your style of ownership (hardly ever driven) is now more the norm with many of the remaining vehicle's being driven minimally in the Summer months, pampered etc as a second or third etc car,