Has anybody got any advice or experience with these cars?
Cheers

Just to be clear.. a GTV V6, not a GTV6?

GTV V6.....do it...fantastic car...few posts on here for comparative purposes...IMO..the GTV is just a better drive better made with better handling...and the Busso is just an amazing engine. I love mine.

pay a bit more and get one that has been polybushed and well maintained with good history. I have a GTA clutch and flywheel with a Q2 diff and these mods really bring the car alive. CDA airbox too with a straight through cat back exhaust. Basically it's a 2 seater. only circa 525 left in the UK. Have a look at Pistonheads they featured it last week, week before. Personally I don't see the point of a Cup as it adds nothing, although talking to Rog this week when he serviced mine he reckons they have a close ratio box....

Check for rust on floor plan especially beneath the area at the rear of the door. Mine is sound and has had Dinitroyl to keep it that way.

Cracking grand tourer. mine is vela blue with tan leather, cracking combo and a Phase II model. Any Qs pm me.

You keeping the Coop too?

Sorry yes, the GTV V6.

Keeping the Coupe forever and looking for a phase 2 with aero. Agree on Cup, rare and like LE will be worth more, but then cost more.

Was talking to Rog and he said get non-cup with Aero, his fav is phase 3 but I prefer looks of earlier cars. Looking for phase 2. Realize the Q2 diff is very desirable and that basically the car is 2-seater with no boot room, but no problem, actually quite like the exotic indulgence.

Read something about one of the phases having drive-by-wire, is this good or bad?

Thanks for the rust steer and the link to PH, will check it out.

The drive by wire on throttle body potentiometer or whatever its called on phase 3 can need a clean and i am sure early drive by wire cars in general put extra wear on clutches as they don't seems to drop to lower revs as fast as cable when changing gear...this is a fact on the Maserati coupe fly-by-wire)...but i wouldn't let this put you off...just check that the car doesn't kangaroo on town driving as the revs don't drop fast enough.

The GTV needs inspection on the rear suspension and subframe as it can be very expensive if its neglected.

Basic GTV things to check are the rear heated screen works, the button may light up on the centre console but it doesn't mean the demister is working. Check the fuse box under the steering wheel much like the coops(you will needs to bring a small wide flat nose screw driver), if the rear screen fuse has melted you may need a new box and thats expensive. There is a mod which i have done to mine (google stoyce rear GTV screen mod and read all the thread its very interesting)

Check the Rear boot release in the passenger glove box works (its really well hidden)

Also check the window drops work either side(later cars only), some cars also suffer with really bad wind noise at speed due to frameless doors, it can be adjusted but sometimes you can never get rid of it!

Also i believe the rear tires can go 50p shaped due to the nature of the GTV's suspension and you get a horrible droning at speed, i have had this on ours on nearly new tires. I have been told by specialist that you should only fit good tires and that the suspension needs a proper alignment quite often (£100+ or so)

Also later cars fall into the new tax system so £280 and rising.

If you get a older car its the same tax as a coop which is not as bad. Worth thinking about IMO although the 3.2 ph3 is a beast!

They are much more resilient to rust than the coop if looked after the bonnet is all plastic so wont rust and so are the wings.

They also don't have a spare wheel unless the option has been added to inside the boot meaning less room hehe.

Alot of cars have incorrect air filters on 3.0 models and a lot of specialist don't do all the ancillaries when quoting for the cambelt...Rog website is correct and a good price some quote cheap but it isn't everything you really need.

Tom

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/news/default.asp?storyId=29960

Link to PH's latest article. Don't forget it also loves drinking petrol makes the Coop feel very economical, ok-ish on a long trip but urban driving is scary.

http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=28635

Shed of the Week on PH, read through owners posts, there is also a nice scan of a magazine review for the V6 worth a read too, I didn't know the V6 was used by Ferrari at it's track facility. Mine is the same colour as the article with full aero kit (front spoiler too) and 17" teledials; get the teledials they look good.

Glad your Coop is still going strong we met at Rog's some years back we both had sprinty's.

Thanks both for the very helpful advice and link. I had been looking for a magazine buying guide with this level of detail, but car so old not had much luck.

I think I have a buying guide somewhere I will have a look and scan it. I am a bit of a 'brochure man'

Forum here:

http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa-gtv-and-916-spider/

They can eat MAF sensors, and you must use genuine only. I had a lovely GTV V6, kids loved it almost as much as the Coupe! I still have a 156 2.5 V6 as loan car, cracking engine and FC tuned of course!

http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa-gtv-...-for-grabs.html

Mileage higher than I would want but this could be the basis of a nice one

Thanks for looking out. I am raising the funds and have set up alerts on on Trovit etc.

To be honest look at lower mileage in my mind, but not going to start tyre kicking until I have cash in pocket, then might be seduced by condition rather than miles.

There is a nice GTV 3.2 at Veloces but 8k odd. I think if you get a good GTV it will only hold its value. Any questions feel free to ask.

Thanks I saw that, looks a minter, but I can't afford that.

I really would like a red one, but 99% of these seem to be Cups all at >£5k prices when I'd be more comfortable spending around £4k ....

I swapped my last Coupe for a GTV V6 and I regretted it.

IMO the GTV looks a bit nicer and the engine sounds better but other than that my 20VT was a far better car.

The Coupe is Quicker, better on fuel, more space, more reliable, doesn't have a tendency to make its diff explode, and is far easier to tune.

They handle about the same IMO, but the Coupe also doesn't have the complicated rear suspension which will cost a fortune to fix if anything needs doing.

Maybe I just got a bad one, but my GTV was a big dissapointment after my 20VT.

I my other post you will see that I pushed the boat out and now have both cars.

Personally I think the Coupe (with body kit) looks better and has aged better still.

I am thinking the engine will be the big differentiation - forced induction vs big N/A, although ride refinement seems immediately better for the GTV, I guess partly because it is standard, unlike the Coupe.