Full Disclosure of Condition and Owner Notes
Alfa Romeo 164L 1992

~80,000 miles
Clear title
Two major owners in car's lifetime (three total?)
	First owner was Alfa Club member, also owned Porsche 911, Triumph Spitfire
	Second owner acquired this as second Alfa 164L, also vintage 
		Mercedes 280se 4.5 owner
Mainly maintained at GLB, over $2500 recent receipts
Blue book $4500(wholesale)-8000(retail)
~3300lb. curb weight

Engine:
	original dohc ~180hp, ~180lb-ft, excellent condition
	recent valve job by previous owner (~60,000)
		*do not rev past ~5000rpm 
		or compression leads to excessive oil burning
	camshaft cover script hand-painted in red nail polish
		*heat causes flaking off over time, easily renewed every three years
	does not burn oil normally
		*recently burned a quart per ~300mi on winter highway trip,
		but has not repeated this on similar trips
	usually given Castrol 10W-40 oil (sometimes 20W-50 in summer)
		oil changes ~3000mi apart
		oil stays fairly clean over that interval
		*may have very slow oil leak, but does not affect oil level
	expected life:  150,000+ miles with normal driving
		*engine is very sensitive to cold temperature starts;
		always let it warm ~3min when temp below ~40 degrees and
		do not lug clutch or rev past ~2500rpm when it is cold

Transmission:
	front-wheel drive
	original 5-speed, excellent condition but for design flaws
	new clutch completely run-in (~1000mi)
		*with worn clutch, would pop out of fifth gear
		but has not done this since new clutch
		*like most european clutches, depress fully to engage
	minor transmission work during clutch reassembly (see mechanic's notes)
	by design, car will torque steer under hard acceleartion
		*keep hands on steering wheel!
	by design, clutch sticks when it gets hot
		*avoid stop and go traffic in summer weather!
		*avoid messy shifts in warm weather!
	non-accessible-by-owner transmission fluid has very slow leak
		*mechanic advises putting it on lift once a year to check

Cooling System:
	excellent
	car has never boiled over/overheated despite occasional red-lining temp gauge
	coolant warning will light once per season
		*water pump(?) has slow leak.  watch coolant level.  minor concern.
	heat exchanger is effective at lowering engine temperature
	
Fuel System:
	excellent, lines cleaned often
	by design, fuel tank neck often requires manual monitoring of gas pump
		or will shut off prematurely
	actual observed mileage ~16mpg city, 24mpg hwy
	always given 92-93 octane gasoline

Ignition System:
	excellent, no trouble starting, warm or cold, no misfires

Other systems near/under hood:
	windshield washer-fluid level sensor is faulty
		*ignore warning lamp on dash
	all other sensors seem to work perfectly
	hazard lights and horn work fine
	wipers work well, but could use new blades
	windwhield washers work well

Exterior:
	good
	original paint, red, retains high gloss over 90% of surface
	unrepaired minor damage:
		rear deck lip (garage door scratch)
		front driver's wheel well (tire damage)
	driver's door paint is not a perfect match
		*alfa original paint is fading from red to cerise, typical for alfas
		*door paint is more recent and is not fading
	lots of small chipping on front hood
	no plastic or rubber damage
	alfa emblem on rear deck is faded, typical for alfas

Interior:
	good
	original leather seats, black
	non-smoker's car
	driver's airbag assumed never fired, no other airbags in this design
	no plastic cracking on dashboard or console
		*some minor flaws under steering wheel controls during repairs
	passenger seat shows minor abrasion-scratching on hip bolster
		*seat material responds best to light polymers, 
		not heavy leather-specific products
	rear smoker's center console ashtray is broken (can be repaired)
	front passenger's door arm-rest not screwed down well (can be improved)
	roof-mounted switch console rubber can be sticky (probably materials' age)
	sunroof slides and tilts as intended, does not leak
	carpets clean, always covered with alfa-logo floor mats
	no water leaks or beverage spills
	power door locks work as intended
		*knob has twice gotten stuck which can cause system to remain in
		locked state:  as with all electrically locked cars, keep
		hammer inside for emergencies; keep spare key outside.
		knob can be freed easily by unscrewing plastic cap and pulling up 
		with pliers.
	driver's door can freeze during freezing-rain conditions
		*do not wash car before cold

Electrical:
	fair (typical for alfas)
	headlamps always perfect
	front fog lamps perfect
	rear fog lamps do not work (not known why)
	new battery?  or at least it was checked recently and kept.
	seat heaters work as designed (front weak, rear good)
	fuel and electrical trunk releases work
	all warning lights, gauges, and buzzers work as designed
	rear-compartment reading lights do not work
	external temperature light does not work
	headlamp washer lamps unknown status (complex procedure to activate)
	radio works as designed but only a few stations (antenna not connected?)
	passenger aft-fore motor burned out
	some window motors slow, but all have been checked/replaced recently
	no fuse or relay problems
	alarm/horn seems to be deactivated (still have alarm key)

Suspension:
	excellent
	tires new at 60,000 kumho's:  good in snow, excellent in dry, fair in wet
	rear shocks can squeak in extreme cold

Start, 2krpm and 5krpm from under the hood of a warm 164L
(lots of burbling that we never hear!)
5krpm from just behind the tailpipe
(lots of ripping air that we never hear!)

Well... I just bought my second Alfa 164, since I liked the first one so much. Unfortunately, it means that a perfectly good Alfa spends over 360 days in the garage waiting to get attention. The first is a bottle green automatic Lusso with Ferrari yellow interior. Some Italian craftsman must have decided to select a special set of hides one day! It has 110,000 miles, is registered as a 1993, and was previously owned by a Swedish doctor who campaigned it on winter roads until it dropped its oil on the highway one day and he decided he needed a new Volvo. There is no evidence of rust on any of the body panels. There is actually no evidence of much wear anywhere in or on the car. The engine is perfect. He deserves a prize for Alfa pampering. The second is a dark cerise red 5-speed Lusso with black interior. I have been working hard to restore the hand of the leather on this one, which is responding to Megueirs (the other guy used the too-heavy Lexol). It was purchased from a lawyer, an Alfa/Porsche club owner who replaced it with a dual purchase of a 240z and a Spitfire, apparently keeping his 911. This 1992 has 65,000 miles and had just had a valve job and timing chain. The red turns a lot of heads, even though the lower body is clad in a very medium gray. Lexol guy swapped the Speedlines for 5-spoke polished alloy Borbets. I am still not sure it was an improvement; they reinforce the planarities rather than the complexities of the surfaces (and on the 164, those precious few nonlinearities need all the enhancement they can get!).



Europeans are probably tired of Alfa's corporate perturbations, and (according to one encyclopedia) there were as many 164's sold worldwide as 924's and 944's combined! But in the States, the 164 is a rare car. One sees more Ferraris than Alfas these days (Lancias and Fiats are really rare), though the image of Alfa is better than the image of just about every other marque here. Sadly, only the 164, the 75, the Spider and the Montreal have been here in the past thirty years (add the Fiat 124/2000, X1/9, a Lancia or two, and some Maser clones, and that's it -- no Integrale, no 33, no Fiat Coupes, Tipos, Stradas, Dedras, Themas, or Cromas, no 156, no GTV, no series 5 Spider, no Maser GT; nothing else Italian has come here!).

They are calling the 164 a landmark all-rounder, and that is appropriate. Both the automatic and the manual 164 are as elegant and intelligent as any car made. Both engines sing. Both exteriors are design achievements. It's true that they are currently at the low-point in the car-design cycle, since they are essentially mid-80's power-sedan shaped. But these are some of Pininfarina's best lines, and when the style of the mid-80's returns, the 164 will once again be the favorite feline. The buff interior of the automatic is like a museum article. The black interior of the 5-speed is merely ok. Both drivetrains have urgency and want to go faster. The automatic downshifts very nicely during deceleration (so that it is often in the right gear on an offramp) and during passing (it will downshift two gears to 5000rpm from top gear at 70mph!). It is a bit too relaxed in general traffic and does not permit easy manual selection. This contributes to better driving of course, but is not as much fun. The 5-speed is hampered by a clutch that I have slaughtered but still satisfies. The front end has a lot of trouble keeping contact and putting down all that torque, esp. on an uphill, despite the front weight bias. It is a completely different idea to have a heavy sports/luxury sedan with a manual carrying considerable power to the front wheels. It's not a great concept in my opinion, but the 164 carries it off. I believe the automatic is the better icon, but the 5-speed is as expected, more involving and a lot of fun. It's the 5-er that has the famous torque steer. I like it when I'm not trying to drive with half a hand. Much less humorous is the Ferrari-style sticky clutch in stop-and-go traffic.



If you are studying the 164 for its form, consider the following. The interior is quoted at 103 cu in. from a 179" car (though this is supiciously the exact same volume as the Saab 9000; so maybe someone didn't actually measure). This is a larger interior than a 7-series, an XJ, a Q45, and an LS400, even though all of those cars are 200" in length. So the Alfa has interior capacity (and a large trunk) from the uprightness of its design. Consider how far back the C pillar rests relative to the rear wheel axle and you can see where some of that volume comes from. The rear-cutout of the rear door produces an unusually oblique angle, and that creates much of the excitement in profile.



Of course, the striking features in profile are the longitudinal groove that runs the length of the vehicle (which is related to the side-treatment of the Alfa Spider, recently copied in the current BMW 3-series), the lower body cladding that produces the illusion of speed and length on a very stubby form, and the vertical inclination of the lower trunk and front spoiler, which add visual tension. Both of the latter rise at angles that seem askew, though they are considerably more restrained than on the Milano/75 which first experimented with the upturned trunk (and, thankfully, they did not copy the Milano's upper trunk -- note that the current jag roadster has chosen this same lower trunk line). That longitudinal groove is actually a wedge. It was taken too far in the current GTV, in my opinion. But it is a large part of the 164's whoosh when it is standing still. Also in profile, note how much lower the nose is than the rear deck. One need only press up against the car to notice that the deck meets the waist while the nose meets the knees.



From the front, the dominant feature is the chrome Alfa shield, the best shaped shield ever placed on any Alfa (though I admit that the dainty V on the 33-3 Stradale is cute). It is perfectly sized from every angle, except when viewed flat on. In this view, it is undersized, especially considering the highly saturated colors that one finds as its background. Yes, the 164's shield is larger than a Milano's and some Duettos', but it is still small for the full-front view's pair of trapezoids that frame it. This contributes to its registration as a heart. It also makes the little organ seem more precious. Contrast this with a 156 shield which is boldly elongated and affected, like a flamboyant signature, or the Montreal and Series-2 Spider's shields, which are horizontally widened as if pulled open. The explicit and iconic presentation of the 164's heart is what percolates BMW owners. They are attuned to finding a kidney on such an aggressive sporting machine. The essential and pointed A-heart trumps the redundant and sleeping B-kidney, both outlined in chrome. It is a metaphor for the natural order of sports sedans in this world.



The V that draws the shield back across the bonnet is actually lost in front view (of those two trapezoids joined at their base). It is the simplest view of the Alfa, from which the car unfolds quickly as one moves off-center. The rear deck, in contrast, is high, broad, and muscular, with thin rectangles that could only belong on a powerful Italian car. It is almost cluttered with its graphics and its collection of rectangular forms. From the front, the front spoiler thins more quickly than expected, and this reduces frontal mass. As the 164 is turned on any axis, it alternates between sharp geometric outlines and rounded shapes. That is part of its mystery and Pininfarina's magic. The sides, for example are not slabs like the Milano's. They fare gently inward at the front and back, just as the tops of the doors curve inward to meet the roofline. One of the secrets to this progression is that almost every trapezoid has legs that begin to turn it at the base. Another secret is that there are many broad planes, but two planes nowhere join in a crisp fold (it is our visual psychology that makes the fold seem sharp).



If you are contemplating the product placement of the 164, consider that the 3.0 SOHC V6 generates as much horsepower as the famous V6 Dino, the Maserati V6's, or for that matter, the small V8 of the Montreal. This makes it the most powerful normally aspirated Italian 6-cylinder engine ever produced. No wonder it didn't need dual cams and 24 valves until much later. It is also the most successful large sedan ever to come out of Italy, the largest Alfa, and the first really successful large Alfa. It might have made more sense as a Lancia, since Lancias tended to be upscale where Alfas were supposed to be sporting. But the FIAT group was right to gamble on a large Alfa, since its charisma and charm resonate better with the Alfa line.



Personally, I wonder why it was never offered in two doors with a faster back, like a mid-sixties Flavia coupe or the Maserati Sebring. At 3300 lbs., its main limitation is weight, which presumably would have been reduced with two-fewer doors and a few inches off the already short wheelbase. Perhaps the current GTV coupe with the 164's engine is the answer.



On paper the 164's engine competes directly with the 3-liter light-machinery (sewing machine) engines that Japanese manufacturers took from their sports cars into their sedans (from 300zx to Maxima, I30, and J30, from Supra to Camry, Avalon, Solara, ES300, GS300, and SC300, and from 3000gt to Diamante and Galant; and all into lowly sport utes and minivans). But the Alfa was so European that it made the other Europeans seem domestic. So it could not be compared to these Japanese high-powered fwd sport sedan engines, even in their best forms, as were found in the Maximas and Legends, because they were simply not special enough. The exuberant Alfa was so different in character from a workman's Mercedes 3-liter inline 6 that the comparison was never made. The only fair comparisons are to the BMW 2.8 inline 6 and the Audi 2.8 V6. It takes just an instant to realize that the Alfa engine is something else, like a Ducati engine, or an NSX engine: not just one of those other familiar chain and gear mashers. One wonders too what such a special engine felt like in a Milano.



For its platform, it should have competed with the Saab 9000. But the Saab 9000s appealed to a more introverted crowd -- the 9000s are smart but not beautiful. The Alfa's principal characteristic is its beauty. In driver appeal, it should have competed with the BMW 3- and 5-series. But the 3's were too small and the 5's too big to provide real comparison. A BMW is such a vulgar car, too (its owner demographic is only 50% college-educated!). And for the BMW's anti-social connotations, the BMW and Alfa have become opposed like supervillain and superhero. The Alfa might be meaningfully compared with a 2800CS or 3000CS, the only really pretty BMW's, but the 6-series and 8-series failed to extend those ideas to modern incarnation.



The fact is that there was no other car like it. It was at least as unique as an XJ6 among luxury sedans, if not quite a Lotus or TVR among sports cars. The current Audi A4 and A6 are the most natural current alternatives, if one had to update one's 164 at gunpoint. The A4 does achieve some beauty in its latest iteration, especially with 2.8V6 and aluminum shift-gate.

Some other lesser known facts about the 164: the shift-down automatic never permitted floating in too high a gear; the brakes were on a par with some of the best sports cars, such as the Corvette and 911, particularly amazing considering the 164's weight and bias; the stability at speed was outstanding, probably because of the 0.29Cd combined with the 64% front weight bias. The chrome of the intake runners serves no purpose except to be beautiful. The front washers rise to operate, and do so only with the lights on (and sometimes only when they feel like it!). There are rear seat heaters, rear reading lights, a rear middle armrest that sports the boldest trapezoidal cross-section in the whole car, retractable rear window shades, and a rear ash tray and lighter on the back edge of the middle console. The front map lights are pin lights, so they serve more to beautify the interior than to provide assistance with reading. The headrests have a dual-trapezoidal cross-section. This makes them feel good to hold, even if they are not particularly good headrests. The rear-window lockout turns off the rear window rocker lights when it is engaged. The passenger side dashboard is boxy and indelicate, like an early-80's Camaro. This presumably was to focus attention on the highly arbitrary design of the center dash switchgear (the arrayed rows of perfect squares), but it is an unexpected inelegance. The door handles and the wheelarch bulges have complementary form -- they are in rhythm and express the same angle-to-the-surface idea, even if they are on different scales. All the frontal surfaces appear to belong to the same sheet of folded paper, a look common on Italian seventies supercars. The lower side-cladding is sometimes painted in high contrast and sometimes in the same hue as the body. Both color schemes are successful, though the latter shifts attention to the bottom aerodynamic forms which got enlarged and flared when the L borrowed cladding from the S. Except for the front spoiler, which is integral to the design, all aerodynamic add-ons (including the S's tail) lacked design integrity (probably were done by Alfa without Pininfarina input). That front spoiler is split into two short oval cavities and one very long one; each cavity is horizontally trisected like a Ferrari, so the perception of mass is minimized. Then, in an unprecedented (but cf. Porsche 924 turbo...) and subtle reference to racing heritage and Ferrari relatives, the horizontal finning is carried up into the front valance and even inside the Alfa grille! It is the angle of this front valance, in side-view, which has aged most poorly. This idea is actually taken from the Ferrari sedans (such as the 400), and is a compromise solution to a problem of bringing the wedge to a point (today, an even blunter nose on a shorter overhang might have been preferred). Of course, the aerodynamic add-ons have not aged well.



The most wonderful design feature? The front bumper has a softly curving depression right where the bottom of the Alfa shield rests. There, the shield is cradled (as in the 155 and 156). This adds subtlety to a design that has a lot of severity. And it adds that special feeling that someone cared a very lot about the design, the nuance, the character, and the safe keeping of the 164's Alfa heart.


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