1989 Alfa Romeo Milano: BMW Alternative?

When I think about what I could have purchased in 1987 as a competitor to my 325is, the first car that comes to mind is the Mercedes-Benz 190E. In fact, I owned one of these many years ago and it remains one of my favorite highway cars. Next I might think of the Audi 90, though I don’t believe it was ever positioned as a true rival to the 3-Series; the point is, I don’t think Alfa Romeo. But the Milano sedan was designed to be a cheaper alternative to the E30 3-Series, complete with impressive driving dynamics, a standard manual transmission, and six-cylinder power. Credit finicky maintenance as a reason why it doesn’t have the legacy of the BMW, but that doesn’t mean cheap projects don’t exist: check out this 1989 example here on eBay listed for $4,800 in Michigan. Read more »

1994 Alfa Romeo 164Q: Soul Stirring

There are some cars I yearn for under very superficial terms. I’ll admit it – I don’t always pay attention to the engineering or reliability and rarely does the badge on the hood sway my judgment. But this car – an Alfa Romeo 164Q – well, I’m suddenly distracted by intake runners, Recaro-style seating, wrap-around taillights and an engine note that could bring you to your knees. Yes, this isn’t a practical choice, other than the fact that’s it’s a sedan. This is far more about the senses and the allure of driving an Alfa every single day. Let’s explore this 1994 example listed here on craigslist for $5,000. Read more »