I'm aloof. I drive a Saab Aero. My 2nd Saab. I like them. Understated. Would have loved an Alfa GT but I prefer an automatic these days. VAG cars are too dear for what they are. Besides it air cooled vw for me. I like Alfas they're pretty. German cars are for the most part cold. I really like the Brerra.
Cars are for driving from one place to another. Motorcycles are for experiencing. I couldn't care less what car my missus wants as long as she doesn't interfere with the bikes.
Yup. Agree - I got bored of cars years ago. Had a job as a field engineer and they gave me a Focus estate which I caned the arse off for 18 months....everyone did. Even to the point of my mate who blew the gearbox in his, went to pick it up from the ford garage. The mechanic was explaining to him how to run the gearbox in correctly through the window (I was in the passenger seat). He finished explaining, my mate wound the window up, dumped the clutch and wheel-spinned out the car pack. I looked back the and the mechanic looked gutted, shook his head slowly and walked back in.... 3 years of caning cars left me not having any interest in them.
I think if you ride a Ducati you're not scared of being different or following the crowd. Cars like the Saab and Alfa are great cars but not the obvious choice. People play it safe and go for the German cars a bit like bikers go for Japanese bikes because they're brain washed, but don't realise that these machines aren't just about practicality but about the enjoyment experience.
Definately - the last hyper I had a couple of years ago was my first Italian bike. Hooked now with another hyper and RSV4factory. If I was going to get something else it would be another KTM. Cant see myself owning anything Japanese in the near (or far) future although ive always had a soft spot for z1000's.
I like a bit of both we have a Lazy 6 cylinder auto BMW which drinks petrol at an alarming rate but is lovely and luxurious. We also have a nippy diesel A3 which is nice light quick easy to drive car and cheap to run, but I agree if cost is not an issue you can't beat a bit of luxury.
i have workd with ford Renault deawoo a small garage that specialized in German cars and fiat for 8 years and i can honestly say the fiats and alfas are way better than than you would think, i wouldn't dream of owning other make now. i get more business from the VAG group than any other make. all mine have been super high millage with no probs all baught from customers so would of seen them from PDI right through there working life. there engines are fantastic especially there diesels, totally bullet proof . most of the ones i have owned have been the 20v variants from petrol to jtd all sold on at around 150,000 mls and i still see them on the road now, at presant i have a panda 146000mls workd on since new apart from servicing had a wiper moter. a fioreno van 145000mls in the family from new apart from servicing had a wiper motor got its first bit of welding this year at 15 years old and still on its original exhaust system. coupe 20v 15 years old no rust or rattles and every thing still works. down side to fiat and alfa is the reputation from 30 years ago so deprecate very quickly. for me owning Italian cars is like owning Italian bikes they are drivers cars if you don't get it now you never will.
My wife used to have an Audi A4.......so I'd buy the Alfa! The Audi was horrid and horridly expensive. Whilst she was running her A4 I had a Jaguar XJ6. The Audi was cheaper for fuel (but not by as much as a 1.8 should be compared to a 3.2) but in all other respects it was more expensive than the Jag. Jag parts were cheaper and you used less of them. The Audi was actually designed to be expensive which was what annoyed me. You could never just replace the part you needed to, as other stuff always needed to be dismantled, when a bit of common sense design would have removed the need. Wouldn't have been so bad but it was also a poor ride for the handling, uncomfortable and had a stupidly light brake pedal. I don't understand what people see in VAG cars, the last decent one was the Mk2 Golf IMO. When I started to commute by train and sold the Jag I put my foot down and the Audi went. Now the daily is a 320d Touring, which is actually nice to drive although has its nutty side once the turbo's spinning. It's comfy too. It's a bit predictable but I believe you know where you are with BMW (and before the inevitable comments come we bought one that someone else had replaced the turbo on and I removed the swirl flaps).
Just had the use of one for 9 days in Monaco, lovely car, and after driving it for that long wouldn't hesitate to have one. Little touches like the car driving towards you on the dash when you start, and then driving away when you turn off made it for me.
