That time I owned an Alfa Romeo

Its sometimes said that to truly be a car lover, to truly appreciate what a car can make you feel at some point you need to own an Alfa. What could be better than an Italian spots sedan.

The moment I made the decision to buy one everyone I spoke to seemed to have an opinion on it. It was mostly don’t do it it’ll break down, my mechanic said that with a smirk and a knowing smile. This isn’t one of those stories where I say I proved em all wrong, everyone was right of course, it simply hoarded one problem after another. And quite frankly, I have no regret, I simply miss that beautiful flawed beast. I guess this tale ends as well as you’d expect any tale to end when the Author takes life advice form Jeremy Clarkson.

I guess there are certain times in your life that are special and when you look back with rose tinted glasses you remember the good times. ITs only been a couple of year but all I can recall was just how happy I felt being in the driving seat. How right it felt going along twist British lanes.

I passed my driving test and got a second hand german hatchback. I had that car for years, never had any problem, no issues it just kept on going. It did the job, but that was it. I never looked forward to a drive and I never felt connected to the machine. It was a tool, well made and reliable. It remained in my family for years after I moved on.

I had no reason to change car, but I wanted something nice, something german perhaps, something to impress people. I think we’ve all felt like that one time or another. I looked at the usual suspects and they were nice. My dad even approved of some of them, so did my girlfriend.

When I said I want an Alfa everyone seemed to have an opinion, my dad keep saying it's the best car you should never own. This is the man who brought me up with stories of the legendary Alfa’s his friends had and his regrets about not owning one, what did he think I would do.

The beautiful 159 invites you in and makes you the centre of the performance, it knew it looked better than other cars on the road. With all that going for it, all I needed to do was sit in one. They say never meet your hero’s but every rule has an exception.

I drove it every day, as many times as I could. I hated it when a journey would come to an end and longed to be back in the car. Every drive it got better. It cornered like it was glued to the road , it could gather speed whenever it was needed, it was so comfortable and no one else had anything like it. Every time I met an Italian they spoke about their grandfather or uncle or aunt who had an Alfa back home. The excitement in their eye when talking about Alfa is enough of a reason to buy one. At the beginning the little things didn’t bother me. Ok so all the electrics on the left side of the car failed, it was a quick fix, the trunk release failed sometimes, no problem, cruse controll died, who care’s more driving for me.

As you can tell, this does not end well for the car. Dont every let it put you off though, it was always worth it

The car took me close to the Scottish Border down to the south West of England. We had one good year. Then it was due its annual check. It never recovered form that. The same people who were advising me not to get it were now explained to me exactly what I’d gotten myself in for. Its engine had a crack, the engine flaps were failing, the sensors were off, the valves weren't right. Not being a car person I had to sit there and agree. I spent more fixing this and that then I spent buying the car. Eventually my specialist said, we don’t know what the problem is, we can change the engine but we don’t know if it’ll fix it.

How do you respond to that. I felt bad, this majestic beast was my responsibility and I would have to turn my back on it. Maybe I could get another, but now the voices saying ‘ Not an Alfa” were louder. I married my girlfriend and now my wife wanted me to get something sensible too.

I replaced it aspirational german sedan. Oh its very nice, its lasted longer and everything seems to work well. Buts its not the same, I’m back in a machine which gets you from a to b. Yes I like it, i just don’t love it. When I drive I reach my destination, with my Alfa Romeo when I set out I was going on a journey.

Maybe I lied when I said I had no regrets, I regret letting it leave my life. Despite every problem I encountered, it was the best decision I ever made to go for it, for the rest of my life I’ll have that perfect time and those amazing memories.