Well i've got a 33 permanant 4, awesome bit of kit, out handles golfs, audi tt's & most sub 200 horse motors, mines champagne colour/ silvery/gold, 46,000 miles pulls like a train, on 15" pirelli pzero's, 205/45 on the front, 195/45 on the rear best combination, oil changed every 4,000 miles, yes i have the odd gremlin in the electrics after all it is italian, but £ for £ excellent value for money, great fun, sure footed handling, getting rarer everyday around 30 left on the road probably as many waiting to be brought back too life, so if you fancy a car that drives on rails GO OUT AND BUY ONE !
Reviewing a 1993 model.
alfa romeo 33 permanant 4
Owned for more than 5 years.
Thought I'd better immortalise the best car that most people will never drive; sadly its impending MOT is likely to sound its death knell after 11 unforgettable years.
This 1991 1.7ie has seen me through so many jourmeys, never better than when I was doing 250 miles per week about four years back. How I'll miss the sound of those pipes in my ears at 4000rpm.
If it costs me another 500 notes to fix I'll probably spend it just cos I love it so much. Set of pads, maye a couple of tyres - good for another year? Hope so.
Epic.
Too many to list
Too many to list
Reviewing a 1991 model.
1.7ie
Owned for more than 5 years.
I drove my 91 33 cloverleaf to Italy last year and supprisingly turned many heads! There are very few cloverleafs around and not only in the UK. Look after your 33 and it will reward you. I bought mine from an enthusiast who spent thoasands of pounds on turning this already goodlooking car into a serious looker, vented discs, new 5 spoke alloys, lowered to 2 inchs of ground clearance with v v v good race springs, engine brace, 4 point harness seats, braided hoses.... the list goes on and on. I love this car very much, i admit that lots of things rattle and wobble, but this is no weekly shopper. I also have a fiat coupe turbo with all mod cons but it doesnt quite bring the kid out in me like the 33! Go on, treat yourself, go out and find one.... if you can :)
I was the 3rd and alas, final owner of my Red 33 1.5 TI Veloce. She was an '88 model with full Veloce body kit, which immeasurably improved its external appearance. The engine had the twin choke Webbers which although thirsty gave much more oomph than the later fuel injected versions. Handling was very good and drive out of corners (allowing for f-wheel drive torque steer) was exhilerating and most other 'family' cars up to 2 litre were always left standing. Fuel consumption ranged between 26 and 38 mpg. I liked the dashboard layout and the 'Alfa Control' panel, leccy windows and central locking. Heating was ok but not as good as my Porsche 924. The air vents at extreme edges of the dash gave out cool air irrespective of heater settings. I found this very useful when passengers demanded central heating, but I like a bit of cooled air to keep alert. Major problems were rotted fuel line under the chassis, damage to the low front fender, water pump and a failed clutch at 70k miles. The braking was excellent if kept in tip top condition, but worn disks and pads were obviously to be avoided at all costs. The heated rear window seldom worked and there were other electrical gremlins, usually fixable. The hatchback was very useful and enormous amounts of kit could be stowed with the back seats folded down. 5 adults was a squeeze however. It's last MoT found huge rust holes all over the place, so I decided enough was enough. The engine apparently is now in a kit car somewhere in Surrey, so it's heart lives on. I miss you Alfie!!
I had a 1983 1350 back in the late eighties. We had a volatile relationship for about eighteen months. I lavished her with Pirelli P6s, Monroe Gasmatics, Sprint Veloce exhaust, Bosch platinum plugs, K&N filter with rudimentary ram air from the original airbox and gallons upon gallons of Esso's finest.
In return, she allowed me to weld up both the accelerator and steering column when they came adrift, replace innumerable fuses (including one that controlled both the automatic idle control and reversing lamps at the same time) and regularly take the door panels off to fiddle with the recalcitrant lock mechanism.
The bodywork, though, was immaculate. She was originally owned by Alfa Romeo GB and was in superb condition when I bought her and, reluctantly, sold her.
This was a fair trade, though, for a most wonderful car. With the exhaust and air filter noise, pedals well positioned to heel and toe, direct steering and amazing handling, it made driving an emotional experience.
I eventually sold her to buy another motorbike when my company car arrived. The chap who bought her took one look and threw the money at me; it was love at first sight for him, too. If I had my time again, she would still be on my driveway.
I hope that A893 HLH is still around and in good health; I cant imagine my amico di ragazza becoming a pensionato.
Hello, my name is Veronique and I bought an alfasud Ti in 1974. In the beginning I was very pleased and I had no trouble at all. Starting from the first winter my alfasud got serious problems to get it started. Especially in the morning it was very difficult to get the motor on. So I asked the neighbors to help me with cables. They could not help me. So I called a company called 'Wacht op de weg' and they could get my motor on after I had to try a lot. Also when I went to a meeting in the evening I usually had to try a lot or the alfasud did not start. I did love my alfa, but I had a lot of problems especially everytime I had to call my work to tell them that I will be late becouse my alfasud had a problem. I remember one winter was so cold that I left my alfasud at home becouse it was two times a day I had to call 'Wacht op de weg'
Never owned
Preloved Visitor
Reviewed March 2004.
Performance
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I currently drive a 1991 1.7ie (non-cat version) and I just love it ! OK, so it does squeak and rattle all over the place, it does rust (but not as much as the legend says), it's GOT to be warmed up slowly for 15 minutes+ before you can punch the accelerator or it won't last long, the 2nd gear has no syncro at all which is rectifiable by pulling the stick as far left as possible when shifting from 1st to 2nd, the handling can become unpredictable at times (180° slides after fishtailing violently has happened to me before ; but, I admit, I'm a pretty -very- fast anbd aggressive driver and the shocks are shot - to be replaced in the next few weeks though)... but it's soooooooo sweet to drive. Seriously, driving this car in a slow and relaxed manner is almost impossible. It just shouts out to be driven hard once it is warmed up. The engine's sound is nothing short of amazing (very remeniscent of an Impreza), it steers very sportingly and has more grip than the bodyroll suggests. The 8v 107hp version (like mine) has more low down torque than the 132hp 16v version which has more top end power. A well-tuned 8v is faster than a standard or poorly tuned 16v though, due to the torque advantage. But tuning an 8v to the level of a 16v will be more or less expensive. Parts availability is average, new parts are expensive but 2nd hand stuff is dead cheap. Recommended modifications are : 7x15" wheels with 195/50/15 Michelin Pilot Sport tyres (best combination of tyre and size for a 33 if you're looking for performance and handling), cold air induction + OMP Group N exhaust (ref. 575AL for the 1.7 8v ; 577AL for the 16v), uprated shocks with Eibach or H&R springs (or Madeno Racing, if you can find and afford them), uprated brakes and lines are always a good bet, and last but not least.... a decent stereo because getting stuck in traffic can be a pain otherwise. If you never get stuck in traffic : get rid of all sound deadening and interior trim. The boxer engine is the best stereo ! (and that's coming from a high-end car stereo amateur ! )
Overall, a car for the not so easily challenged driver. If you want an easy-to-drive and anonymous car, buy a Nissan. You want cheap thrills in a stylish package ? Get an Alfa 33 !
Owned for 2 years.
Preloved Visitor
Reviewed August 2003.
Performance
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I'm on my second 33 - a 1992 1.7 16v cloverleaf that is reliable, is very fast (No, not really, officer!) and handles beautifully.
It has 137 bhp through the front wheels, so had bad torque steer, a slightly 'crunchy' 2nd gear if you get it wrong and the brakes are average, even though I've just replaced them with new discs/pads.
The car is great to drive but only if you are a funny shape, goes like a train andcan easily swallow my wife & 3 kids or a washing machine - so it is a practical car, but it is a car you must love - you'll never get away with dealer servicing it as it will always need something 'doing' or 'fixing'.
When I sell this one I'll have another, but only the P4. If there's none of those areound then it'll be time for a 147GTA!
Owned for 1 year.
Preloved Visitor
Reviewed October 2002.
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Brilliant power-curve. Excellent road holding with the Uniroyal Rallye Tyres, best growling fun I ever had. Shame about the electrics, rusting fuel tank, and well all other squeaks-which i never heard because of that awesome GROWL! hahahaha.. what fun it was. what fun.
Owned for 4 years.
Preloved Visitor
Reviewed July 2002.
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I've got a 33 IMOLA with 16 inch, race-seats, red cartpet.....The only thing that i hate was the suspension, very expenisve?
I MOST LIKE ITS PERFOMANCE 1.7 CLOVERLEAF BOXER SPORT FAB CAR. COMPARISON WITH ANY CAR IVE SAT IN, I STILL LOK UP TO THE ALFA ITS GREAT.I PAYED 1.500POUNDS AND ITS WORTH EVERY PENNY.ITS NEVER GIVE ME ANY HICUPS YET TOUCH WOOD CAUSE THERE RENOUND FOR BREAKING DOWN BUT I WAS LUCKY ITS ALFA RED WITH EVERY PIECE OF EQUIPMENT GOING AND IT SUITS IT TO THE GROUND I THINK I WOULD BYE ANOTHER CHEAP ONE AND DO IT UP.AND STILL KEEP MY ONE FOREVER.ITS VERY FAST VERY FUN AND HANDLES LIKE CHEWING GUM STUCK TO CARPET I CANT GET THE BACK END OUT AT ALL.IVE TRIED LOADS OF TIMES.THANKYOU FOR LETTING ME GIVE MY OPINIONS AND HOPE YOU ALL LOOK AFTER YOU ALFA 33 MODELS CAUSE THEY A WHAT YOU CALL CARS.
Veronique, I think that you have had bad luck. My first alfa 33 had also problems when it was a wet wetter but it was at most 2 times each month. So I don't think al alfa's have this problem, it's fiat who has that problem but alfa ...
Never owned
Preloved Visitor
Reviewed December 1999.
Performance
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Alfa 33 1.7 16v Permanant 4 Cloverleaf. Fast on the straight, Fast around corners, Slingshots out of roundaboutns in 137HP craze. 4 Wheel Drive grips like copydex. But.. Squeeks a bit, driving position takes acclimatisation, and bits can be expensive. Would love another one.
Owned for 3 years.
Preloved Visitor
Reviewed December 1999.
Performance
Reliability
Parts Availability
Overall Value for Money
Alfa 33 1.7 16v Permanant 4 Cloverleaf. Fast on the straight, Fast around corners, Slingshots out of roundaboutns in 137HP craze. 4 Wheel Drive grips like copydex. But.. Squeeks a bit, driving position takes acclimatisation, and bits can be expensive. Would love another one.
Owned for 3 years.
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