I’m representing this very nice garage kept 1991 Alfa Romeo 164 L automatic for long time Alfa Romeo Owner’s Club members Tom & Frida. They purchased this Anthracite Gray with Dark Gray leather beauty from me (Todd Spruell – Paul Spruell Alfa, Inc.) on 11/30/1992 with 14,654 miles.

I recently sold Tom's very nice 1986 GTV-6... This is his wife’s car. Adult, Italian, female, non-smoker owner/driver.

I’m representing this well documented 164 as an ex Alfa Romeo dealer with intimate knowledge of these cars and in this case... it’s enthusiast owners.

PLEASE READ COMPLETE DESCRIPTION! I have driven this car for two months (2000 miles) to make sure that it is described both accurately and in detail. It is my goal to make sure that you know exactly what you are buying.

It currently has just over 117,000 miles. It’s 183 HP 3.0 V-6 engine starts on the first turn of the key, with no smoke or valve noise. It idles smoothly and runs strong. The 4-speed automatic ZF transmission works perfectly. The only option that this car does not have are the power adjustable split rear seats. It did come with a sunroof. This car has always been kept in top cosmetic and mechanical condition. The overall wear and tear of the car is more consistent with a car half it’s age/mileage. I have many detailed pictures available. I insist that pictures be requested and phone contact is made with me before you bid (Todd Spruell 678 665-1997).

The body is perfectly straight with all of its original panels and vin #’s. The paint has just been polished and waxed. It shows beautifully without any swirls or a single hint of polish or wax in the jams or gaskets. No dings on either side of the car. The only flaw that really jumps out at you is on the top right side of the trunk lid. It has a small ding and a scratch and a tiny ding on the top of the right rear quarter, just next to it. It also has a 1” scratch on the rear reflector bar, that could look better with a sand and polish. It has a scuf on the right front corner, if you look closely. Both the front and rear logo emblems are a little faded. The frontal area (nose and windshield) have a light patina consistent with it’s age but nothing hideous. So... it would benefit from a little bit of ding removal and touch up paint. Just to be clear... the paint is not all original. For example... the left from parking light was broken out causing minor damage to the fender, back in July of 1993. The estimate to repair it for $368 is in the records. It’s had some other paint work, when it was almost new.. but nothing from any major damage. The work is so good.. it's virtually undetectable. I think that the original finish on the wheels are the best testimony to the lifetime of care that this 164 has received. No curb damage. Paint is shiny and nicely intact, You have to look closely to see the brake debris that has embedded itself over the years.

The interior is simply amazing. Frida is a petite woman with no children. So there is not a scuff or scratch on the on the seats, door sills/gaskets or panels worth mentioning. The leather has been well preserved and it is soft and supple. From the headliner to the carpet... it is as clean and original as you will find. The only cosmetic flaws are the windshield/dash vent trim panel is cracked in two places and the shifter tongue filler strip is broken (so you can see down into the console, when it is in drive). The floor mats are in good condition and the carpet underneath is perfect. Again.... all of the door,trunk and hood gaskets are polished and waxed. Every inch of rubber and plastic are cleaned and dressed.

The suspension and steering are generally tight and it rides very smoothly on a matching set of Kumho Ecsta ASX 206/60 15” tires. The last receipt in the records for a mount and balance is dated 12/1/2004. The tires are in excellent condition and worn about 50%. A slight rattle can be detected while driving over rough surfaces. Brakes are also smooth and without any noise. It lived its first year in Tennessee and the rest in Georgia. So... the body is rust free and the undercarriage is free of any abnormal corrosion, due to not having been exposed to salted roads. I have taken some pictures of the undercarriage and it does have a normal amount of sweaty oil and dirt on the lower section of the engine, but it is not dripping any fluids.

Books, Records and Documentation – It comes with all of its original paperwork, window sticker, booklets and owner’s manual. The service book is dealer stamped for the 10k, 20k and 30k service. Out of warranty the car has receipts from respected Alfa shops. Tom was also hands on and did some maintenance himself. So... not all of the oil changes are documented. Again... the car speaks for itself. Remove the oil cap and you can see how incredibly clean the inside of the head is and how little wear there is on the cam. Also, it has a documented history of passing Georgia emissions test with flying colors. Included... are the spare key, valet key and both remotes for the working factory alarm system. The spare wheel/tire, jack, tool kit and straps. The tool kit is missing the red screw in wheel stud, that helps to align the wheel, while bolting it up. Even the ski bag (that lives behind the rear arm rest) for the passage from the trunk to the interior of the car is still there.

The most recent work was just done at 115,114 miles. New water pump and belts (Including the timing belt).

5/17/2009 Owner changed distributor cap, rotor & spark plugs

8/26/2006 Optima battery

1/7/2004 center exhaust

5/7/2003 – thermostat & radiator tank

5/29/98 – 80,654 miles. Timing belt, oil pan gasket, rear main & cigarette seals.

The lows...

The AC needs an expansion valve and filter-drier ($450-500). Then the system can be charged. The compressor wiring has been temporarily disconnected to prevent it from coming on in the meantime. The compressor does have a leak and has some bearing noise. I suspect, that it would hold a charge (possibly for a summer??) and be more quiet with refrigerant + oil. So... you might be able to get more use out of it, before it needs to be completely replaced.

It will run out of fuel with four gallons of fuel in the tank (at about 1/4 tank). I discovered this the hard way.... The car came to me with a starting problem and running a little rough, due to the loss of fuel pressure. The fix required replacing a small piece of fuel line on the fuel pump (inside the fuel tank). I also installed a new fuel filter, just prior to removing the fuel pump as part of the diagnosis. Although the pump works... something is clearly wrong with its pick up. Should not be difficult to figure out.

Something is out of adjustment on the flow of the air in the dash ventilation system. For example... when it is set to the floor, you can still feel a flow from the side and middle vents. This can be compensated for by opening and closing the dash vents manually. This also creates more circulation noise, particularly with the 3rd and 4th fan speeds. Although it's not moving the air quite the way it should.... it’s also not making any clicking or ticking sounds. So perhaps it could be repaired without a part or worst case scenario... replace the stepper motor.

Here is a punch list of the smaller items that will need attention if your looking for perfection – Cruise control does not work. Windshield washer tank leaks. Sunroof deflector needs adjustment (you have to hold it down for sunroof to close). Gas filler lid has been repaired (a used replacement part comes with the car, but it needs to be painted to match), Gas cap has minor cosmetic damage. Front cigarette lighter does not work.

I would not have any apprehensions about driving this car anywhere and I have complete confidence that you can fly into the Atlanta airport and drive it home safely.

It would be difficult to find a comparable car that is on the market. Priced accordingly. Seeking a good home.

Auto Services in Georgia

Yancey Power Systems ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Truck Service & Repair

Address: 1244 Mason Dixon Ln, Forest-Park

Phone: (404) 361-2424

Wright`s Car Care Inc ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Auto Oil & Lube, Truck Service & Repair

Address: 4993 Peachtree Rd, Vinings

Phone: (770) 451-6789

Wright Import Service Center The ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Automobile Diagnostic Service

Address: 2636 Business Dr, Marble-Hill

Phone: (770) 888-0100

VITAL Auto Repair ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service

Address: 495 Proctor Ave, Scottdale

Phone: (404) 750-4732

US Auto Sales - Stone Mountain ★★★★★

New Car Dealers, Used Car Dealers

Address: 6252 Memorial Dr, Stone-Mountain

Phone: (888) 280-7274

Tony`s Auto Repair ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Automobile Body Repairing & Painting

Address: 2644 Steve Dr Suite C, Sandy-Springs

Phone: (770) 450-4168

Auto blog

Marchionne on Alfa's US return, Dodge Dart's powertrain weakness and minivan plans

Fri, 18 Jan 2013

As a reporter covering an auto show, the one opportunity you never want to miss is going to the Sergio Marchionne press briefing.
"This undertaking to bring Alfa back is a one-shot deal... We are not going to do this twice."
There just aren't that many real characters left in the auto industry. Marchionne, who sits atop both Chrysler and Fiat, is not only one of the smartest execs in the business, but also the most frank. Herein, a sample of the quotable always-sweatered executive:

Marchionne uses racial epithet to describe what must power future Alfa Romeo models

Wed, 16 Jan 2013

Sergio Marchionne and his Fiat empire have a lot riding on the US return of the Alfa Romeo brand. The endeavor has been in progress for what feels like a lifetime - certainly for as long as Fiat has had the Chrysler brand under its Italian wing.
It's not surprising that Fiat CEO Marchionne needs a perfect first Alfa to mark a return to America. And here's where things get dicey. Nobody would argue with Marchionne's insistence that Alfa Romeo's be powered by Italian engines - as Marchionne himself is quoted to have said at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show, "There are some things that are well done in Italy."
If not what he said, then, it's how he said it that has eyebrows raised. "I cannot come up with a schlock product, I just won't. I won't put an American engine into that car. With all due respect to my American friends, it needs to be a wop engine." Wait, what's that?

Fiat set to invest $12B on new models, stop Euro losses in 3 years

Mon, 09 Dec 2013

Naturally, you'd expect a massive automaker like Fiat to have an in-depth plan to exit the current European-market doldrums, and you'd expect that plan to include plenty of new vehicles to attract those precious buyers that still remain despite the financial downturn. And you'd be right, though Fiat does seem to have a few unexpected twists up its corporate sleeve.
Perhaps the biggest shocker is a report that Fiat will completely drop the Punto, a car with mass-market appeal aimed at small-car buyers cross-shopping the popular Volkswagen Polo. Its replacement will be a five-door Fiat 500 aimed at upmarket buyers (sounds awfully similar to the 500L) that will be built in Poland. Lower-end customers will reportedly be served by variants of the Fiat Panda.
Borrowing a page from the BMW, Daimler and Volkswagen playbook, reports Automotive News, Fiat is said to have plans to reignite production at its Italian factories by retooling them to build high-end vehicles from Maserati and Alfa Romeo. These will be marketed as premium products, built by skilled Italian workers (who are paid wages that are 75-percent higher than those building Fiats in Poland), and will be sold around the world.

Very Clean 1991 Alfa Romeo 164 L Automatic 117k Anthracite Gray Leather Sunroof on 2040-cars

Alfa Romeo 164 for Sale