Happy Friday, Autopians! We made it. It’s time to celebrate by looking at some cars outside of our normal $2500 price cap, and today, I’ve got a couple of cool ones. I can’t wait to tell you all about them, but we need to settle yesterday’s score first:
Well, that’s pretty definitive. Poor old Daeeoo can’t even beat out a car that has likely been thrown up in by a thousand frat boys. Someone suggested stripping out the back seat area of that Malibu; I think that might be for the best.
For your entertainment and edification today, I have a couple of sporty European cars from days gone by. One sedan, one roadster; one six-cylinder, one four; one rear-wheel-drive, one front. They don’t have much in common other than a reputation for costing a lot to keep on the road. But one of them is getting thin on the ground and the other has always been properly rare, and as they age, maybe it’s time to start thinking about them as classics rather than just old weird cars that are difficult to repair. And besides, they’re both a hoot to drive when they are running right. Let’s take a look at them.
1988 Alfa Romeo Milano – $6,800
Engine/drivetrain: 3.0 liter SOHC V6, 5 speed rear-mounted manual, RWD
Location: Port Townsend, WA
Odometer reading: 279,000 miles (!!!)
Runs/drives? Yes, but idles rough
The Alfa Romeo 75, sold in America as the Milano, is one of those cars you either love the styling of, or hate. It’s very much of its era and place: the shape screams “1980s Europe” more loudly than nearly anything else. It was styled in-house at Alfa by Ermanno Cressoni, instead of being farmed out to a design house like so many other Italian cars. Personally, I love it, but I know a lot of people don’t.
What everyone can agree on, however, is its singing talent. The Alfa Romeo “Busso” V6 is possibly one of the best-sounding engines of all time, and if you’ve never heard that wonderful song from inside the car, you’re missing out. In this top-of-the-line Milano Verde, it displaces 3 liters and puts out 183 horsepower, more than enough for a small sporty sedan, especially in the late ’80s.
That wonderful motor sends power to the rear wheels through a rear-mounted 5 speed manual transaxle and a De Dion tube rear suspension equipped with a Watts linkage and inboard-mounted disc brakes. Racy stuff, and the best part is that you can rattle off specs like that to your non-car friends and watch their eyes glaze over. It’s fun!
This Milano has been around the block a few hundred thousand times. The odometer reads 279,000 miles, impressive for any car, but downright miraculous for an Alfa. The seller says it runs and drives, but has a stumble in the idle they suspect is fuel-related. It has a new clutch and rear brakes, and lots of suspension work as well.
Cosmetically, it looks presentable; there’s no rust, and the body is straight. I’m not crazy about the carbon-fiber vinyl, but I guess it’s better than peeling clearcoat? Inside it’s in good shape, with some recent upholstery work on the seats and a new headliner.
I test drove a Milano about twenty years ago, loved it, then chickened out and bought a Ford Escort instead. I’ve regretted it ever since. Would that I had the money for this one…
1991 Lotus Elan with parts car – $12,000
Engine/drivetrain: 1.6 liter turbocharged DOHC inline 4, 5 speed manual, FWD
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Odometer reading: 38,800 miles
Runs/drives? It does, but it runs “funny”
In the early ’90s, little convertibles were big again. There was the Miata of course, as well as Mercury’s Australian-built, Mazda-based Capri roadster. Buick offered a convertible version of the Reatta if you wanted something a little more luxurious. And Lotus, after years out of the roadster game, came out with a new Elan convertible.
Unlike any Lotus that came before or since, the new Elan was front-wheel-drive. Purists howled in protest, but the reviews were very positive, and if anyone could make a FWD car handle, it’s Lotus. It’s powered by an Isuzu 1.6 liter four, massaged by Lotus to put out 162 horsepower, over 100 horsepower per liter. That’s not too impressive these days, but when the Miata was rocking 116 horses from the same size engine, it was a big deal.
This Elan looks pretty good, and it has only 38,000 miles on the clock. Its fiberglass body has a few flaws that need repair, but the paint is shiny, albeit my least-favorite sports car color (red is overdone). The seller doesn’t give us a whole lot of information about its mechanical condition, other than the fact that it appears to have a bad fuel injector causing a stumble. But the good news is that you get a parts car too, and it actually doesn’t look too bad:
Only 559 Elans were imported to the US between 1989 and 1992, so this one sale represents 0.36% of the nationwide total. Depending on how many are left, you could maybe corner the market on Elans with one purchase! And the “parts car” doesn’t necessarily need to stay as such; if it’s complete enough, you could end up with a nice Elan and a beater, or maybe a track-day car.
This is probably the cheapest way to get into a running and driving bona-fide Lotus, and looking at it now, the shape has really aged well. It’s a sharp-looking little car, and certainly would stand out more than Yet Another Miata. If only it weren’t red…
So that’s it for this week. Tune in next week when I’ll do my best to fulfill a request for some captive imports. In the meantime, vote, discuss, trash-talk, and have a good weekend!
(Image credits: Craigslist sellers)
I’ve always thought the Elan S2 was possibly one of the most underrated (and underappreciated) cars of all time.
The Alfa is a more interesting car, but the Lotus is the correct colour. Alfas should never be anything but red or green, with the possible exception of bright yellow. It’s right there in the Bible folks!
I’m guessing servicing inboard brakes is a lot more work and cost or they would not have used those. 😉
Alfa, for sure.
The wonderful thing about driving a 75/Milano, is that you can’t actually see the exterior when you’re driving. And the other wonderful thing is that it’s a REAL Alfa, providing all the quick reflexes, speedy motoring and great sounds a true Alfa delivers.
I understand the issues, but have known Milano owners who racked up high mileages with minimal problems. Plus you have to figure that by now, this one has probably had whatever’s going to go wrong happen already. A powder-coat on the wheels (or, better, finding a set of factory alloys) wouldn’t hurt….
I have to wonder: which is harder to find parts for, an Alfa or an Isuzu powertrain in Lotus clothing? Besides, do I really want an FWD sports car when a proper RWD sedan is less money and more comfortable? One idles “funny,” and one runs “funny.” I’ll bet either wouldn’t take that much to set right.
I’d like both of them.
I’m a big fan of the M100 Elan! Isuzu makes better cars than any Italians.
Hell yeah I voted for the Lotuses
I always liked the look of the Milano, so cheerfully yet determinedly broken looking. Though you may as well set your garage on fire now and get it over with. Done. Now you’ve had the Alfa Experience.
Alfa. Just for the bragging rights of an Alfa with that kind of mileage.
I’ll take the alfa over the rebadged Kia
Both are in the 5 minutes of fun with months of work category.
Selected Alfa because every gear head should own at least one. Still looking myself. This one or a Spyder would be my choice.
The Alfa looks weird, and I would imagine is a nightmare to find parts for.
The Lotus comes with parts included.
Oh lord, I’m in Loti again……… 🙂
I’d offer the $12k on the Lotus but tell the seller I don’t want the parts car, then see if he would lower the price just to get me to take both off his hands
I think when you factor in the opportunity costs, ~twice as much but comes with many of the spare parts right away makes the Lotus a better deal.
Unless you really like treasure hunts. Which isn’t inconceivable and I’m sure you do meet the nicest people re an Alfa.
Also, to my eyes, the monochrome wheels on the Alfa look off on a vehicle of this era.
I’m guessing the parts car has been wrecked at some point judging by the marker pen writing on the window which says scrapyard to me? Even so I think it has to be the Lotus’ here. Wonder if anyone had swapped the engine for a Honda K series in one of these, which is quite popular with the later Elise.
I chose the Lotus, just so I could slap Kia badges on it to confuse people.
https://www.topgear.com/sites/default/files/2021/12/TopGear%20-%20Progress%20Report%20-%20Kia%20Elan%20vs%20Kia%20Stinger%20-%20048.jpg
I’m going to have to go with the Lotus, Regis. Final answer.
Look at it. LOOK AT IT! It has Sigue Sigue Sputnik Sex Bomb Boogie and Love Missile F1-11 written all over it. Crockett and Tubbs would totally rock it like Herbie Hancock. Even if it just sits in my garage and leaks fluids, I could admire it. Plus pop up headlights!
The Alfa just looks sad. The front quarter panel is all crunched in, the up-kick design behind the rear doors makes it look like the frame is cracked and the car is sagging.
I have a love (rational or irrational maybe) for all things Lotus, so an easy choice. If I had the fake money, I’d be shipping them to New England this morning.
Anyone who picks the Lotus is out of their mind.
I mean, isn’t everyone sick of Elan’s bullshit? I thought we were all done Elan’s tweets and Elan’s shenanigans.
So what I hear you saying is that I should buy the Lotus, put the electric motor and batteries from the Model S Plaid in it, and create a new Lotus bodied Tesla Roadster?
Well, the Alfa can participate in the historical vehicle certification.
But the Lotus comes with a parts car and is probably the only chance you’ll have to get one this cheap. I don’t believe the poster that it just needs a $100 fix, though. If it’s that cheap, you get it fixed and sell at a higher asking price. Still, though, a complete Lotus and one that looks like it’s mostly there? Gotta give that the nod.
Gosh, buying two Loti feels a bit like walking into a trap. I chose the Alfa. Only one vehicle eventually due for the scrap pile.
As an iredeemable idiot who has owned a bunch of Alfas, including a 75, I would really want the Lotus(es), but that price is forcibly making me go with the Alfa
If I have to spend my fake money on one, I’ll try to be thrifty with it. The Alfa, somehow has gone 279,000 miles and as much as it belongs in a museum for that achievement, maybe it has another moon trip in it. The exterior needs to be de-Bro’d and the interior probably needs to be fumigated, but I’ve always liked the look of the Milano…it reminds me of a more modern version of a Maserati Biturbo (kinda like SAAB C900 versus SAAB 9000…which is a whole other thing with Italian intermarriage).
This price makes the cherry, both color and condition, early 90s Milano that was for sale in my area for $4k over half a decade ago seem like a steal. I know Clarkson’s quote about Alfa ownership, but I just couldn’t make that leap, being a younger dude trying to keep a roof over his head.
I always wondered whether one could shoehorn that drivetrain into a Reliant Scimitar. I suppose anything is possible if you have enough money.
Buying an Alfa with 280k miles is abject insanity. Don’t get me wrong, I do love 80s/90s Italian sedans for their styling…but I would absolutely never take one on personally. Keeping the thing running is going to be a constant battle and it will in no way be as rewarding to drive as a roadster.
I love the styling of the Elan. I think it’s an amazing looking car that has aged like fine wine. I liked it when I was a kid and saw it in car magazines and I still like it now. While the FWD thing is definitely a hang up even for me, a guy who’s owned multiple FWD performance cars, for this type of money with a parts car to boot, it’s a good buy…not to mention they’re pretty widely considered to be good driver’s cars despite being front wheel drive.
Out of these two it’s an easy call for me, but my one hang up with the Elan is probably the same hang up everyone else has…is it really worth buying one over a Miata? They definitely look cooler and the Lotus badge has more cache, but it’s front wheel drive and is going to take work to maintain…and $12,000 will get you a pretty decent Miata, which is rear wheel drive and can basically be maintained with bubble gum and paper clips.
I guess if you’re really passionate about Lotus, are willing to deal with the additional headaches, and/or want something unique the Elan makes sense. But my money would be spent on a Miata if given the choice…and that makes me sad because I love the Elan, but Miata is always the answer.
The way I see it, if the Alfa made it that far, it can probably go farther. The Lotus only has 38k on it and it’s already “running funny.” You won’t get a LOL from me for that, not at $12k.
I picked the Lotus duo. Though I like the Alfa, parts will be a PITA to find. And I have a real soft spot for the Elans, not as cool as the Esprit though, but hey, it is a Lotus.
That kind of mileage on an Italian car can’t be real. Maybe it’s kilos?
I voted Alfa at first but now rethinking it, I’d rather have the 38k mile car than the 280k mile car despite not being practical. Ideally I’d have neither though.