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m4ff3w
m4ff3w GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
1/10/11 3:52 p.m.

Nope, not a what car to buy, but a what car to keep.

I have an '87 Alfa Milano and an '88 XR4ti.

I sold the Merkur back in Nov. of '09 to fund the purchase of the Milano. It recently came back to me at no cost needing a clutch.

The XR4ti is faster, the hatch makes it overall more practical (even it it does only have two doors), and is faster.

The Alfa makes better noises and handles better.

Both are about the same in condition, so it is a draw there.

Ideally I'd sell them both and get a Biturbo, but the interesting cars on CL in Texas have all dried up.

EricM
EricM Dork
1/10/11 3:57 p.m.

shrugs

Toss up.

I can't help, sorry.

TuffWork
TuffWork New Reader
1/10/11 4:05 p.m.

Both cars have alot of cool factor. I'd probably keep the alfa because it's more obscure.

mndsm
mndsm SuperDork
1/10/11 4:06 p.m.

Sell both for a biturbo? You are a glutton for punishment I take it?

m4ff3w
m4ff3w GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
1/10/11 4:10 p.m.
mndsm wrote: Sell both for a biturbo? You are a glutton for punishment I take it?

A boy's gotta dream, no?

jrw1621
jrw1621 SuperDork
1/10/11 4:12 p.m.

Here's a challange; find a running BiTurbo with more than 50k miles on it. I do not think they exist.

ReverendDexter
ReverendDexter SuperDork
1/10/11 4:12 p.m.

Normally I'd ask which you enjoy more, but as you've posted here, I assume you enjoy them equally.

Me, I'd keep the Merkur. I know a lot more Ford than I know Italian, and I've seen wicked things done with a turbo 2.3L.

I'd say keep whichever one you'll actually drive more.

m4ff3w
m4ff3w GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
1/10/11 4:30 p.m.
ReverendDexter wrote: Normally I'd ask which you enjoy more, but as you've posted here, I assume you enjoy them equally. Me, I'd keep the Merkur. I know a lot more Ford than I know Italian, and I've seen wicked things done with a turbo 2.3L. I'd say keep whichever one you'll actually drive more.

I'll drive them equally, daily driver.

The only reason I have both now is the Merkur came back to me for free after I sold it.

mndsm
mndsm SuperDork
1/10/11 4:31 p.m.

I'd have to say go with the Merkur barring a Biturbo find. I just like the concept of Cosworth anything.

Vigo
Vigo Dork
1/10/11 4:34 p.m.

I say keep the alfa and turbo it. Then you end up with something MUCH cooler than a stockish xr4ti.

pres589
pres589 HalfDork
1/10/11 4:51 p.m.

Merkur because they can be made to look cool and handle well. There's someone on this forum with a white one with a Jetta bumper swap, 17" wheels, all sorts of Ford RS bits attached and it seriously looks the business to my eyes.

ea_sport
ea_sport Reader
1/10/11 9:02 p.m.

Same rule as buying stock, which one would you buy now? There should only be two options Buy or Sell, if you won't buy it now you might as well sell it...

pmchase
pmchase New Reader
1/11/11 2:00 p.m.

Keep the Ford. Its meant to be badass.

Strizzo
Strizzo SuperDork
1/11/11 2:26 p.m.
m4ff3w wrote: . Ideally I'd sell them both and get a Biturbo, but the interesting cars on CL in Texas have all dried up.

LIES!

http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/2152549451.html

http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/2140607908.html - maybe not so interesting but i'm sure negotiating would be.

ahutson03
ahutson03 New Reader
1/11/11 2:27 p.m.

Me personally if we're talking as is i'd keep the Alfa. If you threw money at the Ford i'd say keep it.... so sell the alfa and cosworth out the Merkur

alfadriver
alfadriver SuperDork
1/11/11 2:35 p.m.
Vigo wrote: I say keep the alfa and turbo it.

Since it does appear clear that you like to poke yourself in the eye with a sharp stick- turbo Milano = bi-turbo. Or at least close enough.

I've seen a twin turbo 24V v6 Spider. Gotta be plenty of space for a turbo in a Milano. And if you run into a '91 164, you can start the twin turbo work on a 3.0l, and not take down the Milano.

OR

Finding a real cossie, and dropping it into the Merkur would be cool. There was at least a decade where that cossie was sold in the US in the Motorsports Book.

Either way, it's a strong pull on the manly region in terms of pain.

E-

m4ff3w
m4ff3w GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
1/11/11 3:31 p.m.
Strizzo wrote:
m4ff3w wrote: . Ideally I'd sell them both and get a Biturbo, but the interesting cars on CL in Texas have all dried up.
LIES! http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/2152549451.html http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/2140607908.html - maybe not so interesting but i'm sure negotiating would be.

No lies. I need 4 seats, I sold the X1/9 to buy the Merkur so I had room for the kids. I then sold the Merkur to buy the Alfa.

I had a 260Z. I like it, but I value obscurity over about everything else these days. So no Z cars for me.

Otto Maddox
Otto Maddox HalfDork
1/11/11 4:52 p.m.

I vote Alfa.

fast_eddie_72
fast_eddie_72 HalfDork
1/11/11 5:58 p.m.

I'l vote Merkur. The're pretty cool. I kinda miss mine sometimes. I don't miss always working on it, but I miss the rush of the thing.

imirk
imirk New Reader
1/11/11 6:14 p.m.

What does a '88 XR4ti go for these days, besides free with a blown clutch?

m4ff3w
m4ff3w GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
1/11/11 9:25 p.m.

$300 with a good clutch and bad headgasket?

I don't know FMV.

Vigo
Vigo Dork
1/11/11 10:00 p.m.
Since it does appear clear that you like to poke yourself in the eye with a sharp stick- turbo Milano = bi-turbo. Or at least close enough.

Uhh.... minus 2 doors worth of practicality, the fact that he already has the milano, and likely being easier to make work consistently? I bet it even handles better.

Honestly, the merkur seems a lot closer to the biturbo.. So take everything you dont like about the merkur, triple the parts cost and remove their availability entirely, make it harder to work on, put a carburetor on it and throw the injectors away.. now it's a biturbo?

tincetti
tincetti New Reader
1/11/11 10:05 p.m.

Keep the XR4Ti. Drive it while saving money for a gtv6.

That idiot who can't spell
That idiot who can't spell SuperDork
1/12/11 12:35 a.m.

Alfas make my pants a little tighter. A Merkur is, well, a Ford.

rogerbvonceg
rogerbvonceg Reader
1/12/11 12:21 p.m.

I like them both, but I'd keep the Alfa for its sensual charms.

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