HOW TO GET ONE IN YOUR GARAGE
An expert’s view IAN STAMPER, AUTOBRITALIA
“I haven’t seen one for years. It’s sad: they were good cars, but corrosion did get the better of them. It usually starts around the rear axle mounting area by the door seals. But like all Alfa Romeos, there’s an inconsistency: you can never say that all cars will rust in the same place, because they don’t.”
Buyer beware…
ENGINE
Specialists mandate that the cambelt and tensioner need changing every 36,000 miles (or every three years, whichever comes first), and it’s a good idea to replace the cam variator at the same time if the engine rattles like a diesel on start-up. The Twin Spark does use a bit of oil, but excessive consumption is cause for concern.
BODYWORK
Red cars fade over time, resulting in patchy two-tone paintwork, but your main area of concern should be underneath, where rust can eat away at the joins between the floorpans and sills. The spare wheel well, rear footwells and front bumper mounts are common weak spots.
ELECTRICS
Airbag sensor under the driver’s seat can fail, causing the dashboard warning light to stay on. If the lights don’t illuminate at all, check the bulbs haven’t been removed by a shifty seller. Electric windows slow down with time and like to pop out of their runners, but a good spray with lubricant will free them up.
SUSPENSION, STEERING
Worn front wishbones will cause the tyres to wear unevenly. At the rear, check dirt hasn’t eaten away at the radius arm bearings and go for a drive to see how the car rides. If it’s wallowy and boat-like, the shock absorbers need replacing.
GEARBOX
As we noted back on our 145 back in 2010, the manual gearbox didn’t age well and is likely to need rebuilding if the car has been driven hard. Check for sluggish and vague throws.
Second-hand units are available from breakers, but Phase 1 and Phase 2 cars used different shift mechanisms, so do your research when looking to replace.
Also worth knowing
From January 1997, the Twin Spark engine was rolled out across the entire 145 line-up as a replacement for the much-maligned boxer engine, while 1.8-litre models were made available with the sporty suspension, steering, brakes and seats of the top-rung Cloverleaf model. These models remain affordable today, albeit extremely rare, and are an attractive alternative if you don’t mind forgoing the Cloverleaf’s distinctive alloys.
How much to spend
£500-£999
Project cars in need of time-andmoney-consuming repair work. Steer clear of really rusty examples.
£1000-£1999
Usable cars that need some TLC to pass their next MOT. Look for faded paint, unoriginal rims and tatty interiors.
£2000-£2999
Garage-dwellers with comprehensive documentation and recently refreshed cambelts.
£3000-£4000
Collectors’ cars with low mileages, lovely paint and solid underpinnings.
One we found ALFA ROMEO 145 CLOVERLEAF, 2000/W-REG, 104,000 MILES, £3995
This late 145 Cloverleaf has covered more than 100,000 miles but looks in remarkably good nick, with its leather seats intact and alloy wheels happily unkerbed.