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@NurseHolliday I thought I remembered reading somewhere that rust is not really an issue because they have a galvanised body? As for sillyspeed I don't think I'd even consider buying a car (especially an Italian one) without a proper manual. Thanks for the tip on the 1.6 had been looking at a few but have since read plenty of other reports of them being a bit wet.
poodawg-
While that's true, in my (limited) experience, any car older than 10 years will start to see some issues in places you'd both expect and not expect it.
I think with the 147 there's some issues with chassis legs, but then you need to look at subframes, suspension, and steering. When I say rust I don't just mean body rust which is an MOT fail, but when stuff is gunked up, corroded, and seized, it makes it hard to service and maintain, and causes premature failure.
Not specifically on Alfas, but generally, the difference between the bottom of UK cars and cars in Japan (for example) is night and day. The Japanese cars look like they did when they rolled out of the factory, just a bit tired. UK cars you can barely tell how wide a tie rod was originally, you have no idea where the bolts are supposed to be without a Haynes manual, and woe betide you if you want to adjust something.
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Rear arch, front slam panel, lower edges of bulkhead. Suspect the bulkhead is a real issue possible stemming from the thing flexing over the years? Had two saab that succumbed to that exact form of death.
Other panels I reckon a lot of them are light crash damage repair (that's then not galvo?)
Like all fiat group cars since 1994 they have way more rust protection than any Mercedes up till about 2005, then Merc finally started making a effort (subjective opinion alert)
NurseHolliday
BrickMan
Rust in weird places, stupidspeed (avoid like plague) and you'll find all the manuals are really hard to change gear (the shift cables rot) and consequently gearboxes end up getting lunched as not been shifted right for years and years.
1.6 under powered, 2.0 more like it, they both use fuel the same from all accounts in the real world. 1.9 cdti fiat/GM unit is very good, but has the usual problems (injectors, swirl flaps nom nom nom).
147 GTA been on 'the list' for many years but doubt I'll ever get one, too many other cars