Eurodopers: Aren't Alfa Romeo owners the most obnoxious bunch?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I frequent a Greek automotive forum and as usual, everybody defends their favorite car brand. Brand and model comparisons take place daily, usually in a civilized manner, but every once in a while somebody will flamebait and the inevitable brand war will start.

However, I have noticed that the fiercest battles (the kind where logical arguments end and name calling that drags for pages starts) occur when some Alfa Romeo model is involved in the conversation. Alfa Romeo fans (or Alfisti as they like to call themselves) take their brand defending one step further, into something that resembles religious fanaticism.

For example, when all evidence suggests that the Brera is slow and expensive compared to similar cars from other makers, an Alfista will defend their brand by making comparisons to characteristics that cannot be easily quantified, such as steering response and bodywork design or the sound of the engine.

What is your experience with Alfa owners and fans?

2

My generalised and statistically-insignificant observations are that they (a) tend to know a lot about cars, (b) secretly know that Alfa make cars that are good but flawed, and © use (a) to avoid acknowledging (b). As people to share the road with, I find them far less obnoxious than BMW or Audi drivers.

3

My simple observation: Alfa Romeos are high maintenance cars driven by high maintenance people.

4

They’re just Fiats in party frocks, aren’t they? Can’t say I’ve discerned any difference in their owners’ driving manners, although it’s a pretty small sample round here.

5

So I repeatedly remind a friend who owns one. Well, not remind him, as such. Just casual references to ‘his Fiat’ does the trick. Especially when he’s had a breakdown that week, or an expensive service.