advice on alfa purchase

[gabk]

Hi all,
I have just joined this forum because I have never owned an Alfa and am now seriously contemplating my first purchase, a new top of the range 159 (I need a four door car due to 2 relatively recent grandkids).
I have owned BMWs, Mercs, Saabs and  Japanese cars in the past. I currently own a 2 year old BMW 325 coupe. I have always been fascinated by Alfa (and all things Italian, including the language which I have been learning for some years), and almost bought a GT 2 years ago but chickened out at the last moment and decided to go for the Beemer instead. I know I sound wimpy and hesitant compared to the enthusiasm I see in these pages but one has to start somewhere.
I have several questions to which I have not seen any reliable objective answers in my travels on the Net, trawling Alfa sites and car reviews from all over the world, so i thought I'd turn to this forum.
You are no doubt familiar with the usual criticisms from non alfisti and regard them with some contempt but here goes.

1. Reliability.
To me, no amount of  driving pleasure can compensate for the inconvenience of being stranded by the roadside (and the uncertainty and anxiety associated with the possibility). I had some terrible experiences with the 2 Saabs I owned in the past (admittedly, the last one over 10 years ago), when one of them would intermittently stop functioning, usually at the worst possible times. I'm not saying that a new Alfa would do the same but even the remote possibility of that happening is a turnoff. I know that there are no 100% guarantees but it is not unreasonable in this day and age to expect that a breakdown is a remote and unlikely event.

2. Resale value.
I lease my cars usually for 4 years, with 40% residual. The last Saab was a disaster for resale and cost me 20K to make up the shortfall between tradein value and the residual i had to pay.

I know that it probably sounds ridiculous to compare my Saab experiences of 10 years ago with a new Alfa but I still shudder when I think about it and it is what has kept  me with BMW ever since. I have had 100% reliability and excellent resale. Having said that, my girlfriend has a Saab convertible and loves it (I tried desperately to dissuade her when she bought it 2 years ago, to no avail) and had had minimal trouble.

The problem is that I don't know anyone who has an Alfa 159 and of course if I talk to dealers, they would have ulterior motives for talking them up.

Any advice and answers to the above concerns would be greatly appreciated. 

Many thanks.

[shane wescott]

Hi Gab

It's really quite simple.

You need to borrow/rent one for a weekend and take it on some of the popular drives around where you live.

If, after doing that, your chief concerns are still reliability and money, stick to the Beamers.

You could of course, leave the Beamer in the garage, and just rent an Alfa for the weekend whenever you wanted to drive a car built with passion :-)

I've had a number of mates who have used the arguments you mounted to NOT buy an Alfa. One of them wouldn't test drive and bought an Audi, nice car but it's not an Alfa. The other mate took a Spider for a test drive, bought it on the spot, and loved it for years.

Catch ya

Shane

[John Hanslow]

Marco will no doubt reply to this with a few pointers here as he has a much loved 159 ti 3.2lt.

However, in speaking with a dealer and Alfa Specialists recently, the fact is there have been 4 updates of sorts to the 159 since its release and this includes suspension, engine etc, so the cars now are better than the original ones.  That's a fact and perhaps now handling wise they are now the cars they should have been.

Don't know if it is across the 159 range but some current models have a blue 'm' added to the badge at the back.

And for performance some are going for the diesel.

Cheers.

[alfagtv100 (Biggus)]

Hi Gabk,

Search the UK forums for 159 issues. You will not really find much to worry about
Depreciation. Redbook.com.au shows the BMW 325 depreciates badly in the first year. The 335 fares much better and the 159 is in-between the 2. I did not check the Audi A4.
After 13 months and 25,000kms of ownership.

Positive Points:
- The car has been completely reliable and has not consumed oil (though the dealer told me it would)
- Great handling and road holding
- Strong V6 performance (& great sound)
- Comfortable interior, featuring lovely instrumentation and Audi-style 'mood lighting', amazing Bose sound system and excellent Blue&Me hands free (with voice control). Great aircon and heating.
- Useful boot size
- Really, really cool wheels (on the Ti models)
- Xenon lights (Ti model) are brilliant

Negative Points:
- Horrible fuel economy. Give the diesel a try. It feels faster than it is on paper.
- Wind noise around sunroof (on my car anyway)
- Air-borne paint technology. Not at all durable and chips too easily. Invest in aftermarket protection shields for the bonnet and behind each wheel arch. Note this problem is not unique to Alfa Romeo and will become more and more widespread.
- Wipers in rain-sensing/intermittent mode are erratic and completely crap. A software update is badly needed for these. However, in normal and fast modes, they are brilliant.

Interior styling. The 3-series interior is well built and fully featured but in my opinion, a visual disappointment. Its just so un-inspiring.
Audi produces the best quality interior designs.
However, the 159 has the most flair and feels the most 'special' and sporting. It is also completely driver focussed with plenty of technology (and all of it works). Typical Alfa magic at work and nothing has broken or fallen off.
IMPORTANT: Your girlfriend will be unable to see the speedo from the passenger seat. This allows you to enjoy uninterrupted music through that lovely Bose system.

Exterior styling (in my opinion)
This is the 159

This is the A4

This is the 3-series

One stands apart from the crowd and turns heads more than the others.
You could ask yourself this question; Which one would you prefer to drive?

Cheers,
Marco

[gabk]

Hi all,
Many thanks for your prompt replies, I really appreciate your input, it has been much more useful than the hours i spent trawling the net.
Marco, your feedback is great and I'm going to show my girlfriend the analogies you raised. I'm sure she will suggest the Alfa as a surrogate for the sexy blonde (mind you, both the Alfa and the blonde would be even better, but thats an entirely different story).
I'm definitely going to try to do a long test drive in the next few weeks and I'll keep you informed.
Thanks again
Gab

.

[alfagtv100 (Biggus)]

Good luck Gab.
They really are lovely cars.  Especially the Ti models.
http://www.alfaromeo.com.au/default.asp?action=article&ID=19200
Cheers,
Marco.

[1750GT]

Now Marco that was a great analysis but a BMW (sorry I own one along with an alfa) being compared to ugly betty? BMW's have their many great attributes, especially the 3 serious, great handling, silky smooth but brutal straight sixes etc. and the E46 (last model) is a gem, perhaps a bit too much German precision for some but still some great cars.

I would have said that the Alfa is briget bardot in the picture and the BMW is briget bardot with a lacey bra? still sexy but not as alluring.

1750GT

[alfagtv100 (Biggus)]

Hi 1750GT,

I think the 3 series is a brilliant car in so many ways.  I have been fortunate enough to enjoy a BMW track day at Sandown and dynamically, its the best car I have driven to date.  The styling direction BMW took influenced the market but is doesn't do it for me.  The Lexus IS 250 has more appeal (but Lexus should revise the grill).
However, compared to the 5 series I was driving yesterday, the 3 series is to die for.  Its the Amanda Vanstone of automotive style.

Cheers,
Marco

[1750GT]

Hi Five Marco, but the Amanda vanstone of automotive style?, wasn't she a fat women with a big mouth? thats a Pauline Hanson Pullease Explaiaaaan!

I still think in terms of style the E46 3 serious is one of the most beautiful BMW's designed, your right the current styling direction is questionable. However I drove an M3 a couple of weeks ago and maybe I can forgive it for the style thing. The one thing I can't forgive is run flats on most models, noisy and they ruin the ride. I am not sure what BMW was thinking of, but I see that they are starting to relent on current models after all the bitching by owners and car reviewests.

I have to also agree on the five but again the E46 five is I believe one of the best fives designed, but too big and too heavy, thats why the three holds it's value incredibly well whilst the five value's plummet.

1750GT

[Choom]

Hi all,
I have just joined this forum because I have never owned an Alfa and am now seriously contemplating my first purchase, a new top of the range 159 (I need a four door car due to 2 relatively recent grandkids).
I have owned BMWs, Mercs, Saabs and  Japanese cars in the past. I currently own a 2 year old BMW 325 coupe. I have always been fascinated by Alfa (and all things Italian, including the language which I have been learning for some years), and almost bought a GT 2 years ago but chickened out at the last moment and decided to go for the Beemer instead. I know I sound wimpy and hesitant compared to the enthusiasm I see in these pages but one has to start somewhere.
I have several questions to which I have not seen any reliable objective answers in my travels on the Net, trawling Alfa sites and car reviews from all over the world, so i thought I'd turn to this forum.
You are no doubt familiar with the usual criticisms from non alfisti and regard them with some contempt but here goes.

1. Reliability.
To me, no amount of  driving pleasure can compensate for the inconvenience of being stranded by the roadside (and the uncertainty and anxiety associated with the possibility). I had some terrible experiences with the 2 Saabs I owned in the past (admittedly, the last one over 10 years ago), when one of them would intermittently stop functioning, usually at the worst possible times. I'm not saying that a new Alfa would do the same but even the remote possibility of that happening is a turnoff. I know that there are no 100% guarantees but it is not unreasonable in this day and age to expect that a breakdown is a remote and unlikely event.

2. Resale value.
I lease my cars usually for 4 years, with 40% residual. The last Saab was a disaster for resale and cost me 20K to make up the shortfall between tradein value and the residual i had to pay.

I know that it probably sounds ridiculous to compare my Saab experiences of 10 years ago with a new Alfa but I still shudder when I think about it and it is what has kept  me with BMW ever since. I have had 100% reliability and excellent resale. Having said that, my girlfriend has a Saab convertible and loves it (I tried desperately to dissuade her when she bought it 2 years ago, to no avail) and had had minimal trouble.

The problem is that I don't know anyone who has an Alfa 159 and of course if I talk to dealers, they would have ulterior motives for talking them up.

Any advice and answers to the above concerns would be greatly appreciated. 

Many thanks.

Having just bought my first Alfa (Brera) a few months back. I am happy to say that I am still very pleased. Have clocked up thousands of K's and just luv driving it about. One great thing with my Brera is that you can have a lot of fun with it at low speed. Driving around the backstreets (50 K limits) that are full of mini roundabouts is real fun..................javascript:void(0);