Alfa Romeo Giulietta Speciale
Discussion
Sorry read of your issues. It’s hard to find the right Alfa, I know I’ve had 11 of them!!
Many years ago it took me 8 months to find a 156 Sportwagon in the spec I wanted.
My current two - 18 plate Giulia was a trade car, too high miles for the dealer to retail so did me a deal off the books.
My Brera was very fortunate. I bought it on a whim and managed to get it with the 1750 engine, in my favourite colour - touring grey 5 years ago for a ludicrous price.
Many years ago it took me 8 months to find a 156 Sportwagon in the spec I wanted.
My current two - 18 plate Giulia was a trade car, too high miles for the dealer to retail so did me a deal off the books.
My Brera was very fortunate. I bought it on a whim and managed to get it with the 1750 engine, in my favourite colour - touring grey 5 years ago for a ludicrous price.
Stunning car and pleasingly rare in that spec. I suspect that the dealer will (hopefully) be footing the cost of all labour out of good will because I don't think a warranty company would entertain any of list given the age of the car. As you've rightly said they really aren't worth the paper they're written on (Warranty Wise, absolute worst culprit).
I'm toying with the idea of Giulietta to sit alongside my GTV, but worried about the impracticality as my dialy is a 5 series touring. I'd be interested to know what you lug about and how the G works for you. Main concern, as with most hatchbacks, is the high lip of the boot, not ideal for a 10 year old Labrador leaping over, hence the estate car.
Beyond that, some reliability concerns reported about the 1750tb engine (this seems to afflict earlier cars?). The safe bet would be to go for the 2.0 JTDm Sportiva but I really fancy a petrol such as yours.
Best of luck with yours, fingers crossed the car comes back in tip-top shape.
I'm toying with the idea of Giulietta to sit alongside my GTV, but worried about the impracticality as my dialy is a 5 series touring. I'd be interested to know what you lug about and how the G works for you. Main concern, as with most hatchbacks, is the high lip of the boot, not ideal for a 10 year old Labrador leaping over, hence the estate car.
Beyond that, some reliability concerns reported about the 1750tb engine (this seems to afflict earlier cars?). The safe bet would be to go for the 2.0 JTDm Sportiva but I really fancy a petrol such as yours.
Best of luck with yours, fingers crossed the car comes back in tip-top shape.
Incredibly underrated cars and one of the few bargains on the used market. Extremely reliable with no major weaknesses providing the multiair unit gets the correct oil every year.
I've just sold my Sportiva 170 back to the Alfa specialist I bought it from after three years happy motoring.
I've just sold my Sportiva 170 back to the Alfa specialist I bought it from after three years happy motoring.
Great looking car, red suits and love those wheels.
We absolutely love our Giulietta - 170 Sportiva. Coming up to 8 years of ownership and 80k miles, it’s no garage queen and gets proper use including towing our wheeny Eriba Puck. It is well serviced by our local specialist with oil changes every year or 10k miles.
It’s been reliable with very few issues, these are what I can think of:
- Multiair unit failed at 16k miles, the day after main dealer serviced it. Error code: oil starvation. Hmm. Replaced under warranty
- Temperature sensor went. Common issue as water collects in the wing mirror where it is housed. Cheap fix
- Air conditioning not cold. Just needed a recharge been fine in the 2 years since
- Blowers stopped working. This is a bigger issue with some dealers quoting 2 days labour and dash out. Our specialist however got access from underneath, lubricated the motor and it’s been fine since 1.5 years. Charged 1 hour labour
Think that’s it. Still on original clutch, suspension etc, runs and drives so nicely.
We absolutely love our Giulietta - 170 Sportiva. Coming up to 8 years of ownership and 80k miles, it’s no garage queen and gets proper use including towing our wheeny Eriba Puck. It is well serviced by our local specialist with oil changes every year or 10k miles.
It’s been reliable with very few issues, these are what I can think of:
- Multiair unit failed at 16k miles, the day after main dealer serviced it. Error code: oil starvation. Hmm. Replaced under warranty
- Temperature sensor went. Common issue as water collects in the wing mirror where it is housed. Cheap fix
- Air conditioning not cold. Just needed a recharge been fine in the 2 years since
- Blowers stopped working. This is a bigger issue with some dealers quoting 2 days labour and dash out. Our specialist however got access from underneath, lubricated the motor and it’s been fine since 1.5 years. Charged 1 hour labour
Think that’s it. Still on original clutch, suspension etc, runs and drives so nicely.
JFReturns said:
- Blowers stopped working. This is a bigger issue with some dealers quoting 2 days labour and dash out. Our specialist however got access from underneath, lubricated the motor and it’s been fine since 1.5 years. Charged 1 hour labour
I had a Sportiva 170 for almost six years, it was a really nicely handling car, but it had its moments. The blower packed up on mine too, it can (just) be swapped from underneath the dash, but it's no picnic. Here's a pic my garage sent me of the poor mechanic ruining his back to fix it.
Mine developed a really, really annoying boost fluctuation issue, where it would just lurch under full throttle. Nobody could fix it, including Alfa, no fault codes showed up, nothing on the diagnostics. I was generally getting really fed up of swapping sensors etc and getting nowhere, then one day on the way home from work I went to press the button to switch off the stop/start and it had gone, just disappeared into the dash. Final straw, traded it in.
So I'm home, even achieved 40mpg on the way home!
So the dealer has spent about £600 including labour on the car they reckon, its had a rear drivers side caliper, new discs and pads on the rear, new front drivers side wheel bearing, 2 part worns on the front (I mentioned when I was there that the front tyres were cracked), adjusted handbrake and turned service light off.
The handbrake warning light was coming on when driving and the handbrake would come up 5 or 6 clicks and wouldn't sit flat when off, now it sits flat and only comes up two clicks.
Because its a 1 hour 20 minute drive each way to the garage, we stopped at a soft play centre on the way home to cheer up our 21 month old who was bored in the car!
Once arrived home... I did what I've never done before and "up badged" a car
I'm not trying to claim its a Quadrifoglio Verde, but as a lifelong Scuderia Ferrari fan, I have always been interested in the intertwined history of Scuderia Ferrari and Alfa Romeo and a red Alfa with the badges on it just seemed right.
So whats next?
1- rear brake dust guards have been badly painted silver at some point, want to strip them off and paint them black.
2- wheel refurb in dark grey
3- remap, I actually wanted a 170 not 150 and the car definetly needs a little more poke
4- Android auto integration
5- change the multiair filter on the engine, I bet this hasn't been done.
6- check the pollen filter as well.
So the dealer has spent about £600 including labour on the car they reckon, its had a rear drivers side caliper, new discs and pads on the rear, new front drivers side wheel bearing, 2 part worns on the front (I mentioned when I was there that the front tyres were cracked), adjusted handbrake and turned service light off.
The handbrake warning light was coming on when driving and the handbrake would come up 5 or 6 clicks and wouldn't sit flat when off, now it sits flat and only comes up two clicks.
Because its a 1 hour 20 minute drive each way to the garage, we stopped at a soft play centre on the way home to cheer up our 21 month old who was bored in the car!
Once arrived home... I did what I've never done before and "up badged" a car
I'm not trying to claim its a Quadrifoglio Verde, but as a lifelong Scuderia Ferrari fan, I have always been interested in the intertwined history of Scuderia Ferrari and Alfa Romeo and a red Alfa with the badges on it just seemed right.
So whats next?
1- rear brake dust guards have been badly painted silver at some point, want to strip them off and paint them black.
2- wheel refurb in dark grey
3- remap, I actually wanted a 170 not 150 and the car definetly needs a little more poke
4- Android auto integration
5- change the multiair filter on the engine, I bet this hasn't been done.
6- check the pollen filter as well.
The badges look great too, they do look good on a Red car. Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff