Would you buy an Alfa Romeo Giulia?

[Ali_T]

Pooh said:

I would certainly have one and my Brera S was beautifully built, the interior was rattle free and almost like new when I sold it at 105k miles.

The Brera/159 interior was a really nice place to be and felt damned solid, unlike my Giulietta which is starting to have the usual FCA issues of reaching two years old and feeling a bit tired. Having nosed around the Giulia, I'm not convinced a few coners haven't been cut as well. Some oarts feel great inside, but some parts did feel very cheap for a car that sells for up to £60k and, having also poked around the XE, the Jag felt a class above for build quality.

[V6Alfisti]

Richard-390a0 said:

Nope, approx 4yrs ago I worked for a company that had a few Mito's & 159sw's none of which were old or high mileage yet were falling apart already. That & the nearest retailer being over 20 miles away isn't exactly convenient. As for the Alfa fan boy earlier in the thread stating the 159 build quality is similar to an Audi
I'd like to see Alfa up their game & suceed this time just so there's still something else on offer other than the usual german dominance in this sector.

Edited by Richard-390a0 on Friday 2nd December 15:07

Edited by Richard-390a0 on Friday 2nd December 15:09

How were they falling apart?

Well yes the 159/Brera interior was pretty rock solid, it felt like it was hewn from rock. Solid aluminium centre (though some careless owners would leave metal keyrings on that would knock/chip the alu) with I recall good quality/robust plastics, and chunky switch gear - the car was built when it was under the control of some ex BMW QA guru - it did show. It was only the airbag cover that I recall being a bit shiny. However as other 159 owners have said, they were very well screwed together inside.

Certainly compared well to my fathers 06 ish A4 Avant, and far better than a similar aged C Class.

The 159 sat on some partly developed GM chassis which was very robust but ultimately dynamically average/heavyish, hence I regressed back to a GT for some nimbleness.

Mechanically also quite robust with a few glitches like the PAS fluid/rack issue, but Audi/BMW/Merc all have exactly the same issues with things like the oil pump failures, chains, rear subframe tearing, turbo failure e.t.c

[RobM77]

To answer the OP, of course, yes. I changed my car last week and I'm now on my fifth BMW 3 series!! However, there's no loyalty there at all with me, they're just the only choice because most other cars of that genre are utter st, and of the reasonable ones left, BMW drive the best by a clear margin. I've always respected Alfa, and whilst the handling of the FWD models was unerringly always terrible, I've always loved everything else about them (character, styling, sound etc). The opportunity to buy an Alfa that handles nicely would be too much to turn down.

Edited by RobM77 on Saturday 3rd December 09:39

[Pooh]

Ali_T said:

Pooh said:

I would certainly have one and my Brera S was beautifully built, the interior was rattle free and almost like new when I sold it at 105k miles.

The Brera/159 interior was a really nice place to be and felt damned solid, unlike my Giulietta which is starting to have the usual FCA issues of reaching two years old and feeling a bit tired. Having nosed around the Giulia, I'm not convinced a few coners haven't been cut as well. Some oarts feel great inside, but some parts did feel very cheap for a car that sells for up to £60k and, having also poked around the XE, the Jag felt a class above for build quality.

My Giulietta did not feel as solidly built as the Brera but it was still pretty good, I had it for 3.5 years/50k miles and it was faultless with no issues of any sort.

[fivepointnine]

I would consider one if they had a petrol version between the 200bhp and the top of the line one (400bhp would be nice).

[RobM77]

fivepointnine said:

I would consider one if they had a petrol version between the 200bhp and the top of the line one (400bhp would be nice).

I confess I hadn't looked - that seems like an oversight!! The BMW 330i has always sold well; it would seem odd not to go head to head with that.

[Beardo]

fivepointnine said:

I would consider one if they had a petrol version between the 200bhp and the top of the line one (400bhp would be nice).

They've announced a 280bhp version....

[kith]

Beardo said:

They've announced a 280bhp version....

But it's not confirmed for the UK yet.

[Aeroresh]

Ali_T said:

The Brera/159 interior was a really nice place to be and felt damned solid, unlike my Giulietta which is starting to have the usual FCA issues of reaching two years old and feeling a bit tired. Having nosed around the Giulia, I'm not convinced a few coners haven't been cut as well. Some oarts feel great inside, but some parts did feel very cheap for a car that sells for up to £60k and, having also poked around the XE, the Jag felt a class above for build quality.

Crikey, that doesnt bode well if even a JLR product feels in a class above for build!

[fivepointnine]

Beardo said:

They've announced a 280bhp version....

Still underpowered for the segment. Why would I get a 280bhp version of the Alfa, when I could get a 440i Gran Coupe with 50bhp more for probably close to the same price.

[RobM77]

fivepointnine said:

Beardo said:

They've announced a 280bhp version....

Still underpowered for the segment. Why would I get a 280bhp version of the Alfa, when I could get a 440i Gran Coupe with 50bhp more for probably close to the same price.

Because power isn't everything? For not much more you could buy a VXR8 with vastly more power, but that's not really the issue for most people.

[kambites]

I guess the question is how many of those people who want a powerful petrol version of the car (which will presumably only make up a tiny proportion of sales) will be happy with 280bhp when the competition have well over 300; and equally how many will be happy with a four-pot when the competition have six cylinders?

[fivepointnine]

kambites said:

I guess the question is how many of those people who want a powerful petrol version of the car (which will presumably only make up a tiny proportion of sales) will be happy with 280bhp when the competition have well over 300; and equally how many will be happy with a four-pot when the competition have six cylinders?

This. Outside of the UK, I am sure the petrol will sell in bigger numbers.

[Vitorio]

fivepointnine said:

kambites said:

I guess the question is how many of those people who want a powerful petrol version of the car (which will presumably only make up a tiny proportion of sales) will be happy with 280bhp when the competition have well over 300; and equally how many will be happy with a four-pot when the competition have six cylinders?

This. Outside of the UK, I am sure the petrol will sell in bigger numbers.

I know jack all about the european market at large, but here in the netherlands the 200hp model is more then powerful enough, most 5 series here are 520s etc..

As for the four pot bit, dont most new BMWs have four pots as well? you need to get a 335 to get a 3 series with a six pot, hell, the 318 has a 3-pot...

[V6Alfisti]

Chris Harris has re-reviewed it for Top Gear.

Doesn't seem to have a bad word to say about it, in fact rating it above the competition inc M4 GTS/M2

http://www.topgear.com/car-news/chris-harris-drive...

[bobtail4x4]

had a test drive today, ohh sorry the diesel one is sold, you will have to try the quadrifoglio,

ok the salesman came with us, and on a wet greasy town/estates etc,
I loved it, order going in soon.

[culpz]

Gorgeous looking car IMO. A really good looking saloon. It's nice to see something different to the German offerings.

If i was to buy one it would have to be the Quadrifoglio. I think leasing one would be a bit out of the question and not great value.