RE: Coupe from the dark side

[jamieboy]

rob05 said:

and imo after owning the best budget price Italian sports car including such class is the intergrale,strada abarth i know how an Italian sports car should handle and the gt doesn't come close.

You're right that it doesn't handle as well as an integrale (just the one 'r'), but I don't think it's meant to be a sports car - it's more of a GT. Still sorry you didn't like yours, though.

[errek72]

chauffeur said:

I am glad only a few people 'get' Alfas.

This indeed is a big part of the appeal. If you choose Alfa you put yourself in the firing line of all the nonsense some others will wish to share with you, and everything the dealer will make you go through.

The payoff is the enormous fun and grip they provide (when compared to others in their class). And the -juvenile, I admit- sense of comradeship with other Alfisti.

[bencollins]

Erm, at the risk of meandering off topic, has anyone fitted an air filter and chip to their diesel? esp the fiat 1.9 jtd? promises of 30% more power sounds nice p, if there's no blowing gaskets that is. £12k + £700 mods for a practicalish coolish hatchback car, im not a millionaire like half the people here.

[adycav]

I think that they look nice enough, and I can see the emotional pull of the V6 and the practical attributes of the JTD.

What I fail to understand is why someone would spend 20-odd thousand on the two-litre petrol version. It's not very quick, certainly not economical, not spacious, and (so I'm led to believe) not partcularly robust. What does it offer over a Golf GTI/Focus ST/Megane 225 etc.?

[jamieboy]

adycav said:

I think that they look nice enough, and I can see the emotional pull of the V6 and the practical attributes of the JTD.

What I fail to understand is why someone would spend 20-odd thousand on the two-litre petrol version. It's not very quick, certainly not economical, not spacious, and (so I'm led to believe) not partcularly robust. What does it offer over a Golf GTI/Focus ST/Megane 225 etc.?

I think you've answered your own question to an extent - the big advantage it has is the way it looks.

Apart from price, I don't think the entry-level GT is in the same part of the market as the top-of-the-range Golf/Focus/Megane.

[beasto]

michaelp said:

I rented one of these a year ago while in Italy. Great engine, just pulls and pulls (JTD). Awful turning radius. Awful rear and rear 3/4 visibility. Fairly inexcusable for a basic daily driver.

Awful visibility? Alfa's just joined other sinners. Go sit in a 3dr Opel/Vauxhall Astra and learn the meaning of 'blind spot' and 'impossible to park'.

[porcus volans]

sjn2004 said:

You mean a Fiat dealer with a desk and bit of red carpet in the corner? Alfa has dumped a lot of dealers if they won't provide proper facilities, however their network is now somewhat sparse.

The 159 is now the best handling in its class, the 3 series comes second(according to a test on German TV/magazine).

Edited by sjn2004 on Saturday 28th April 00:04

A recent article in a national car mag stated that the MD of Alfa Romeo UK, Christopher Nichol, had fired 40 of the 71 UK dealerships and was looking to dramatically improve customer service in this country.

I booked a test drive in new Spider via the Alfa website but, apart from a call to confirm my details and requirements, nothing happened. The appointed date came and went without a peep from the local Alfa dealership.

I sent a very polite letter to Mr Nichol reminding him of his commitments in the article and asking him to sort out my no show test drive.

Tomorrow I get to play in a 3.2 v6 spider for a whole day. I'll let you know how it goes.

[sjn2004]

porcus volans said:

sjn2004 said:

You mean a Fiat dealer with a desk and bit of red carpet in the corner? Alfa has dumped a lot of dealers if they won't provide proper facilities, however their network is now somewhat sparse.

The 159 is now the best handling in its class, the 3 series comes second(according to a test on German TV/magazine).

Edited by sjn2004 on Saturday 28th April 00:04

A recent article in a national car mag stated that the MD of Alfa Romeo UK, Christopher Nichol, had fired 40 of the 71 UK dealerships and was looking to dramatically improve customer service in this country.

I booked a test drive in new Spider via the Alfa website but, apart from a call to confirm my details and requirements, nothing happened. The appointed date came and went without a peep from the local Alfa dealership.

I sent a very polite letter to Mr Nichol reminding him of his commitments in the article and asking him to sort out my no show test drive.

Tomorrow I get to play in a 3.2 v6 spider for a whole day. I'll let you know how it goes.

So they've given you a 24 hr test drive? Seems a waste of advertising money on the Spider if they never return calls(although a lot of car dealers seem to fit in that bracket).

[porcus volans]

sjn2004 said:

So they've given you a 24 hr test drive? Seems a waste of advertising money on the Spider if they never return calls(although a lot of car dealers seem to fit in that bracket).

indeed sjn. however, the dealership, hr owen, didn't miss a trick. the spider was splattered with huge decals advertising both the car and dealership.

my navigator and i had a fantastic day blasting around the b roads of the cotswolds.

the car is gorgeous.

it has a slightly stiff drive but is by no means incomfortable and goes exactly where you point it without any messing around with under or oversteer. on the b roads it's a little jittery at speed on dodgy surfaces and squirms around a lot under heavy braking. however, that doesn't take anything away from the fact that it is a hugely entertaining drive.

i drove the 3.2v6 version which doesn't have the zippy low range acceleration of the 2.0 or 2.2 jts but has incredibly smooth power delivery.

the interior is well laid out as usual. all dials directed at the driver, very comfortable seats with electric adjustment and memory and pedals that, although offset as usual, aren't so far off centre that they cause a problem.

the only quibbles are the brushed aluminium dash is a bit naff and the sat nav and radio are absolutely dreadful with awkward data input and very poor visuals.

and the best thing is the wonderful v6 burble that turns into a growl when you give it a bit of welly.

would i recommend one. yes.

would i buy one new. no. i'll wait a couple of years and let someone else carry the weight of the depreciation and usual new model difficulties.