What car? Thread. Alfa 156 JTD, Saab 9-3 TiD or MG ZT CDTi
Discussion
Hey folks,
Sorry to post another what car thread but I'm really stuck with a choice over these 3. A bit of background for you. I've got a new job and get a £5.5K per annum car allowance. The only restriction is that is has to have 4+ seats. No restriction on age, fuel type etc etc.
Being a petrol head I have a MK1 Mx-5 and a MKII Golf GTI track car, neither of which I wish to part with so this new car will be a third vehicle. I want to maximise the cash I can pocket so I'm looking at spending £3K (£3.5K max) for one of the above with 100K miles on the clock (and saloon as frankly all 3 look horrid as wagons. The reason for shortlisting these 3 is they fall into the right price bracket, are diesel, are not too run of the mill, are not an Audi and have sufficient towing capacity to lug the Golf on a trailer.
Which would you choose and why? Any horror stories? Any stories of years of driving bliss?
Cheers,
Nick
Sorry to post another what car thread but I'm really stuck with a choice over these 3. A bit of background for you. I've got a new job and get a £5.5K per annum car allowance. The only restriction is that is has to have 4+ seats. No restriction on age, fuel type etc etc.
Being a petrol head I have a MK1 Mx-5 and a MKII Golf GTI track car, neither of which I wish to part with so this new car will be a third vehicle. I want to maximise the cash I can pocket so I'm looking at spending £3K (£3.5K max) for one of the above with 100K miles on the clock (and saloon as frankly all 3 look horrid as wagons. The reason for shortlisting these 3 is they fall into the right price bracket, are diesel, are not too run of the mill, are not an Audi and have sufficient towing capacity to lug the Golf on a trailer.
Which would you choose and why? Any horror stories? Any stories of years of driving bliss?
Cheers,
Nick
HorneyMX5 said:
Bit out of my budget sadly.
Nick
I think not. Five and a half grand will buy a perfectly serviceable car! I'm on PH mobile so Autotrader links are a pain in the arse but I'm sure someone will oblige if you ask nicely. Nick
Edit: sorry, I didn't read your criteria properly, it's 3.5 grand. Admittedly, that's more awkward.
fatboy b said:
Alfa, Saab, MG!?!?!?
Oh dear.
All s
t cars IMO.
Have you actually driven them i think not. Oh you drive a audi what a surprise.Oh dear.
All s
t cars IMO. Out of them ive only driven the zt but its a lovely car to drive the diesel engine is very good and a lot of the car has bmw parts its the best of the z range of car. Also due to everyone thinking they are s
t they are very cheap to buy to.Only driven the Alfa 156 and 9-3 from the list.
Liked the Saab for it's quirky features but the chassis was shocking and the interior quality was very poor.
Would absolutely be the 156 out of the two, much better chassis, better build quality, the JTD's are very much the proven item on the Alfa's. Fun, cheap and a great steer.
Liked the Saab for it's quirky features but the chassis was shocking and the interior quality was very poor.
Would absolutely be the 156 out of the two, much better chassis, better build quality, the JTD's are very much the proven item on the Alfa's. Fun, cheap and a great steer.
WE have an Alfa 156 for the last three years and 30,000 miles (also own an MX5 over a simialr time period but far fewer miles.
Not had many problems with the Alfa (less than the MX5!). Things to watch for are the suspension components : which for me are the most costly things. Had the timing belt and water pump changed for just under £300.... so not too bad.
I find the ride brilliant for wafting and reasonably sharp - but nothing in comparison to my previous car history. But I am led to believe in comparison to the competition they are a good steer.
I love the 2.4JTD engine in ours. For a diesel it actually has some character (compared to the VAG group cars which I borrow from work sometimes).
So thoroughly recommend and do not believe the usual hype that Alfas are unreliable - ours has never let us down and is currently at about 93,000 miles so is no spring chicken.
Mike
Not had many problems with the Alfa (less than the MX5!). Things to watch for are the suspension components : which for me are the most costly things. Had the timing belt and water pump changed for just under £300.... so not too bad.
I find the ride brilliant for wafting and reasonably sharp - but nothing in comparison to my previous car history. But I am led to believe in comparison to the competition they are a good steer.
I love the 2.4JTD engine in ours. For a diesel it actually has some character (compared to the VAG group cars which I borrow from work sometimes).
So thoroughly recommend and do not believe the usual hype that Alfas are unreliable - ours has never let us down and is currently at about 93,000 miles so is no spring chicken.
Mike
Interestingly my ex had (and probably still has) a 9-3 TiD and I looked at both the Alfa 156 2.4 JTD and MG ZT CDTi when buying my most recent car.
Saab is actually pretty good. Interior design isn't amazing (2005 model) & boot isn't huge but I enjoyed driving it. Quite frisky power delivery.
Alfa 2.4 has an awesome engine and looks stunning. Boot is once again fairly diddy and the sporthatch is even more surprisingly diddy which was an issue for me. Also if the timing belt is due any time soon, you need to budget on a change. Suspension can be a bit fragile and front anti-roll bar is more awkward than most, to sort the bushes out. Heart says Alfa but was just a bit too risky for me, as a day to day car.
Plumped for a Facelift MG ZT CDTi. Not perfect by any means but I think they look great and aren't too often seen. Was also a lot of car for the money, with a low mileage. A few weeks in and I don't regret it. (Though I still hanker for the Alfa's engine and Sporthatch looks.
)
Considered Audi, BMW, VW etc but for the same money, they were either leggy or very basic looking, and to be honest, I wanted something a bit different for my cash.
Saab is actually pretty good. Interior design isn't amazing (2005 model) & boot isn't huge but I enjoyed driving it. Quite frisky power delivery.
Alfa 2.4 has an awesome engine and looks stunning. Boot is once again fairly diddy and the sporthatch is even more surprisingly diddy which was an issue for me. Also if the timing belt is due any time soon, you need to budget on a change. Suspension can be a bit fragile and front anti-roll bar is more awkward than most, to sort the bushes out. Heart says Alfa but was just a bit too risky for me, as a day to day car.
Plumped for a Facelift MG ZT CDTi. Not perfect by any means but I think they look great and aren't too often seen. Was also a lot of car for the money, with a low mileage. A few weeks in and I don't regret it. (Though I still hanker for the Alfa's engine and Sporthatch looks.
)Considered Audi, BMW, VW etc but for the same money, they were either leggy or very basic looking, and to be honest, I wanted something a bit different for my cash.
MG CHRIS said:
fatboy b said:
Alfa, Saab, MG!?!?!?
Oh dear.
All st cars IMO.
Have you actually driven them i think not. Oh you drive a audi what a surprise.Oh dear.
All s
t cars IMO. Out of them ive only driven the zt but its a lovely car to drive the diesel engine is very good and a lot of the car has bmw parts its the best of the z range of car. Also due to everyone thinking they are s
t they are very cheap to buy to.I look for a lot more in a car than how it drives. A good interior is important to me as are engines. All those three cars have cheap-shiit interiors. Alfa engines are not what they used to be. MG engines are just junk IMO. Saab are just boring.
With that sort of cash I'd be looking at a BMW e46 probably.
fatboy b said:
Why the surprise at me driving an Audi?
I look for a lot more in a car than how it drives. A good interior is important to me as are engines. All those three cars have cheap-shiit interiors. Alfa engines are not what they used to be. MG engines are just junk IMO. Saab are just boring.
With that sort of cash I'd be looking at a BMW e46 probably.
You do realise it's a BMW engine in that MG, don't you? I look for a lot more in a car than how it drives. A good interior is important to me as are engines. All those three cars have cheap-shiit interiors. Alfa engines are not what they used to be. MG engines are just junk IMO. Saab are just boring.
With that sort of cash I'd be looking at a BMW e46 probably.
fatboy b said:
Why the surprise at me driving an Audi?
I look for a lot more in a car than how it drives. A good interior is important to me as are engines. All those three cars have cheap-shiit interiors. Alfa engines are not what they used to be. MG engines are just junk IMO. Saab are just boring.
With that sort of cash I'd be looking at a BMW e46 probably.
I look for a lot more in a car than how it drives. A good interior is important to me as are engines. All those three cars have cheap-shiit interiors. Alfa engines are not what they used to be. MG engines are just junk IMO. Saab are just boring.
With that sort of cash I'd be looking at a BMW e46 probably.
don't think you have ever opened the door on any of them have you? All 3 have, IMHO great, well made interiors. The leather, for example, in an ALFA is MOMO leather and is stunning
Also, the 156 2.4 was the worlds first common rail diesel, a technology that was shared with most manufacturers.
Interesting that you also mentioned the BMW, as you will be aware that the MG has a BMW derived engine in it and shares a great deal under the skin with the 5 series of that vintage.
SAAB used the ALFA based 1.9 in 120 and 150 bhp flavours in the 93 and 95.
Really though, no surprise that you drive an Audi.
For information I own a ZT CDTI+ and have had several ALFAs and SAABS over the years. Have had more problems with Mrs Angry Jocks Audis than any of them.
With that cash you can get a really nice Alfa 156 with the facelift interior (2003 onwards as shown in the post above ) 2005 they also facelifted the exterior.
The revised interiors were bloody lovely though.
The 2.4 and 1.9 are both great engines, granted the 2.4 has more oomph.
Veloce is the sportier version with sport suspension side skirts and dropped about 10mm. Quite a firm ride overall, but very stable with not too much body roll.
You can also remap them to just shy of 200BHP (2.4) which makes them very quick.
) 2005 they also facelifted the exterior.The revised interiors were bloody lovely though.
The 2.4 and 1.9 are both great engines, granted the 2.4 has more oomph.
Veloce is the sportier version with sport suspension side skirts and dropped about 10mm. Quite a firm ride overall, but very stable with not too much body roll.
You can also remap them to just shy of 200BHP (2.4) which makes them very quick.
Edited by OperationAlfa on Friday 27th January 16:30
Some of the posts re Audis are the exact reasons I don't want one. They don't have superior build quality or reliability than other brands. I'm a VAG nut (of the old school stuff) and know plenty of people with Audis, also 3 of the people I work with drive Audis (Two A3's and an A5). I get to sit in them and hear about them all the time. They seem to spend a lot of time at the dealers and the interior plastics are pretty ropey in places. Because of the "Audi bore" effect they comand a huge premium over their competitors, even when you get down to the £3K 100K miles point. Sadly, for a brand I used to adore, they have become the new BMW and seemingly owned by people obsessed with status and telling you as often as possible they drive an Audi. No thanks.
So I've settled on the ZT. Now to get shopping and find one!
Thanks for all the comment son here, it's always good to hear from owners on their experiences. No car is perfect but it just seems the Zt offers the best spec, build and steer for the kind of money I have to spend.
Nick
So I've settled on the ZT. Now to get shopping and find one!
Thanks for all the comment son here, it's always good to hear from owners on their experiences. No car is perfect but it just seems the Zt offers the best spec, build and steer for the kind of money I have to spend.
Nick
I don't know if the OP has considered a Rover 75 rather than the MG? A bit old man maybe, but they will often have been retirement presents for the owner, with the added bonus that you're more likely to find one with a factory fit towbar since it would have been used to take the caravan away a couple of times a year. The squishy suspension makes it an extremely relaxing drive.
I used to be the proud owner of a ZT-T cdti 131. A truly excellent car. The roadholding was excellent, helped by the superbly stiff chassis and BMW derived suspension. The BMW derived engine was excellent too, comprehensively taking the piss of any VAG PD dumper truck lump, but make sure you go for the higher output version. They all are easily tweaked to produce more oomph, though.
The interior also was excellent, with style and quality. The only let down was the cramped rear space.
The interior also was excellent, with style and quality. The only let down was the cramped rear space.
We ended up with a "dog snotter" MG ZT... picked it up for less than £1k, and the plan was to use and abuse it 'til it gave up the ghost, bangernomics style.
However, it's now firmly part of our little fleet, and even has money spent on keeping it nice, which wasn't part of the original deal!
Neither of us were blown away by it when we first looked it over, but it's really grown on us. Utterly reliable, relatively gutsy, superbly practical and surprisingly agile and feisty around corners.
...ours is a petrol (and an estate!) so I'm not really offering much in terms of technical advice to your thread (sorry!), but just wanted to share our little heart-warming story.
Hope you find a peach - they do grow on you, the sneaky little beggars.
However, it's now firmly part of our little fleet, and even has money spent on keeping it nice, which wasn't part of the original deal!
Neither of us were blown away by it when we first looked it over, but it's really grown on us. Utterly reliable, relatively gutsy, superbly practical and surprisingly agile and feisty around corners.
...ours is a petrol (and an estate!) so I'm not really offering much in terms of technical advice to your thread (sorry!), but just wanted to share our little heart-warming story.
Hope you find a peach - they do grow on you, the sneaky little beggars.
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