Alfa 147's

[chrisga]

I am about to buy a new car (to me) to replace my old 206 commuter which has become uneconomical to repair.

We already have a 156 in the family so am fairly familiar with Alfa "quirks" and a 147 is on my list of possibles.

Please could some of you knowledgeable folk answer a few quick questions:

1) do 147's go through wishbones and bushes at the same rate as 156's - are they basically the same?
2) do 147's go through tyres at the same speed as 156's?
3) I would be looking at a diesel - sacrilege I know but this cars primary function will be commuting so I'd like it to be fairly easy on costs. Do all 147's have the same spec engines? I assume some are more powerful - how can you tell the power if they are? Are there any to look out for or avoid? Budget probably won't stretch to the Ducati version, nice as it looks....
4) is there anything else to look out for? How long should clutches last - are diesel cam belt change timings the same as 156 diesel's?

Would you steer clear?

Thanks in advance.

Chris

[Dave Brand]

They do eat wishbones & bushes - probably about the same as 156's. Tyre wear on mine didn't seem too bad.

Diesel engines come in two flavours - 8V & 16V; obviously the 16V is the more powerful version.

Some common problems are:

Handbrake cables - a normal Alfa problem.

Power steering pipes: the metal pipes across the back of the engine bay go porous.

Brake light switch: the brake light switch operates two circuits. The contacts on one of these burn out, causing ABS/VDC faults. A cheap cure, but not always diagnosed by "experts", as the brake lights still work & no error code is flagged up on the ECU.

Boot release actuators can fail, which means you've got to grovel about inside the car to find the emergency release - Sod's law says this only happens when you've got a boot full of luggage!

Random warning lights: could just be that it needs a new battery, in the worst case it could be a failing body computer.

Would I steer clear? Having had two of them, yes! In your case, with a 156 in the family you do at least know what to expect from an Alfa, though. Not sure that the 147'a abysmal ride is ideal for a commuter car . . . with a diesel you'll be spared the TwinSpark weekly oil top-up ritual. Best advice I'd give is look for evidence that any car you buy has had a lot of money spent on it; doesn't mean it won't be a money pit, but it may reduce the odds!

[chrisga]

Thanks Dave.

[V6GTA]

Do you need the 5 door in particular?

The GT is a very practical coupe and prices are very reasonable. Bigger boot than the 147 too.

They only come with the 150BHP diesel engine which is very efficiant.

Plus they ride and handle better.

[Yamatrix850]

The 147 is just a sawn off 156 with updated interior and electrics.