Giulia Quadrifoglio: questions / prep / thinking out loud...
Discussion
This may potentially be my first venture with a) something Italian b) an Alfa.
Current "fleet" comprises of a not-very-stock and slightly naughty Boxster 986, and a GR Yaris (daily). I maintain the GRY is the quicker car when driven in anger, but it's not as much fun / an event compared to the Boxster (esp with the top down), particularly when not pressing on.
From a practical perspective, the GRY spends a significant time parked at airports and I would like something with a) a bigger boot b) the space to take another adult or two (and our sports equipment) on a Euro trip - re b), believe it or not, the Boxster is more suited to this. It actually has more useable load space, and the rear seats on the GR are just there so it can be classified as a 4 seater.
So, something fun, quick, practical (fuel economy irrelevant), left-field and not German - Giulia QV seems to fit the bill, and I'm lusting after a Misano Blue car.
What are they like to live with, and are there any nuances with the e-nannies (ADAS) depending on model years?
Specific questions:
1. On my GRY, the systems don't latch and have to be turned off every time I start the car (lane assist, start stop) - unlike the GR2, there are dedicated buttons for this, and the dynamic speed warning is not intrusive. What's the deal with this on the Alfa? Does it remember what state you left it in? Are some years different than others?
On the Fiat Panda hire cars I use in Italy, I was annoyed by the e-nannies that weren't present last year, but at least the current Panda has a dedicate button to turn off lane assist. This would be a deal breaker for me.
2. Any issues with carbon build up on earlier cars? Am aware later cars (what year?) got port injection.
3. In car audio - when was Android Auto / Car Play introduced? Can the car run Android Auto whilst simultaneously connected to another device for BT audio (yeah, don't ask why...)
4. Any particular years to go for / avoid (specifically re: e-nannies - is there a particular year/s that's the best compromise)? The newest car I would consider would be a 2021 (IE no additional VED).
5. From what I've seen they're generally reliable. Anything in particular to be aware of? Belt service - out of curiosity, what happens if this is overdue and left? Engine is chain driven. What is the worst that could happen (not being sarcastic)?
6. What are consumables like, and how much are these? Front pads / discs on the GRY are circa £50 / £500 a pair with discount, and last around 15k / 30k miles respectively. Any suspension issues to be aware of, IE are arms / bushings "consumables" / need attention at lowish miles?
That's all I can think of for now.
Current "fleet" comprises of a not-very-stock and slightly naughty Boxster 986, and a GR Yaris (daily). I maintain the GRY is the quicker car when driven in anger, but it's not as much fun / an event compared to the Boxster (esp with the top down), particularly when not pressing on.
From a practical perspective, the GRY spends a significant time parked at airports and I would like something with a) a bigger boot b) the space to take another adult or two (and our sports equipment) on a Euro trip - re b), believe it or not, the Boxster is more suited to this. It actually has more useable load space, and the rear seats on the GR are just there so it can be classified as a 4 seater.
So, something fun, quick, practical (fuel economy irrelevant), left-field and not German - Giulia QV seems to fit the bill, and I'm lusting after a Misano Blue car.
What are they like to live with, and are there any nuances with the e-nannies (ADAS) depending on model years?
Specific questions:
1. On my GRY, the systems don't latch and have to be turned off every time I start the car (lane assist, start stop) - unlike the GR2, there are dedicated buttons for this, and the dynamic speed warning is not intrusive. What's the deal with this on the Alfa? Does it remember what state you left it in? Are some years different than others?
On the Fiat Panda hire cars I use in Italy, I was annoyed by the e-nannies that weren't present last year, but at least the current Panda has a dedicate button to turn off lane assist. This would be a deal breaker for me.
2. Any issues with carbon build up on earlier cars? Am aware later cars (what year?) got port injection.
3. In car audio - when was Android Auto / Car Play introduced? Can the car run Android Auto whilst simultaneously connected to another device for BT audio (yeah, don't ask why...)
4. Any particular years to go for / avoid (specifically re: e-nannies - is there a particular year/s that's the best compromise)? The newest car I would consider would be a 2021 (IE no additional VED).
5. From what I've seen they're generally reliable. Anything in particular to be aware of? Belt service - out of curiosity, what happens if this is overdue and left? Engine is chain driven. What is the worst that could happen (not being sarcastic)?
6. What are consumables like, and how much are these? Front pads / discs on the GRY are circa £50 / £500 a pair with discount, and last around 15k / 30k miles respectively. Any suspension issues to be aware of, IE are arms / bushings "consumables" / need attention at lowish miles?
That's all I can think of for now.
Edited by Speedgelb on Friday 24th July 17:52
My 2019 has none of the nanny features other than stop start. It can be disabled with a single button, but has to be done each time you start the car.
It does have lane assist but defaults to off.
They are pretty expensive to service. My local indy charged something like £3k to do pads and discs all round, although I don't think they're the cheapest. It was my first service and I took a "do everything" approach and it totalled £5k - but I expect the service this year to be more like £500.
I've owned mine for a year and it's been entirely reliable. In normal mode it's like any daily car - sport or race is a very different thing. I've never owned a car where the mode changes were so significant in fact.
They do drink petrol. Mine does a lot of local journeys and averages about 17mpg . On motorways, it will be a bit over 30mpg.
Android auto on mine is...... Functional but fairly crap. However I do use Android auto and Alexa auto, so yes - it can connect to something else while using android auto.
It does have lane assist but defaults to off.
They are pretty expensive to service. My local indy charged something like £3k to do pads and discs all round, although I don't think they're the cheapest. It was my first service and I took a "do everything" approach and it totalled £5k - but I expect the service this year to be more like £500.
I've owned mine for a year and it's been entirely reliable. In normal mode it's like any daily car - sport or race is a very different thing. I've never owned a car where the mode changes were so significant in fact.
They do drink petrol. Mine does a lot of local journeys and averages about 17mpg . On motorways, it will be a bit over 30mpg.
Android auto on mine is...... Functional but fairly crap. However I do use Android auto and Alexa auto, so yes - it can connect to something else while using android auto.
I have driven a few and looked into them quite seriously.
1. Earlier cars are relatively light on intrusive driver aids; stop/start needs switching off each time, while lane assist generally defaults to off.
2. Carbon build-up does not appear to be a major widespread issue, but good servicing and regular proper use matter.
3. CarPlay and Android Auto arrived on later cars, with the 2020MY infotainment being a worthwhile improvement, and a second Bluetooth device can usually still be connected.
4. The 2020MY cars are probably the sweet spot for improved infotainment and cabin quality without moving into the newest, higher-VED cars.
5. Reliability is generally good with proper maintenance, but the auxiliary belt service should not be ignored even though the engine itself is chain driven.
6. Brakes and servicing are expensive, while suspension wear is broadly what you would expect from a heavy, very fast saloon rather than an obvious endemic weakness.
I would also take a long and properly varied test drive before buying, as it is civilised in normal use but becomes a very lively car at full chat.
1. Earlier cars are relatively light on intrusive driver aids; stop/start needs switching off each time, while lane assist generally defaults to off.
2. Carbon build-up does not appear to be a major widespread issue, but good servicing and regular proper use matter.
3. CarPlay and Android Auto arrived on later cars, with the 2020MY infotainment being a worthwhile improvement, and a second Bluetooth device can usually still be connected.
4. The 2020MY cars are probably the sweet spot for improved infotainment and cabin quality without moving into the newest, higher-VED cars.
5. Reliability is generally good with proper maintenance, but the auxiliary belt service should not be ignored even though the engine itself is chain driven.
6. Brakes and servicing are expensive, while suspension wear is broadly what you would expect from a heavy, very fast saloon rather than an obvious endemic weakness.
I would also take a long and properly varied test drive before buying, as it is civilised in normal use but becomes a very lively car at full chat.
Lots of good information above - but what I would add, and as a reminder to anyone else reading this....get the radar blocker installed!! It's £250, so cheap enough and could save you loads of hassle. Yet another story on Reddit about a QV being stolen for a robbery, then crashed while escaping.
Re: reliability. They're proving to be VERY reliable, despite what some internet scaremongering will tell you. I would 100% recommend you get a battery tender though, they're very susceptible to low voltages. I used to chuck mine on the CTEK every weekend and it was fine. You can tell things are low if the rear screen demister doesn't come on and stop/start doesn't auto activate.
Discs can be had for £400/pair from Autodoc. Pads are cheap. Dampers can leak (rarely) and are £700/corner + fitting. Other things are to check the active splitter for damage - replacement is £2500, the activator units are £1500/pair, all plus fitting, so that's absolutely worth checking. Those things were most common things I used to see people talking about.
Thanks for all the replies, folks!
it is thirsty for a light 1.6 3-pot.
Should have qualified the prices I quoted for discs / pads were supplied. Am relatively handy with a spanner, and have a very good Lotus / Motorsports specialist for anything non-specialist that I don't want to tackle.
Re 1: is there a cut-off with model year for the e-nannies? IE, what's the latest MY I should consider?
Re 5: What happens if the aux belt goes out? Alternator / water pump and you're stranded on the side of the road, or worse? In other words if a deal can be done on a car where this is overdue, does this need doing immediately, or is there a bit of leeway?
Am wondering if there's an issue / nuance with the tensioners / ancillaries - aux belt life on previous cars I've owned have been measured in decades / and 80k+ miles. If it was a cambelt, I wouldn't even be having this debate.
Thanks for the heads up about the active splitter.
The Boxster probably averages out in the region of £2k / year to keep going, but a lot of that is old (it is 25 years old) car stuff and Porsche tax. But I don't have to worry about depreciation.
I suspect the Giulia will cost less per year (and significantly less per mile) to keep running, and spend more time on the road instead of being broken...
davek_964 said:
My 2019 has none of the nanny features other than stop start. It can be disabled with a single button, but has to be done each time you start the car.
They are pretty expensive to service. My local indy charged something like £3k to do pads and discs all round, although I don't think they're the cheapest. It was my first service and I took a "do everything" approach and it totalled £5k - but I expect the service this year to be more like £500.
They do drink petrol. Mine does a lot of local journeys and averages about 17mpg . On motorways, it will be a bit over 30mpg.
Android auto on mine is...... Functional but fairly crap. However I do use Android auto and Alexa auto, so yes - it can connect to something else while using android auto.
MPG is very similar to what I'm getting from the GRY They are pretty expensive to service. My local indy charged something like £3k to do pads and discs all round, although I don't think they're the cheapest. It was my first service and I took a "do everything" approach and it totalled £5k - but I expect the service this year to be more like £500.
They do drink petrol. Mine does a lot of local journeys and averages about 17mpg . On motorways, it will be a bit over 30mpg.
Android auto on mine is...... Functional but fairly crap. However I do use Android auto and Alexa auto, so yes - it can connect to something else while using android auto.
it is thirsty for a light 1.6 3-pot. Should have qualified the prices I quoted for discs / pads were supplied. Am relatively handy with a spanner, and have a very good Lotus / Motorsports specialist for anything non-specialist that I don't want to tackle.
jet_noise said:
On the infotainment AIUI there was a significant improvement for 2020MY and a lesser one for 2023.
What month / year (or reg) was 2020MY introduced in the UK? Does it still lack the e-nannies?paddy1970 said:
I have driven a few and looked into them quite seriously.
1. Earlier cars are relatively light on intrusive driver aids; stop/start needs switching off each time, while lane assist generally defaults to off.
2. Carbon build-up does not appear to be a major widespread issue, but good servicing and regular proper use matter.
3. CarPlay and Android Auto arrived on later cars, with the 2020MY infotainment being a worthwhile improvement, and a second Bluetooth device can usually still be connected.
4. The 2020MY cars are probably the sweet spot for improved infotainment and cabin quality without moving into the newest, higher-VED cars.
5. Reliability is generally good with proper maintenance, but the auxiliary belt service should not be ignored even though the engine itself is chain driven.
6. Brakes and servicing are expensive, while suspension wear is broadly what you would expect from a heavy, very fast saloon rather than an obvious endemic weakness.
I would also take a long and properly varied test drive before buying, as it is civilised in normal use but becomes a very lively car at full chat.
Thanks again for this. In addition to 2020MY, is there anything else that can used to determine whether a car has the upgraded infotainment?1. Earlier cars are relatively light on intrusive driver aids; stop/start needs switching off each time, while lane assist generally defaults to off.
2. Carbon build-up does not appear to be a major widespread issue, but good servicing and regular proper use matter.
3. CarPlay and Android Auto arrived on later cars, with the 2020MY infotainment being a worthwhile improvement, and a second Bluetooth device can usually still be connected.
4. The 2020MY cars are probably the sweet spot for improved infotainment and cabin quality without moving into the newest, higher-VED cars.
5. Reliability is generally good with proper maintenance, but the auxiliary belt service should not be ignored even though the engine itself is chain driven.
6. Brakes and servicing are expensive, while suspension wear is broadly what you would expect from a heavy, very fast saloon rather than an obvious endemic weakness.
I would also take a long and properly varied test drive before buying, as it is civilised in normal use but becomes a very lively car at full chat.
Re 1: is there a cut-off with model year for the e-nannies? IE, what's the latest MY I should consider?
Re 5: What happens if the aux belt goes out? Alternator / water pump and you're stranded on the side of the road, or worse? In other words if a deal can be done on a car where this is overdue, does this need doing immediately, or is there a bit of leeway?
Am wondering if there's an issue / nuance with the tensioners / ancillaries - aux belt life on previous cars I've owned have been measured in decades / and 80k+ miles. If it was a cambelt, I wouldn't even be having this debate.
Matty_ said:
Lots of good information above - but what I would add, and as a reminder to anyone else reading this....get the radar blocker installed!! It's £250, so cheap enough and could save you loads of hassle. Yet another story on Reddit about a QV being stolen for a robbery, then crashed while escaping.
Other things are to check the active splitter for damage - replacement is £2500, the activator units are £1500/pair, all plus fitting, so that's absolutely worth checking. Those things were most common things I used to see people talking about.
Have heard about this, but as not sure how much an issue this was in the real-world, vs a few isolated incidents. Is it possible to turn off keyless entry?Other things are to check the active splitter for damage - replacement is £2500, the activator units are £1500/pair, all plus fitting, so that's absolutely worth checking. Those things were most common things I used to see people talking about.
Thanks for the heads up about the active splitter.
The Boxster probably averages out in the region of £2k / year to keep going, but a lot of that is old (it is 25 years old) car stuff and Porsche tax. But I don't have to worry about depreciation.
I suspect the Giulia will cost less per year (and significantly less per mile) to keep running, and spend more time on the road instead of being broken...
The theft vulnerability is nothing to do with keyless - even if you could turn that off it would not make any difference.
And trust me - exploitation of it is absolutely not a few isolated incidents. If you get one, it is definitely worth adding the blocker.
I admit that I'm well capable of changing discs and pads and should really have done it myself, but really couldn't be bothered at the time
And trust me - exploitation of it is absolutely not a few isolated incidents. If you get one, it is definitely worth adding the blocker.
I admit that I'm well capable of changing discs and pads and should really have done it myself, but really couldn't be bothered at the time
Yeah, there's so many reported incidents out there, re: thefts, I'd hate to know how many unreported ones there are. It's such an easy thing to fit and is cheap enough - it's a no brainer. Easy to DIY fit as well.
I'd suspect many QV's you buy will already have it fitted.
Other than stop-start, my MY2019 didn't seem to have many nanny features, other than the braking warning. No lane assist, that I remember? It was MY2020 that introduced that "now incorporating a new traffic jam assist feature alongside the usual blind-spot monitoring, active cruise control and emergency autonomous braking".
However the upside is MY2020 did have quite a few QOL upgrades, like infotainment, centre console.....it also (reportedly) had some lower arm/geometry changes to reduce the anti-ackerman. This "apparently" makes the steering less twitchy, but robs it of some feel. Not sure if that's actually noticeable, though.
https://www.giuliaforums.com/threads/change-over-t...
I'd suspect many QV's you buy will already have it fitted.
Other than stop-start, my MY2019 didn't seem to have many nanny features, other than the braking warning. No lane assist, that I remember? It was MY2020 that introduced that "now incorporating a new traffic jam assist feature alongside the usual blind-spot monitoring, active cruise control and emergency autonomous braking".
However the upside is MY2020 did have quite a few QOL upgrades, like infotainment, centre console.....it also (reportedly) had some lower arm/geometry changes to reduce the anti-ackerman. This "apparently" makes the steering less twitchy, but robs it of some feel. Not sure if that's actually noticeable, though.
https://www.giuliaforums.com/threads/change-over-t...
Matty_ said:
Other than stop-start, my MY2019 didn't seem to have many nanny features, other than the braking warning.
Ah, the brake warning - I'd forgotten about that. Very very annoying - according to the Alfa, I'm regularly on danger of driving into people when they slow down.....My 2019 also flashes the hazards if you brake hard. Handy sometimes but not when having fun on a twisty road, although race mode disables it (and disables the brake warning)
davek_964 said:
The theft vulnerability is nothing to do with keyless - even if you could turn that off it would not make any difference.
And trust me - exploitation of it is absolutely not a few isolated incidents. If you get one, it is definitely worth adding the blocker.
Appreciate the context. And trust me - exploitation of it is absolutely not a few isolated incidents. If you get one, it is definitely worth adding the blocker.
Still interested to know if a) keyless can be turned off b) there’s a way to turn on anti-hijack / auto-locking of the doors once the car exceeds 5 / 10 MPH.
Spend a lot of time in a high-risk NW area, that’s also probably on fire according to the actuaries.
davek_964 said:
I admit that I'm well capable of changing discs and pads and should really have done it myself, but really couldn't be bothered at the time
Oh, been there done that. Once decided to change the front pads using the spare wheel jack in winter. Banging on a seized caliper pin for hours until it came out. That was one side. 
I “outsourced” the work when the rears needed doing.
Matty_ said:
Other than stop-start, my MY2019 didn't seem to have many nanny features, other than the braking warning. No lane assist, that I remember? It was MY2020 that introduced that "now incorporating a new traffic jam assist feature alongside the usual blind-spot monitoring, active cruise control and emergency autonomous braking".
However the upside is MY2020 did have quite a few QOL upgrades, like infotainment, centre console.....it also (reportedly) had some lower arm/geometry changes to reduce the anti-ackerman. This "apparently" makes the steering less twitchy, but robs it of some feel. Not sure if that's actually noticeable, though.
https://www.giuliaforums.com/threads/change-over-t...
Very helpful, and thanks for the link.However the upside is MY2020 did have quite a few QOL upgrades, like infotainment, centre console.....it also (reportedly) had some lower arm/geometry changes to reduce the anti-ackerman. This "apparently" makes the steering less twitchy, but robs it of some feel. Not sure if that's actually noticeable, though.
https://www.giuliaforums.com/threads/change-over-t...
Exposed carbon roof and port injection are nice to have.
Only had a quick scan of the link, but do we know which reg in the UK MY2020 started?
And can the MY2020 e-nannies be turned off and (as importantly) stay off (stop-start) aside? AIUI EU regs meant they default to on / do not latch from certain years – affects ALL makes / models.
davek_964 said:
Ah, the brake warning - I'd forgotten about that. Very very annoying - according to the Alfa, I'm regularly on danger of driving into people when they slow down.....
My 2019 also flashes the hazards if you brake hard. Handy sometimes but not when having fun on a twisty road, although race mode disables it (and disables the brake warning)
Ditto with the GRY – regularly flashes “BRAKE!” in red caps and beeps when I’m manoeuvring past cars parked on the side of the road in town. Weirdly, the Yaris hybrid loan car I currently have is less sensitive.My 2019 also flashes the hazards if you brake hard. Handy sometimes but not when having fun on a twisty road, although race mode disables it (and disables the brake warning)
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