Im coming out of the closet.....
Discussion
....as an Alfa fan!
Basically i have changed jobs recently, the recession hit my company hard....pay cuts, job loss threats etc.
With my old job i had a VW Golf GT Sport 2.0 TDI 140, a nice car but thats about it. Im looking for another diesel hatch, ive looked at Astra's, A3's, Golf's and i could honestly say i didnt really 'want' any of them.
On the way home one night the Alfa garage that i drive past every night caught my eye, i spotted a 147, as always a good looking car.
I test drove a 147 Ducati Corse the following day, and i was actually speechless, it was fantastic...the interior was great, it felt solid (not what i was expecting), the 170bhp diesel was markedly quicker than the 170 Audi A3 i'd driven.
Ive told friends i want a 147 only to be met with laughter and jeers.
Im not doing the miles i used to do in the Golf and i do want something a little less german and a bit more interesting!
Ive got about 12-13k to play with.......is a 147 Ducati a worthwhile purchase? what should i look out for?
Sorry if its been asked all before but i havent popped my Alfa cherry yet!
Thanks
Basically i have changed jobs recently, the recession hit my company hard....pay cuts, job loss threats etc.
With my old job i had a VW Golf GT Sport 2.0 TDI 140, a nice car but thats about it. Im looking for another diesel hatch, ive looked at Astra's, A3's, Golf's and i could honestly say i didnt really 'want' any of them.
On the way home one night the Alfa garage that i drive past every night caught my eye, i spotted a 147, as always a good looking car.
I test drove a 147 Ducati Corse the following day, and i was actually speechless, it was fantastic...the interior was great, it felt solid (not what i was expecting), the 170bhp diesel was markedly quicker than the 170 Audi A3 i'd driven.
Ive told friends i want a 147 only to be met with laughter and jeers.
Im not doing the miles i used to do in the Golf and i do want something a little less german and a bit more interesting!
Ive got about 12-13k to play with.......is a 147 Ducati a worthwhile purchase? what should i look out for?
Sorry if its been asked all before but i havent popped my Alfa cherry yet!
Thanks
I drove most of the current Alfa range (apart from Mito) on a track day at Oulton Park And I can honestly say the 170BHP 147 with the Q2 diff was the most fun. It was also the cheapest....
I've driven 147's on the road too and to be fair they weren't quite as capable as they felt on the track, but perhaps it was the q2 that made the differance, you MUST tick that particular option.
Reliability isn't a big issue with Alfa's anymore, but you can expect to change stuff like suspension bushes on a fairly regular basis.
As for the 'feelgood factor', there is nothing like an Alfa to give you that
I've driven 147's on the road too and to be fair they weren't quite as capable as they felt on the track, but perhaps it was the q2 that made the differance, you MUST tick that particular option.
Reliability isn't a big issue with Alfa's anymore, but you can expect to change stuff like suspension bushes on a fairly regular basis.
As for the 'feelgood factor', there is nothing like an Alfa to give you that
velocemitch said:
I've driven 147's on the road too and to be fair they weren't quite as capable as they felt on the track, but perhaps it was the q2 that made the differance, you MUST tick that particular option.
The Q2 does make a big difference.We've had our Ducati Corse since November, and it's a great fun little car. The Ducati is 170bhp with a Q2, but before that there was also a 'Sport Q2' model that was 150bhp which you might be able to find a bit cheaper. N.B. There was also a 'Sport' which didn't have the Q2.
The 147 is due (overdue?) for replacement, so if you buy one new you have to accept you're going to lose a bit when the 149 / Milano comes out, but there's nothing actually wrong with it for being a bit older than the rest of the class.
As for reliability, we traded in a ~3-year-old 147 TI against the 147 Ducati Corse, and it hadn't given us any real troubles. The reliability thing is more or less a myth nowadays, they're not really any more or less reliable than any other make in my experience as long as you keep them serviced on schedule by someone who knows what they're doing.
We've had our 147 Ducati Corse for almost a year now. ( 3dr in Etna Black )
I always had VAG cars in the past, but fancied an Alfa. Haven't looked back since.
My original plan was to find a used Ti , but saw the D.C. in the showroom & the deal was right.
Having driven a non-Q2 Sport, I can say that the Q2 does make a big difference on the road.
Go for it !
I always had VAG cars in the past, but fancied an Alfa. Haven't looked back since.
My original plan was to find a used Ti , but saw the D.C. in the showroom & the deal was right.
Having driven a non-Q2 Sport, I can say that the Q2 does make a big difference on the road.
Go for it !
I own a 2003 147 1.9JTD at the minute. I've had it three years and it's been brilliant, Just had the cam belts done.
I got exactly the same laughs and comments off my "friends" when i was buying one. Chances are they just
jealous.
Amazingly after i had bought it, no one complained about it!
Go for it you won't be disappointed.
Though as someone said the earlier the 147 is due to be replaced. But may mean can you get one at more a reasonable price?
I got exactly the same laughs and comments off my "friends" when i was buying one. Chances are they just
jealous.
Amazingly after i had bought it, no one complained about it!
Go for it you won't be disappointed.
Though as someone said the earlier the 147 is due to be replaced. But may mean can you get one at more a reasonable price?
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