Giulia. New segment leader? Would you buy one?
Discussion
Coffee after the gym this morning, friend was reading EVO website with this article: http://www.evo.co.uk/alfa-romeo/giulia ...asking if the Compact Exec Segment got a new leader in the Giulia....talking about the 'normal' range, not halo Quadrifoglio.
As a Merc C-Class driver, his summation was that the Giulia probably was the market leader (perhaps until the new 3-series comes out), but that he could never bring himself to choose/buy one for fears of reliability....despite having had his C-Class have three different mechanical issues last year, and a similar track record with both BMW and Audi.
Would you choose/buy a 200/280bhp Giulia over a BMW 320/330 or Merc/Audi equivalent?
As a Merc C-Class driver, his summation was that the Giulia probably was the market leader (perhaps until the new 3-series comes out), but that he could never bring himself to choose/buy one for fears of reliability....despite having had his C-Class have three different mechanical issues last year, and a similar track record with both BMW and Audi.
Would you choose/buy a 200/280bhp Giulia over a BMW 320/330 or Merc/Audi equivalent?
I would be more put off by the lack of dealers and concerns about the customer service. Mechanical faults aren't too much of a problem if the warranty is good, it's an inconvenience of course, but the nearest dealer to me is well over an hour away.
Other than that, yeah I would consider one if I was buying new.
Other than that, yeah I would consider one if I was buying new.
I would certainly look at one if I was in the market for such a car, TBH if it was my own money I most likely wouldn't be looking at a Mercedes or BMW anyway, I prefer something a bit different.
Reliability wouldn't put me off, from what I hear, the big three Germans aren't exactly blessed with great reliability anyway.
Reliability wouldn't put me off, from what I hear, the big three Germans aren't exactly blessed with great reliability anyway.
Automatic only, so no. If we had a manual box in the UK, I'd most definitely be interested, yes, as it ticks all my boxes on paper.
Edited to add: Yes I love the looks and Alfa's often have a great character and feel to them. However, most of a car's appeal is the drive for me, and a slushbox = nope.
Edited to add: Yes I love the looks and Alfa's often have a great character and feel to them. However, most of a car's appeal is the drive for me, and a slushbox = nope.
Edited by RobM77 on Thursday 18th January 10:36
Yes, I'd choose it in a heartbeat. They look amazing. They have character and are not bland like the german equivalents.
I wouldn't personally buy one because I'm not after that sort of car. And I will never buy an automatic. But if I were the sort of person who wanted a premium saloon car I would choose the Giulia for sure.
There's a dealer near me, I took a test drive of an Abarth last year and the Giulia had just arrived, the sales rep was complaining to me that his manager wouldn't let him drive the Giulia QV lol. and apparently if you want to test drive it you have to give them £2000
I wouldn't personally buy one because I'm not after that sort of car. And I will never buy an automatic. But if I were the sort of person who wanted a premium saloon car I would choose the Giulia for sure.
There's a dealer near me, I took a test drive of an Abarth last year and the Giulia had just arrived, the sales rep was complaining to me that his manager wouldn't let him drive the Giulia QV lol. and apparently if you want to test drive it you have to give them £2000
Edited by treeroy on Thursday 18th January 12:43
If I were in the market for a smart 4 door saloon, Giulia would be the only place my money went, strongly believe that the 156, 159 and now the Giulia have been the best looking cars in their segment and with reliability now from what I can gather much closer to where it needs to be and at times no worse than the equivalent Audi / Merc / BMW I'd have one all day long, obviously a QV ideally but wouldn't baulk at one of the others. Only 'must have' is teledials ....
treeroy said:
Yes, I'd choose it in a heartbeat. They look amazing. They have character and are not bland like the german equivalents.
There's a dealer near me, I took a test drive of an Abarth last year and the Giulia had just arrived, the sales rep was complaining to me that his manager wouldn't let him drive the Giulia QV lol. and apparently if you want to test drive it you have to give them £2000
If true/still the case, it's that attitude that will stifle their development in the UK. That said, from experience, other marque's dealers are no better.There's a dealer near me, I took a test drive of an Abarth last year and the Giulia had just arrived, the sales rep was complaining to me that his manager wouldn't let him drive the Giulia QV lol. and apparently if you want to test drive it you have to give them £2000
Ares said:
Coffee after the gym this morning, friend was reading EVO website with this article: http://www.evo.co.uk/alfa-romeo/giulia ...asking if the Compact Exec Segment got a new leader in the Giulia....talking about the 'normal' range, not halo Quadrifoglio.
As a Merc C-Class driver, his summation was that the Giulia probably was the market leader (perhaps until the new 3-series comes out), but that he could never bring himself to choose/buy one for fears of reliability....despite having had his C-Class have three different mechanical issues last year, and a similar track record with both BMW and Audi.
Would you choose/buy a 200/280bhp Giulia over a BMW 320/330 or Merc/Audi equivalent?
Yes. The rwd 2.0L car with a limited-slip diff is about 85% as good to drive as the QV, and half the price. OK, sure it might break down, and the plastics are a bit sAs a Merc C-Class driver, his summation was that the Giulia probably was the market leader (perhaps until the new 3-series comes out), but that he could never bring himself to choose/buy one for fears of reliability....despite having had his C-Class have three different mechanical issues last year, and a similar track record with both BMW and Audi.
Would you choose/buy a 200/280bhp Giulia over a BMW 320/330 or Merc/Audi equivalent?
t inside, and the infotainment system is rubbish, but it's just got so much character when you're behind the wheel.RobM77 said:
Automatic only, so no. If we had a manual box in the UK, I'd most definitely be interested, yes, as it ticks all my boxes on paper.
Edited to add: Yes I love the looks and Alfa's often have a great character and feel to them. However, most of a car's appeal is the drive for me, and a slushbox = nope.
This really is a daft sentiment. The ZF 8HP is a bloody good gearbox, and one can derive a huge amount of pleasure driving the car manually with those lovely aluminium paddleshifters. Edited to add: Yes I love the looks and Alfa's often have a great character and feel to them. However, most of a car's appeal is the drive for me, and a slushbox = nope.
Edited by RobM77 on Thursday 18th January 10:36
It was designed around that gearbox, the same way the Porsche 718 was designed to use the PDK box (and isn't nearly as good with the manual).
I wouldn't buy something of this value new but would have been interested in a petrol one if they had a manual gearbox. The roads round here are quiet enough not to need an auto and I enjoy changing gear.
So, no.
If they brought out a manual like per the LHD cars I'd be interested though
So, no.
If they brought out a manual like per the LHD cars I'd be interested though
Dr Gitlin said:
This really is a daft sentiment. The ZF 8HP is a bloody good gearbox, and one can derive a huge amount of pleasure driving the car manually with those lovely aluminium paddleshifters.
Not really, using paddle shifts are always like asking "mummy, may I have another gear please, I promise to clean my room later". Manuals are "I command thee into gear, hear me and obey".Personally, I'd be with RobM77, were I in the market for a "compact exec" I'd seriously look at one if it came in a manual. If I wanted something as bland as an auto I'd get a boring Merc or Audi. It seems daft to get something that is meant to be exciting and a little bit nuts like an Alfa in such a boring configuration. Autos are for people too old for a manual or something the wife needs to drive (in which case I would consider the Alfa but I'm unmarried so it's sports cars for me, I know, its such a terrible lot in life).
I actually think Alfa is giving some sales to BMW and Audi by not offering a manual in the UK, Alfas are widely regarded as a petrolheads car and far less boring than the German equivalents.
Edited by captain_cynic on Thursday 18th January 11:51
Dr Gitlin said:
RobM77 said:
Automatic only, so no. If we had a manual box in the UK, I'd most definitely be interested, yes, as it ticks all my boxes on paper.
Edited to add: Yes I love the looks and Alfa's often have a great character and feel to them. However, most of a car's appeal is the drive for me, and a slushbox = nope.
This really is a daft sentiment. The ZF 8HP is a bloody good gearbox, and one can derive a huge amount of pleasure driving the car manually with those lovely aluminium paddleshifters. Edited to add: Yes I love the looks and Alfa's often have a great character and feel to them. However, most of a car's appeal is the drive for me, and a slushbox = nope.
Edited by RobM77 on Thursday 18th January 10:36
It was designed around that gearbox, the same way the Porsche 718 was designed to use the PDK box (and isn't nearly as good with the manual).
I've driven all sorts of autos over the years (including the latest BMW ZF, which is superb) but I just don't like them. This is in spite of the fact that medically I should really have one, and traffic in a manual in particular puts me in a fair bit of pain. I think they suit something like a 530d or a 7 series, but not a sports saloon that you're supposed to enjoy threading down a B road. Note that mainland Europe get a LHD manual Giulia, it's just us Brits who are denied it - I suspect it's something to do with RHD and the cost of engineering it for that.
Edited by RobM77 on Thursday 18th January 11:51
captain_cynic said:
Dr Gitlin said:
This really is a daft sentiment. The ZF 8HP is a bloody good gearbox, and one can derive a huge amount of pleasure driving the car manually with those lovely aluminium paddleshifters.
Not really, using paddle shifts are always like asking "mummy, may I have another gear please, I promise to clean my room later". Manuals are "I command thee into gear, hear me and obey".Personally, I'd be with RobM77, were I in the market for a "compact exec" I'd seriously look at one if it came in a manual. If I wanted something as bland as an auto I'd get a boring Merc or Audi. It seems daft to get something that is meant to be exciting and a little bit nuts like an Alfa in such a boring configuration. Autos are for people too old for a manual or something the wife needs to drive (in which case I would consider the Alfa but I'm unmarried so it's sports cars for me, I know, its such a terrible lot in life).
I actually think Alfa is giving some sales to BMW and Audi by not offering a manual in the UK, Alfas are widely regarded as a petrolheads car and far less boring than the German equivalents.
Edited by captain_cynic on Thursday 18th January 11:51
An auto in full auto mode doesn't know the difference between cornering, when you need revs for control, and a straight, when you want lack of revs for mpg.
An auto in 'manual mode' is still a slushy torque converter.
A double clutch box is much better, but they're extremely heavy.
A manual just solves the above problems immediately.
RobM77 said:
I think they suit something like a 530d or a 7 series, but not a sports saloon that you're supposed to enjoy threading down a B road.
This. Auto's are for comfortable cars rather than sporty ones, be it a family transport or a limousine.I'd have an F-Type in a manual, but for an S-Type the auto is the best choice.
Edited by captain_cynic on Thursday 18th January 12:02
Dr Gitlin said:
Yes. The rwd 2.0L car with a limited-slip diff is about 85% as good to drive as the QV, and half the price. OK, sure it might break down, and the plastics are a bit st inside, and the infotainment system is rubbish, but it's just got so much character when you're behind the wheel.
Couple of misnomers there. Plastics aren't st inside, and the infotainment system is rubbish, but it's just got so much character when you're behind the wheel.t, there is just the odd bit that's a bit below par, but countered by plenty about the interior that's better.And the infotainment isn't rubbish. It might not be quite up to BMW's iDrive, but I'd take it over the Merc.
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