RE: PH Footnote: Alfa's return to the top
Discussion
What car? Surveys? Road Tests?
The things Rosso Tinted Spectacle wearing Alfisti slag off as a conspiracy against their Marque. Until they post something positive.
A fickle bunch.
Just check out the various fan sites / FB pages. The accept all manner of faults & niggles and if they don’t, they get rounded on!
The What Car? Survey for example. So many calls to arms to fill these in positively. The results will be totally skewed.
Alfa is a brand I love but also one I hate. As for the UK, evaporating dealerships & diminishing presence within ARUK coupled with an almost total withdrawal from marketing means only one thing.
Barring a miracle, they’ll be out of the UK by 2020, if not sooner.
Sad times, so much so Alfisti are viewing the rumour of a merger with Hyundai as a Godsend!
The things Rosso Tinted Spectacle wearing Alfisti slag off as a conspiracy against their Marque. Until they post something positive.
A fickle bunch.
Just check out the various fan sites / FB pages. The accept all manner of faults & niggles and if they don’t, they get rounded on!
The What Car? Survey for example. So many calls to arms to fill these in positively. The results will be totally skewed.
Alfa is a brand I love but also one I hate. As for the UK, evaporating dealerships & diminishing presence within ARUK coupled with an almost total withdrawal from marketing means only one thing.
Barring a miracle, they’ll be out of the UK by 2020, if not sooner.
Sad times, so much so Alfisti are viewing the rumour of a merger with Hyundai as a Godsend!
Ive not had any problems with my 159 (touch wood) in the 3 years I've had it. It's was my first Alfa so had heard all the stories etc but I loved the styling and thought what's the worst that could happen? After a week it wouldn't start.....but that turned out to be a dead battery which after 7 years is probably not unexpected, since then not really had any issues.
Build quality is on a par with the Germans and high fuel consumption aside a nice car, assuming no unforeseen future disaster strikes at this point in time I'd happily buy another Alfa.
Build quality is on a par with the Germans and high fuel consumption aside a nice car, assuming no unforeseen future disaster strikes at this point in time I'd happily buy another Alfa.
peter450 said:
Ive not had any problems with my 159 (touch wood) in the 3 years I've had it. It's was my first Alfa so had heard all the stories etc but I loved the styling and thought what's the worst that could happen? After a week it wouldn't start.....but that turned out to be a dead battery which after 7 years is probably not unexpected, since then not really had any issues.
Build quality is on a par with the Germans and high fuel consumption aside a nice car, assuming no unforeseen future disaster strikes at this point in time I'd happily buy another Alfa.
I loved mine. Make sure you give the front subframe thorough inspection & get it protectedBuild quality is on a par with the Germans and high fuel consumption aside a nice car, assuming no unforeseen future disaster strikes at this point in time I'd happily buy another Alfa.
I took delivery of an Alfa Giulia in June this year. Company car and all budgets based on a BMW 420D or equivalent. For me the BMW range at that price level leaves me cold so went for the Giulia, much to the amusement of the rest of the company.
So far....14000 miles without missing a beat. Pleasure to drive even though its a 2.2D. Only downside was the fact that, as its leased from Lex , the nearest dealer that dealt with them was 140 miles away, so it went to TH Whites in Swindon for a service. All fine.
Interior door pocket plastics are naff and some of the switchgear feels a little precious but all in all its a cracking car. Averaging 49mpg to date.
As others have stated it, AR just needs to up its game with regard to the dealers who are invariably lumped in with Suzuki , FIAT and Jeep. I guess if the numbers stack up, dedicated AR dealers may well take the plunge.
So far....14000 miles without missing a beat. Pleasure to drive even though its a 2.2D. Only downside was the fact that, as its leased from Lex , the nearest dealer that dealt with them was 140 miles away, so it went to TH Whites in Swindon for a service. All fine.
Interior door pocket plastics are naff and some of the switchgear feels a little precious but all in all its a cracking car. Averaging 49mpg to date.
As others have stated it, AR just needs to up its game with regard to the dealers who are invariably lumped in with Suzuki , FIAT and Jeep. I guess if the numbers stack up, dedicated AR dealers may well take the plunge.
My experience of the build quality and reliability of modern Afas is extremely good.
I did 105k very enjoyable miles in my Brera S, it was extremely reliable and was still in fantastic condition when I sold it, it would easily have passed for a car with half the miles.
I did 50k miles in my Giulietta and it was totally faultless, no squeaks, rattles or issues of any sort.
I did 105k very enjoyable miles in my Brera S, it was extremely reliable and was still in fantastic condition when I sold it, it would easily have passed for a car with half the miles.
I did 50k miles in my Giulietta and it was totally faultless, no squeaks, rattles or issues of any sort.
LuS1fer said:
Hmmm, wasn't the joy of Alfa that it was always the underdog, if it's going to start making competitive cars, like everyone else, where will it all end?
So they should go back to making s
t cars again 
As for the delusional poster above claiming AR will be out of the UK by 2020. I'll stick a grand to a charity of the winners choosing that it isn't....
Yipper said:
bilo999 said:
lord trumpton said:
Ive always liked the ballsy engines and styling of the modern fast Alfas but alas they still seem to suffer from gremlins and catastrophic depreciation (8C aside)
I could never own one purely because I stress over little things and I feel one might push me into eternal madness from frustration with flakey build and reliability.
I don't think they do these days suffer from depreciation they way they used to, the German brands are worse, have you seen the massive discounts on say e.g. a C Class - and as for reliability - check out WhatCar's latest reliability survey to see where Alfa sit! I could never own one purely because I stress over little things and I feel one might push me into eternal madness from frustration with flakey build and reliability.
Flakey build and reliability is not a problem and better than most - its how the dealers manage things that is the problem, and that is where real improvement have to be made.
http://www.reliabilityindex.com/manufacturer
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/motoring/m...
Ruskins said:
4C is well over-due a refresh. It wouldnt take much to change it from car journo pariah to golden boy status.
UK car journo pariah to be precise. It sold more than production could keep up with. Perception with the keyboard brigade in UK is low but it sold well and owners love it. Edited by Ruskins on Friday 8th December 15:56
What is worrying is that some suggest the update would bring it closer to the A110. For Alfa's sake I hope not, having seen that thing dive, roll and pitch in a way a 4C never would.
LuS1fer said:
Hmmm, wasn't the joy of Alfa that it was always the underdog, if it's going to start making competitive cars, like everyone else, where will it all end?
They'll always and forever hate the 4C. No worries.Sigh, some usual claptrap I see.
The dealers. They sell Fiats and 4 door boxes to mums and dads. They aren't set up to seek either the 4C or QF. That will change. It will have to change anyway if Sergio wants to rebuild the image properly which is exactly the game plan he is implementing.
The other side of the coin is that we have ALL experienced Merc, BMW, Audi and Jag dealers and we know damn well that glass and chrome showrooms hide Godawful incompetency. As for Porsche? Well there are enough threads devoted to the lot of them.
Depreciation? The QF will depreciate like any other 50-60k performance 4 door. They all depreciate largely the same a cpl of £k either way. The car is irrelevant it's simply the nature of the market.
The 4C is different entirely. It probably will get some kind of refresh as Alfa enter F1 but nothing radical. Nick Jamie's settings, shove a 20-30hp tune on the motor and some cosmetic change.
That doesn't actually change what the car is or about. Or its value/future value.
As a car the Boxster is better in almost every way. This is not really up for debate.
As an objet d'art, something to own for its own sake, something you buy with your heart? The 4C is in a different league to everything even remotely close to its price point.
You sit in it and knock the carbon tub with your knuckle and just chuckle. That alone seals the deal.
Much like when I part of the Sagaris scene and was probably the only daft bd to use it as a daily, my 4C is again my daily. 2.5 months and 4500 miles so far. Ave about 40mpg inc this week in the snow and ice of rural Oxfordshire. It will be sideways in the mud in Devon this Friday evening back home. Far as I'm concerned it's a grandson of Stratos and I'll use it as such whilst knocking the carbon fibre tub and stroking the tan leather seat. All it's missing are yellow on black Veglias...
The dealers. They sell Fiats and 4 door boxes to mums and dads. They aren't set up to seek either the 4C or QF. That will change. It will have to change anyway if Sergio wants to rebuild the image properly which is exactly the game plan he is implementing.
The other side of the coin is that we have ALL experienced Merc, BMW, Audi and Jag dealers and we know damn well that glass and chrome showrooms hide Godawful incompetency. As for Porsche? Well there are enough threads devoted to the lot of them.
Depreciation? The QF will depreciate like any other 50-60k performance 4 door. They all depreciate largely the same a cpl of £k either way. The car is irrelevant it's simply the nature of the market.
The 4C is different entirely. It probably will get some kind of refresh as Alfa enter F1 but nothing radical. Nick Jamie's settings, shove a 20-30hp tune on the motor and some cosmetic change.
That doesn't actually change what the car is or about. Or its value/future value.
As a car the Boxster is better in almost every way. This is not really up for debate.
As an objet d'art, something to own for its own sake, something you buy with your heart? The 4C is in a different league to everything even remotely close to its price point.
You sit in it and knock the carbon tub with your knuckle and just chuckle. That alone seals the deal.
Much like when I part of the Sagaris scene and was probably the only daft b
d to use it as a daily, my 4C is again my daily. 2.5 months and 4500 miles so far. Ave about 40mpg inc this week in the snow and ice of rural Oxfordshire. It will be sideways in the mud in Devon this Friday evening back home. Far as I'm concerned it's a grandson of Stratos and I'll use it as such whilst knocking the carbon fibre tub and stroking the tan leather seat. All it's missing are yellow on black Veglias...errek72 said:
Yipper said:
bilo999 said:
lord trumpton said:
Ive always liked the ballsy engines and styling of the modern fast Alfas but alas they still seem to suffer from gremlins and catastrophic depreciation (8C aside)
I could never own one purely because I stress over little things and I feel one might push me into eternal madness from frustration with flakey build and reliability.
I don't think they do these days suffer from depreciation they way they used to, the German brands are worse, have you seen the massive discounts on say e.g. a C Class - and as for reliability - check out WhatCar's latest reliability survey to see where Alfa sit! I could never own one purely because I stress over little things and I feel one might push me into eternal madness from frustration with flakey build and reliability.
Flakey build and reliability is not a problem and better than most - its how the dealers manage things that is the problem, and that is where real improvement have to be made.
http://www.reliabilityindex.com/manufacturer
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/motoring/m...
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff