RE: Alfa Romeo 147 GTA: Spotted
Discussion
The first car in which I truly learnt what torque steer is 
Took it in part exchange and give it a run up the road, brilliant.
Took it in part exchange and give it a run up the road, brilliant.Jon_S_Rally said:
...
Nice cars these. I can't help but smile a bit at this article. A few days ago, a flawed hot hatch was posted (Fiesta RS Turbo) and it was lambasted as being a disaster. This (flawed) hot hatch is posted, and people wax lyrical about it. If the badges were swapped, I wonder if the reaction would be the same.
Playing devil's advocate, that car is basically twice the price and arguably it doesn't have nearly as special an engine as the Alfa does.Nice cars these. I can't help but smile a bit at this article. A few days ago, a flawed hot hatch was posted (Fiesta RS Turbo) and it was lambasted as being a disaster. This (flawed) hot hatch is posted, and people wax lyrical about it. If the badges were swapped, I wonder if the reaction would be the same.
Jon_S_Rally said:
Being pedantic, it looks like both the blue and black car are modified, at least a little bit.
Nice cars these. I can't help but smile a bit at this article. A few days ago, a flawed hot hatch was posted (Fiesta RS Turbo) and it was lambasted as being a disaster. This (flawed) hot hatch is posted, and people wax lyrical about it. If the badges were swapped, I wonder if the reaction would be the same.
Nice cars these. I can't help but smile a bit at this article. A few days ago, a flawed hot hatch was posted (Fiesta RS Turbo) and it was lambasted as being a disaster. This (flawed) hot hatch is posted, and people wax lyrical about it. If the badges were swapped, I wonder if the reaction would be the same.
Thought exactly the same
Stick a Porsche or Honda badge and people would be eulogising about it!
Mine cost a fortune to run - some parts can be difficult to acquire too, I should image it's even worse now.
TBH, it's still my favourite cars of all I've owned, but I'd never have another - firstly I'd never ever match the spec of the one I owned, but mainly because I couldn't justify the costs again!
I'd also imagine finding a "good one" might be tricky. They need lots and lots of TLC.
If you get tempted by modifying them a lot then it does become seriously expensive. And some parts are tricky like many cars from 15-20 years ago.
Buy a good standardish one though and you'll need about 1-1.5k/year to keep on top of any maintenance. 95% will have a Q2 or similar by now ,so no smoky torque steer issues at all.
Its going to cost you more to run than a type r or GTI of the same era for example, but once you've had one of these, pretty much any other hot hatch from that era just wont do! You be so jealous if you decided to buy something and saw one drive past. Which luckily you probably wouldn't as they are quite rare.
Buy a good standardish one though and you'll need about 1-1.5k/year to keep on top of any maintenance. 95% will have a Q2 or similar by now ,so no smoky torque steer issues at all.
Its going to cost you more to run than a type r or GTI of the same era for example, but once you've had one of these, pretty much any other hot hatch from that era just wont do! You be so jealous if you decided to buy something and saw one drive past. Which luckily you probably wouldn't as they are quite rare.
J4CKO said:
Was it these on the TG review that ploughed stright on and had smoke pouring off the tyres, I know that isnt normal treatment but do they handle ok ?
I don't think it went straight on but there was a lot of tyre noise and smoke as it went around a corner at speed. In the usual TG/Clarkson fashion, it got a slating against the Golf and BMW (I think?) that it was up against, but back in the studio all 3 said they'd still buy it over the others.J4CKO said:
Was it these on the TG review that ploughed stright on and had smoke pouring off the tyres, I know that isnt normal treatment but do they handle ok ?
I can't recall that, but with over 200hp running through the front wheels it won't be a surprise that given the sometimes flakey diff on these many owners have upgraded to the Q2 Diff which proves very effective
Had mine nearly 6 years now.
For me, it's one of those cars that really gets under your skin, so I can't see myself selling. It puts a real smile on my face, whenever I drive it.
Maintenance costs are a bit steep, but think I had 4 years or so where the biggest cost was the £600+cambelt service. Then year 5, I had to rebuild the 330mm brembos (again), which is more than half the cost of new! And year 6 another cambelt service which I tacked a load more stuff onto, totalling more than £2k!!
The one that scares me most is if it ever needs a new ECU. But this is the risk you take with a lot of 15+yr old low volume performance stuff.
For me, it's one of those cars that really gets under your skin, so I can't see myself selling. It puts a real smile on my face, whenever I drive it.
Maintenance costs are a bit steep, but think I had 4 years or so where the biggest cost was the £600+cambelt service. Then year 5, I had to rebuild the 330mm brembos (again), which is more than half the cost of new! And year 6 another cambelt service which I tacked a load more stuff onto, totalling more than £2k!!
The one that scares me most is if it ever needs a new ECU. But this is the risk you take with a lot of 15+yr old low volume performance stuff.
z06tim said:
Had mine nearly 6 years now.
For me, it's one of those cars that really gets under your skin, so I can't see myself selling. It puts a real smile on my face, whenever I drive it.
Maintenance costs are a bit steep, but think I had 4 years or so where the biggest cost was the £600+cambelt service. Then year 5, I had to rebuild the 330mm brembos (again), which is more than half the cost of new! And year 6 another cambelt service which I tacked a load more stuff onto, totalling more than £2k!!
The one that scares me most is if it ever needs a new ECU. But this is the risk you take with a lot of 15+yr old low volume performance stuff.
I think that's fine for 6 years ! Presumably there were also regular servicing costs, wear and tear items e.t.cFor me, it's one of those cars that really gets under your skin, so I can't see myself selling. It puts a real smile on my face, whenever I drive it.
Maintenance costs are a bit steep, but think I had 4 years or so where the biggest cost was the £600+cambelt service. Then year 5, I had to rebuild the 330mm brembos (again), which is more than half the cost of new! And year 6 another cambelt service which I tacked a load more stuff onto, totalling more than £2k!!
The one that scares me most is if it ever needs a new ECU. But this is the risk you take with a lot of 15+yr old low volume performance stuff.
More surprised by the previous 2k per year comment, the timeline you mention is far more normal on these unless maintenance was left for a new owner i.e new brakes/brake lines/oil cooler/cambelt/clutch e.t.c. Wishbones e.t.c are quite common but cheap if using the OEM manufacturer TRW for the uppers/drop links
Most cars can expect a cambelt service, brakes are 50/50 but even my wifes MX5 has had two new calipers in the last 3 years.
V6Alfisti said:
z06tim said:
Had mine nearly 6 years now.
For me, it's one of those cars that really gets under your skin, so I can't see myself selling. It puts a real smile on my face, whenever I drive it.
Maintenance costs are a bit steep, but think I had 4 years or so where the biggest cost was the £600+cambelt service. Then year 5, I had to rebuild the 330mm brembos (again), which is more than half the cost of new! And year 6 another cambelt service which I tacked a load more stuff onto, totalling more than £2k!!
The one that scares me most is if it ever needs a new ECU. But this is the risk you take with a lot of 15+yr old low volume performance stuff.
I think that's fine for 6 years ! Presumably there were also regular servicing costs, wear and tear items e.t.cFor me, it's one of those cars that really gets under your skin, so I can't see myself selling. It puts a real smile on my face, whenever I drive it.
Maintenance costs are a bit steep, but think I had 4 years or so where the biggest cost was the £600+cambelt service. Then year 5, I had to rebuild the 330mm brembos (again), which is more than half the cost of new! And year 6 another cambelt service which I tacked a load more stuff onto, totalling more than £2k!!
The one that scares me most is if it ever needs a new ECU. But this is the risk you take with a lot of 15+yr old low volume performance stuff.
More surprised by the previous 2k per year comment, the timeline you mention is far more normal on these unless maintenance was left for a new owner i.e new brakes/brake lines/oil cooler/cambelt/clutch e.t.c. Wishbones e.t.c are quite common but cheap if using the OEM manufacturer TRW for the uppers/drop links
Most cars can expect a cambelt service, brakes are 50/50 but even my wifes MX5 has had two new calipers in the last 3 years.
I seem to remember one of the biggest risks of GTA ownership was the fact that it has a catalytic converter running underneath the ecu which when it gets hot will cook it.
A (not at all cheap) solution would be to get equal length downpipes and stick with the original cat running under the car, don't think it would present a problem come mot time but stand to be corrected...
A (not at all cheap) solution would be to get equal length downpipes and stick with the original cat running under the car, don't think it would present a problem come mot time but stand to be corrected...
morgs_ said:
The first car in which I truly learnt what torque steer is Took it in part exchange and give it a run up the road, brilliant.
Because despite its flaws the GTA still has a lot going for it. Took it in part exchange and give it a run up the road, brilliant.Jon_S_Rally said:
...
Nice cars these. I can't help but smile a bit at this article. A few days ago, a flawed hot hatch was posted (Fiesta RS Turbo) and it was lambasted as being a disaster. This (flawed) hot hatch is posted, and people wax lyrical about it. If the badges were swapped, I wonder if the reaction would be the same.
Playing devil's advocate, that car is basically twice the price and arguably it doesn't have nearly as special an engine as the Alfa does.Nice cars these. I can't help but smile a bit at this article. A few days ago, a flawed hot hatch was posted (Fiesta RS Turbo) and it was lambasted as being a disaster. This (flawed) hot hatch is posted, and people wax lyrical about it. If the badges were swapped, I wonder if the reaction would be the same.
The Ford doesn't.
Oilchange said:
I seem to remember one of the biggest risks of GTA ownership was the fact that it has a catalytic converter running underneath the ecu which when it gets hot will cook it.
A (not at all cheap) solution would be to get equal length downpipes and stick with the original cat running under the car, don't think it would present a problem come mot time but stand to be corrected...
The jury is out on why ecu’s can fail. No one knows for sure. Heat from the manifold cat could be a factor, vibration over time, or just time itself. These cars are 15 years old after all. Electronics probably not last forever on any car, not just alfa’s.A (not at all cheap) solution would be to get equal length downpipes and stick with the original cat running under the car, don't think it would present a problem come mot time but stand to be corrected...
With regard to MOT, strictly speaking if manifold cats are removed (even more power and noise by the way) then it should fail, as the emissions equipment has been altered. However, the chances of a tester knowing it’s gone, or was even there in the first instance, is slim.
More of an issue is, until quite recently, if your ecu failed you were snookered, as Alfa stopped making them a while ago so you were relying on second hand. These are rare (plus you don’t know how long that would last) rendering your car an ornament until you found one.
Now there is an aftermarket solution, which is good news, although not cheap. Cheaper than a rebuild on a Porsche engine though, a common requirement of those cars from the same era.......or 3 years pcp on a diesel golf....
Take your pick!
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff