alfa mito experience and advice
Discussion
We are now getting to the stage where my son will soon be starting to drive, he has decided he doesn't want a Mini like his sister, and he is also not so keen on the corsa, fiesta route. He has taken a shine to the Alfa Mito. Having only had a quick look, there seems to be loads of different models and engines.
just after some real world experience from owners of their experience.
many thanks
just after some real world experience from owners of their experience.
many thanks
There was a thread not so long ago about cars to learn to drive in, the small engined Mito got a lot of love as I recall, worth searching for it.
I got my daughter a Yaris. Surprisingly likeable little car, but now she is away at Uni much of the time and we use it as a runabout, I kinda wish we'd gone for the Alfa;)
I got my daughter a Yaris. Surprisingly likeable little car, but now she is away at Uni much of the time and we use it as a runabout, I kinda wish we'd gone for the Alfa;)
I bought my son a 2012 1.4 Mito. We are long term Alfa owners so my son fancied a Mito after his first car, a Seat Ibiza.
He loves it and likes the fact that out of his friends he is nicely different.
Like all the Alfas I have owned it is reliable and I use the very good Autolusso in Poole to maintain them and we have had no issues apart from the electronic steering had to be replaced, however I cant remember how much that was.
I drive it sometimes to check its okay and clean inside (!) and always find it good fun and a nice solid drive,
He loves it and likes the fact that out of his friends he is nicely different.
Like all the Alfas I have owned it is reliable and I use the very good Autolusso in Poole to maintain them and we have had no issues apart from the electronic steering had to be replaced, however I cant remember how much that was.
I drive it sometimes to check its okay and clean inside (!) and always find it good fun and a nice solid drive,
My lads first car was a 2010 MiTo 1.4 95 bhp. Bought to learn in then used for a few years after passing his test.
Cheap to insure, certainly better than some of the usual first cars, fiesta, Corsa.
Reasonably economical.
Not without a few issues, a couple of rear wheel bearings, an alternator and an exhaust.
Yep the electric power steering would stop working, often at low rpm but never failed to reset with a switch the engine off and back on again. A new battery didn't entirely cure that.
He now has a 2013 MiTo quadrofoglio, 170, £400 fully comp a year to insure at 21.
Good fun to drive and surprisingly economical.
The brembo four pot brakes are very sharp.
Finished 3rd in a field of 40 in an autotest at snetterton in it.
Does most of his own maintenance, using the correct oil is critical to keep the multiair system happy.
Many mitos are only 4 seaters, so that limits the number of passengers, no 3rd belt in the rear.
Cheap to insure, certainly better than some of the usual first cars, fiesta, Corsa.
Reasonably economical.
Not without a few issues, a couple of rear wheel bearings, an alternator and an exhaust.
Yep the electric power steering would stop working, often at low rpm but never failed to reset with a switch the engine off and back on again. A new battery didn't entirely cure that.
He now has a 2013 MiTo quadrofoglio, 170, £400 fully comp a year to insure at 21.
Good fun to drive and surprisingly economical.
The brembo four pot brakes are very sharp.
Finished 3rd in a field of 40 in an autotest at snetterton in it.
Does most of his own maintenance, using the correct oil is critical to keep the multiair system happy.
Many mitos are only 4 seaters, so that limits the number of passengers, no 3rd belt in the rear.
I've got a thread running in Reader's cars about my 0.9 Mito Twin Air. I think it's a great little car, though certain 'known issues' such as the power steering unit (I replaced mine this summer), they are a bit picky on the battery, early model dump water onto the alternator, so worth fitting a later model scuttle drain that diverts the water away. Plus the previously mentioned wheel bearings and springs.
Sounds bad, but to be fair many cars of that age will need various jobs doing, especially if they haven't been well looked after.
Check the insurance quotes as I've send that sometimes the more powerful ones can be cheaper to insure, even for younger drivers. The VED is currently £0 on the Twin Air models rather than £150 (?) on the 1.4 non turbo. The Twin Air sounds like a demented lawnmower when you open it up, but that's part of the fun/character and I find it feels faster than it is, so I can have a bit of fun driving about in it, yet not going too fast. Cruises well enough on the motorway too, the occasional time I need to, mine has cruise control and 6 speed gearbox.
Speaking of the gearbox, some versions have the 'M32' gearbox, which can have problems with the bearings, but there are places that will refurb them with upgraded parts for £300 or so.
Worth a read of the buyer's guide part way down this page under 'useful information' section. The other PDFs have been useful too, as well as the old brochures to help know what items come as standard on which models:
https://www.mitoregister.com/useful-info/
Hope that helps.
also look at the other PDFs on the
Sounds bad, but to be fair many cars of that age will need various jobs doing, especially if they haven't been well looked after.
Check the insurance quotes as I've send that sometimes the more powerful ones can be cheaper to insure, even for younger drivers. The VED is currently £0 on the Twin Air models rather than £150 (?) on the 1.4 non turbo. The Twin Air sounds like a demented lawnmower when you open it up, but that's part of the fun/character and I find it feels faster than it is, so I can have a bit of fun driving about in it, yet not going too fast. Cruises well enough on the motorway too, the occasional time I need to, mine has cruise control and 6 speed gearbox.
Speaking of the gearbox, some versions have the 'M32' gearbox, which can have problems with the bearings, but there are places that will refurb them with upgraded parts for £300 or so.
Worth a read of the buyer's guide part way down this page under 'useful information' section. The other PDFs have been useful too, as well as the old brochures to help know what items come as standard on which models:
https://www.mitoregister.com/useful-info/
Hope that helps.
also look at the other PDFs on the
They are absolutely superb in our experience. I bought for the wife an approaching 3 year old (18k miles) Alfa Red Mito 1.3 JTDM Sprint in February 2015 as an Approved Used Alfa.
Whilst she got an 18 month old Mini Cooper in 2020, I kept the Alfa as a runabout and potentially for my daughter. I’ve actually used it quite a lot over the last 3 years and its mileage is just over 93k. I often take it on 200 mile plus journeys with no problems and it’s an enjoyable drive. I do have it serviced every year as opposed to the recommended 2 year term and I had the Gearbox Oil, Coolant and Brake Fluid Changed at 50k. I keep it well waxed and it still looks lovely. I don’t actually think I could ever part with it!
Coincidentally Mrs 131 Sport has been using it for the last week or so as the Clutch in her Mini has failed (at 43k) and the BMW specialist can’t change it until next week. The Alfa has been 100% reliable and it’s so cheap to run.
Whilst she got an 18 month old Mini Cooper in 2020, I kept the Alfa as a runabout and potentially for my daughter. I’ve actually used it quite a lot over the last 3 years and its mileage is just over 93k. I often take it on 200 mile plus journeys with no problems and it’s an enjoyable drive. I do have it serviced every year as opposed to the recommended 2 year term and I had the Gearbox Oil, Coolant and Brake Fluid Changed at 50k. I keep it well waxed and it still looks lovely. I don’t actually think I could ever part with it!
Coincidentally Mrs 131 Sport has been using it for the last week or so as the Clutch in her Mini has failed (at 43k) and the BMW specialist can’t change it until next week. The Alfa has been 100% reliable and it’s so cheap to run.
Another vote for the mighty MiTo. My daughter chose one for her 1st car in the lovely blue. Cheaper to insure than the usual Corsa, polo etc and loads more stylish.
She bought a '11 1.4 16v 95hp one. Started at 68k miles and now on 117k miles and has had a hard life around Somerset with her farming friends and the more agricultural roads around here! Been utterly reliable with the exception of a mysterious flattening of the battery occasionally. But the Blue and Me unit is notorious for failure and draining the battery. I removed, 10 min job, and no reoccurrence. Daughter used a parrot type thing anyway, just poor early tech.
Otherwise I've done all the maintenance inc oils and filters, discs, pads, set of plugs, broke a front spring, cam belt (not done by me) and that's pretty much it, just normal basic maintenance. The only extras are the airbox, which is plastic and the mounting lugs go brittle with age and snap when trying to lift for plugs etc. Expensive so fabricated metal replacements and fibreglassed then to the airbox, which has been fine since. The fan speed controller, again another known fault and £25 and 10 min replacement. And the body to boot wiring loom, which is prone to snapping a wire or 2 when the boot opens / closes. A patch is available but I set about it with my soldering iron and had been ok for 3 years now. Not too bad for a 12 and 100k plus car.
It is a Veloce so has great seats but the ride is firmer. Also the interior plastics are a bit cheap but it was a budget supermini so can't really criticise. In fact the extended family have been so impressed with it, 2 of her cousins have bought them, one a 1.4 120bhp one and one a newer TwinAir. Also a vote for the MiToRegister site, very helpful.
And I enjoy ragging it, will miss it when it goes!
She bought a '11 1.4 16v 95hp one. Started at 68k miles and now on 117k miles and has had a hard life around Somerset with her farming friends and the more agricultural roads around here! Been utterly reliable with the exception of a mysterious flattening of the battery occasionally. But the Blue and Me unit is notorious for failure and draining the battery. I removed, 10 min job, and no reoccurrence. Daughter used a parrot type thing anyway, just poor early tech.
Otherwise I've done all the maintenance inc oils and filters, discs, pads, set of plugs, broke a front spring, cam belt (not done by me) and that's pretty much it, just normal basic maintenance. The only extras are the airbox, which is plastic and the mounting lugs go brittle with age and snap when trying to lift for plugs etc. Expensive so fabricated metal replacements and fibreglassed then to the airbox, which has been fine since. The fan speed controller, again another known fault and £25 and 10 min replacement. And the body to boot wiring loom, which is prone to snapping a wire or 2 when the boot opens / closes. A patch is available but I set about it with my soldering iron and had been ok for 3 years now. Not too bad for a 12 and 100k plus car.
It is a Veloce so has great seats but the ride is firmer. Also the interior plastics are a bit cheap but it was a budget supermini so can't really criticise. In fact the extended family have been so impressed with it, 2 of her cousins have bought them, one a 1.4 120bhp one and one a newer TwinAir. Also a vote for the MiToRegister site, very helpful.
And I enjoy ragging it, will miss it when it goes!
On my Twin Air putting it in 'D' allows the full turbo boost, plus it weights up the steering a bit and has sharper throttle response. In 'N' the steering is lighter, but the turbo boost is cut to about 1/4 so power is down from 105 to about 80HP. It's supposed to save petrol, but in practice you just put your foot down more to compensate for the 'flat' feeling. My wife used to prefer it in 'N' for the lighter steering, but the new power steering unit seems lighter, so I can leave it in 'D' all the time.
Later models will 'remember' what setting it was last used in, certainly from 2014 anyway. If it goes back into 'N' without you changing it then it indicates a fault has occurred (usually accompanied by a warning lamp on the dash). Mine would do that whenever the steering fault occurred for example.
The non turbo 1.4 doesn't have much change other than the steering weighting from what I understand.
Later models will 'remember' what setting it was last used in, certainly from 2014 anyway. If it goes back into 'N' without you changing it then it indicates a fault has occurred (usually accompanied by a warning lamp on the dash). Mine would do that whenever the steering fault occurred for example.
The non turbo 1.4 doesn't have much change other than the steering weighting from what I understand.
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