Got the Alfa urge... GT or Brera...?
Discussion
Afternoon folks - thinking of taking the plunge into the wonderful world of Alfa ownership, my lowly Fiesta daily hack will hopefully soon make way for something far superior, just been looking at GTs and Breras on Autotrader and was wondering which way to jump. Also been skimming through various related threads on here checking out what to look for so am already primed (a bit) on that score.
Annual mileage will be less than 8k as I have two classics as well ('68 Cooper S and '70 P5B Coupe)... I'm bored rigid pootling round in the little Ford and want something which makes the daily grind more enjoyable. Key thing for me is reliability, all thoughts / advice welcome.. ;O)
A few examples of what I've been looking at...
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...
this one is almost on my doorstep...
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...
Annual mileage will be less than 8k as I have two classics as well ('68 Cooper S and '70 P5B Coupe)... I'm bored rigid pootling round in the little Ford and want something which makes the daily grind more enjoyable. Key thing for me is reliability, all thoughts / advice welcome.. ;O)
A few examples of what I've been looking at...
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...
this one is almost on my doorstep...
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...
I have one V6 version of each. The Brera is much nicer to live with. Took the GT to Beulieu Simply Alfa a couple of weekends ago & I can honesty say I didn't enjoy driving it. To hard, to harsh, torque steer, heavy clutch etc.
The GT feels faster (shorter gearing) & the Busso engine sounds better but precticality aside, that's it.
I know lots of people spout BS about 156 series cars being better but I've owned 2 156's a GT, a 159 & 2 Brera's.
The newer cars are much better day to day cars and also quicker point to point across country.
A 5 minute test drive may tell you different though.
The GT feels faster (shorter gearing) & the Busso engine sounds better but precticality aside, that's it.
I know lots of people spout BS about 156 series cars being better but I've owned 2 156's a GT, a 159 & 2 Brera's.
The newer cars are much better day to day cars and also quicker point to point across country.
A 5 minute test drive may tell you different though.
A great start that - many thanks SR.
I wanted to make the leap a few years ago but others came and went plus stories of unreliability put me off somewhat. A workmate had a 156 for eighteen months but it spent thirteen of them off the road with numerous maladies, however he still wishes he'd kept it even now!
Cheers ;-)
I wanted to make the leap a few years ago but others came and went plus stories of unreliability put me off somewhat. A workmate had a 156 for eighteen months but it spent thirteen of them off the road with numerous maladies, however he still wishes he'd kept it even now!
Cheers ;-)
crostonian said:
Personally I'd buy neither unless you can stretch to a Brera S 3.2 2wd with the Prodrive bits.
The S is too spartan. Prodrive bits could have been great if Alfa hadn't changed the ARB to hollow & the uprights to alloy at the last minute, without telling the development team.SQ Q4 with toys for me. Love the rear biased transmission.
My GT is a hoot on winding and twisty roads, really good fun. The steering is really quick which helps and I feel really connected to it. Some say it's just a fancy shaped version of an everyday hatchback but my wife's eurobox just cannot take those roads at anywhere near the speeds the Alfa allows.
Where it does fall down is poorly surfaced roads, it gets thrown around by bumps, channels and cambers. That's where some say the heavier Brera beats it.
Where it does fall down is poorly surfaced roads, it gets thrown around by bumps, channels and cambers. That's where some say the heavier Brera beats it.
1878 said:
Were you planning to take many passengers? That might force your decision.
Only the other half (doesn't drive and wants me to buy a Rangie instead) - no sproggs, with no plans to have any either! Rear seats are for carelessly strewn classic car mags and sweat wrappers... ;-)Thanks for the replies so far folks! A 3.2 Brera seems to be hitting the right spot at present but there's plenty of time before I have to make a decision... guess I ought ot get out and loo kat a few examples. Actually, almost subconciously I've already dismissed the diesels, am I right in doing this...?
P5Nij said:
Only the other half (doesn't drive and wants me to buy a Rangie instead) - no sproggs, with no plans to have any either! Rear seats are for carelessly strewn classic car mags and sweat wrappers... ;-)
Thanks for the replies so far folks! A 3.2 Brera seems to be hitting the right spot at present but there's plenty of time before I have to make a decision... guess I ought ot get out and loo kat a few examples. Actually, almost subconciously I've already dismissed the diesels, am I right in doing this...?
Yes. Unless you do lots of out of town miles or get all the emission control systems removed, they are thirsty & troublesome.Thanks for the replies so far folks! A 3.2 Brera seems to be hitting the right spot at present but there's plenty of time before I have to make a decision... guess I ought ot get out and loo kat a few examples. Actually, almost subconciously I've already dismissed the diesels, am I right in doing this...?
P5Nij said:
Thanks again SR ;-)
In retrospect I wish I'd made the effort and gone to all Italian do at nearby Stanford Hall recently, instead of spending the whole day at the Coughton Park Rover gathering!
The Brera 3.2 is a fantastic car, I think that would be my choice of those you're considering. In retrospect I wish I'd made the effort and gone to all Italian do at nearby Stanford Hall recently, instead of spending the whole day at the Coughton Park Rover gathering!
Edited by P5Nij on Monday 15th July 20:24
Out of interest where do you live if you're near Stanford Hall?
If you're only going to do 8000 miles a year, then forget the diesels.
I haven't driven a Brera or a 159, but have owned a couple of 3.2 GTVs, a 2.5 156 and a 1600TS 147.
Whilst I'm sure that SR is right and that the Brera is a better car than the GT, if you are used to a Fiesta and a couple of classics, then any modern Alfa will feel very civilized.
My own experiences suggest that the 3.2 Arese V6 is a bit too much for a front drive car. My GTVs were both hard work, with brakes, chassis and steering a bit overwhelmed by the power.
I don't know what a 3.2 GT would be like, but probably much the same.
I prefer the 2.5 V6 in my 156, which is a nicer, more pleasant compromise. The engine is sweeter, too.
Good luck.
I haven't driven a Brera or a 159, but have owned a couple of 3.2 GTVs, a 2.5 156 and a 1600TS 147.
Whilst I'm sure that SR is right and that the Brera is a better car than the GT, if you are used to a Fiesta and a couple of classics, then any modern Alfa will feel very civilized.
My own experiences suggest that the 3.2 Arese V6 is a bit too much for a front drive car. My GTVs were both hard work, with brakes, chassis and steering a bit overwhelmed by the power.
I don't know what a 3.2 GT would be like, but probably much the same.
I prefer the 2.5 V6 in my 156, which is a nicer, more pleasant compromise. The engine is sweeter, too.
Good luck.
Squadrone Rosso said:
Yes. Unless you do lots of out of town miles or get all the emission control systems removed, they are thirsty & troublesome.
Hmmmm. I would counter this by saying that they go very well indeed and are twice as economical as the V6. The V6 has got crazy gearing and I'm not sure it's got the oomph to back up it's sub 20 mpg. My JTD did about 10,000 miles a year, most of it urban and I didn't have any bother with the engine. They are shockingly uneconomical for a modern diesel, but a lot less thirsty than the V6.
Back to the OP - a GT feels like a big hot hatch from 1995. The Brera feels like a modern Grand Tourer. It's not an Elise, it never will be, and it should never be expected. Big sweeping A roads and long journeys are what it's good at. Or comfortable commuting. If you want a scalpel sharp precision driving tool, it's not the car for you. (And neither is the GT to be fair). But if you want a stylish, well equipped, comfortable Grand Tourer which feels like a Maserati then a Brera with the glass roof and a good colour combo is hard to beat.
[quote=RicksAlfas
Back to the OP - a GT feels like a big hot hatch from 1995. The Brera feels like a modern Grand Tourer. It's not an Elise, it never will be, and it should never be expected. Big sweeping A roads and long journeys are what it's good at. Or comfortable commuting. If you want a scalpel sharp precision driving tool, it's not the car for you. (And neither is the GT to be fair). But if you want a stylish, well equipped, comfortable Grand Tourer which feels like a Maserati then a Brera with the glass roof and a good colour combo is hard to beat.
[/quote]
Thanks again all... and I think you've hit a rather large nail firmly on the head with the above RicksAlfa. Whatever I plump for it'll be for the short commute to work (with optional longer run home when the mood takes) but it'd be nice to just jump into something a bit special and go for a good, long drive round the lanes etc, something I've never had the remotest inclination to do in the Fiesta. Living where I do there are some great roads a few minutes away which I've only ever really explored in the classics I've owned.
The 'procision driving tool' bit - something else might transpire on that score if I change the P5B for something else, I've long had the urge for a good sorted Series 2 Lotus Europa. I've not had the Rover very long but the Europa itch is very strong. A Jensen Interceptor would be nice but obviously, driving wise it's in a very different place to the Europa, besides, I'd have to sell both classics to afford the right one and the Cooper S is staying put so it'll remain a fantasy for a long time yet. I'm at a bit of a crossroads with my cars at the moment (in a nice way) and it's got me thinking about changing two of them, the new garage is taking root as I type this and even though I know the Rover will go in at a squeeze I'm thinking about what else could fill the space if things were different (an Interceptor would be even more of a squeeze though!) Nice to have such troubles isn't it....!
The Brera though - becomes more appealing the more I think about it. Have to admit I didn't realise they were 4WD until I started looking this week. Whatever I get will live on the drive, luckily it's not too bad round our way so I'd have no qualms about leaving it there overnight.
Back to the OP - a GT feels like a big hot hatch from 1995. The Brera feels like a modern Grand Tourer. It's not an Elise, it never will be, and it should never be expected. Big sweeping A roads and long journeys are what it's good at. Or comfortable commuting. If you want a scalpel sharp precision driving tool, it's not the car for you. (And neither is the GT to be fair). But if you want a stylish, well equipped, comfortable Grand Tourer which feels like a Maserati then a Brera with the glass roof and a good colour combo is hard to beat.
[/quote]
Thanks again all... and I think you've hit a rather large nail firmly on the head with the above RicksAlfa. Whatever I plump for it'll be for the short commute to work (with optional longer run home when the mood takes) but it'd be nice to just jump into something a bit special and go for a good, long drive round the lanes etc, something I've never had the remotest inclination to do in the Fiesta. Living where I do there are some great roads a few minutes away which I've only ever really explored in the classics I've owned.
The 'procision driving tool' bit - something else might transpire on that score if I change the P5B for something else, I've long had the urge for a good sorted Series 2 Lotus Europa. I've not had the Rover very long but the Europa itch is very strong. A Jensen Interceptor would be nice but obviously, driving wise it's in a very different place to the Europa, besides, I'd have to sell both classics to afford the right one and the Cooper S is staying put so it'll remain a fantasy for a long time yet. I'm at a bit of a crossroads with my cars at the moment (in a nice way) and it's got me thinking about changing two of them, the new garage is taking root as I type this and even though I know the Rover will go in at a squeeze I'm thinking about what else could fill the space if things were different (an Interceptor would be even more of a squeeze though!) Nice to have such troubles isn't it....!
The Brera though - becomes more appealing the more I think about it. Have to admit I didn't realise they were 4WD until I started looking this week. Whatever I get will live on the drive, luckily it's not too bad round our way so I'd have no qualms about leaving it there overnight.
Edited by P5Nij on Tuesday 16th July 16:58
Edited by P5Nij on Tuesday 16th July 17:00
Edited by P5Nij on Tuesday 16th July 17:02
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