Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrafoglio
Discussion
A couple of months ago, I began to think it was time to replace my old TT convertible. I've owned it for 3 or 4 years and it does the job I bought it for (daily runaround) well - but I've never really liked driving it much.
The rear window glass glue failed and although my attempt to repair that seems successful I decided it was time to look for a replacement.
I test drove a Z4 M40i, having always liked the look of them. But it was much slower than I expected and I didn't really like it as a car.
M4 was on my list - especially since I could have hard top convertible - but there were none local. Randomly, I looked up the Quadrafoglio - and there was one local - so I test drove it. That particular car wasn't the one for me but it did show me that I wanted to own one. A properly quick car but also one that handled really well.
The next day, I'd agreed to buy a private example. 2019 with 36k miles on it. Pretty high spec and everything I was looking for - although not my favourite colour. But even that's grown on me in the month I've owned it.
Outside the car is excellent - inside it's literally like new.
The next service is due in October - but I already have a car that needs servicing in October so I've moved the Alfa forward to September to avoid trying to fit them both in during the same month.
I knew when I bought it that it would need front brakes soon - discs and pads. This was negotiated into the price although I confess that I misjudged how much they would cost - and the local indy believes I need rears too.
Usually, I'd replace brakes myself but don't feel like doing it on a car I've just bought so it will be done at the service.
It has cruise, but - despite having all the necessary hardware (apart from a blanked out switch) it's not adaptive. I will have this coded in at the service.
I discovered that stop / start didn't work, so have replaced the battery which cured that (and means I have to remember to press the button to disable it!)
The boot needed 4 or 5 slams to close so I've adjusted that and it now closes correctly.
I've owned the car for one month now and I'm very impressed with it. A lot of its use is mundane stuff - commuting to work, shopping etc which it does very well - apart from how much petrol it uses.
We took it on a 100 mile trip a couple of weeks ago - mostly motorway but with some country roads thrown in - and it's excellent.
You can trundle on the motorway - in mode 'a' and it's very comfortable, quiet and easy to drive. It was managing high 20s mpg.
On a country road - in 'd' or race mode and it is a totally different car. I'm used to 2 seaters so I do feel its size a bit but it is hugely entertaining to drive and a lot of fun.
The negatives so far are more about it being a modern car with annoying safety aids than particular to this car.
Unless you're in race mode, braking hard on a twisty road will have your hazards flashing which is pretty annoying. You can get it coded out but on motorways I don't think it's a bad thing so will probably just use race mode more.
Collision detection is over sensitive (even if you change the sensitivity) and will often alert if people are queueing to turn right and you're going straight on in the left lane. Again, it's disabled in race mode but tends to happen in situations where I wouldn't be using race mode.
Fuel consumption is poor. I expected it to be poor but hoped I'd see 20mpg - but the reality on shorter journeys is more like 17mpg.
At my age insurance seems reasonable - on a multi car policy with about 60 days remaining it cost me about £60 to insure so I'm assuming about £350 a year. I'll find out this month since it renews at the start of September.
So, overall very happy with the purchase. It is absolutely total overkill for what I need - but it's a car I want to drive, which the TT never was (although we've actually kept that as well because apparently we still needed a cheap convertible runaround).
Will update again after the service if not before. I've been quoted a fairly horrendous ~£3k for the brakes, and once you add the actual service plus cruise coding, plus anything else they find it's going to be £4k+. But I won't do a lot of miles so this brake cost is a one off - and the first service always costs me a chunk when I buy a nice car because I want everything sorted.
Hopefully it will get (slightly) cheaper going forward......
The rear window glass glue failed and although my attempt to repair that seems successful I decided it was time to look for a replacement.
I test drove a Z4 M40i, having always liked the look of them. But it was much slower than I expected and I didn't really like it as a car.
M4 was on my list - especially since I could have hard top convertible - but there were none local. Randomly, I looked up the Quadrafoglio - and there was one local - so I test drove it. That particular car wasn't the one for me but it did show me that I wanted to own one. A properly quick car but also one that handled really well.
The next day, I'd agreed to buy a private example. 2019 with 36k miles on it. Pretty high spec and everything I was looking for - although not my favourite colour. But even that's grown on me in the month I've owned it.
Outside the car is excellent - inside it's literally like new.
The next service is due in October - but I already have a car that needs servicing in October so I've moved the Alfa forward to September to avoid trying to fit them both in during the same month.
I knew when I bought it that it would need front brakes soon - discs and pads. This was negotiated into the price although I confess that I misjudged how much they would cost - and the local indy believes I need rears too.
Usually, I'd replace brakes myself but don't feel like doing it on a car I've just bought so it will be done at the service.
It has cruise, but - despite having all the necessary hardware (apart from a blanked out switch) it's not adaptive. I will have this coded in at the service.
I discovered that stop / start didn't work, so have replaced the battery which cured that (and means I have to remember to press the button to disable it!)
The boot needed 4 or 5 slams to close so I've adjusted that and it now closes correctly.
I've owned the car for one month now and I'm very impressed with it. A lot of its use is mundane stuff - commuting to work, shopping etc which it does very well - apart from how much petrol it uses.
We took it on a 100 mile trip a couple of weeks ago - mostly motorway but with some country roads thrown in - and it's excellent.
You can trundle on the motorway - in mode 'a' and it's very comfortable, quiet and easy to drive. It was managing high 20s mpg.
On a country road - in 'd' or race mode and it is a totally different car. I'm used to 2 seaters so I do feel its size a bit but it is hugely entertaining to drive and a lot of fun.
The negatives so far are more about it being a modern car with annoying safety aids than particular to this car.
Unless you're in race mode, braking hard on a twisty road will have your hazards flashing which is pretty annoying. You can get it coded out but on motorways I don't think it's a bad thing so will probably just use race mode more.
Collision detection is over sensitive (even if you change the sensitivity) and will often alert if people are queueing to turn right and you're going straight on in the left lane. Again, it's disabled in race mode but tends to happen in situations where I wouldn't be using race mode.
Fuel consumption is poor. I expected it to be poor but hoped I'd see 20mpg - but the reality on shorter journeys is more like 17mpg.
At my age insurance seems reasonable - on a multi car policy with about 60 days remaining it cost me about £60 to insure so I'm assuming about £350 a year. I'll find out this month since it renews at the start of September.
So, overall very happy with the purchase. It is absolutely total overkill for what I need - but it's a car I want to drive, which the TT never was (although we've actually kept that as well because apparently we still needed a cheap convertible runaround).
Will update again after the service if not before. I've been quoted a fairly horrendous ~£3k for the brakes, and once you add the actual service plus cruise coding, plus anything else they find it's going to be £4k+. But I won't do a lot of miles so this brake cost is a one off - and the first service always costs me a chunk when I buy a nice car because I want everything sorted.
Hopefully it will get (slightly) cheaper going forward......
Great car, nice buy. A solid secondhand buy too now they’ve gone out of production.
3k sounds a bit much for the brakes, is that main dealer prices? You are better off taking these to specialists anyway, like Alfa workshop for example. I think they are more like 2k for brakes all round for example.
3k sounds a bit much for the brakes, is that main dealer prices? You are better off taking these to specialists anyway, like Alfa workshop for example. I think they are more like 2k for brakes all round for example.
Good choice; I've got a comp red one and have loved it.
Discs and pads are easy enough to do it you do change your mind - there's nothing special about it if you disconnect the battery first. A set of discs was about £700 from autodoc.
Interesting on efficiency. I see mid thirties on a steady motorway run (highest was 37) and average low 20s across my local driving.
Discs and pads are easy enough to do it you do change your mind - there's nothing special about it if you disconnect the battery first. A set of discs was about £700 from autodoc.
Interesting on efficiency. I see mid thirties on a steady motorway run (highest was 37) and average low 20s across my local driving.
davek_964 said:
I test drove a Z4 M40i, having always liked the look of them. But it was much slower than I expected and I didn't really like it as a car.
I'm surprised you thought that- I've not driven a Z4 M40i but my Mum used to have a Z4 20i of the 'current' shape which I drove a few times and always thought felt much quicker than it was on paper, and I've driven quite a few other BMWs with the B58 and never been disappointed by the performance, so I'd have thought it would be pretty lairy in a Z4.Lovely car, I think Alfa absolutely nailed it with the Giulia QV and I'll forever be glad that it got made. I'd love one for my next car but sadly at my budget I'd be looking at the very bottom end of the market and I'm not sure I'm brave enough for a ropey example of an Alfa with a Ferrari-derived engine...
Edited by Sofa on Sunday 3rd August 22:33
Setup an alert for the disks with Autodoc - they're *massively* cheaper and despite what you may read, identical to OEM; you can get a pair for £500 and the pads are really cheap from Alfaworkshop too.
Also, for the love of your sanity, get the radar blocker fitted! Thread is here:
https://www.alfaowner.com/threads/security-device-...
Oh, and get a manual valve switch - join the Facebook group and a guy called Dan sells them for £150. Otherwise, you only get valves open permantly in Race.
Two of my biggest criticisms of mine were:
It creeps forward at about 5mph! The problem with this is, coming to a gentle chauffeur stop is impossible, as you can't ease off the brakes at the last second, leading to rather jerky stops.
The throttle mapping in Dynamic is horrible - the 0-10% movement feels like it goes to 10% instantly; this means that coming on/off the throttle also makes for jerky movement. I found myself moving from D to N very frequently.
Also, for the love of your sanity, get the radar blocker fitted! Thread is here:
https://www.alfaowner.com/threads/security-device-...
Oh, and get a manual valve switch - join the Facebook group and a guy called Dan sells them for £150. Otherwise, you only get valves open permantly in Race.
Two of my biggest criticisms of mine were:
It creeps forward at about 5mph! The problem with this is, coming to a gentle chauffeur stop is impossible, as you can't ease off the brakes at the last second, leading to rather jerky stops.
The throttle mapping in Dynamic is horrible - the 0-10% movement feels like it goes to 10% instantly; this means that coming on/off the throttle also makes for jerky movement. I found myself moving from D to N very frequently.
Edited by Matty_ on Sunday 3rd August 22:44
Oh, one last thing - they're incredibly reliable cars - mine had done 45k and the only thing fixed was a headlight, done shortly after it was delivered. The 2019 car that you have is probably the best of the lot; has many of the fixes/improvements (like the split seats, factory CarPlay, revised scuttle panel, better idling, and other minor fixes) but before they put the extra refinement in place, and removed the carbon roof.
I'd also avoid Alfa dealers; get yourself a good specialist.
I'd also avoid Alfa dealers; get yourself a good specialist.
I'm not using Alfa dealers - the brake price was AHM who are very close to me, and they will be servicing it.
Radar blocking was one of the first things I did.
Regarding the Z4, I think part of the reason it didn't feel quick was due to its weight - which I think is about the same as the quad, even though it was a much smaller car.
But there were other things I didn't like about it anyway.
I've read comments about problems coming to a smooth stop before - I find that's mostly ok, but it is true that rather than 'creep' forward if you take your foot off the accelerator it feels like it instantly wants to do 30mph which is a tad annoying!
Radar blocking was one of the first things I did.
Regarding the Z4, I think part of the reason it didn't feel quick was due to its weight - which I think is about the same as the quad, even though it was a much smaller car.
But there were other things I didn't like about it anyway.
I've read comments about problems coming to a smooth stop before - I find that's mostly ok, but it is true that rather than 'creep' forward if you take your foot off the accelerator it feels like it instantly wants to do 30mph which is a tad annoying!
Edited by davek_964 on Monday 4th August 05:33
Matty_ said:
Two of my biggest criticisms of mine were:
It creeps forward at about 5mph! The problem with this is, coming to a gentle chauffeur stop is impossible, as you can't ease off the brakes at the last second, leading to rather jerky stops.
The throttle mapping in Dynamic is horrible - the 0-10% movement feels like it goes to 10% instantly; this means that coming on/off the throttle also makes for jerky movement. I found myself moving from D to N very frequently.
I agree the throttle is quite sharp in D but find that N is a bit slow when balancing the car on the entry to corners when driving more quickly. It creeps forward at about 5mph! The problem with this is, coming to a gentle chauffeur stop is impossible, as you can't ease off the brakes at the last second, leading to rather jerky stops.
The throttle mapping in Dynamic is horrible - the 0-10% movement feels like it goes to 10% instantly; this means that coming on/off the throttle also makes for jerky movement. I found myself moving from D to N very frequently.
My biggest frustration though is the torque limit in everything but Race! I still wouldn't change the car for anything else though.
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