Last year I purchased an Alfa Romeo 159 TI from new. I was travelling 50 miles to and from work each day. Initially the car was near perfect and I certainly had no complaints. In January this year I changed my job and now walk to work, so my car is being used once or twice a month at weekends. As we have another car in the family and a single-width drive, my Alfa is being used less and less.

After leaving the car standing for two weeks without use, the battery went flat. This happened a second time and the battery was replaced under warranty. After another period of approximately two weeks the battery was again discharged. Alfa and various other dealers have told me that "this is a problem with the electronics of modern cars" and I have had the car checked, but the drain on the battery does not appear abnormal. I have read your FAQ on storage and I have tried turning the radio and all electrics off before parking the car, but to no avail. Should I really expect a modern car to be unable to hold charge for more than two weeks? An AA patrol told me that due to the type of alternator, taking the car out once a week may not be enough to maintain charge - regular use was required.