Local robber -sorry dealer has some pre reg Alfa 147's. Delivery mileage . . . . on 54plate and 05 plate. Don't quite get it me self, but would these make a sound buy or is it time to polish the bargepole???
(PLEASE START A THREAD WITH A HEADLINE THAT ACCURATELY RELECTS WHAT IT IS ABOUT. THE ORIGINAL HEADLINE, "What do you think???" TOLD NOBODY ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT THE THREAD CONTAINS. HJ.)
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Bargepole time I think - where have they been for 2 years or so? Some parts deteriorate through time rather than mileage - and most machine are designed to work rather than be idle for too long.
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Kinda what I thought TBH. But still strangely tempted. Was going to run my current Primera dCi for another couple of years, but it has been a bag o'nails (long boring story culminating in new engine and many return trips to dealer. Among the other niggles and recalls and stuff). Now seemingly sorted but lost all faith and can't help but think the thing will be a liability whan the warranty expires in July.
What would you do:-
1- Cut losses and punt it
2- Keep it as just about everything than can be replaced has been
3 - Keep it and buy an aftermarket warranty for the next couple of years as security.
Pity as its not a bad car. But just don't trust it any more and I've always fancied an Alfa. Tempted by a 156 or even a good used 166.
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Alfas can cost you........but they're known 'drivers cars' aren't they.......you only live once and can't take it with you
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I know yours has been a sorry story but selling a Nissan to buy an Alfa that has been stood in a puddle for 2 years because you long for reliability must be a first.
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I know, I Know. Head/Heart. You know the script. Probably won't do it, but stil can't help . . . . . . . . .
And all my woes are on a 2.5year old car with just 36K on the clock. This Nissault has been an utter lemon.
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If you can afford it, go for something you want - finance is a vital consideration but not the only one. Cars are for driving and driving can still be fun (I say all that despite being a chartered accountant!).
Aftermarket warranties from what I read never seem to cover the bits that go wrong - so go for it, but try to find a good Alfa dealer. Alfas go wrong, but if they're fixed at the first time of asking I would imagine that a lot can be forgiven.
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Alfas go wrong, but if they're fixed at the first time of asking I would imagine that a lot can be forgiven.
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Totally agree with that sentiment - things go wrong I can accept that. It's how they are sorted that makes the difference. And a quick trawl on AROC reveals an independent specialist here in Glasgow thus avoiding the deleted - {no naming / shaming, regardless of whether you tried masking some of the name with asterisks - DD} organisations totally.
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If he's not an Alfa dealer, pay your local Alfa mechanic to come with you [£50 ought to help] and advise. If he is, get a dealer-specific warranty for parts AND labour,and make him pay for 3 years with the AA/RAC etc. And pay a price matching normal 15,000 annual mileage use - so as if it's done 45,000.
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I would steer clear if I were you. I had an Alfa many years ago, it was the most unreliable car I have ever had. After 2 years it had almost rusted away. If you find a Nissan unreliable you will be mortified with an Alfa.
By the way "a good Alfa dealer" is an oxymoron.
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But is it true - you cannot be a true petrolhead until you have owned an Alfa ? (Which counts me out then - although the BiL had a 156 and I once hired a V6 156 that was fantastic for the day I had it).
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Does an Alfa - any Alfa - make sense? No. Does the sight of a 147 parked on next door's driveway quicken the pulse more than anything else on the road? Absolutely!
If you have a reputable independent Alfa specialist in your area, there's no reason why he can't service the car for you while maintaining the warranty under recent EU competition rules.
(The neighbour in question owns two dealership - Alfa/Fiat/Kia and Chrysler/Jeep/Saab and drives demonstrators from all their model ranges on and off. With no association other than a satisfied customer, I have to say they're a helpful garage to deal with too.)
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Scot,
I had a top of the range 147 for 2 years as a company car - fantastic to drive, go round corners like nothing else - but it was in the garage a lot with electrical niggles. The rubberised coating wore off the selespeed paddles within a year, took the dealer another 6 months to get a new steering wheel (argh - how much would that cost if it's out of warranty). Mechanically it was sound, but you do really need to keep an eye on oil, they use it. Electrically had a lot of gremlins, cured by the Microsoft 'Reboot' solution (ABS and engine management went wild sometimes - switch off and on and it was fine !).
You also need to find a good dealer/service centre - my two local dealers were let down by supply, although Mangoletsi went the extra mile to get my wheels re-balanced when it was serviced (main tyre centres etc couldn't get it right after many attempts) !
Would I have another, YES, but as a second car. I love the Brera ! Paint robustness was iffy - tended to chip even though it was Dupont stuff, most of the electrical equipment is Bosch, but god knows what the chaps in Italy stick in between the connectors and the computer systems !
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Hi Fossy - NPOC and here - great minds think alike or fools seldom differ?
As I said probably won't do it. But seriously tempted.
Not to put to fine a point on it - the Primera has utterly scunnered me. Can't warm to it any more at all and really want to see the back of it now. Shame . . . . .
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I would steer clear if I were you. I had an Alfa many years ago, it was the most unreliable car I have ever had. After 2 years it had almost rusted away. If you find a Nissan unreliable you will be mortified with an Alfa. By the way "a good Alfa dealer" is an oxymoron.
Yawnnnnnn
Its like me saying "my dad ahd a vauxhall victor in 1967 and they rusted badly", so don't buy a Vauxhall of today.
Time moves on.
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