Would I be an idiot to buy a 6 year old Alpha 147?

InsomniaCalls

InsomniaCalls

InsomniaCalls

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Would I be an idiot to buy a 6 year old Alfa 147?

As title basically.

Looking at the 1.6 or 2.0 TS Lusso as i've always fancied an Alfa.
Obviously I've heard plenty of horror stories about the electrics and general reliability.

So give it to me straight - would I be a moron to buy one even with FSH?

They're around 4k and i'd probably be doing mainly town driving/short trips and no more than 10k miles a year.

Cheers

:)
 
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If you can't spell Alfa then you are not enough of a petrolhead to put up with the disadvantages of Alfa ownership as you won't get many of the advantages.
 
yes you would be a fool it will break continuously and cost you a fortune to run, within months you will be wishing you had never purchased it (or thats the experience of everyone I know who's had one)

For 4k buy a mondeo ;)
 
Doh, should have known better than to trust Firefox's spell-check. :p

So something like a Golf GTI would be a better bet?
Don't really need anything as big as a Mondeo.
 
You may not need it but you dont pay any extra for it so its like getting extra space free. Whereas with the Golf you pay more for less.
 
As long as it's been well looked after, serviced when it should have been etc it shouldn't give you too many problems.
 
RossG said:
As long as it's been well looked after, serviced when it should have been etc it shouldn't give you too many problems.
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It's an alfa the only way to keep it reliable is to keep it in an aircond garage and never use it, at least then you won't know that it doesn't start. Slight exageration maybe but honestly these cars just are not worth the hastle sure it looks nice and drives ok but it won't last!
 
probably more trouble than its worth to be honest... save a bit longer and buy a younger one, even then its debatable...

don't think there is such a thing as a reliable Alfa is there? :p
 
[TW]Fox;12143103 said:
Yea cos constant oil changes = immunity from other mechanical breakdown.
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I was referring more to cambelt changes etc. Was just saying a cherished one will probably give you less problems, not none at all. But if you do fancy an Alfa and nothing else will quite do, go for it. Just make sure you have some money set aside :P
 
[TW]Fox;12143051 said:
You may not need it but you dont pay any extra for it so its like getting extra space free. Whereas with the Golf you pay more for less.
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I can fit a washing machine in my boot quite easily so it's not that bad space wise :p

OP - I've seen a 52 plate Alfa outside my mate's flat which is rusting, those cars just don't look solidly built IMO.
 
My father in laws neighbour had an Alfa on company car lease which he handed back about two years ago. When they collected it he handed them back a large plastic bag conataining all the bits(trim etc) that had fallen off it. He enjoyed owning it but said he wouldnt have another one as he done it now and wouldnt ever waste his money buying one. I dont think he found it unreliable as such just very poorly built.
 
They're never 23mpg?? Are those 'official' figures? Cos they're never right, at least for cars I have owned anyway. I could fill the Alfa up with £50 worth and get 300 miles from the tank...costs me £60 to fill the M3 and I get 200-220, so in comparison it's much better
 
Rhyzz said:
They're never 23mpg?? Are those 'official' figures? Cos they're never right, at least for cars I have owned anyway. I could fill the Alfa up with £50 worth and get 300 miles from the tank...costs me £60 to fill the M3 and I get 200-220, so in comparison it's much better
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dunno, remember reading up on them when i was looking for a car, and i was scared by the low 20s mpg :p
 
Rhyzz said:
They're never 23mpg?? Are those 'official' figures? Cos they're never right, at least for cars I have owned anyway. I could fill the Alfa up with £50 worth and get 300 miles from the tank...costs me £60 to fill the M3 and I get 200-220, so in comparison it's much better
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Have you noticed how much more expensive petrol is now?
 
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