Would you get an Alfa?

Moderns Alfas are nothing like their predecessors but you will always find people with horror stories to tell.

Which model/engine are you thinking of?

Edit: 15 seconds before Gilly comes in to tell you they're ugly (he's wrong).
 
I has a 156 (2.0 Selespeed) for just under two years and never had a single problem with it. Great car and nice to get and Alfa under my car ownership belt.
 
yes, the old reliability issues are few and far between and in my eyes they have one of the best looking ranges for below £50,000.
 
smokedog said:
Something like the 147/156 1.9 JTD.
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I've no first hand experience but I'm told the JTD is the one to go for if you want reliability. Personally I'd be going for the petrol though, preferably the V6. Part of the reason you buy a Alfa is for the sound!
 
I had a 1.8ts 156 for 5 years and it never broke down once. then had a 156 1.9 jtd mjet. Now I've got a 2.4 20v jtd mjet, never had a problem with any of them. Just make sure you change the cam belts on them earlier than alfa say.
 
I have an Alfa and although I had the cambelt go I wouldn't think twice about buying another. The only reason I had the cambelt go is because the garage changed the cambelt and not the tensioners, one of the tensioners gave up and took 8 valves with it.

The JTS and JTD are the most reliable Alfa engines of all and are based on the successful fiat engines. Also the new 156 and Brera are apparently better still, they are definatly a big step up in build quality.

Important things if you get a TwinSpark. 1) Make sure the cambelt AND tensioners are changed within 36k or 3 years. 2) Make sure you check the oil regularly about once a week, no longer. With the newer JTS or JTD just stick to the service schedule.

If you don't buy one because 'frank down the road' said they are unreliable then pity on you :D
 
No I would never buy one.

Running a reliable car is expensive enough let alone an unreliable one.
 
Yeah i think i would. Looking at the prices you can get the 156 for, i might even consider it for my next car!

Love the styling love the interior, reliability is an issue but mneh.
 
Did look at one before getting the mondeo, the 156's @ £2000 seemed to be too much of a risk, a newer one i would buy and would defintly have one for a company car :p
 
You should be looking to get one of the newer 1.9 mjet diesels for that.
The newer model 1.9 jtd's are 16v instead of 8. Kick out either 140 or 150 bhp instead of around 115 (if i remember right) for the older engine.
If you spent a bit more you could get a 175bhp 2.4mjet, now these are much better than the 1.9 as they are 5 cylinder, are a lot more quiet and feel much more refined, they also have a longer acceleration band than the 1.9. :)
 
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smokedog said:
Thinking of spending £6/7k its either an Alfa or a VW bora TDi.
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Wooooah no contest! Sexy red Alfa or a VW Boring? Hmmm ;)

The Mk4 Golf/Bora isn't all that reliable either - plenty of people about with tales of electrical gremlins, gearbox failures, etc, etc.
 
Ran a '99 Alfa 156 V6 for 14 months before I bought my Lotus and it was a good car. I spent a fair bit on it as it needed a cambelt service and new suspension but this was stuff I knew about before I bought it and it was reflected in the purchase price. Electrics were fine at 84 000 miles and the engine noise was amazing :D
 
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