Alfa 159 - 2.4 diesel

benskia · 3 Dec 2010 at 23:40

Hey everyone.

I dont know a great deal about cars. Apart from I want one that's a bit better than average and handles a bit better too.

Anyone own a 159?

I'm quite tempted since the price is nice - £9k for a 57 plate with leather seats etc. Compared to BMW or Audi.

Any thoughts?

[TW]Fox · 3 Dec 2010 at 23:42

benskia said:
I'm quite tempted since the price is nice - £9k for a 57 plate with leather seats etc. Compared to BMW or Audi.

Why would you compare it with a BMW or Audi? It's a more interesting alternative to a Mondeo or a Passat, not a BMW or Audi rival.

It's not a bad looking car but it's a shame to ruin something Italian with a tractor engine.

grudas · 4 Dec 2010 at 00:01

"dum dum dum dum dum dum dum... dum dum dum" can you live with it?

JayMax · 4 Dec 2010 at 00:36

I was under the impression the JTD/m units were good?
Depreciation will likely be horrific, your cheap buy price will be quickly offset the longer you keep it.
Is 9k really that cheap for one of these?

[TW]Fox · 4 Dec 2010 at 00:55

JayMax said:
I was under the impression the JTD/m units were good?

They are ok - for a diesel. This is like being top of the bottom set in Maths class. A nice petrol engine is best in an Alfa Romeo. The reason you buy an Alfa Romeo is because you like 'soul' and 'character' and all that rubbish, so if thats you, don't spoil the 'soul' and 'character' of the Alfa with a taxi engine.

If you dont care about 'soul' and 'character' then you can probably do better than a 159 anyway.

JayMax · 4 Dec 2010 at 01:08

[TW]Fox;17927423 said:
If you dont care about 'soul' and 'character' then you can probably do better than a 159 anyway.

Inferring from the OP, I'm inclined to think soul and character isn't why he's wanting this car.
Mondeo it is then!?

The_Abyss · 4 Dec 2010 at 01:08

I drove a few 159s, including the diesel, before settling on something else. It drives fine - is refined for a diesel and has a smoother delivery than a lot of the narrow band of high torque of most similar size engines.

I understand however that fuel economy is not at all impressive for a diesel - this is a seriously heavy car. Also, the interior might look nice in a photo however once you get inside and actually experience it, you find that all the switch gear looks like has come from 3 different manufacturers, all of whom delivered it 20 years ago.

benskia · 4 Dec 2010 at 10:57

Ah - ok.

I just seemed to think that Alfa's were a bit more prestigeous than mondeos etc.
Maybe not then eh?

Witor · 4 Dec 2010 at 11:07

Depends who you ask, and where you're from. Imho, styling and driving controls are better than a normal saloon (thinking accord/mondeo/vectra/passat of equvalent age here), actual quality are a tad below. Driving dynamics aren't always hand in hand with what the styling implies is possible, if you get me.

daz · 4 Dec 2010 at 11:29

If you treat buying a car like a graphics card or a TV (i.e. objectively) then a 159 is possibly not the best choice.

If you treat buying a car like buying a piece of personal clothing (subjectively - e.g. a jacket) then there's a lot worse you could do, they're decent cars.

iaind · 4 Dec 2010 at 11:57

Do you want the image of prestige, or genuine high quality?

benskia · 12 Dec 2010 at 20:11

Hey Witor,

How did you find your Alfa?
Did it go wrong much? Every single person I talk to says Alfa's are unreliable.
But...no one I know ever seems to have actually owned one.

Cheers.

mjt · 12 Dec 2010 at 20:13

DRZ(?) on here had one (or was it a 1.9?) for a while.
Search for his thread.

MarkDavis · 12 Dec 2010 at 21:02

Does about 35mpg doesn't it? And the DPF keeps on gumming up if you do a lot of driving around town.

You could buy an E60 530d for £9k - an infinitely better car in every single way.

Peerzy · 12 Dec 2010 at 21:06

MarkDavis said:
You could buy an E60 530d for £9k - an infinitely better car in every single way.

Surely a much older, higher mileage car - pre LCI and with a selection of very well known and expensive potential problems?

[TW]Fox · 12 Dec 2010 at 21:08

Peerzy said:
Surely a much older, higher mileage car - pre LCI and with a selection of very well known and expensive potential problems?

Indeed - an 04 plate with 60k on it is worth £10k *trade*, so any available to buy for £9k are going to be shabby or high mileage examples for which no useful warranty will be available. These cars are too expensive to run without a warranty. My parents E60 is currently with BMW who have no idea whats wrong with it. I shudder to think what the bill would be without a warranty!

MarkDavis · 12 Dec 2010 at 21:17

Peerzy said:
a selection of very well known and expensive potential problems?

Such as?

[TW]Fox · 12 Dec 2010 at 21:19

Turbochargers, injectors and swirl flaps mostly.

You know I'm with you on the Alfa thing, but a 6-7 year old 100,000 mile BMW is not the answer.

flibbage0 · 12 Dec 2010 at 21:20

The mpg from diesel Alfa's is shockingly poor.

FirebarUK · 12 Dec 2010 at 21:26

The 2.4 JTDM is a good engine imo, sounds great (for a diesel) and goes well. Although economy is poor in the 159 compared to equivs like BMW's and Audi's.

I have a 1.9 JTDM personally and find it to be great and I absolutely love it (although again, economy is poor - 41MPG best). So much so that I expect to get another in 2 yrs time, either a 2.4 JTDM or the 1.8 TBi.