What are Alfa Romeo 147's like?

luap2411

I have an 02 plate 156. I bought it when I opted out of a company car scheme, boring passat. I also get to drive lots of different cars so i think I can be objective(ish) ! here.

Lets be honest you don't buy an Alfa because you want a cheap budget car, but get the right car and they are great. If you want to buy one get an indy to check it out first.

Be careful with the 'expert' opinion on reliability. Sure you need to take a little care with an Alfa, but it's not life changing. Check the oil every week, get it serviced on time, don't skimp on cambelts, make sure you only let someone near it who knows what they're doing, and they're good cars.

The horror stories mainly come from abuse, bad maintainence, skimping, and bad mechanics. Like any car buy one that's not been looked after and you can get trouble.

Just a few things to remember. Some people forgot that most cars rotted horribly 30 years ago, somehow though they imagine than 30 years on and with galvanised bodies Alfa's still rust, have you actually seen a rusty Alfa, or any other car for the last 10 years ? The functional electrics are Bosch and Siemens, same stuff as most other european cars. As for reliability have a look at most contemporary reports, especially the German TUV reliability survey. Alfas of this age tend to be middle ranking, better than some, worse than others, but by no means deserving of the reputation.

Generally main woes are front suspension squeaks and knocks, and the variator. This provides the variable valve timing, and can make the car sound like a diesel on start up. Cambelt and tensioner change is about £250 (£350 with a variator), service £150, front top suspension arms about £100 per side, £120 for sparkplugs every 60k (there are 8 in a twinspark) at an good indy.

Twinsparks are a good balance of performance and economy. Try and go for a lusso spec (leather seats). If you can afford it the 3.2 GTA is brill, check insurance first though.

Have a look on the owners websites, ask questions.

An Alfa will be a bit on the higher side of normal for maintainence, insurance will be a bit higher, realiability is average, and you need a knowledgable eye cast over a potential purchase, but in no way excessively different from any other car. It's not the high risk choice some 'experts' will suggest, and oh what fun.... I wind my rev counter round to 7k on the way to work every morning, it helps wake me up

andygb

luap2411 wrote: »

I have an 02 plate 156. I bought it when I opted out of a company car scheme, boring passat. I also get to drive lots of different cars so i think I can be objective(ish) ! here.

Lets be honest you don't buy an Alfa because you want a cheap budget car, but get the right car and they are great. If you want to buy one get an indy to check it out first.

Be careful with the 'expert' opinion on reliability. Sure you need to take a little care with an Alfa, but it's not life changing. Check the oil every week, get it serviced on time, don't skimp on cambelts, make sure you only let someone near it who knows what they're doing, and they're good cars.

The horror stories mainly come from abuse, bad maintainence, skimping, and bad mechanics. Like any car buy one that's not been looked after and you can get trouble.

Just a few things to remember. Some people forgot that most cars rotted horribly 30 years ago, somehow though they imagine than 30 years on and with galvanised bodies Alfa's still rust, have you actually seen a rusty Alfa, or any other car for the last 10 years ? The functional electrics are Bosch and Siemens, same stuff as most other european cars. As for reliability have a look at most contemporary reports, especially the German TUV reliability survey. Alfas of this age tend to be middle ranking, better than some, worse than others, but by no means deserving of the reputation.

Generally main woes are front suspension squeaks and knocks, and the variator. This provides the variable valve timing, and can make the car sound like a diesel on start up. Cambelt and tensioner change is about £250 (£350 with a variator), service £150, front top suspension arms about £100 per side, £120 for sparkplugs every 60k (there are 8 in a twinspark) at an good indy.

Twinsparks are a good balance of performance and economy. Try and go for a lusso spec (leather seats). If you can afford it the 3.2 GTA is brill, check insurance first though.

Have a look on the owners websites, ask questions.

An Alfa will be a bit on the higher side of normal for maintainence, insurance will be a bit higher, realiability is average, and you need a knowledgable eye cast over a potential purchase, but in no way excessively different from any other car. It's not the high risk choice some 'experts' will suggest, and oh what fun.... I wind my rev counter round to 7k on the way to work every morning, it helps wake me up

:beer:
A very realistic post, from someone who owns an Alfa. I used to just take the GTV out for a drive, or take a longer route home just because I loved it.
I agree with everything in this post, and I would use this information to justify buying and running an Alfa as a second car.
A second car is supposed to be fun, because the first car has to be utterly reliable, so the Alfa wins hands down.

Inactive

andygb wrote: »

A second car is supposed to be fun, because the first car has to be utterly reliable, so the Alfa wins hands down.

Surely no car is " fun " if it regularly breaks down and requires constant attention, that would not be my idea of fun.;)

Exemplar

OK. Italian car ownership history:

1.3 Lancia Delta
1.0 Litre Y10 Turbo (oh yes)
1.6 146
1.6 146 again.....
Delta HF Turbo ie
2.0 Spider
Integrale
GTV
146
156

No wonder I'm skint............

andygb

Inactive wrote: »

Surely no car is " fun " if it regularly breaks down and requires constant attention, that would not be my idea of fun.;)

I don't think they require constant attention (maybe constant awareness though ). I think they work best when they are used regularly, and when you can do some of the routine maintenance yourself.
The bodywork, brakes and gearbox are reliable.
The cambelt and variator need to be changed together.
The oil level should be checked once a week, and kept topped up to the maximum, using a good semi synthetic.
The electrics are the same as used on many other cars.
There are plenty of examples of all types in the owners club, which have done around the 200,000 mile mark.
None of my four Alfas have ever left me stranded, or required me to use the RAC or AA, apart from the time when the exhaust came apart at the manifold, and that was my fault for not tightening the bolts after a cylinder head rebuild.

Inactive

Your idea of " fun " differs to mine obviously..

Exemplar

My idea of fun involves Alfa/Lancia or 8 lines of coke and supermodels......... (politically incorrect, but fun...).

Inactive

alcot33uk wrote: »

My idea of fun involves Alfa/Lancia or 8 lines of coke and supermodels......... (politically incorrect, but fun...).

To each his own, as they say..

pippy100

luap2411 wrote: »

I have an 02 plate 156. I bought it when I opted out of a company car scheme, boring passat. I also get to drive lots of different cars so i think I can be objective(ish) ! here.

Lets be honest you don't buy an Alfa because you want a cheap budget car, but get the right car and they are great. If you want to buy one get an indy to check it out first.

Be careful with the 'expert' opinion on reliability. Sure you need to take a little care with an Alfa, but it's not life changing. Check the oil every week, get it serviced on time, don't skimp on cambelts, make sure you only let someone near it who knows what they're doing, and they're good cars.

The horror stories mainly come from abuse, bad maintainence, skimping, and bad mechanics. Like any car buy one that's not been looked after and you can get trouble.

Just a few things to remember. Some people forgot that most cars rotted horribly 30 years ago, somehow though they imagine than 30 years on and with galvanised bodies Alfa's still rust, have you actually seen a rusty Alfa, or any other car for the last 10 years ? The functional electrics are Bosch and Siemens, same stuff as most other european cars. As for reliability have a look at most contemporary reports, especially the German TUV reliability survey. Alfas of this age tend to be middle ranking, better than some, worse than others, but by no means deserving of the reputation.

Generally main woes are front suspension squeaks and knocks, and the variator. This provides the variable valve timing, and can make the car sound like a diesel on start up. Cambelt and tensioner change is about £250 (£350 with a variator), service £150, front top suspension arms about £100 per side, £120 for sparkplugs every 60k (there are 8 in a twinspark) at an good indy.

Twinsparks are a good balance of performance and economy. Try and go for a lusso spec (leather seats). If you can afford it the 3.2 GTA is brill, check insurance first though.

Have a look on the owners websites, ask questions.

An Alfa will be a bit on the higher side of normal for maintainence, insurance will be a bit higher, realiability is average, and you need a knowledgable eye cast over a potential purchase, but in no way excessively different from any other car. It's not the high risk choice some 'experts' will suggest, and oh what fun.... I wind my rev counter round to 7k on the way to work every morning, it helps wake me up

Thank You for this, brilliant explanation.

Inactive wrote: »

Surely no car is " fun " if it regularly breaks down and requires constant attention, that would not be my idea of fun.;)

That's what i thought but there must be something about the Alfa's that get's the Alfa owners giddy. I want to be giddy about my car!!

alcot33uk wrote: »

My idea of fun involves Alfa/Lancia or 8 lines of coke and supermodels......... (politically incorrect, but fun...).

:rotfl:LOL!!!!

pippy100

goldspanners wrote: »

just imagine the angel driving past you in her boring reliable focus or golf laughing at you and your broken down alfa and empty wallet on the hardshoulder.


that usually sobers me up when i get stupid ideas above my station.

See at the moment i am that angel driving past in her boring reliable Focus(Seriously we do have a Focus!)

andygb wrote: »

:beer:
A very realistic post, from someone who owns an Alfa. I used to just take the GTV out for a drive, or take a longer route home just because I loved it.
I agree with everything in this post, and I would use this information to justify buying and running an Alfa as a second car.
A second car is supposed to be fun, because the first car has to be utterly reliable, so the Alfa wins hands down.

As my above response, we have the old faithful, now for something fun!!