I fancy an Alfa

vaio

GolfBravo wrote: »

It is a GM Holden HFV6 (high feature v6) engine, quite bullet proof, except for timing chain issue: for about 9 months they were making them with 7.7 mm pitch timing chain instead of 9.5 mm.



So you would expect an older car to have this issue resolved by now.

PS
The issue was identified during durability testing at Holden before any customers were actually affected. Not sure how Alfa dealt with this issue though.

The 7.7/9.5 change sounds like an "infant mortality" issue which appears early in the cars life (10-20k km as per your quote) This would still be under warranty so no £££ to the customer.

The Alfa Workshop reports of chain issues at >100k miles sounds like chain/sprockets/tensioners wearing out (normally?) but would be outside warranty so £££ for the customer

saker75

I looked at a few Alfas. They are really well designed but the seats are designed for lithe Italian's, not fat Scots! Otherwise I'd have one in my driveway.

jase1

Are there no fat Italians?

Damn, Go Compare lied to me!

Retrogamer

I can't comment with experience on that particular model of Alpha, but my friend recently purchased a 2004 156 estate with the 140Bhp 1.9 JTD 16v diesel engine

It's got 37k on i and FSH.
In the space of a month the following has happened.

Leather on door trim has started to fall off
Plastic support under the gearstick snapped and gear stick came off in his hand
Engine management light on
Power steering fluid leak from somewhere.

There are a few things i like about it. It's comfortable, not a lot of road noise and the clocks and on board computer display are all in really easy to view areas.

The things i dislike about it, is it chucks out a lot of black smoke when you floor it (possible due to EML being on)
And compared to my 130bhp Ibiza tdi it feels really slow. There's not a lot of weight difference and the Ibiza has 10bhp less

Not the same model i know, but some insight to my experience of my friend's Alpha ownership

jase1

To be fair, that's quite an old car now and it wouldn't surprise me if any car of that age had the sort of issues this one has.

Getting them all in the space of a month is irritating but they were probably pre-existing before he bought it and have been quickly patched up by the seller.

Tilt

saker75 wrote: »

I looked at a few Alfas. They are really well designed but the seats are designed for lithe Italian's, not fat Scots! Otherwise I'd have one in my driveway.

Actually that may also be a problem for me!

ILW

DKLS wrote: »

Please award yourself some extra Man points.

My Mrs has a 147.

epninety

Prothet_of_Doom wrote: »

155 is about the only alfa I'd look at.

MMMMmmmm. I had one of the earliest 16V 2L Widebodys, in black, with the black alloys. :beer:

Quickest thing in the corners I ever owned, with an evil thirst for tyres. Early ones had huge brakes and silly stiff suspension. Parts prices were utterly loony, and if it was available now, I'd have another like a shot

goonarmy

First question is budget. Then use, milage and number of passengers/kids?

marleyboy

After working for Fiat\Alfa dealership for nearly 15 Years and watching a good 80% of all brand new Alfa's being towed back with major problems, usually involving a complete engine replacement. I would not touch an Alfa let alone drive one.