Alfa GTA - Pants or Cool?
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Love em... but like RayBan said, not sure what to make of the reliability. I wanted a 156 GTA when i sold the GTI... but i couldnt afford one as they were still around the 15k mark. Glorious engine... and fantastic styling. I went to look at one in red and loved it to bits, lovely interior too, and the engine was wonderful on startup and tickover (didnt take it for drive)... but i did see another one fly past me whilst i was at a postbox, and the sound of it was sensational.
Yup, used to work for Universal Salvage and took a V6 156 out for for a spin and it was cheap (?5K!). Was really tempted to get it cept a) other half hated it and b) the people i worked with (all motor trade people) said that they were great but reliability was still an issue. They said it really depended on the car (pot luck I guess) but said parts and servicing was expensive. Put me right off. Would still love to own one though, esp the 156 GTA.
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796 Posts
I love 'em. The 2 litre engine from the older cars is a cracker, gorgeous sound and really quick. Came this close to getting a 145 Cloverleaf when I was buying my car-before-last, but chose a VR6 instead [
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The only thing I couldn't get on with is the depreciation, which is a bit of a killer. May as well drive down the road chucking tenners randomly out of the window.
]The only thing I couldn't get on with is the depreciation, which is a bit of a killer. May as well drive down the road chucking tenners randomly out of the window.
Great cars, fantastic engines but poor dealers. Watching the car in flames on the police program on BBC 1 has put me off as well.
People I know who own them say they are 100% reliable no problems etc but you have to go with the survey results.
Wouldn't buy one but they are quick 147 GTA at least.
People I know who own them say they are 100% reliable no problems etc but you have to go with the survey results.
Wouldn't buy one but they are quick 147 GTA at least.
Quote: posted by RayBanUK on 24/01/2005 17:19:13My other half calls them 'Sharks'. Go figure.
I can see that. And talking of sharks, CH5 tonight []
Alfa Romeo. Love them. Unfortunately everyone has already covered why I wouldn't buy one. My day to day driving is loads of stopping and starting, in and out of the car and 90% around town. I reckon after 3 years I'd be trading in a cardboard box full of bits. Shame really.
My mate had a 147 that had more electrical gremlins than I don't know what. Luckily the dealer wrote it off for him on a test drive after a service [:O]
I can see that. And talking of sharks, CH5 tonight [
]Alfa Romeo. Love them. Unfortunately everyone has already covered why I wouldn't buy one. My day to day driving is loads of stopping and starting, in and out of the car and 90% around town. I reckon after 3 years I'd be trading in a cardboard box full of bits. Shame really.
My mate had a 147 that had more electrical gremlins than I don't know what. Luckily the dealer wrote it off for him on a test drive after a service [:O]
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2,786 Posts
A friend of mine runs a company with a fleet of about 20 cars.
A couple of years back he disposed of two cars that had cost similar money when new;
a) Ford Mondeo ST24 2.5V6
b) Alfa Romeo 156 2.5V6
During the 3 years of ownership the F%rd had just had regular servicing.
The Alfa spent a total of nearly 5 months at the dealers having faults fixed.
They both depreciated like a stone and were of similar performance. The Alfa had better handling, flair and "brio" [/hack-speak] but as an ownership proposition the good old Ford won hands down.
As for the GTA, every review I read said as usual the engine and steering etc were great, but the ride quality was dire for the roads we have here. Wouldn't commit my own money to one thats for sure.
A couple of years back he disposed of two cars that had cost similar money when new;
a) Ford Mondeo ST24 2.5V6
b) Alfa Romeo 156 2.5V6
During the 3 years of ownership the F%rd had just had regular servicing.
The Alfa spent a total of nearly 5 months at the dealers having faults fixed.
They both depreciated like a stone and were of similar performance. The Alfa had better handling, flair and "brio" [/hack-speak] but as an ownership proposition the good old Ford won hands down.
As for the GTA, every review I read said as usual the engine and steering etc were great, but the ride quality was dire for the roads we have here. Wouldn't commit my own money to one thats for sure.
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1,182 Posts
I think they're cool, always really liked the style and design of Alfa's, shame their residuals aren't the best though.
I am going to rock the boat here.
I hate Alfa's. Crap reliability, poor residuals, over rated and ugly. The off-set number plate is not cool either IMO.
My supervisor sold his 147 recently and it needed 2 sets of bushes all round in 2 years and was plagued with problems.
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I hate Alfa's. Crap reliability, poor residuals, over rated and ugly. The off-set number plate is not cool either IMO.
My supervisor sold his 147 recently and it needed 2 sets of bushes all round in 2 years and was plagued with problems.
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Looked at getting an Alfa before but I used to work in the motor trade and know from experience how poor their reliability is.
The other bad thing is the hideous depreciation they suffer - the 156 GTA loses over ?50 per day it its first year (typically around ?18.5k in the first year).
The other bad thing is the hideous depreciation they suffer - the 156 GTA loses over ?50 per day it its first year (typically around ?18.5k in the first year).
In my last job, one of my fellow directors had a 156 V6. Bought new in 1999, just before they slashed ?3k off the list price. Did 110k miles in it and really had little more than routine servicing. Didn't take it to franchised dealer - used a good specialist who looked after it. After 3 years it still looked stunning. Unfortunately, he drove round a corner one day and into a deep puddle - engine cut out. Before help could arrive, puddle grey and car was flooded. With only third party insurance, we basiccally had to give it away!
Mind you, another directopr had a grey import Impreza Turbo at same time - that was more expensive to keep on road, worse for fuel, needed more repairs and looked pretty tatty at same age and mileage. Now, if depreciation was your thing, my then company car beat them both hands down (it cost roughly same at purchase but was worth more than twice as much on disposal...) - but then you might not have been happy driving a Renault Grand Espace diesel! Given we made and sold ladders though, it was far more use to us than any of the posey machines they had.....
Mind you, another directopr had a grey import Impreza Turbo at same time - that was more expensive to keep on road, worse for fuel, needed more repairs and looked pretty tatty at same age and mileage. Now, if depreciation was your thing, my then company car beat them both hands down (it cost roughly same at purchase but was worth more than twice as much on disposal...) - but then you might not have been happy driving a Renault Grand Espace diesel! Given we made and sold ladders though, it was far more use to us than any of the posey machines they had.....
djhorace, at first I didnt like it but with that front end there isnt really anywhere else to put the number plate and I've seen a lot worse on modified Jap cars so it doesnt bother me. In fact, if I had it my way, I wouldnt EVEN like normal number plates stuck to the front of any bumper.
I say I would get a Alfa brand new but 3-5K for an secondhand Alfa 156 2.5V6 can't be bad, as long as its a good example. In my opinion, they have improved since the 145/155 days though. The sound is absolutely gorgeous though.
I say I would get a Alfa brand new but 3-5K for an secondhand Alfa 156 2.5V6 can't be bad, as long as its a good example. In my opinion, they have improved since the 145/155 days though. The sound is absolutely gorgeous though.
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My partner has (its for sale currently as she has bought a 2.5 diesel passat) GTv 2.0.
As a drivers cars its fantastic. Handles well, goes well (150bhp) and sounds, well in my opinion it sounds better than her brother ferrari, much better.
As for the reliability, she has had it for over two years and not had any problems.
I can't remember the guys name, James will know it, but he intructs David Coulthard in F1 and sets up his car before each GP. Well he drives a 156 V6, and when I was out in a car with him at Goodwood (thanks James) we were talking about Alfas, and he reckons his has never broken down and is still on the original gearbox after 160,000miles. I could'nt get over it. He's a nutter in a car !
As a drivers cars its fantastic. Handles well, goes well (150bhp) and sounds, well in my opinion it sounds better than her brother ferrari, much better.
As for the reliability, she has had it for over two years and not had any problems.
I can't remember the guys name, James will know it, but he intructs David Coulthard in F1 and sets up his car before each GP. Well he drives a 156 V6, and when I was out in a car with him at Goodwood (thanks James) we were talking about Alfas, and he reckons his has never broken down and is still on the original gearbox after 160,000miles. I could'nt get over it. He's a nutter in a car !
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