What is it with people?

Cyrus

mate of mine called for some advice, was on his way to look at a car.

this is it:
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=454725

Passat.

Asked for my advice, i basically told him wouldnt be my thing but if you like it etc, i told him to hold off until i had a quick look

his budget was 7k

i found
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=462657

and this:

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=179686

and these:
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carid=458520

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carid=471466

however he bought the passat straight away and then said ah my dad wouldnt let me buy an alfa (he's 27 btw)

nothing wrong with the passat but still hes missing out imo, and the passat isnt exactly the worlds most reliable car either

jayok

Bummer to end up with the Passat!

I think the problem as is stated times before is branding. VW is "seen" as a reliable solid car whereas the Alfa is "seen" as an unreliable car.

Now the fact could be that the Alfa is more reliable than the Passat with a better drive but this is the power of branding. If it was me TBH I would buy the Alfa - but that's me.

Not to go too far off topic. But Alfa needs to brand itself better address the perception within the market of poor quality. It can be done. Look what Skoda as a brand has done. When I was young there were plenty of jokes around about Skodas (e.g. Rear heated windows to keep your hands warm when pushing) but not so now. It's managed to reverse the market perception. Alfa needs to do the same. Until this happens people will go with "solid" brands.

jayok

BTW I am not bashing or debating Alfa quality here, I am just taking about Market Perception... in case this turns into another one of THOSE threads.

Wishbone Ash

I would go for the Passat because it's diesel and it's a lot more spacious than those Alfa's but then that's me - each to his/her own.

Cyrus

is a passat much more spacious than a 156? doubt it, this guy doesnt have a family either

road_high

I'm guilty of this badge snobbery/ wariness myself. When I was buying a car last year, I went for a diesel VW Bora. I know for the same money I could have had a cleaner and better specced Peugoet/Citroen or even Octavia which is the same car in drag!
It's hard to explain, the VW badge (or similarly Toyota) gives Irish people a sense of reassurance or something. Even my dad said when I bought it ; 'at least you have a reputable brand'! I know a bit about cars, and I know Boras and Passats aren't trouble free at all, especially gearbox and electrics. VW's good reputatiuon is unfounded really.

comanche

Well I wouldn't like to be filling up the petrol tank on any of those Alfas for one. But then again I would also have been very wary of the milage on a 98 diesel passat - 80k miles in 8 years, highly unlikely most diesel drivers are doing 20k plus per annum.

Perhaps he should have looks at the diesel 156 instead...

Rudolph Claus

So the chap was obviously interested in getting a passat. He foned you to get your opinion and you start saying its not your thing and start waffleing about dirty alfas, and coupes. He told you his dad wouldnt yet him buy an alfa to be polite, he didnt want to tell you straight to stfu about petrol alfa coupes when he was looking at diesel passats.

Whats your problem, he went to look at a car that suited his budget/needs, and bought it! Are we missing something?

i told him to hold off until i had a quick look

Ha ha, sure what would you know about cars, do you even do your own serviceing.

What is it with the sort of people that when you say to them that you have a budget of X amount they start listing all the more classier cars than the sort the person is looking for. Just because his budget is E7000 doesnt mean he wants the coolest/biggest engined yoke that 7000 will buy him. He has to consider running costs/reliability/insuance, etc. :rolleyes:

Cyrus

first off i dont appreciate the tone of your response, but ill let that lie.

what do i know about cars - em how do you know what i know about cars? i know more than most of my friends and thats why they come to me looking for an opinion

thirdly - he likes cars but knows little about them, like most people he thinks a vw badge is the key to reliable motoring which it isnt. he was looking at a diesel because of the current price of petrol, when i reminded him that we get fuel expenses at work he realised that fuel consumption wasnt such an issue

He asked me what i would buy with 7k, i sent him a list of about 30 different cars from bora's to octavias to honda accords, but if it was my money i would buy an alfa, however he never saq the list because he bought (like many people) the first car he looked at after getting the salesman spiel.

Also if you look really closely and strain your eyes you'll see a few alfa gtv coupes and few 156s saloons. the 156 saloons are 1.6 and 1.8 which are smaller engined than the 1.9 passat

maybe you should read the thing properly before acting the ass

Wishbone Ash

Cyrus wrote:

we get fuel expenses at work he realised that fuel consumption wasnt such an issue

If you were getting a fixed price per mile then the diesel would be better but if you are getting fuel expenses (i.e. getting refunded for you actual fuel costs) then it wouldn't really matter.

Cyrus

its fixed at 70c a mile, he doesnt do big mileage tho, wouldnt be more than 6-8k miles a yr. our only work mileage is when we are at a clients premises and many are in dublin so we dont drive

secret_squirrel

jayok wrote:

Now the fact could be that the Alfa is more reliable than the Passat

Evidence for this?

The Passat comes 57th in the latest JD power survey.

The 156 comes 109th.

Maybe your mate just wasnt interested in your blatant Alfa fanboyism?

Ooo maybe he wanted you to find the best car for him - not you.

Did you even ask what his requirements were?

Cyrus

i dont get the agression of some people, whats your problem,

i knew his requirments FFS, thats why i suggested the alfa

he wanted a comfy car to seat four if required, something with a bit of pep and not too hard on fuel

i used to own a 1.8 156, had no problems and it wasnt bad on fuel and is a nicer looking and more comfortable car than the older model passat

i dont own an alfa anymore i have a golf gti, theres no blatant alfa fanboyism, its just im not as dismissive of alfa as some people like yourself appear to be, what exactly is your problem with alfas then?

also which version of the passat is in that survey?

and why would i find a car for me not him? if i wanted another 156 id buy one? your post makes no sense at all, had a drink this evening?

Cyrus

actually what do you drive and have you ever owned an alfa?

mike65

Nuttzy you really do have the grace of a chav. Are you like this in real life or just from the safety-zone in front of your keyboard?

In a lighter note **** (Alfa) may be added to the swear words censor!

Mike.

maidhc

I know this is verging close to another one of those threads but I am also one of those who would be very slow to buy an Alfa. My father (who is well informed about cars) would be about as impressed as if I married a prostitute.

I think it is fair to say:

• The passat will be far more fuel efficient than the Alfa, probably 15/20mpg more so.
• The passat will be easier to sell on.
• There is nothing wrong with Passats as cars.
• VW more than likely make more reliable cars than Fiat. Aside from electrical issues and magic electric windows and door locks, that era Passat was pretty OK IMO.
• The Alfa may break down incessantly, particularly if dogged by its previous owner.
• Owning a car isn't a labour of love for most people. I love cars, but when like me you have about 30 different ageing machines to keep going, as well as working full time, the less time the car needs the better. I want my car to go and need no more than oil and filter changes.
• I don't believe for one minute the "Alfas are as reliable a x cars, they just need more tlc". I may be wrong, but frankly don't give a flying fiddler. I also would never ever buy a Renault or modern Merc. Some maunfacturers actually do make really crap stuff. There are plenty of other cars around.

Mind I still wouldn't have bought that Passat, but he could have done worse....




..... He could have bought a 156

secret_squirrel

maidhc wrote:

..... He could have bought a 156

Careful - Cyrus may think you're being agressive.

ninty9er

have you ever sat in the back of a Passat or 156. The Alfa is way smaller for someone over the 6' or even 5' 10" it's cramped

Sonnenblumen

Cyrus,

respect to your mate, he made a prompt but smart decision. I wouldn't take it too seriously, it ain't that important apart from some of the sensitive diehards. This forum is well endowed with 'driving experts' even some alfa heads. But it's a free world, and as they say, it's amazing the relief when you stop hitting your head with a hammer.

I'm one of the lucky ones, no previous mistakes of owning an italian rust bucket so I've no expertise in wasting money and/or silly decision making. But I did have a Passat TDI, a modest car perhaps, spacious yes, economical yes, mechanically rock solid always started when required, and good residual value. I knew some guys who had alfas, they all cried eventually. Paid more for aftercare than they got eventually in residual value as desperate trade ins. None have gone back.


But don't believe me, ask Kermit!

Eoin

Cyrus, in fairness I don't know what you expected from this thread - apart from an up-to-date list of who to add to your ignore list. Actually, at this stage, I don't know why anyone bothers with these threads, apart from our newer trolls who still find it funny.

mikedragon32

Cyrus,

take a step back. Forget that the advice you gave was about cars and try not to take everything so personally.

People often ask for advice from people "in the know" and from people who may not be so enlightened.

Just because you are asked for an opinion doesn't mean the person asking will actually act upon it. Consider that some folk will go see a doctor and still won't take the advice he offers. How many people do you know who've had heart or lung problems but continue to lead unhealthy lifestyles? It's a personal choice.

There is every chance your friend had his mind made up before asking you and unless you completely ruled out the Passat as being an unreliable, rusting heap what you wouldn't even consider using as a toilet, I would imagine he was going to go ahead and get it anyway.

Chill out, life's too short.

Cyrus

secret_squirrel wrote:

Careful - Cyrus may think you're being agressive.

no he made a sensible post, im all for constructive conversation, something it doesnt seem you are capable of, but thats your problem