Alfa Romeo stats.. and they are surprising

bear1

I was reading an article on the Giulia which was test driven by the independent.
Surprisingly the tester preferred the diesel with 150bhp and then he mentioned that the petrol is only 100e more per year to tax. Not bad for a 200 bhp car.
So I then went onto beepbeep and alfa have literally smashed their sales in the first 3 months compared to the whole of 2016.
Probably they are company cars but could the Giulia be a turning point for alfa in Ireland?

http://www.beepbeep.ie/stats/?sYear%5B%5D=2017&sYear%5B%5D=2016&sRegType=1&sMonth%5B%5D=&sMonth%5B%5D=&sMake%5B%5D=Alfa%2BRomeo&x=53&y=4

Surprised the Giulietta is still selling.
Only 30% of the new Giulias registered are petrol so either they are the turbo or the qv (yeah right).

http://www.beepbeep.ie/stats/?sYear%5B%5D=2017&sYear%5B%5D=2017&sRegType=1&sMonth%5B%5D=&sMonth%5B%5D=&sMake%5B%5D=Alfa%2BRomeo&sRange%5B%5D=GIULIA&x=51&y=18

ba_barabus

Hopefully they'll hit 100 by years end. Still terrible mind.

colm_mcm

27 sales in 3 months?
Turning point?

You'd be fired selling cars for a real brand if those were your personal figures!

road_high

These are terrible figures...chicken feed compared to the likes of Hyundai, Ford etc who probably sell that many in half a day...

vandriver

How does it pay to have a fully stocked parts department for such paltry sales?

colm_mcm

vandriver wrote: »

How does it pay to have a fully stocked parts department for such paltry sales?

Volume!

NIMAN

Shame as they are all lovely looking cars.

vandriver

colm_mcm wrote: »

Volume!

2 air filters and a brake pad every month!

bazz26

I wonder how many are pre reg or dealer reged launch cars?

meeeeh

vandriver wrote: »

2 air filters and a brake pad every month!

They are not that bad to mantain at all from my experience if you drive normally but their drivers have often bad reputation. Anyway they are insanely expensive in Ireland.

dudara

We have an Alfa GTV garaged and off the road as we just don't drive it enough at the moment. Fantastic fun car to drive. And the new Alfa featured recently on Top Gear looked insanely good.

ba_barabus

vandriver wrote: »

How does it pay to have a fully stocked parts department for such paltry sales?

In my experience they don't. Only seevice items are available off the shelf, in most cases as they are shared witg other cars. Anything bigger like a wishbone has to be ordered.

carsfan2

I would think these are actually disappointing for Alfa here.
The new guilia I would expect that they thought would be over 100 after 3 months. It is their great new hope and they are giving cheap spec upgrades and 2.9% finance as well.
Pity as looks a nice car and get ok reviews.

bear1

colm_mcm wrote: »

27 sales in 3 months?
Turning point?

You'd be fired selling cars for a real brand if those were your personal figures!

road_high wrote: »

These are terrible figures...chicken feed compared to the likes of Hyundai, Ford etc who probably sell that many in half a day...

To be fair, in 2016 they had 42 sales in total.
In the first 3 months they have halved it, so in my mind they are performing better than 2016.
re being fired, I'd blame more the brand not advertising aggressively than anything else.

carsfan2

bear1 wrote: »

To be fair, in 2016 they had 42 sales in total.
In the first 3 months they have halved it, so in my mind they are performing better than 2016.
re being fired, I'd blame more the brand not advertising aggressively than anything else.

Agreed re advertising.
I have seen very few promotions for the new guilia and the fact that the pcp rate is so low.

Stallingrad

There was a good brochure for it in the Irish Times a couple of weekends ago. Just over €40K for a fully loaded auto with leather, if I was in the market for a 3 series/C-class or A4 the Alfa would be very attractive.

What Alfa will always struggle with is the dealer experience, the big 3 set the bar very high and Alfa is largely an unknown quantity.

bear1

Stallingrad wrote: »

There was a good brochure for it in the Irish Times a couple of weekends ago. Just over €40K for a fully loaded auto with leather, if I was in the market for a 3 series/C-class or A4 the Alfa would be very attractive.

What Alfa will always struggle with is the dealer experience, the big 3 set the bar very high and Alfa is largely an unknown quantity.

It also still has that stigma attached to it, which is why they need to seriously promote the car.
All well and good providing good PCP rates but sure if you only know about them from one or two newspaper articles it won't help them.

GavMan

RE: Advertising.

Its everywhere on TV in the states to be fair to it. They are probably keener on cracking markets like that, rather than Ireland

bear1

They should crack as many markets as they can.

mloc123

bear1 wrote: »

They should crack as many markets as they can.

Ireland is a tiny market... the investment in advertising here would probably not see a return.

bear1

mloc123 wrote: »

Ireland is a tiny market... the investment in advertising here would probably not see a return.

Tiny compared to most EU markets yes, but as you can see some car makers make a killing here.
No excuse for Alfa not to up their game with PR.

Indricotherium

bear1 wrote: »

It also still has that stigma attached to it, which is why they need to seriously promote the car.
All well and good providing good PCP rates but sure if you only know about them from one or two newspaper articles it won't help them.

It will be hard to offer a good PCP rate on them because they won't be able to back much of a guaranteed value in 3/4 years

H3llR4iser

Munich airport also had the Giulia (in Veloce trim) advert playing over and over on the videowalls at the end of January.

To be entirely honest, I can completely understand their total lack of interest in the Irish market; I wouldn't bother as well if I was "calling the shots". Besides being a tiny potential userbase, there are a number of additional pitfalls that span from sheer cost of ownership/running a car to the general direction policies and culture are going, becoming very much "anti-car" and seeing the motorist as the "evil" and only worth squeezing for money; Not many people go for a "driver's car" anymore and less and less will do in the future, especially as insurance companies will come up with newer and better ways to rip drivers off (just like they profile people as "boy racers" if they drive anything Japanese which isn't a Micra).

Obviously, there still being the pub talk mentality of "Italian cars will rust!" doesn't help at all. Most people here will see the Giulia, like it, want one and buy a Hyundai instead because it's "reliable".

bmwguy

Pity, its my 2nd favourite car brand but it's on its knees in Ireland.

Only car I ever bought with my own money apart from a bmw was a beautiful red Alfa 156 and I couldn't fault it.

I bet the previous owner did though, it was a 2006 and I bought it in 2010 with 56000 miles for 5 grand if I remember correctly. Assuming is was mid to high 30s when new that's about 85% depreciation in 4 years.

Moved into it from an e39 530i drove it for a year and sold it to buy another e39. It was a 120bhp 1.6 which wasn't really the place to go after a 231bhp 3 litre petrol. But it's still in my family and looking well and going strong even if it's not looked after as well anymore as it was when I owned it.

In recent times I have looked at 159s but they can't tempt me out of a 5 series, in fairness a 3 series can't either. In a few years I am sure the Giulia will be catching my eye when I am in market again.

bear1

Indricotherium wrote: »

It will be hard to offer a good PCP rate on them because they won't be able to back much of a guaranteed value in 3/4 years

Think they are on offer for 2.9%? Is that a high rate compared to others?
They also seem to doing deals between trims for practically nothing - 170e from sport to Lux sport I think.

vandriver

bear1 wrote: »

Think they are on offer for 2.9%? Is that a high rate compared to others?
They also seem to doing deals between trims for practically nothing - 170e from sport to Lux sport I think.

What he means is that the monthly PCP cost,which covers interest and depreciation,would have to be higher than similarly priced cars which hold more of their value.

Arthur Daley

Alfa sold plenty of 156 and 147 here. Plus a fair few 166. But they totally lost their way here 2005 to 2015.

The Mito has had fairly poor reviews vs the cinquecento. The Guilietta is fine but doesn't feel anything particularly special as a diesel anyway. Hope the Guilia does well. Deserves to and looks great.

MTBD

Just to put Alfa's fall into sales obscurity into perspective....

In January 2001 Alfa Romeo registered 414 new cars. By the end of March they had sold 916.

The had 1.28% of the market to Audi's 1.4% by years end.

The sales figures for the Giulia are shocking in this country. But the dealers are tiny and outdated and off the beaten path. There used to be loads of Alfa dealers all around the country. Now there are less than 7 I believe.

http://www.simi.ie/Statistics/National+Vehicle+Statistics.html

bear1

MTBD wrote: »

Just to put Alfa's fall into sales obscurity into perspective....

In January 2001 Alfa Romeo registered 414 new cars. By the end of March they had sold 916.

The had 1.28% of the market to Audi's 1.4% by years end.

The sales figures for the Giulia are shocking in this country. But the dealers are tiny and outdated and off the beaten path. There used to be loads of Alfa dealers all around the country. Now there are less than 7 I believe.

http://www.simi.ie/Statistics/National+Vehicle+Statistics.html

Crazy how wrong it's gone.
The 156 and 147 were serious cash cows for alfa.
Such a shame, I remember years ago there was talk of vw buying alfa and I was saying how I hope it doesn't happen.
Now.. it probably should have happened although I imagine they'd have been bogged down with the emissions scandal.

MTBD

bear1 wrote: »

Crazy how wrong it's gone.
The 156 and 147 were serious cash cows for alfa.
Such a shame, I remember years ago there was talk of vw buying alfa and I was saying how I hope it doesn't happen.
Now.. it probably should have happened although I imagine they'd have been bogged down with the emissions scandal.

Meh, I'm glad Alfa weren't taken over by VW. I think they would have just remained fwd upmarket Skoda's. At least now they are getting the right funding and have made a fantastic car which I don't think VW are capable of. On the road I think the Giulia is one of the best proportioned cars out there. Better than the current quattroporte and anything in its class. It doesn't come across how nice it really is in the photos.

The Giulia is everything is want in a car. Good looking, sharp to drive and relatively basic in its functions. I genuinely hate excessive technology in cars. Nothing dates them quicker either.

bear1

MTBD wrote: »

Meh, I'm glad Alfa weren't taken over by VW. I think they would have just remained fwd upmarket Skoda's. At least now they are getting the right funding and have made a fantastic car which I don't think VW are capable of. On the road I think the Giulia is one of the best proportioned cars out there. Better than the current quattroporte and anything in its class. It doesn't come across how nice it really is in the photos.

The Giulia is everything is want in a car. Good looking, sharp to drive and relatively basic in its functions. I genuinely hate excessive technology in cars. Nothing dates them quicker either.

I saw a qv in Italy and a few diesels around here but my god did the qv have a presence about it.

Arthur Daley

Alfa have a few things planned. Their first suv the stelvio is launching in europe now and should be in right hand drive by the end of the year. Alfa Romeo Stelvio sure is a tempting name which should help the image.

There is also a plan for long awaited 166 replacement based on the maserati ghibli.

Sadly with the stale offering in recent years, Alfa's sales decline has been europe wide with their sales halving this decade, and about a third of the level when the 156 and 147 where freshly launched. But hopefully they can rebound with a new model line up.

goochy

Guila aside think Alfa ireland should be importing some used mito/ guiletta for dealers to sell from uk. Might bring some more showroom traffic and parts / service business .

bear1

That would cost them a fortune with no guarantee on returns.

galwaytt

The problem isn't the cars, it's the dealers. Outside of a couple long termers, I've never seen any garage stick with them. Often the dealerships were picked up when they lost another, or were stuck for one. As soon as one of the other brands came up they dropped Alfa like a hot potato They were just using it as a stepping stone to something else, and invested the bare minimum and even less enthusiasm. Which is a pity.

The worst part is I don't even know if it's fixable...

goochy

Don't agree about dealers , clareview , dan seamans , waterford motor village , agnelli and tractamotors , all perfectly good garages in urban areas.

galwaytt

goochy wrote: »

Don't agree about dealers , clareview , dan seamans , waterford motor village , agnelli and tractamotors , all perfectly good garages in urban areas.

I think they're the long termers I alluded to: they aren't enough to make the brand a success as coverage across the country is too thin...

H3llR4iser

goochy wrote: »

Don't agree about dealers , clareview , dan seamans , waterford motor village , agnelli and tractamotors , all perfectly good garages in urban areas.

Ehrm...Dan Seaman's location is appaling at best, if they still are on Forge Hill, that is. I am a long term Alfista, second generation in fact, and didn't actually know about them until I was told at an Alfaowner.com meeting; When I drove to their showroom, I could not believe how "hidden away" they actually were.

grogi

MTBD wrote: »

Meh, I'm glad Alfa weren't taken over by VW. I think they would have just remained fwd upmarket Skoda's. At least now they are getting the right funding and have made a fantastic car which I don't think VW are capable of.

You know who owns Bugatti and Lamborghini, don't you? And Porsche... ?

grogi

H3llR4iser wrote: »

Ehrm...Dan Seaman's location is appaling at best, if they still are on Forge Hill, that is. I am a long term Alfista, second generation in fact, and didn't actually know about them until I was told at an Alfaowner.com meeting; When I drove to their showroom, I could not believe how "hidden away" they actually were.

Yes. A very deserted prace indeed.

What would bring most people to an Alfa dealership? When VW opens its own (Blackwater Motors IIRC)...

MTBD

grogi wrote: »

You know who owns Bugatti and Lamborghini, don't you? And Porsche... ?

I always imagine that they would have run Alfa more like Skoda on VW platforms than like Porsche who have almost complete autonomy. I doubt they would have run them like either Porsche or Lamborghini. I've always thought Alfa's were better than equivalent Audi's in the driving stakes at the very least. 147>A3, 156/159>A4 and 166>A6.

Anyway, I don't want the Germans having a monopoly on car manufacturing.

goochy

Seamans location may not be great but they are car people , their premises are good and they seem to be doing well with Fiat - as Fiat goes !
They took on some of the staff from Lee garage .

zilog_jones

I wouldn't have known they existed if it wasn't for this thread - I assumed there was no Fiat/Alfa dealer in Cork after Lee closed. Forge Hill is totally hidden unless you have some other reason to be there...

goochy

I get it about the location , that's why they lost Hyundai but I am into cars and knew as soon as they got fiat/ alfa and it was in local press.

people don't have to pass by an alfa dealer in every town, if you know about them and you visit a professional looking dealer like Seamans and like the car - that's all that matters.

Oafley Jones

I'd be surprised if it was that. I'd imagine Dan Seaman wouldn't have been aggressive enough to meet Hyundai's really ambitious targets. Unlike Kearys. The location is fine. Ford are there and VW blackwater are opening there. You think VW sales are going to fall off? Just how strongly do people think the location matters anyway. It's not an impulse purchase, you generally seek them out... just as long as they are within a decent distance.

Personally, and as someone who quite like Alfas, I really dislike the Giulia. I think it's this weirdly derivative design that looks fairly dated.

galwaytt

MTBD wrote: »

....like Porsche who have almost complete autonomy.

...cough, splutter: Porsche's biggest sellers, Cayenne, Macan, are badge-engineered VAG's, lets call a spade a spade here. And I'm actually a Porsche fan, owing one. It's not always a bad thing, but in the mid-market, it's getting very crowded: there was a new Kodiak parked near a new Tiguan at Cars & Coffee in Limerick on Sunday and you'd have to ask: why ??

And that, imho, is where Alfa's opportunity lies: in NOT being a VAG.

bear1

First ad I've seen for the new Stelvio. Looks savage.

colm_mcm

The front looks a bit silly.

Zipppy

Bring back the alfa sud and the alfa sprint ....

bear1

colm_mcm wrote: »

The front looks a bit silly.

Picture was of bad quality anyway cause I was moving a bit.
It's quite similar to the Giulia at the front but higher up.
Thought it looked nice at least from the ad.

meeeeh

Are you saying that you took pictures when moving "a bit"?