Why wouldn't you buy an Alfa Romeo? (keep it civilized)

Skylinehead

John_Rambo wrote: »

It's a 500bhp 3 litre petrol twin-turbo SUV.

Aye but it's 40 grand less and a completely different bodystyle of car...

John_Rambo

Nixonbot wrote: »

Aye but it's 40 grand less and a completely different bodystyle of car...

I think it's still comparable. If we were talking Nissan Cashcow v M5 I'd be raising an eyebrow!

MTBD

John_Rambo wrote: »

I think it's still comparable. If we were talking Nissan Cashcow v M5 I'd be raising an eyebrow!

€40k is a hell of a price difference. I've driven the Stelvio QV and been in a new M5. You could argue Stelvio is more fun because its kind of ridiculous going that fast in something as high as a Stelvio. You wont be able to use even a fraction of the M5s ability on the road. You absolutely need a track to enjoy a car like that. The M5 is also massive without being particularly practical. It's a different proposition altogether.

The Stelvio is in a completely different handling league to a X5 M50D not to mention the engine difference. No comparison in terms of excitement.

John_Rambo

MTBD wrote: »

€40k is a hell of a price difference. I've driven the Stelvio QV and been in a new M5. You could argue Stelvio is more fun because its kind of ridiculous going that fast in something as high as a Stelvio. You wont be able to use even a fraction of the M5s ability on the road. You absolutely need a track to enjoy a car like that. The M5 is also massive without being particularly practical. It's a different proposition altogether.

The Stelvio is in a completely different handling league to a X5 M50D not to mention the engine difference. No comparison in terms of excitement.

OK, cool. You know a lot more about the cars and have driven them. Unlike me!

H3llR4iser

Chris_Heilong wrote: »

This seems fitting for here.

It's pointless to blame the independent "specialists" shortcomings on Alfa Romeo, as well as the fact his mechanic mate doesn't seem to know a lot about the 159, but on the general attitude he's absolutely right - and unfortunately I know exactly why that happens and can explain it.

He's especially on the money when he says this kind of attitude comes from the top - it's actually the attitude most Italians have.

Walk into a mildly pricey clothing store in Italy and the staff will start looking you up and down, trying to figure out if you can actually afford spending money with them; Go into a furniture showroom, and they will treat you like you're the beggar at the corner who somehow got in; Essentially, go anywhere they sell anything expensive and you'll be treated like a time waster that's just trying to look at stuff he/she can't afford.

Trying to book a test drive (even for a foreign brand...) down there is infinite amounts of red tape - they ask you dozens of questions, from what job do you do to how many monthly repayments you have (Italians are very very very fond of buying anything in "small monthly payments", way more than here - even stuff like an Xbox gets financed), to quite frankly ridiculously sneaky questions like "what do you currently drive" (as in, if it's old / a ****box they go "ah, no money" and find a way to deny the test). Then they never have cars available, there's some issue or the other and in the end will tell you "we'll call you back", never to bother again.

Personal experience - I booked a test drive of the 159 in Italy, back in 2005 when the car came out, through the Alfa Romeo website. After a few months a dealer called me; Already, the tone of the lady on the line made it clear she was only calling because she was supposed to, then she proceeded to ask me a lot of questions including job, age, if I was married, children - basically stopping just short of asking "how much do you earn?". Then started asking about what I drove (an 1997 Alfa 155 at the time), and THE question: are your intentions to buy a 159? Eh...how am I supposed to know before I actually even see the bloody thing in the metal, my dear lady?

It figures that an Italian company gives direction to apply this model to their foreign sales methods (if you look around, the same issue seems to apply to FIAT and in the past plagued Lancia), without even realizing how damaging that is outside of national borders; unless you are Ferrari and will have a queue of rich customers even if your policy was to kick them in the bollox/f@nny to have the "honour" of giving you money.

ednwireland

ok not a car person - can never afford what i really want but always intriguid by alfa's (ever since loving alfasuds)

so theres a guilietta for sale near me for 8k 132 98000 miles

the only thing that bothering me is servicing but any decent indy should be ok

or am i overthinking this?

swarlb

ednwireland wrote: »

ok not a car person - can never afford what i really want but lawayds intriguid by alfa's (ever since loving alfasuds)

so theres a guilietta for sale near me for 8k 132 98000 miles

the only thing that bothering me is servicing but any decent indy should be ok

or am i overthinking this?

Yes, you are.
Buy a car you want, not one someone else thinks you need. Any decent mechanic will be able to service it.

H3llR4iser

ednwireland wrote: »

ok not a car person - can never afford what i really want but always intriguid by alfa's (ever since loving alfasuds)

so theres a guilietta for sale near me for 8k 132 98000 miles

the only thing that bothering me is servicing but any decent indy should be ok

or am i overthinking this?

Yes, a decent independent should be ok for servicing; There's normally a good test for who is a "decent" independent - if he goes "oh, why did you buy an Alfa?", walk out. I am dead serious - I've regularly found, over the years, that mechanics with such attitude end up doing a completely sh1t job, regardless of their actual level of skill. This is valid for other brands as well - some go "oh why a Renault/Peugeot/Citroen".



Most recently, I've got the radiator replaced in my 159 at a local, extremely well known independent garage in D13; Hundreds of "5-star" reviews on Google et all. They forgot to bleed the darn cooling system after doing the job - something a teenage amateur knows to do.



I found out because I instinctively didn't trust them, and kept checking the levels for the first few days after getting the car back. Someone less inclined would be dealing with a seized engine now.

fancy pigeon

H3llR4iser wrote: »

Yes, a decent independent should be ok for servicing; There's normally a good test for who is a "decent" independent - if he goes "oh, why did you buy an Alfa?", walk out. I am dead serious - I've regularly found, over the years, that mechanics with such attitude end up doing a completely sh1t job, regardless of their actual level of skill. This is valid for other brands as well - some go "oh why a Renault/Peugeot/Citroen".

I generally find these types are lazy, incompetent muppets who don't know how to work on something that different from the masses thus absolutely bollox up simple jobs, sometimes out of spite

I do get asked every so often what I think of the car I now drive/hows it treating me, usually followed by "you don't see many of those about!" or "2.2, that's a rare one" or "that looks so comfortable" and it's a nice change than being asked why I bought it (which was originally to break for parts and weigh in!)

carsfan2

One less Alfa dealer to buy from now. The Limerick dealer, Clareview motors has closed down.

MTBD

carsfan2 wrote: »

One less Alfa dealer to buy from now. The Limerick dealer, Clareview motors has closed down.

I drove past yesterday alright and saw all the cars gone off the forecourt so not surprised actually. Sad. They seemed like a decent enough bunch.

bazz26

They are gone about 2 weeks.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Maybe the answer to this thread is "I wouldnt buy and alfa because nobody else seems to want on"....Its hard make a big purchase like a car from an unpopular brand. Much more reassuring go with something more tried and tested.

terrydel

Damari Rapid Illness wrote: »

Maybe the answer to this thread is "I wouldnt buy and alfa because nobody else seems to want on"....Its hard make a big purchase like a car from an unpopular brand. Much more reassuring go with something more tried and tested.

A lot of that is because, just like houses, we Irish seem to buy on the basis that we will sell again in the near future.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

terrydel wrote: »

A lot of that is because, just like houses, we Irish seem to buy on the basis that we will sell again in the near future.

I dont think its irish or unreasonable to sell your car/house to buy another. Depreciation is a valid concern. Houses generally appreciate over time. Alfa need to put a good guaranteed residual value system in place if they want to shift more new cars.

terrydel

Damari Rapid Illness wrote: »

I dont think its irish or unreasonable to sell your car/house to buy another. Depreciation is a valid concern. Houses generally appreciate over time. Alfa need to put a good guaranteed residual value system in place if they want to shift more new cars.

No, but buying with that mindset is a problem if it is stopping people buying good products or things they like. Just my opinion.