crofty

Just sold my S2000 , need something slightly more practical, (hatchback 4 seats) thinking of one of these, any comments or other suggestions, budget about £13000.

Thanks

Beef

1) Start engine
2) Open bonnet
3) Drool
4) Rev engine
5) Drool some more
6) Drive it
7) Laugh like a maniac
8) Remove all common sense telling you it will be unreliable, thirsty, eat tyres, etc and buy it
9) Repeat 1-7 on a daily basis

A mate has a 156 GTA - sounds lovely, goes very well, handles very well, looks fantastic - and to be fair, has proven reliable and reasonably economical.

Edcase

I was a handshake away from buying a 156 GTA, until I test drove an E39 M5 for the same price, and bought it on the spot.

The car did sound amazing, like a touring car, but the steering was super fast making motorway progress ' interesting'. Also despite that amazing engine and lovely noise, it just didn't feel that fast. I guess the problem was I had just stepped out of an RS6 for the test drive, which couldn't be more different.

The 156 is apparently a good car providing you learn quickly that you cannot simply floor the throttle everywhere (especially around corners!) Plus there are some simple handling mods that will really help the front-end.

Edcase

I was a handshake away from buying a 156 GTA, until I test drove an E39 M5 for the same price, and bought it on the spot.

The car did sound amazing, like a touring car, but the steering was super fast making motorway progress ' interesting'. Also despite that amazing engine and lovely noise, it just didn't feel that fast. I guess the problem was I had just stepped out of an RS6 for the test drive, which couldn't be more different.

The 156 is apparently a good car providing you learn quickly that you cannot simply floor the throttle everywhere (especially around corners!) Plus there are some simple handling mods that will really help the front-end.

Matteeboy

I tested one when selecting a fast hatch.

The torque steer was quite scary, the sound was amazing (nicer than the R32 Golf I got), the interior looked great, the bodykit looked plasticky, and I've only ever seen two so quite exclusive.

Worth testing a Focus RS, an LCR, an R32 (if you can find one for that price) and an S3.

MarkCSC

Rock hard suspension! Fine on motorways but forget it on country roads. You end up bouncing everywhere.

Beef

To all of that, I would like to say this:

Matteeboy

Beef - You changed the photo - Other Autodelta one is insane!

Does look a LOT better than the R32 engine - All plasticky.

Beef

I did - I hadn't noticed at first that the other picture was an Autodelta one, so wanted to be 'accurate' A 3.7 is nuts though! I want one!

You don't buy an Alfa with the head, you buy it with the heart. *Everyone* should own an Alfa at some point in their life.

crofty

Found this one on pistonheads Alfa Romeo : Red Alfa Romeo 147 GTA

What do you think?

Matteeboy

Crofty - Looks good. I prefer the tan leather but other than that, I'd take a look.
38k miles highish for an Alfa so have a good check of everything.

M5_POWER

I'm just looking at one here in Dubai in black a 2005 with 18K miles with all options its costing the equivlant of 15,000GBP.

It has Selespeed though was hoping for a manual but cant be fussy as this is the 1st I seen ever here in 1 yr.

Gonna test drive it on sunday, it feels amazing inside and def looks miles better that any rival.

Anyone driven the selespeed version?

AudiLover

they look like boy racer cars. The bodykits dont look like it was a factory effort, instead the fit and finish looks max power style.

Rokerlad

Not sure how a 147 with that massive heavy lump in the front end can handle that well. The Alfa build quality would also put me off.

Tobisausage

Coming from an S40 driver, guess big wheels and bulging wheel arches don't go with your pipe and slippers.

Rioja

For lots of owner comments, although very biased, look at Alfa Romeo Forum

crofty

Thanks for all the replys! the ALFA bit makes me a bit nervous

gingerboy

Make sure everything works and I meen everything. Common faults relating to switches include stereo controls on steering wheel, boot release switch can also play up. Make sure full closure and opening of windows works on key fob etc etc.

I had a 147, nothing as exotic as a GTA but generally it is a hell of a lot of car for the money.

Low speed ride as already mentioned is not the best. If you could stretch a couple of thousand extra is it worth looking at an Astra VXR second hand??? Seems to be lot's of people switching to them at the moment and they are similair BHP but with a much lighter front end as opposed to the alfas which I believe is a little heavy with that glorious V6 up front.

Don't get me wrong the GTA appeals on many levels but also I would always have that nagging doubt regarding reliability.

Just my thoughts

GB

Beefy

I test drove one last year, brilliant sounding engine, bags of torque but I broke the electric windows and 2 of the console switches on the test drive. That made my mind up and I got another scooby instead.

Drive it, think about it, then drive it again if you want to but dont make the decision to buy when youve just got out of the car for the first time 'cos you'll probably get it on the first impressions without really thinking it through!

Kuro

Consider the recent Alfa owners club question - what do you name your car?

Most said they named their Alfa 'thank-you' on account of it actually firing up in the morning.

A friend of mine's 147 has been back to the dealer so many times it would make me cry He seems a little annoyed but would happily have another

Having looked at the range in Mangoletsi's Chesire, I love these things, each Alfa felt very special and looked the part. But when I got back in the 350Z, and off it went without so much as a minor drama - it supported my Alfa fears...

Depends what you want really - far too unreliable for me. Coming from Toyota's, Scoobs and Nissans - where reliability is a given - it would be very depressing.

Perhaps as a second or third car it would make sense?

Beef

Can I refer you to post 7 above

In seriousness, my friend's one has proven extremely reliable, and he uses it on a daily basis. I think the reputation for Alfa unreliability is a little over-hyped these days, and from my experiences of the various cars he's owned (all Italian!) it's simply a case that you can't mis-maintain them in the way you can with Japanese cars, and it's when you try that you get problems.