Hi All,
Looking for advice on the Alfa Romeo Giuletta. Is it worth buying? Or am I making huge mistake?
R
*edit - corrected the title. Looking for something less than 100,000 KM. Thanks for highlighting the error.
Looking for a 2015 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Distinctive Manual/Auto (<100K KM) *
radicalhaqer on 17/08/2020 - 10:30
Last edited 17/08/2020 - 10:59
Last edited 17/08/2020 - 10:59
Comments
Why? Average K's for a car of that age would be around 70-80k I would think.
Oops! Sorry. Looking for something under 100K KM.
100,000 km or actually under 100 km?
Sorry I meant 100,000 KM.
It's an Alfa.
You will smile when you drive it.
You will have niggling issues with it.
There are a few of them around.
https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/?q=(And.Service.carsales..(C.Make.Alfa+Romeo..Model.Giulietta.).CarAll.keyword(distinctive)..Year.range(2015..).)&sort=%7ePrice
You'll have issue with it and they will cost more than normal to fix. If you are a "car person" then you'll accept these deficiencies. If you just want nice looking transport you may regret the purchase.
Rubbish. Modern Alfa's are very reliable.
Well, debatable.
Rubbish. Modern Alfa's are very reliable.
Compared to what?
But whatever. I'm obviously very conservative as I won't even recommend a VW product to anyone the moment they mention reliability.
Compared to what?
Other Euro trash wagons… :D
I love Italian vehicles (love my Fiat 500), but I would buy a French shitbox over an Alfa. I let others own Alfas so I can admire them and never have to own one.
Thanks. I totally get it with regards to the repair cost. My concern is that it shouldn't be like I am trying to get it fixed all the time.
I would suggest you look up some of the overseas reliability surveys. Keep in mind that the mechanics in Europe work with local engineering design daily and therefore have more experience with diagnosis as the problems come in more regularly and there's a better knowledge network.
Have you thought about where you will get the service work done? If you've got somewhere like Foley Alfa available then great; or do you intend to go to a dealership or a generalist mechanic that makes most of his money fixing camry and commodore?
I drive a Skoda Octavia but wouldn't suggest it as a vehicle for my friends. I like it because I chose a reliable drivetrain, I can buy cheap parts from overseas, I can fit upgraded VW and Audi parts to it, with a tune it goes OK, it's got a ridiculously large load area for a small car and I can do my own servicing (mostly).
If the Alfa ticks your boxes and you are willing to spend a suitable amount on initial purchase price, ongoing maintenance and repairs for what is marketed as a sporty, aspirational, niche vehicle then go for it .
Make sense. Will look it up.
If I end up buying I would most likely go to an Alfa specialist rather than generalist. Unfortunately, I dont think there are any Alfa specialist apart from dealers here in Melbourne. Also, like yourself, I prefer minor maintenance and/or parts replacement doing it myself (DIY). I wonder how feasable it is to buy the parts ourselves and replace it or get it replaced by the specialists?
Found two cars. Falling within my budget range.
- Manual, Fully optioned out. QV line - 90K done
- Auto, Partly Optioned out - 60K done
The price difference is 3.5K between those two. Manual one is cheaper than the auto.
Don't hit urself with PAIN.
The Giulietta is a very good car, and just as reliable as other modern compact hatchbacks, perhaps not as reliable as Toyota or Mazda, but certainly up there with VW, Audi etc.
They are probably the best looking car in that segment and is a joy to drive.Ignore comments from people who once read a review from 1984. Modern Alfas are very reliable. talk to Alfa owners, join Alfa forums, read recent reviews both here and the UK.
Personally I would go with the 6 speed manual rather than the dual-clutch auto, but test drive both first. I don't like the auto at all.
Thanks @BOGOF.
I am actively foraging Alfa forums to get more info. I prefer manual as well. It is more fun to drive a manual than an auto. One advice I've got is get the timing belt changed if I am buying 4+ years old car. This will cost me around $1100 easy. Wonder what the average cost is for other European cars?
About the same. The timing belt on a VW product will be $800-$1400 so it's comparable.
According to Alfa Romeo:-
Regardless of kilometres travelled, the timing belt should be replaced at 4 years or 60,000 kilometres for vehicles operating in dusty areas and/or demanding use, long periods of idling and continuous stop-start driving. For vehicles operated outside the aforementioned
conditions, timing belt replacement should occur at 6 years or 120,000 kilometres.So yes, If it hasn't already been done at a service (check history) then I would be replacing it. You should also replace the water pump at the same time.
For most cars, a replacement timing belt kit, water pump and labour is going to be $800-$1200, so no more expensive than other cars, only that it has to be replaced more often than some others.
If you are in Brisbane I can give you a recommendation to an independent Alfa specialist.,
Have confirmed with the seller that they haven't changed the belt, yet. So I will be doing that if I go ahead with the purchase. Unfortunately, I am based in Melbourne. Would love to know if you know of any here?
@radicalhaqer: Do any of these still exist (from an Alfa club forum post)
Beninca Motors Surrey Hills
Marranello Pursang Motors in Brunswick,
Monza Motors in Bayswater and
Mauceri Motors in Clayton,@brad1-8tsi: Thanks heaps for the list. Will give them a ring tomorrow to check them out. Will do a bit of research as well on these guys.
100,000km 5yo Alfa… I mean, what could possibly go wrong? Cheap to run, cheap to insure, easy and inexpensive to repair. Should be a delight to own…
InB4: "HaVe YoU cOnSiDeReD a PeUgEoT 2o6 gTi?¿?¿"
Wait for the incoming Renault megane 250 blah blah rs blah blah post
What about a Clio RS ?
;o)
Pug 206? You realise that is like 20 years old, right?
There might be more of them around than Alfa Guilliettaz (so cheaper parts from wreckers), but in terms of reliability and functionality, well down my shopping list !
Oh, I get it. Sarcasm
For the past 18 months or so, I've been sick at home and I spent the days watching one car review after another on youtube. Not once do I ever recall anyone recommending an Alfa.
Clarkson….
The motoring tragic laments his 1986 Alfa Romeo GTV6, "the best and the worst I owned".
"It simply never worked but I loved it to death. It was like a really badly behaved dog."
Also https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T830NISwKds
Also "You Can't Be A True Petrolhead Until You've Owned An Alfa"
I owned an 18 month old 1997 Alfa 155 (in the UK) - LOVED IT. Owned it for 12 months. It spent 3 weeks in a mechanics. Still loved it. Would I buy another one? No.
Most of them should have low KMs, as about 50% of the time would have been spent at the mechanic or auto electrician.
2015 AF Giulietta owner here :) Auto 1.4L turbo, currently 115,000kms. When i first got it from wholesale 2nd hand, it has got issues with the start/stop button. It stopped working but was still under warranty so got it fixed. Mechanic found that it's the battery that's incompatible n caused the 'alternator' ( i think) to malfunction n in turn affected the function. it took them a while to figure it out. mechanic advised not good to use the start/stop anyway, so i stopped using it after it's fixed. no issues so far since owning it from May 2018. i would hv preferred a manual as well but when i was ready to make an offer to barbegello on a Saturday, someone else bought the white manual one on the Friday, so i went elsewhere n could only get the auto one. it's still nice to drive.
Good hear that! Did you get the timing belt changed?
not yet, probably next service will b due.
the only version of Giulietta worth getting is QV.. the rest is rubbish…
Got a QV I'm about to sell.
Nothing wrong with it my wife inherited a nice Merc so if we sell mine and her old car I'm thinking of even more power (Honda Civic Type R).
Has given me ZERO problems and by far the best handling car I've ever owned. I fully understand the "Alfa driver" feeling.
Mine's just had new pads and disks (~$750 aftermarket). I'm guessing others around that age may be due soon. Only tip I can give OP. Mine's got 77K on the clock.
I actually REALLY like the TCT. Yes, it can get things wrong sometimes, but in manual mode it's bloody awesome.
Totally agree with you on that.
I would have thought you would struggle to find a 2015 model with under 100KM on the clock.