My superannuated Alfa 147 is pretty much on it’s last legs now…MrsPJM has decided that we need an estate car and that it should be a diesel.

Now, funds won’t stretch far so it’s going to be a used car circa £5k. I’m a bit of an Alfa fan so I was thinking about a 1.9 Alfa 159 Sportwagon.

Any experiences here?

Don’t piss about with something called an estate without a proper boot space. Fitting a bike rack to an estate is a fail 🙂 Not judging the alfa but it doesn’t look spacious from the pics.

I’ve no first hand experience, however a friend at work is similar to you and loves his alfa’s. I’m not sure how true this is but he reckoned when he got a sport wagon version of the 147 he reckoned there was actually less physical space than he let the seats down in his standard 147.

As above I’m no Alfa expert, but do recall this – at the very least I’d check the sport wagon specifications before committing to a purchase. I think my mate bought the 3.2 v6 if that helps??

FYI he now drives a smaller Volvo estate and seems happy with that.

Good luck!

A 3.2 v6 would be near the top of my list, if I didn’t have to fuel, run and service my own car – I used to own a 2.5 V6 Alfa 156 saloon.

I know I could go for a Ford Mondeo but it’s a little too much like just giving up for my liking. It’s a shame that Saabs are badge engineered Vauxhalls otherwise that would be on my list, but I still cannot get over the whole Swedish barge thing so a Volvo is definitely out.

I’m in a similar position though thirty and already own a diesel estate.

Always had Alfas, currently driving a 156 sportwagon 2.4jtd which is due for replacement.

The old man bought a remapped 159 SW 1.9jtd to replace his V6 4×4 Brera. It lasted a few months then he went back to the Brera. I used it for a week during his ownership and though it’s got to be one of the best looking estate cars and far more practical, modern and better put together than the 156 I found it had to get excited by it.

Driving it you could be in any modern euro-box – not a bad thing necessarily (during that week nothing fell off it, broke or stopped working unlike the 156 on a daily basis) it just didn’t do anything for me.

Currently looking into alternatives, very little ticks the boxes the 156 does… possibly a manual BMW 330d touring if you can find a good one – open to suggestions.

I know I could go for a Ford Mondeo but it’s a little too much like just giving up for my liking.

It’s a car, you use it to queue behind the other loser on the queue to get anywhere.
Comfy Seats
Room for Stuff
Doesn’t drink like george best.

Grow up!

Young man get yourself a Skoda Octavia estate. 😀

It was the 156 SW that actually has less load space than the 156 saloon with the load liner in place – obviously you can stack the boot to the roof if required though.

Don’t really agree that an estate with a rack is a “fail” I don’t want a muddy bikes in my car or to be faffing about taking wheels off after a ride. Tow bar rack for me is much easier.

Bought a diesel estate for the better half recently too.
1.9 TDI A4 but any of the Volkswagen/Audi group of cars that come with that engine are fine.
It’s superb, went to Cardiff from Hampshire last Weekend on £12 of diesel, MPG never dropped below 40 and it had decent poke too.
The engine is smooth, has decent grunt and they have legendary reliability often reaching in excess of 250,000 miles.
Currently looking for a second one for me now!

Plenty of Passats around at that price, will have had their issues fixed.

A Skoda Octavia estate is on my *ahem* – MrsPJM’s list.

Grow up? I’ve nothing against Ford, but a one-time party animal friend designs their diesel engines and is now one of the dullest people I know.

Wow – if growing up means I HAVE to get a boring car I don’t want to grow up at all.

Rob, 37 and wanting to buy a turbo petrol car…..

It’s a car, you use it to queue behind the other loser on the queue to get anywhere.
Comfy Seats
Room for Stuff
Doesn’t drink like george best.
Grow up!

Similar to the OP I actually enjoy driving and am lucky enough to live somewhere that I rarely see traffic let alone sit in queues.

Grow up?

Seriously.

robdob – Member

Rob, 37 and wanting to buy a turbo petrol car…..

Good timing, we’ll all be driving 0.6l 3cyl turbos pretty soon! 😛

Don’t really agree that an estate with a rack is a “fail” I don’t want a muddy bikes in my car or to be faffing about taking wheels off after a ride. Tow bar rack for me is much easier.

The point being if you buy an estate car that wont fit bikes you really just bought a normal car with an estate shaped back end.

Similar to the OP I actually enjoy driving and am lucky enough to live somewhere that I rarely see traffic let alone sit in queues.

I guess many thousands of miles just left me not caring about throwing a car around for driving pleasure, certainly not chucking fivers out the window for the privilege.

Errr the one I’m looking at is a 2.3l inline petrol turbo!! RWD too. 😀

But the big estate car question is… why doesn’t someone incorporate a full length cover over all the luggage with the back seats down? That way I could have a much smaller car (no kids you see).

you don’t mean one of these slowoldman do you?

The point being if you buy an estate car that wont fit bikes you really just bought a normal car with an estate shaped back end.

Yup, no problem with that. I’ve dogs that go in the back (missus might complain if stuffed into the boot of a saloon) and a few other reasons for wanting an estate over a saloon. In the case of the 156 I actually think it looks better proportioned than the saloon too.

I guess many thousands of miles just left me not caring about throwing a car around for driving pleasure, certainly not chucking fivers out the window for the privilege.

I do about 20k a year an enjoy nearly every minute luckily. The single figure mpg of my other car coupled with lacking any creature comforts and rock solid suspension would really upset you. Hopefully.

or one of these…

Brother in law had the Alfa Sportswagon, great to look at but that’s about it according to him, he never disclosed the costs or depreciation on it….

The single figure mpg of my other car coupled with lacking any creature comforts and rock solid suspension would really upset you. Hopefully.

It probably would, I couldn’t justify the cost of the fuel for one.

I had a 159 2.4 JTDm Sportwagon for about a year. I did quite a few long journeys, but my commute was quite short, which sometimes stopped the shitty cat from doing a proper regen cycle. This would then put the whole car in limp mode and the Alfa garage would have to force a regen cycle.

Did this about four times and I gave up on it, mostly due to the terrible customer service at the Alfa/Fiat garage in Bristol at the time.

Their advice was to take it on a 30 min drive on dual carriageways at least once a fortnight for 20-30 mins. Errr, no!

If you do regular long journeys, you should be fine.

I ran a BMW diesel for two years after the Alfa on the same length commutes for two years with no issues.

The Alfa was lovely, but some of the buttons were horrible (especially the ones on the steering wheel).

Pickup no, Z3 yes, the ideal configuration, but sadly a little lacking in the luggage department.

I just picked up a 2.2 Mazda 6 estate. It’s massive! 4 bikes + 4 people. Inside! (both wheels off) 550 miles average per tank and it’s quick

Interesting; when I passed 40, I bought a smaller petrol car with a turbocharger and supercharger.

Mind you, I have no kids… 🙂

Rachel

If it were up to me I’d have a 1989 Golf GTI but needs must. Now a Z3 breadvan…utterly bonkers and a recipe for me to lose my hitherto pristine license.

My experience of Alfa dealers is that they tend to be wildly expensive and hideously cynical with their customer service so I’d be looking at an independent to maintain it. We have a decent Alfa specialist nearby though, so that’s not a huge issue.

Usual rules apply with a modern diesel (esp. the GM lump in a 159) unless you are doing over 20k a year the money you save in fuel will be eaten up when ever the dmf/dpf/turbo etc goes pop.

Having owned two Aflas, I can confirm your understanding of main dealer’s interest in their customers…

For £5k – Audi S4 Quattro Estate 4.2

You don’t need to be doing high mileage to keep the engine working, you just have to do enough long journeys. You could be doing 5k a year but if it’s done in 5 long trips you’ll be fine.

The 20k mile thing is about justifying the extra cost of the diesel, but it assumes you are buying new.

My experience of Alfa dealers is that they tend to be wildly expensive and hideously cynical with their customer service so I’d be looking at an independent to maintain it. We have a decent Alfa specialist nearby though, so that’s not a huge issue.

That seems to be the consecus and I always had mine (156 and 147 Selespeed) maintained by an independent in Wrexham. He struggled with Selespeed problem so I took it to the dealer in Cheshire and they were great. Fixed the problem quickly and cheaply and also went halfs on a known problem in spite of the car being over 5yrs old. Pretty good experience really!

Had a Mondeo Estate for 4 years, very happy but it expired after 180K miles. Went to Cargiant, sat in and poked around in pretty much every big estate there is and ended up getting another Mondeo Estate.

Octavia might have more space, but it’s not as useful, there’s a step down from the boot lip, then another step up before the rear seats. A lot of estates don’t make as good use of the space they have. Ford have managed to minimise the intrusion of the rear wheel arches into the load space way better than anyone else. Compare it to the Honda Accord and you’ll wonder what the hell Honda are doing under there. “premium” estates – A6, Jag etc, have more shallow sloping back roofs/windows and limited space as a result.

modeo Estate – flat, big, even load space, good handling, nice space to sit, comfy for long distances, acceptable economy, spares not too pricey, good value if you’re buying second hand, not ugly.

Ticks more boxes for us than any of the competition. And a double air bed mattress fits in the back with the seats down if you’re interested.

We really liked the BMW 5 series as a place to be, but there’s less space, we’d have to have bought an older model with more miles for what we spent, and sucked up higher maintenance costs.

However, I’ve now read your original post properly, and it’s too late to replace my post above with:

“Ford Mondeo hard to beat if you want max space, but if you don’t need the space and want an Afa, maybe that one you mentioned is the best bet. But I don’t know because I’ve not had one. Or even sat in one. Figured it was smaller than we wanted.”

HTH(BICITID)

My recent (owned) car progression has gone V8 petrol – V6 petrol – 1.9tdi.
The 1.9 is by far the best car of the lot, so much so that its become dull due to its competency and i will be looking for an Alfa Romeo van next.

btw do the steering wheels on Fords still turn to mush after 50k?

I always thought Ford should divert a bit of the marketing budget into improving the actual product.

Ford build quality: Bought at 140,000 miles for £2K. 4 years and 42,000 trouble free miles later, a number of things all went at once. Scrapped for £210. Averaged 48mpg (computer, so maybe less) nothing more than a bulb gone at 3 MOTs. Scrappy might have got it going and sold it for £800- £1K.

If we’re arguing from selected intances, we were a lot happier than that guy off youtube with the dodgy Porsche.

Get the 159 SW, it’s gorgeous (for an estate)
And you’ve already owned an alfa so know about the niggles, depreciation and sumptuous leather seats 🙂

There are good buyers guides over on alfaowner / alfa workshop

I really wanted a alfa estate to replace my 155 but they are sadly lacking in boot space. Wound up with a current shape citroen c5 as its huge and just a little daft.

You need a pre electric handbrake Passat, a 1.9 TDI. My 2001 one was on 235K when I traded it for a 2004 one with 68K on the clock. Hope this one does as well.