[Closed] Alpha 159 Sportswagon, Any good?

Let me get this straight now -

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OR

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You're fekking kidding me, right?

🙂

If it's someone elses money then I'd have another one. If was my own, then not.

not much more boot than Golf either if that's important.

One day I shall have an Alfa Romeo. I've promised myself that.

I've had a Ducati and I want another, too. And I will.

I just love Italian metal.

If you don't even know how to spell Alfa you don't deserve to drive one.

😉

do it... get a nice JTD Lusso, treat it well for 3 years, don't do many miles, then let me have it cheap..

Thanks

oh, and if you can get it in met. blue or Alfa red then that'd be nice 😛

Seem much better quality these days too. Came second in the German customer satisfaction survey

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LOL @ HP_Source.

🙂

Mate drives the 156 Sortwagen. Nice car, great engine. Get one.

These estates aren't that much bigger than a hatch back, but have a smidge more useable space for biking.

Best looking estate in the world, easy! The golf on the other hand - possibly the ugliest?!
I had a 156 sportwagon, useless as an estate but it sounded and looked amazing, lovely to drive, fast, and I did 20k in it and sold it for only £500 less than I paid for it (approx. 15% depreciation in 2 years worth of driving).
I envy you badly! get one, get one now!!

Great for the character. Less great for the ownership experience. It's different, but so is having a chicken on your head.

A Subaru Legacy is similarly individual yet less painful. (I speak from experience. (159 JTDM Lusso to Legacy Spec B))

OP- its not even your money and its within the warranty period.

Why would anyone put someone elses money willingly on a Golf? If it was my money and the choices were secondhand I'd go for something with strong residuals (boring but popular).

If you are asking the question you are obviously a troll or a Golf fan. (Sorry).

A Subaru Legacy is similarly individual yet less painful

So let me see now -

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OR

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Again, are you having a laff? 😀

(Yes I am purposefully picking red Alfas!)
(And I really would like the GTV behind it as well...)

I'm a Subaru owner and I'd still chose a Alfa.

Not because of that balding, overweight middle-aged man on tv who acts like a 14yr old boy- I wouldnt listen to his recommendations (I'd listen to Platos etc though).

You can only see how it looks while you're stood beside it on the hard shoulder. From the inside, the quality wins.

And they are both estates at the end of the day; not a couple of Aston Martins.

I had a late, facelift 156 SW (with the 2.4 20v engine, that lives on in the 159). It was ace. Not that practical as an estate, but a lovely place to be, especially with the electric Recaros that mine had. It was over 100k miles when I changed it, never broke down, only real problem was a turbo pipe splitting (not expensive to change) right before a service, and it was driveable, just not as quick. My mate with a similar age/miles A4 Avant had a string of problems, including his aircon controls dying and needing expensive replacement as it was out of warranty. So much for brand reputations.

Almost replaced it with another Alfa, but the 159 is a size up (has far more room for passengers and luggage, but way more than I needed), the 147 too old, the Mito too small. As and when I have kids, a 159SW might be on the cards.

I've had enough italian cars to know that all the pub "car expert" talk about them being unreliable rustbuckets may have been true once, but not for a decade or two at least. Even my Ducati Monster started first time yesterday after 6 weeks of being left outside under a cover. It's not a heart or head decision any more!

ps. as for depreciation, look at absolutes not percentages. Spec up a something German against a 159 giving it the same kit and power, and compare what you'll actually lose in depreciation. A few more percentage points for retained value (minus options, of course) doesn't cover the extra chunk you have to pay for them in the first place.

I'm not even sure the Golf Estate is even that good for retained value - they're not very popular in the first place, hardly surprising given competition within the same group from the Octavia, which actually looks good as an estate in the first place.

My cycling mate has a 159 2.4 diesel auto. He's had a couple of very minor electrical niggles but otherwise it's been fine. Not the biggest estate by any means, with a big boot lip. Goes very well (as you might expect) and a good balance of handling/comfort just not too enconomical - low 30's.

I'm thinking of changing my car but <ducks head> I think that new Mazda 6 looks even better than the Alfa. The 182bhp Mazda estate has a better balance of handling/size/comfort/performance/enconomy/reliability it just doesn't have the Alfa "soul" badge bollocks which TG keep on going about.

Alfa all day long make mine a v6 in black please.

If you get one, get the BIG Oil Burner, its a beast. The Alfa Diesel was used in the old Vectra, its probably the nicest Diesel engine on the road today. having driven most diesel cars over the last 20 years, including lots of Pugs.
Unfortunately with an Alfa its the rest of the car that lets it down, great cars but the Build is still a little behind, rattles and squeaks come to mind. just get shot of it before its first MOT

simon_g - I spat tea at the keyboard at your 'they're reliable now' assertion. That's not my experience, and I have had more than 10 Alfa's. They are for your heart, not your head. But if you heart starts making promises like that there will be some tears shed.

I'd LOVE a 2.0 156 sportswagon. Think it looks bang on with the boot etc. However not with my money.

True about other brands having probs but you dont hear alot of people shouting about a 3series. 🙁

If you are over 6'2" I would try sitting in the 159 before deciding on your purchase. At 6'3 I don't fit in the 159 as it's got a smaller cabin than the 156 or 147 or wierdly the GT.

People who have problematic german cars seem to be perpetually in denial. A friend who had a mk1 TT maintained that it was perfectly reliable despite twice leaving him stranded when coilpacks failed, then the cambelt snapped ahead of the specified change interval.

Oh, and fwiw my current Honda has more squeaks and rattles than my 156 ever did.

I had a 156 company car I loved (looks/handling etc..) it but swore I would never buy one as there was always something electrical not working or bits of trim falling off.

However, every time I think about changing my motor I find myself trying to justify a 159. I hear that they are better now (there I go again :roll:)

In summary if it's a company car then go for it!

simon_g if I run the recommended psi on my Subaru Forester it doesnt not squeek once- not even over rough ground at speed. If I go 2psi over the recommended it creaks and squeeks.

Are you running the right psi (for carrying one person max the time?) and the recommended size tyre or are you running 17 or 18" option alloys?

On the whole Ive never really had a car squeek or rattle and Ive owned a few!

Bollocks to looks/style/value/reliablity, its a company car.

And as its a company car all that matters is COST to you.

Therefore you need to do the 'co2 * list price' equation to understand what its comparable to and then compare to your allowable cars and/or any additional allowances you may of may not get.

My last company car was a 2.2 petrol auto Vectra, as I was £500 a month better off than the BMW 5 that sat at the top of my 'list'. After that I went onto the cash allowance scheme as I was better off again running my own car/motorbike.

If you're paying top rate tax the golf's looks and image might not worry you as much as a hundred quid or more per month in extra tax you'll pay for the Alfa. They're also horrific to lease compared with the golf, so your company' may be paying a good £200 per month more too. I would have had a 159 until I did the sums.