RE: Alfa Giulietta | Shed of the Week
Discussion
I've had 2 of these first one was a qv line diesel with 170 bhp and tct gearbox brilliant car fast economical and rare .my wife wrote it off in 2018 got more than I paid for it from insurance and now 6 years later its still the same money.also a special edition manual 150 brake diesel. Brake pads and discs can be expensive as Brymbo brakes on front. I've now had 7 alfas in a row now. I love them because there rare and not god awful German dross driven by idiots
I remember when this was launched and it was being hailed ( by Alfa ) as the renaissance of the brand etc etc etc.... How many times have we heard this.
And, as ever with Alfa, it never quite lived up to expectations, stayed around a little too long and sort of fizzled out in it's last few years on sale.
Slightly sad.
And, as ever with Alfa, it never quite lived up to expectations, stayed around a little too long and sort of fizzled out in it's last few years on sale.
Slightly sad.
The comments aren't coming fast for this one...
About 15 years ago I wanted a 147. Sat in one, lots of comfort and style and the cockpit was wearing well. I bought a Peugeot 406 Coupé.
About 10 years ago I thought I'd scratch the Alfa itch so checked a Giulietta out at Car Giant. It just felt ordinary with a worse driving position and the gear stick gaiter was coming unstitched. It was only 2 years old. I bought a Seat Leon.
Now I'm in the market for a newer car and like the look of the Tonale but really haven't seen any.
About 15 years ago I wanted a 147. Sat in one, lots of comfort and style and the cockpit was wearing well. I bought a Peugeot 406 Coupé.
About 10 years ago I thought I'd scratch the Alfa itch so checked a Giulietta out at Car Giant. It just felt ordinary with a worse driving position and the gear stick gaiter was coming unstitched. It was only 2 years old. I bought a Seat Leon.
Now I'm in the market for a newer car and like the look of the Tonale but really haven't seen any.
Worst car we ever had, constant failures - injector line leak, all over the underside of the car the whole way down the M6.
Dealerships the absolute worst - between ordering the car and it being delivered the two nearest had already gone bust!
In the end after nothing but loaner cars for the best part of 3 months Lex decided to let her select her replacement company car early - the 330d we got after was faultless in the 120k it did only needing a replacment horn
I remember testing the Brembo upgrade brakes ours was specced with and the car just floated about the place when trying to pull up - it just screamed of lack of testing/development for this kit to be fitted to the car
MOT history seems to have disappeared - when I last read it made it sound like Trigger's Broom but somehow it still goes on -
Now over in NI
https://www.usedcarsni.com/2011-Alfa-Romeo-Giuliet...
Dealerships the absolute worst - between ordering the car and it being delivered the two nearest had already gone bust!
In the end after nothing but loaner cars for the best part of 3 months Lex decided to let her select her replacement company car early - the 330d we got after was faultless in the 120k it did only needing a replacment horn
I remember testing the Brembo upgrade brakes ours was specced with and the car just floated about the place when trying to pull up - it just screamed of lack of testing/development for this kit to be fitted to the car
MOT history seems to have disappeared - when I last read it made it sound like Trigger's Broom but somehow it still goes on -
Now over in NI
https://www.usedcarsni.com/2011-Alfa-Romeo-Giuliet...
Edited by IanJ9375 on Friday 28th June 13:31
So just to understand how good this car was.
Me 2015
Alfa QV Line 1.4
Wife
Golf 1.6 2016 from new
Golf
Dct or whatever it's failed at 20k miles. Under warranty 6k cost.
Window failure driver side - Warranty
Fuel leak - Warranty
Suspension creak - warranty
Coolant temp failure - warranty
Creaking from seat - warranty
All in the first 2.5 years.
Alfa Romeo Giulietta
Zero faults.
I'd then get rediculous comments such as "it'll be on the back on a tow truck soon"
Not only was it a better drivers car than the golf it outperformed it almost in every way. Still, dull, "never take any risks in my life"people drive golf's ..That's my wife right there haha
Harry's garage recommended it over the golf as well.
A very good car.
Me 2015
Alfa QV Line 1.4
Wife
Golf 1.6 2016 from new
Golf
Dct or whatever it's failed at 20k miles. Under warranty 6k cost.
Window failure driver side - Warranty
Fuel leak - Warranty
Suspension creak - warranty
Coolant temp failure - warranty
Creaking from seat - warranty
All in the first 2.5 years.
Alfa Romeo Giulietta
Zero faults.
I'd then get rediculous comments such as "it'll be on the back on a tow truck soon"
Not only was it a better drivers car than the golf it outperformed it almost in every way. Still, dull, "never take any risks in my life"people drive golf's ..That's my wife right there haha
Harry's garage recommended it over the golf as well.
A very good car.
Edited by Marcodude on Friday 28th June 13:30
Love my Speciale. Have owned it for 5 years and it’s been utterly reliable. Just routine servicing (belts done last year). It’s no Golf R but the 2.0 diesel is peppy enough to make swift progress and I’ve no complaints about the handling or brakes. Only meant to keep it for a couple of years but 5 years on and I’ve no intention of selling it
chirurgus said:
There one minute, gone the next.
PSB1967 said:
Car seems to have gone from PH classifieds, but here's a link to it elsewhere:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202406251...
Nope. Not there either. https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202406251...
chirurgus said:
chirurgus said:
There one minute, gone the next.
PSB1967 said:
Car seems to have gone from PH classifieds, but here's a link to it elsewhere:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202406251...
Nope. Not there either. https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202406251...
IanJ9375 said:
Worst car we ever had, constant failures - injector line leak, all over the underside of the car the whole way down the M6.
Dealerships the absolute worst - between ordering the car and it being delivered the two nearest had already gone bust!
In the end after nothing but loaner cars for the best part of 3 months Lex decided to let her select her replacement company car early - the 330d we got after was faultless in the 120k it did only needing a replacment horn
I remember testing the Brembo upgrade brakes ours was specced with and the car just floated about the place when trying to pull up - it just screamed of lack of testing/development for this kit to be fitted to the car
MOT history seems to have disappeared - when I last read it made it sound like Trigger's Broom but somehow it still goes on -
Now over in NI
https://www.usedcarsni.com/2011-Alfa-Romeo-Giuliet...
Think I looked at that one 4-5 years ago, I looked at maybe 20 before I bought mine. A lot of them had done 50k miles between services and there were 5 year old ones on 80k at top money with skitterish service and no history of cam belt / water pump.Dealerships the absolute worst - between ordering the car and it being delivered the two nearest had already gone bust!
In the end after nothing but loaner cars for the best part of 3 months Lex decided to let her select her replacement company car early - the 330d we got after was faultless in the 120k it did only needing a replacment horn
I remember testing the Brembo upgrade brakes ours was specced with and the car just floated about the place when trying to pull up - it just screamed of lack of testing/development for this kit to be fitted to the car
MOT history seems to have disappeared - when I last read it made it sound like Trigger's Broom but somehow it still goes on -
Now over in NI
https://www.usedcarsni.com/2011-Alfa-Romeo-Giuliet...
Edited by IanJ9375 on Friday 28th June 13:31
My current daily for past 4-5 years
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
The 1.6 is an overlooked peach if serviced every 10k, in Dynamic it’s pretty quick.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
The 1.6 is an overlooked peach if serviced every 10k, in Dynamic it’s pretty quick.
I remember selling these in their droves at 18 months old at a fraction of the new price. This car looks like one of that batch, they were all 11-61 plate 2.0 JTD Veloces with the standard 17s. The 140bhp cars benefitted from the lower road tax bracket.
I never warmed to the Giulietta sadly. They didn't have the agility or the nimbleness of the 147s, the engines weren’t as characterful, and the interiors while better put together, didn’t have the flair. It was trying too hard to be a Golf rival, and some of the charm was lost too. Poor Alfa, damned if they do and damned if they don’t!
I never warmed to the Giulietta sadly. They didn't have the agility or the nimbleness of the 147s, the engines weren’t as characterful, and the interiors while better put together, didn’t have the flair. It was trying too hard to be a Golf rival, and some of the charm was lost too. Poor Alfa, damned if they do and damned if they don’t!
humphra said:
Johnspex said:
Do these people who are so desperate to be first wake up, post, and run into mummy and Daddy's bedroom shouting " I was first!" only to be told to go back to bed as they have school in the morning?
By the same measure do you wake up wondering how you can piss on the pleasure of others that day?? Cheer up. It's just a bit of fun. Johnspex said:
humphra said:
Johnspex said:
Do these people who are so desperate to be first wake up, post, and run into mummy and Daddy's bedroom shouting " I was first!" only to be told to go back to bed as they have school in the morning?
By the same measure do you wake up wondering how you can piss on the pleasure of others that day?? Cheer up. It's just a bit of fun. 
Crazy to think you could still buy these new only a few years ago.
Always seemed something of a ‘mixed bag’ to me, some nice touches, but rather offset with various layers of disappointment. An attractive side profile and rear, with the distinct tail lights and curved ‘chase’ of LEDs, which I think still look good today. Unfortunately things go rather awry at the front end which is a sort of tall, amorphous mass with tiny features and ‘beady’ little headlights, similar to the MiTo of the same era, it was often dubbed the ‘Surprised Owl’ look, certainly a disappointing follow up to the low, sleek look of the 159, Brera, etc. although this was supposedly, at least in part to meet pedestrian impact regulations.
Then you have the interior, which could have been quite characterful, with its ‘swooping’ dash design, particularly finished in the dark brushed metal seen on the ‘Veloce' model, which looked quite smart. Unfortunately they ‘cheaped out’ on some pretty key areas - lots of FIAT switchgear, the mono red ‘dot matrix’ electronic displays looked ancient even in 2010, then there’s the door cards covered in nasty flat vinyl, without even any fabric inserts for relief, a far cry from the sculpted leather that you see on most Alfas.
More gallingly these are things that could have been improved with a good facelift, yet they managed to keep making it look worse over its life cycle, the last models sporting the ‘honeycomb’ grille look like they’ve had their teeth knocked out, and rather than improving the interior it just underwent further layers of cheapening.
Missed opportunity indeed.
Always seemed something of a ‘mixed bag’ to me, some nice touches, but rather offset with various layers of disappointment. An attractive side profile and rear, with the distinct tail lights and curved ‘chase’ of LEDs, which I think still look good today. Unfortunately things go rather awry at the front end which is a sort of tall, amorphous mass with tiny features and ‘beady’ little headlights, similar to the MiTo of the same era, it was often dubbed the ‘Surprised Owl’ look, certainly a disappointing follow up to the low, sleek look of the 159, Brera, etc. although this was supposedly, at least in part to meet pedestrian impact regulations.
Then you have the interior, which could have been quite characterful, with its ‘swooping’ dash design, particularly finished in the dark brushed metal seen on the ‘Veloce' model, which looked quite smart. Unfortunately they ‘cheaped out’ on some pretty key areas - lots of FIAT switchgear, the mono red ‘dot matrix’ electronic displays looked ancient even in 2010, then there’s the door cards covered in nasty flat vinyl, without even any fabric inserts for relief, a far cry from the sculpted leather that you see on most Alfas.
More gallingly these are things that could have been improved with a good facelift, yet they managed to keep making it look worse over its life cycle, the last models sporting the ‘honeycomb’ grille look like they’ve had their teeth knocked out, and rather than improving the interior it just underwent further layers of cheapening.
Missed opportunity indeed.
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