Alfa 147 daily driver?
Discussion
Hi,
I've been scouring the web looking for a small-to-medium size warm hatch to use as a daily and it's just occured to me that I've overlooked one car...
I've always wanted to own an Alfa and maybe a 147 would pose a slightly more soulful alternative to the usual Focus etc?
Can anyone tell me:
I've been scouring the web looking for a small-to-medium size warm hatch to use as a daily and it's just occured to me that I've overlooked one car...
I've always wanted to own an Alfa and maybe a 147 would pose a slightly more soulful alternative to the usual Focus etc?
Can anyone tell me:
- What sort of MPG you get from the 1.6 or 1.8 four cylinders?
- Do the rear seats fold to give a full luggage area?
- Are they reasonably refined on the motorway?
- Any issues to watch out for?
Chris71 said:
- What sort of MPG you get from the 1.6 or 1.8 four cylinders?
- Do the rear seats fold to give a full luggage area?
- Are they reasonably refined on the motorway?
- Any issues to watch out for?.
The rear seats do fold. You can also get a 3 door or 5 door versions.
Yes lovely on the motorway.
Cambelt MUST be changed every 36,000 miles/3 years whatevers soonest. You should also double check for any knocks in the suspension on the test drive.
Lovely little cars. Highly recommended
Go for the 2.0 and avoid the selespeed version (semi auto).
I would echo what OA said.
I bought my wife's 147 in London and 200 miles later I was still comfortable and happy. We went for a JTD 8 valve (diesel was cheap back then!) primarily because it's a strong engine and she preferred the drive - she'd had a 2.0 Twin Spark for four years prior to that and it was just coming up to it's second belt/plug change - £400. I would favour the JTD torque over the Twin Spark these days but if it's your first Alfa I can see the appeal of the 7,000 redline but I do find the 1.6 gutless on the steep hills round here.
Usual thing - check all electrics work - there's a lot of them on the Lusso. Listen for suspension clonks and bongs and check the tyres are evenly worn right across the tread as the bushes aren't the greatest. You should get two identical black keys - check they both work.
Good cars. Must be the most attractive interior on any car in it's class.
I bought my wife's 147 in London and 200 miles later I was still comfortable and happy. We went for a JTD 8 valve (diesel was cheap back then!) primarily because it's a strong engine and she preferred the drive - she'd had a 2.0 Twin Spark for four years prior to that and it was just coming up to it's second belt/plug change - £400. I would favour the JTD torque over the Twin Spark these days but if it's your first Alfa I can see the appeal of the 7,000 redline but I do find the 1.6 gutless on the steep hills round here.
Usual thing - check all electrics work - there's a lot of them on the Lusso. Listen for suspension clonks and bongs and check the tyres are evenly worn right across the tread as the bushes aren't the greatest. You should get two identical black keys - check they both work.
Good cars. Must be the most attractive interior on any car in it's class.
I've got an '06 1.6 147 TI, which we've had since new.
It's been absolutely fine in terms of reliability, etc. - only thing that's been done was a new door check-strap under warranty because it had developed a bit of a creak.
The 1.6 is OK in this car, but no better than that. Once it's wound up it nips along quite the thing, but you do need to keep it revving to get the best out of it.
Driven like that, it's given mid-30's mpg since we've had it.
The 1.6 isn't an ideal motorway cruiser, in my book, because it's only geared for about 20mph/1000revs in top (fifth). In your position, I'd maybe look at the diesel.
It's been absolutely fine in terms of reliability, etc. - only thing that's been done was a new door check-strap under warranty because it had developed a bit of a creak.
The 1.6 is OK in this car, but no better than that. Once it's wound up it nips along quite the thing, but you do need to keep it revving to get the best out of it.
Driven like that, it's given mid-30's mpg since we've had it.
The 1.6 isn't an ideal motorway cruiser, in my book, because it's only geared for about 20mph/1000revs in top (fifth). In your position, I'd maybe look at the diesel.
I've wanted an Alfa for ages and (assuming it would be a second car) I'd always said it had to be red and have at least six cylinders. Unfortunately, this has to be a relatively long distance commuter/workhorse, so I might investigate a 1.6 (I'm only comparing it to a similarly engined Focus) or try a JTD.
Can anyone give me an idea of real-world motorway economy on the JTD? I'm not normally a fan of diesels, but if it gave me a little more performance (compared to the 1.6) and it made owning something a bit different practical then I'd be tempted.
My concern with all diesels is just that they have to be very efficient to make up for the extra cost of fuel and servicing - I can't see 35mpg Vs 45mpg covering it.
Also, what would you say were the downsides of the 147? A mate's father had one for a bit and didn't seem too keen on the steering and gearchange. That said, I think there was a degree of company car sour grapes involved, so I'm taking that with a pinch of salt!
Can anyone give me an idea of real-world motorway economy on the JTD? I'm not normally a fan of diesels, but if it gave me a little more performance (compared to the 1.6) and it made owning something a bit different practical then I'd be tempted.
My concern with all diesels is just that they have to be very efficient to make up for the extra cost of fuel and servicing - I can't see 35mpg Vs 45mpg covering it.
Also, what would you say were the downsides of the 147? A mate's father had one for a bit and didn't seem too keen on the steering and gearchange. That said, I think there was a degree of company car sour grapes involved, so I'm taking that with a pinch of salt!
The steering is the usual sharp Alfa rack which I like. The gearchange appears to be a bit rubbery - lots of play around neutral - but when you drive it it's fine.
You are right about the petrol/diesel economy thing, especially these days. It made sense two years as the JTD we got was not much more to buy than a 1.6 TS but had more oomph, and hopefully a less fragile engine. If it had been a TS we would have already had one big belt service on it....
MPGs are so hard to talk about because everyone's driving is different. If our 147 ever gets on the motorway it will show mid to high 40s on the trip computer. In it's more usual urban role it's high 30's. Against that our old 2.0TS 145 used to be mid 20's at best - you have to work the Twin Sparks hard as they are quite peaky. They are not great on CO2s either so the tax disc costs add up too.
You are right about the petrol/diesel economy thing, especially these days. It made sense two years as the JTD we got was not much more to buy than a 1.6 TS but had more oomph, and hopefully a less fragile engine. If it had been a TS we would have already had one big belt service on it....
MPGs are so hard to talk about because everyone's driving is different. If our 147 ever gets on the motorway it will show mid to high 40s on the trip computer. In it's more usual urban role it's high 30's. Against that our old 2.0TS 145 used to be mid 20's at best - you have to work the Twin Sparks hard as they are quite peaky. They are not great on CO2s either so the tax disc costs add up too.
Ok, not strictly a 147, but I've seen this 156 on Autotrader. What are peoples' thoughts?
http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/ALFA...
It looks like a possibility... well, the looks have nearly made me have a trouser accident. But is 90,000 likely to be an issue for a 1.9 JTD (or for that matter the 156 it lives within)?
I think the 156 Sportwagon is one of the nicest looking recent Alfas - that would definitely have the required combination of practicality, economy(ish) and desirability.
http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/ALFA...
It looks like a possibility... well, the looks have nearly made me have a trouser accident. But is 90,000 likely to be an issue for a 1.9 JTD (or for that matter the 156 it lives within)?
I think the 156 Sportwagon is one of the nicest looking recent Alfas - that would definitely have the required combination of practicality, economy(ish) and desirability.
Oooo yes. Red Sportwagon with black leather and 17s - just what I had!
Anyway... it looks good Chris. Great combination of style and practicality. THink of it as a 5 door coupe and you are about right. Mileage not necessarily a problem but obviously check service history that it had a cambelt at 72,000. Listen for clonks and bonks from the suspension and check the tyres are evenly worn across their treads - especially check the very insides. Check all the electrics work and the locking wheel nut is present. Unfortunately the Alfa satnav is really poor so make sure they aren't charging you more for that.
Good buyer's guide here:
http://www.alfaworkshop.co.uk/alfa_156_buyers.shtm...
Anyway... it looks good Chris. Great combination of style and practicality. THink of it as a 5 door coupe and you are about right. Mileage not necessarily a problem but obviously check service history that it had a cambelt at 72,000. Listen for clonks and bonks from the suspension and check the tyres are evenly worn across their treads - especially check the very insides. Check all the electrics work and the locking wheel nut is present. Unfortunately the Alfa satnav is really poor so make sure they aren't charging you more for that.
Good buyer's guide here:
http://www.alfaworkshop.co.uk/alfa_156_buyers.shtm...
Ok, got through to the dealer with the 156. Hopefully going to see it tomorrow - the car's not actually there just yet. Rather worryingly he reckons "nothing's been changed" apart from normal servicing, but I think he may have thought I meant mods or something - the guy sounded half asleep. Actually rather more than half - I got the impression he'd smoked half of Columbia's GDP.
Check the service history. You can always ring up the last place that saw the car and ask them what they know about it.
If it's done mainly motorway miles the suspension will have had a fairly easy time of it. Urban potholes and speedhumps can take their toll on the bushes, anti roll bar mounts and droplinks. You will often hear this as clonks through the suspension and it's often more apparent at low speeds so try and do some urban miles rather than ragging it like a loon. You can do that later.
;)
If you look here: http://www.alfaworkshop.co.uk/alfa_156_parts.shtml you will see parts are not that expensive but you can always use any clonks as bargaining power. Also check the tyres have worn evenly as that is a sign the suspension is worn. While you are under there marvel at the rear suspension - it really is quite a setup!
Can't think of what else to check really. As it's a 5 door coupe
check the rear parcel cover retracts OK as they can self destruct and are hard to come by cheaply. As you have probably spotted Alfas don't have any door rubbing strips so they do pick up car park dings unfortunately but these can usually be sorted by a Dent Man unless they are right on the door handle crease.
If it's done mainly motorway miles the suspension will have had a fairly easy time of it. Urban potholes and speedhumps can take their toll on the bushes, anti roll bar mounts and droplinks. You will often hear this as clonks through the suspension and it's often more apparent at low speeds so try and do some urban miles rather than ragging it like a loon. You can do that later.
;)
If you look here: http://www.alfaworkshop.co.uk/alfa_156_parts.shtml you will see parts are not that expensive but you can always use any clonks as bargaining power. Also check the tyres have worn evenly as that is a sign the suspension is worn. While you are under there marvel at the rear suspension - it really is quite a setup!
Can't think of what else to check really. As it's a 5 door coupe
check the rear parcel cover retracts OK as they can self destruct and are hard to come by cheaply. As you have probably spotted Alfas don't have any door rubbing strips so they do pick up car park dings unfortunately but these can usually be sorted by a Dent Man unless they are right on the door handle crease.Doh! It sounds like the first impressions of the garage may have been justified. A chap on Alfa Owners reckons that 156 Sportwagon appeared crash damaged at auction recently! 
On the (sort of) upside, having very nearly bought a couple of other cars over the last few days after being told my car was a write-off I got a phone call this morning from my insurers saying my old car may, in fact, be repairable. Slightly mixed feelings about that - on the one hand it's 'my' car that's been in the family since I was 17 and great fun to drive. On the other hand I thought I could get quite used to driving around in a piece of automotive art with climate control, leather, cruise etc.
On the (sort of) upside, having very nearly bought a couple of other cars over the last few days after being told my car was a write-off I got a phone call this morning from my insurers saying my old car may, in fact, be repairable. Slightly mixed feelings about that - on the one hand it's 'my' car that's been in the family since I was 17 and great fun to drive. On the other hand I thought I could get quite used to driving around in a piece of automotive art with climate control, leather, cruise etc.
Edited by Chris71 on Wednesday 16th July 10:10
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