Uh oh! Just got my new Alfa 159 and...

Tragedy · 03-02-2008 3:48pm

Gorgeous car, congratulations and I hope you enjoy every minute driving it

NewApproach · 03-02-2008 4:09pm

Elessar wrote: »

I have cruise control in my car and never use it.

Thats irrelevant. Fact is the car is specced with it and it wasn't on it

legs11 · 03-02-2008 5:24pm

post pics OP and let us know how this cruise control sagea pans out...............:D

congrats on the purchase and safe driving.

Lex Luthor · 03-02-2008 5:53pm

Tails142 wrote: »

to be fair cruise control isnt even that useful in ireland. Even at say 4am when there's no traffic its crap either because of people doing 50 in left lane or people driving in the right lane refusing to pull over.

I disagree. My wifes car has cruise control and I find myself using it all the time when I'm driving it. It can really depend on how easy it is to use and where the stalk is located.

As to the OP, congrats on the new car....great choice. I wouldn't get too down yet about the stalk missing. Its very possible that the dealer can fit this.

I was looking at a Saab 9-3 estate last year and when I was speaking to the dealer, he said that the cruise control stalk is fitted after they take delivery. The loom is already installed and its an hour job to fit.

Lets hope the 159 is the same.

skyhighflyer · 03-02-2008 7:17pm

Probably the most beautiful saloon car on the road right now - congrats OP. Best of luck with it and hope you get the cruise issue sorted. I have to say I fall into the camp of people who believe it's not all that necessary but it's a new car and you want - and deserve - it to be just right.

Also, try not to listen to the Passat TDI brigade re: spending 54k on an Alfa - the 159 with the TI pack is worth every penny on the looks alone.

Edit: Am I right in thinking that the TI pack comes with 19" wheels? How is the ride on typical roads?

su_dios · 03-02-2008 7:37pm

Yep OP the car should be already wired for it and its a case of getting the cruise control stalk and fitting it. Not sure if theres any reprogramming to be done or not though. Either way the dealer should do it straight away for you. Make sure you do it as soon as possible as the longer you leave it the harder it will be to convince them.

You will love the alfa. Hard to get a better sounding engine and plenty of room too!! My fav bit about the car is the front lighting set up.

smcgiff · 03-02-2008 7:44pm

Lex Luthor wrote: »

As to the OP, congrats on the new car....great choice. I wouldn't get too down yet about the stalk missing. Its very possible that the dealer can fit this.

Oh, that would be great! Fingers crossed. I'll even use this to break the ice with the dealer. i.e. Has the stalk yet to be fitted type of lead in...

Thanks

smcgiff · 03-02-2008 7:53pm

skyhighflyer wrote: »

Edit: Am I right in thinking that the TI pack comes with 19" wheels? How is the ride on typical roads?

Yip - I was kind of dreading the 19" 40s, as my previous car was a SAAB 93 that had 17" with 45s. Now, that car was able to distinguish between Carroll and Major fag packets as it drove over them.

As it turned out (maybe due to low expectations) the 19" seem fierce smooth. Maybe the suspension compensates, but it's a dream to drive, and I've even driven the back roads. Also, the Fifth Gear review slated the gear change and again, I think its short shift is excellent.

One thing I will mention though is the car manual. It's unforgivably poor in patches. There's one paragraph which leaves out a "not" and you'd get the impression that you should do something instead of not doing it. I've some experience of translation services, and Alfa really should have put more resources into it. But, this is such a small thing, I'll put it down to a quirk of the Marque.

GERMAN ROCKS · 03-02-2008 7:56pm

i think this car was way overpriced. at the end of the day its only an alfa. you could of got a much nicer bmw, audi or merc for that money. also they depreciate very quickly compared to the other 3

GERMAN ROCKS · 03-02-2008 7:56pm

i think this car was way overprices. at the end of the day its only an alfa. you could of got a much nicer bmw, audi or merc for that money. also they depreciate very quickly compared to the other 3

smcgiff · 03-02-2008 7:59pm

su_dios wrote: »

Either way the dealer should do it straight away for you. Make sure you do it as soon as possible as the longer you leave it the harder it will be to convince them.

This is sounding less of a big deal all the time.

su_dios wrote: »

My fav bit about the car is the front lighting set up.

They're cool, and they readjust every time you turn on the lights. It's the simple things that I appreciate.

smcgiff · 03-02-2008 8:09pm

GERMAN ROCKS wrote: »

i think this car was way overprices. at the end of the day its only an alfa. you could of got a much nicer bmw, audi or merc for that money. also they depreciate very quickly compared to the other 3

You might want to sit down, German Rocks, because I'll let you into a secret. Just between you and me, loike. I test drove the BMW 3 series, and have owned an A6 and A4 relatively recently (would never buy a Merc, so no need to test drive). So, what this boils down to is individual preference.

And in some ways you must be right. By far the more common cars are BMWs/Audis/Mercs, but on this occasion I chose the 159.

The 159 will depreciate quicker than the BMW, Audi and the Merc, but not as quick as the 156. However, I refuse to let what the value of my car is in 5 years time compared to a BMW/Audi/Merc/space shuttle worry me. That's in five years time. By then I'll be forty and possibly not interested in cars any more and may even settle for a Merc. But until that day comes I'll be the one driving with a grin on my face.

port · 03-02-2008 8:16pm

smcgiff wrote: »

'..........But until that day comes I'll be the one driving with a grin on my face.

Brilliant reply ha ha.

Best of luck with the car.Have you checked the car manual,perhaps the cc is set up differently i.e not on a stalk but elsewhere.

alfarocks · 03-02-2008 8:18pm

GERMAN ROCKS wrote: »

i think this car was way overprices. at the end of the day its only an alfa. you could of got a much nicer bmw, audi or merc for that money. also they depreciate very quickly compared to the other 3

Yawn... was going to craft a proper response but yawn.....

Fair play for the OP for going with his car of choice and not be beaten down by usual naysayers. People really need to get over this depreciation bullsh1te, if you want a car then buy it - sometimes it costs not to be a sheep.

smcgiff · 03-02-2008 8:30pm

port wrote: »

Brilliant reply ha ha.
Best of luck with the car.Have you checked the car manual,perhaps the cc is set up differently i.e not on a stalk but elsewhere.

Thanks, port. It's the manual that convinced me it's missing. Would happily eat humble pie if I'm told Monday morning that the CC button(s) is next to the thingymebob, just under the watchamacallit.

smcgiff · 03-02-2008 8:32pm

alfarocks wrote: »

Fair play for the OP for going with his car of choice

Thanks alfarocks, I may now need to change my Boards.ie name. Do you think ALFA MALE to be a tad presumptuous?

colm_mcm · 03-02-2008 8:41pm

maybe cruise control can be retro fitted using original parts?

cancan · 03-02-2008 8:46pm

GERMAN ROCKS wrote: »

i think this car was way overpriced. at the end of the day its only an alfa. you could of got a much nicer bmw, audi or merc for that money. also they depreciate very quickly compared to the other 3

Stereotypical irish car buyer.... I suppose zee germans are paraogons of reliability too!

Did you know a citroen c6 depreciates less than a 530D?
I would guess not...

A, but it's only a citroen, loike...

Guy:Incognito · 03-02-2008 8:52pm

cancan wrote: »

Did you know a citroen c6 depreciates less than a 530D?
I would guess not...

It's also a much nicer car.

I really want to own one at some stage.

colm_mcm · 03-02-2008 8:53pm

What are the C6 depreciation figures based on? Has anyone in Ireland actually bought one and traded it back in yet? The only C6's I've seen have been registered as demo models.

E92 · 03-02-2008 9:22pm

A C6 depreciates less than a 530d? Pass the brandy there:D!

The much more affordable C5 depreciates as fast as things fall under gravity, and large Citroens always bomb for depreciation, so I seriously doubt it that a C6 is a better placer to put your cash on than one of the country's favourite executive cars.

Clytus · 03-02-2008 9:32pm

Can I ask you OP why you changed from a Saab to an Alfa??
I was a Merc devotee till I test drove the Saab 9-3 Vector Sport and now Id find it hard to justify ever going back to Mercedez.

The 159 is a nice car Ill admit...but theres just something about Alfas that just frighten me off them.

cancan · 03-02-2008 9:56pm

E92 wrote: »

A C6 depreciates less than a 530d? Pass the brandy there:D!

The much more affordable C5 depreciates as fast as things fall under gravity, and large Citroens always bomb for depreciation, so I seriously doubt it that a C6 is a better placer to put your cash on than one of the country's favourite executive cars.

2006 530d - cost 39,000 - now - 28000
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2006-BMW-5-SERIES-530d-M-Sport-Auto_W0QQitemZ320214050340QQihZ011QQcategoryZ9837QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

2006 c6 - cost 32,000 now - 25k

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Citroen-C6-2-7-HDi-V6-Exclusive-4dr-Auto_W0QQitemZ330198857483QQihZ014QQcategoryZ18174QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

So the bmw would have cost you 4k more for the year to run - thats a lot of extra photocopiers to sell!

Tragedy · 03-02-2008 10:02pm

E92, looking at C6's and 530D SE's on autotrader shows they both seem to suffer similar sorts of depreciation(based on 2005 versions of both, at least).

E92 · 03-02-2008 10:04pm

cancan wrote: »

2006 530d - cost 39,000 - now - 28000
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2006-BMW-5-SERIES-530d-M-Sport-Auto_W0QQitemZ320214050340QQihZ011QQcategoryZ9837QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

2006 c6 - cost 32,000 now - 25k

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Citroen-C6-2-7-HDi-V6-Exclusive-4dr-Auto_W0QQitemZ330198857483QQihZ014QQcategoryZ18174QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

So the bmw would have cost you 4k more for the year to run - thats a lot of extra photocopiers to sell!

That's the UK, therefore totally irrelevant. Their market and ours have only one thing in common, and that is we both speak English. You've also managed to completely skew the figures as a brand new C6 in the spec you linked me to costs£38195 in the UK, thereby proving my point that it depreciates more than the BMW, in this example to the tune of £2,000 or €3,000 roughly.

E92 · 03-02-2008 10:09pm

Tragedy wrote: »

E92, looking at C6's and 530D SE's on autotrader shows they both seem to suffer similar sorts of depreciation(based on 2005 versions of both, at least).

Are you talking about here or the UK because their market and ours are completely unrelated. The UK is no guide at all as to what happens here. I'm not denying what ye are saying about the Citroen in the UK but I simply don't believe that the sttry is true here, as our buying habits and theirs are totally different.

Tragedy · 03-02-2008 10:13pm

So what exactly are you basing your information on E92? Considering theres been all of... five sold over here.

And since we can import from the UK(and its usually the smart option for executive barges), i dont see how its irrelevant.

pburns · 03-02-2008 10:14pm

GERMAN ROCKS wrote: »

i think this car was way overpriced. at the end of the day its only an alfa. you could of got a much nicer bmw, audi or merc for that money. also they depreciate very quickly compared to the other 3

Every IT geek/accountant/sales manager in the country has a BMW/Audi/Merc. I've looked at both the new A4 and the 3-series lately, as well as a 159 and I have to say, the German cars are boring appliances compared to the Alfa... Disappointed by the A4 in particular.

Curious though...
Why not wait 'til the July VRT changeover? Surely a 2.4 diesel will benefit?
Also not the 'optimum' 159 - the 1.9JTDm has a fantastic reputation...

Best of luck though. Stunning motor without the me-too corporate-ladder-climbing image of the German marques. Is yours Alfa Red? Great colour for the 159:)

I was actually telling an accountant friend of mine about my Alfa fixation last night. His opinions were...predictable...:D

cancan · 03-02-2008 10:19pm

Given that his username is e92, the fact that the 530 and c6 deprciation match at worst, and probably in reality favor the citroen, is going to be hard to take.

The uk is a better judge of depreciation, because there is more of each model to compare.

Given that most irish people know more about badges than cars, it would be possible that is does not carry over to ireland.

End of the day, every smoperty developer, and big egoed sales men in ireland lust after a 5 like an starvin marvin does for a burger.

So common, even the gurards drive em!

With the property downturn, many of these me too saps will be dumping their bmws hurting the resale values even more, to pay for their massive mortgages.

Biro · 03-02-2008 10:20pm

GERMAN ROCKS wrote: »

i think this car was way overpriced. at the end of the day its only an alfa. you could of got a much nicer bmw, audi or merc for that money. also they depreciate very quickly compared to the other 3

You are a tool.

Uh oh! Just got my new Alfa 159 and...

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